Sales Success: It's Everyone's Responsibility, Not Just the Sales Team's

Is it just the Sales Team that’s responsible for sales? 

As you can probably guess by the title of this article, our answer to this question is ‘heck, no’. Many of us often default to the sales and marketing team when revenue isn’t matching up to targets. But the reality is that everyone on the team plays a vital role in the growth of the business.

Photo by Anna Shvets

Each function of the business – Product Development, Operations, Marketing, Finance, Sales... you name it – should ultimately support the bottom line.  

To get to ownership and accountability from all members, as a leader it’s your number 1 accountability to foster a culture where every person feels integral to the success story. It’s up to you to cultivate an environment where transparency and trust are not just encouraged but required.  

Culture and mindset shifts aren’t always easy, but we’ve outlined a few different ways of thinking that can help you start this transition. And once you're done here, check out our blog for tips and tools on how to get this shift in motion!

1. Sharing the revenue goal 

Openness within the organization is crucial. It's not just about sharing figures and targets but about creating a dialogue. Encourage questions, demystify your business processes, and let every team member see their impact on the wider goals. Everyone who is contributing to growth should have a metric to work towards and, newsflash it doesn’t always have to be dollars in the bank. If someone is responsible for creating content or marketing materials, they could have a total impression goal, which can lead to a goal for leads, and so on. In the end, all metrics need to ladder up to the overall revenue goal.  

On a regular basis, everyone should understand how the organization is performing and where focus needs to be placed to see results. If goals need to be re-adjusted, do so and involve the team. Invite honest questions and clear ambiguity about what it means.   

2. Lean into individual strengths – Right People, Right Seats 

As the saying goes, it’s got to be the ‘right people in the right seats’. Diversity in skills and perspectives is your greatest asset. Move away from siloed working and think about how each individual’s unique abilities can contribute to common goals. This isn’t about filling gaps but about creating a mosaic where every piece adds value.  Not everyone will have a rolodex of contacts in their network to reach out to immediately. Rather, think creatively about how each team member can best contribute - perhaps it's upfront research, producing content to support outreach or applying project management skills to keep everyone focused and on task. 

3.  Celebrate success as a team 

If everyone is working towards the goal, everyone should be recognized for their contributions to achieving the goal together.  So, yes... we’re arguing to reconsider those quarterly or annual bonuses to reward just your ‘best’ salespeople. Instead, think of ways to recognize, reward and potentially compensate all of those who have helped to achieve the overall sales target together.  

On top of that, it’s important to consider that ‘celebrating successes’ can mean a lot of things, to many different people. It could mean the self-satisfaction of achieving a goal, recognition and acknowledgment by leadership, or it could mean receiving collective or individual compensation.  Try to find the ways that resonates with YOUR team, fit your culture and drive motivation and engagement   

We know it to be true – individuals are motivated by a variety of factors. According to Socialcast, "69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated." Whatever it is, it’s important to consider the internal and external rewards involved in celebrating success. To dive into this topic, check out this Forbes article that we love.  

Cultivating a culture for growth 

The key takeaway is clear:  Focusing only on a sales team to grow your company, is not the only way to build a successful business.  By fostering a culture of shared success, as a leader, you can create an environment where every team member is integral to achieving organizational goals. It’s important to make everyone feel they are truly part of the success – because they are! 

This may feel like a daunting shift, so we’d be happy to chat it through with you if you need a thinking partner! Stay tuned for tactical ways to build and grow your organization!