Relationship Management

A sales manager’s responsibilities include leading a team of sales representatives in an organization, and guiding them toward a common goal - but a truly successful sales manager does much more than that. It's common for some sales managers to complain that their teams aren’t achieving goals set by the organization. But having a top performing sales team depends largely on the type of manager they have.  Some traits make all the difference between a mediocre sales manager and a successful sales manager.  Here are the 7 things a successful sales manager should never do: Never Overwork Your Reps There…

There are thousands of different leadership styles.  They are the subject of college coursework, unlimited journal articles, and countless books. Supervisors, managers, and executives all develop unique leadership styles, whether they’re on factory floors, in I.T., H.R., or marketing and sales. Great leaders are essential for the success of any business, but let’s face it: revenue is mostly generated by sales. And sales success is dependent on those sales reps who find leads, nurture them, and ultimately seal the deal. To do this, they rely on their own skill sets, but also on the training, direction, coaching, and support of…

Sales meetings are extremely important for every business, regardless of the industry.  In these meetings, the sales department finds ways to improve its operations to reach the company’s goals. Managers generally use these meetings to ensure that the whole team is on the same page and that reps have all the tools they need to reach their quota.  However, sales team meetings often lack direction and purpose. They are usually scheduled at bad times and take too much time away from what sales reps should be focusing on - finding new prospects, meeting with clients and closing deals.  Therefore, it is…

Negotiations are always a high-stakes, high-pressure period for salespeople and prospects who both have serious skin in the game.  Each team involved may have their own conflicting agendas. As a result, it's unlikely that every person at the bargaining table will walk away with exactly what they wanted.   Negotiation breakdowns in sales can happen for a number of reasons, including poor communication, short tempers, and sudden changes in an established plan.  Here are some strategies to avoid losing deals when negotiations go sideways: Consider Integrative Bargaining Historically, most sales negotiations have taken place with reps and prospects both holding their…