13 Sales Leadership Traits
How Do You Rate Yourself?
by
Poor sales performance is typically the result of not having the right marketing plan, a lack of knowing how to specifically identify the target market (chapter 1 in my book, Profit and Cash Flow Marketing…Fast, 10 Ways to Out Think…Out Market…Out Sell the Competition in Any Economy), resulting in unqualified leads, inadequate training, management coaching, unclear communication, or grandiose goals or expectations.
Sales management has to lead. As a sales manager, you must develop sales people in a way that achievement is assured. The best way to do this is for you to become better, raising your level of performance, professionalism and focus!
You set the tone by your example and results. If you achieve, they achieve. Do you have what it takes? How are your people skills and does your team respect your character?
Multiply Your Efforts through Others
Sales management’s priority is to train and coach the team. This is what happens in athletics / sports. Coach’s train and coach, helping the team to learn how to make sales. This means training them as to how to manage their territory or accounts and how to prospect for maximum potential and to achieve goals. You multiply your efforts through others this way.
Do you coach your team to properly collaborate with the organizations support services, i.e. customer service, accounting, technical services etc.? Teamwork and respectful, cooperative relationships within all company levels are imperative to help your team get all the support they need to close the sale. Have problems in this area…look in the mirror, it’s your responsibility to make it happen.
As I stated in the opening, ensure that you communicating to the marketing team frequently.
- Make certain your sales team follows through on all programs
- Include members of the marketing team in your sales meeting consistently
- Give your marketing team useful data and information, but also listen to theirs
- Offering customer feedback to the marketing team, can be helpful too
Character Traits of a Sales Management Champion
Not only with the businesses that I have owned, but with my consulting client organizations, over the last decade, I have seen sales managers achieve success and I have seen others fail. I have noticed that those who do well and the many that I have personally mentored possess the following thirteen character traits. How do you rate yourself?
- You can’t teach enthusiasm. Is your natural personality enthusiastic? Enthusiasm not only sells customers, but your sales team as well
- Are you an encourager? A positive attitude and a leader that edifies others is contagious, and with other company departments as too
- Do you have a tenacious resolve to help others win?
- Do you get ‘buy-in’ with ‘believable’ goals with your team and with individual sales team members?
- Do you do what you say you will do, for customers, team members, the support teams and others?
- How’s your ethics at work and at home? Are you honest, genuine and the person others trust?
- Do you have confidence in yourself, your company, the products / services you sell, your team to overcome challenges?
- Are you willing to do whatever it takes (ethically, of course) and put in the time to get the job done with excellence and style?
- Make it fun, exciting and enjoyable in the pursuit of attracting and retaining customers
- Responsible and accountable; while it takes teamwork to win, winning sales managers own the results
- Model the Way; top sales managers lead by example, influence positively and proactively, so others want to follow them. Keep learning and be what you train and coach
- Team Player; we talked about this earlier, but it’s that important. Play well with others, no excuses
- Be a superstar; if you want your sales reps to be better, you have to be better. Anyone can do something well once. Excellence is about doing things well time and again
All of this sounds like a superhero. The truth is nobody is perfect. If you make a mistake, admit it and learn from it. Emulate these character traits every day with every sales rep and every customer, week in and week out, month in and month out! As you do, you will feel more confident and you will achieve more sales and career success.
This article has given you the 13 Sales Leadership Traits and it can be used continuously to help you get what you want and grow your business. Also, check out our FREE test drive for the most comprehensive system of marketing tools and resources at www.ProfitandCashFlowMarketing.com
To get more information and receive other no-cost special audio downloads, reports, articles, blog posts, and more, visit Ron Hequet where I cover valuable topics that every person wanting to grow their business or career needs to know. And, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, get a free assessment from me personally at Free Business Assessment or for those wanting to build your career go to Complimentary Coaching Assessment.