How to Scale a Sales Team, That Sticks

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By scaling your sales team, your organization can achieve significant revenue growth through increased sales and boosted average revenue per customer/client. This all makes sense on paper, but the process for how to scale a sales team doesn’t predominantly depend upon more hires, if at all. Instead, the focus should be on implementing tools, systems, and processes to optimize performance. In addition, the strategy should ensure sustainability so that an overhaul isn’t required with the arrival of the next fiscal annum. Below is a breakdown of how to accomplish your goal.

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3 Powerful and Proven Ways to Scale Your Sales Team in a Sustainable Manner

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I. Retain and Recruit from Within Through Smarter Training

As alluded to above, scaling a sales team doesn’t necessarily begin with new hires. New hires create significant risk to your organization which challenges your stated need for a sustainable program. In our recent article regarding sales talent recruiting we referenced some interesting data about new hires, including the following:

• External hires cost 18 to 20% more than those developed and elevated from within.
• 30% of new staff quit within their first 90 days, 
• It costs a business an average of six to nine months’ salary every time a salaried employee is replaced.

Instead, invest in your current staff. For existing sales team members, this investment equates to their immersion into sales training programs. The right program will improve their closing skills to drive revenue from new sources and by upselling to existing sources. Also invest in sales development programs for junior salespersons and those who work in other areas of the company who express interest in increasing their earning potential through sales. These individuals are preferred to new hires as they already know your product/service and are emotionally invested in your organization. This fosters loyalty, retention, and ultimately increased productivity. 

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II. Longterm Incentivizing Programs

Successful sales team scaling requires the integration of a long-term incentive program (more effective than short-term ones). In addition to being long-term (at least 365 days), be sure to follow these four proven tactics for incentivizing sales teams and enhancing their performance for years to come:

• Make reward programs team-based versus individual-only.
• Create innovative bonus and commission structures (i.e. profit sharing and tiered commissions).
• Publicly (corporate environment) recognize and celebrate sales team achievements.
• Establish programs that provide opportunities for growth within the sales team (into management, etc.) by offering sales staff corporate-provided access to development programs.

For greater insight into this process, view more on the 4 Most Powerful Incentives for Sales Teams.

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III. Invest in a Better CRM

Lastly, you’ll need to manage the forthcoming boost in customer count and revenue through a more robust customer relationship management (CRM) tool. However, not all CRMs are created equally. Far from it, in fact. To accommodate your need to scale your sales team, your new CRM must be customized specifically to your organization and its goals. This can only be accomplished via the following chronological CRM custom design process:

• Tech stack review
• System analysis audit
• Detailed needs assessment
• System process automation
• New system setup
• Expert training
• Ongoing user support
• Process documentation

The Sales Connection will build and optimize your CRM to automate 100% of your sales team's tracking, management and accountability. This ensures that your reinvigorated team (as per above) won’t cause problems in the form of too many sales for your company to manage (yes, that’s a thing). View more on our CRM services.  

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In combining training and development programs together with a more robust CRM, your organization will be able to scale up (or even down if strategically required) at an unprecedented pace. Contact The Sales Connection to get started.

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