How to Improve Sales Team Performance
Table of Content
Introduction
Increased productivity remains a priority for several businesses. And while it is mostly easy creating targets for the sales team, things could actually get complicated when it is time to bring sales goals into fruition. The challenge of goals’ actualization is a source of concern to several profit oriented business owners. Running a profitable business depends hugely on the productivity level of the sales team in the market. Do you want to improve the productivity level of your business? This article will expose you to practical details on how you can improve the performance of your sales team.
Sales Team Management
“It’s not about having the right opportunities. It’s about handling the opportunities right.” – Mark Hunter.
It is clearly evident from this quote that a sales team needs the right handlers. Creating the right structure to be in charge of your sales team is a pedestal for potential height; and an indicator of the productivity level your team might achieve. Having a good product for sales is not enough to get sales if your handlers do not know their onions. Efforts must be put into getting a working system in place to improve sales.
Sales Team
The sales team forms the pivot of most businesses. The right sales reps should make up the team. Result-oriented individuals should be in your sales team. The amount of sales is measured by their productivity level.
Managing a Sales Team
For increased productivity to materialize, your sales team must be properly managed. If you cannot do this yourself, then you could employ the services of a sales manager who would organize the day to day affairs of your sales reps. This is important as there has to be an hierarchical order that would ensure the smooth operation of your sales team. The sales manager, who is the arrowhead, would be accountable for the progress made in the market. This will enable you to focus on the other sides of your businesses.
Sales Team Strategies
Every sales team would definitely need a working strategy. Tim Riesterer, a notable chief strategy officer, defined a sales strategy as ‘a documented plan for positioning and selling your product or service to qualified buyers in a way that differentiates your solution from your competitors.’ A major advantage of having sales team strategies is that it guides the operations of your sales team, while also providing information on the sales processes, key performance indicators, market analysis as well as sales methodologies for your business.
Reviewing Sales Performance
Every business is expected to have a review system where feedbacks from the market and sales team are evaluated. The basic reason for sales performance review is to ascertain the current state of your business while also identifying gaps needed to be addressed for increased productivity. Depending on the modus operandi of your business, meetings for sales review could be monthly, quarterly or annually. It is an avenue where all stakeholders in the sales team get to make reports and suggestions on possible solutions on how sales performance could be boosted. These suggestions should be discussed and practicable chart ways are to drawn for the next sales activity.
Setting Goals for a Performance Review
Before sending out your sales team, it is rational to have some laid down targets upon which their performance would be reviewed when they return from the market. For instance, making 100 sales of a beauty product could be the goal for a sales rep. With this clearly stated target, it becomes easier to review the performance of that particular sales rep. It would be unwise to send your sales reps to the market without a sales target in mind. Goals setting put sales reps on their toes in the discharge of their duties.
Measuring Sales Performance
To determine the metrics of your sales performance, there is a need for a sales data that would capture all that is to be measured. While measuring the performance of your sales, you have to take into consideration your sales productivity. This is because the amount of time spent on selling is important while measuring sales performances. Again, creation of leads that would be used to close deals would have to be properly managed as the conversion of your leads influence the performance of your sales. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand the dynamics behind sales deals that are closed and those that were lost, while also taking notes of the generated revenues from sales made.
Improving Sales Performance
According to Stephanie Lee, sales performance is the measure of what your sales team is doing to meet the goals set in your sales strategy. To improve your sales performance, it becomes necessary that your sales activities get enriched. This can be achieved through the optimal use of cold calls, emails and sales pitches. For a significant improvement on your sales to be actualized, your sales team must given the necessary help that is needed to get their jobs done. You have to be sure of what works and what does not work for your business. This will help in boosting performance of your sales.
Improving Sales Team Performance
Below are ways you can improve the performance of your sales team:
Hire the Right Team
Only the right team can get the job done. While hiring, it is very important that the right hands are employed. If the performance of the sales team is to be improved. Getting round pegs in round holes would definitely make work easier for you and your business. You do not want to assemble a team that lacks focus or do not have sound knowledge of the tasks assigned to them. It is therefore necessary that only competent hands are given the chance to work with you. A big advantage of hiring the right team is that everyone is aware of what is expected of them.
