As a new sales manager, you’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve yourself. Knowing what to do when a unique situation presents itself is an important part of the job. With that in mind, following are a few tips for new sales managers.
1. Be Confident
One of the most important things you can do as a new sales manager is to have confidence in yourself. If you’re wishy-washy in your decision processes, your hesitation will quickly be noticed by your sales staff. Acting confidently, but not arrogantly, will make your sales people more confident in what they do and sales should improve as a result.
2. Have a Plan
Once you receive news that you’ve gotten the job as a new sales manager, you should take the time to make a plan. Decide what you want to accomplish and how you’re going to make that happen. Develop a set of goals for your team, but make sure they are attainable. Unrealistic expectations can be counterproductive because they’ll either never be met, or achieving them will take an excessive amount of time and people will become discouraged. Your plan should contain a series of smaller, realistic goals along the way. Reaching each step toward your ‘master’ plan will increase your staff’s confidence in you, and your self-assurance in your own abilities to lead.
3. Learn the Job
One of the most important things you can do as a sales manager is to find out exactly what your job entails, and then take the necessary steps to learn the job. Although sales positions are all similar–basically you’re trying to sell a product or service–each job is comprised of a variety of details that set it apart from other sales manager positions. If you learn the nuances of your job, you’ll be able to lead your team better and more confidently.
4. Communicate
A vital part of any managerial position is the ability, and willingness, to keep in constant communication with your team. Let them know what you expect from them, and try and determine what they are looking for from you. Find out a little bit about each team member so you treat them as an individual, not salesperson #4. Your staff will appreciate the fact that you care about them as a person–but don’t go overboard. Remember, you are their manager, not their friend. Attempt to strike a happy medium between being buddy-buddy and aloofness.
5. Be Accessible
As a leader, you need to make sure you’re accessible to your team. Throughout the course of the day questions are bound to pop up that need clarification or a decision is required that only you can make. If you’re not available that will slow the entire process down and not only will your salesperson not be able to do their job, your entire team may be unable to perform. Make sure your pager and cell phone are on, and that you return calls from your staff immediately.
Guest post from Andy Granger. Andy writes business insurance quotes for BusinessInsurance.org.
Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.