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Why Teamwork in Sales Is More Important Than You Think - Victory Lap

Written by Victory Lap | Oct 27, 2020 2:40:30 PM
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Traditionally, sales is seen as an individual sport, where you, alone, are responsible for hitting your quota.

But does it have to be that way? The answer is quite simply no.

I’ve been in sales for almost two decades, and have had the privilege of leading dozens of teams. I’ve seen all types of levels of teamwork across the spectrum. I’ve learned through this experience that collaborative sales teams see far greater success and report having higher job satisfaction. Ultimately, teamwork is more important than you think in determining not only your overall success, but also the success of the company that employs you.

Here are nine impacts that teamwork will have on you and your organization:

  1. As soon as you think you’re the smartest person in the room, you’ve lost. With solid teamwork dynamics, and the desire to collaborate without ego, you’re setting yourself up for winning results.
  2. Proper teamwork can also drive friendly competition, leading to intrinsic self-motivation to continue learning and developing your craft.
  3. Collaboration provides you with new stories and lessons. Listening to other peoples’ customer stories can help drive greater passion in the way you tell yours moving forward. Other’s stories can also help you avoid the mistakes they’ve already made.
  4. People problem solve in different ways. Teamwork with your co-workers can open your perspective to new ways to approach sales hurdles.
  5. There’s more to gain from helping others and being helped, even if it doesn’t immediately impact your paycheck. Turn Me into We by reminding yourself it’s far more fun to win with others than to win alone. When your teammates do well, it only helps the brand of the company, in turn making it easier for you to sell.
  6. Being a team player builds a stronger personal brand. This has immediate impact, but also pays dividends throughout your career. The Chicago sales community is a small one, and you’ll cross paths with almost everyone you work now at some point in your future career.
  7. Selling as a team subconsciously reduces pressure and increases confidence. Someone else is there to aid in tough objection handling and closing scenarios, take notes while you listen or even just silently remind you that you’re killing it as they shoot you a smile or a nod.
  8. Complementing characteristics allow for a higher rate of customer connection. As much as you want to believe everyone loves you, it’s a fact: you’re not going to be everyone’s favorite cup of tea. Different personality types match best with varying kinds of people. The best salespeople know when they’re not the right fit, and they’re smart enough to bring in the resources needed to get the job done.
  9. By bringing your non-selling peers with you to sales presentations, you can drive the prospect’s confidence and comfort levels in your company. At Compass, our sales team often brings someone from marketing or operations to best explain the level of service and support that those teams will deliver to the client (agent) once they’ve come on board. A stronger level of trust and rapport is built when the prospect hears directly from that future partner what they can expect.

In conclusion, sales doesn’t have to be a solo sport…and it shouldn’t be. Teamwork within your sales team and organization can not only increase your numbers, but also lead to a better work environment and higher customer satisfaction. Both of which should be end goals for you and your company.