8 Ways to Give Your Sales Team a Morale Boost

In these challenging times, it’s critical for leaders to understand how to give their sales team members the morale boost they’ll need to navigate uncharted waters and succeed in the face of uncertainty. Salespeople already understand that hearing “no” more than “yes” is an unavoidable part of the sales process that can be hard to face, day after day. It takes grit and a thick skin to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward with purpose. This constant pressure to bring your A-game every time can be intense. And that’s when things are going well. Add in new sales processes, health and safety concerns, and customers who have their minds focused elsewhere, and suddenly, just getting by has become more of an uphill battle than ever before. It is times like these that your team will look to you for strong leadership. They’ll need your guidance and they’ll need an example of strength and determination to fall behind.In these challenging times, it’s critical for leaders to understand how to give their sales team members the morale boost they’ll need to navigate uncharted waters and succeed in the face of uncertainty.CLICK TO TWEET

When things go wrong — missed targets, lost accounts, or failed deals — your sales team’s morale can take a hit, especially when outside forces beyond their control are standing in their way. Left unchecked, a dip in morale can quickly spiral downward and spread like a sickness.

Low morale breeds negativity that can impact productivity, performance, and ultimately sales. At its worst, poor morale can damage your internal culture, which is essential to attracting and retaining top talent and building motivated, engaged teams.

Need a morale boost? At the first signs of trouble, consider these eight ways to pull your sales team out of a morale slump before a temporary setback becomes a deeper rut.

1. It starts with you.

Great teams have great leaders who lead by example. Make sure your attitude and behaviors as a leader reflect those you’d like to cultivate on your team. Help them visualize the opportunities ahead and get them excited about the future. They’ll look to you for encouragement to succeed, motivation to do their best, and inspiration to reach their goals, even if they occasionally stumble along the way.Great teams have great leaders who lead by example. Make sure your attitude and behaviors as a leader reflect those you’d like to cultivate on your team.CLICK TO TWEET

2. Be transparent.

Set clear expectations to give your people focus, direction, and a definition of success. When mistakes happen or results fall short, talk candidly about what went wrong and how to get back on track. Be transparent about business challenges and how your team can work together to conquer them. Finally, have open dialog about the areas for improvement and invite team members to share their voice.

3. Make time for team building.

Team building isn’t just fun; it also helps build camaraderie and strengthen bonds. From competitive games to group problem-solving to social events, team building activities are an enjoyable, effective way to decompress, lift team spirit, foster collaboration, spark creativity, and generate positivity. For an extra morale boost, center team building around a meaningful cause to feel good by doing good — together.

4. Stay tuned in.

Spend one-on-one time with your people to get to know them and understand what motivates them. When they share concerns, listen carefully and actively work with them to find solutions. Salespeople are under immense stress and pressure to perform. So, watch for signs of burnout— a shift in attitude, more negativity, or lower motivation and engagement — and reach out to team members when you spot them.

5. Be a cheerleader.

When your team is getting crushed, be the head cheerleader. Keep encouraging them and cheering your hardest no matter what the score. Setting clear expectations is a great start, but your team members also want to know that you have their backs when things get tough. Lift them up when they’re down and give them the support they need to win. Let them know their goals are your goals — and you’re with them all the way.

6. Invest in your team.

Morale and motivation falter when team members don’t feel set up for success. Ensure your people have the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to succeed by making training and development a regular part of your process. Invest in your most valuable asset — your team — to keep them learning, improving, and evolving. A focus on their growth shows you’re committed to helping them achieve their hopes and dreams for the future.

7. Be a constant coach.

Part of being a coach is giving timely feedback that’s objective, constructive, and individualized to help team members understand what they’re doing right, what they’re doing wrong, and where there’s room for improvement. And don’t just give negative feedback. Provide plenty of positive feedback to keep people motivated. For team members who need more support and guidance, offer to be a mentor they can trust.

8. Ramp up the recognition.

A culture where team achievements are genuinely appreciated and applauded makes people feel energized and excited to do their best work. Make sure to praise and celebrate efforts and improvements — not just wins — to keep the positive momentum going. Another way to ramp up the recognition is to give team members the floor, so they can share their secrets to success and hopefully, inspire their peers.

It’s understandable l for sales team members to feel confused and tentative. Don’t we all? As we forge ahead and try to try normalcy in our new way of life, remember these eight simple strategies to give your team members a morale boost for better performance, better sales — and a better culture.

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We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales and marketing services located in Agoura Hills, California. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation for consistently exceeding client expectations and driving outstanding revenue growth, Cydcor has been helping Fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business goals since 1994. Cydcor takes pride in the unique combination of in-person sales, call center, and digital marketing services we offer to provide our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.