You are about to start, or have just started, our marketing and sales program. The vision is clear, the team is motivated, and there is plenty of energy in the start of implementation.

But somewhere in the back of your mind there may be a question: how do we make sure we maintain momentum? Perhaps you've had experience in the past with training or programs where enthusiasm waned over time. That experience now causes you to wonder: how do we make it a success this time?

As developers of the marketing and sales program, we regularly hear this concern from companies considering starting the program, or just getting started. It's an understandable concern, and it's good to be intentional about it. Fortunately, from our experience with dozens of companies, we know exactly what helps keep momentum going throughout the process.

In this article, I share my insights on this. I discuss why teams sometimes lose momentum, how to prevent it, what concrete strategies you can employ to keep engagement high, and what you can do if a dip does occur unexpectedly.

After reading this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to maintain momentum and practical tools to ensure that the program is a lasting success.

You have invested in training for your team several times in the past, but despite the enthusiasm during and shortly after the training, you keep noticing that your employees fall back into old habits and do not consistently apply the new methods.

It's understandable that this might make you a bit skeptical about our marketing and sales program. Why should your team continue to put into practice what they learn in our program, if they have not done so in previous training sessions?

In developing this program, we paid specific attention to solving this problem. Whereas many traditional training programs stop at knowledge transfer, our program is designed to guide companies through the entire implementation process.

In this article, I show why one-time training sessions rarely lead to lasting change and which concrete steps you can take as a manager or owner to ensure that your team does apply new methods consistently. I discuss the importance of an ongoing program rather than one-off training sessions, how to integrate new approaches into your existing business processes, and your crucial role as a leader in this process.

After reading this article, you will have a clear plan to actually turn what you learned into practical results.

One of the biggest "momentum suckers" is when participants can't immediately do something with what they learn.

Although many teams start enthusiastically with our marketing and sales program, we sometimes find that initial momentum wanes over time. This is not necessarily due to the program itself, but to factors involved in many change processes. Let's look at the main causes.

One of the biggest "momentum suckers" is when participants can't immediately do something with what they learn. If a salesperson or marketer cannot translate the training into today's or tomorrow's work, a gap is created. The training is then seen as something extra, something nice and valuable, but not urgent.

Salespeople who can't apply what they've learned to the deals they're working on today, or content managers who can't improve their articles with the new insights, quickly lose enthusiasm. The training then becomes a theoretical exercise detached from daily practice.

Maintaining momentum is largely about buy-in: do all stakeholders still believe in the vision and principles of the program? There is usually a strong shared belief at the start, but it can crumble as the program progresses.

It is crucial to regularly check that collective buy-in is still intact. When teams begin to doubt the relevance or effectiveness of the methodology, the energy dissipates. The collective commitment to the program must be continually reaffirmed and renewed.

A common sign of waning momentum is when you hear statements within your team such as, "But we're different, aren't we?" This is a subtle form of resistance that suggests the principles of the program may work for others, but not for your particular situation.

This thought takes away tremendous energy. Once team members think, "This is great for other companies, but not for us," all efforts come to a halt. Although each company is unique in execution, the underlying principles of effective marketing and sales are universally applicable.

Avoid the mentality of: "I'll get my work done first, and then I'll see how much time I have left for the program." Think of the program as a way to do your daily work better.

There are several proven strategies to keep energy and engagement high throughout the program. These measures will help you maintain momentum even when initial enthusiasm wanes.

An effective strategy is to not distinguish between the program and day-to-day work. The trainings are not something you do "on top of" but rather enrich your daily work. It is the textbook example of "keeping the saw sharp."

The marketer who redesigns a campaign because of new insights. The salesperson who calls a customer during or immediately after a training session and uses a different approach. This is how the program becomes truly integrated into your daily practice.

Avoid the mentality of: "I'm going to do my job first, and then I'll see how much time I have left for the program." Instead: see the program as a way to do your daily work better.

When momentum wanes, it is effective to go back to why you started this journey.

Leverage existing structures to maintain momentum. Quarterly planning sessions (in Growth and Mastery only) are an ideal time to check and reinforce buy-in. Here you can hear if everyone is still behind the chosen direction and if adjustments are needed.

The biweekly coaching sessions (also only in Growth and Mastery) are crucial moments to see if goals are being met, if teams are moving enough, and if interventions are needed. If you notice that commitment or enthusiasm is waning, you can respond immediately.

These existing structures will help you regularly gauge the temperature and make timely adjustments before momentum disappears completely.

When momentum wanes, it is effective to go back to why you started this journey. Ask questions such as, "Why did we start this? What problems did we want to solve? What were our goals?"

