Prepare to make an impression. With these interviewing tips, you’ll be able to elevate an average interview and become unforgettable.
#1 Let your numbers speak for themselves.
Before your interview, gather your past sales records. Knowing exactly what your selling numbers are will help you show your competency in objective and professional terms.
#2 Be ready to share specific wins.
A few powerful stories go a long way. Identify which stories about overcoming past challenges and optimizing results will provide a potential employer with the most comprehensive view of your skill set.
#3 Breakdown ‘why’ and ‘how’ you win business.
Develop a concise purpose statement of the ‘why’ behind what you do. Add to that ‘how’ you do it. Include what’s unique about your strengths and your sales approach.
Practice writing out your answers to questions you’ll likely encounter in your interview. Then, practice reading them out loud or find a mock interview partner. The more comfortable you present yourself, the smoother your interview will go.
#5 Stand out with a prepared sales plan and five-year plan.
Research the company’s product or service and develop a sales plan for accomplishing individual, team, and company goals. Additionally, prepare your own five-year plan to show how your aspirations align with the goals you want to help the company achieve.
Every team adapts to remote work differently. As a manager, it’s your job to adapt to keep your team from becoming disjointed and isolated.
Here are our favorite ways to better manage remote sales reps so you can reconnect your team:
#1 Make time for informal, spontaneous check-ins.
While formal, scheduled check-ins are essential, these casual interactions can create authentic team bonds and help sales reps feel seen and heard even when they are working remotely.
Body language is nearly non-existent in an online workspace, so paying attention to sales reps’ verbal tone and written words is crucial. Emotional cues show how a sales rep feels about their work and wellness. They also signal a need for extra support.
#4 Consistently uplift your team members.
When your sales reps regularly hear their own success and that of their colleagues celebrated, overall team motivation improves.
#5 Give your reps autonomy.
Catch yourself when you’re micromanaging, and take a step back. Trust the work will get done, and your leadership will empower your reps.
Every sales team is a proprietary blend of sales team structure models. These models are designed to best serve the organization, product, sales cycle, and industry.
In this blog, we’re exploring eleven distinct sales team structure models. We’re also sharing the insights we’ve gathered from working with thousands of companies to build and grow their sales teams. You’ll find everything you need to know to get familiar with high-performance sales team structure models to align your team with your goals.
5 Key Factors to Consider When Deciding Which of the Sales Organizational Structures Is Right for Your Sales Team
Industry: We have seen some startups find success with inside sales while others lean towards outside sales. Tailor your sales approach to the unique demands of your industry.
Budget: Your budget directly impacts the size of your sales team and the resources available to them. Understand your financial constraints and work your sales team structure around them.
Company Size: Adjust the complexity of your sales organizational structures to make the most efficient use of your sales team. Smaller organizations may benefit from simpler structures. Larger organizations might require more specialized structures.
Sales Goals: B2B companies should remember that their specific sales goals and target audiences will require unique sales strategies and team structures. Choose the structure that will make achieving your goals as effortless as possible.
Organizational Structure: Evaluate how your sales team integrates into the overall organizational framework and existing hierarchies.
11 Different Types of Sales Team Organizational Structure Models
#1 Island Sales Team Structures
In industries where a high level of intimacy and familiarity would benefit each customer, the island sales team’s organizational structure provides dedicated attention and a strong sense of accountability.
In this sales team structure, each sales representative takes on the entire sales process for each client — from prospecting to closing, onboarding, and beyond. What the island sales team structure lacks in collaboration, it makes up for in creativity. Flexibility and motivational autonomy are also features of the island structure.
#2 Assembly Line Sales Team Structures
If your sales team requires individuals to develop extensive expertise and experience in their respective roles, an assembly line sales team structure could be a fantastic fit for your company. If your company has a clear B2B sales plan, this approach can help your sales process.
Done well, the rigidity of this structure can help streamline the sales process and ensure that clients are moved from one phase in the sales process to the next. Troubleshooting and improving sales outcomes in this structure can be more accessible in this structure since each sales professional has such clearly outlined responsibilities.
#3 Pod Sales Team Structures
Pod sales team structures are known for their collaborative and agile nature. Each pod in a sales team operates autonomously and cross-functionally. Within a pod, you’ll typically find several types of sales professionals, such as representatives, marketing specialists, and customer success experts. This structure works well when you need groups dedicated to specific goals, customer types, or products and services. This structure is also an excellent pick for markets that endure a lot of change, as the team can respond quickly, amplify creative solutions, and follow a customer journey from beginning to end.
#4 Outside Sales Team Structures
The outside sales team structure is particularly effective in B2B sales where face-to-face interactions are required to close sales. Outside sales teams often travel to client offices for meetings. SaaS sales that require on-site demonstrations or long sales cycles that demand a high-touch challenger approach might benefit from the personal relationship building that an outside sales team structure fosters. In this structure, trust is vital to success.
