Team management is not as easy-breezy a task as it seems, from onboarding to educating, it requires a lot of effort and patience to make your team more productive which helps the business grow.
Do you want to learn the secret mantras of managing sales successfully while enhancing your knowledge and productivity? We have listed down a few points that you should apply in real life to ensure you are not making mistakes. Last year, over 50% of sales representatives missed their target, which indicates it is not a piece of cake to manage a sales team. Let’s know some proven management strategies that will help you manage a sales team without breaking their morale.
1. Start with hiring smart people
If you don’t work properly on hiring smart salespeople, all your efforts may go in vain, affecting your performance as a manager and team in a negative way. This is why hiring the right candidates is a very crucial step to achieving the target you have set, for you and your company’s growth. Hire people who are smart and determined.
This involves checking their theoretical knowledge to ensure they are very well aware of the product or service they are supposed to promote or sell.
2. Track the wins and losses Daily
In order to evaluate the performance of a team and find weak spots, managers must have day-to-day tracking of employees’ work, from approaching potential customers to closing deals. This will help you decide where you have to focus more and how it can be improved, be it a salesman’s performance service, or product. Having a record of daily activities is important and shouldn’t be ignored.
3. Training is important
In order to make them learn more things and develop professional skills, periodic learning is essential to make them more confident and sharpen their communication and presentation skills. Investing in an effective training program keeps employees sharp and learned, directly affecting the workspace environment and boosting revenue and sales.
Salespeople represent the company therefore they must be taught about the product and company so they can make a great impression on clients and customers.
Also, continuous training is also essential to make them aware of new ways to sell products and services. Over the past few years, with the evolution of technology, businesses have changed their method of selling products and services. New tools have been implemented and now even one can sell their product across the globe without physically visiting there. Not knowing new tools and strategies can dramatically affect business growth.
4. Encourage your team
Successful trainers (or managers) understand the importance of encouraging a team. Sometimes they may not be able to achieve their target, breaking their confidence. It is one of the most important tools to unleash their exponential skills. Timelines and targets are good to make them more productive, however, continuous pressure on targets in a given timeline can make them less confident. Great leaders always look for methods to motivate their team. Achievement-based rewards are a great way to appreciate them and encourage them.
5. Build the team unity
Managing a team of salespeople is similar to training a sports team, each member works for the same objective, however, they may have different methods of working which can make the operation complicated, resulting in disagreement between them. This is where being a leader you must know each other and individual team players in order to avoid conflict between them. Team outings, team tours, dinners, and other kinds of events can be a great idea to make them more united. They will spend more time with them during this period which will strengthen the bond between them and they will be able to understand each other better.
6. Get your team involved in solving the problem
Every Time you’re the main decision-maker can discourage them from learning something new and taking new steps. Problems are always there. Involving team members to find a solution will make them feel that they are being listened to and also learn new problem-solving skills on their own.
7. Communicate and question rather than ordering
When you always order people to follow your order, they are more resistant. They can have solutions and problems which they want to share with you. In case they are not able to perform as expected you can have questions with them to understand where they lack and what is room for improvement.
8. Be motivated and don’t go it alone
Being a sales manager, the most important thing is you shouldn’t be discouraged at any moment of time. You are a manager, you are not expected to have solutions to any problem. You can ask for help and communicate with your team as well. Don’t run alone. Connect and communicate with your peers to draw conclusions.
Conclusion
We hope you find this article helpful and informative. Managing a sales team requires a lot of patience and continuous learning. Remember when you work as a leader and as a friend, they will have more space to share the problem they are facing and will be motivated. The sales manager is someone who helps their team members to grow personally and professionally by motivating them and making them learn new things.
In this article, we have included a few points that a sales manager should keep in mind while training his team to enhance their performance and make the sales process smooth. When you work with them as a friend and motivate them they will surely work with you for a longer period which can save you from continuous hiring of new people and training them forever.
Furthermore, you are not a superhero to solve all the problems, being a manager you also learn while training the team members. In addition to this, leaders always demonstrate a great level of emotional intelligence and excellent problem-solving skills.
Learning is a lifelong process and uncertain results are inevitable. As a manager, your main job is to keep yourself in any situation and keep your team motivated.
