When selecting a sales culture that will promote your potential, it’s vital to remember this important truth about successful businesses:
A good business will invest in you just as you invest in it and yourself and others.
With this guiding principal, there are a few telltale indicators of a company with such a sales culture. Here are just five:
1. Good sales companies will always provide a salary in addition to commissions.
Gone are the days when companies could expect their salesforce to fend entirely for themselves. Like any other occupation, employees expect to be compensated for their work, regardless of the actions of their customers.
With salary and commissions as a minimum payment structure, it should be further expected that commissions be uncapped. When seeking a sales culture that promotes individual growth, there should be absolutely no limits on the capacity for success!
2. Excellent sales companies will provide a charted path of promotion for their salesforce.
Though this criteria is somewhat uncommon, it is critical to feeling fulfilled in a sales culture.
Promotion plans should be specific, simple, and challenging. Here are a few good examples of a charted promotion plan:
- If an individual exceeds a certain quota, that individual will be promoted.
- If an individual can sustain a certain margin for a designated period of time, that individual will be promoted.
Charted promotion plans provide strong incentive for employees to work hard and stay within a business. And in return, employees are able to take control of their careers and progress according to their performance, not their luck.
3. Great sales cultures are a ton of fun.
Let’s be totally transparent: sales roles can be a grind. With responsibilities rarely deviating from cold-calls and customer conversations, and compounded with rejection, you need frequent refreshing to keep a salesforce sharp.
Fun should be formal and informal on the sales floor. Events should span a range of completely non-sales related activities, and supplement sales efforts, like competitions.
Beyond planned activities, the atmosphere should also be lighthearted. Peers and leaders alike shouldn’t be afraid to laugh at themselves when they make a mistake.
4. Good sales cultures celebrate.
Did you know that feeling valued at work can determine productivity? Research by the American Psychology Association has demonstrated that employees with a sense of belonging are more productive and happy.[1]
If belonging is the end, then celebration is the means.
Celebration, such as a handshake, pat on the back, private or public praise, a treat, etc., should be a regular expression of sales culture, and should be given by management, peers, and at every opportunity available.
5. Good sales cultures promote accountability at all levels.
Though most organizations operate on some degree of accountability, successful cultures reinforce four pillars of accountability: personal accountability, accountability from employees to leaders, accountability from leaders to employees, and accountability between peers.
Opportunities to account should be frequent and comfortable, like weekly 1:1 meetings. These meetings should also be employee-lead, and leader supported.
Locating a sales culture with all these requirements can be difficult, but worthwhile when the growth and fulfillment received are considered. If you’re looking for a good place to start, check out our careers page here.
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[1] https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/03/well-being