Building a Successful Sales Team

Sales representatives are one of the first hires for companies experiencing accelerated growth. These workers prospect and educate potential clients, which ultimately leads to more sales. A sales team can also handle other aspects of customer retention and support, like preparing estimates or managing client accounts.

Before hiring a sales representative, business owners should consider their goals for the team. Sales team objectives are usually outlined as key performance indicators (KPIs). Companies may track figures like conversion rates and average sales volume to measure sales activity. Having clear KPIs also gives sales representatives concrete figures to strive toward.

Companies should also determine their pay models for the team. A base rate and percent commission is popular in the sales industry, but an additional bonus scheme will attract top-level talent. Business owners should also be willing to part with some leads and pass them on to their best salespeople.

Sales teams are often composed of several different positions. For example, some sales representatives only cover specific territories or focus on specific products or client types. In a smaller business, sales representatives may take responsibility for several roles. However, as the company expands, the team can become more specialized.

Business owners should outline a recruiting process before soliciting applications. This can include desired traits and qualifications. Interviewers can gauge the candidates’ soft skills and product knowledge through open-ended questions and realistic sales scenarios.

Since the most important sales skills, such as coachability and empathy, are not so easily taught, business owners should prioritize candidates who demonstrate the right attitude, even if they do not have industry knowledge. Creating a training program for inexperienced but promising sales representatives can help build a strong sales team.

Successful sales teams require more than just the most qualified people. Investing in the right sales technologies can streamline the customer acquisition process and improve the representatives’ performance. There are several different types of sales tools.

Most sales representatives work with inbound leads. This means that the client has made a purchase or service request through the company’s website or other marketing tool. If a company doesn’t have a system to generate inbound leads, they should look into online advertising or social media to drum up clients for their representatives. Sales representatives can use these same platforms to contact customers who have shown interest in the product, but haven’t placed an order.

Customer relationship management systems collect data about potential and current customers. Since sales representatives must share their results, a dashboard platform can be a very effective way to turn data into easy-to-understand graphs and charts. The sales team can also benefit from systems that automate document transfers, contracts, and other key processes.

Sales teams also perform better when they are mentored and trained on the job. Sales coaching experts recommend checking in with representatives to review their approach and identify areas for improvement.

The success of a sales team also depends on the company’s culture. Sales representatives who are recognized for their achievements and feel appreciated by their managers and team tend to be more engaged and motivated. In addition, effective sales teams encourage collaboration and team support, rather than competition.