A longtime IBM executive, John Teltsch has held titles such as vice president of software sales, general manager of global sales and IBM.com business unit executive. Currently general manager of global business partners at IBM, John Teltsch is adept at building high-performance sales teams.
Below are three tips for putting together a sales team:
*Define the sales culture
The sales culture of a team guides everyone’s actions and behavior. However, some leaders talk about their sales culture, but don’t actually live by it. Instead, the people hired into the team, and the training and coaching they receive, should reflect the culture. This ensures everyone is on the same page when it comes to the sales process, and promotes a uniform experience for customers.
*Incorporate data
Data provides sales teams with a huge range of information, such as who their customers are, problems that exist, and the different ways customers may respond at points in the sales process. Data plays a huge role in helping team members succeed. However, leaders must make sure the entire sales team can understand this data.
*Promote collaboration over competition
With competition, someone always wins and everyone else loses. While this may encourage big earners, it’s not very helpful for encouraging success among the entire team. Instead, leaders should promote collaboration and encourage high-earning salespeople to coach and mentor team members who may not perform as well. Doing so encourages teams to work together more efficiently.
