How to Plan a High-Impact Sales & GTM Kick-Off in 2026 (That Actually Drives Growth)

The game has changed for 2026. 

Sales Kick-Offs (SKOs) and GTM conferences aren’t just feel-good events anymore. As we gear up for 2026, your SKO must drive real behavioural change, energise your team, and set a clear path for commercial growth in an AI-driven world. 

Having keynoted my fair share of SKOs and conferences in 2025 from Sydney to Melbourne to Brisbane to Gold Coast, I’ve seen first-hand, the difference between good and great. Here are 5 steps to ensure your SKO is GREAT!  

If you're planning your 2026 event, here’s your practical guide to delivering commercial impact well beyond the event day.

1. Anchor in the Future of Sales & AI (Not Last Year’s Playbook) 

Sales strategy has evolved dramatically since pre-AI. We're all acutely aware AI is here - but the difference lies in execution. 

The question is: can you enable and implement AI in a way that genuinely drives commercial impact? 

75% of B2B sellers exceeding quota are using AI in their workflow (LinkedIn, 2024). However, in contrast, sellers are overwhelmed by tech overload. 

Use cases range from: 

• AI agents qualifying leads and writing proposals 

• Salespeople doubling their selling time by automating admin 

• Buyers expecting hyper-personalised, omnichannel experiences - and AI making it achievable 

Within the Kick-Off, make sure your sessions around AI feel achievable, and that practical application is considered in bite-sized chunks -otherwise, it risks feeling overwhelming or out of reach. For example, start with one use case.  

2. Shift from Sales Enablement to Revenue Enablement 

Sales doesn’t operate in a silo anymore. 

Growth in 2026 depends on tight alignment across sales, marketing, pre-sales and customer success. Enter: Revenue Enablement. 

Companies with aligned revenue teams are seeing: 

• 209% more revenue (LinkedIn) 

• Higher conversion rates 

• Better customer retention 

Expand your SKO invite list. Make it a Revenue Kick-Off, not just sales. Bring the entire customer-facing engine into the room. 

I highly recommend interactive activities with pre-set groups to ignite collaboration and communication across revenue-generating and GTM teams.  

3. Set Behavioural Goals (Not Just Revenue Targets) 

Revenue targets are the outcome but what are the lead indicators? 

There’s a growing gap between strategy and execution. Operating in 2026 requires behaviour change, tactical adaptability and the ability to consciously evolve in a fast-paced environment. 

Your team needs to master: 

• Tactical flexibility 

• AI partnership 

• Deep sales skills 

Gartner highlights that sellers strong in these areas are 4x more likely to exceed quota. 

At SKO, I recommend concluding with a session on “execution”. What are the proactive habits teams can add to their diary now? Can they take a first step on execution in the room? How will they execute amongst the noise once they get back to the office tomorrow? Take the time to plan for action.  

4. Make It Personalised, Not Generic 

Generic sessions are too hard to translate into real action - they feel theoretical, not practical. 

An easy way to personalise content and meet your team where they're at? Run a pre-Kick-Off pulse survey. 

Ask: 

• What do they want to learn? 

• What do they want included at SKO? 

• What’s working well vs. what’s not? 

A pre-event diagnostic gives you real insight, shapes the agenda, and gets early buy-in.  

I recommend making it anonymous to get the real feedback!  

5. Don’t Let the Energy Die After the Event 

Even the best SKO falls flat without follow-through. 

What high-performing clients implement: 

• Post-event accountability — like a team regroup 2–4 weeks post-SKO. It creates strong focus and measurable follow-up. 

• Ongoing enablement — not just a one-hit wonder 

• Habit tracking + coaching loops — to embed change 

As we approach 2026: 

• Embrace AI but focus on the executio, not the hype.  

• Enable all revenue roles, not just sales  

• Align your revenue-generating teams for growth  

• Drive long-term behaviour change 

  
  

Ready to make your 2026 SKO your most impactful yet? Check out my 2026 Keynotes and workshops here. Prefer to chat, me too, book a call here.