5 Best Sales Team Management Strategies For Sales Managers
The sales team of any company is an essential part of the organisation's growth, as they need to acquire new clients and keep them happy with the service and products they receive. With such a vital role for business, the team needs a focused manager to help them navigate the customer's journey.
A sales manager's role in the team's operation could focus on building trust and relationships between the sales staff and their customers, providing them with the proper training to fulfil their roles, and keeping them motivated for continuous customer satisfaction. Consequently, around 61% of sales managers have a bachelor's degree to provide a thorough understanding of these concepts, according to Zippia.
Selling anything to a broad audience may require a solid strategy to ensure the team's success and, ultimately, the company's. For this reason, sales managers can evaluate their team's performance and adjust their strategy where needed. Though there isn't one specific strategy that will work for all groups, the best ones to consider are listed below:
- 1. Incorporate technological advances
Being a sales manager could become a laborious chore unless they can implement technology into their day. Furthermore, with the latest sales management tools, managers can streamline their responsibilities for a more productive day.
A sales environment usually constitutes an on-the-go and sometimes stressful environment, so using a schedule to track activities may be a lifesaver for sales managers. Making technological advances part of the routine is a valuable strategy among most organisations since the market can be very competitive, and every sales team is looking for an edge above their competitors.
- 2. Focus on setting proper goals
Setting goals is another of the sales manager's essential tasks to add to their list. Without a proper plan, the entire team could lose focus on their outcomes and purpose. Besides the effects on the team's productivity, it will indeed translate to a loss of income for the company if sales managers don't include goal setting as a strategy.
Goals could sometimes translate into sales metrics, and sales managers can provide the team with clear expectations for meeting their targets to keep them on track. Organisations will thus also include CRM systems for their teams to organise their client base and be on top of their game. Moreover, according to an article for HubSpot, 47% of sales managers consider CRM entries as productivity metrics for their teams.
- 3. Make training a priority
Although the sales team performs one of the essential organisational tasks, many would still neglect training and improving this team's skills. As a result, the company's bottom line suffers while its sales staff fails to rectify the situation with their current skill set.
Sales managers may find that training will drive performance and boost the whole department's morale when everyone achieves above their average. Once this mindset changes, the sales team will respond better to coaching, be comfortable discussing various topics with management and their clients, and have a more positive outlook on their success as part of the team.
- 4. Establish clear responsibilities
Any team will need direction, support, and guidance to perform optimally. Subsequently, team members will know where they stand by establishing clear responsibilities with each. A sales manager will have an integral role in assigning the correct tasks to team members as they see fit but also according to their skills and knowledge.
Frameworks like these will ensure that the sales manager doesn't have to follow up as much with their team, as they will all have an outline of what they are responsible for daily. Some organisations will plan their metrics around these responsibilities too, measuring the key performance areas as a gold standard for service delivery.
- 5. Understand the team dynamic
Managing people could be a sizeable task, especially when they have different personalities, work ethics, and backgrounds. Therefore, sales managers must understand the dynamic within their sales team and make that part of their strategy for a successful operation. Each member will uniquely contribute, and the sales manager is tasked to discover their weaknesses and strong points, so they can further refine the group's skills.
For example, some team members will be good at cold calling, while others can quickly drive home a sale by meeting clients in person. Hence, dividing the responsibilities is an excellent strategy for managers to increase productivity and plug sales pipeline holes.
Concluding the discussion
On average, the best sales manager works hard at perfecting the strategy that will benefit their entire team. With that said, they will bring their unique expertise to the table and incorporate it into every plan they have for the department. After all, the success of the team and the organisation rests on their shoulders, making it crucial to have the best strategies in place to manage their teams effectively.
