How to Overcome Common Sales Team Scaling Challenges

Scaling a sales team is crucial for growth, but it comes with its own set of challenges. From onboarding to quota distribution, sales teams require the right framework to meet expectations.  We value the dedication leaders put into building a high-performing sales team. 

However, 87% of sales leaders lack a standardized approach for setting quota targets. In fact, a lack of structure in setting and achieving quotas can lead to employee dissatisfaction. It’s up to you to address the sales team scaling challenges that arise.

Don’t worry, we are here to share these responsibilities with you.  In this blog, we’ll address the most common sales team scaling challenges faced by enterprise leaders. So, you can scale your team more effectively and avoid costly mistakes.

TL;DR 

• Scaling a sales team is about implementing sustainable systems and defining clear processes to support growth.
• Specializing roles early, like dividing SDRs, AEs, and CSMs, can prevent burnout and enhance efficiency as your team grows.
• A structured onboarding process is essential for ensuring that new hires ramp up quickly and meet performance expectations.
• Overloading on tech tools can create more problems than solutions. Focus on tools that directly support your sales process and team productivity.
• Promoting from within boosts morale and helps retain top talent to ensure leadership continuity as you scale.

What Does Sales Team Scaling Mean?

Scaling a sales team includes building sustainable systems, clearly defined roles, and efficient processes. You want this process to be effective so that your team can handle an increase in sales volume easily.

Before scaling, ensure that your pipeline, product, and processes are mature enough to support additional team members. A strong foundation is key; without it, adding more reps could lead to chaos and inefficiency. 

Despite following best practices, you can face challenges. Do you know what the most common ones are? Bear with us, and we will share those in the next section.

Also Read: Building a Successful Pipeline Generation Strategy in 2024

How to Overcome Common Sales Team Scaling Challenges?

Scaling a sales team can quickly become overwhelming if not approached strategically. Here’s a breakdown of 10 common challenges and proven ways to overcome them:

1. Follow the 70/30 Rule

Sales teams often struggle to balance outbound and inbound efforts. Only 43% of businesses use a hybrid model. However, we all know that overemphasis on one channel can lead to missed opportunities. Scaling requires a targeted approach to maximize productivity.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Focus 70% of effort on outbound sales, targeting high-value prospects.
• Dedicate 30% of your effort to inbound leads, nurturing a steady flow.
• Regularly assess and adjust the balance to match market dynamics.

Prioritizing outbound on high-value prospects ensures your team focuses on what matters most. It also increases overall revenue by capturing larger deals.

2. Define a Repeatable Sales Process

Without a repeatable process, scaling becomes chaotic. 40% of sellers deviate from the sales process, and just 20% of managers believe deals follow a repeatable process. Inconsistent approaches across team members can result in lost sales and ineffective strategies.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Document workflows, buyer journeys, and sales playbooks.
• Standardize the sales process to ensure every rep follows the same proven steps.
• Continuously refine your process based on data and feedback.

Companies with a documented sales process can easily outperform those challenges, even when scaling.

3. Specialize Sales Roles Early

When team members wear multiple hats, it can lead to burnout and inefficiency. Trying to manage both prospecting and closing without clear role boundaries often leads to poor performance.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Specialize your sales team into distinct roles: SDRs for prospecting, AEs for closing, and CSMs for retention.
• Clearly define and separate the responsibilities of each role.
• Implement smooth handoff processes between roles to maintain workflow efficiency.

Specializing in roles can increase productivity. It ensures team members focus on their strengths, leading to faster deal closures and reduced burnout.

4. Invest in Scalable Onboarding 

A lack of structured onboarding programs can cause new hires to take longer to ramp up. This leads to wasted time and missed opportunities. Inconsistent training can hinder long-term success.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Build a scalable, repeatable onboarding program that aligns with company goals.
• Use real-world examples and role-play scenarios to prepare new hires for various situations.
• Implement continuous training, using technology to provide real-time feedback.

Structured training programs lead to faster ramp-up times for new hires. The proper onboarding sets the stage for a team to perform at its best.

5. Promote Internally Where Possible

Scaling too fast through external hiring can cause a disconnect in company culture and lead to high turnover. External hires may not be familiar with your core values or objectives. 

Strategy to Overcome:

• Create leadership tracks for high performers to foster internal promotions.
• Reward loyalty by recognizing achievements and offering growth opportunities.
• Establish a mentorship program to guide future leaders from within the team.

Focus on promoting candidates who have human-centric productivity. Internal promotions boost team morale and retention. When employees see opportunities for growth, they’re more likely to stay and perform at a higher level.

6. Implement Clear Performance Metrics

17% of top-performing sales teams place a high priority on making performance data easily accessible. Without clear performance metrics, sales teams can drift off course, focusing on activities rather than results. Lack of accountability can undermine growth efforts.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Set clear KPIs that align with your overall business goals (e.g., conversion rates, sales velocity).
• Use outcome-based metrics rather than just activity-based ones.
• Regularly evaluate individual and team performance against set targets.

