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THE SALES TEAM is every sales manager's greatest asset.
To protect that asset, good managers help their teams by uniting,
training, supporting and motivating them. You count on your team and
they count on you, so keep close eye on them and be the leader they need
you to be. Implement these techniques for conscientious team management
so your sales force has every chance to win.
Your salespeople are your customers. Good managers emphasize customer care and service,
but they don't forget to care for the salespeople who care for the
customers. Think of your salespeople as you internal customers - how
concerned are you about their satisfaction? Salespeople will often give
as good as they get, so let them know how valuable they are. Have faith
in your salespeople, and if they fail you, think about how you may have
failed them before you start pointing fingers.
Be able to read your people. To meet your team's needs you have to be aware of how they
are feeling. Listen carefully to what your people say to you and to each
other. Watch the way they move - are they energetic and enthusiastic or
sluggish? Say hello to each of your team members every morning and try
to get a feel for their moods. If you expect your people to be
responsive to you, start by being responsive to them.
Treat your people like individuals. At the same time that you're trying
to bring your team together you also have to recognize each member's
individuality. Bear in mind that people like to be supervised in
different ways, and tailor your management style to suit individual
salespeople. Recognize individual achievements as well as team
accomplishments, and make an effort to get to know your people and what
makes each of the tick.
Derail demotivation. Remember that like enthusiasm, negativity
is contagious. Staying in close touch with your team will help you
spot the signs quickly so you can address the problem before it worsens.
Watch out for sour attitudes in a variety of forms: sloppy,
unkempt appearance; tardiness, long lunches and quick exits at five
o'clock; poor attendance; and body language that says "I'm burned out!"
When you suspect a problem, meet privately with the salesperson and
express your concern without making accusations. Keep the tone of the
meeting positive and talk about positive solutions instead of negative
consequences.
Keep them in training. Education is an important key to your
team's success, so see that they get plenty of it. Encourage a
positive attitude toward learning by reminding your people that
knowledge is an important sales-boosting tool. Create your own "sales
university" with courses on everything your people need to keep growing.
Give your people a chance to volunteer for training, and reward those
who choose it with a bonus or some form of recognition. Make an effort
to cross train your entire staff so that each department has at least an
idea of what the others do. Trivia games help make training fun and test
your team's knowledge in a nonthreatening way.
Maintain a positive atmosphere. The successful sales manager plays
many roles, not the least of which are the motivator and cheerleader.
Selling is a tough job, so you have to keep spirits high to keep sales
high. Celebrate your team's successes and never hesitate to give praise
when you catch someone doing a good job. Post inspirational messages
around the office and always walk the motivational talk yourself.
Contests and incentives help spark selling enthusiasm - keep them in
mind when you want to generate some excitement.
Collect ideas. Ideas give your people a chance to contribute to the
company in a way other than just through sales. Good ideas can lead to
huge increases in profits and saved time, money and effort. Have
salespeople submit their ideas, then reward those whose ideas are
implemented. Encourage creative thinking through monthly off-site
brainstorming meetings. Dress casually and keep the mood loose and fun.
Pass around toys at the meetings to help break down barriers to creative
thinking.
Delegate responsibility. Entrust a worthwhile task to
one of your salespeople and you send a message of faith in that
person's ability. You can tell your team that you trust them and believe
in them but giving them some power shows them you mean it. When you pass
a job on, be clear about exactly what you want done and when, and
make sure the salesperson has the knowledge and resources to do it
effectively.
Create a department newsletter. A newsletter keeps your team informed
as to the sales department's activities and helps unit your team by
reminding them that they are important parts of a larger whole. Your
newsletter might include new product announcements, announcements of
awards given to sales team members or major new accounts, cartoons,
inspirational stories and quotes, sales training tips or industry news
articles. Design a newsletter people will really read by asking your
team what they want to read about and encouraging them to contribute to
it themselves.
To find out just how much potential your team has and bring out their
best, you have to manager them effectively. Start by recognizing their
value, and act accordingly. You'll be rewarded for the effort and time
you put into your people by the loyalty, respect and sales you get back. (previously published in Selling Power Magazine)
Chris Mullins is President and founder of MullinsMediaGroup,
a communications and consulting firm. Chris delivers no-nonsense,
high energy, interactive seminars that cover topics such as Sales,
Customer Service, Leadership, Telemarketing, Team Building, Personal and
Professional Growth. Organizations interested in publishing these articles in an
internal or external newsletter please email us.
There is no charge to reprint articles.
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