SALES CONVENTIONS 1. Conventions.—Annual sales conventions are widely used by selling organizations whose members work in widely separated territories and do not come into frequent contact with one another or with the sales manager. Where possible, the entire organiza tion is called together for a three or four days' con ference either at the factory, the home office or at some centrally located point. The factory or office is preferable. It is one of the penalties of growth that eventually the selling organization may become so large that it is impossible to get together in one place or, in fact, to have all its members attend any con vention.
Some concerns hold a convention of their eastern representatives at New York and, at its close, the principal officers of the company travel to Chicago and meet the western organization. Larger compa nies have several of their officers hold conventions in various centrally located cities, the salesmen, sales agents and district managers from the surrounding territory being called in. The National Cash Regis ter Company holds a number of such conventions, some of which are presided over by the president and others by the sales manager. Considerable equip ment in the way of charts and bulletin boards is carried. The Burroughs Adding Machine Company applies the convention idea by calling its district man agers and salesmen into Detroit in groups of between twenty-five and fifty.
The practice in regard to bearing the expense of convention varies. A great many concerns pay all expenses including railroad fares and hotel bills. Others pay railroad fares but expect the men to de fray their own hotel expense. Others make the com ing of the salesmen to the convention at the company's expense dependent upon the volume of the salesman's business.
2. Preparations for the convention.—A convention represents a considerable expenditure of money. If it is to be an investment and not an expense, every thing must be done to make the convention accom plish the purpose for which it is intended. It should be played up beforehand in the house organ and in the daily letters to the men. For months before, the salesman should be reminded at intervals that the time for the annual convention is drawing near and that they will want to have a creditable record to boast of when they come in. This should secure a spurt from
every man in the organization for the grand wind-up of the year's business. The men in the field may be asked for suggestions as to topics to be discussed dur ing the convention and they should be told something of what will be expected of them in the way of par ticipation.
Competent committees should be appointed to take care of the several phases of the convention. The usual committees will be those on the convention hall, on entertainment, on hotel and food and on the pro gram. The chairman of each of these committees should be an executive officer.
3. The program.—The program should be ar ranged to bring up in the limited time at the disposal of the convention, all the really important problems of the house and the salesmen. All others should be eliminated. Care should be taken to have the pre siding officer of the first session of the convention give a strong inspiring talk that will strike the key note for the entire convention. The chairmen of the subsequent sessions should be company executives who are familiar with the particular matters under discussion, who are strong enough to hold the conven tion to the program, and sufficiently interesting to keep the sessions livened up. In addition to the man presiding, it is well to choose leaders for the general discussion that will follow the opening address of the presiding officer at each session. These leaders also should be men who will stick to the matter in hand and lead the discussion along profitable lines.
4. Typical program.—A typical program for a three days' convention might include a "get together" session on the morning of the first day. This will allow the salesmen to shake hands with one another, to renew acquaintances with members of the inside organization who should be present at this session, and enable the gathering to settle down for the more serious work to come. On the afternoon of the first day, the sales records of the year just ending might be discussed with the sales manager presiding. An nouncements of prize winners and presentation of prizes will be made at this session. Announcements of contests and prizes for the coming year may follow.