How to manage a sales team? Our best practices

How can you tell the difference between a team that barely reaches its quotas and one that shatters them, quarter after quarter? The difference isn't luck or magic. It's leadership that favors clarity over chaos, coaching over micromanagement, and tools that turn tedious tasks (like tracking commissions) into victories.

If you're ready to move beyond generic advice and build a sales force that thrives, adapts to challenges and truly loves its CRM, you've come to the right place. Let's break down the habits of the most successful sales leaders: how they create cultures that endure, leverage data without drowning in it, and motivate reps with incentives that count. And why new tools are becoming non-negotiable for managing sales teams. Let's dive right in!

‍

Crafting a high‑performance sales culture

Creating the right environment is the first step in learning how to manage a sales team effectively. Culture isn’t just about fun events, it’s about setting expectations, reinforcing behaviors, and celebrating milestones.

Great sales cultures share these traits:

• Clarity of purpose: Every team member knows the company’s mission, their individual goals, and the path to success
• Open communication: Ideas flow freely, feedback is constructive, and managers keep the door wide open
• Recognition and reward: Wins, both big and small, are acknowledged quickly to boost morale and reinforce winning behaviors

📌 Example

HubSpot attributes much of its sales success to a values-driven culture. Their “HEART” values (Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, Transparent) are embedded into onboarding and performance reviews. This culture has led to consistent double-digit revenue growth year-over-year.

‍

Key skills every sales leader needs

Mastering the art of leading a sales force requires a blend of hard and soft skills. Here are the essentials:

• Recruiting talent: Seek out candidates who align with company values and bring skills that complement the team
• Coaching proficiency: Provide both scheduled and in‑the‑moment guidance to sharpen reps’ techniques
• Data fluency: Understand key metrics and use CRM dashboards to spot trends before they become issues
• Strategic vision: Balance short‑term targets with long‑term pipeline development and talent growth
• Emotional intelligence: Motivate diverse personalities, high performers, mavericks, and those who need extra support

Coaching vs. Managing

📊 Figures to remember

According to a 2023 study by McKinsey, sales teams with a coaching-first approach had 30% higher retention and 18% stronger close rates.

Effective leaders know when to wield the baton of management metrics, deadlines, performance reviews, and when to step into the role of coach asking questions, listening actively, and inspiring confidence.

‍

Building a scalable sales process

A structured, repeatable approach ensures consistency across your team and speeds up onboarding.

Your process should be:

• Customer‑centric: Focus on buyer needs at each stage
• Measurable: Define clear milestones and handoffs
• Flexible: Allow real‑time feedback loops so reps can adapt to unique situations
• Transparent: Use tools like Salesforce or HubSpot for real‑time pipeline visibility

💡 Best practice

Avoid over‑engineering. A seven‑step rubric that nobody follows is worse than no process at all.

‍

Setting goals that drive performance

SMART goals remain the gold standard : Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely. But crafting them for a sales team requires care ! 

• Volume vs. Value: Assign high‑value tasks to your top performers, while less experienced reps tackle high‑volume prospecting
• Territory mapping: Distribute accounts to balance workload and maximize opportunity coverage
• Commission incentives: Use variable compensation plans that align rep behaviors with company objectives

Metrics examples:

• Calls per Day: Outbound dialing activity (Target example: 60)
• Qualified Meetings: Booked meetings with decision‑makers (Target example: 8 per week)
• Conversion Rate: Leads → Opportunities (Target example: 25%)
• Close Rate: Opportunities → Closed Deals (Target example: 30%)

‍

Motivating and empowering your sales team

Incentives, recognition, and growth opportunities foster engagement:

• Transparent dashboards: Give reps real‑time visibility into their commissions and standings, with tools like Qobra
• Incentive programs: Beyond base commission, run contests, spot bonuses, and tiered accelerators to spark friendly competition
• Cross‑training: Pair high achievers with newer reps for mentorship, ensuring knowledge transfer and confidence building

‍

Tracking performance with the right metrics

It’s not enough to track revenue alone. Focus on leading indicators that drive future results:

Leading vs. Lagging indicators

• Leading metrics (activity‑based): # of calls, emails sent, demos scheduled.
• Lagging metrics (outcome‑based): revenue, quota attainment, retention rate.

💡 Best practice

To prevent pipeline bottlenecks, monitor stage‑by‑stage conversion rates and follow up within 24 hours to keep deals moving.

Example KPI Dashboard

• Pipeline Coverage Ratio: 3x quota
• Average Deal Size: $18,000
• Sales Cycle Length: 45 days
• Churn Rate: < 5%

Know more about sales performance main indicators to follow.

‍

Leading remote sales teams

Distributed teams present unique challenges in communication and culture:

• Regular one‑on‑ones: Schedule weekly touchpoints via video to maintain connection
• Virtual huddles: Start each day with a 10‑minute stand‑up to share wins and priorities
• Digital: Use chat channels to celebrate successes and share best practices informally

📌 Example

Fully remote since inception, GitLab uses asynchronous tools and over-documentation to ensure clarity. Their sales team hit 104% of quota in 2023 despite market turbulence.

‍

Overcoming common sales barriers

Every team faces obstacles, low‑quality leads, admin overload, objection handling. Address these head‑on:

• Data enrichment: Equip reps with up‑to‑date prospect profiles (revenue, technographic information, pain points)
• Automation tools: Reduce manual data entry and follow‑up reminders through integrated CRM workflows
• Ongoing training: Role‑plays, call reviews, and workshops keep reps sharp on objection management and negotiation tactics

‍

Leveraging technology for growth

New tools to automate your tasks help you evolve without sacrificing management:

Commission Automation with a sales software

Softwares like Qobra centralizes variable pay calculations, offering:

• Real‑time commission updates and visibility, reducing disputes
• Sandbox scenario testing to model new incentive plans before launch
• Seamless integrations with major CRMs and HR systems for data consistency

“Qobra has really helped build trust among our teams because they can see their results on a daily basis. They have a very clear view of the details of the calculations, but also of where they stand, for example, on their accelerators. And that can motivate them to say, OK, if I close one more deal, that will potentially unlock the next accelerator.”

Aude Cadiot, Revenue Operations Lead at Spendesk

‍

Sales intelligence and analytics

• CRM dashboards: Provide pipeline health, forecast accuracy, and rep performance at a glance.
• AI‑powered insights: Highlight at‑risk deals and recommend next best actions.
• Mobile accessibility: Ensure field reps can update and access data on the go.

‍

FAQ Sales team management 

What are the must‑have for an effective sales manager?

Excellent communicators, data‑savvy analysts, empathetic coaches, and strategic thinkers.

How can I keep a remote sales team engaged?

Increase touchpoints with video calls, celebrate wins publicly, and create virtual social channels for informal connection.

Which metrics should I focus on?

Track leading indicators like activity volume (calls, meetings) and lagging results like quota attainment. Monitor conversion rates at each pipeline stage.

How do I motivate top performers and struggling reps simultaneously?

Implement tiered incentives: high performers tackle strategic accounts with higher commissions, while newer reps focus on volume‑building activities.

Why use a commission automation tool?

It reduces manual errors, improves transparency, and frees managers to spend more time coaching instead of reconciling spreadsheets.