Refreshing Sales Team Strategies for Today’s Security Market
As we move into 2025 and are navigating evolving market conditions, successful sales teams need more than just industry experience—they need the right people with the drive to deliver results. Drawing from modern leadership practices and sales management strategies, it’s clear that the key to building high-performing teams isn’t just experience, but adaptability and mindset.
Focus on the Right “Who”
When building a sales team, it’s easy to fall into the trap of hiring individuals who fit your company culture or have the right background. But success goes beyond that. The real key is hiring people who are not only competent but also willing to do the hard work required to succeed.
A candidate’s potential doesn’t always align with their actions. While personality assessments might provide insight into how someone could perform, they don’t guarantee that a salesperson will take action when challenges arise. As the saying goes, “having the capacity to do something is different from actually doing it.”
Build a Team with a Forward-Thinking Mindset
With recent shifts in the economy and technology, we see a lot of companies in the security industry benefiting from advancements like AI, cloud-based solutions, and remote monitoring. While these innovations are exciting, they’ve also introduced new competitors into the market and heightened customer expectations.
More organizations are looking for faster service, integrated solutions, and personalized support. If your sales team isn’t equipped to keep up with these demands, you could find yourself falling behind as new, agile companies snap up the business you’ve traditionally relied on.
This is the time to rethink your sales team. Are they truly positioned to hunt for new opportunities in this rapidly evolving environment? Do they have the skillsets to sell cutting-edge solutions, or are they just maintaining old relationships? Now more than ever, you need a team that thrives on forward-thinking strategies and adapting to technological advancements.
Drive Your Sales Team “Bus”
To ensure long-term growth, you need to steer your sales department with intention. This means making tough decisions about who is on your sales team. Sticking with loyal employees who no longer fit the role can hold your company back. Instead, focus on assembling a team that can navigate todays and tomorrow’s market challenges.
Build Leaders, Not Glorified Assistants
Another key to success is creating a culture of empowerment within your sales team. Top-performing companies don’t rely on a single star leader. Instead, they develop teams of independent leaders who can succeed without micromanagement. For sales teams, this means managers need to coach and empower their team members, rather than simply closing deals themselves.
Companies that fail to do this often find their growth stunted by the capacity of their sales leader. This bottleneck occurs because leaders either don’t know how to hold salespeople accountable or are more focused on their personal achievements than the team’s success.
Key Tips for Success
- Hire for the Role: Focus on finding the best person for the job, whether it’s a salesperson, manager, or leader.
- Evaluate Current Teams: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your current team and assess their ability to perform in today’s environment.
- Fill the Gaps: Address any skills gaps through training or reassignment. If necessary, bring in new talent.
- Promote Carefully: Don’t automatically promote top sellers to management roles unless they have the right mindset and skills to lead.
By reassessing your team, hiring with intention, and building a strong foundation of independent leaders, your sales organization will be better equipped to face the challenges ahead and continue growing successfully.
