{"id":1980,"date":"2020-10-09T08:28:23","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T08:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/?p=1980"},"modified":"2020-10-09T16:28:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T16:28:51","slug":"tips-on-building-a-winning-sales-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/tips-on-building-a-winning-sales-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips on Building a Winning Sales Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Building a winning sales culture is so much more than just hitting numbers every month. Today, much like in any profession, it&#8217;s about building relationships: both within the sales team and <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/develop-key-accounts-to-increase-revenue\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=develop-key-accounts-to-increase-revenue\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">with clients<\/a>. A truly positive sales culture allows everyone on your sales team, from the frontline sales reps to your <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/the-secrets-behind-good-sales-leadership\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=the-secrets-behind-good-sales-leadership\">sales leadership<\/a>, to thrive and exceed expectations.<\/p>\n<p>So how can you build a winning and successful sales culture for your business?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why Your Sales Culture is Important<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The culture of your sales team, and of your whole business, is the foundation of your company. It\u2019s more common than it should be for sales teams to foster a culture of stress and underperformance. Sales is hard work and competitive, after all, and it\u2019s not easy to create a winning mindset on your team.<\/p>\n<p>But a negative sales culture can lower team morale and increase your turnover rate. <strong>When sales reps feel they have little to no control over their work lives, targets are missed and your business ultimately suffers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s one of the critical roles of <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/what-makes-great-sales-leaders-successful\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=what-makes-great-sales-leaders-successful\">sales leadership<\/a> to foster a winning and positive culture. That means clearly defining your goals, your values, and your mission. It\u2019s imperative to hire the right people if you want to create a <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/whats-the-secret-to-high-performing-sales-teams\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=whats-the-secret-to-high-performing-sales-teams\">high-performing team<\/a> that supports each other, through failures and successes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>How Can You Create a Winning Sales Culture Now?<\/h2>\n<p>So how can you create this winning sales culture for your own team? \u00a0Here are some strategies for a positive work experience to set your team up for success.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Hire the Right People<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Creating a winning sales culture starts by choosing the right people for your sales team. Your team&#8217;s performance, and your company as a whole, are only as good as your people. That\u2019s why <strong>it\u2019s critical during the hiring process to check not just for sales skills but also <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/hiring-a-salesperson-who-fits-your-company-culture\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=hiring-a-salesperson-who-fits-your-company-culture\">for cultural fit<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re hiring a new sales team member, looking at their resume and recommendations is very important. But you should also think about what they bring to the team as a whole.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are they <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/the-vital-role-of-teamwork-in-sales\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=the-vital-role-of-teamwork-in-sales\"><strong>collaborative<\/strong><\/a> or competitive?<\/li>\n<li>Do they value just winning, or are they <strong>concerned with winning the right way?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Do they seem <strong>committed to ethical and supportive behavior?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hiring people who most likely show these positive qualities will help you build a culture of success and support.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Train the Right Way<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve hired the right person, how are you training them to succeed? The amount of training needed will vary, of course, by role and experience. But sales training from day one, especially in the common goals of the company, helps ensure every sales rep is ready to succeed right away.<\/p>\n<p>Getting all your sales reps on the same page helps build a strong culture. That means standardizing the <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/what-can-a-7-step-sales-process-do-for-you\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=what-can-a-7-step-sales-process-do-for-you\">sales process<\/a> so reps are set up for success from their first day. <strong>Sharing best practices and processes also helps make sure the whole team has the tools to do their jobs well<\/strong>. An <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/why-your-organization-needs-an-internal-sales-playbook\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=why-your-organization-needs-an-internal-sales-playbook\">internal sales playbook<\/a> can help here, as well as a standard onboarding process.<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for learning and development as it does for initial training practices. If sales team members know there are opportunities for advancement, they will be more motivated to reach personal and team targets for success. This is also a large part of a winning sales culture.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Set Expectations Clearly<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>One key way to support your sales team members is to set expectations clearly from the beginning. If your employees don\u2019t know what success looks like, or what targets they\u2019re supposed to be hitting, they can easily feel lost and unsupported &#8211; and this is bad for morale.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/why-giving-thorough-feedback-matters-in-sales\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=why-giving-thorough-feedback-matters-in-sales\">Giving feedback regularly<\/a> is part of this as well. That means sales reps <strong>always know how they\u2019re doing \u2013 are they on the road to success, or is poor performance an issue they need to correct?<\/strong> Most times, they won\u2019t know unless you tell them. So make a commitment to sharing clear goals and giving ongoing feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Setting challenging goals can be engaging for teams \u2013 it gives your sales reps something meaningful to work towards. But make sure those goals are achievable for your reps, or you\u2019ll just be setting them up to be discouraged.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Healthy Competition \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sales is a competitive field \u2013 there\u2019s no doubt about that, and that\u2019s a good thing. <strong>Competition is healthy when it encourages striving to be your best.