What makes a good sales manager in today’s marketplace?
By Pete Mercer
Developing sales leaders is a critical component in the job of a sales manager. Sales managers need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to develop and train upcoming leaders in the organization, but the role of sales management has changed over the years.
Repertoire Magazine recently spoke to Patrick Malone, a leadership mentor and independent business advisor with over 40 years of experience, about the current state of business and sales management. Malone started in customer service with American Greetings in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked his way up to the role of vice president for the Southeast region. In the last 20 years, he’s worked with a company called The PAR Group, focusing on sales leadership development. Most recently, he’s hosted several live talk radio shows in a two-hour block every weekday morning.
How sales management has changed over the years
Sales tactics and the products that reps sell have improved over the years, but Malone argues that the process of managing a sales team hasn’t changed. “It’s basic nuts and bolts. Managing and coaching a group of salespeople hasn’t really changed over the years.” While the people and the way that a sales manager connects with them might have changed, the skills required to manage a sales team haven’t.
On the other hand, the responsibilities of a sales manager have changed quite a bit from Malone’s perspective, especially when it comes to forecasting. He said, “I think the one thing I’ve seen that’s different is sales managers today are carrying forecast responsibility in addition to their management roles. Sales managers get promoted because they were good salespeople, and when they move into that role, all their emphasis is on their portion of the forecast. The sales management piece of the equation becomes secondary.”
According to Malone, too many leaders think that sales is still a numbers game. Nowadays, sales is much more of a skills game. It takes repetition to really nail down the details of a successful sales call.
What are those skills? Malone said, “The ability to ask questions in a way that the customer recognizes that you really do care. Once you’ve asked the question, you need to acknowledge the answer that you get, without saying ‘I heard you.’ These are subtle skills. I know a lot of people can ask questions, but it becomes more of an interrogation than a demonstration of real interest.”
How to manage better customer experiences
One component in the sales setting that has changed drastically over the years is the customer. The customer experience is at the forefront of every transaction, which can mean the difference between whether you close a deal or not. The internet has raised the expectations of customers before they’ve even made contact with the sales rep.
Malone said that sales reps need to approach customers with a personalized touch to be most effective. He explained, “Sales reps need to understand the customer’s business before the meeting. Customers will be like, ‘Don’t expect me to educate you. You better be interested in my business – not based on what your company told you was of value but tell me why I should do business with you.’ You don’t have to change your product; you just have to find out what is important to that customer and how your product meets that need. Leave the other stuff alone.”
The best thing that a new sales rep can do is to go visiting around in their territory without even trying to sell anything. This approach can help to establish a relationship between the sales rep and the customer without the pressure of a deal on either side. Starting these relationships on the right foot is crucial to the success of the sales rep. Malone said, “Gather the knowledge, ask the right questions, understand the nuances between one customer and the next. Don’t try to be interesting, be interested.”
People typically respond better to those situations if you show an interest in what their business does and how they solve the problems of their own customers. Take notes and use this time to strategize, but don’t forget to leave a good first impression on your prospects.
What makes a good sales manager?
What does it take to make a good sales manager? To be truly effective, salespeople need to be able to trust their managers. Here are the best qualities for a sales manager:
- Sets clear and concise goals – The best sales managers keep communications very clear and simple. With well-defined goals, your sales team is capable of accomplishing so much more than you might think possible. “There’s a thing out there that I call toxic ambiguity. Too many salespeople get the idea that a manager wants more sales. What does that mean? It’s so vague that it’s hard to quantify.” Clear, concise and attainable goals are the best way to drive efficiency and productivity.
- Makes good assessments – Sales managers need to make good assessments of what their sales reps need. Malone said that there are three areas where sales reps have needs: education, skills, and coaching. Keep this approach simple for the best results.
- Continues to raise the bar – Sales managers need to constantly raise their expectations for the sales team. “They need to keep raising the bar and presenting bigger challenges, because that’s how the salesperson is going to grow.”