Enforce Company’s Sales Culture
For your sales team to improve significantly, then it is necessary that they acquire your company’s sales culture. You have to ensure that members of your sales team share common goals and strong believers in the vision of the company. They have to believe in you and in the direction that the company is headed. The company’s sales culture cannot be forced on members of the sales team but with constant communication and a good feedback system, they will gradually get tune in to the expectations that are required of them.
Train/Coach the Sales Team
According to a recent sales report, the best sales training will improve the performance of an individual on average by 20%. Many companies commit a whole lot of resources to ensure that their sales teams are properly trained. According to an ATD report, US companies spend $20 billion yearly on sales training. And it has been recorded that firms where salespeople use the company’s methodology while getting consistent coaching see 73% quota attainment. This implies that it is very important that the sales team gets trained on how to carry out their tasks.
Prioritize Sales Planning
Creating a sales plan is integral to the success of your business. A sales plan entails all that is required to achieve your sales target within a specified period of time. It prepares you for all that would happen in your sales activities. Making sales planning your priority enables you to forecast and set realistic goals in your sales plan. It involves having a fore-knowledge of your business niche and equipping yourself with the needed tools to ensure that your sales team is not left stranded in the market. Having a value advantage over your competitors would improve the performance of your sales team.
Create targets
Based on the marketing plan information at your disposal, it is important that you create targets for your sales team. However, you have to ensure that these targets are realistic. According to Havard Business Review, “When 10%–20% of salespeople miss goals, the problem might be the salespeople but when most salespeople miss, the problem is their goals.” How realistic are your targets? This is essential to the growth of your business and targets must only be created based on the market analysis you have made which include but not limited to pricing, leads, target market amongst many others.
Foster Competition
It is believed that sales team thrive more in an environment where there are highly-motivated individuals. Inspiring your sales team and fostering healthy competition among them would go a long way in improving the performance of your sales team. To achieve this, sales contests could be organized while use of sales leader board would also spur your sales team to work hard. There could also be monthly challenges that would boost the competitive spirit in them which would ultimately lead to actualization of targeted goals.
Improve Sales Team Incentives
There is a belief that people are motivated to work more when the working condition is suitable for them. You need to ensure that you give out incentives to members of your sales team as and when due. This will definitely spur them to stay more committed to their tasks and invariably, a huge return in sales. Incentives given to them could be in different forms. It does not necessarily have to be in cash, it could be an extended break or a gift. Generally, humans increase their level of productivity when assured of incentives.
Create a Feedback System
For a smooth relationship with your sales team, it is important to have a working feedback system. It is a means to bond with the members of your sales team while also making constructive criticisms on their sales activities. You can build trust with your team when you allow them air their opinions on issues affecting them about the business. This will also serve as a guide when making plans for your next sales activities. Feedback is very essential to the productivity of your sales team. However, always ensure that every feedback session with your sales team should be tailored towards achieving the right outcomes.
Make Use of Technology
Just as the world has gone digital, it is important that your sales team are also availed with the necessary digital gadgets to ease their operations. With the use of mobile technology, members of your sales team can now optimize their sales. Just as rightly pointed out by Stuart Leung, ‘mobile technology gives salespeople instant access to product specs and other tools that increase the effectiveness of their sales pitches, resulting in higher closing rates and a better customer experience.’ Use of technology, therefore, is a sure way to improving the performance of your sales team.
Celebrate Every Wins
To increase engagement of your sales team and boost their morale, you have to celebrate every wins with them, no matter how little. Many business owners only celebrate huge target goal. Showing appreciation to members of your sales team motivates and increases their confidence. It also enhances their mindset that they can actually do more. Recognizing their efforts plays huge role in their satisfaction, which would in turn influence their productivity level. You could celebrate the little wins by rewarding them with incentives and praising them for their inputs in sales tasks.
Conclusion
From the aforementioned, it is evident that improving the performance of your sales team depends hugely on the structure of your business, mechanisms that are in place for its smooth running and strict adherence to the factors needed for the growth of your business. For your sales team to deliver optimally, efforts have to be made to ensure that they are well motivated and adequately supported with all that is necessary for them to discharge their duties. Just as Les Brown rightly mentioned, “Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.”
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