#5 Inside Sales Team Structures
An inside sales team is an effective model for industries where face-to-face sales are unnecessary. They are also good for companies who want to constrain costs by eliminating travel and on-site sales. Inside sales teams require more digital-savvy sales talent than the outside sales team structure, as this sales model leverages technology and uses phone calls, video conferencing, and email to build meaningful and profitable client relationships.
#6 Geographical Sales Team Structures
Where many sales teams focus on roles and goals to determine their team structure, a geographical sales team structure, also known as a territory organizational structure, divides salespeople regionally. This allows salespeople to learn the local industry and culture intimately.
Local expertise is particularly important when a product or service could be used differently in different regions. Companies that use a geographical sales team structure are also able to track results by location easily and determine which regions are most profitable.
#7 Product or Service-Specific Sales Team Structures
Communicating the value of a service or a product is always a crucial component of sales, but in a product or service-specific sales team, value gets an added emphasis. Salespeople in this structure are each dedicated to deeply learning a specific product or service so that they are experts in the nuances of that sales process. If your company has a wide range of offerings, this structure may be highly beneficial.
#8 Key Account Sales Team Structures
Some companies emphasize a select group of high-value customers or clients in their sales process. If this is your organization, your sales team’s organizational structure should reflect the priority status of these relationships. A key account executive team focuses on managing and growing these accounts.
#9 Hunter-Farmer Sales Team Structures
Common in B2B sales, the hunter-farmer sales team assigns salespeople with unique sales talent, skills, and approaches to sales into respective roles. Hunter sales types handle more lead generation, cold leads, and sales that require an aggressive approach, while the farmer sales types nurture very warm leads, onboard new clients, and upsell current clients. This balance keeps new clients coming in and existing business growing.
#10 Matrix Sales Team Structures
If your company is a large organization with complex product lines, a matrix sales team could be a great fit. In a matrix organizational structure, salespeople report to both a functional sales manager and a product or geography-specific manager. This dual reporting process keeps authority within a hierarchical structure and relies less on the employee’s autonomous decision-making abilities.
#11 Specialized Sales Team Structures
When tracking very specific metrics is important to an organization, the specialized sales team structure excels. In this organizational structure model, sales teams are divided based on roles. This increases efficiency, leading to high-performing sales teams since, for example, everyone in lead generation is focused only on their internal goals and what they contribute to them. Specialized salespeople can focus better when they are not distracted by sales goals they can’t control.
5 Most Common Team Structure Mistakes Sales Managers Make
Taking a One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Creating your sales team structure isn’t as simple as picking one model and running with it. Any sales team structure should be thoroughly designed and tailored to your company’s unique needs and goals.
Ignoring Market Changes: When changes in your industry or the market you’re selling occur, some companies will get ahead while others fall behind. Failing to adapt your structure will leave you playing catch up.
Convoluting Communication: Team roles, responsibilities, and expectations are often left to ‘assuming’ instead of being clearly outlined, communicated, and understood by team members.
Overcomplicating Team Structure: Complex structures can hinder efficiency and create confusion. As you customize your team structure, keep simplicity in mind.
Underutilizing Technology: Failing to leverage technology and data analytics leads to an uninformed and under-optimized structure.
8 Ways to Ensure a Successful Sales Team Structure
High-performing sales teams are positioned for success long before their achievements result in tangible outcomes. To help your team succeed and grow, remember these tips when combining sales structures to create your own model.
Set Clear Objectives for Your Team: When you know what you’re trying to accomplish, clarity on your sales organizational structures will emerge. And no matter the structure you decide on, clear, measurable objectives will help you keep your team focused.
Invest in Team Training: When you decide on the structure of your sales team, look for opportunities to grow the sales skills of your team that are most relevant to your structure. For example, training for an outside sales team could include public speaking and relationship building.
Use Technology to Increase Efficiency: Leverage CRM and sales enablement tools to streamline your chosen sales organizational structures and improve your processes.
Measure and Analyze: Define your KPIs and gather data on these regularly. Taking note of your team’s performance not only shows areas for improvement but it also can signal a need for a structural reevaluation.
Regularly Review and Adjust Your Structure: As market conditions and company needs change over time, you’ll want to remain agile in your sales structure. Assess your team on a regular basis and be prepared to pivot.
Foster a Collaborative Culture: A successful sales team structure maintains a healthy balance of friendly competition and collaboration. Pay attention to ways you can make information-sharing easier within your team.
Provide Ongoing Feedback for Ongoing Improvement: It is the sales manager or sales leader’s job to take in the big picture and address gaps in the sales team. Providing regular feedback can keep your sales organizational structures cohesive while fostering growth.
Incentivize and Motivate Your Team: Get to know what motivates and inspires your team. Use this insight to customize and implement an effective compensation and incentive plan.
