Lead your remote sales team to triumph with these 10 valuable tips! Enhance virtual teamwork for sales success.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, remote work is already a trend that has started among some local and global companies, giving their employees the flexibility and freedom to work from home or anywhere outside the company office. When the global health crisis occurred, remote work has become the new normal, and many companies in the world started building their remote teams due to the physical contact restriction.
Up to the present, remote work set-up is a popular arrangement among many businesses, companies, and corporations all over the globe. Industries that do not strictly require their employees to work onsite allowed them to work from anywhere convenient to them, as long as they can perform their tasks efficiently and can attend online meetings and conferences. Various reports show that remote work is effective and increases not just the productivity of the remote employees but the overall performance of the companies employing this kind of work setup.
Understanding Remote Work in Sales
Sales is one of the industries that embraced the remote-work setup. Gone are the days when sales professionals would dress up neatly and professionally to go to the office and make cold calls or reply to sales inquiries via email. Today, sales representatives and agents can perform their tasks right in their kitchen, at a coffee shop, or even by the beach, while they’re on a quick vacation.
Because of the realization that salespeople can effectively work offsite, companies start building and deploying remote sales teams that will represent them while they’re on the field or working from home. A remote sales team usually comprises several sales professionals working under a brand, project, or campaign, however, with team members based on different locations, countries, or even time zones. As long as each team member works on a common goal, the time and location gap shouldn’t affect the way the remote sales team operates.
Just like in other remote teams, departments, and industries, to ensure that a remote sales team works according to expectations, goals, and set targets, effective remote sales team management techniques should be in place.
Advantages of Managing a Remote Sales Teams
Creating and managing a remote sales team offers several advantages to both the employee and the manager. Some of these include the following:
1. Cost Savings
Managing a sales team remotely means a company wouldn’t have to spend on office space, utilities, tools, and other facilities. For remote sales employees, they can also save money on commuting, transportation expenses, and even relocation costs. Establishing a remote work setup is, therefore, a win-win situation for both the company and the sales professionals.
2. Larger Talent Pool
With a remote sales team, companies can hire top sales talents from anywhere in the world. Geographic and time barriers are no longer limitations in finding the best sales professionals to work for them. Thus, building a remote sales team provides companies and businesses with access to a larger pool of talents while increasing the chances of finding individuals with the right skills and expertise.
3. Broader Market Reach
By leveraging remote sales professionals to work in their respective locations, companies can expand their reach and introduce their products or services to new markets. This is why many businesses choose to hire and manage a remote sales team instead of onsite sales agents.
4. Flexibility and Work-Life Balance
Remote sales teams offer flexibility in work hours and locations, enabling not only the sales representatives to create a better work-life balance but also the team manager who can simply supervise the team via online conference calls and emails. This flexibility enables both the sales agents and team manager to design their schedules around personal commitments, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
5. Increased Productivity and Performance
Concerning the point above, managing a remote sales team contributes to a higher level of productivity among sales professionals and the overall performance of the team. The comfort and convenience brought by a work-from-home setup or the conducive environment of a quiet café adds motivation to the team members to work harder and reach their targets faster.
Overall, the advantages of remote sales teams extend beyond convenience and cost savings. When effectively managed, remote sales teams can be highly productive, motivated, and capable of achieving outstanding results for the company.
Common Challenges that Remote Sales Teams Face
While remote sales teams offer numerous advantages, they also face several challenges that can impact their productivity and efficacy. Some common challenges include:
1. Communication Barriers
Communication may not always be 100% perfect among remote sales team members due to the lack of face-to-face interactions, often leading to misunderstandings, delays in responses, and difficulty conveying emotions. Especially since communication among team members is typically done using online tools only, communication gaps are unavoidable.
2. Time Zone Differences
When your remote sales team members are spread across different time zones, scheduling meetings and collaborative sessions can become difficult. Simply finding a common time when everyone can be present may cause delays in decision-making, response times, and project executions.
3. Dependence on Technology
Remote sales teams heavily rely on various communication and collaboration tools, such that when technical issues or internet connectivity problems happen, the daily operations get disrupted and sales activities may get affected.
4. Data Security and Privacy
Because they typically work online and through digital devices, remote sales professionals handle sensitive customer and company data in their online systems, increasing the risk of data breaches or security issues if they are not careful or if their system is not adequately protected.
5. Monitoring and Measuring Productivity
Assessing the performance of remote sales representatives can be more challenging than in traditional office settings. Without the use of tracking programs, managers may find it difficult to identify whether the sales rep is actually working or simply browsing their social media feeds. Thus, tracking activities, measuring results accurately, and identifying potential performance issues remain a challenge among remote sales teams.
6. Distractions and Work-Life Balance
Working from home or other remote locations may expose sales representatives to many kinds of distractions, including children and family, household chores, leisure activities, and personal obligations. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be a challenge to remote employees who don’t have the discipline to stay focused on work even outside the office setting.
