BUILDING A WINNING SALES TEAM

A tough sales culture often is characterized by low morale, a deteriorating sense of mission and missed sales targets. The sense of having little control (or a lack of it altogether) can lead even the best sales manager toward bad results.

Sales leaders have a responsibility to create a positive environment that keeps their teams motivated and engaged. This is not only pivotal to boost productivity, it’s intrinsic to a company's profitability and longevity.

Building and maintaining this culture is no easy feat, but the results are well worth it. Here are some strategies to establish a sales culture that motivates, inspires and drives success.

1. Hire for the right culture fit.

A company is only as good as its people. This certainly rings true when it comes to maintaining a winning sales culture.

Make character fit a large part of the hiring process. It's not hard to teach new skills to people who are open to learning. It’s much harder to change their character. When hiring people with negative attitudes, big egos or poor work ethics, you run the risk of infecting the entire sales team.

2. Set clear goals and expectations.

Clear communication about goals and expectations is a must for sales teams. Without it, a team is likely to lose momentum. Goals should be challenging enough to keep salespeople engaged, but also achievable.

Instead of asking a team member to make 10 sales, ask him or her to conduct 30 product demonstrations -- in line with an anticipated conversion rate. This approach boosts confidence and also will help keep performance on track.

3. Encourage learning and development.

Don’t let numerical targets monopolize goals. Think about setting other targets to enhance a team member’s skills. Find out what motivates employees on an individual level. What are each's strengths and weaknesses? Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) around these elements to maintain a focus on improvement.

Employees like to feel valued, and they'll appreciate your willingness to invest in their ongoing learning and development. Demonstrate your dedication to their professional growth, and you'll see a increased productivity.

4. Build a strong team. (And have fun!)

An element of competition is important. It drives us to achieve our goals, and the very nature of the sales business means rivalries aren't uncommon. When competition becomes cutthroat among team members, though, you've got a serious problem. Communication breaks down.

It’s also important to foster trust and good rapport among team members. Sometimes this requires taking a step back from selling to have some fun. Make time for team-building activities, treat the team to lunch or celebrate a successful week with a Friday hangout. Your team will appreciate this fun and effective way to reward good work.

5. Celebrate all types of contributions.

Always recognize good performance. Promoting a culture that openly celebrates excellent work gives life to more excellent work! It's noteworthy when reps hit their numbers and close big deals, but it's also important to honor other achievements.

You might uplift a team member who makes client retention a priority or who provides an outstanding example of how to embrace company values. Every one of your employees wants to know his or her contribution really matters.

6. If you fail, fail fast!

There's only one certainty in sales: At some point, you will experience failure. Rejection is never easy, but it comes with the territory. You need to get tactical about it. Make sure your team understands failure is OK -- provided it happens fast and they learn from it.

No one in sales wants to hear ‘no.' Disqualifying an ill-fitting prospect early in the process means you can refocus on opportunities that are more likely to generate revenue. It’s crucial to identify patterns and standardize the reasons for lost opportunities. Analyzing the factors that lead to failure will help refine processes, boost productivity and create more wins in the long run.

7. Inspire passion and trust.

Communication is paramount to establishing a positive sales culture. It builds trust in leadership, among team members and in the company vision.

Share your company's long-term goals with the team. Sales leaders should strive daily to keep sales reps passionate and excited about what they are selling. Success often comes down to openness, communication and -- above all -- trust.

A winning sales culture takes time and effort to build, but you will be rewarded with a productive and loyal sales team whose members are driven to succeed for your business.