Learn to check the areas that need improvement and implement strategies to overcome a challenge that is hindering you from reaching the next level of the sales team’s productivity. This will not only help your employees but also your customers will benefit.
Here are some of the strategies you should implement:
1. Implement a Shadowing Program
Here, you should break down silos, align your sales, marketing, and support departments. One easy way to align departments is to create a shadowing program such as “Sales rep for a day.” The benefits of the shadowing program are; it enhances team building, new skill development, and a better understanding of the customer.
The steps for creating a shadowing program include:
- Pitch the idea/schedule a team meeting: Get everyone on board with the idea.
- Hold a short training session for participants: Provide training material and offer answers to questions.
- Begin the shadowing rotation: Allow employees to shadow your sales team’s activities, such as product demos, at least once a month.
- Debrief the program: Send out surveys and measure the results of the program.
2. Maximize CRM automation.
Your CRM can improve tasks within the sales process. You should ask yourself questions:
- Does your CRM have a built-in call tool?
- Are your sales tools integrated with your CRM?
- Are conversations accessible across sales-tool
platforms? - Are some of your emails automated?
Sell offers Automated Actions, for example, you can create tasks every time you add a contact, which helps eliminate manual data entry for sales tracking.
Your CRM should make your customer communication process better. Documentation and the ability to review conversations are important in getting customer relationships right.
3. Motivate in Creative Ways
When employees feel appreciated, they perform their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. The following are some of the motivational strategies to boost productivity and performance:
- Celebrate wins.
Big or small wins, let your employees know that their efforts are appreciated.
- Encourage team building
Find ways to help employees engage with each other for example monthly lunches and friendly sales contests.
- Send motivational emails
Send out messages to encourage your reps and to demonstrate confidence in your team’s abilities.
- Focus on the right metrics
Implement metrics that encourage a focus on customer quality for example lead to conversion rate.
4. Create a Resource Library
Create an online location where both the sales and the marketing team can access it. One method is to create a Google spreadsheet that includes different categories such as:
- Type of resource (e.g. blog post)
- Title of the resource
- Category
- Buyer personas
- Link or file download
5. Focus on Quality Leads
Too many salespeople waste time on leads that won’t end up turning into sales. Don’t try to chase leads that aren’t likely to turn into sales. Your team needs to focus on quality over quantity. Leads should match your buyer’s interest. Those quickly qualifying leads increase productivity and increase the chance of actually closing a deal.
