Retreats

All work and no play makes jack a dull boy. The physical and emotional well-being of your sales force is critical to hitting that sales jackpot. Occasional staff retreats are important to not only giving your people time dedicated to rest and relaxation but this will also prove to strengthen the interpersonal relationships among team members. These retreats could be scheduled at the end of your sales quarters or annually.

Organized business processes

A chaotic business environment can disrupt a business from being ran smoothly. If your sales team in unclear on what is expected of them, this could cost you dearly. Resources are then wasted and targets are not achieved. It is also important to streamline your business processes and to have a clear organizational structure that way, the rate at which company decisions are made is increased. This will in turn produce a more efficient team. The more efficient your team is, the more likely it is for your company to scale. Simply put, you will be able to increase the workload and output of your team without increasing overall expenditure.

Be flexible in your leadership style

Take the time to know your team. Be flexible in how you lead. Sure, there will be company policies and guidelines set out by your human resources department but that does not mean you cannot exercise discretion when it is needed. If you are a rigid and uncompromising manager, this will only create tension within the team and decrease the likelihood of the persons who report to you, making an effort to do more than is required.

Lead by example

Get down in the trenches with your team. Show them that you are just as capable of doing what they do on a daily basis and that you are willing to get your hands dirty. Be relatable as a manager and take the time to let them know that you care by extending an open door policy or by simply going on sales calls with members of the team.

Think outside the box

Of course, there is no one-size fits all approach to motivating your sales team. Each individual brings their own unique flair and approach to getting the job done. As an effective sales manager, it is important that you are able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each individual. The focus should never be on constantly highlighting the weaknesses, but rather building on the strengths while working to improve on weak areas.