# 10 tips for managing remote B2B sales It all started a couple of years ago when the pandemic came along and we had to restructure our lives and jobs around it. While working from the office used to be a must, modern companies were set to discover new digital opportunities. Many different teams within a company were affected, sales being one of them. A sales job has never been an easy one due to its demanding environment, fast-paced changes, and fierce competition. To be in sales means being resilient, having a positive attitude, and being ready to overcome challenges. A sudden change to remote selling added a bit of stress on top of the existing problems, not because salespeople weren't ready but because management wasn’t prepared. There were problems with training, being online full-time, and even changing how companies approach their value proposition and pitch. Now, as some companies are making a [return to the office](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/unified-communications-during-the-slow-return-to-the-office/), many are sticking to remote selling as it continues to take prominence in an ever-evolving industry. In this post, we’ll dig deeper into: - [What is remote selling](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/remote-b2b-sales/#what-is-remote-sales) - [The benefits and challenges](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/remote-b2b-sales/#benefits-of-remote-b2b-sales) - [10 tips for managing remote sales](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/remote-b2b-sales/#tips-for-remote-selling) - [Why you should consider using remote B2B sales](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/remote-b2b-sales/#remote-b2b-sales-success) ## What is remote selling? Remote (virtual) sales is a term used to describe what a sales team does in a fully remote environment. This means no common office space or face-to-face meetings — sales reps can work from anywhere in the world. Unlike hybrid sales, where you can work from home or the office, it’s an all-remote selling world that’s rapidly replacing this model. Remote sales jobs include everything from entry-level jobs like [sales development representatives (SDRs)](https://www.cience.com/outbound-sdr) and sales calling support, middle-level sales engineers, customer success managers, and account managers, up to senior sales managers and account executives. These range from part-time to full-time opportunities. Although remote sales jobs seem to stand in a different category from on-site ones, these are essentially the same. And now, recruiters are looking for sales professionals to set up, handle, and manage sales across a variety of industries, from healthcare to SaaS startups. According to a Statista survey in 2020, [62%](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1111394/attitudes-on-remote-work-for-employees/#statisticContainer) of respondents said they would consider leaving their company for a fully remote role. With so many possibilities, it’s not a surprise that workers are looking for remote options that offer the same opportunities as in-house jobs. ### What are the benefits of remote B2B sales? There are many benefits of remote sales, including the built-in flexibility and scalability that comes with a virtual team. While many sales specialists moved to remote sales jobs because of the pandemic, others have chosen to stay because of the value it brings to businesses and employees: - It’s cheaper. Office life is expensive, especially if you have a large group of sales reps that is constantly growing. The rent, office supplies, travel expenses, maintenance costs, etc., can be distributed somewhere else — like new automation software or better [sales tools](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/sales-tools/). - It’s accessible. Gathering a remote sales team gives you an opportunity to seek talent all over the world and find people that are a perfect match for your business. - It’s comfy. Another benefit for sales reps is the ability to work from the comfort of their own home: no need to experience traffic every day, get to the office in bad weather, or change from your pajama bottoms (although we recommend doing that once in a while). The ability to work from home can often ignite [sales productivity](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/sales-productivity-tips/) and ultimately boost sales performance. ### What are the challenges of remote B2B sales? However, a shift to a remote sales environment brings many challenges for sales teams. Here are a few of the obstacles of [remote work](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/remote-workforce-management/) you’ll need to overcome: - Inability to unplug. Some sales reps feel pressured by their companies or colleagues to be accessible and responsive all the time, which throws work-life balance out of the window. - Lack of communication. It’s easy to get disconnected from your peers when you don’t actually meet in the hallways or work in the same room. Feeling isolated can lead to lower productivity and job satisfaction. - Lack of support. Again, no team meetings or face-to-face celebrations of new accomplishments can get your workers down and make them feel like they are doing a meaningless job. In fact, acknowledgment of one's achievements by colleagues or senior staff is known to be one of the [top three most motivating parts of an SDR job](https://www.cience.com/blog/the-sdr-survey-insider-perspectives-on-sales-development). ## 10 best practices for remote selling To help prevent some possible challenges from arising, we’ve gathered ten best practices to help you [manage a remote sales team](https://www.dialpad.com/jp/blog/managing-remote-teams/) and keep them on top of their game: ### 1. Provide high-quality data One of the biggest challenges in business development is spending hours working on a lead that will never become a customer for various reasons: wrong person, wrong sales funnel stage, not enough data or time to personalize, or just a broken data record. So no matter what sales model you have (on-site, remote, or hybrid), high-quality data is absolutely crucial for your success. High-quality data must be clear, fresh, goal-oriented, based on your buyer persona (BP) and ideal customer (ICP), and constantly updated. ### 2. Establish clear communication channels Create accessible online messaging tools for your team to address issues without a lengthy discussion. Set up regular virtual meetings that take place weekly or biweekly to discuss the current state of affairs. Depending on the size of the team, you can also have 1:1 meetings to analyze results, roleplay sales calls, set goals, give feedback, or just chat about life. ### 3. Invest in automation Automation tools are vital for tackling communication problems and improving efficiency. Use customer relationship management software (CRM) that tracks every communication with prospects and manages tasks. Well-known providers like HubSpot or Salesforce integrate with Dialpad to streamline communication tools and customer information. ### 4. Pursue omnichannel outreach Reaching customers through various channels is crucial in today's sales environment. Emphasizing an omnichannel customer experience helps strengthen client-focused sales strategies. Strengthening the alignment between sales and marketing is also important to shift messaging to how much you can help the customer. ### 5. Hire the right people Understand the skills and experiences required for remote sales. Assess candidates with questions like their interest in sales, work environment preferences, and comfort with virtual selling to find the right fit for your team. ### 6. Adjust goals and sales quotas Set realistic sales quotas to avoid demotivating workers. Regularly analyze performance and redefine achievable targets. Provide ongoing sales training to continuously improve salesmanship. ### 7. Maintain work-life balance Encourage employees to build new routines and support them in finding workflows that fit their lives. Demonstrate the importance of rest for productivity. ### 8. Provide the basics for success Ensure that employees have the necessary tools and comfortable working conditions when working from home. Invest in sales tools and training to enhance their skills. ### 9. Provide consistent coaching Encourage continuous learning and collaboration within the sales team. Regularly share knowledge and create opportunities for team members to coach one another. ### 10. Build great relationships Invest in remote team-building activities that can strengthen relationships. Encourage kindness and understanding to foster a supportive work environment. ## Use remote B2B sales for your success Remote selling is not just a solution for the pandemic; it is here to stay. Embracing feedback and adapting strategies will help streamline the transition and make remote selling beneficial for your business.