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ServiceNow’s Sales Kickoff (SKO) 2026: What It Means for the Year Ahead
If you work in the ServiceNow ecosystem, whether as a professional, partner, or customer, the next few weeks will set the tone for what 2026 looks like. ServiceNow’s annual Sales Kickoff (SKO) is happening January 20-22 in Las Vegas, and whilst it’s an internal event for ServiceNow’s global sales teams, the impact ripples far beyond the convention centre.
What Actually Is the Sales Kickoff?
The Sales Kickoff is ServiceNow’s annual gathering of its quota-carrying sales force, typically thousands of salespeople, account executives, solution consultants, and customer success teams from around the world. It’s part strategy session, part training event, part celebration of the previous year’s wins, and part motivational rally for the year ahead.
The agenda includes keynotes from ServiceNow’s executive leadership (Bill McDermott, Amit Zavery, Paul Fipps), breakout sessions on industry-specific strategies, product deep dives, partner sessions, and hands-on learning through what ServiceNow calls “Learning Playgrounds” and the “Sellers Hub.” There’s also significant focus on how ServiceNow positions itself in the market, what messaging they’ll use with customers, and which products or capabilities they’re prioritising.
For the people attending, it’s three intensive days of absorbing new product information, understanding go-to-market strategies, and networking with peers across different regions and industries. For everyone else in the ServiceNow ecosystem, it’s a signal of what’s coming.
Why This Matters if You’re Attending
If you’re heading to Las Vegas for SKO26, here’s how to make the most of it.
Focus on AI messaging. ServiceNow has positioned itself as the “AI control tower for business reinvention,” and every indication suggests AI capabilities will dominate the agenda. Pay close attention to how they’re framing AI-powered workflows, agentic automation, and the integration of AI across modules. This messaging will shape how customers talk about their needs and how opportunities are scoped for the rest of the year.
Understand the product roadmap priorities. The breakout sessions and Sellers Hub will reveal which products and capabilities ServiceNow is pushing hardest. Whether it’s deeper ITOM capabilities, expanded SecOps functionality, or continued growth in Customer Service Management and HR Service Delivery, knowing where the investment and attention are going helps you anticipate where demand will be strongest.
Build your network strategically. SKO is one of the few times the entire global field organisation is in one place. Use it. Connect with people in different regions, industries, or roles. If you’re in sales, talk to solution consultants about what’s working in demos. If you’re in customer success, connect with account executives about what’s driving renewals. These relationships matter when you need insight, support, or collaboration later in the year.
Take the competitive positioning seriously. ServiceNow will spend time during SKO explaining how to position against competitors, whether that’s legacy ITSM vendors, hyperscalers building their own workflow tools, or newer entrants trying to carve out niches. Understanding this positioning helps you have more confident conversations with customers and partners.
Don’t just absorb, apply. The volume of information at SKO can be overwhelming. Take notes on the three to five things that are most relevant to your role or territory, and plan how you’ll implement them in the first 30 days after the event. The teams that execute quickly on SKO insights tend to outperform those who treat it as a one-off event.
Why This Matters if You’re Not Attending
Even if you’re not at SKO, the decisions made and strategies unveiled there will affect you.
For ServiceNow professionals (candidates). The product priorities and messaging coming out of SKO shape where hiring demand will be strongest in 2026. If ServiceNow is doubling down on AI capabilities, expect increased demand for professionals with skills in Virtual Agent, Predictive Intelligence, and AI-powered workflow automation. If there’s heavy focus on industry-specific solutions (financial services, healthcare, public sector), expect more opportunities in those verticals. Pay attention to what your network is sharing from SKO; it’s a preview of which skills will be most valuable this year.
For ServiceNow customers (clients). SKO sets the agenda for how ServiceNow will engage with you over the next 12 months. The messaging your account team uses, the products they prioritise in conversations, and the business cases they bring to you will all be influenced by what they learned in Las Vegas. If you want to stay ahead, it’s worth understanding what ServiceNow is emphasising. Are they pushing platform consolidation? Expanding into new modules? Focusing on ROI from AI? Knowing this helps you have more strategic conversations with your ServiceNow reps and ensures you’re aligned with where the platform is heading.
For partners. SKO includes dedicated partner sessions, and the strategies discussed there will influence how ServiceNow partners are incentivised, which solutions get co-sell support, and where partnership investment is focused. If you work with ServiceNow partners or are considering implementation support, understanding these dynamics helps you evaluate who’s best positioned to support your needs.
What We’re Watching For
A few things we’ll be paying close attention to as insights from SKO26 filter through:
How aggressive is the AI messaging? ServiceNow has been positioning itself as central to enterprise AI strategies, but the specifics matter. Are they talking about AI as an add-on feature or as foundational to every workflow? This will shape how customers budget for AI initiatives and which roles become critical to implement them.
Which industries are getting the most attention? ServiceNow has been expanding beyond traditional IT service management into sectors like financial services, healthcare, telecom, and public sector. If SKO reveals heavy investment in specific verticals, expect accelerated hiring and project activity in those areas.
What’s the partner story? ServiceNow’s ecosystem is massive, and how they position partners (system integrators, MSPs, ISVs) at SKO signals where they see the most value. If there’s emphasis on partner-led implementations or co-innovation, that changes the talent landscape as partners ramp up hiring to meet demand.
What’s the retention and expansion play? ServiceNow has built its growth on land-and-expand strategies. If SKO focuses heavily on expanding within existing customers (adding modules, increasing usage, driving ROI), that suggests strong demand for professionals who can drive adoption and value realisation, not just initial implementation.
The Bottom Line
Sales Kickoff isn’t just an internal event. It’s where ServiceNow aligns its global organisation around a shared strategy, and that strategy shapes the market for everyone who works in or with the platform.
If you’re attending, use it strategically. If you’re not, stay tuned to what emerges. The priorities set this week in Las Vegas will define where opportunities, investment, and demand concentrate over the next 12 months.
