What B2B Sales Team Structure Should You Have – Top 10 Incredible Models

Oh, your B2B sales team structure isn’t doing so good? Don’t worry, you’re not alone, sweetie. In fact, structuring your sales team might sound like Business 101, but when you take a closer look behind the scenes of most organizations, you’ll often find a chaotic knot of misplaced roles, overlapping responsibilities, and—honestly—enough inefficiency to make Jeff Bezos weep.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right B2B sales team structure in place, you can create a more efficient, productive, and successful team. Lucky for you, we’re about to spill the tea on what makes a B2B sales team thrive. From nailing the basics to avoiding the biggest pitfalls, we’ve got you covered. So, put down your coffee (or hold it tight, because things might get spicy), and get ready to take some serious notes!

What Does an Optimal Sales Team Look Like?

An optimal sales team operates with clear roles, data-driven strategies, and strong collaboration, all aligned toward exceeding revenue targets. They prioritize communication, ongoing training, and adaptability to meet market demands while maintaining a relentless focus on delivering customer value. You know—the usual ingredients for world domination.

Each player knows their part in the game. From building initial relationships to sealing the deal, an optimized sales team has different roles weaving together seamlessly to create wins.

What Are the Signs Your Sales Team Is Suboptimal?

Think your team might be struggling? Here are a few red flags to look out for (and yes, we’re talking redder than a clown’s nose).

• Reps stepping on each other’s toes: When two or more people “own” an account, no one owns an account.
• Missed revenue targets: If you’re missing quota after quota, it’s time to re-evaluate your structure before blaming Janet in sales operations again.
• No defined process: Flying by the seat of your pants might work in improv but will tank your sales team faster than you can say “pipeline.”

If any of this sounds familiar, don’t panic. You’ve got options (you’re welcome).

Segregating Roles Within Your Sales Team

Want to know the key to building a high-performing sales team? Specialized roles. Not every sales rep needs to wear every hat—nor should they.

Specialized Structure

A specialized structure in a B2B sales team refers to the deliberate division of roles and responsibilities to maximize efficiency and expertise. This approach ensures that every team member specializes in a specific part of the sales process. Instead of having one sales rep manage everything, tasks are broken into distinct, manageable roles.

Here’s how a specialized B2B sales team structure typically works:

• Business Development Representatives (BDRs) or Sales Development Representatives (SDRs): These roles focus on prospecting and qualifying leads, ensuring only high-potential opportunities move forward.
• Account Executives (AEs): AEs handle pitching and closing deals, leveraging their expertise to convert qualified leads into paying customers.
• Customer Success Managers (CSMs): Once a deal is closed, CSMs take over. They nurture client relationships, ensuring long-term satisfaction and retention.

This structure creates a streamlined and scalable system by playing to individual strengths. As a result, productivity improves, and customer experience is elevated.

The 360 Salesperson

Cue the all-rounder. This approach has each salesperson tackling the entire sales process, from prospecting to closing deals and keeping clients happy. Great for smaller teams—or for stirring up burnout, so proceed with caution.

10 Different Types of B2B Sales Team Structures

Here’s the breakdown of your sales team structures—because one size definitely does not fit all.

1. Geographical Sales Team Structure

A Geographical Sales Team Structure is a key B2B sales team structure that organizes reps by regions or territories. This strategy guarantees broad market reach while fostering stronger, more meaningful connections with customers.

Here’s how it works:

• Local market focus: Each salesperson manages all sales activities within their assigned area, focusing on local customer needs and behaviors.
• Deep market insights: Reps develop a strong understanding of regional trends, helping them craft strategies tailored to their territory.
• Stronger client relationships: By offering personalized attention, sales reps can foster trust and build long-term partnerships with their clients.

However, this B2B sales team structure does come with challenges. For example:

• Coordination is crucial: Teams must maintain clear communication to avoid territory overlap and misalignment with company objectives.
• Broader alignment required: Regional efforts need to integrate with the overall sales strategy to achieve company-wide goals.

In summary, the Geographical Sales Team Structure is highly effective for large or diverse markets. Its focus on local insights and personalized service makes it a powerful B2B sales team structure, provided coordination and alignment are well-managed.

2. Industry Vertical Structure

An industry vertical structure for a B2B sales team means dividing the team by industries instead of geographic regions. This approach offers numerous advantages, helping your team operate more effectively and efficiently. Here’s how:

• Expertise in specific industries: Each sales representative focuses on a vertical like technology, healthcare, manufacturing, or finance. This specialization allows them to understand the sector’s unique needs.
• Tailored communication: With deep industry knowledge, reps can customize their messaging and solutions to address specific customer challenges.
• Increased credibility: By becoming experts in one sector, your team builds trust with customers, enhancing long-term relationships.
• Faster deal closures: Knowing the pain points? Check. Delivering the perfect solutions? Double-check. When your reps walk into a conversation this prepared, deals move from “maybe” to “yes” in record time.
• Competitive advantage: This B2B sales team structure ensures your team stays ahead of market trends and understands competitors within the segment.

