The challenge of engaging remote sales teams
Sales teams run on energy. It is the fuel for cold calls, discovery sessions, and navigating complex deals. In a remote setting, maintaining that collective energy is one of the biggest challenges a manager faces. Your reps spend their entire day on video calls, and the last thing they want is another passive meeting disguised as a team event.
High performers, in particular, need an activity that feels like a genuine reward, not just another mandatory calendar block. There is a significant difference between an event that just checks a box for management and one that builds true camaraderie across different time zones. I have seen it repeatedly: teams often arrive at a virtual session feeling skeptical, but they leave energized when the activity has a clear purpose and a hands on component. It gives them a shared experience that is not about quotas or pipelines.
Why some virtual activities miss the mark
The goal of any team building event is to connect people, but the execution determines its success. An activity that feels like a test or more screen time can add pressure rather than relieve it. For a sales team, competition is natural, but they often crave a challenge that feels tangible. When everyone is working toward a shared physical goal, conversation flows more naturally than it might in a less structured setting. The key is to find an event that provides a mental break from the screen, even while using a screen to connect.
Defining the criteria for effective virtual sales activities
Over the years, I have found a few core principles that separate a forgettable virtual event from one that a sales team will talk about for months. The most successful virtual sales team building activities are built around these ideas.
First, tactile engagement is the best way to combat screen fatigue. Giving your team something to hold and manipulate in their hands immediately changes the dynamic of a call. It pulls their focus away from their email and into a shared physical space.
Second, the activity should mirror skills that are valuable in sales, like persistence, sensory analysis, or creative problem solving. When the event reinforces the mindset needed to succeed in their roles, it feels relevant and valuable.
Third, the instruction has to be excellent. Your team wants to learn a new skill from someone who has mastered it. An expert guide builds credibility and ensures everyone feels supported, whether they are a complete beginner or have some experience.
Finally, a shared outcome is essential. When everyone on the team tastes the same coffee, or works on the same kind of puzzle, it creates a unified story. They can compare notes, share frustrations, and celebrate successes together, which builds a powerful sense of connection.
The psychology of sales team bonding
There is a unique psychology to how sales teams bond. Mastering a new, non-work-related skill builds a type of confidence that carries over into the next discovery call. It is a reminder that they can tackle unfamiliar challenges and succeed.
A shared struggle followed by a shared success creates lasting team stories. The process of working through a difficult puzzle, like opening a transparent practice lock, forges a bond. It is a low pressure environment where team members can connect as people. Sensory experiences, like a guided coffee or latte tasting, provide a different but equally effective path. They create common ground for conversation that has nothing to do with work, allowing relationships to develop more organically.
How to plan a virtual sales activity that reps actually enjoy
A successful event starts with clear planning. The logistics do not have to be complicated, but a few key steps will ensure everything runs smoothly and your team has a great experience.
Your first step is to identify the goal of the session. Is this a reward for a record quarter, a kickoff for the new year, or a routine morale boost? The goal will help you choose the right tone and activity. For example, a high-energy challenge like a lock picking workshop is great for a competitive sales kickoff, while a more relaxed virtual coffee tasting can be a perfect reward for a President’s Club event.
Next, focus on logistics. For any event with a physical component, you will need to collect shipping addresses. Do this as early as possible. We handle all the address collection and communication for our clients to make this step simple.
A great way to make the event feel special is to coordinate with the host to include details specific to your team. Inside jokes or trivia about your company culture can be woven into the session to make it feel truly customized.
Finally, I always encourage keeping the whole group on one main call. This maintains a high energy, collective atmosphere where everyone can share in the big moments together. It is more effective for building a group narrative than splitting people into smaller, isolated rooms.
Managing the logistics of a remote event
We have designed our process to be as simple as possible for organizers. For events that require shipped kits, a lead time of exactly two weeks is required. This ensures every representative has their kit in hand before the event begins. We manage all the tracking and communication, so you do not have to.
Technically, the setup is straightforward. Our events run on standard platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. For hands on instruction, we use a multi camera view to provide close up details, ensuring everyone can see what is happening, no matter the group size.
I also find that adding a 30 minute buffer after our lock picking and coffee tasting sessions allows for valuable, unscripted Q&A. It is a great time for the team to ask more questions and chat in a relaxed environment after the formal session ends.
The benefits of tactile workshops for sales teams
Hands on workshops provide a different kind of engagement that is especially valuable for remote teams. They create focus and a sense of presence that is hard to replicate. Here are a few examples of how this works in practice.
Lock picking serves as a useful metaphor for the sales process. You have to stay patient, feel for feedback, and be willing to change your approach when something is not working. It teaches persistence in a fun, low stakes environment. When I teach groups, I see people’s focus sharpen as they learn to translate tiny movements into progress. Participants leave these sessions with a tangible new skill and a set of transparent practice locks to keep.
A virtual coffee tasting develops the palate and provides practical home brewing hacks that your team members will actually use. In our session, each person receives a kit with nine pour over drippers covering three different roast types. We all brew and taste them together, creating a shared sensory baseline. It is a great way to build rapport and give your team a skill they can enjoy long after the event. For more details, you can explore our guide to interactive virtual corporate events.
The impact of hands on sales team building
When a team solves a physical puzzle together, their engagement and communication improve. A shared sensory experience, like our coffee tasting, creates common ground without the pressure of “forced fun”. Learning a skill provides a shared talking point that lasts long after the call ends.
We also offer other hands on experiences. Our virtual latte tasting event explores how different non dairy milks change the flavor of coffee, and is a great option for globally distributed teams. For a completely different kind of experience that requires no shipping, our virtual magic event is hosted by professional magician Justin “Bro” Gilbert. He performs a live show and then teaches the group three tricks they can perform themselves. Each of these activities is designed to get your team interacting in a new way, building the personal connections that are the foundation of a great sales culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I choose the right activity for a highly competitive sales team?
For a competitive group, I recommend an activity with a clear, measurable goal and a challenge. Our lock picking workshop is very popular with sales teams because it is a hands on puzzle that requires focus, persistence, and problem solving. The 99 percent first lock success rate ensures everyone experiences a win, with locks of increasing difficulty to keep everyone engaged. - What is the ideal duration for a virtual sales team building session?
The ideal duration depends on the activity and your team’s schedule. Our events are flexible. Lock picking is available in 60 or 90 minute sessions. Coffee and latte tastings can be 30, 60, or 90 minutes. The magic event is offered in 30 or 60 minute versions. For lock picking and coffee, we also include an optional 30 minute Q&A buffer after the session for more informal conversation. - How far in advance should I book a virtual event with shipped kits?
You must book at least two weeks before your event date. This two week lead time is a requirement to ensure we can ship the kits and have them arrive for every participant on time. - Can virtual activities accommodate large global sales teams?
Yes. All our events can scale to accommodate groups of up to 2,000 attendees on a single call. For events with shipped kits, we handle the logistics. Lock picking kits ship to North America, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. Coffee tasting kits ship to the United States and Canada. Latte tasting kits ship to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our magic event requires no shipping and is available worldwide. - What equipment do my sales reps need to participate in a tactile workshop?
Very little. For our events, the kits we ship contain all the specialized items needed. For the coffee tasting, participants only need to provide hot water and a mug. For lock picking, the kit is all inclusive. Attendees just need to join the video call from a computer.
Book a hands-on virtual event for your sales team and see the difference a tactile experience can make.