Whether you’re looking to add structure to your sales team or just need to fill specific roles within your structure, we’d love to help. Contact us today to gain access to our global network of top talent and get your sales team success journey started.
The cost of a new sales rep can be half or more of their annual base salary, plus advanced commissions — not a small price to pay, especially if they don’t stick around. One of the best ways to improve retention is to look at your onboarding process. When you make onboarding sales reps more effective and efficient, you’ll have better-trained employees and save on training costs.
Two Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Onboarding Process
#1 Immerse new hires in your key product or service.
Do this before any other training takes place. When your new sales reps deeply understand what they’ll be selling, they can integrate the rest of their into their product knowledge. If you start with sales skills instead of this immersion, it’s more challenging for employees to find their flow.
#2 Engage your sales reps with quick wins.
Most people who become sales reps do so because they’re highly motivated and thrive on a system of rewards. They don’t want to spend months in training without any opportunity to perform. Providing lower-stakes opportunities for them to ‘win’ will pay off in higher engagement and prime them for closing enterprise sales deals down the road.
Ready to onboard your next sales superstar? Contact us today. We’d love to help.
relpost-thumb-wrapper
Related posts
London Sales Recruiters: 3 Recruitment Insights & Trends
Five Ways to Be a Team Player on Your Sales Team
Mastering Sales Management: 8 Sales Leadership Qualities Required for Success
Salespeople aren’t all extroverted and enchanting. Some bring a bit of warmth to their role. These are the farmer sales types, and you’ll want to look for them in your hiring process intentionally.
Values that Drive Farmer Types
Farmers are typically different from your front-line salespeople. They are more customer service oriented and enjoy sales within a long-term customer relationship container. They are motivated by increasing the lifetime value of customers to the company — and increasing the company’s value to the customer!
Telltale Signs the Candidate You’re Interviewing is a Farmer Type
When a job candidate shares past experiences of nurturing long-time relationships, there’s a good chance you have a farmer type on your hands. Farmer sales professionals aren’t as aggressive as hunters in their job search, which carries over into their work style.
You can see the farmer’s sales DNA coming through when a salesperson talks about how they maximized account values and brought a standard of excellence to the service their customers received. These types will also be more interested in a high base salary and lower commission.
Are you looking to hire a dedicated farmer salesperson for your team? Contact us today. We’d love to help you find the perfect fit!
relpost-thumb-wrapper
Related posts
Employee Referral Programs: Is Your Next Sales Rep Just One Connection Away?
Joseph Joseph Drives Double Digit Growth Through US Sales Leader
The 5 Things Sales Candidates Want to Know About You
Top-performing sales professionals often have the hunter sales type DNA. They’re achievement-driven and willing to be incredibly agile to reach their goals — and meet sales quotas.
How to Pick Out the True Hunter Sales Types
If you know you want to hire hunter sales types, you might think listing this requirement in your job posting would be sufficient. But, many farmer types will still apply, assuming they have what it takes to become a hunter on the job. True hunters are very strategic, solution-oriented, and risk-tolerant. They will show personality traits that align with extroversion and charisma.
How a Hunter Shows Up For Interviews
In an interview, hunter types will talk in detail about how they have taken unique and effective paths to win challenging clients. At the same time, these types will show you that they know just when to walk away from an unprofitable opportunity.
Regarding salary negotiations, hunters will be open to lower base pay and higher commissions.
Are you on the search for your next sales hunter? Contact us today. We’d love to help you find the perfect fit!
relpost-thumb-wrapper
Related posts
Values Hiring: How to Find Alignment That Accelerates Sales
Psychometric assessments provide deeper insights into a job candidate’s natural tendencies. They are a great way to bridge the gap between interview answers and how a person will behave on the job. They can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s intelligence, values, motivators, and natural behaviors.
A few of the most popular psychometric tests are:
DISC Assessment
The DISC assessment reveals how people handle challenges and work with others. This assessment mainly focuses on self-concept and personality. Great sales representatives usually have a high “D” profile.
Myers Briggs
Myers Briggs measures four distinct personality traits: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Many salespeople are ESFJ, ESTP, and ENTJ types.
The Clifton Strengths Analysis measures 34 personality themes that indicate your innate talents. Strengths like Belief, Relator, Achiever, Communication, Strategic, and Learner could indicate that someone is naturally a motivated and agile salesperson.
We recommend psychometric assessments only be used in the final stages of the interview process to differentiate between top candidates. These assessments should contribute to 20% of the hiring decision.
Ready to make your next hiring move? Contact us today. We’d love to help!
relpost-thumb-wrapper
Related posts
VP Sales – The #1 Mis-Hire + 5 Things A Great VP Sales Does
5 Reasons Your Top Employees Quit (Stop Doing This to Stop Them Leaving)
How Pioneer DJ Recruits the Right Senior Leadership Talent
Before Peak, Brent worked in sales and sales-leadership positions for 18 years. He has considerable experience building and running high-performance teams, which consistently won awards and exceeded sales targets. He was Vice President of Sales for a financial management consulting company, and served with Borland Software as a Regional Sales Manager.