By adopting an industry vertical structure, your B2B sales team can better respond to customer needs, close deals faster, and maintain a strong market position.

3. Product-Based Structure

A product-based structure for a B2B sales team structure is built around the company’s specific products or product lines. This approach focuses on products rather than industries or regions, creating a more streamlined specialization process.

Here’s how it works:

• Salespeople specialize in specific products or categories: Each team member is assigned to a single product or product line.
• Deep product expertise: This allows salespeople to gain an in-depth understanding of their assigned product.
• Clear value communication: With expertise, they can convey the product’s value proposition with authority and precision to potential clients.

This B2B sales team structure ensures your team delivers consistent, expert product knowledge tailored to client needs.

4. Customer Size Structure

A customer size structure in a B2B sales team structure focuses on organizing your team by the size of accounts they handle. This approach ensures that sales representatives can better serve clients based on their specific needs. Here’s how it works:

• Small Businesses: These clients often require personal guidance and quick, flexible solutions to address their challenges effectively.
• Medium Businesses: Mid-sized firms may need scalable strategies and a balanced approach between agility and complexity in their solutions.
• Large Enterprises: These clients typically require more complex, multi-layered solutions and longer sales cycles to meet their demands.

Aligning your team with account sizes creates a more focused and efficient strategy.

Here are some tips to avoid pitfalls:

• Assign specialists for each category: Enterprise accounts demand a different approach than SMBs, so divide your team accordingly.
• Avoid mismatched pairings: Sending a startup expert to pitch a Fortune 500 exec could result in missed opportunities.
• Play to your team’s strengths: Match your salespeople to the accounts they know best to maximize results.

Aligning your B2B sales team structure with the unique demands of both enterprise and SMB clients positions your team for greater success.

5. Sales Role Specialization Structure

Sales role specialization is a critical part of an effective B2B sales team structure. By assigning specific roles based on skills and responsibilities, you create a streamlined and high-performing sales ecosystem. This approach ensures that team members can focus on what they do best.

Here’s how a specialized B2B sales team structure typically works:

• Sales Development Representatives (SDRs): They focus on prospecting and lead qualification. Their goal is to pass high-quality opportunities to Account Executives.
• Account Executives (AEs): These team members handle closing deals. They turn qualified leads into revenue for the business.
• Customer Success Managers (CSMs): After the sale, CSMs ensure client satisfaction and retention. Their focus is on maximizing long-term value.
• Sales Engineers: They provide technical expertise during the sales process. This role helps address complex solutions and builds trust with prospects.

By implementing this structure, your team can achieve greater focus, efficiency, and results. Each stage of the sales process is expertly managed, creating a seamless workflow.

6. Account-Based Structure

An account-based structure in a B2B sales team structure is a highly strategic and focused approach. It aligns sales efforts with the specific needs of high-value accounts. This approach shifts the focus from broad lead generation to targeting top-priority accounts.

Here’s why an account-based B2B sales team structure works effectively:

• Focus on high-value accounts: Concentrate on accounts likely to deliver substantial revenue and long-term growth.
• Dedicated roles for efficiency: Key players include account managers, SDRs, and marketing specialists, each with specific responsibilities.
• Customized strategies: Tailor messaging and solutions to meet individual account needs for maximum impact.

This approach streamlines resources to create a unified strategy, strengthening relationships and accelerating deal flow. The result? Faster ROI and a quicker path to market leadership.

7. Hybrid Structure (Double Trouble)

A hybrid B2B sales team structure combines the best aspects of multiple sales models to create a flexible approach. This structure allows businesses to adapt their strategies to fit specific needs, markets, or product lines.

Because why choose just one? With the right approach, you can combine multiple models to fit your needs.

Here’s how to create a beautifully chaotic sales symphony for your B2B sales team structure:

• Identify your needs: Start by assessing your team’s strengths and areas for improvement.
• Mix and match models: Blend strategies like inbound, outbound, or account-based selling to suit your goals.
• Assign clear roles: Ensure every team member understands their function within the mixed structure.
• Track performance: Regularly measure outcomes to refine your approach and maintain efficiency.

By combining different models, your B2B sales team structure can unlock new opportunities and drive results. Bravo!

8. Inside vs. Outside Sales Structure

Inside and outside sales structures offer two distinct approaches to B2B sales, each with unique strengths. Understanding these structures can help optimize your B2B sales team structure for maximum success.