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But when competition interferes with collaboration, it can drag your team&#8217;s morale down. If you\u2019re holding contests, ensure they <strong>regularly have your team working as a whole,<\/strong> not individually all the time.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, come up with ways to<strong> encourage <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/sales-training-ideas-for-your-next-sales-meeting\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=sales-training-ideas-for-your-next-sales-meeting\">knowledge sharing<\/a><strong> during team meetings instead of<\/strong> hoarding, like instituting an innovation bonus for sharing new ideas and findings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Fail Fast and Smart<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Failure happens in sales all the time. A promising prospect doesn\u2019t make a purchase, leads don\u2019t work out, the economy or external events affect your close rate. Even the highest-performing organizations close less than half of their prospects. <strong>Getting comfortable with failure means you can <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/no-sale-when-to-cut-your-losses-and-move-on\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=no-sale-when-to-cut-your-losses-and-move-on\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">filter out prospects who are unlikely to close<\/a><\/strong> before you spend a lot of your rep\u2019s time trying to sell to them. Failing fast is good when you have to fail sometimes \u2013 and in sales, you do.<\/p>\n<p>Having a reasonable acceptance of failure also means you\u2019re encouraging your sales team to take smart risks. Failure sometimes is ok, even good \u2013 but you should also <strong>help your team understand what led to the failure and how to learn from it to make them more<\/strong> successful in the future.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, never waste a failure \u2013 they\u2019re often a teaching moment and can be vital in your training and development process for your team.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Accountability Goes Both Ways<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Holding your sales reps accountable\u00a0can be uncomfortable at first. But <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/effective-accountability-in-sales\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=effective-accountability-in-sales%2F\">accountability in sales<\/a> is critical not only to your success, but to the overall morale of the team. If you\u2019re letting team members fail, and you\u2019re not telling them they\u2019re failing, they often feel like they\u2019re being left to struggle on their own. This will lead to higher turnover rates and create a negative culture for your whole team.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s <strong>also important for sales managers and leaders to be accountable to their teams.<\/strong> Mistakes and failures happen \u2013 it\u2019s a part of doing business. <strong>If you\u2019re not owning up to any mistakes, your team won\u2019t feel like they\u2019re able to trust you fully.<\/strong> And this is damaging for team morale and your relationship with your employees. Mutual accountability is important for a winning sales culture.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Inspire Trust <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>When your whole team operates in an environment of honesty and trust, they feel supported and secure. Keep your word when you make a promise to your team. <strong>Sales reps need to know they can trust their sales leaders and <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/what-does-it-take-to-lead-sharpening-sales-manager-skills\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=what-does-it-take-to-lead-sharpening-sales-manager-skills\">managers<\/a><strong> to act honestly and to be advocates for them<\/strong> when needed. If they don\u2019t trust the people in charge of them, your culture can turn toxic quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Inspiring trust also comes from trusting others. <strong>Avoid micromanaging \u2013 trust your employees to act<\/strong> like the professional adults they are, and act accordingly. If you\u2019re not able to trust your team to do their jobs without constant supervision, the initial hiring process is the problem, and micromanagement is not the answer. <strong>Great sales teams are built with people who need <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/making-a-case-for-sales-coaching\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coaching and mentoring<\/a>, not management.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Celebrate Wins <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is an easier part of creating a winning sales culture \u2013 you also get to recognize and celebrate wins when they happen. This isn\u2019t just because it makes people feel good, though that is important too. It\u2019s also <strong>so your sales reps know you\u2019re seeing their hard work, and they feel recognized<\/strong> for performing well.<\/p>\n<p>Celebrating wins can take several forms, as you could:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>hold a team celebration if you\u2019ve achieved a goal together<\/li>\n<li>offer targeted bonuses for high performers at the end of the quarter<\/li>\n<li>give team member &#8220;shout outs&#8221; for jobs well done in your regular sales meetings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s all about <strong>feeling appropriately recognized and valued for the work your sales team does<\/strong> every day. Doing so builds positive relationships within teams for a winning sales culture. These relationships are the foundation of your business, so let team members know their hard work is seen and appreciated.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>360 Consulting Can Help with a Winning Sales Culture<\/h2>\n<p>360 Consulting provides the tools to power sales organizations like yours, from sales coaches to a close look at your sales process. To build a winning sales culture that helps you exceed your goals and build your business, bring in the experts. <a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/contact-us\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=contact-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Schedule your free consultation<\/a>\u00a0to find out how we help sales teams work together to break sales records.<\/p>\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/the-secrets-behind-good-sales-leadership\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_content=the-secrets-behind-good-sales-leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blog.hubspot.com\/sales<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/316614\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">entrepreneur.com\/article<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/team-meeting-business-people-5614132\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Image Attribution<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building a winning sales culture is so much more than just hitting numbers every month. Today, much like in any profession, it&#8217;s about building relationships: both within the sales team and with clients. A truly positive sales culture allows everyone on your sales team, from the frontline&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[258,256,257,259],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1980"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1980"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2098,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1980\/revisions\/2098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c1mdevsite.com\/360consultingdfw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}