You send one sales email with a surge of hope that you’ll hear back from your prospect. And then? Crickets!
Is it time to give up? Hardly. No matter your industry or offering, most sales require five to twelve contact points in the sales pipeline before a deal is made.
A friendly follow-up email can make all the difference.
In this blog, we’re covering the foundational tips you need to understand why you’d want to send a follow-up email after no response, what best practices to follow, the most crucial information to include in your follow-ups, and the top mistakes to avoid.
We’ve also gathered five follow-up email templates from top-performing salespeople in our network to give you a head start on your follow-up email strategy.
5 Answers to the Question, “Why Send a Follow-up Email After No Response?”
Reason #1 to Send a Follow-up Email After No Response:
Reason #2 to Send a Follow-up Email After No Response:
Prospects appreciate quality customer service — that starts before the sale. How you speak to and treat your prospects shows them how you’ll speak to and treat them after a sale, too. Sales follow-up emails create more than an opportunity to make a sale. They also establish your professional reputation with prospects.
Reason #3 to Send a Follow-up Email After No Response:
Polite persistence shows your genuine interest in the prospect. If you don’t follow up, chances are someone else in your industry with a similar product or service will. A little determination goes a long way in keeping you top of mind.
Reason #4 to Send a Follow-up Email After No Response:
Customized sales follow-up emails give you a chance to clarify. Suppose you find areas where a prospect might have misunderstood you or been left with unanswered questions after reading your initial email. In that case, this is your opportunity to offer answers. Be mindful of using an automated follow-up sequence that doesn’t allow for customization.
Reason #5 to Send a Follow-up Email After No Response:
Nurturing relationships takes time, and a polite follow-up email starts the building process early on. Maintaining respectful contact makes an impression on prospects and develops rapport, a priceless asset as you move forward in your sales process.
5 Best Practices for Sending a Follow-up Email After No Response
Follow-Up Best Practice #1: Start With a Compelling Subject Line
The one determining factor for whether or not a prospect will open up your follow-up email — or any email for that matter — is a relevant and curiosity-piquing subject line. Your goal is to encourage the prospect to open your email with genuine interest, not with their defenses already up. Keep this line cordial and inviting.
Follow-Up Best Practice #2: Assume the Best of Your Prospect
Throughout your email, maintain a polite and respectful tone. This is much easier to do if your mindset about the prospect is positive and assumes the best of them. That means expressing an understanding that they’re busy and not taking their lack of initial response personally.
Follow-Up Best Practice #3: Value Your Prospects Time
A simple follow-up email can be just 50 words long. Anything over 100-200 words could be too long for your prospect. Keep your email concise so that your prospect doesn’t waste their time guessing who you are, why you’re emailing, or what you want them to do next.
Follow-Up Best Practice #4: Highlight the Benefits
Keeping the content of your email value-oriented will help your prospects quickly understand the benefit they will gain by responding. Highlight why this conversation or opportunity to connect with you might be important to them.
Follow-Up Best Practice #5: End with a Clear CTA
The easier it is for a prospect to reply to your email or respond to your next steps, the better. All you’re looking for is a ‘yes’ to getting on a call with you (or whatever action comes next in your sales follow-up email strategy), so don’t distract your prospect from the action you want them to take.
→ How Long Should You Wait to Follow Up After No Response?
The timing of your follow-up email can vary based on the context. However, a general guideline is to wait about 3-7 business days before sending a polite follow-up email. If it’s a time-sensitive matter, you may want to follow up sooner, but be mindful not to appear overly aggressive.
5 Key Pieces of Information to Include in a Follow-up Email After No Response
Key Follow-Up Info #1: A Clear Connection
When you write your first email to a prospective customer, keep your follow-up in mind. It should be easy for the recipient to connect your first email to your second. Mention the subject and date of the last email in your follow-up.
Key Follow-Up Info #2: A Gentle Reminder of Your Reason
Don’t assume that the recipient read or remembers your first email. Restate briefly your purpose and what you’re hoping to accomplish so that the email stands on its own and, hopefully, inspires a response or a re-read of your first email.
Present your prospect with one action you would like them to take in response to your email. Whether that’s replying, scheduling a call, or something else — be specific and stick to one CTA per email. Open-ended emails or those with too many options can be overwhelming and get your messages ignored.
Key Follow-Up Info #5: Your Contact Details
Ensure your name, phone number, email, and any other contact information relevant to your follow-up email strategy is easy to read and find in your email signature and, if appropriate, in the body of your email.
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Sending a Follow-up Email After No Response
Mistake #1: Coming across as rude
Your tone is fundamental in writing because even a few words that imply disrespect can instantly turn off a potential customer. Avoid any language that seems pushy, demanding, or aggressive, and opt for respect and patience in your words instead.
