Breakaway Sales Manager Training
Master the Six Competencies
Step 3: BREAKAWAY SALES MANGER TRAINING
The ideal outcome would be for the sales managers to be equipped with the competencies and tools to manage and develop the sales team during and after the training process. This way they are no longer dependent upon Mike Kerrison International and the training program, but rather upon themselves where the accountability lies. We work hard at providing sales tools and underlying skills for the sales force, so let’s focus on the exact skills needed for the sales managers.
The four cornerstones of the training curriculum and the critical skills needed for world-class sales management
1. Hiring
This is a perpetual process that each manager needs to drive. Hiring, and more importantly, weeding out the imposters is a specific, tangible skill. We will teach them exactly how to interview, evaluate, understand skills inventory, attract, and win the Breakaway Performers. Starting with the right person is more than half the success formula. A good sales manager is always evaluating his or her team and “upgrading the stringer”. Hiring needs to always be at the top of their list. They need to conduct proper preliminary screening to save time and they need to set three specific interviews – all with specific outcomes. They should never deviate from the interview structure and process. The fundamentals they will learn are profiling, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and offering. Every step needs to be perfected.
2. Setting Objectives
These are both qualitative and quantitative objectives. Setting them properly depends on the right categories being selected. I focus on selling skills, product knowledge, competition, account management, territory management, time management, computer skills, core businesses functions, communication skills, conflict management, teamwork, and attitude. Each sales rep must be challenged with specific targets and a balanced score card that are attainable and measurable. Specific list of objectives, a rating system to measure with, and specific action plans need to be put in place for each rep. Reps need constant attention, inspection, course correction, and accountability. The manager needs these skills, tools, and inspection processes to be successful.
3. Business Development
How is a manager going to grow the business? While the rep has a 200% plan so must a manager have one. This skill allows them to evaluate and select growth opportunities with action plans to support the full implementation. In other words, they need to take their ideas from the white board to reality. They will learn to create a territory development plan that encompasses all reps and the underlying market expansion initiatives. Specific tactics that outline their growth plan need to be written, approved, communicated, and fully implemented. A well-managed sales funnel management system must be implemented and utilized as well. Detailed, written executive templates are provided for them to provide the CEO with summary sales detail and spot checks.
4. People Development
Each sales rep needs performance objectives, enabling actions, training formats, measurements, and evaluation. A manager must track forecasts, stack rank forecast accuracy, monitor pipeline activity, understand and inspect field hours, and measure metrics such as prospect calls, resulting appointments, calls to close ratio, win/loss ratio, and attainment vs. quota. These measuring tools are the basis for setting development programs in motion that are customized to the individual sales person. Above all, they must make sales calls with all of their sales reps. Since they are working with veterans, new reps, and new hires each will have different development plans and probation components. A good sales manager knows how to set these up. The chief outcome will be a responsible well managed program to establish job performance criteria, write performance reviews, conduct performance reviews, recognize acceptable and superior performance, counsel marginal performance, address unacceptable performance, probation, and termination. These are all part of the job!
I’m ready when you are. Let’s talk about developing your Breakaway Sales Managers.
When sales reps and managers are sharing vision and goals, its critical for them to understand the business processes and workflows essential to how businesses function. I’ll help them develop a vivid understanding of business with Part 4 of the Breakaway Performance Roadmap: Understanding Business Processes: The “Ideal Milk Bucket Company”.
