How to Manage Remote Sales Reps
Similarly to working in remote sales, managing a team of remote sales reps isn't easy.
That's why I spoke with Matt Hambor, a Corporate Sales Manager at HubSpot, who manages eight remote sales reps.
Here are the top tips for managing a remote sales team:
1. Calendar management is key.
Managing remote reps is time consuming. There is intrinsic value that in-office reps get on the sales floor. They can overhear reps on sales calls and pick up sound bites quicker.
As a remote manager, training and enablement take up extensive time. To combat this, leverage other tenure reps on the team to mentor the newly hired ramping reps.
Plus, you should make yourself available as much as possible. Although the days can be long, especially if you manage reps in several time zones, calendar management is key.
Additionally, running each meeting with a structured agenda can help make each meeting as productive as possible.
2. Make time for team get-togethers.
Remote reps don't have the opportunity to go out to lunch with their teammates, or go out for dinner/drinks after work.
That's why, last year, Matt's team took a trip to Atlanta.
He says, "We rented a house for two nights. One of the days we went through every rep's semi-annual business review and the other day we spent on the golf course and at the pool. The team really came together after that trip. It was a totally different dynamic leaving Atlanta than it was when we got there. Many reps on my team shook hands and physically met in person for the first time on that trip. I would highly recommend remote teams get together as an entire team once a quarter."
3. Build a remote friendly culture.
As a manager, you should try to enable your reps to collaborate together and get to know each other.
Perhaps you can dedicate a portion of your weekly team meeting to highlight a win story, like Matt does. That rep can then discuss the win (big deal closed, new opportunity created, great in person meeting or presentation, etc.) and shares a "hack" with the rest of the team.
Additionally, you can also run weekly happy hours on Zoom. These meetings will have no agenda, and your team can just talk for an hour. This helps them open up and get to know one another.
4. Don't forget about enablement, training and collaboration.
Once a month, Matt's team runs an hour long call review meeting. The team is split into groups and they review a discovery call that one rep from each group comes to the meeting with. They discuss the call, and jot down a takeaway on a shared PowerPoint deck.
Then, the team reconvenes as a group for the last 10-15 minutes, and each team shares their takeaway with the greater group.
This is a great way to run remote friendly enablement and training exercises. Plus, it gives your team the opportunity to collaborate.
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