Tips To Building A Sales Team

The backbone of any company is going to be the sales team.  Whether this is people selling door to door, or someone cold calling leads, it all comes down to sales. Even companies with the best ideas may fail if they do not have a strategy in place to win customers.

Building a successful sales team can be the difference between a highly successful company and one that fails.  Are you going to target a highly specific market or do more of a “shotgun” approach? What is the perfect formula for a successful team?  These are both going to be critical questions if you hope to create a sales team to excel your company forward.

What Are You Selling?

First and foremost, you need to have a product or service that people can get behind.  Now some of you might be thinking, “how can I get behind a product that isn’t for me.”  There need to be precise results or proven testimony that whatever you are selling has value. If you do not have value, your sales team can feel that you are hopeless from the get to go.  Show passion and drive about your product because that is what you want your sales team conveying to your potential clients.

Explain all the different reasons why your product is excellent and be thorough.  You want your team having a firm understanding of your offer. The more knowledgeable your team is, the easier the sale is going to be.  In a digital realm, it is all about speed and precision to target the right market and send the right sales team to work.

Building Your Sales Team

Finding the right balance of people is going to be essential.  When finding salespeople, you will want someone who can take direction while also having strong base skills.  Experience can be a double-edged sword. In some ways, it is beneficial to be able to sell. Alternatively, it can lead to stubborn behavior and the inability to take new directions.  Balancing these two core competencies is how you will be on your way to building the perfect team.

Regularly check your team’s knowledge and print out your documents.  In the digital age, we often are confined to looking at screens. When you are teaching your sales team your product and your approach, you should print out your documents.  This will give your sales team something tangible to hang on to. It will also allow notes to be jotted down and eases the familiarity when you may be going through different scripts or critical points.  Sharing information is crucial to evolve your sales team continually.

So you have gathered a group of people who are interested in the product and work well with your company — time to get to work. Well, almost.

Set For Success

To be successful in building a sales team, there needs to be goals to attain.  Success is a measurement different for everyone, but the best way you can set it up is through solid plans.  This means setting guidelines for the workday. The specific management style is less important than setting up a system designed to help your sales team succeed.  Foster an environment of comradery and competition where the atmosphere fuels excitement.

Control what you can.  There are going to be salespeople who do not work out, and that is ok.  Sales are one of the largest job markets in the US. The best way to try to avoid this is by vetting within the interview process.  If the company environment fosters growth and support, you will keep the team that will be best for helping your company succeed.

What Can You Do

As a manager, you should be supporting and fueling your team.  If your organization is not selling, sit down and talk about possible problems.  You should always be open to talking to and available when your team needs help.  The only way you will be successful is if your team is also thriving. Take your leadership role seriously and lead your team through the rewarding position of being a salesperson.

These are some great tips for starting and building your first sales team.  Companies vary widely, and that is where Kallen Media comes in. We have experience in just about every niche, so we know how to help you sell products or services.  Contact us if you would like to learn more information or would like a free company analysis.