Addressing these challenges requires proactive strategies from sales team managers, effective communication tools, and a supportive company culture that promotes trust and collaboration no matter where their employees are working from. This brings us to the next topic of the article which discusses how to manage a sales team remotely.
10 Ways How to Manage a Remote Sales Team Effectively
Managing a remote sales team is both a challenging and exciting feat for sales managers, directors, or even business owners. On one hand, you want to give your team the freedom and flexibility to go about their way, manage their tasks, and reach their targets individually. On the other hand, you want to make sure that they are doing the right thing and achieving excellent results.
If you find managing remote sales teams harder than you think, these ten strategies will help you empower your employees to be the best sales professionals they can be—with or without a supervisor or a manager watching their back.
1. Establish clear goals and expectations.
Even before you begin deploying your sales team members to their respective locations with their particular tasks, make sure to set specific and achievable sales targets and key performance indicators (KPIs). These quantifiable goals will serve as their guide that will identify whether or not they are going in the right direction. Clearly communicate the expectations you have for the team, including their daily sales activities, the frequency of team communication or meeting, and the required reports they need to submit to you.
2. Choose and use communication tools that work best for everyone.
Managing a remote sales team can only be successful if the communication among team members is open and clear. To achieve this, utilize reliable and efficient communication tools such as Zoom or Google Meet for video conferencing, WhatsApp for instant messaging, and Slack or Trello for team collaborations. Furthermore, encourage regular team meetings, daily check-ins, and open communication channels for quick interactions.
3. Provide the right technology and remote sales tools to your team.
For remote sales teams, technology is their best weapon and they should be equipped with the right remote sales tools. Therefore, ensure your team has access to the necessary sales software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and other tools for efficient remote selling. Make sure to train your sales team members, too, so they know how to use these tools effectively.
4. Encourage autonomy and trust.
Any remote employee will feel empowered if they know that their supervisor, manager, or director gives them 100% trust. As a sales manager of a remote team, do not be afraid to give them your trust and confidence. Instead, let them do their job, manage their schedules, and perform their tasks independently. Motivate them to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Employees who feel trusted will be more motivated to work, stick around, and keep their loyalty to the team or the company.
5. Create a positive and supportive work environment and culture.
Employees love to work in a positive, worry-free environment. And even though you are managing a remote sales team without a physical venue where you can collaborate with each other, it is still possible to establish a fun culture and vibrant workspace. Start each day with online check-ins where you can recognize or celebrate individual and team achievements publicly. Show appreciation for hard work and contributions regularly. Do not be afraid to praise your hard-working sales representatives so other team members can look up to them and be their inspiration.
Other ways to create a positive and fun work environment for your remote sales team include the following:
- Encourage open and transparent communication.
- Foster a culture of respect and appreciation.
- Promote teamwork and collaboration.
- Provide opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Offer constructive feedback and coaching.
- Lead by example and demonstrate positive behavior.
- Encourage creativity and innovation.
- Build a sense of community and belonging.
- Create opportunities for employees to share ideas and feedback.
6. Foster team unity.
In a remote work setup, fostering team unity and solidarity is crucial. If your team members are unified and share a common goal, it will be easier to support each other to reach your individual and team targets.
As a manager, some ways you can promote this value among your remote sales representatives is by organizing virtual team-building activities and social events, creating opportunities for team members to strengthen their bonds. Encouraging informal interactions through virtual coffee breaks or chat platforms can further create a sense of camaraderie, enhancing trust and communication among team members.
These practices help combat feelings of isolation and promote a positive work environment where employees feel connected and motivated to work together effectively.
7. Offer guidance, support, and training to your remote sales team members.
With a remote work setup, employees can easily feel isolated, alone, or lost. Encourage them to approach you whenever they feel this way. Make them feel that you are open to listening to their problems and let them know that you are always ready to come up with effective solutions.
Moreover, provide continuous training and skill development opportunities to keep the team updated on sales techniques and product knowledge. Offer resources and coaching sessions for self-motivation, time management, negotiation, and other relevant topics.
8. Set up performance measurement and feedback sessions.
Just as with face-to-face work setup, providing and receiving feedback is also important for teams under a remote work arrangement—it might even be more important, actually. Because you don’t get to see each other personally every day, you lose the opportunity to give your team members spontaneous comments about their work or their performances. Thus, a scheduled performance review and feedback session should be necessary if you are managing remote sales teams.
During the session, establish clear performance metrics that you will be monitoring and track sales activities and results regularly. A regular performance evaluation and feedback session among your team is a great opportunity to address any challenges or concerns that your team is experiencing and provide support when necessary.
9. Encourage work-life balance.
Your salespeople are not robots. Don’t expect them to work 24/7 or be online to answer your questions in the middle of the night or during weekends. As a manager, you should be the first one to promote work-life balance among your team members by setting realistic expectations for work hours. Be understanding and flexible when personal commitments arise.
