Essentials to Leading a High-Performing Sales Team

Sales is a unique profession that requires passion, extroversion and charisma. Leading a high-performing sales team and helping your direct reports get the best out of their own skills takes a little something extra. The good news is that as a sales team manager, you have that extra something inside you. Here are some tips on how you can take your own passion for your product or service and pass it along to your team members.

Set them up for success

Authenticity matters when it comes to sales. Few people come in with a fully developed talent for sales, so it’s important to meet your team members where they are and ask them what would be most helpful to them so they can achieve success. For some it will be a need for more product knowledge; for some it may be coaching or a “walk-along” with a high-performing team member.

Give them context

Your team will get better results if they have more information than simply a list of names or addresses. Help them understand the product they’re selling and how it compares to other similar products. Then assist them in finding reasons to be passionate about that product. This will drive good conversation, and thus increase conversions.

Provide them with training opportunities

It’s critical that you not only understand your team members’ unique needs but that you provide ongoing training to help them meet their goals and build confidence. Leading by example means that you also take training courses to enhance your knowledge of the latest news and best practices. That will help you to be a better mentor and a better sales professional in your own right.

Have high expectations of them

Your team will rise to the expectations you set, so set them high! On the other hand, don’t set them so high that your direct reports think they’re impossible to achieve. In order for those expectations to be met, you need to help your team feel supported and positively reinforced. Clearly articulate your goals and expectations and hold your representatives accountable for achieving them. Also, check out these motivating sales quotes that deliver motivation!

Let them specialize

Don’t treat everyone on your team the same. Some people understand certain business sectors better than others. Allow your specialists to take the lead in the area of their expertise. They may be able to help your other team members as well. The more your team understands about the product or service they’re selling, the better they’ll be at selling it.

What other tips do you have for leading a high-performing sales team? Share with Cydcor on Twitter @Cydcor.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.