Don't Just Build a Sales Team ~ Build a Sales Culture

Building a high performing sales team that consistently exceeds plan can be challenging. Here are a few things to consider when building your team and your culture.

1. If you don't like jerks, don't hire jerks. Hire selling professionals with the understanding that they will be the embodiment of your brand in the market. These are the people you will entrust with your customer's buying experience. Look for people who have invested in building a personal brand, build trust in a sales process, and demonstrate an ability to sell different services to the same buyer. Hire people who can lead and follow. Look for selling professionals that have demonstrated an ability to collaborate with product development, operations and client services.
2. If you've hired the right people you won't have to remind them not to be jerks. How we talk to teams and treat people matters. Choose your words thoughtfully. How many times do you use the word "salesy" when you talk to your sales teams? You can't build a healthy selling team and culture by asking people to do their job...but not like an asshole...all the time. Don't diminish the work they do every day to represent the brand and build trust by thinking you need to remind them not to be "cheesy, aggressive or superficial". Get this word out of your vocabulary - sales people included.
3. Make sure your culture includes everyone. Everyone in your organization should understand and be committed to your mission, vision and values. Everyone should understand how their contributions fuel the mission. They should understand their importance to the team, and they should feel accountable to each other. High functioning teams trust and respect each other. They are able to move fast and accomplish more. They outperform competition and the exceed targets consistently. Make space for your sales teams to contribute and connect with your organization.
4. Listen. Selling professionals are your front line. They face your competition and talk to prospective clients every day. They are the best source of information on adjustments to the process that could increase results or speed cycles. Value their perspective.
5. Make your sales compensation plan about more than just money tied to individual contributions. Talented people will always have options, and someone will always pay more. So, if you've invested in sourcing great talent, take steps to retain it. Employment value is about more than just the check. We recognize this in other areas of our organizations but rarely in sales. If you are differentiating your sales opportunities at the base of the employment value pyramid - benefits and compensation - you will pay more and turn your team more often. Sales professionals are people, and just like other people, they are motivated by career advancement, well-being and feel most fulfilled and engaged when they have a sense of purpose.

The best sales teams are supported by leadership that prioritizes inclusion, builds trust and respect within the broader organization, rewards only the behaviors they want repeated and makes sure there is employment value for their sales professionals beyond compensation.