Remote Sales Tips and Best Practices

Remote sales have become critical since the time COVID-19 hit. Every business seems to be implementing remote working due to the growing industry demands. 

In 2025, 90% of people love to work remotely. To improve employee satisfaction, you are considering keeping your diverse sales team remote. However, no one told you how to manage one. 

You’re right if you feel something “extra” is needed to manage your sales remote team. While working with the best sales talents, we understand the challenges faced by sales leaders. That’s why we've put our expertise into this guide to compile the best practical tips needed for a remote sales team.

In this blog, you’ll learn a remote sales strategy and lead your team to success without being in the same room. 

At a Glance

• Set clear, achievable goals: Break down larger targets into smaller, measurable tasks.
• Promote open communication: Regular check-ins and feedback loops are essential.
• Invest in training: Continuous learning keeps your team sharp and motivated.
• Celebrate wins: Recognize achievements, big or small, to keep morale high.

What is a Remote Sales Team and How Does It Work?

A remote sales team operates without the need for in-person meetings. Instead, sales reps use virtual channels, video calls, and messaging apps to connect with prospects and close deals. 

This shift allows companies to tap into a global talent pool, providing flexibility to work from anywhere. The advantages are clear:

• Cost Reduction: No office space or travel expenses means savings for your company.
• Increased Productivity: Teams can work from anywhere, often leading to fewer distractions and more sales activities.
• Global Talent Pool: Hiring from different regions or countries allows access to highly skilled professionals.
• Extended Working Hours: With team members in various time zones, you can ensure faster responses and more productive follow-ups.
• Flexibility: Sales reps find better work-life balance and job satisfaction, which improves productivity in your business.

As a sales leader, your role is to guide your team to use these benefits, creating an efficient process for everyone.

While remote work offers clear advantages, it also comes with its own set of hurdles. Most probably, you’ve already encountered one and don’t know how to overcome them. We can figure that out in the next section.

Also Read: Steps to Create a Successful B2B Sales Strategy

Challenges in Managing Remote Sales Teams

You manage 20 sales representatives in the office, but efficiency may still be lacking in handling your remote teams. Let us confirm that if this is the case for you, too, you are not alone.

In fact, 44% of sales managers in companies struggle to hold their salespeople accountable. Here are some of the most common struggles sales leaders face:

1. Engagement 

Remote teams can feel disconnected from the company’s culture, leading to a lack of motivation and engagement. Without the energy of an office environment, it’s harder to keep the team energized and focused on goals.

2. Building Trust 

Trust is critical for remote teams, yet building it becomes harder without face-to-face interactions. Miscommunications or a lack of clarity can result in misunderstandings and decreased team morale.

3. Accountability 

In an office setting, it’s easier to monitor progress and hold team members accountable. However, without clear visibility into daily activities, it’s harder for leaders to assess performance and offer timely support.

4. Collaboration 

While digital tools help, they can’t fully replace the spontaneous collaboration that happens in an office. This lack of real-time communication can slow down decision-making and affect the overall efficiency of the team.

At Activated Scale, we offer Fractional Sales Leadership service to help you tackle these challenges head-on. Our experienced fractional VPs of sales can step in to provide structured performance monitoring systems to avoid these issues.

These issues seem benign until they start to hamper your business revenue. So, what’s the solution? To address these, you need the best practical tips.

6 Best Practices and Tips for Leading Remote Sales Teams

We get it if you’re not used to handling a remote sales team. However, the good news is that many sales leaders are doing it strategically. And, you can use exactly those proven practical tips.

Check out these six best practices to create your customized remote sales strategy, used by successful leaders:

1. Invest in the Right Communication Tools

Effective communication skills are the cornerstone of any remote sales strategy. Without the right tools, teams can quickly fall into disarray. Here’s why it’s essential:

• Faster Decision-Making: Real-time communication helps reduce bottlenecks.
• Improved Collaboration: Tools like Slack, Zoom, and customer relationship management systems like Salesforce and HubSpot enhance teamwork.
• Better Visibility: Monitoring activities and progress becomes easier with digital communication tools.
• Increased Efficiency: Helps your team stay aligned and minimize delays in project completion.
• Stronger Relationships: Keeps your team connected and motivated, even when they're not in the same room.

Practical Tip: Implement "virtual water cooler" spaces within your team’s communication tool to encourage informal chats. This helps create connections and fosters engagement outside of official meetings.

At Activated Scale, we understand that setting up and optimizing the right communication tools can be a daunting task. Our Fractional Selling service helps you integrate with the best talent who can develop effective communication strategies for you. 

2. Set Clear Sales Goals

Sales teams with clearly defined goals are 3.6 times more likely to consistently hit their targets. The reason behind this is that they feel engaged and aligned with business objectives. 

Otherwise, it's easy for team members to feel adrift or unsure about priorities. Why clear goals matter:

• Clarifies Priorities: Sales reps know exactly what they’re aiming for.
• Motivates the Team: Achieving smaller, manageable targets boosts morale.
• Improves Focus: Teams are less likely to get sidetracked without clear direction.
• Aligns the Team: Everyone works toward the same outcome, ensuring consistency in efforts.
• Enables Progress Tracking: You can measure performance and tweak strategies accordingly.

Practical Tip: Break large goals into smaller, more attainable tasks. For example, if the goal is to close 10 deals this month, set a weekly target of 2-3 deals to stay on track.

3. Build a Culture of Constructive Feedback

For remote teams, maintaining clear, open communication is crucial for overcoming the distance and potential isolation. It is true that 38% of sales managers indeed feel implementing this in a remote setting is tough. 

