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Developing Great Frontline Sales Managers
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About Sales Readiness Group
• Customized sales training programs
• Foundational and advanced selling skills
• Sales management and coaching programs
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A Frontline Sales Manager?• Can’t control all the factors that influence results• Sales results are most visible number in a
company• Have to manage sales people day-to-day• Some managers have to manage and also sell
What’s So Hard About Being…
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The Sales Leadership Pipeline
Sales Person
V.P. Sales
Sales Manager
Organizational Leader
TURN
TURN
TURN
The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan
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The Star Athlete Syndrome
The best players don’t always make the best coaches• Isiah Thomas
– NBA Player: 13 Seasons, 11 Time All Star– NBA Coaching Record: 187 wins, 223 losses (.456)
• Phil Jackson– NBA Player: 13 Seasons, No All-Star
appearances– NBA Coaching Record: 1,155 wins, 485 losses
(.704)
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Key Skills and Knowledge
Sales Rep Sales Manager
Prospecting skills Setting team goals, priorities
Questioning skills Recruiting & selecting
Listening/Communication Coaching
Managing objections Sales performance management Gaining commitment Leadership & motivation
Time management (self) Time management (team)Product knowledge Industry knowledge and trends
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• Hire• Manage• Coach• Lead
Core Skills of Great Sales Managers
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• Hire• Manage• Coach• Lead
Core Skills of Great Sales Managers
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Recruiting
“College (football) coaches spend more than 50% of their time on recruiting.They literally spend more time recruiting than they do coaching.”
http://www.captainu.com/buzz/tag/college_coaches
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1. Recruiting costs 2. Training costs3. Salary4. Missed numbers5. Lost time6. Customer risk
$$ $$$
Cost of Hiring a Bad Sales Rep
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• Competitive
• Confidence
• Integrity
• Judgment
• Motivation
Planning & Organization
Pride
Resiliency
Responsibility
Work Ethic
Sales Competencies
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Behavior Based Interviewing
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them done.
STAR DefinitionsSituation
Task
Action
Result
Describe Situation where you accomplished something or used a specific behavior.
Probe further by asking what the Task was.
What specific Actions were involved?
What was the Result?
STAR Questioning Process
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• Hire• Manage• Coach• Lead
Core Skills of Great Sales Managers
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Establish Performance Partnerships• Define/communicate clear performance expectations• Emphasize supportive dialogue• People are accountable for behaviors and results• Everyone seeks feedback
High Performing Organizations
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Positive and consistent behaviors lead to…
Positive and consistent results.
Managing Sales Performance
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Positive Results
Example | Focus on Behaviors
Diet Behaviors:• Eating healthy food
• Portion control
Exercise Behaviors:• Daily 30 minute run
• Going to the gym
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• Communicate and monitor success factors• Identify key behaviors • Analyze gains/gaps in behaviors• Determine underlying causes• Take appropriate action
Performance Management System
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• Hire• Manage• Coach• Lead
Core Skills of Great Sales Managers
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Business Case for Sales Coaching
“Sales managers are a high leverage opportunity for improved performance” --Source: CSO Insights, 2013 Sales Management Optimization Study
83%
Coaching: Needs Improvement
% Overall Revenue Plan Attainment
Sales Coaching Skills
87%
Coaching: Meets Expectations
93%
Coaching: Exceeds Expectations
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What is Sales Coaching ?
An ongoing process of analyzing and discussing performance with the objective of improving and reinforcing skills.
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Common Sales Coaching Challenges
• Not sure how to coach• Not held accountable• Time commitment• Coaching is viewed as remedial or confrontational
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Best Practice
25%-40% of a front-line sales manager’s time should be focused on sales coaching
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Allocate Coaching Time Based on ROI
Sales Skill ROI Time
Low Low 10%
Medium High 65%
High Medium 25%
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5-Step Sales Coaching Model
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• Hire• Manage• Coach• Lead
Core Skills of Great Sales Managers
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Sales Leadership
The ability to positively influence the actions and attitudes of the sales team to achieve/surpass their goals
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Sales Manager• Reactive• Directs sales reps• Focuses on short term
day-to-day results• Helps sales team cope
with change• Improves sales rep’s skills
Sales Leader• Proactive• Motivates and inspires
salespeople• Focuses on long-term
vision• Helps sales team initiate
change• Improves attitudes and
motivation
Management vs. Leadership
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Sales Leadership Model
Sales Team
Sales Vision
Decision Making
Influence
Personal Abilities
SalesManager
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Key Takeaways• Management skills are different than selling skills
• Training sales managers has a high ROI
• Focus on key sales management skills– Building sales team– Managing team– Coaching team– Leading team
