As a fully remote salesperson, working from home or on the road, it can be challenging to stay productive and effective. Here are some tips to help you succeed as a remote sales rep:
- Stick to a routine. Even though you're working remotely, establish set working hours and a daily routine. Get up at the same time each day, have a dedicated workspace, and set schedules for meetings and work time. This will help you stay focused and productive.
- Use video conferencing. As a remote worker, video calls are essential for staying connected to your colleagues and managers. Use video conferencing like Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts whenever possible for meetings, calls and training. Video helps reduce miscommunications and helps build rapport.
- Overcommunicate. Make the extra effort to communicate frequently with your coworkers, especially when starting a new remote role. Share details about your schedule, availability, and workload to avoid surprises. Ask your colleagues to do the same. Open communication is key.
- Use collaboration tools. Leverage tools like Slack, Asana, Trello or Salesforce to stay in sync with your team. These tools facilitate communication, document sharing, task management, and CRM to help you work efficiently with the rest of your remote and office-based team members.
- Focus on results. One of the benefits of being a remote employee is flexibility. However, that means you need to be focused on outcomes and results to be successful. Discuss key performance indicators and expectations with your manager and work to consistently achieve and exceed the required results. Results and impact are the most important things.
- Avoid distractions. Working from home comes with many potential distractions. Make sure to minimize notifications on your devices and try to separate your workspace from the rest of your home. Let people know when you need to focus and can't be disturbed. The more you can avoid distractions, the more productive you will be.
- Take breaks when needed. While routine is important, also be sure to take periodic breaks when you need them. Step away from your desk for lunch and occasional short breaks to recharge and renew your energy. But keep breaks under control so you don't lose focus.
- Stay connected to your organization's culture. It can be easy to feel out of the loop without face to face interaction with colleagues. Make an effort to stay connected to your company culture by participating in conference calls, trainings, and meetings. Also engage with colleagues through video chats and by following any internal communications or newsletters.
- Consider coworking spaces. If you start to feel isolated or unfocused at home, consider using a coworking space. Coworking spaces provide a dedicated office environment along with opportunities for networking and connection with others. They are often more affordable and flexible than traditional office space leases.