Mistake #2: Focusing on YOU
Your recipient is focused on themselves — what they want and need. If your email just talks about your company or credentials, you’ll likely lose your lead. Share how your message benefits them if you want to engage your potential customers in a genuine and helpful exchange.
Mistake #3: Copying-and-pasting generic messages
Business owners get cold emails every day, and generic messages are likely to get deleted before they’re even fully read — they’re easy to spot! Tailor your follow-up to reflect the context and any connection you have with the recipient.
Mistake #4: Spamming with emails
Sending too many follow-ups, sending them too soon, or in too close of succession almost guarantees you’ll be seen as annoying spam instead of the advocate of a valuable service. Err on the side of discretion and be politely persistent.
Mistake #5: Using high-pressure tactics
Express your frustration to a friend, not to your potential client. Any undertone of disappointment, shame, or blame in your follow-up email won’t gain you any traction with a prospect. Avoid negativity and high-pressure tactics. Maintain your professionalism.
5 Follow-Up Email Templates
Copy the text in the box to simplify your next follow-up email.
Follow-Up Email After A Meeting
Dear [CUSTOMERS FIRST NAME],I wanted to touch base and follow up on our recent conversation about [INSERT SERVICE] with [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. In our discussion, we highlighted some key areas where we can assist:
[INSERT LIST]
At [YOUR COMPANY NAME], we’re committed to [INSERT SERVICE] that exceeds your expectations. Our reputation for delivering results speaks for itself, with numerous success stories in similar industries. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule another discussion at your convenience.
Warmest regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Follow-Up Email After The First Discussion
Hello [CUSTOMERS FIRST NAME],Thank you for taking the time to speak with me [INSERT WHEN CONVERSATION HAPPENED]. It was great learning more about [CUSTOMER PAIN POINT] and how we can potentially work together.
I wanted to follow-up and see if you’ve made any decisions on pursuing this partnership further? If not, I’m happy to discuss further and provide any information you need to make your decision.
Best,
[YOUR NAME]
Follow-Up Email After No Response
Dear [CUSTOMERS FIRST NAME],I’m writing to follow up on my last communication. I wrote to you via email on [DATE] and left a voicemail on [DATE].
I believe [INSERT SERVICES] at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] could help your company achieve [INSERT RESULTS]. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule a discussion at your convenience.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
[YOUR NAME]
Follow-Up Email After A Proposal
Hi [CUSTOMERS FIRST NAME],I’m following up on our discussion about [CUSTOMER PAIN POINT]. I wanted to see if you had a chance to consider the proposal I sent over? Let me know if there are any questions I can answer or concerns I can address.
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
Follow-Up Email After A Missed Call
Hello [CUSTOMERS FIRST NAME],I got your voicemail when I called today but I wanted to follow-up about [INSERT SERVICES]. I believe [YOUR COMPANY NAME] could help your business achieve [INSERT RESULTS]. If you’re not the right person to talk to, who should I reach out to?
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
Ready to take your sales email strategy to the next level? Our network of top-performing sales professionals is ready to help, and we’re ready to connect you with the perfect new team member. Contact us today, share a little bit about your sales staffing needs, and we’ll be in touch soon!
relpost-thumb-wrapper
Related posts
The SaaS Sales Process: Finding the Right Cycle and Model for Your Startup Company
Beyond Smiles & Dials: 5 Sales Coaching Techniques That Work
How to Get the Job You Want: Secrets from a Sales Leader
Ready to elevate your sales game to unprecedented heights? All you need is a few hours and one of the books on this list to get started!
These management and leadership books will give you the secrets to developing your skills as a sales manager and leader. They include timeless sales classics, research-backed methods, and contemporary masterpieces based on hard-earned perspectives.
Let the reading begin!
[The links included in this post are NOT affiliate links. Peak Sales will receive NO commissions or incentives for purchases made through them.]
#1 Sales Management Simplified by Mike Weinberg
If you’re looking to build a high-performance culture within your sales department, this is the sales management book for you. Mike Weinberg explains how to lead a productive sales meeting and set standards for effective sales calls. This book will help you evaluate your management style and practices honestly. It might be the wake-up call you’ve been waiting for.
In Sales Management Simplified, sales leaders can find the truth they need to become the best manager. They can develop themselves personally and professionally.
#2 Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie from Gallup
To have a successful sales team, the leader must understand their team’s strengths and weaknesses. With the book Strengths Based Leadership in hand, you’ll be able to tap into the unique strengths of each member of your sales team. This will equip you to better determine what type of salesperson they’ll be and the sales process they’ll be most suited for.
Strengths Based Leadership is backed up by over three decades of research regarding strengths, studies of over one million work teams, and the CliftonStrengths assessment taken by over 23 million people worldwide. This is an evidence-based book that any sales professional can benefit from.
