Sales teams play a huge role in company success. Yet there are varying opinions about how to manage and get the most out of them. This leads to misinformation being spread. There are countless myths out there about the sales industry. There are myths about the best sales strategies, how to be successful in the industry, and there are myths about sales teams.

Here are some of the most common myths about sales teams exposed by sales recruiters:

1. All sales roles are the same

Many people assume that all sales roles on sales team are the same. The team is made up of a certain number of individuals all performing the sale role. This is incorrect. Sales teams can take on many different structures and hierarchies. Some teams can have each rep doing a completely different role. The makeup of a sales team all depends on company objectives and strategy.

2. A sales team is only as good as their manager

While it’s true that all teams need strong leaders, many sales teams are successful despite the sales manager leading the team. A manager can certainly help improve performance, but reps have the most influence on team performance and success.

3. Good sales strategies will work for all sales teams

A good sales strategy needs to be executed by the right sales reps. A strategy that works for one sales team will not necessarily be effective for other sales teams. This can be the case even within the same company. Great strategies often take into account the type of reps and experience level of the team, among many other factors.

4. 80/20 rule

It is widely believed that 80% of all sales come from 20% of the sales team. Sure, this may be true in some instances, but many sales teams have a more balanced record of sales. If 80% of the sales are coming from a small number of reps, perhaps it’s time to provide additional training to underperforming reps.

You have to be a team player

There are countless examples of successful sales reps operating as lone wolves. Not all sales teams need to be a cohesive unit to be successful. In fact, many sales teams operate effectively with minimal collaboration.

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