5 Strategies To Build a Killer Remote Sales Team!

You want your sales teams to achieve their targets and crush their quotas! 
You were used to having your team and the hustle of chasing numbers in a packed office that reminded you of a war room! 
With the advent of the pandemic and remote working staff, the whole dynamic has changed. And this might be the new normal with organizations opting to work remotely for the foreseeable future and possibly even after the pandemic. 
And let’s face it, remote working is not a walk in the park, especially if it is the first time you are doing it. 
How will your sales team reach their targets if you cannot communicate with them seamlessly?
Added to this, working remotely can possibly create the feeling of isolation and disengagement which can be demotivating for a Sales professional.
Can remote sales not be done? Of course, it can! There are organizations acing this and delivering stellar results! 
What are they doing right?
Here are 5 strategies that can help you build a robust remote sales team:
1# Induct well
First of all, when you hire somebody new to your sales team, make sure they get inducted well to - the company, your product, the processes, etc. - even and especially in the remote environment. 
  • You can continue to mirror the same process as you had in-office. If you had a buddy system where a senior sales team member would induct the new joinee, you can do the same even now, only they will use more virtual tools to collaborate, say via a conference sales call where the new joinee can shadow and vice-versa for reverse shadowing.
  • Create induction decks, process templates, FAQs, etc that can make it easier given your new joinee may not be able to just walk across the floor to clarify queries in real-time. However, the buddy system could help with this where they can get in touch with a senior sales team member whenever they have a query.
2# Set clear expectations
As a sales leader, set clear expectations and context for your teams. Being explicit about KPIs, targets, and processes can go a long way to get everyone on the same page and avoid costly misunderstandings. 
  • Communicating your expectations about targets and input metrics
  • Tracking the above regularly to ensure a feedback loop and to remove any obstacles that the team might be facing
3#  Implement processes
Processes can help remote teams with structure and direction to getting work done. 
  • Creating processes on the critical aspects of your sales cycle - like lead generation, how to talk to a potential client, negotiation, and closing a deal. 
  • Define the processes in terms of task templates. For example, create templates for sending cold emails or make cold calls, creating a proposal, and so on. These will not only create a lot of clarity but also help standardize and further scale your team and company
4# Foster accountability
One of the things that can steer your remote sales team towards success is to have an accountability routine. 
  • Create an accountability routine. For example, once a week, do a review where all team members update on targets met and plan for the next week
  • You can also create trackers or use a CRM to get an offline update, which you can use for review. 
5# Appreciate the wins
Sales teams thrive on achievement and getting recognized for it. In a remote environment, it might be difficult to do that in an organic fashion, hence as a Sales leader, you need to actively make an effort to do it.
  • Let the whole team know when your people make a big sale, or close a difficult account. It could be via an update on your internal messaging app, or an email to the entire company if big enough. Sales teams work incredibly hard at the front lines, and small things like these create a lot of positivity and motivation.
Through all of this, create an environment of trust. You don't need to monitor every action of your Sales team. If you have hired and inducted them well, you can leave them to do what they do best, and intelligently track output and certain input parameters to ensure they are moving along the right track. The beautiful thing about sales is that there are clear parameters to track. Make use of that, and beyond a point, do not sweat over the little things like how many hours they worked etc.  
  • Overcommunicate: One of the primary barriers to remote working is non-existent non-verbal communication. To overcome this barrier, overcommunicate. Send updates regularly, respond to messages promptly, and be available and accessible to your team. 
  • Promote trust: Engage with your teams more frequently, take one-on-one meetings. Encourage your team members to communicate frequently amongst themselves. Use video calls from time to time to encourage bonding within the team. 
A remote sales team can give you the advantage of working with the best talent without geographical constraints. And if you can get a few basics right, it can prove quite beneficial for both you and your organization. 
As a sales leader, encourage communication and collaboration between teams, create hassle-free processes, set clear expectations, and appreciate the wins. To further guarantee the success of a remote working sales team, ensure that you hire high-quality, seasoned talent who can hit the ground running. 
FlexiBees has provided companies, both startups and established players, with part-time talent for many projects and roles; across a variety of functions & skill-sets like  Inside Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Public Relations, Investment Banking, Technology, Content Development, Writing, Graphic Design, etc. All these companies have benefited by being able to hire high quality talent at pricing optimised only for the hours of work they need.  With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to businesses trying new approaches, strategies, MVPs, etc, part-time and project-based talent, that are high-quality and affordable, can help. 
If you have a role requirement, take 2 minutes to fill our form and we will try our best to fulfil it for you, quickly and to your satisfaction.