eBusiness Weekly
Robert Gonye
I think you will agree with me that companies around the country and globe in general are asking employees to work from home to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Yet many global firms are not prepared for a remote workforce. And when it comes to sales teams, remote work presents a unique set of challenges for sales managers tasked with leading geographically dispersed teams.
Sales teams are built on amity and competition, which is difficult to manufacture remotely. Sales teams these days also face additional barriers to productivity. Travel restrictions mean less contact with prospects, with the industry, and with the market.
As companies cancel events and trade shows, reps have fewer opportunities to connect with prospects and peers. Managers have fewer chances to physically engage with reps, leading to significantly reduced opportunity for learning and coaching.
While the right technology can make remote work more accessible across different regions and territories, poor technology and/or infrastructure is the biggest barrier to effective remote working.
Fortunately, there are several tactics that managers can wield to lead their remote teams. To ensure that your reps work at peak capacity despite travel restrictions, focus on actionable ways to boost sales productivity no matter where they are.
Winning steps to drive remote sales productivity
- Prospecting
One of the biggest challenges associated with travel restrictions is the lack of face-to-face interaction with prospects. Events around the country and world where salespeople were hoping to meet up have been cancelled. In some cases, either the rep or the prospect (or both) must work from home.
Consider: Supplementing phone calls with pre-recorded video introductions and demos to interact in a more personal way.
- Coaching
Insufficient coaching interactions between managers and reps is one of the greatest obstacles to productivity. One option is to have sales reps practice their pitch in a safe environment and receive coaching instead of practicing on customers. Whether for an existing product or service, or a new offering, sales reps can record practice videos, share with managers or peers, and get feedback to refine messaging and delivery.
Consider: Using mobile access and video sharing technology to extend managers’ reach, maximise time, and accomplish as much or more as they normally could during a physical session.
- On-boarding
It’s a challenging time to be recruiting, interviewing, and on-boarding. But you must continue to build your team. Whether you’re hiring new reps or shifting existing ones into new roles, reducing the time it takes to get new hires ramped and productive is critical. Instead of flying new hires into corporate, have them watch videos, practice their pitches, learn the company’s systems.
Consider: Equip your new hires with the ability to practice, self-correct, and receive coaching and feedback to perfect their delivery.
- Sales Meetings
Companies rely on annual or quarterly kick-offs to align reps on messaging and introduce new products. Instead of live meetings, hold some or all of the meetings virtually via video. Replace live classroom training with video training and certification. Record presentations in the form of voiceover Power Points and share them with the team.
Consider: Using this format to shorten presentations and allow viewers to interact and collaborate regarding the content.
- Collaboration
Help free up managers’ schedules and scale up content sharing by encouraging collaboration. Enabling high performers to share best practices with others eases the burden of coaching for managers, while increasing the velocity in which new ideas are adopted by the field.
Consider: Power Point to share prospect stories, bounce ideas off of co-workers, and brainstorm often.
- Feedback
Managing a remote sales team requires steady, consistent, two-way communication. Your reps need to hear from you frequently and vice-versa. Create effective lines of communication to hear and send feedback to your remote team.
Consider: Regular check-in videos and have reps give frequent updates.
7.Product Launch
Video can also help incline sales teams on new products as well as product line mergers. Whether for an existing product or service or a new offering, have sales reps record practice videos to share with managers or peers, then receive coaching and feedback to ensure consistent messaging and objection handling.
- Industry Update
Real-time market updates are important in many industries, particularly financial services. Push updates to your sales and services teams so that they are prepared to answer questions and reassure your customers that your business can weather the storm.
- Consistent Tracking
Your remote sales reps need direction and clear expectations in terms of monthly output right down to the day. Measure training activity to learn which reps are completing messaging, certification, or training courses. Set clear benchmarks for them to hit.
Consider: Setting a weekly goal for reps to record and reward achievements to reinforce positive behaviours.
In conclusion, when it comes to remote sales productivity, technology that is a good fit for your business is critical. Ensure that every member of your team is equipped with quality devices, software, and network connections that will allow them to work without issue. Managing a remote team of sales reps is a unique challenge but with the right strategy, managers can succeed.
Robert Gonye is a Business Growth Expert and Influencer. He writes in his personal capacity. Comments and views: [email protected]
twitter@robert_gonye.
The views given herein are solely for information purposes; they are guidelines and suggestions only.
