Sales Management is the Edge you need.
Managing people was perhaps the most demanding aspect of my job as a Sales Manager. However, it was a poor second to the need to be one step ahead of them when it came to them respecting my knowledge and ability to coach improvement in their selling skills.
I found some of the answers in the books and tapes I purchased; however, the respect I gained from my sales team and the skills I developed over time came from many errors on my part and a desire to be the best sales manager possible.
When you consider there is no way to “Manage Sales” unless, of course, you are responsible for closing the business yourself, the challenge is to manage the resources that will achieve that sales forecast.
Assuming you have CRM and one of the Business Intelligence software solutions available, you have access to the performance characteristics of each team member. While these tools have a purpose, they are like reading the scorecard after finishing the game.
Statistics measure what happened; observations let you understand why it happened, and no CRM or Business Intelligence system will provide that perspective.
If you want to make a difference as a Sales Manager (Coach), you need to spend time with your salespeople while they are engaged in all aspects of selling your product or service. Time spent here is pure gold as a coach, given you see firsthand the selling process unfold before your eyes.
Fine-tuning a salesperson’s selling, storytelling, oral communication, telephone, listening, written communications and prospecting skills, to mention but a few, can only be achieved when you spend time in the company of the people who deliver the results.
You cannot fix what is broken until you know it is broken. That means you must be present when there is a breakdown in the first place—before you learn how to coach the salesperson on securing the required outcome.
Sales Management is the Edge you need.
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