How much does creativity really impact a sales team? This week’s roundup focuses on exploring the answer to this question, as we review creative ways of developing new talent, managing time, and increasing online sales traffic. These articles cover new solutions for increasing your email open rate, implementing SEO tricks, and everything in between. No matter how creative you think your team is now, these resources will keep your mind on the future, and give you motivation to explore some new (and potentially lucrative) options.



6 Benefits of Teamwork in the Workplace (Sandler Training Blog)

If you run a sales organization whose unspoken rule is “every rep for themselves,” this article is for you. The Sandler team (@SandlerTopTier) highlights the incredible benefits of encouraging teamwork in a sales environment, citing increased creativity, customer confidence, and conflict resolution. Competition might be good, but you don’t know how much more effective teamwork is until you try it.

Kendra Lee (@KendraLeeKLA) shares the obvious email elephant in the room that most sales professionals ignore: no one wants to open an email from someone they don’t know. In this five-minute read, she suggests that sales reps and managers focus on building their Recognition ROI instead of fretting over your subject line.

Colleen Francis (@EngageColleen) takes five minutes to explain her no-nonsense view of the future of buying. She suggests that the concepts of B2C and B2B are becoming archaic in the light of the consumerization of sales. She gives four reasons for this: increased technology, younger buyers, the advent of the “sharing economy,” and collaborative decision-making.

This in-depth article from relationship economist Tamara McCleary (@TamaraMcCleary) is a good resource for sales professionals who want to locate their target market effectively. This is the second in a series of three articles designed to increase sales conversions, and includes valuable insight into mining the internet, face-to-face interactions, and buyer data for the perfect prospects who are ready to buy.

This short read from Bill Caskey (@billcaskey) is a tongue-in-cheek look at basic mistakes that many poor salespeople make. The list of his pet peeves includes not following up, having no sales goals, and treating everyone you meet as a prospect. It’s a fast, fun read to remind yourself of what NOT to do if you’re serious about sales.

Dave Finkel (@DavidFinkel) explains that procrastination comes down to three key motivations: fear, habit, and perfectionism. He then explains how things like collaboration, personal rewards, and integrity can have a huge effect on your productivity. This is a great five-minute article that can give you actionable tools to overcome your procrastination habits.

Social Media Tools to Cut Down Management Time and Increase Effectiveness (Social Media Today)

Content Strategy Specialist Jessica Davis provides the names of five robust social media tools that you might not be using yet. She suggests applications that help you curate (EveryPost), track interaction (Postling), and manage multiple social platforms (Spredfast, Social Oomph). One of the most interesting is Drum Up, which suggests new, relevant posts for your business to share on social platforms.

In this provocative post by Greg Satell (@Digitaltonto), he shares some useful anecdotes about leadership. He suggests that new managers have a lot to learn when it comes to developing talent, building working teams, and making assumptions. This quick read is beneficial for both new and seasoned managers alike, and may have you rethinking your sales management strategy.

The only thing that is unchanging about SEO rules is the fact that they’re constantly changing. In this article from SEO guru Martin Link (@thefourthlink), he highlights some of the biggest pressure points for social selling and SEO web sale strategy. Specifically, he explains that heavy density keywords are out, but microdata and high-quality content are in.

Sonya Meloff and Jamie Scarborough, co-founders of Canada’s largest sales recruitment company, share their insight from Michael Lewis’s Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. They explain how tactics like choosing high-talent/low-experience sales recruits, exploring aging applicants, and recognizing motivation and curiosity in potential B2B sellers can give you a low-cost team that produces high results.

What Do You Think?

Creativity is a major part of the sales strategies of the most successful sales organizations. What are some of the new tools and tricks that your team is using to be more motivated, organized, and innovative with your selling? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below!