Behind every successful sales team there is a successful sales manager leading the way. Studies have shown that if your sales manager is ineffective or unhappy in their position, it will be reflected in a lack of success by the sales team. If you have a great sales team, you also have a great sales manager. You want to do everything you can to make sure that your sales manager has the tools they need to lead the team. You also want to make sure that you don’t make any of the common mistakes that will cause you to lose a good sales manager.

1. Lack of communication.

If communication between upper management is poor, ineffective, non-existent, or unproductive, it will make the difficult job of the sales manager even more difficult. The sales manager is the link between sales and management. They provide any necessary information from management to the sales team. If there is a break in the communication process, it can be deadly. Any information that is pertinent to your product or your services must be disseminated to the sales manager in an effective and timely manner. This can include specific changes to the product or service, prices changes, or information regarding delivery. The sales manager passes information on to the sales team. The sales team passes information on to the customer. Ultimately, if the sales manager is not getting the appropriate information, it is the customer who will be most affected. Additionally, the sales manager needs to know that any input that they provide to management is heard and acted upon, particularly if it pertains to customer concerns. If the sales manager cannot get a response from the higher ups, they will lose credibility with the sales team and the sales people will lose credibility with the customer.

2. Lack of professional development opportunities.

In the same way that the sales manager needs to coach and hone the skills of their sales team, management needs to make sure that the sales manager has similar opportunities. Training opportunities, industry based conferences and inclusion in team meetings helps to keep the sales manager’s skills up to date and primed. Studies have shown that employees feel recognized, and, thereby, more motivated, when they have opportunities for professional training and development. Providing these opportunities tells your sales manager that you are happy with their performance and that you are willing to invest in them to continue to grow professionally. In addition, providing training to your sales manager is extremely cost effective as they will be able to pass any new knowledge or skills training on to their sales team.

3. Lack of recognition.

Everyone wants to be recognized for a job well done. Sales managers are in a unique position where it can be very easy to overlook their accomplishments. Companies regularly tend to focus on providing incentives and recognition for the sales team. This is often because it is very easy to measure the success of a particular sales person. Measuring success for a sales manager is just as important. You need to have specific and measurable goals for your sales manager. Their goals need to be something that they can achieve through their own efforts. There needs to be a fair and appropriate incentive package in place for when the goals are achieved. When sales managers do not feel valued by the company, it will ultimately have an impact on the sales team that can affect your sales.

The job of a sales manager can be difficult. The person in this position is frequently the key to success for your sales team. You need to make sure that your company provides your sales manager with effective two-way communication, professional development opportunities, and a strong incentive program that recognizes their contribution to the company. Providing these tools will help to keep your sales manager happy and your sales team successful.