Brian Tracy’s timeless classic teaches you the fundamental principles of sales. It helps you earn more money and enhance your sales strategies. His ideas, methods, and techniques are highly actionable and can be applied to sales in any industry. When setting sales goals and wanting to exceed them, this is the perfect book to inspire and fuel your ambitions. The Psychology of Selling is a valuable read for sales leaders, sales managers, and those with leadership aspirations.
#4 How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Despite being written over 80 years ago, this classic book stands the test of time and teaches foundational principles of leadership that are essential to any professional’s success. If the title has put you off, take a note from the old adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” and grab yourself a copy today. Any reputable sales manager ought to have this book filled with notes and highlights from several rounds of reading.
In How to Win Friends & Influence People, you’ll find timeless guidance on motivating your sales representatives (and yourself) through values and inspiring influence. If you’re struggling to move your team forward, try applying the powerful principles in this sales leadership book.
#5 Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek
A unified team works together, moves together, and achieves together. If your team is disconnected, confused, or even chaotic, the New York Times bestseller Leaders Eat Last will help you make sense of the problem and design effective solutions. Simon Sinek teaches leaders how to shift their teams out of cynicism and self-interest to create motivated and aligned teams.
Honorable mention goes to Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why — a great read for focusing your team on what matters most.
#6 Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbooks for Managers and Executives by Keith Rosen
This book could earn a permanent spot on your desk and within reach. Keith Rosen’s writing and teaching style is direct and detailed. This book is a valuable reference for leading and managing a sales team. It focuses on coaching instead of training.
In Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions, Rosen provides playbooks for powerful coaching, clear improvement plans, and even coaching templates/scripts to get you started. If you’re a sales leader looking to enhance your team’s performance, this book is ideal. It provides new ways to turn inexperienced salespeople into valuable team members.
#7 Race to Amazing: Your Fast Track to Sales Leadership by Krista S. Moore
Krista S. Moore’s book Race to Amazing builds on the idea of taking the “coach approach” to sales leadership. Moore’s insight brings a profound perspective to creating a rallying vision, a winning sales strategy, and effective sales management systems. You’ll lose track of time reading Moore’s entertaining stories and highly applicable advice.
Sales representatives recently promoted into sales leadership will get a skills upgrade from reading Race to Amazing while gaining the confidence they need to be great sales leaders.
#8 The Sales Leader’s Problem Solver: Practical Solutions to Conquer Management Mess-ups, Handle Difficult Sales Reps and Make the Most of Every Opportunity by Suzanne Paling
Let Suzanne Paling guide you through a concise assessment of why your sales reps won’t make challenging calls, track their work properly, or procrastinate prospecting for new business…and then devise concrete strategies to address your management woes.
Sales managers often cannot receive training. The Sales Leader’s Problem Solver is a 24/7 trainer that provides helpful advice and effective strategies.
#9 Cracking the Sales Management Code: The Secrets to Measuring and Managing Sales Performance by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana
Methodology reigns supreme in Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana’s book Cracking the Sales Management Code. This book is set apart by its focus on controlling sales performance and effectively managing a sales force. Inside, you’ll find a best-practice approach anchored in metrics that measure action and impact.
Sales leaders who want a straightforward and actionable plan for improving their team’s sales process and performance will find solace away from more organizational leadership-focused and interpersonal coaching books in Cracking the Sales Management Code.
#10 Smart Sales Manager: The Ultimate Playbooks for Building and Running a High-Performing Inside Sales Team by Josiane Feigon
This book is an essential read for any inside sales manager facing Sales 2.0 without the tools needed to win. Josiane Feigon covers how to sell to the new elusive buyer, choose intelligence tools, and retain sales superheroes through relatable examples that reveal a clear path forward. Complete with manager cheat sheets, this book gives you everything you need to handle even the toughest of situations to ensure your sales team’s success.
#11 Sales Manager Survival Guide: Lessons from Sales’ Front Lines by David Brock
The Sales Manager Survival Guide presents a simple and easy-to-follow playbook for management success with the hidden benefit of improving employee retention.
Whether you’ve already made mistakes in your management journey or just want to avoid making as many as you can, the practical guidance David Brock brings will help you easily navigate sales cycles. This book helps current sales managers get back on track. It is also vital for new and aspiring managers to start off right.
#12 The Accidental Sales Manager: How to Take Control and Lead Your Sales Team to Record Profits by Chris Lytle
Unexpected promotions can leave sales representatives either motivated to learn or lost in their new roles. If you’ve received an unexpected promotion yourself, The Accidental Sales Manager will give you the advantage you need. From hiring to developing your representatives and running efficient meetings to impactful one-on-ones, Chris Lytle covers it all.
This book focuses on management methods and implementing processes and focuses less on the personal development behind long-term leadership.
