Sales managers must be coaches, strategists, and leaders for their sales teams. Becoming a great sales manager takes more than experience – it also requires continual learning through actively seeking out and following through on sales management tips from others who have been successful. Learn from the five following sales management tips to build your platform for success.

Build Effective Communication Skills to Interact with Others

Sales managers must be able to communicate effectively with sales people at different career stages, their management peers, executives, and prospects and customers at all levels. Each interaction requires tailored communication, which makes this one of the important sales management tips for sales managers to learn. Hone your communication skills through:

• Picking the best medium for messages, whether it be in person, over the phone, or through e-mail.
• Being as concise as possible to communicate your key points.
• Paying attention to body language and other cues to inform and adapt your communication style for maximum impact.

Create a Best Practices Playbook for Your Sales Team

One common problem for sales managers is a sales team of individuals following different sales processes, which predictably leads to inconsistent sales results. You can make sure that all of your sales people are on the same page by creating a best practices playbook that provides your sales team with clear guidance on how and when sales processes should be completed.

• Develop processes for lead generation and follow up; hold sales people accountable for following guidelines.
• Provide coaching on proven methods of overcoming the objections common to your selling environment.
• Create outlines of your organization’s typical sales cycles that include steps that your sales people should be following with every sale.

Develop Talent From within the Sales Team

Few sales people are a “natural” fit for sales. Even top sales people who make selling look easy are constantly honing their skills and integrating new knowledge. The guidance that you provide to your sales team sets the tone for your sales team’s success, and by developing talent from within your sales team you can ensure that you have all of the components for a flourishing sales team in place. Create a development plan for your sales team that integrates sales management tips like prioritizing coaching time so that the sales people who need your help the most can benefit from your advice and guidance and coaching your sales people on motivation and drive to get your sales team to consistently meet new quotas.

Know Your Business Inside and Out

Make sure that you are ahead of the curve and regularly follow how trends within your industry and the science of selling are evolving. The knowledge that you accrue will allow you to construct a path that leads your sales team in the right direction. In addition, by being able to predict conditions for your marketplace you will be able to create better-informed sales strategies that require less adjustment. This will make your job and the jobs of the sales people reporting to you easier.

Know What’s Important to Your Sales Team

If you want your sales team to deliver, you must understand the needs, concerns, and drives of your sales people. If your sales people feel understood they will have trust in your leadership, be more open to discussing issues, and won’t hesitate to follow your direction. Form these all-important relationships with your sales people with these sales management tips:

• Adopt a policy of transparency to keep your sales people well-informed.
• Treat your sales people consistently and fairly in all interactions.
• Always give more of yourself than you ask of your sales people; they will notice and appreciate the effort you put into the team’s success.

Remember that as a sales manager, your accomplishments are measured by the results that your sales team is collectively able to deliver. Follow these sales management tips to help your sales team thrive.