How to Manage a Sales Force

Salespeople are notoriously difficult to manage. They hate details and paperwork, and they avoid sales managers like the plague. Office time equals non-selling time, because for them selling is a customer contact sport, and thus finding the time to manage them can be difficult. Good sales managers maximize the productivity of their salespeople in spite of these challenges.

Instructions

1. Evaluate your sales process. Ensure that it covers all of the necessary steps in selling your company's products or services and is easy to track, manage and communicate.

2. Assess your existing salespeople. Match the number of salespeople with your company's sales objectives, territories and average sales per rep. Identify each salesperson's level of knowledge about your business and industry and general sales ability. Remember that sales performance is a function not only of the individual, but also of the product being sold, the assigned territory and general market conditions.

3. Fix any deficiencies in your sales team. Let go of those unproductive salespeople who do not possess the desire or ability to improve. If necessary, hire new sales reps that fit your company's culture and objectives. Invest in sales training for all of your salespeople, and create a mentoring program that leverages the skills and experience of your top producers.

4. Optimize your compensation plan. Make sure your compensation plan is in line with industry standards, easy to understand and consistently applied. Focus it on rewarding sales performance according to your company's product or service, sales process and general culture. For your hunters, or salespeople who seek out and identify new sales opportunities, create a plan that's weighted toward commissions. For your farmers, on the other hand, who primarily manage existing customers, create a plan with a larger base salary.

5. Motivate your salespeople. In addition to monetary compensation, salespeople tend to be highly competitive and respond well to direct challenges. Maintain a program of sales incentives and contests that both creates healthy competition within your sales team and provides real rewards for extra efforts.

6. Track performance. Keep accurate records of performance by sales rep, customer and product or service. Use realistic metrics to identify which salespeople are effective to ensure that your new business pipeline is maintained. Use a customer relationship management (CRM) application to track sales and provide feedback to management on your sales team's performance. Also periodically attend sales meetings with your salespeople, to evaluate their selling skills and company knowledge.

7. Provide ongoing feedback. Meet with your salespeople at regular, planned intervals to go over their sales numbers, active opportunities, lost deals and any other issues that arise. Help your salespeople identify strengths and weaknesses in their sales tactics, and work with them to continuously improve. Ensure that no sales rep is surprised by the content of these meetings by also providing ongoing information as necessary.

Resources

• Sales and Marketing Management Magazine website
• Inc. Magazine website
• Entrepreneur Magazine website