As a new quarter kicks off, sales leaders across the UK are asking the same question: How can we make this one count?
In today’s sales landscape, the pressure is real, but so is the potential. In Q3 2024, 35% of businesses increased sales, while 21% saw a decline. That gap highlights a key truth: even in the same market, some teams outperform while others fall behind. Often, the difference comes down to how well they’re supported.
So, what sets high-performing teams apart? Here are five proven ways to help your team not just stay on track, but outperform – and turn potential into consistent, measurable wins.
Invest in coaching that elevates performance
We all hear that coaching matters, but not all coaching is created equal. The numbers speak volumes: nearly a third of sales professionals who receive weekly one-on-one coaching are top performers. When you combine that with effective management and targeted training, a salesperson is over 60% more likely to deliver at a high level. And according to Gartner, coaching alone can drive an 8% boost in performance.
The key is consistency and personalisation. Make space for regular one-to-one sessions that go beyond pipeline updates and focus on building skills. Use call recordings to highlight specific behaviours that need refining. Shadow live calls when possible to offer timely, constructive feedback. Even small, focused goals, like one improvement target per rep each month, can lead to meaningful gains.
Equip your team with the right tools and training
High-performing sales teams aren’t born, they’re built through continuous enablement. But too often, training is treated as a one-off event rather than an ongoing investment. Today’s salespeople are expected to master their product, understand the market, and communicate with confidence. It’s no surprise that 82% of top reps do research before reaching out to a prospect, and 88% say they actively work on developing soft skills.
Sales enablement today is both strategic and technical. It might mean setting up a central hub of resources, case studies, and training content. It could involve scheduling regular sessions to sharpen objection-handling, stay current on product updates, or experiment with new sales tools. Peer learning is also powerful. When reps share what’s working, the whole team improves.
Whether or not your business uses AI, what matters is building systems that give consistent, actionable feedback to help people improve week after week. AI-driven training tools like SecondBody, for example, let reps practice their pitches in a real-world simulation and receive instant feedback. Sales leaders can then jump in to add personalised coaching, creating a loop of continuous improvement without slowing things down.
Build a culture of trust and collaboration
Sales is challenging work, and the environment you create matters. A supportive team culture can directly influence results. When reps feel safe to share setbacks, test new approaches, and learn from one another, they build resilience and perform more consistently.
Research shows that 45% of salespeople who feel supported by their peers, and 33% who feel backed by their managers, are more likely to hit their targets. You don’t need to overhaul your company culture overnight to see results. Small steps, like pairing newer reps with peer mentors, celebrating micro-wins, or running ‘fail-forward’ sessions, can start to shift the tone. Recognising effort as well as outcomes, and rewarding behaviours like collaboration or coaching others, helps build a sense of shared accountability. The payoff? Companies that prioritise development and support see up to 30% higher sales growth.
Stick to a clear, consistent sales process
A strong sales process won’t close deals for your team, but it gives them the clarity and structure to do it more effectively. Process discipline is non-negotiable, especially when it comes to managing pipeline health. That means consistently qualifying opportunities, cleaning out stale deals, and applying clear criteria for each stage of the sales cycle.
Prospecting and follow-up are also areas where consistency pays off. Despite the wide range of tools available today, only 52% of reps follow up proactively, and 42% still rank prospecting as the hardest part of the job. Most prospects need multiple touches, often five or more, before they’ll engage. Without a reliable, repeatable system, those opportunities can slip away.
To sharpen your process, focus on clarity. Define what needs to be true at each stage of the deal. Set clear activity goals that build rhythm and momentum. Encourage reps to mix their channels – email, phone, social media, even voice notes – to meet prospects where they are. And automate wherever you can to ensure follow-ups never fall through the cracks.
Set ambitious, but achievable goals
There’s no denying that targets drive sales performance. But when quotas are unrealistic, motivation suffers before the quarter has even begun. The data tells a complicated story: in 2024, up to 70% of B2B sales reps missed quota. But in Q3 alone, 72% hit their targets. The difference? Goals that reflect real-world conditions and are backed by clear plans.
To make goals meaningful, review them quarterly rather than just annually. Market conditions shift, your expectations should shift too. Strike a balance between team and individual targets to promote both personal ownership and collaboration. Include reps in the process, they often know what’s achievable and what’s aspirational. And for every target, ensure there’s a clear support plan, because goal-setting without coaching is just guesswork.
When people believe in the goals they’re working toward, they give more effort, and get better results.
Final thought: It all comes back to people
From better coaching and enablement to building trust and process discipline, each of these strategies shares the same foundation: they focus on helping people perform at their best.
Implementing them can take a lot of effort, but the return is real. And none of it works without the right team in place. If you’re looking to recruit high-performing sales professionals to drive results this quarter, we can help. Our recruitment specialists know how to find salespeople who don’t just meet expectations, they raise the bar. Get in touch!
