Week 1: Set the Strategic Narrative
8-Week SKO Planning Series
For mid-market B2B IT and service organizations, the difference between a good year and a bad one is frequently just one thing: clarity.
Not the SKO theme.
Not a catchphrase.
Not a motivational message.
The strategic narrative is the common understanding of where the business is going, what matters most, and how teams are expected to execute throughout the year.
When sales reps are responsible for the full sales stack from prospecting through account management, they do not have time to interpret inconsistent messages or changing objectives. If the story is unclear, teams default to what feels safest and most familiar, even when it does not support the revenue plan.
Week 1 of SKO Planning is meant to fix this problem before it happens in execution.
The goal is simple: define the story the organization wants its teams to believe, and then design everything else around it.
Why the Strategic Narrative Comes First
A clear strategic narrative does two very important things.
First, it simplifies execution for sales teams.
When reps understand who the business is focused on, what success looks like, and what is no longer a priority, decision-making becomes easier and more consistent.
Second, it aligns leaders before the SKO begins.
Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, Product, Finance, and Sales Operations must enter the SKO operating from the same plan. Without this alignment, the event creates noise instead of momentum.
The Main Question of Week 1
What story does the group need to believe in order to win next year?
This is not the full operating plan.
It is not a detailed forecast.
It is a shared story that answers:
The sales team will never be able to answer these if leadership can’t.
Week 1 Checklist: Set the Strategic Narrative
Before going on to quotas, territories, content, or training, you should finish the following checklist, which goes along with the Week 1 planning picture.
Strategic Direction and Alignment
Define what matters this year and what does not. Align ideal customer profiles and markets so everyone is working from the same playbook.
Narrative and Message Development
Draft the CEO and Sales Leader versions of the story. Create a one-page narrative summary that gives leaders consistent language, direction, and expectations.
Cross-Functional Alignment
Before the SKO, make sure that Marketing, Customer Success, Product, Finance, and Sales Operations agree on priorities, definitions, and assumptions before the SKO begins.
Early SKO Operations
Lock in foundational logistics including dates, venue, budget, speakers, and a first-draft agenda.
Participant Planning
Confirm who is attending, who requires travel, and how sessions will be delivered across in-person or virtual formats.
Materials and Communication Setup
Create a shared planning folder and establish version control so teams are working from a single source.
Extra Credit
If time allows, begin shaping the SKO theme, recognition ideas, and breakout session concepts.
What This Means for the SKO
When the strategic narrative is established early, everything that comes after it is easier to understand and is more effective.
Sales leaders know what behaviors to coach.
Marketing builds campaigns that reflect real priorities.
Reps understand exactly where to focus without having to guess.
Quotas, territories, and pipeline expectations align with strategy.
The SKO brings clarity instead of adding to confusion.
The SKO is where the story comes to life and that story starts in Week 1.
Coming Next: Build the Revenue Architecture
In Week 2, the story turns into a working revenue plan. This includes how to set quotas, define territories, target ICPs, set pipeline expectations and forecasting mechanics.
If Week 1 answers what story the organization is telling,
Week 2 answers how that story becomes measurable and executable.