Outcome-based KPIs can increase sales productivity. Focus on metrics that directly contribute to your company’s revenue growth for better alignment.

7. Design Tiered Compensation Plans

A generic compensation plan can demotivate your sales team, especially as they gain experience. Failing to customize compensation structures for different experience levels leads to disengagement.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Design tiered compensation plans to motivate consistent performance at every level.
• Provide performance-based incentives that reward high achievers.
• Ensure that compensation structures align with both individual and company goals.

Tiered compensation plans can drive motivation and increase sales productivity. Customize incentives to your sales team’s experience for more targeted results.

8. Use Tech Wisely (Without Overload)

Sales teams often fall into the trap of adopting too many tools, causing confusion and inefficiency. In fact, 1 in 4 salespeople feels overwhelmed by the number of tools they are being provided. Overloading your team with tech can create more problems than solutions.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Use a core set of tools that integrates well with your CRM and sales workflows.
• Avoid adding tools that don’t directly support your sales process.
• Train your team on the tools to ensure consistent and effective usage.

Sales teams that focus on an organized tech stack can be more efficient than those using too many tools. Keep things simple to boost productivity.

9. Build a Strong Sales Culture

A fragmented or weak company culture can lead to disengagement and poor performance, especially as you scale. Sales teams need a strong culture to stay aligned and motivated.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Encourage team bonding activities and align on shared values.
• Celebrate wins, big and small, to build team morale.
• Hire based on cultural fit to maintain alignment as you scale.

A positive culture drives sustained performance, helping you scale more effectively. In fact, 35% of U.S. sales leaders believe that employee engagement is all about having a team that collaborates effectively.

10. Create a Feedback Loop 

When sales and marketing are disconnected, lead quality suffers, and communication gaps can result in missed opportunities. Alignment between the two is critical as you scale.

Strategy to Overcome:

• Schedule regular feedback sessions between sales and marketing teams.
• Use data-driven insights to refine lead quality and messaging.
• Create shared goals between the two teams to improve collaboration.

Regular feedback loops improve lead quality. Alignment ensures both teams work towards the same goals for maximum efficiency.

Try Activated Scale’s Fractional Selling service to ensure your team is equipped to scale efficiently. With us, you can hire an SDR or an AE on a monthly retainer, who can manage the sales process with utmost experience.

Each of these challenges can severely hinder the effectiveness of scaling efforts. Addressing them early on will set the stage for a smoother and more successful expansion of your sales team. 

How will you achieve that, then? Activated Scale can work wonderfully in this matter.

Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to Hiring an SDR or BDR for Your Startup

How Activated Scale Helps With Sales Team Scaling Challenges

Scaling a sales team presents several challenges, but with the right tools, systems, and strategies, it can be done effectively. At Activated Scale, we understand these hurdles, so our solutions help you overcome them. Here’s how we can assist with common sales team scaling challenges:

1. We offer Contract-to-Hire Sales Recruiting, allowing you to hire vetted sales professionals on a flexible, trial basis. This approach lets you assess candidates in real-world conditions before offering full-time employment. It ensures a strong fit for both the role and your company culture.
2. With our Fractional Selling services, we provide experienced SDRs and AEs to fill your sales gaps without the need for permanent hires. This flexible solution ensures your sales team stays productive, even when you’re facing temporary staffing shortages.
3. Our Fractional Sales Leadership service allows you to access experienced VPs of Sales on a flexible basis. They can implement partnership programs and select the right tools to support your team. 

Ready to scale your sales team? Book a call to explore how our services can help you overcome scaling challenges and drive growth.

Final Thoughts

Scaling your sales team is a critical component of business growth, but it’s not without its hurdles. Sales team scaling challenges can hinder your efforts. However, with the right strategies and support in place, overcoming these hurdles is possible.

At Activated Scale, we offer customized solutions to address every stage of your scaling journey, such as Fractional Sales Leadership. Our services ensure you have the right talent at each phase of growth, helping you avoid costly mistakes. 

Facing challenges in scaling your sales team? Let’s explore how we can help you build a high-performing, scalable sales team. Contact Us now and take the next step toward changing your sales strategy.

FAQs

1. When is the right time to scale my sales team?
   Scaling should begin when your product-market fit is solid, your sales process is repeatable, and your pipeline supports the addition of new reps. This ensures that you can maintain consistency and avoid inefficiency during the scaling process.
2. How do I determine the right size for my sales team?
   Start with a lean team and scale based on deal volume and lead velocity. Typically, this means beginning with roles like 1 SDR, 1 AE, and 1 Customer Success rep. As your pipeline grows, consider expanding these roles accordingly.
3. What if my sales team isn't performing well during the scaling phase?
   Key indicators of underperformance include declining close rates, long onboarding periods, and misalignment with marketing. Regularly reviewing performance metrics and providing targeted training can help correct the course.
4. What’s the biggest mistake companies make when scaling their sales team?
   The biggest mistake is scaling too quickly without establishing the right systems, processes, and culture. Rapid hiring without clear training or cultural alignment can lead to confusion, high turnover, and missed revenue targets.