How to Develop a Winning Sales Team

Developing a professional and successful sales team will make the difference between achieving the goals established for your business and falling short of your target. The first important step in developing a sales team involves choosing your staff, seeking candidates who are self-motivated and willing to receive coaching. Teach basic sales techniques to new all of your sales staff -beginners and veterans alike. Follow a curriculum for your training program to ensure a well informed and practiced sales force.

Start the training program by teaching the staff all there is to know about the product or service they are selling. Having a thorough handle on the information about the product or service will allow the salesperson to employ their sales techniques as second nature. Divide the sales staff into smaller groups during training to add an element of competition. Use the team format to quiz the staff on techniques or features of your product. Reward the winning staff with a bonus or privilege.   

Include training involving closing sales every day of the training program. Use sales clinching segues and other closing language that is specific to the type of sales your office performs. An example of a closing statement is, "Mrs. Davis, you can see how the DTST really does the job. When would like the unit to be delivered?" Require the respective teams to create their own closing statements. Quiz the representatives before moving on to another facet of training. Require members to answer questions in role-play format to recreate the sales process. Attempt to make the sales scenarios as authentic as possible. 

Pair the new sales staff with more experienced staff for live sales calls. Allow the newer member to watch silently as the experienced staff members perform the sales pitch and closing techniques. Allow the new salesperson to observe before switching roles and assuming the selling duties while the seasoned staff member observes for later critique. Establish a venue for the new sales staff to reassemble their group to review their daily selling experiences. Have each staff member detail his or her experiences and how the training played a role in the outcome of the sale. Allow the other staff to critique the salesperson and comment on how their experiences mirrored or contrasted with the experiences and results of the other group members.