Managing a successful sales team is no easy task. You don't have complete control over what your sales representatives do, and yet your career and financial well being will depend on the accomplishments of the reps on your team. The most successful sales managers possess common traits and utilize proven sales techniques to help them to consistently outperform their peers. If you follow these effective sales management methods, you will maximize your teams sales performance and become a top sales manager starting today.
Adapt And Leverage The Strengths Of Each Team Member. It's important for you to understand your reps unique skills, strengths, weaknesses, and what motivates them. To be effective, you must adapt your management style to the needs of every individual and should not make the mistake of trying to manage or coach everyone in the same way.
Set Realistic Sales Goals. Make sure the sales goals you set are challenging, measurable, and attainable, and hold your reps accountable for achieving them. The financial incentives available for reaching sales goals, including those related to specific deals, need to be very clear.
Lead By Example. Top sales managers earn the most trust and respect from their reps by rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty. Work closely with the reps on your team who need the most help and you will increase your sales performance. Whenever practical, have your more successful and senior reps mentor your junior ones.
Share And Celebrate Successes. One of the better ways to motivate your team while sharing valuable sales techniques is to have your reps present their most strategic wins to the rest of your team. When you do, everyone will learn firsthand how their peers overcame difficult obstacles to close their best deals. It's very likely that your other sales reps are having similar challenges with their own opportunities and will gain benefit from the experience and success of others.
Provide Honest And Constructive Feedback. The most effective sales managers I've worked with were the ones that I learned the most from and those that provided prompt and constructive feedback. Make sure you highlight and reinforce the positive behaviors while also suggesting changes in the areas your reps can improve upon. A well balanced discussion will be appreciated.
Reward Your Top Performers. Rewards can be provided in lots of ways and it's hardly surprising that most people in sales are in it for the money. Find ways to acknowledge the success of the individuals on your team and more importantly give credit where it's due. One of the best sales managers I ever had, used to march us into our CEO's office after we closed a significant deal and share our win with them right on the spot. It was a great feeling to be recognized in that way, and although that approach may not always be possible, you need to get creative rewarding outstanding performance.
Assemble The Best Team You Can. Your success is measured by the overall performance of your team, and it's up to you to make sure you have the best possible people supporting and selling to your customers all of the time. If there are individuals who consistently under-perform no matter what you do, cut your losses and hire someone new to replace them.
Connect With Your Customers. Engaging directly with your customers is essential to building your own relationships and will help you improve your business. Additionally, it will enable you to assist your reps with their key deals and overcoming the obstacles they face.
Stay Positive. Negative attitudes and actions are extremely contagious. By focusing your conversations on solutions instead of only the problems, you will see the behavior of your team change in a very positive way. Counter a discussion focused solely on challenges with productive questions geared towards solutions.
Have Fun. Creating and fostering a culture where your team works hard, plays hard, and has fun, provides additional incentives for your team to work together and help one another.
Clearly, to become a top sales manager you will need to coach, mentor and organize your sales team to maximize their potential. Successful managers empower their team by providing an environment of trust and encouragement. This is a challenging undertaking that requires skill and experience. Utilizing the sales management techniques set forth above will assist you to build on the strengths of your team and help you to exceed your sales goals.
Adapt And Leverage The Strengths Of Each Team Member. It's important for you to understand your reps unique skills, strengths, weaknesses, and what motivates them. To be effective, you must adapt your management style to the needs of every individual and should not make the mistake of trying to manage or coach everyone in the same way.
Set Realistic Sales Goals. Make sure the sales goals you set are challenging, measurable, and attainable, and hold your reps accountable for achieving them. The financial incentives available for reaching sales goals, including those related to specific deals, need to be very clear.
Lead By Example. Top sales managers earn the most trust and respect from their reps by rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty. Work closely with the reps on your team who need the most help and you will increase your sales performance. Whenever practical, have your more successful and senior reps mentor your junior ones.
Share And Celebrate Successes. One of the better ways to motivate your team while sharing valuable sales techniques is to have your reps present their most strategic wins to the rest of your team. When you do, everyone will learn firsthand how their peers overcame difficult obstacles to close their best deals. It's very likely that your other sales reps are having similar challenges with their own opportunities and will gain benefit from the experience and success of others.
Provide Honest And Constructive Feedback. The most effective sales managers I've worked with were the ones that I learned the most from and those that provided prompt and constructive feedback. Make sure you highlight and reinforce the positive behaviors while also suggesting changes in the areas your reps can improve upon. A well balanced discussion will be appreciated.
Reward Your Top Performers. Rewards can be provided in lots of ways and it's hardly surprising that most people in sales are in it for the money. Find ways to acknowledge the success of the individuals on your team and more importantly give credit where it's due. One of the best sales managers I ever had, used to march us into our CEO's office after we closed a significant deal and share our win with them right on the spot. It was a great feeling to be recognized in that way, and although that approach may not always be possible, you need to get creative rewarding outstanding performance.
Assemble The Best Team You Can. Your success is measured by the overall performance of your team, and it's up to you to make sure you have the best possible people supporting and selling to your customers all of the time. If there are individuals who consistently under-perform no matter what you do, cut your losses and hire someone new to replace them.
Connect With Your Customers. Engaging directly with your customers is essential to building your own relationships and will help you improve your business. Additionally, it will enable you to assist your reps with their key deals and overcoming the obstacles they face.
Stay Positive. Negative attitudes and actions are extremely contagious. By focusing your conversations on solutions instead of only the problems, you will see the behavior of your team change in a very positive way. Counter a discussion focused solely on challenges with productive questions geared towards solutions.
Have Fun. Creating and fostering a culture where your team works hard, plays hard, and has fun, provides additional incentives for your team to work together and help one another.
Clearly, to become a top sales manager you will need to coach, mentor and organize your sales team to maximize their potential. Successful managers empower their team by providing an environment of trust and encouragement. This is a challenging undertaking that requires skill and experience. Utilizing the sales management techniques set forth above will assist you to build on the strengths of your team and help you to exceed your sales goals.
About the Author:
Look here for professional guidance and information about Sales Techniques. By Paul M. Balzano
