esponsibilities:

Work with Marketing to ensure consistent lead generation.

Collaborate with sales leadership to create and train prospecting process.

Collaborate with sales leadership to create and train lead qualification process.

Hire high-performing salespeople according to HR staffing guidelines.

Train new salespeople to ensure success.

Manage day-to-day performance of all sales team members and deliver reviews.

Work with sales leadership to generate ideas for sales contests and motivational
initiatives.

Lead and schedule weekly and/or monthly team meetings with sales team and leadership.

Track sales team metrics and report data to leadership on a regular basis.

Coach and develop direct reports.

Implement performance plans according to company procedure.

Embody company culture and maintain high sales employee engagement.

Collaborate with IT on sales technology initiatives.

Meet pre-determined revenue goals through the activities of direct reports.

Ensure correct usage of CRM and other sales applications.

Train and ensure adherence to sales process.

The Essential Skills Every Sales Manager Needs

To enable staff members to develop their abilities, good human relations alone are not enough.
The sales manager has to define tasks, set proper objectives, and maintain firm control. The
characteristics and core competencies required to do these things are:

Analytical Ability

Judgment

Sales managers receive all kinds of

Having analyzed the available information in a
information -- from verifiable facts to
given situation, they must then judicially weigh the
rumors. It is important to be able to see the
evidence in order to decide on the best course of
relevance of these bits of information, to
action. Most decisions involve a balance of
draw conclusions that fit the facts, and to
advantages and disadvantages, and so they should
analyze a problem to understand root
be comfortable with tradeoffs.
causes.
Communication

Ability to Attain Targets

What is clear to a sales manager must be

The sales manager can reach goals by their
made clear to others. Sales managers should
deadlines. They know what to do when performance
ask themselves what each individual needs
deviates from plan, and executes corrective
to know and why, and what reaction they
measures.
expect from them.
Ability to Get Things Done

Cooperation

They should be a good objective setter,

A sales manager should work with others in a
planner, and above all, controller. Instead of
friendly, cooperative manner, and inspire others to
leaving loose ends hanging, they always
collaborate.
finish what they start.
Initiative

Look for a self-starter able to work with

Dependability
minimum direction. In addition, a good
Strong sales managers are dependable, thorough,
sales manager possesses both the desire and
and precise in everything they undertake.
the ability to develop constructive ideas.
Smart Selection of People

Delegation

Ensure they are able to meet hiring quotas

and surround themselves with good people.

Confirm the ability to produce results through

others, instead of trying to do it all themselves.

Planning and Organizing

A strong sales manager writes objectives

and plans in detail how they will be
attained. They're also able to anticipate
problems and outline how they will be
overcome.

Seek someone who is able to look well ahead and

be a good forecaster, and who also considers future
opportunities and problems.

Creativity

Embodying Company Policies

Vision

A sales manager generates ideas frequently The best are absolutely loyal under all conditions,
and is always working out ways and means and they always sell the company values, rather
of doing it better.
than tell them.
Human Relations

The best managers possess the desire to

Ability to Develop Subordinates
develop from a boss into a genuine leader. Make sure they always practice what they preach
They should also ensure that people enjoy and show their direct reports the benefits of reading,
working for them and demonstrate good
analyzing, practicing, and improving.
team building skills.

Problem Solving

Technical Knowledge

A sales manager should have an exceptional

Look for a positive thinker who can quickly
understanding of their area. They should
pinpoint problems, come up with solutions,
continuously strive to improve that knowledge and
and get the action going.
keep up-to-date.
Management Knowledge

Check for a sound understanding of modern

Policy Knowledge
management techniques applicable to their Make sure they have a complete understanding of
field. Someone who continually develops
company policies and procedures.
management skills is a must.

Common Sense

Strong sales managers approach situations

maturely and demonstrate a great deal of
common sense.

Enthusiasm

Ensure they possess a zest for the job -- smiles

easily and has a positive, eager, and responsive
attitude.

Ability to Work Under Pressure

The best sales managers maintain positive attitudes and zeal even when the going is tough. This
is a must for any job, but when leading a team of reps with high pressure quotas, it's an absolute
top priority for sales managers.

The Role of a Sales Manager

A sales manager must translate the organizations vision, mission, and values into a meaningful
context that sales teams can relate to and feel excited by. If a sales leader can effectively do this,
she has created a sales team with a shared mental model. This transforms an ordinary sales
team into a high-performing one.
For clarity, here is a brief description of the following terms:
An organizations vision is a guiding image of success formed in terms of a huge goal. It is a
description in words that conjures up a picture of the organizations destination. A compelling
vision will stretch expectations, aspirations, and performance. Without that powerful, attractive,
valuable vision, why bother?
A mission statement communicates the essence of an organization to its stakeholders and
customers, and failure to clearly state and communicate an organizations mission can have
harmful consequences around its purpose. As Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat says in Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, "If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter which way
you go."
Guiding principles flow from mission statements. They're intended to inform or shape all
subsequent decision-making, which also provides normative criteria allowing policy-makers to
accept, reject, or modify policy interventions and activities. They are a guiding set of ideas that
are articulated, understood, and supported by the organizations workforce.
Values are beliefs which the organizations workforce hold in common and endeavor to put into
practice. The values guide their performance and the decisions that are taken. Ideally, an
individual's personal values will align with the spoken and unspoken values of the organization.
By developing a written statement of the values of the organization, individuals have a chance to
contribute to the articulation of these values, as well as to evaluate how well their personal
values and motivation match those of the organization.