8 Types of Fun Sales Kickoff Ideas for Your Event

1. Pick an Engaging Theme

The right theme can set the tone for the entire sales kickoff. It adds a creative flair and keeps participants excited throughout the event. While you can choose something flashy, the theme should also connect to your company’s goals or key messages for the year. Here are some fun theme ideas to consider:

Sales Olympics

Turn your kickoff into a playful competition by adopting an Olympic-style theme. Divide your team into groups and have them compete in various sales-friendly games and challenges. Add medals, podiums, and a grand award ceremony to give it the full Olympic experience.

Back to the Future

This nostalgic theme takes a look at your company’s past, celebrates the present, and builds excitement for the future. Use this chance to recap achievements, unveil new products, and set goals for the year ahead.

The Great Sales Adventure

Channel an Indiana Jones-style quest or treasure hunt theme, where your team works together to solve puzzles or riddles. These activities can tie into problem-solving or overcoming obstacles in sales.

Superheroes of Sales

Highlight your sales team as the superheroes of the business. Recognize individual and team achievements, rewarding their “superpowers,” such as consistent performance or creativity in closing deals. Provide capes for participants to really get into the theme.

2. Incorporate Fun Icebreakers

Starting the event with an icebreaker is essential to make people feel comfortable. These activities help team members loosen up and build a sense of camaraderie. Here are a few simple icebreaker ideas:

Two Truths and a Lie

Ask team members to share two truths and one lie about themselves. The rest of the group guesses which statement is the lie. It’s lighthearted, quick, and helps people get to know each other.

Sales Bingo

Customize a Bingo card with squares like “Closed the biggest deal of 2025” or “Has worked here for over 10 years.” Invite participants to go around and check off boxes by finding colleagues who match the descriptions. It’s a fun way for everyone to mingle.

Speed Networking

Pair team members for quick, timed one-on-one chats. Prompt them with engaging questions like “What’s your proudest moment in sales?” or “What’s the best tip you’ve received?” Rotate pairs every few minutes to maximize connections.

3. Include Gamification

Gamification adds excitement to any sales kickoff. People love healthy competition, and challenges give everyone something to work toward. You can tie these activities to sales-related objectives to make them both fun and meaningful.

Sales Trivia Challenge

Create a trivia game that focuses on your company’s history, products, and key data from the past year. Form teams and offer prizes to make things competitive. This activity is not only fun but also reinforces important knowledge.

Roleplay Sales Scenarios

Make role-playing fun by having teams compete in sales scenarios, like tricky clients or product pitches. Give awards for the most creative or persuasive performances.

Deal or No Deal Game

Adapt the popular game show format to fit sales. For example, create “mystery deals” with surprises like gift cards or team outings.

4. Host Team-Building Activities

Salespeople thrive on collaboration, so it makes sense to include team-building exercises. These activities strengthen trust and communication while offering a break from PowerPoint-heavy sessions. Here are some great ideas:

Escape Room Challenge

Rent an escape room for a dynamic and interactive experience. These team challenges require everyone to work together to solve puzzles and unlock the way out. If you’re on a budget, you can simulate an escape room in your own facility.

Building the Tallest Tower

Provide teams with everyday items like straws, paper, tape, and string. The goal is to build the tallest, most stable tower within a set time frame. It’s a simple but impactful test of creativity and teamwork.

Shared Mural Creation

Unleash creativity by having the team work on a collective mural that represents the company’s vision or goals. After it’s finished, display it in the office as a reminder of their collaboration during the kickoff.

5. Plan Memorable Recognition Moments

Awards Ceremony

Create fun award categories like “Top Closer,” “Best Team Player,” or even “Most Calls Made Before Coffee.” Add excitement with trophies, certificates, or humorous prizes like a golden coffee mug.

Video Tribute

Compile a short, lively video highlighting memorable moments from the previous year. Include shout-outs to top performers, testimonials from happy customers, or funny behind-the-scenes footage.

Personalized Messages

Take the time to invite leaders to write brief notes of appreciation to team members. This kind gesture makes a big impact and sharing examples during the event lifts the mood.

6. Add Interactive Workshops

Workshops are key to developing skills, but why not make them interactive and engaging? Participants retain information better when they’re actively involved.

Storytelling Workshop

Sales is all about storytelling. Have an expert guide your team through the art of telling powerful stories that connect with clients. To make it fun, you could create a “sales pitch karaoke” where participants improve someone else’s pitch on the spot.

Mock Client Negotiations

Host a workshop focused on negotiation tactics by staging mock client meetings. Split into groups for constructive feedback and reward those who excel during the practice.

Sales Tool Masterclass

Demo new sales tools in an interactive setting. Skip the lecture—use small groups, challenges, and incentives to keep it engaging.

7. Offer Unique Entertainment

Entertainment plays an important role in setting the vibe of your sales kickoff event. It’s also an effective way to re-energize the room if the day has been packed with meetings or presentations.

Stand-Up Comedy Set

Hire a stand-up comedian to deliver a humorous take on the quirks of sales life. Laughter is a perfect way to connect people and fuel positive energy.

Live Music Performance

Book a live band or performer to set an upbeat tone throughout the event. You could even tie the music to your kickoff theme to make it more cohesive.

Photo Booth or Selfie Station

Create a themed photo booth where team members can snap fun pictures. Add props like hats, wigs, and signs with motivational sales quotes (or inside jokes). Post the pictures on social media to highlight your company’s energetic culture.

8. Wrap It All Up with a Vision

End the event on a high note by inspiring your team to carry the momentum forward into the year ahead. This is the perfect moment to align everyone around a shared vision.

CEO’s Vision Speech

Invite your CEO or another key leader to deliver a closing keynote. It should motivate, celebrate successes, and show the sales team’s value to the company.

Future Success Board

Provide a board or wall where team members write down their personal sales goals or hopes for next year. Review the board as a group and celebrate its ambitious energy.

Take-home Swag Bags

Send attendees home with practical and meaningful gifts. Include branded notebooks, coffee mugs, or gift cards as a thank-you for their participation.

The Success Of Sales Kickoff

A successful sales kickoff doesn’t have to feel like “another meeting.” Adding fun activities makes it exciting and prepares your team to tackle challenges and achieve goals. Adding team games, fun themes, workshops, and recognition helps strengthen your team’s bond with the company and each other.

Don’t forget—when your salespeople enjoy the kickoff, they’re more likely to carry that energy with them into the year ahead. Now it’s time to start planning your next sales kickoff event—make it fun, inspiring, and unforgettable!