#13 Nuts and Bolts of Sales Management: How to Build a High-Velocity Sales Organization by John Terace
Nuts and Bolts of Sales Management covers a few unique topics, such as how to balance morale, execution & teamwork, how to develop a powerful sales culture, and how to leverage expenses while managing your budget. Given its targeted guidance, managers can regularly revisit and reference this book.
If you want to execute your sales vision with more precision, this is the sales management book you need.
#14 52 Sales Management Tips – The Sales Manager’s Success Guide by Steven Rosen
An easy read to pick up, put down, and meaningfully action, 52 Sales Management Tips is a book designed to help sales managers struggling in a corporate structure that doesn’t support them. Improve your personal management performance by taking charge of your development needs. Reach for this book whenever you need a boost.
#15 ProActive Sales Management: How to Lead, Motivate, and Stay Ahead of the Game by William “Skip” Miller
Reveal your blind spots with Skip Miller’s acute approach to ProActive Sales Management. This book will help you save time and face with humbling yet motivational wisdom and guidance on maintaining control while you achieve your business goals.
This book is a great pick for all sales managers and leaders looking for a way to escape procrastination and pick up the pace of their success.
#16 Sales Leadership Playbook: The Definitive Guide to Sales Leadership by Shawn Hamilton
For a comprehensive guide to sales management, read the Sales Leadership Playbook by Shawn Hamilton. Leaders in smaller businesses with cross-functional relationships will find Hamilton’s insights particularly helpful.
Sales Leadership Playbook gives a broad picture of the sales landscape, the mindset needed to succeed in the industry, and how to build trust to get ahead. It also equips readers with tools to communicate effectively, integrate emotional intelligence into their management style, and empower their team. If gaining internal cohesion while building stakeholder support is important to your organization, this is the sales management book for you.
#17 The Qualified Sales Leader: Proven Lessons from a Five Time CRO by John McMahon
SaaS sales presents specific challenges that set them apart from other types of sales. For this reason, a sales management and leadership book devoted to these professionals is essential. The Qualified Sales Leader brings readers on a journey through a strategic sales structure with pointed questions for reflection and fueling action.
If you’re in the enterprise technology sales sector as a sales manager, leader, or representative, this will be an enlightening read for you.
#18 The Sales Boss: The Real Secret to Hiring, Training and Managing a Sales Team by Jonathan Whistman
High performance is often considered an individual characteristic when it must be a collective one. Jonathan Whistmas supports this claim in The Sales Boss by sharing the true drivers of high performance and how to invest in them so your team will be destined to win. The psychology of peak performance and proven hiring and training techniques will help you make real-world decisions that foster a quality team.
This book reveals the secrets to sales management and building a top-performing team, making it a fantastic read for any sales professional or executive looking to grow their sales team or hire top performers.
#19 Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz
Negotiations are a part of our everyday lives, conversations, and exchanges — but we aren’t always in tune with our power to connect, influence, and ultimately get what we want. In Never Split the Difference, the FBI’s former lead hostage negotiator, Chriss Voss shares his core negotiation techniques.
Sales managers and leaders will find this book filled with techniques for interacting with team members and helping representatives improve client relationships and sales conversions.
#20 The Sales Development Playbook: Build Repeatable Pipeline and Accelerate Growth with Inside Sales by Trish Bertuzzi
Trish Bertuzzi turns several decades of sales expertise into a street-smart guide to turning well-established managers into leaders of exponential success.
Bertuzzi understands that navigating management of your inside sales team while revenue and performance are stable is one thing — figuring out how to continue doing your job well when your expansion seems out of this world is another. The Sales Development Playbook will challenge you and your team to level up.
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.
He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.
In the sales world having great connections is important. That is why conferences are a powerful part of expanding any sales career. Attending sales conferences regularly can help representatives grow their career up to ten times through personal and professional development.
We’ve rounded up the top twelve conferences to consider attending in 2025. If you want to improve your sales leadership or learn about new sales technologies, there’s an event for you. You can also send your sales team to a conference to improve their training.
Ready to build a sales team that makes the most of every opportunity? Contact Peak Sales Recruiting today to find top-tier talent who are ready to grow and succeed.
Top 12 Sales Conferences to Attend in 2025
1. Outreach Unleash
Unleash is Outreach’s flagship event for sales teams looking to get the most out of modern engagement strategies and AI-powered tools. The 2025 edition promises hands-on workshops, inspiring keynotes, and practical sessions tailored to AEs, RevOps, and sales managers. If you’re using or exploring sales engagement platforms, this is a key event to attend.
