When I turned into the pioneer of a sales group without precedent for the mid 90's, I didn't have the advantage of offering for a long time and being coached by somebody who could show me the ropes. Rather, I was an organization originator who filled a need that we had at an opportunity to manufacture our sales group, and I sort of influenced things to up as I came. As I recall those days, I understand the amount I attempted to accomplish my objectives, and keeping in mind that I was fruitful, I can't deny that it likely had as much to do with fortunes and timing as it did with my will and exertion.
It was a period of awesome adapting however there are a couple of lessons that would have served me well on the off chance that I had known them ahead of time.
Here are simply the best things and 10 different deals pioneers wish we had known before turning into a sales manager :
1- That it's practically difficult to be a player-coach selling manager :
Mike Weinberg – Principal of The New Business Sales Coach and bestselling author of Sales Management. Simplified. and New Sales. Simplified. :
I wish I knew how little most senior executives understand the true job of a Sales Manager and how much crap companies throw on the sales leader’s desk that has nothing to do with leading the sales team. I wish I knew that much of what makes people great as individual producers in sales does not translate to success as a manager. The jobs could not be more different. As a producer, you win on your own, but great leaders win through their people. Night and day difference. I wish I knew that it is almost impossible to be a player-coach selling-manager. To do that, well you have to be schizophrenic. The reason sports teams abandoned the player-coach model is because it’s stupid and produces sub-optimal results while creating a mess.
2- To recognize that I’m playing a long game :
Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” – Principal of The Sales Hunter and author of High Profit Prospecting and High Profit Selling :
As a sales leader, you likely want to jump in and make every sale happen. It is vital you have wise discernment, though. You must recognize you’re playing a long-game, and as such you should focus on the development of the people you’re leading, not just on chasing short-term customer opportunities. As tempting as it is to close the sale, the bigger benefit is in coaching the salesperson to know how to close the sale when you’re not around. The mark of a sales leader is not what occurs when they’re present, but rather the success their team has when the leader is away.
3- It’s very difficult to coach and develop sales reps without a structured process in place :
Eliot Burdett – CEO of Peak Sales Recruiting, Co-author of Sales Recruiting 2.0: How to Find Top Performing Salespeople, Fast, and Founder of Helping Heroes :
Without many years in sales myself and having to take over leadership of a sales group, I didn’t appreciate the value of a structured selling process. I told my sales reps to call-qualify-develop and close and left them to their own devices beyond this, which meant that each rep sold in their own unique way. Beyond ensuring that customers received different experiences from my sales team, it made it very difficult for me to coach and develop my reps. In short, without a structured process in place, some of the characteristics of a dysfunctional sales team were beginning to reveal themselves.
4- A sales manager’s job is not to be the best seller on the team :
Colleen Francis – Owner of Engage Selling Solutions and author of Nonstop Sales Boom ;
I wish I knew before becoming a sales leader/manager that 1+1 = 3. When I became a sales leader I thought it was my job to be the best seller on the team. I would swoop in to save deals, and ride along with sellers to close deals. Always being the hero. We did well, but not exceptionally well. It was only after I learned that my job was to coach each individual to be better than me that our sales really accelerated! A sales manager’s job is not to be the best seller on the team. It’s to curate excellence and leverage it amongst the team members.
5- To offer one specific suggestion that would trigger all the other actions :
Shari Levitin – CEO and Professional Speaker at Levitin Group and Author of Heart and Sell :
Tell your salespeople what they did right. A Harvard Business review study confirms that individuals who receive at least a 6-1 ratio of positive-to-negative advice outperform those more often criticized. Focus on a maximum of three improvements at a time. The brain can’t possibly remember 36 new techniques to incorporate into a sales presentation. Like golf, a good swing coach offers just one suggestion that triggers all the other actions. Feedback must be specific. Avoid generic suggestions like, build more trust or tell better stories. Instead share the four components of building trust or five keys to a powerful story.
6- The value of really getting to know each person on the team well :
Aaron Ross – Author of From Impossible to Inevitable and Predictable Revenue, and Co-Founder of Predictable University and Predictable Revenue :
I wish I knew the value of really getting to know each person on the team well, especially personally. When I did, it made it much easier to help that person overcome a problem or set better goals – whether personal and professional – to keep them motivated. Especially once they ‘got good’ at their jobs, it’s easy to get comfortable and go on ‘autopilot’ as a manager.
7- That there is a big difference between demanding results and putting the right people in the right roles :
Paul Howard – Chief Revenue Officer at Nectar Desk :
his is easy for me …. firstly COACHING 2.0. As a 2.0 manager, learning that there is a big difference between demanding results and putting the right people in the right roles and conditions for success is crucial. Lastly DOGS versus STARS. If you spend 50% of your time with your ‘stars’ – who are often independent by nature – instead of the ‘dogs’, you will double your results. Apologies to ‘dogs’ but they always have an excuse, lots of personal issues, etc. Once they are past a reasonable training time they will vacuum up all your time and energy. Go with the stars who are building a joint path for their career development and success!
8- To trust myself and not suffer from “Impostor Syndrome :
Jane Gentry – Principal of Jane Gentry & Company :
I wish I had known to trust myself. Many of the leaders I coach now have the same syndrome that I had – Imposter Syndrome – the fear that the world will find out that I really don’t know anything. The truth is that I did/do know a lot and you do too. It’s those who think they know everything who are circumspect. It is OK to be authentic and a little vulnerable; it engenders trust. And, a team who trusts you will follow you into the unknown where you’ll likely create great things together.
9- People don’t care what you know until they know you care :
Steven Rosen – Executive Coach at STAR Results and Author of 52 Sales Management Tips :
The one thing I wish I knew before becoming a Sales Manager was that when it comes to managing people, people don’t care what you know until they know you care. I have coached many new sales leaders to get to know their salespeople before they begin talking business or trying to tell them what they would do.
10- There’s a difference between being updated on a project and hovering over your employees :
Vladimir Gendelman — Founder and CEO of CompanyFolders :
Of course you want to stay on top of everything, but there’s a different between being updated on a project and hovering over your employees. When you micromanage, your sales team feels smothered and unappreciated. Instead, give your employees ownership of their work to let their talents shine. Productivity will improve dramatically.