Two Ways to Run a Better Sales Team

Whether your company is a multimillion-dollar global corporation or a local start-up with 20 employees, you recognize the importance of a healthy sales team. Many companies put far too much time into quantifying incoming capital without nurturing and motivating the very folks who make it happen. So if your team is pulling in lackluster leads or just disengaged, how do you improve it? Here are two great ways to strengthen your sales team.

Communication

Good communication is crucial in nearly every facet of business, but what does it actually mean? For your sales team, it means more than occasional progress reports. Regularly checking in, providing feedback, coaching continuously and using motivational exercises greatly improve your sales team's performance. One way to offer continuous communication with your sales team is to institute regular one-on-one feedback sessions. Without the competition a group session creates, you have the chance to connect with each member of the sales pipeline. By asking questions in a private atmosphere, you are able to gauge what kind of salesperson each team member is, and from there you learn how better to motivate and inspire them all. A study conducted by the "Harvard Business Review" has concluded that there are three main types of effective salespeople. Closers have a knack for big-product sales. Consultants excel at problem-solving and listening. Experts are skilled at all parts of the sales process. Determine which category your salesperson falls into by allowing him to give feedback. In what areas does he have the most trouble? What is his favorite part of the sales process? Knowing the answers to these questions helps you to design a customized plan of action for that salesperson while also giving him a sounding board.

Ongoing Training

Perhaps you think of training as a short orientation intended for new employees. However, in sales the training really never ends. There are always new techniques to learn and things to know in order to smooth the workings of the sales pipeline. As the sales manager, it is your duty to see to it that your team constantly improves, and your team is going to appreciate your efforts to help. There are quite a few ways to instill a continuous training program for your salespeople. Role-playing is a standard practice used by most companies. Call shadowing, or listening in on real sales calls, is a great way to provide personalized feedback on a salesperson's verbal technique. Providing innovative sales strategy books and podcasts is also an excellent way to ensure your sales team is continuously learning ways to improve.

A motivated, passionate sales team is vitally important to a company's success. Without continual communication and team-building activities, company growth sometimes stagnates. Think of your sales team as the tree of your company. It requires abundant sunlight and a regular water supply to thrive and bear fruit. These tips are the caring force behind building and maintaining a high-performing, driven sales team.

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