Inside Sales

• Remote operations: Inside sales teams work remotely, using emails, phone calls, and video conferencing to connect with prospects and clients.
• Cost-effective and scalable: This approach reduces travel costs and allows teams to reach a larger audience efficiently.
• Enhanced by technology: CRM platforms and sales automation tools help manage high volumes of leads effectively.
• Ideal for broader audiences: Inside sales is perfect for companies targeting multiple clients without the need for face-to-face interaction.

Outside Sales

• Face-to-face interactions: Outside sales teams meet clients in person, often traveling to on-site locations or networking events.
• Builds strong relationships: This approach fosters deeper, personalized connections, especially with high-value accounts or complex deals.
• Critical in certain industries: Industries requiring hands-on engagement benefit greatly from the physical presence of outside sales reps.

By splitting responsibilities, your B2B sales team structure can target clients in both virtual and physical spaces, maximizing impact.

9. Channel/Partner Structure

A Channel/Partner Structure in a B2B sales team structure is an effective way to drive sales through external partners. Instead of relying solely on internal teams, this approach builds strategic partnerships with external organizations. These partners, such as resellers or distributors, promote and sell your products or services.

Benefits of a Channel/Partner Structure:

• Access to Established Networks: Partners already have connections, making it easier to reach new customers.
• Expansion into New Markets: Businesses can enter markets they might not have reached on their own.
• Lower Direct Sales Costs: By outsourcing sales efforts, companies reduce the need for large internal sales teams.

For a B2B sales team structure to thrive, it’s crucial to empower your partners with the right resources. Offering comprehensive tools, training, and support enables them to represent your brand with confidence and professionalism.

10. Functional Structure

A functional structure in a B2B sales team is an organized model that divides team members based on their specific roles. This B2B sales team structure prioritizes specialization, ensuring each individual focuses on a particular part of the sales process.

Key areas of specialization include:

• Prospecting: Identifying potential customers and generating leads.
• Lead qualification: Ensuring leads meet the criteria for conversion.
• Account management: Building and maintaining customer relationships.
• Closing deals: Finalizing contracts and securing agreements.

Moreover, a functional structure is ideal for complex sales environments.

With this B2B sales team structure, every member knows their purpose, ensuring seamless coordination and maximum productivity.

5 Most Common Team Structure Mistakes Sales Managers Make

Listen, mistakes happen. But these don’ts? They’re completely avoidable if you pay attention to the details.

1. Overlapping responsibilities — Nothing creates chaos faster than unclear roles. It’s like putting two captains on the same ship. Decide who owns what to avoid stepping on toes and missing targets.
2. Neglecting post-sale customer success roles — Closing the deal isn’t the end of the journey. Forgetting customer success is a rookie mistake that can cost you long-term relationships and renewals.
3. Choosing a structure that works against your product or target market — Your sales team structure should align with how your customers buy. A mismatch here creates friction and inefficiency.
4. Relying on the 360 salespeople — It’s tempting to expect one person to handle everything from prospecting to closing to account management. But it’s not scalable, and eventually, something will give.
5. Ignoring feedback from your actual sales reps — Your salespeople are in the trenches daily. They know exactly where the process is breaking down. Ignoring their insights is like flying blind when you don’t have to.

Pay attention to these pitfalls, and you’ll set your B2B sales team structure up for success.

5 Ways to Ensure a Successful Sales Team Structure

Steal these ideas to optimize your B2B sales team structure (we won’t snitch):

1. Evaluate Your Needs: Assess your business goals, industry demands, and target audience to determine the best structure for your B2B sales team. The right setup should align with your objectives and streamline daily operations.
2. Define Roles Clearly: Avoid confusion by outlining responsibilities for each role. In a B2B sales team structure, everyone should know their tasks, reporting lines, and how their work impacts overall goals—no overlap or guessing games.
3. Provide Training: Keep your team sharp with regular training sessions. Upskilling in tools, sales tactics, or soft skills ensures your B2B sales team stays motivated and competitive.
4. Use Technology: Leverage CRM systems to automate workflows, track leads, and manage client interactions. The right tech tools boost efficiency and keep your B2B sales team on track.
5. Review and Adapt: Business evolves, and so should your B2B sales team structure. Schedule quarterly reviews to evaluate what’s working and make adjustments to support growth and success. Flexibility is key to thriving long-term!

Conclusion – Get Your Team on the A-List

The dynamics of your sales team can be the deciding factor between surpassing quarterly goals or awkwardly explaining at the holiday party why revenue fell short. Building an effective B2B sales team structure isn’t about choosing a generic model—it’s about crafting one perfectly tailored to your business.

Ready to take your team from average to exceptional? Save these tips or pass them along to a sales manager who could use a little constructive guidance.