Sales management’s key functions are contemplated around procuring a clear perception into the activities of direct reports as well as the sales activities of the enterprise.

Key functions maintained by sales management are managing organizational sales structure and territories—crucial enterprises turnover; sales reporting and forecasting; quota management—handing assignments to sales representatives, implementing changes, etc.; and incentive management—producing compensation plan.

An organization’s sales management is enhanced through their workforces’ active participation to internal and external programs like symposiums—meetings or conferences conducted to discuss an issue; trainings—coaching people to a mode of performance in introductory, learning and transitional periods; and seminars—a gathering where there occurs information exchange and discussions.

These customized activities indulge the personnel’s yearning to gain more knowledge on individual productivity, team work, streamlining the sales process, sales performance precision, hiring sales champions, motivation methods that work, mastering the art of sales and sales coaching and tools, tactics, strategies for improvement.

The role of the sales manager is to provide an atmosphere where their subordinates can perform. They play a critical role in analytically examining, questioning and settling the sales productivity problems by creating structure and conscientiousness in the sales process.

To be good in these aspects, a sales manager must equip himself with the methodologies for planning sales activities and the know-how in using sound key performance indicators for managing the selling process. To increase sales productivity, concentration must be allotted to the sales process rather than consuming full focus on business outcomes.

Another character in sales management is the sales people or sales representatives. These are the people designated to solicit business in behalf of the organization in a specific territory.

To build successful sales relationships, a sales representative has to identify and attend to two necessities. These are the prospect’s psychological needs—intellectual concerns as to what makes him happy; as well as the prospect’s objective or business needs—the products, materials, equipments that are related to his profession, way of life, or hobbies.

In sales management the things that are taken into consideration are: the sales process—right variety to suit the business’s market and value delivery to consumers; psychological assessment—revolves around understanding and researching on the business and consumer needs; pre-approach planning and prospecting—understanding maximum value prospects and generating referrals; opening—engineering business affinities, establishing plausibility and gaining interest; and strategies—development of long- and short-term sales cycles.

A profitable sales management requires the comprehension of the prospect’s needs and the source of customer value. Active listening and questioning techniques should be applied to collect information on ways to further service and product value. And there should also be continuous personnel information upgrade to equip sales people with the right strategies and methods to top-notch sales and sales management skills.

Copyright 2007 Ismael D. Tabije