I don't even know how many major seminars, stakeholder events or similar I've organized in my life. A lot of them. There is work and moving parts in these. However, in practice, you are always left with a good feeling. You always learn something new from the speakers. Personally, however, I think the most important thing is when the gang is bumped into each other during coffee breaks and after work. In fact, the program and seminar itself are often IMHO "just" a platform that enables such encounters. And these slightly more informal encounters have been the starting point for many of my collaborations, customer relationships and even friendships over the years. Good stuff.

This year's Ode to Sales seminar largely followed the same pattern as the previous ones. However, there was a record number of registrations (100+). However, there were also more cancellations and no shows than usual. Usually it is around just under 20% in these kinds of free events, now we went a little over. To the gang as a timid request for the future: cancel your participation well in advance (as was instructed now). Even though we are talking about the first hundred when it comes to serving costs, it's a shame to waste a four-hundred. Whether it's your own money or not. Of course, many had a valid reason. Illnesses etc. Let's get it.

Back to the positive mindset: after all, it was a good-spirited set where B2B sales were discussed from many perspectives! Social selling with its dark sides, the challenges and opportunities of AI with concrete examples, the role of trust in sales, the competencies of the salesperson, etc.

When you fill the auditorium with sales-minded people, you run out of time. There was plenty of discussion and it would certainly have continued for longer if the time limit for the facility reservation had not been invaded. Thank you for the speeches and the panel discussion Heidi Rantala, Sami Saarenpää, Lasse Riitesuo, Vesa Leppänen, Timo Holopainen, Matti Perkkiö & Johanna Saarinen!

The afterwork was guaranteed quality. Pineapple long drinks, pizza and relaxed conversations about sports Best Seller Competition sales competitions and the themes of the day. Thank you for the good harvesting Topi Turpeinen, Tomi Koskinen, Juuso Saine & Co. It turned out, among other things, that Mariachi Oy 's incubator concept is still going strong. Sometime in the past, as part of our Tekes project at the Turku School of Economics at the time, Aki Koponen the ace was pulled out of the sleeve from which the concept began to take shape. It can therefore be said that the project had a real impact.

Special thanks to MyyntiAkatemia n students for helping with the event arrangements. Monitor the account in question. This learning environment gathers sales and marketing talent from Turku University of Applied Sciences (Turku University of Applied Sciences ) every semester to do real projects for companies in the region. Good guys. This week, too, I have recommended one alumnus to a headhunter I know. It would be in the interest of the entire region to employ these B2B sales promises in Turku.