Are you preparing for this year's WorldatWork Sales Comp event? The schedule is jam-packed with informative sessions, panels, discussions, and networking opportunities. To get the most out of your conference experience, you will need to choose the most applicable event track for your organization. 

At Canidium, our teams of incentive compensation experts have been deeply involved in this event since its inception, both as sponsors and participants. Leveraging our insight, this guide gives you a comprehensive look into what the event will be like and which sessions, discussions, and networking opportunities different types of conference-goers should plan on attending. 

• The origin of the WorldatWork Sales Compensation event
• What to expect from WorldatWork Sales Comp'24
• Creating your individual WorldatWork Sales Comp'24 schedule
• Key networking opportunity
• Speaker highlights

The Origin of The WorldatWork Sales Compensation Event

WorldatWork is the preeminent trade organization in human resources, specializing in compensation management across all organizational levels, from general pay structures to executive compensation. Around 12 years ago, the event evolved to meet the specific needs of various HR disciplines, particularly focusing on sales compensation, which requires a unique set of skills and knowledge beyond general HR practices.

The genesis of this event was marked by the realization that sales compensation was a distinct field requiring specialized attention. This led to the creation of a separate certification and training focused exclusively on sales compensation and, eventually, the establishment of this targeted conference that serves comp admins.

What to Expect From WorldatWork SalesComp'24

The WorldatWork event combines a blend of educational workshops, certification opportunities, and networking sessions designed to enhance your understanding and skills in creating effective sales compensation strategies. 

This year, the San Francisco event runs from August 19 to 21st, with initial sessions, exams, and courses starting as early as the 17th. Here is what to expect from the five-day event:

• Educational Focus and Certification: The event is fundamentally educational, aiming to equip sales compensation managers and professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to develop effective compensation strategies that comply with standard practices and drive sales performance. It includes rigorous certification opportunities, such as the CSCP exam, which attendees can take to validate their expertise in sales compensation.
• Exposure to Innovations and Trends: The conference also showcases the latest innovations and trends in sales compensation management. Attendees can explore new products, services, and strategies presented by exhibitors, including system integrators, design firms, and software providers. The conference focuses on sales compensation, analytics, and operations. This exposure is crucial for staying competitive and informed about the tools to optimize sales performance management.
• Balanced Educational Offerings: Recognizing the diverse expertise levels among attendees, the event carefully balances its offerings to cater to newcomers and veterans in the field. This ensures that all participants, regardless of their experience level, find value through a mix of introductory and advanced topics that reflect the latest in thought leadership and practical application in sales compensation.
• Exhibitors and Sponsors: Explore the exhibition where system integrators, design firms, and software companies showcase their latest innovations and services. These exhibitors play a crucial role in the learning ecosystem, providing insights into the tools and strategies to optimize sales performance management. Canidium's sales compensation solution implementation and strategic services experts will be at booth 4. They can evaluate which compensation and incentive management tools match your organization's specific workflows and revenue goals, the potential returns you may see from investing in a new solution, and the challenges you may face during implementation. 
• Networking Opportunities: Networking is a significant component of the event. It's an excellent opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and expand your professional network. Engage with other attendees to share challenges, solutions, and success stories in sales compensation management.

Creating Your WorldatWork Sales Comp'24 Schedule

The event's schedule is designed to cater to specific levels of experience and expertise, ensuring that every attendee can find engaging and beneficial sessions for their professional growth. Choose the sessions that best match your current level of experience with sales compensation tools and processes to get the most out of your conference experience. 

You can view the complete event schedule here. Filter each day by the conference's entry, intermediate, and advanced tracks to find the expansive list of sessions, panels, speeches, and networking opportunities that match your interests. However, to give you a head start, we selected three suggested events for each conference attendee track:

Entry Level: Awareness with Limited Experience

These sessions are designed for attendees who are relatively new to sales compensation or those looking to refresh their foundational knowledge. The focus is on building awareness and understanding of sales compensation's basic concepts and practices.

Saturday, August 18, 1:00 PM - Sales Compensation Fundamentals

• Event Info: Chad Albrecht CSCP, MBA - Partner and Sales Compensation Practice Leader, ZS Associates
• Why it's beneficial: This session offers a comprehensive introduction to the basics of sales compensation, making it essential for those new to the field to build a solid foundation and understand core concepts and practices.

Monday, August 19, 8:05 AM - How Mission Impossible Teaches You Everything You Need to Know About Generative AI - Part One

• Event Info: Nick Vautier - Sr Director, Product Management, Incentive Compensation, Oracle
• Why it's beneficial: This briefing introduces attendees to emerging technologies like AI, showing their impact on sales compensation and helping them stay ahead in a rapidly evolving field.

Tuesday, August 20th, 8:05AM - Forecasting to Fortune - Unlocking 10x ROI with Sales Compensation

• Event Info: Yasmin Emara - Senior Sales Compensation Analyst, Nitro; Kelly McGuire - Vice President of Customer Success, Everstage
• Why it's beneficial: This session demonstrates how effective sales compensation strategies can significantly enhance business outcomes. It provides new professionals insights into their role in driving organizational success.

