Sales kickoffs (SKOs) are among the most visible—and expensive—enablement plays. Too often, they spike morale for a few days, and then they fizzle out. Sellers go back to their desks with new swag and revert to their old selling habits. The chance to change behavior, build skills, and improve sales results is missed. To learn what the organizations with the most impactful SKOs do differently, we analyzed 221 responses across sales leadership, enablement, and selling roles to find out which SKO elements positively correlate with behavior change (for the full analysis, read our report The SKO Shakeup: Running an Impactful Sales Kickoff, RAIN Group Center for Sales Research).

[Infographic] Sales Kickoffs: A Blueprint for Behavior Impact

Mary Flaherty
November 4, 2025

Sales kickoffs (SKOs) that change behavior aren’t one-off events; they’re systems you plan, build, and reinforce. Just like any other enablement initiative, SKOs exist in a larger ecosystem of training and development and need support to succeed.

How to Host Sales Kickoffs That Engage and Energize Sales Reps

Andy Springer
January 11, 2023

What Is a Sales Kickoff? A sales kickoff (SKO) is an event, often held at the start of a fiscal year or quarter, during which an organization shares goals and strategy for the upcoming year and motivates their sales teams. During the event, sellers might receive training on new skills, tools, or products and services.

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