5 Ways You Can Succeed in Your Remote Sales Role

14 Sep 5 Ways You Can Succeed in Your Remote Sales Role

One of the first things to fall by the wayside, as the COVID-19 pandemic started to hit North America, was the handshake, followed by in-person meetings and close conversations. 

For salespeople, those had been two staples of building relationships with clients and possible customers.

Then people were sent home from their offices and told to work remotely for an unknown length of time. That meant no friendly competition among teammates trying to get the biggest sales or land the biggest client, equal parts morale booster and healthy motivation. 

How is a salesperson supposed to continue to be effective on the same level with all these limitations? 

It’s not impossible, but it might take a little reconfiguring of your usual mode of working.

1. Establish your workspace.

Do you have reliable high-speed internet access? Is your phone signal strong? Is your computer up to date and bug-free? Do you have all the software you need? Working at home, make sure you have conversations with any family members or roommates about your working hours and availability and ask them to be respectful of your time and responsibilities. Having the right tools in place from the start will give you a foundation to be successful. 

2. Use every tool at your disposal.

You might not be able to have coffee with a client or take them out to dinner to close a deal, but you can be accessible on a video call within moments. You can respond to text messages at any hour. Working at home, you can set your own hours and let your clients know the avenues by which they can reach you whenever they’d like. There’s no longer a commute to consider, which makes you more available for calls earlier and later in the day. This also opens up your potential client base, as you’re no longer restricted by geography in the same ways. 

3. Stay focused.

Don’t get distracted by the well-stocked fridge and pantry, or the pile of laundry waiting to be washed or folded. Set a schedule for your day and stick to it. Write out a list, if they help you, with the tasks that need to be accomplished each day and cross off items as you complete them. This will also make it easier to “show your work” during any meetings with your manager or team leader. 

4. Take breaks.

If you were working in an office, you’d get up from your desk a few times a day for water or coffee, maybe another for lunch, and maybe sometimes just to stretch your legs or talk to a coworker about something. It helps maintain focus, overall, to come up for air every once in a while. You’ll get back to your tasks with a little more energy if you walk away for a few minutes several times a day. 

5. Get dressed.

There have been so many jokes made about wearing more comfortable clothes (ie sweats and yoga pants) while working from home. The old adage here rings even more true: Dress for success. If you’re going to be meeting with clients via video calls, dress the part: button-down shirt or nice blouse, combed hair, looking put together and polished instead of someone who might’ve just woken up and rolled out of bed 10 minutes before. This will help distinguish your workday from your off time while at home. 

5. Check-in with your team on a regular basis.

Schedule regular calls with your manager, but also with the rest of your team. It’s important to have those social ties and connections. You might feel a little untethered from time to time, and being able to reset with your team can do wonders to bring you back to work. It’s good to maintain social relationships, personally and professionally, as you work remotely until you can be together again. 

These are changing and trying times, but that doesn’t have to diminish your success. You know what you have to do to close deals and be effective; put them to use and play to your strengths and this could be a very profitable time in your career. 

Get in Touch with LeadingEdge Personnel

At LeadingEdge, we’re standing by to be a supportive presence in your career. If you’re looking for a new position or for a little advice on how to sharpen your focus, we’re here to help. Contact us today and let’s get started.