How to Develop a Sensational Sales Team

How to Manage A Sales Team

In a new infographic from Phoenix, all of the facts, tips and tricks for managing a sales team are laid out in an easy to understand format.

Team Structure

There are three divisions of quality when it comes to salespeople. About 20% of salespeople will fall into the best tier, while about 60% fall into a middle tier. Another 20% fall into a bottom tier. Those in the top tier will account for 80% of sales, the middle will account for 15% and the bottom tier will account for 5%. Arranging your sales teams in groups of two will result in discord and conflict as they tend to oppose each other with one person coasting while the other does all the work. Teams of 3 tend to be better, with the highest level of friendly competition and teamwork.

What Makes a Good Salesperson?

The right personality type for sales will include people that have curiosity and willingness to push their boundaries. Confidence is an important personality trait of a good salesperson, with the appearance of always being in control. A good memory is also important so that a salesperson can remember the facts and make conclusions based on facts speedily and accurately. A good salesperson also has a caring personality, and although commissions might be motivating them in the background, they are first-and-foremost concerned with customer satisfaction.

On the flip side, personality traits that do not make a great salesperson include arrogance, uncertainty and gregarious talkativeness. If a salesperson is arrogant the customer may feel belittled, which will definitely lose sales. An unsure salesperson who is shaky on facts will also lose a sale as the customer can’t feel confident in them. And a salesperson who is overly friendly and talkative will lose focus on the sale through chit-chat.

Motivation for Sales Teams

Money in the form of bonuses and commissions is a good motivator. Competition is another way to motivate. Some sales people are motivated by the desire to support their families, and others are very truly focused on helping the customer.

Sales Leads

Unfortunately it’s a fact that 75% of all leads won’t lead to a meeting with someone capable of making purchasing decisions, and 98% of all leads will not work out. It takes an average of 7 communication attempts before speaking to a decision maker. Having an excess of poor leads can waste 80% of your sales budget. If your current scheme for leads isn’t working, you need to put time into figuring out why.

Incentives for Sales

Cash incentives are a waste of $8 billion dollars a year. Prizes are more effective and memorable. Many managers choose to use tickets, vacations and dinner gift cards instead.

Managing the Team

Good management practices include providing lots of training and feedback, allowing salespeople to come up with their own solutions and making them accountable for their own success. Poor practices include lack of training and communication, harsh criticism and inflexible rules.

It’s important to understand what motivates your individual team and give them feedback often. Remember that keeping low turnover rates is good for your bottom line.