There are many perks to managing a remote sales team, including — reduced overhead, flexibility, larger talent pools, not to mention reps that can sell from anywhere and at any time.
However, managing a remote sales team comes with its own special set of challenges. When your sales reps are spread out, you’re not just managing performance strategy. You’re now responsible for staying on top of time zone differences, schedules, and managing logistics and communication.
Below, we’ve identified 3 key areas you should address when leading a remote sales team. By managing these issues upfront, you will free up more time for your sales reps to sell and for you to engage with your team.
SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
On a remote team, there are so many opportunities for misunderstandings. Make sure you set clear rules and guidelines for your team.
It’s important to be very clear about your expectations for their specific activity and includes the right metrics to hold your reps accountable.
There should be no question about which tasks and responsibilities each salesperson is accountable for. Make sure they know what is expected in terms of days, hours/schedules, number of dials, or appointments set.
Also, you should clearly review the sales quotas and any processes related to the sales position. For example, each salesperson should know when to follow up, the most important sales prospecting questions to ask, what to say when cold calling prospects, etc.
And finally, make sure to address concerns that specifically involve a remote working environment. Establish guidelines around when people are leaving the virtual office.
If someone has a client meeting, for example, make sure they send you a quick message that they will be leaving for an hour. Also, what is the best way for your team to communicate? Do they prefer chat messages, phone, or video? And how much time is acceptable between when someone reaches out to a teammate and their response?
When you can’t see the salesperson working, having clear visibility and output goals set up is critical. Use this lack of face-to-face interaction to your advantage. When a salesperson is remote, it forces you to focus on measurable results and performance, and not on intangible feelings about a person.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Communication is key to making sure your remote team is successful. Use the same tactics as above and create clear guidelines about how often to communicate and which tools your team should use.
For example, make sure everyone knows when they need to be available. If you have teammates spread across multiple time zones, try to find a time that works for everyone when scheduling team meetings and make sure your team leaves this time open.
Or if the majority of your customers are on Central Standard Time, let your team know that they need to be ready to answer the phone during those hours as well.
Next, you should aim to overcommunicate. That means you should schedule regular meetings, encourage collaboration, and set up routine office visits. So much can get lost in emails and chat messages that phone and Skype meetings should also be utilized too.
Even if you’re not able to speak to every sales rep multiple times a week, there are still ways you can keep in touch and monitor what activities they’re getting done.
One of the easiest ways to check in with a sales rep is to use a chat or messaging app. Google Hangouts, Quip, and Slack provide a way to share wins or accomplishments with your team or to individuals in real-time without cluttering up their inbox.
Another way to keep in touch and create a sense of community is with a video call using Google Hangouts or Skype. It’s an easy way to create a connection when you don’t get the face-to-face time that you would in an office.
There are so many nonverbal cues we miss when chatting online or over the phone, so it might be in your best interest to have more important conversations and coaching sessions using video.
If you want a quick way to manage your sales reps’ progress without a conversation, you can use project management or task tracking tools like Basecamp or Trello. These tools offer great workspaces where you can collaborate with a remote team, organize files, tasks and plan projects.
And of course, don’t forget to utilize your CRM system. Most CRM’s make it fairly easy to track your team’s activity and create dashboards that show sales activity by sales rep against goals and historical performance.
These details may seem like a trivial part of creating a successful sales team, but if these expectations aren’t managed in the beginning, then you may have a team of sales reps who are resistant to regular communication and slow to respond to your coaching and direction.
HIRE THE RIGHT SALESPEOPLE
If you want your remote sales team to be successful, you need to build a foundation with the right people. Not everyone is cut out for working remotely, but there are traits to look for that will help predict future success.
First, look for people who excel at organization and time management. You won’t be able to monitor your remote team at all hours of the day, so it’s important to find sales reps who know how to manage themselves effectively.
Next, your best bet is to find sales reps who have past experience with remote work, as they’re already familiar with the ins and outs of working in a virtual office and environment. However, if you find a top sales rep who doesn’t have remote experience, it’s not a deal-breaker. Just make sure they’re an autonomous, entrepreneurial-minded sales rep.
Most importantly, you need to refine your recruitment and onboarding process constantly in order to help new reps be successful. Your processes should set your new hires up for success and make them feel like they’re part of the team, even if they’re on the other side of the country.
Use these best practices when hiring and managing your own remote sales team. By focusing on these three areas, you can set yourself and your team up for success.
What are your best tips for managing a remote team?
