Sales managers carry the overall responsibility for sales performance. This responsibility is best discharged by focusing on the key tasks of leadership, motivation and development.

Creating the Vision

Sales management must create a VISION of the future - a sense of direction that encompasses the overall goals of the organisation and the role of Sales in achieving them. Managers, through their leadership, ensure these overall goals form the basis of all sales actions and behaviours.

Explaining the Mission

Management must then explain the organisation’s MISSION, which relates to what the organisation believes in. This mission is expressed in its culture and values and includes the sales strategy which outlines the organisation’s competitive offering and the types of customers to be targeted.

Involving People

PEOPLE within the sales organisation must know how they fit into the vision and mission. Management must work hard to explain how each member of the sales team contributes to overall success. Key tasks & roles are an important part of this understanding, but so are the role of teams and the sharing of experience and strengths.

Focusing on Performance

The levels of PERFORMANCE that are required, is a very important element of the sales management role.  However, the notion of performance is much wider than just the achievement of targets and objectives; it is also about the skills and behaviours upon which these achievements are made.

 

Creating Motivation

In the final analysis, even the best laid strategies and plans will come to nothing unless salespeople have the necessary MOTIVATION to succeed.
Motivation is not only about incentives and rewards however, it is also about what an individual commits to the organisation in return for what is received back – the psychological contract that exists between each salesperson and the organisation.

Providing Development

Finally, sales management must provide for the DEVELOPMENT of salespeople, to provide them with the wherewithal to achieve success.

This development also includes the provision of feedback on a regular and early basis to enable salespeople to monitor their own performance. Sales managers must also be skilled coaches to develop the required knowledge, skills & behaviours of each member of the team.

Conclusion

The key sales management tasks of leadership, motivation and development will ensure the sales team performs to its full potential in the quest for outstanding sales performance.