For example, "We were putting out fires, always had separate campaigns with no cohesion, and wanted to move to a larger system." By getting the original motivation clear again, you can renew the energy.

Next, it's important to reaffirm that the principles of the program apply to your situation. This helps to restore shared buy-in and regain momentum.

Celebrating successes is an essential part of maintaining momentum. Make sure you deliberately take time in quarterly, monthly or weekly meetings to name and celebrate successes.

How you do this varies by organization. Whether it's a champagne moment, a beer, or a gift card - make sure it fits your company culture. The important thing is that you make the successes visible and acknowledge them.

Sometimes a little gamification can help bring new energy to a team. For example, reward the colleague who creates the first two videos, or the first to write three articles a week. These little elements of competition can boost motivation.

As an executive, you don't need to know all the details of the program, but it is essential that you understand and communicate the basics.

Leadership plays a decisive role in maintaining momentum. Executives set the tone and largely determine whether the program is seen as a priority.

As an executive, you don't need to know every detail of the program, but it is essential that you understand and communicate the basic principles. By consistently naming the principles and showing how they align with organizational goals, you keep them alive within the team.

When executives don't communicate these principles, team members get the message that the program doesn't really matter. This immediately undermines momentum.

If a team member has weekly meetings with his manager and the program never comes up, his brain will conclude that the manager does not think it is important. The program then becomes less of a priority.

As a leader, be sure to regularly ask about progress, application of what you've learned, and challenges experienced by team members. Be curious about how they apply the principles in their work and actively encourage this.

A common mistake executives make is to broaden the scope of the program by adding their own elements. This creates confusion and shatters focus.

The most effective role of leadership in maintaining momentum is: keep it simple. Support your team with the practical components from the training sessions and make sure they see them reflected in your own actions. This creates recognition and reinforces the message that you are all moving in the same direction.

As an executive, if you have doubts about certain aspects of the program, it is important to share them with us in a timely manner. If your current principles or beliefs seem at odds with the program, raise the alarm immediately.

For example, I recently spoke to a business owner who was concerned that the program would primarily teach "marketing and sales tricks," whereas his business was all about technical knowledge and expertise. Because he voiced this concern, I was able to make it clear that the program is aimed at sharing knowledge and positioning experts.

Contests between team members or departments, extra recognition for progress, or instituting temporary bonuses can help reignite energy.

Even with the best intentions and strategies, sometimes a team can get stuck. The good news is that there are proven methods to restore momentum.

For a team that has really stalled, a more radical approach is needed than the regular vision recalibration. Start with an honest assessment: what exactly is the team up against? Are there specific roadblocks, ambiguities or resistance that need to be removed first?

Organize an open conversation in which team members can share their frustrations and doubts. Often practical obstacles turn out to be relatively easy to resolve. Only then, once the blockages have been removed, can you re-energize the team by setting concrete, achievable goals for the period ahead.

A stalled team often benefits from temporarily more intensive coaching. This may mean more frequent check-ins on progress, scheduling additional coaching sessions, or more hands-on implementation support.

Also consider using additional motivational elements that go beyond regular success celebrations. Contests between team members or departments, extra recognition for progress, or instituting temporary bonuses can help reignite energy.

Nothing motivates more than visible results. Therefore, actively share the progress being made and the positive effects the program is having on business.

Perhaps a customer read a specific article and became a customer as a result. Or a new BrandScript created more attraction and faster sales calls. Share these successes within the team and the broader organization.

Effective communication also means providing regular updates on the program, its progress and the changes it brings about in your marketing and sales organization. This keeps everyone involved and informed.

Maintaining momentum during a marketing and sales program requires conscious attention and focused action. Above all, it's about integrating the program into daily operations, regularly recalibrating the shared vision, and keeping all team members constantly engaged - not complicated systems or additional burdens.

Consider why you originally started the program: you wanted to get better results, implement a more structured approach, and grow as an organization. These goals are still relevant, and with the right approach, you can keep the momentum to achieve them. By recognizing early signs of waning enthusiasm and intervening immediately, you can prevent the program from becoming bogged down and the investment from being lost.

As marketing and sales program developers, we've helped countless teams maintain energy and focus throughout. We've seen how powerful it is when training is integrated directly into daily work, when leaders consistently communicate the principles, and when successes are visibly celebrated. With this hands-on experience, we can assure you: it is possible to maintain momentum even when the initial wave of enthusiasm has subsided.

Want to get started in concrete ways to strengthen or restore momentum in your team? Then start by organizing a session in which you return to the original goals and vision of the program. Involve the entire team, make the link with daily work, and determine the next steps together. With this renewed shared focus, you will make a strong restart that will reignite momentum and boost your success.