Sales kickoff RFP template — what generic templates miss
SKOs need things general RFPs miss: plenary AV capacity, breakout count + capacity, evening event venue option, parallel session rooms. This template captures all of it, with the SKO-specific scoring matrix.
Why this template
A sales kickoff is not a regular conference. It's plenary energy + breakout depth + evening showcase + awards moment, often compressed into 2-3 days with 80-300 attendees. Generic RFP templates miss four things SKOs always need: plenary AV that supports the keynote (not just a screen and mic), breakout schedule with parallel sessions (rooms × time slots × capacities), evening venue option that's separate from the daytime space, and awards reception with stage + lighting requirements. This template is built specifically for the SKO archetype.
The 12 sections of the template
1. SKO basics
SKO theme/title, target attendee count (sales reps, managers, executives split), arrival/departure pattern, whether spouses/partners attend any portion.
2. Plenary requirements
Plenary capacity (theatre style, full attendee count). Stage size + lighting (LED wash, key lights, follow-spot). Backdrop space for branded set. Presenter monitors + confidence screens. Walk-in music capable PA system. Hardline internet to stage. State whether you need full venue tech production or hotel AV is sufficient.
3. Breakout requirements
Number of breakout rooms needed simultaneously. Capacity per room. Specify schedule grid (e.g. 4 rooms × 3 time slots × 30 attendees = 360 slot capacity over the day). AV per breakout (mic, screen, internet). Adjacency to plenary (breakouts on same floor or different building?). For the city-specific playbook, see the QBR sibling template.
4. Awards reception scope
If applicable: capacity for awards dinner, stage for trophy presentation, AV for video VTs and music, lighting (gobos for branding, awards reveal effect). State whether dinner is plated or grazing-style. List the typical 6-12 award categories so hotels can plan flow.
5. Evening event venue
Whether you need a separate venue for evening reception (different room from plenary). Indoor vs outdoor preference. F&B style (passed canapés vs station vs plated). DJ/band requirements.
6. Accommodation
Standard hotel RFP fields — room nights, mix, comp ratio, plus: VIP suite for CEO/CRO, executive floor block for leadership, ground floor accessibility for any attendees with mobility needs.
7. F&B — SKO-specific
Coffee breaks every 90 mins (not just morning + afternoon — energy management matters). Lunch options that are working-lunch capable (boxed or buffet, not plated 90-min meal). Dinner styles by night (welcome dinner / awards / casual close).
8. Optional: airport shuttle
If attendees fly into a single airport, ask hotels to quote a shuttle service with arrival window coverage. Often €15-25/pax round trip and reduces no-shows from missed taxis.
9. Pricing — SKO tiered
Same tiered structure (rate / rate+group / rate+group+concessions) but ask hotels to also quote a 'per attendee fully-loaded' number that includes rooms + F&B + meeting space + AV. CFO will ask for it later.
10. Attrition + cancellation
Standard 80%/50%/20% attrition. Force-majeure language. SKO-specific: weather contingency for outdoor evening (does hotel have indoor backup at no extra fee?).
11. Scoring matrix — SKO weights
We recommend: plenary AV 25%, breakout count + capacity 15%, F&B 15%, total cost 30%, location 15%. (This is different from a general conference RFP — plenary AV is heavier weighted because the stage moment is the SKO's reason to exist.)
12. Decision timeline
RFP deadline (7 days). Site visits with finalists (week 2). BAFO round if scores tight (week 3). Contract signed (week 4). Total: 4 weeks from RFP send to signed contract — typical SKO planning timeline.
How to use it
- Download the .md template, customise with your SKO theme, attendee count, and date range.
- Walk through your agenda day-by-day before sending — every breakout slot needs a room, AV, and capacity number filled in.
- Send to 5-8 hotels (SKOs are pickier than generic conferences — fewer hotels, deeper conversations).
- Insist on site visits before final selection. Plenary AV cannot be evaluated from a deck.
- Score using the SKO-weighted matrix (plenary AV 25%, not 10%).
Common mistakes
- Treating SKO like a generic conference. The plenary moment is everything — under-weighting it leads to a budget-friendly hotel with bad acoustics and a tiny stage.
- Forgetting the awards reception in the initial RFP. Hotels can't quote a 200-pax stage-and-AV awards dinner accurately as an afterthought.
- Skipping airport shuttle pricing. Sales reps coming in from 8 cities will lose 2 hours each to taxi queues; shuttle saves ~€2,500 of collective time on a 100-pax SKO.
- Accepting plenary capacity at 'theatre style 120' without confirming line-of-sight from back row. Pillars and chandelier obstructions ruin keynote energy.
Next steps
Download the template, customise the bracketed placeholders for your event, and email to 6-12 hotels in parallel. Use our scoring matrix template to compare responses and the contract review checklist before signing.