Beyond the Commission: Encouraging Collaboration in a Joint Sales Model

Sales have forever been enamored with the hero tale — the individual who gets the biggest sale crushes the monthly quota and rings the bell the hardest. But come on. Most contemporary sales aren't won solo. They're the product of multiple individuals collaborating behind the scenes — from marketing to pre-sales assistance to post-sale success teams.

And still, we pay as if it's a solo operation. That's the actual issue.

What Is a Joint Sales Model?

A joint sales model is where multiple roles—account executives, sales engineers, product specialists, customer success managers—work together throughout the sales process. Instead of relying on one salesperson to close the deal, this model uses the strengths of a team to handle complex buyer needs, technical questions and long term relationship building.

In a team sales model:

• Responsibility is shared across functions.

• Rewards and recognition are given based on contribution not just who closes the deal.

• Collaboration is encouraged not discouraged.

This works well in industries where deals are high value, require multiple touchpoints or involve specialisation—SaaS, enterprise software, finance and consulting.

The Lone Wolf Problem

When salespeople are rewarded only for what they close, they stop sharing. Why pass a lead to a teammate who might close it faster if that means giving up the reward? Why engage a specialist if it reduces your share of the pie? Even worse, some reps might hoard leads or skip internal collaboration to keep the credit.

This isn't due to bad teammates — it's due to the way the system is set up. Legacy commission structures prioritize individual numbers, and that will kill collaboration.

And when collaboration is killed, so is team learning. Reps don't exchange insights. They don't seek advice. New reps don't develop. The outcome? Teams that appear great on paper but can't close large, complicated deals.

Building a Better Setup for Real Teamwork

If we desire an authentic team culture within sales, the reward system must match the rhetoric. Discussing "we are a team" while rewarding solo players with prizes is noise. Real change begins with transparent, intelligent changes that reward others for collaboration.

Here's how that can be.

Start With Team Goals and Shared Wins

Rather than every rep competing for their quota, set them a target as well that they all share. For instance, the team is rewarded when the entire group reaches a particular sales target. This doesn't detract from individual targets — it adds a whole new layer that rewards assisting one another.

Reps are most likely to jump in when one person is falling behind or when a large deal has extra bodies. No one desires to be the individual responsible for the team losing out on the bonus. And when the entire group comes together and wins, that gains trust quickly.

Give Credit Where It's Due

Sales seldom occur without assistance. Perhaps a technical specialist fielded the difficult questions. A customer success rep may have intervened to rescue a renewal. If those individuals don't receive any recognition, they'll quit doing the extra effort.

The solution is straightforward: share rewards with everyone who contributed to making the win. Even a modest percentage — standardized, predictable, and tied to contribution — does wonders. This demonstrates to the team that supporting work is as important as selling the deal.

Let Peers Recognize Each Other

Managers may not know who did what in the background. That's why peer recognition is essential. Provide an avenue for teammates to nominate someone who contributed to them winning — whether it was collaborating on insights, leaping into an eleventh-hour call, or mentoring on a pitch.

This does not have to be glamorous. A simple monthly reward, perhaps a cash bonus or a recognition shout-out with a small token, can have an enormous impact on attitude. Individuals begin looking out for one another more because they know it'll be noticed — and they appreciate it.

Make Collaboration Part of Promotions

Want to make teamwork a cultural norm? Link it to career development. Salespeople won't do it because you tell them to. But if mentoring, contributing to onboarding, or participating in cross-team initiatives accelerates their chances of promotion, you'll see behavior change.

This also allows you to identify future leaders — the ones who make everyone else better, not just the ones who bring in the most business.

Track Contributions Simply

Nothing creates more stress than individuals bickering over who deserves credit. Rather than ugly arguments, employ tools that enable team members to record their contribution to a deal — from lead generation through deal close. Where the system tracks it, payouts are fair, quick, and easy to calculate.

Where folks trust the process, they're more likely to work together.

Teamwork Doesn't Mean No Accountability

Let's be straight — teamwork does not equal no one's in control. Each transaction continues to necessitate the involvement of an individual to facilitate it. That individual deserves credit. But giving them credit should not equal disregarding everyone else involved.

It is not flattening the reward structure. Being completely honest: sales has become a collaborative effort.

Joint Sales Compensation Models: Real-World Examples & Structures

To make collaboration real—not just rhetoric—some companies have reimagined their compensation structures to reward teams, not just individuals. Here are examples and frameworks worth emulating:

1. HubSpot – Cross-Functional Team Selling

Model: Deal Pods with Shared Incentives

• Structure: Each large enterprise deal includes an AE, a Sales Engineer, a Customer Success Manager, and a Product Specialist.

• Compensation: A shared bonus pool is distributed based on contribution, measured by CRM engagement (calls, meetings, solution docs) and peer validation.

• Result: Higher customer retention and faster ramp for new hires, as collaborative behavior is modeled and rewarded.

2. Atlassian – Team-Based Quota Attainment

Model: Squad Goals + Individual Stretch Targets

• Structure: Sales squads of 5–8 reps share a base quota. Each rep also has a smaller individual quota. Bonuses are tied 60% to team attainment, 40% to personal results.

• Why It Works: Encourages reps to help each other without removing personal accountability. Leaders report improved knowledge sharing and morale.

3. Salesforce – Overlay & Specialist Crediting System

Model: Matrix Compensation with Clear Contribution Attribution

• Structure: Overlay roles (e.g., Solution Engineers, Industry Specialists) are embedded in deals. Salesforce uses internal tools (like Quip + CRM tagging) to track involvement.

• Compensation: Contributors receive a small but standardized % credit for influenced deals, validated by the primary AE and sales manager.

• Impact: Avoids “credit battles” and keeps support teams engaged in closing the deal.c c

Final Thought

If you only pay the closer, you'll create a team of closers who don't particularly like one another. But if you pay the ones who build, support, and share, you'll make a team that improves with every sale.

It's not only about repairing pay — it's about repairing culture. And when that occurs, everyone sells more, learns more quickly, and wins more. Learn how product teams can fuel sales wins through smarter knowledge transfer in this post.