In our post Top 3 qualitiesof successful salespeople we said that there is no “one size fits all” for salespeople. The
same is true of sales managers. Once again, sales managers in different
industries will face different challenges. Even within the same industry, it is
likely that they will face different challenges. However, as with salespeople,
there are a few qualities that will generally be valuable for all sales
managers.
Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm was the top quality needed for salespeople, and it is
just as important for sales managers. However, the enthusiasm may manifest
itself in a different way. While salespeople need enthusiasm for the product
they are selling and to enjoy their individual success, sales managers need to
lead and inspire the whole sales team with their passion. This will also mean
celebrating the successes of others over their own and inspiring others to
achieve this success.
Organisation
While organisation is an important skill for salespeople, it is
much more important for sales managers. As they are responsible for the success
of the whole team, they need to make sure that everything is on track and every
member of their team is performing. To achieve this, it is important to be able
to delegate. This may not come naturally to people who have previously been
salespeople and have been very much in control of their own workload. However,
it is essential that the sales manager is able to organise the team and get the
best out of them.
Coaching
Once sales managers have effectively delegated work to their team,
they should then focus on continuous improvement. They should be constantly
learning themselves and then passing this knowledge on to their sales team, to
ensure the whole team is able to perform at its best. It has been suggested
that sales managers should spend three quarters of their time coaching their
team, either individually or in groups.
Do you agree
or do you think there are more important qualities for sales managers?
Hays Sales
UK are experts in all areas of sales recruitment. To find out more about how
our highly skilled consultants can support you, please visit our website.