However, it is not worth skipping. Benefits of constructive feedback and open communication:

• Improved Transparency: Everyone is on the same page about goals and progress.
• Faster Problem Solving: Immediate communication helps resolve issues quickly.
• Stronger Team Bond: Consistent check-ins help remote teams feel more connected.
• Increased Accountability: Transparent communication boosts responsibility and ownership.
• Enhanced Trust: Frequent interactions foster trust and mutual respect among team members.

Practical Tip: Use video calls not just for meetings, but as a way to connect on a personal level. Casual check-ins via video can bridge the emotional gap that remote teams face.

4. Monitor Performance Regularly

Though only 17% of high-performing sales teams value data-driven insights, it brings solid success ot their team. Sales leaders must have access to detailed metrics to guide their teams effectively. For start, measure these key areas to monitor:

• Sales Activity: Track meetings, calls, and outreach to ensure consistent effort.
• Lead Conversion Rates: Monitor how well your team is turning prospects into customers.
• Pipeline Health: Keep a close eye on where each deal stands in the sales cycle.
• Performance Metrics: Use KPIs such as revenue per rep, average deal size, and win rates.
• Customer Satisfaction: Monitor feedback from clients to gauge your team's relationship-building efforts.

Practical Tip: Set up regular "performance reviews" using CRM data to give each team member clear feedback. This encourages continuous learning.

At Activated Scale, our Contract-to-hire Sales Recruiting services provide you with expert sales talent. They are equipped with the expertise needed to implement real-time performance tracking, helping your team stay on track.

5. Celebrate Wins and Provide Continuous Recognition

Celebrating wins, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in sustaining a motivated, high-performing remote sales team. It holds a major factor in building a remote sales strategy because: 

• Boosts Morale: Recognizing achievements lifts the team's spirit, encouraging them to keep going.
• Strengthens Team Culture: 79% of employees believe that public acknowledgment creates a sense of belonging and builds trust.
• Improves Performance: Reps are motivated to repeat behaviors that get recognized, leading to higher performance.
• Encourages Healthy Competition: Recognition can spark friendly competition, pushing everyone to perform at their best.
• Reinforces Positive Habits: Acknowledging wins reinforces the behaviors that contribute to success.

Practical Tip: Celebrate even the small wins. For example, highlight achievements during team calls or via internal communication channels. Create a "shout-out" section in your weekly emails or team meetings where you acknowledge individual contributions.

6. Invest in Training and Onboarding for Success

If your remote sales team isn’t fully onboarded or continuously trained, you risk missing out on revenue. In 2025, they are essential for success.

Especially for remote sales teams, structured training and effective onboarding are essential because,

• Faster Ramp-Up for New Reps: Well-structured onboarding helps new salespeople get up to speed quickly, reducing the time to productivity.
• Keeps Skills Updated: Ongoing training ensures your team stays informed about new products, technologies, and best practices.
• Increases Confidence: Well-trained sales reps feel more confident in their ability to engage prospects and close deals.
• Drives Better Performance: 59% of employees believe that regular training leads to improved selling techniques and greater revenue.

Practical Tip: Create a comprehensive onboarding program that includes product demos, role-playing exercises, and shadowing experienced reps. Use a mix of self-paced learning and live training sessions to engage new hires.

As we’ve discussed, investing in the right strategies is crucial for helping your remote sales team. However, ensuring that these processes align with your business goals can be challenging. That’s where Activated Scale comes in.

Why Activate Your Remote Sales Strategy with Activated Scale?

Leading a remote sales team requires a blend of strong leadership, clear communication, and the right tools. As a busy sales manager, you may find it challenging to develop and implement these strategies. Most importantly, implementation is only half of the equation; you need to keep track of it to measure the progress. 

At Activated Scale, we specialize in providing services that are designed to bridge the gaps in your sales remote. Here’s what we can help with:

1. Contract-to-Hire Sales Recruiting

Hiring the right talent for a remote sales team is more crucial than ever. With Contract-to-Hire Sales Recruiting, we help you hire top-tier sales professionals on a trial basis. This ensures you get the best talent without the long-term commitment upfront.

2. Fractional Selling

Running a remote sales team means you might need additional expertise. Fractional Selling allows you to tap into experienced sales development representatives (SDRs) and account executives (AEs) to fill gaps in your team. These experts integrate into your existing sales process and help drive results quickly. ‍

3. Fractional Sales Leadership

With Fractional Sales Leadership, our experienced VPs of sales will work with your team on a part-time or temporary basis. They’ll guide you in building go-to-market strategies for your remote team. 

With Activated Scale, you gain the expertise needed to scale your remote sales strategy effectively. Book a Call now to see how we fit into your business.

Wrapping It up

As we’ve seen, leading a remote sales team can feel like a constant balancing act with the right tools and leadership. However, you can change these challenges into opportunities. The key to success lies in implementing a proven remote sales strategy.

Your team deserves a strong foundation, one built on trust, accountability, and performance. To help your team reach its full potential, Activated Scale offers the perfect solutions. We can guide you through every step of optimizing your remote sales operation, ensuring long-term growth and success.

Get in touch with us today to see how we can help elevate your remote sales team to new heights.

FAQs

1. What’s the best way to track remote sales team performance?

Use CRM tools to monitor activities, pipeline health, and individual rep performance.

2. How do I maintain team engagement with remote sales reps?

Hold regular check-ins, celebrate small wins, and create opportunities for informal communication.

3. What tools do I need for a successful remote sales strategy?

Video conferencing, CRM software, and collaboration tools are essential for effective remote sales.

4. How can I onboard new remote sales reps effectively?

Develop a comprehensive onboarding process with training materials, product demos, and role-playing exercises.

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