If you’re looking for effective sales management training, keep reading. I considered charging $15,000 for this post, but decided to put it in the complimentary category. It’s my birthday, and I’m in a very giving mood.
Question 1: Can you name the best sales manager you’ve ever worked for? Likely you can name him/her without thinking. Question 2: can you name the worst sales manager you’ve ever worked for? Again, I’m sure it took very little thought to come up with a name.
So, what makes a sales manager the best and what makes someone the worst? Here are a few observations:
- Intent: Sales managers whose TRUE, DEEP-ROOTED intent is to HELP THEIR SALESPEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS are far and away the most effective with the greatest results. Unfortunately, too many sales managers are deeply attached to their own success and egotistical gratification. When it’s really all about the manager, the salespeople become mere pawns in the sales manager’s game. Not Good. Your intent as a sales manager is one thing and one thing only: HELP SALESPEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR OWN GOALS.
- Consistency: Ever worked for a sales manager who says on Monday “It’s all about volume guys. Don’t worry about margin,” and then on Thursday looks at the deals you turn in and says, “Tom, why are these margins so low?” People can’t follow a moving target. Effective sales managers stick to a plan and a message and continually reinforce it.
- Coaching: One of the strongest attributes of effective sales managers is their ability to coach their teams. Coaching doesn’t mean “Tom, here’s how I would handle that.” or “Here’s what you should do with that deal.” It’s about playing to strengths. It’s about honesty, collaboration and authenticity. Tell people how it is. Encourage. Reinforce your commitment to make them as good as they want to be. That’s what a good coach does.
- Accountability: The best sales managers take accountability and expect accountability. I have a client who changed their flowery, 3-paragraph mission statement to something much more simple and compelling: WE DO WHAT WE SAY WE’RE GOING TO DO WHEN WE SAY WE’RE GOING TO DO IT. That’s their mission. It should also be the mission of every sales manager and every salesperson. The culture it creates is powerful. It works with external and internal customers. It’s what everyone seems to want, but no one wants to commit to.
Consider these my birthday presents to you. If you as a sales manager only do these 4 things, look out. You’re on your way to the Sales Managers’ Hall of Fame (as soon as we build one).
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