Making Sales and Managing Your Remote Sales Team

By Samiur Rahman, Blogger, Lava Protocols

Some Make It, Some Don’t

Sales are one of the most fundamental aspects of almost any business, but doing so in recent times has been out of the ordinary. COVID-19 has shifted the dynamics of most businesses and while some could not keep up with the changes and gone under liquidation, other businesses have seen a spike in their sales outcome. Indeed, as a business, its main objective should be to thrive in the ever-changing environment of shifting customer demand and improvement in technology. The businesses that are doing well have one thing in common – they manage their sales team remotely with finesse.

Words Of Wisdom

This pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new normal that is not ideal for many of us. But these are the profound moments in human history that push the human race forward. Never before has the world been so technologically driven nor has business personnel considered operating their entire operations from the comfort of their homes. However, despite the comfort, adapting to such changes can take time. However, our visit to the Sales Manager of a reputed company has gained us some valuable insights on ensuring effective sales team management in the online world. Here is what he had to say:

Our sales team faced a lot of difficulty at the initial stage of the pandemic. Work from home was becoming the norm and everyone was skeptical whether we would be able to operate efficiently at all. And their concern was right, you know? Our sales team did lag behind at the very beginning. We observed a lack of productivity., I myself become unproductive while staying at home. But being in charge of Sales meant that I had to take matters into my own hand and drive this change forward. I started off with dressing the part while working at home. This instantly caused a shift in my mood – like I was ready for office work. Moreover, I started inspiring others to maintain a fixed schedule, learn more about digital marketing and online channels, improve social networking, keep a tunnel vision, and so forth. Of course, this distance pushed us to get the best CRM software in the market – Salesforce, to make sales management much easier for us.

The Takeaway

After an in-depth discussion trying to find ways to manage the sales team remotely, we came up with a few pointers that may help you and many other businesses get their online activities as seamless as it was pre-pandemic.

1. Schedule your work: It is very easy to mix one’s work and family life when working from home. Waking up at no fixed time of the day and getting to work can feel like working during a vacation. That is not a mindset that will drive progress. To see results, one should have a fixed timetable where, for example, they should wake up by 6 AM and get done with their morning rituals, and start their work by 8 AM. In a sense, it requires employees to be self-driven and their own boss – keeping a self-sustaining check and balance system. It is important to remember to keep a fine line between home and work to be truly productive.
   
   
   
2. A workstation: When working from home, your sales team will perform better if they have a designated workspace. Why? Working in different parts of the house can cause distraction and give a sense of instability in work. However, sticking to a particular area of the house where the mindset of the person remains focused on work will surely boost their productivity. It is important to keep the workstation as welcoming and aesthetically pleasing as necessary because this is where the work will take place on a regular basis.
   
   
   
3. Adapt to digital marketing: Digital marketing has been at the forefront of every tech and business conversation. With the pandemic in mind, we can understand why it is called the future. With the new normal, businesses are operating online which means that the sales team has to find creative ways of resonating with their audience. For example, email marketing has been an ages-long method of reaching out to target groups. However, to really have humane communication, why not attach a video to establish trust with your customers and drive sales forward? 
   
   
   
4. Keep up the networking: Humans are social animals that thrive in nurturing groups. When working in the office, it is very easy to understand your teammates and your clients by their communication and sub-communication. That is, however, not possible when the Coronavirus is keeping us away from one another. So what is the next best solution? Use your preferred social media platforms to keep in touch with your coworkers and seniors. While it is important to actively communicate regarding work, take out some time to bond over other aspects of life as well. Perhaps start a conversation by uploading a picture of your unique-looking workspace and engage others by encouraging them to do the same.
   
   
   
5. Encourage continuous learning: Seminars and workshops are a great way to amp up the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of your sales representatives. Staying at home does not have to stop your team from developing – you can arrange various webinars and training sessions focusing on the development of the sales team. This will not only make them more competent but will also add collaborative enjoyment in shared experiences among the colleagues.
   
   
   
6. Invest in the right CRM: There are many CRM software in the market. With the constant development that is taking place in the digital world, software upgrades are not lagging behind. CRM software lets you interpret the data and make meaningful actions that will convert your knowledge about consumer behavior into a data-driven decision to spike sales like never before. 

The Choice Is Yours

Ways in which you can manage your sales representatives are endless. However, these are some of the key aspects that the industry experts are currently following to keep up with the new normal. Adapting to changes is what makes us thrive in nature – so making the right choice while adapting can increase your success rate by a large margin. All the best!

Lava Protocols is an authorized Salesforce Partner. Want to manage a remote sales team? Drop us an email to schedule your demo: hello@lavaprotocols.com.