Location: Hollywood, FL
Date: June 9–11, 2025
Who Should Attend: Account Executives, Sales Leaders, RevOps Teams
INBOUND is one of the most high-energy events in the sales and marketing calendar, now heading west to San Francisco in 2025. With celebrity keynotes, deep-dive workshops, and a huge community of growth-minded professionals, this event blends inspiration with strategy. It’s perfect for sales pros looking to stay ahead on customer engagement and automation trends.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Date: September 3–5, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales and Marketing Professionals
The Sistas in Sales Summit is the largest global gathering dedicated to women of color in sales. It’s a conferencefocused on career advancement, leadership training, and building a supportive network. With world-class speakers and hands-on workshops, this summit is a must for companies that value inclusion and sales excellence.
Unlike any other event, the Sales Success Summit is built specifically for individual contributors. Every speaker is a quota-carrying sales rep who ranks at the top of their organization. This peer-to-peer format offers practical tactics and a behind-the-scenes look at what truly drives success in competitive sales environments.
Location: Austin, TX
Date: October 13–14, 2025
Who Should Attend: All High-Performing Sales Professionals
Dreamforce is Salesforce’s annual event and one of the most well-known tech conferences in the world. At Dreamforce, sales leaders attend to explore what’s next in AI, automation, and revenue strategy. With thousands of sessions, industry speakers, and big-name entertainment, it’s a true experience for sales professionals at any level.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Date: October 14–16, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales, RevOps, CRM, and Tech Leaders
Surf & Sales is not your typical sales conference, and that’s exactly the point. This small-format event is designed for sales leaders and entrepreneurs who want to grow both professionally and personally, in a setting that encourages real conversations and deep learning. With surf lessons, fireside chats, and hands-on workshops, it’s equal parts leadership retreat and tactical sales development. This year, the summit heads to Portugal for five days of skill-building and connection in a stunning coastal setting.
Location: Peniche, Portugal
Date: October 5–9, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Leaders, Founders, and Revenue Executives
The National Sales Conference (NSC) is one of the UK’s most respected events for sales professionals, leaders, and enablement teams. Known for its high-impact speakers and no-nonsense approach to professional development, NSC focuses on real-world strategies that help teams grow pipeline, improve close rates, and lead with confidence. This year’s theme centers around creating a culture of resilience, clarity, and high performance in uncertain times.
Location: Birmingham, UK
Date: November 21, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Leaders, Enablement Teams, and Senior Sales Professionals
Part of the global Sales Enablement Collective series, this summit is a high-impact event for enablement leaders aiming to drive revenue through better processes, content, and coaching. The San Francisco edition brings together top minds from tech, SaaS, and enterprise sales to share insights on team performance, AI integration, and scalable enablement strategies. With expert panels and actionable case studies, it’s an ideal event for anyone looking to elevate their enablement playbook.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Date: November 20–21, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Enablement Professionals, Revenue Leaders, and GTM Strategists
9. International Conference on Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales
This academic-style conference is a hidden gem for professionals who want to ground their sales strategies in data and research. Hosted by the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET), the ICEMS brings together researchers and practitioners to explore innovations in sales, buyer behavior, and entrepreneurial marketing. It’s a great fit for sales leaders who want a more analytical, research-driven perspective on market trends and consumer decision-making.
Location: Toronto, Canada
Date: July 22–23, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Professionals, Marketing Strategists, and Academic Researchers
The LIMRA Advanced Sales Forum is built for sales professionals in the financial services space who are tackling complex client needs, estate planning, tax strategy, business succession, and more. With a speaker lineup that includes industry veterans and technical specialists, the forum offers tactical insights and peer conversations that help you stay sharp in a fast-evolving market. If you sell into affluent or business-owner segments, this event delivers the kind of focused, real-world value that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Date: August 11–13, 2025
Who Should Attend: Advanced Sales and Marketing Executives, CMOs, Sales Officers
Held in London’s ExCeL Centre, the Sales Innovation Expo is one of Europe’s largest events dedicated to modern sales techniques, tools, and technology. With 5,000+ attendees, 120+ exhibitors, and dozens of expert-led sessions, this free-to-attend event is packed with actionable insight. From AI-powered sales tools to buyer journey mapping and sales enablement strategy, the expo offers something for every level of sales professional looking to stay competitive in a fast-changing landscape.
Location: London, UK
Date: November 19–20, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Directors, Enablement Teams, and B2B Sales Professionals
The SRCC brings together early-career sales researchers and senior scholars to foster meaningful academic partnerships and mentorship opportunities. With structured networking, speed introductions, and research-focused sessions, this conference is designed to spark collaborative projects and long-term professional relationships in the field of sales.
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Date: October 23–25, 2025
Who Should Attend: Sales Researchers, Academic Faculty, Doctoral Students
*All costs stated are for informational purposes only, may be subject to change, and may differ for international purchases due to current conversion rates at the time of purchase. Please reference each conference website for the most up-to-date pricing available.
Need more tools to boost your team’s performance? Explore our Sales Training Resources for expert insights!
Check out the Peak blog for additional resources on career development or visit our career portal to kick start your new career or make a new hire.
