Optimising your Sales Team Structure

Often we make the mistake that we lump all salespeople in the same basket. And in my experience, salespeople make the same mistake.

Understanding the types of sales roles we require (based on our business model and offering) is crucial to the overall sales performance.

A few years ago, I was in a start-up business, working alongside a senior salesperson that everyone thought could sell ice to Inuit’s. However as every month passed by with no won sales, no decent sales prospects, and lots and lots of meetings to discuss all the issues regarding product, pricing, delivery etc. it became very clear that this person had made a career by simply closing inbound sales.

In other words, he simply was an order taker, and a very good one at that. His skillset did not suit a business that required the sales function to raise awareness and create newly qualified leads.

In the moment, everyone blames the other party for the failed outcomes. When in truth the person simply did not fit the role within the company sales structure at that time. It was a great lesson for me as a bystander (which was lucky as I am not sure any else learned anything in the process).

Things to consider when determining your sales team structure:
- Are you a volume sales company or do you have a long sales cycle?
- Do you have a low or high touch sales process?
- Are you selling to SME’s or selling Enterprise deals
- Is the value of the sale small or are you committing high-value, longer term contracts?