The global pandemic has forced companies to reevaluate the way they do business. For many of them, this has meant shifting to a remote work model. If you’re in sales, you may wonder how to manage a remote sales team. Today, we’ll give you some tips on how to make the transition to online selling in the most comfortable and smooth way, as we do in the Whoosh team.

The Perks Of Online Deals

It’s not surprising that more and more businesses are turning to remote sales – there are plenty of good reasons for this trend. Reaching a wider audience, saving on costs, and boosting productivity are just a few of them.

If you’re still doubting whether you’re making the right choice, here are some pros of this endeavor. With remote sales, your team will be able to:

1. Build A Global Customer Base

When selling remotely, teams aren’t limited by geography. They can sell to anyone in the world, which gives them a much larger potential customer base.

2. Have More Control Over Working Hours

In a traditional 9-to-5 job, employees are often stuck in the office even when they don’t feel most productive. But working online, they can structure their day in a way that works best for them. 

3. Connect With Customers On A Personal Level

If salespeople don’t meet buyers face-to-face, they have to work a little harder to build rapport. But this can also lead to deeper, more meaningful relationships with customers. Employees have to spend time getting to know their clients and their needs, who in return will appreciate your team’s efforts.

4. Develop A Strong Brand Identity

When you sell remotely, you have the opportunity to build a brand that is unique and differentiated from your competitors. You can control the message and the way you present yourself to the world. This gives you a huge advantage in building a strong, recognizable brand.

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5. Track Progress And Results Easily

With a remote sales team, you can use sales tracking software to see how each employee performs. It is a great way to identify top performers and troubleshoot any problems. Whoosh, for example, offers video calls with advanced analytics on meetings and the performance of attendees.

6. Save On Costs

By doing business remotely, you eliminate the need for travel expenses, which can be too high in some situations. You also don’t need to rent office space or maintain a physical storefront, which can further reduce costs.

Managing Your Remote Sales Team

Even if you’ve never managed a remote sales team before, it’s not as daunting as it may seem. With a little bit of preparation and the right tools in place, you can set your crew up for success.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Use Video Conferencing To Stay Connected

If you’re forming a remote sales team, you should be aware of the challenges that come with it. It can be difficult to stay connected with your team and ensure everyone is on the same page. But with the right tools, you can overcome these challenges and manage your employees effectively.

One of the best ways is video conferencing. It allows you to keep in touch with each member of your team, no matter where they are currently located. You can use it to hold team meetings, give presentations, and train new salespeople.

And with advances in technology, video conferencing is more affordable and easier to use than ever before.

Some Great Apps To Try:

  • Whoosh – AI-powered video meeting app with a bunch of revolutionary tools – Mementos, Weatherman, photorealistic avatars, 3D backgrounds, and many more – promising to help you get rid of video call fatigue. Perfect for sales calls, conferences with your partners, and training sessions with your sales representatives.
  • RingCentral – an all-in-one solution for remote teams that includes various services: MVP (messages, video, and phone), contact center, and a simple video conferencing app. Perfect for dispersed sales team meetings, and negotiations with clients and partners.
  • Webex by Cisco – one of the global leaders in cloud-based collaboration, providing tools for video and audio conferencing, messaging, and live events to businesses of all sizes. Perfect for cloud-based communication, large-scale presentations, webinars, and live events.

Have Regular Check-ins And Team Meetings

Arrange check-ins with individual team members regularly (at least once a week). This is a great time to touch base with everyone, discuss successes and challenges, and set goals for the future.

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You should also hold regular team meetings (at least once a month) to provide updates, give feedback, and answer any questions.

By staying in close communication with your squad, you can more effectively manage your remote sales and help your workers achieve their goals.

Use A Project Management Tool To Keep Everyone On Track

A remote sales team can be a great asset to your company – but only if you manage them correctly. Without the right tools and processes in place, it can be all too easy for things to fall through the cracks.

That’s why we recommend using a project management tool to help you keep track of everything your team is doing. With a project management tool, you can see who is working on what, when deadlines are, and how everyone is progressing.

This helps you identify potential issues early on and keep your employees on track. It also makes it easy to give feedback and recognition, which is essential for keeping morale high.

If you haven’t yet used a project management tool, now is the time to start. Here are some good ones: 

Encourage Collaboration And Networking

Create opportunities for your team members to interact with each other regularly. This can be done in many ways, such as setting up recurring video meetings, establishing a social media group, or organizing team-building events.

Additionally, you can create incentives for team members to collaborate. For example, you can offer bonuses or prizes for those sales reps who successfully collaborate on sales deals. 

By encouraging collaboration and networking, you’ll help your employees build relationships, share ideas, and stay connected. This will ultimately make your team more cohesive and effective.

Conclusion

Ending on an optimistic note, we want to say that despite the challenges, it is possible to manage a sales team remotely and keep everyone on track to hit their goals. With the right technology and everlasting communication, you can overcome any obstacle and win a high-stakes deal.