Remember, happy employees make productive employees. And if they feel that they are valued and treated well, they will stick with you for a long time.
10. Lead by example.
As part of their career growth planning, sales professionals often look up to their managers. Thus, you should be mindful of the way you lead and manage your remote sales team.
Leading by example means demonstrating the behaviors, work ethic, and values you expect from your team. By embodying the principles you advocate, you can establish a strong foundation of trust, credibility, and respect within your team. This sets clear expectations for performance and professionalism, inspiring and motivating team members to follow suit.
When your team sees your dedication, enthusiasm, and accountability for the work that you do, they become more committed to doing the same and achieving common goals. Leading by example creates a positive work culture, fosters collaboration, and empowers individuals to reach their full potential while driving overall team success.
By implementing these strategies, you can build a strong and productive remote sales team that thrives in a virtual environment. Effective remote management not only ensures sales targets are met but also contributes to a motivated and engaged team that delivers excellent results for the organization.
Preventing Common Remote Sales Management Mistakes
There is no perfect way to manage a remote sales team, and, sometimes, mistakes happen. Whether you are just starting to manage a remote team or already a seasoned sales manager, below are the three common remote sales management mistakes that you need to avoid—and what you can do to overcome them in case it happens in your watch:
MISTAKE #1: Micromanagement and Trust Issues
Ineffective leaders micromanage their teams. They often feel like their people can’t work on their own and need guidance on every aspect of their tasks. This exudes a lack of trust and confidence in your team members. If you wish to effectively manage your remote sales team and ensure their productivity and excellent performance, avoid micromanaging them. Instead, let them flourish on their own.
To prevent this mistake:
- Provide clear guidelines and expectations to your team members, giving them the freedom to execute their tasks independently.
- Regularly communicate your trust in their abilities and demonstrate confidence in their decision-making.
- Focus on results and outcomes rather than micromanaging day-to-day activities.
- Offer support and coaching when needed, fostering a supportive environment.
MISTAKE #2: Lack of Collaboration and Team Isolation
While sales representatives often work independently from one another, a sales team shares a common sales target that they need to achieve in a given period of time. Thus, collaboration and communication are truly essential when managing a sales team remotely. If you don’t promote collaboration and regular huddles among your team members, chances are they eventually will feel isolated, unguided, and undervalued.
To prevent this mistake:
- Take advantage of online collaboration tools, project management platforms, as well as instant messaging apps to facilitate teamwork and communication.
- Schedule regular team meetings and virtual brainstorming sessions to encourage idea-sharing, problem-solving, and feedback sessions.
- Organize virtual team-building events and social gatherings to strengthen team bonds and build a sense of camaraderie.
- Encourage informal interactions through chat platforms or virtual coffee breaks to recreate the spontaneous office atmosphere.
- Check-in with your sales agents individually and encourage them to ask questions whenever they need clarifications or guidance.
MISTAKE #3: Lack of Accountability and Inadequate Performance Monitoring
With remote work arrangements, monitoring each team member’s performance is more complicated than in an office setting. It can be difficult to establish accountability since you are only talking to your team members virtually, and it’s easier to stay silent or muted when you’re behind the Zoom screen.
When remote sales team members are not held responsible for their actions and results and there is a lack of effective evaluation of their performance, this can lead to a decline in productivity and overall team performance.
To prevent this mistake:
- Set clear and measurable performance metrics for individual sales representatives.
- Utilize CRM systems and sales tracking software to monitor sales activities and progress.
- Conduct regular performance evaluations and feedback sessions to address challenges and provide support.
- Recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements publicly, reinforcing a culture of accountability and recognition.
- Lead by example—if you have shortcomings, don’t be afraid to own up to your mistake and let your team members feel that it’s okay to admit their faults, as well.
By implementing these strategies, remote sales managers can successfully navigate the common challenges of managing remote sales teams and prevent these common mistakes. A positive work environment, combined with effective communication and support, will help remote sales teams thrive and achieve their goals.
Wrapping It Up
In conclusion, effectively managing a remote sales team requires a combination of thoughtful strategies and proactive leadership. Remote work offers numerous advantages but also comes with unique challenges. By knowing and implementing the strategies discussed above, remote sales teams can become productive and deliver outstanding results for the company. Embracing the evolving nature of work and cultivating a supportive remote work culture can lead to a successful and motivated remote sales team.
If you are exploring building remote sales teams from scratch, be sure to hire top sales talents from Dallas who can work with you virtually or in an office setting. Sales Recruiters Dallas is a premier sales recruitment firm in Dallas, TX, that connects highly skilled sales talent to top companies in Dallas and throughout the country. Begin your search for sales talents here or contact us here so we can discuss your remote sales team requirements.