You Shouldn't Have to Worry About Managing Your Sales Team - 4 Brilliant Tips!

Welcome to this week's Successful Sales Club Newsletter - and today we're concentrating on all you people who manage any type of B2B Field Sales Team.

Before we get going - I want to share a solution we found for a Sales Director who attended my Sales Leadership Masterclass earlier this year.

The biggest impact? A noticeable boost in team motivation and effectiveness - which quickly began translating into more appointments, ?better conversion rates and sales tracking up above target.

So she asked me if I could deliver something similar for her sales leadership team - but requested that it be a little more "bitesize" - a workshop that would set them off in the right direction, without ripping a hole out of their diary (or her training budget ??)

So, over the summer, I created the Sales Management Half Day Bootcamp for her team - and because it went down so well - I've turned that content into an open workshop for you to come along and take advantage of too.

It's taking place on Tuesday, 28th January in Manchester - if you manage a B2B Field Sales team it just might be the best afternoon you've spent all year.

Full Details at this link - there's also an overview of all the tips, templates and strategies you'll leave with at the bottom of this article.

Right - onto the incredibly helpful newsletter article I promised in the title....

You Shouldn't Have to Worry About Managing Your Sales Team - 4 Brilliant Tips!

If you were previously successful at the whole sales thing - as a brilliant member of a sales team - getting praised by the hierarchy, knocking your targets out of the park, uncovering new opportunities, looking after and growing existing accounts - then eventually, you probably got around to feeling that you were ready to start managing a field sales team of your own.

You know - share your wisdom with those who need it, inject a bit of your own drive and determination into proceedings - blow the roof off those sales targets and show everyone what success really looks like.

But let me tell you, when you step out of a sales only role and into a sales management position - where your success is measured by the results of those who work for you, rather than the results you bring in yourself - setting off in the wrong direction (even by the smallest of margins) can lead to your entire trainset coming right off the tracks.

On top of that - because of all the expectations that you heap upon yourself - you're probably juggling multiple roles: strategist, coach, and personal councillor - all while trying to maintain focus on the end of year target that your own boss has given to you - and that you will ultimately be judged on.

Which is when you hit the realisation that, no matter how much you strategize or how many hours you put in - you’re always just one setback away from falling short.

You want to feel in control, confident that your team understands what’s expected of them and that they’re motivated to reach the shared goals - but at times - it can feel like you’re the only one fully invested in achieving the outcomes expected of you.

I spent some time working with a seasoned B2B sales manager who, despite his experience, had found himself in a bit of downward spiral.

He had a team of skilled individuals, but they struggled to meet targets over several quarters.

At first, he was attributing the poor performance to external factors - the economy, changing customer demands, and seasonal fluctuations.

He kept pushing his team but was reluctant to set clear expectations and assumed they would adapt independently.

Thing is - they didn't.

So, what advice did I give him that got everyone back on track?

Four Helpful Hints to Get You Ahead of the Crowd

• Set Clear and Precise Goals: Define what success looks like for each team member and align these goals with your company’s overall objectives. Your team should always know what they’re working toward and how their roles contribute to the big picture. Don't feel that you're "putting upon them" by sharing the real targets.
• Lead by Example: Establish a culture of accountability by modelling the behaviours you expect from your team. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and sees themselves as members of a private members club that others aspire to be a part of.
• Learn How to Genuinely Motivate Your Team: Take the time to get to know their strengths, challenges, and motivators. Tailor your approach to the personalities in your team to drive engagement and productivity.
• Commit to Continuous Coaching: Regularly coach your team to help them develop their skills and knowledge (I have a template that I share in my masterclasses if you'd like a copy). Be open to feedback and adapt your coaching methods to ensure each member feels supported and equipped to improve.

And if you ever find that you are stressing about...

• Sharing clear expectations and target with your team members.
• Feeling that no one else cares when it comes to accountability and performance metrics.
• Motivating a diverse team with different personalities and working styles.
• Not being clear on how to personally deliver a consistent coaching and development programme for your team members.

Then maybe it’s time to take a step back and reassess your approach.

'Cos these concerns don’t have to be part of your daily routine. Work out a plan so that you can execute the four steps outlined in this article, and work to establish clear goals, foster accountability, motivate effectively, and embrace coaching as an ongoing part of your leadership.

Even better - come and join me at the Sales Management Half Day Bootcamp on Tuesday, 28th January in Manchester and I'll show you how to do all of the above in a single afternoon - if you manage a B2B Field Sales team it just might be the best afternoon you've spent all year.

To your success,

Chris

At the end of this boot camp you will be able to:

• Effectively share your business vision with the team
• Work out how to develop team goals based on that vision
• Truly understand what you should be doing with your time as a team manager
• Motivate staff by understanding what drives them
• Challenge your team in a meaningful and effective way
• Learn how to coach your team effectively
• Feel competent and confident enough to conduct staff discipline in a professional (and legal) manner

If those sound like the parts of the job you’d really like to get to grips with – then this half day boot camp is just what you’ve been waiting for

Click here for more details