Intermediate Level: Hands-on and Practical Application

Intermediate sessions are tailored for professionals with a basic understanding of sales compensation principles looking to apply this knowledge in practical settings. These sessions will involve case studies, hands-on exercises, and discussions that foster a deeper understanding of applying sales compensation theories.

Monday, August 19, 11:00AM - Sales Comp Leaders Check In on their 2024 Plans. How Are You Doing?

• Event Info: Diverse panel of industry leaders
• Why it's beneficial: It provides a real-world look at strategic planning and the challenges faced by sales compensation professionals, offering intermediate attendees insight into more complex planning and execution.

Tuesday, August 20, 1:00 PM - Improving Sales Comp Budgeting Accuracy in 2024: How to Use Monte-Carlo Simulation Modeling to Manage Uncertainty

• Event Info: Kyle Webster - Chief of Staff, Forma.ai
• Why it's beneficial: Introduces intermediate-level attendees to advanced budgeting techniques that can enhance decision-making under uncertainty, a critical skill in strategic financial planning.

Wednesday, August 21, 10:00 AM - Breaking out of Breakouts: A Sales Comp'24 Unconference Experience

• Event Info: Peer-driven discussion and learning
• Why it's beneficial: Encourages active participation in shaping discussions, enhancing problem-solving skills, and fostering a deeper understanding through collaborative learning.

Advanced Level: Applied Theory and Strategy

Advanced sessions are suitable for seasoned professionals who thoroughly understand sales compensation mechanisms and are looking to explore more complex theories and strategic applications.

Monday, August 19, 3:00 PM - Mastering the Circus: Integrating a Sales Comp Program after Acquisition

• Event Info: Paul DeCoster - Head of M&A Sales Compensation Strategy, Cisco Systems; Elliot Scott - Owner & Managing Director, Elliot Scott Consulting LLC
• Why it's beneficial: It focuses on the complexities of M&A and integrating sales compensation strategies, which are crucial for those in senior roles managing or overseeing strategic changes.

Monday, August 19, 3:00 PM - From Tactical to Strategic: Getting a Seat at the Table as Sales Comp Professionals

• Event Info: Panel of senior executives
• Why it's beneficial: It provides strategies on how sales compensation professionals can influence broader business strategies, which is essential for senior attendees looking to enhance their strategic impact within their organizations.

Tuesday, August 20, 11:00 AM - Building a Revenue Performance Engine: Integrating Sales Compensation and Planning for More Sustainable Growth

• Event Info: John Waldron - Compensation Director, PepsiCo, Inc.; James Mulligan - Incentives Product Marketing, Varicent; Eric Estrella - Sr. Partner, PE & Technology Practice Leader, SBI
• Why it's beneficial: It offers insights into aligning sales compensation with business growth strategies, which is vital for senior professionals responsible for driving sustainable organizational performance.

Key Networking Opportunity

The Canidium Celebration of Sales Comp 2024 is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20, 6:00-11:00 PM. Canidium will host this event, with the help of Xactly, Fullcast, and SAP sponsorship. It is designed as a networking and appreciation gathering for professionals within the sales compensation industry. 

Attendees need a registration code for tickets, which can be obtained from Canidium and the event sponsors. However, attendance is in high demand, so if you are interested, you should secure your ticket early to avoid missing out.

The event provides a prime environment for meeting other sales compensation and performance management professionals. This is particularly valuable for forging new business relationships, learning from peers, and possibly discovering new career opportunities.

Key players, including premier sales compensation solution vendors and implementation experts, will attend. It is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how incentive tools and strategies would fit at your company. 

Speaker Highlight

If you're attending the World at Work: Sales Comp 24 event, one session you won't want to miss is led by Elliot Scott, a seasoned expert in sales compensation and sales effectiveness. As the Owner and Managing Director of Elliot Scott Consulting LLC, Elliot brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conference, backed by an impressive career with top firms like Towers Watson, The Alexander Group, Korn Ferry, and ZS Associates.

Elliot's session, titled "Mastering the Circus: Integrating a Sales Comp Program after Acquisition," scheduled for Monday, August 19, between 3:00-4:00 PM, is ideal for attendees navigating the complexities of sales compensation in the context of corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Check out the complete list of event speakers here.

Attending WorldatWork Sales Comp'24

Originating from a recognized need to focus on the unique challenges and skills required in sales compensation, WorldatWork has established a targeted conference that educates and certifies professionals in this field. 

With a rich lineup of educational workshops, certification opportunities, and networking sessions, the event caters to a wide range of experience levels, ensuring valuable takeaways for all participants. Highlights include a mix of foundational learning, exposure to the latest industry innovations, and opportunities to engage with leading experts and peers. This event promises to enhance attendees' capabilities in devising effective sales compensation strategies that drive organizational success.

Get prepared for the conference by brushing up on sales compensation strategies, and don't forget to secure your tickets to Canidium's networking party.