A highly competitive market forces companies to invest time and money in marketing, public relations, team building, and many other business elements. Though very important, these features aren’t as essential as the company’s sales. After all, the sales team draws money in the organization and keeps it alive.
However, it is not easy to create a good sales force. A recent study revealed that more than 65% of sales representatives don’t achieve the planned objectives. This basically means that one-third of your sales representatives does the majority of work. In this article, we will present you the best methods on how to build a strong sales team.
Traits of a successful salesperson
Most of the businesses out there include sales departments and these certainly differ a lot but there are still some traits common to all salespeople. The 2015 research proved that sales representatives spend only 33% of work hours actively selling goods, so it is crucial to hire the best ones to be able to achieve company expectations. Here are the virtues which make a great salesperson:
- Ambition: Excellent sales representatives are always ambitious and willing to achieve more
- Competitive spirit: They enjoy comparing results and competing with the colleagues
- Reliability: Great salespersons are individuals who take responsibility for their actions and results, and you can rely on their skills at all times
- Proactive communication: Successful sales representatives have a highly-developed interpersonal communication and don’t hesitate to get in touch with potential clients
How to make a great sales team
Following a few simple steps, you can make an excellent sales force. Take a look at these tips and you’ll realize it’s not complicated as it may seem.
- Filter the existing team
You probably have a sales team already but feel like improving it. Start by evaluating the existing sales force. See how much they sell and compare it with the salaries they earn. Make sure to analyze them one by one and detect who achieves the best results. This way you will remove the unproductive sales representatives but also encourage the ones who proved to be successful to keep improving.
- Interview candidates
There is no better way to decide if someone could fit your sales team than to conduct an interview. This method will give you a first-hand opportunity to see the candidate’s knowledge about the business and also his communication skills. You are aware of the company’s needs and preferences and it’s easy to question candidates and conclude if they could fulfill expectations.
But try not to be too rigorous on the applicants who show other useful skills. Try to find a person that perfectly fits company preferences but also try not to neglect the candidates who prove their skills in the most unexpected manner.
- Networking
As an experienced professional, you probably have a wide network of associates and clients. They know your business and personal affinities, which means that they could be the ones to suggest you a good sales representative. This is a very practical advice, although not used too often. Surveys even show that more that 90% of clients are willing to give referrals but only 11% of sales people actually ask for it.
- Training
No matter how great or well-experienced new sales representatives may seem, each business brings different features and requirements. This is why you must dedicate enough time to education and training. Each member of the sales force must know product specifications and details about older versions or new releases. They make the front line of the company and they have to prove to potential buyers that your organization is highly professional and trustworthy.
Conclusion
Sales teams represent the heart and soul of every business. Products you offer could be perfect and marketing strategy well-executed but if sales representative don’t know how to sell goods your company will be in trouble. This means that you have to do your best to gather an outstanding sales force. It takes a lot of dedication and careful analysis but it will be much easier if you follow the advice in this article.
Author’s bio:
Eva Wislow is a career coach and HR expert at Careers Booster, a professional resume writing service. She is focusing on helping people break down their limits and achieve career success. Eva finds her inspiration in writing and peace of mind through yoga. Follow Eva on Twitter.
