In the article "Sales do not happen alone: they are achieved", we introduced the importance of attitude towards achieving results, especially for those who want to sell more and better.
To achieve this, it is convenient to introduce ourselves to the subject putting an essential aspect first: "Sellers are those that their bosses and managers want and do for and by them."
This truth is so forceful that the judgment that is formed in the mind of each potential buyer and client, who are very clear about it, is what will determine the continuity or not of their link with said company and the corresponding recommendations for their social ties..
The important thing then results from establishing: what type of representation do we want to generate in the market and what results do we aspire to achieve in terms of sales each month?
It represents the logic and clear consequence of what each organization is and does so that they are represented efficiently as to generate the results that they aspire to in each period of the year.
This includes the satisfaction that they provide with their knowledge and sales skills to each potential consumer that they contact daily, providing satisfaction even when they do not get to buy on that occasion.
For this reason, it is not a question here of how it is believed it should be, but rather "how daily recipients perceive and appreciate it through sales management itself". We refer to customers, those who have the money to invest in those products or services that provide them with the satisfaction of their needs or problems when they are certain and become owners or users, respectively.
It is they who know more and more about our offer and our competitors, since they analyze each offer and condition with greater knowledge than even the sellers themselves, and who expect to be treated with respect, courtesy and honesty in order to always make their best decisions. shopping.
By way of reference, it will surely be better understood what can lead to a crazy attitude and training that is not oriented to satisfy, when we analyze and remember recent experiences that we face before different sales representatives, such as those described below:
- Disinterested attention, in many cases acting as if they were officials of a state division, demonstrating the effort they make in attending to us or the inability to advise us according to what we really need, want to solve or simply want to know about a certain product or service. Justify themselves for their ignorance of the products or services that they offer for reasons such as having recently joined the company, who recently put it on display without notifying you, etc. Do not conduct the interview in a logical and effective way that takes advantage of the potential for closure that exists with each contact they make daily. Lack of objective and honest answers, especially when an objection is raised, thus missing valuable sales opportunities several times a day. Pressuring us to take the purchase without having an idea of the true level of interest that exists regarding a certain product or service on that occasion
When we refer to professionalizing sales, we are referring precisely to generating management where none of these or other situations that constitute malpractice in the exercise of the profession do not occur.
Management: key to the process
The management role may be personalized in the manager, boss, executive or entrepreneur in charge of the sector. Despite its title, it is the main responsible for the sale made by any business, organization or undertaking.
He is the one whose main objective is to achieve periodic goals in terms of results, both in quantity and quality.
In order to specify the importance of the role that corresponds to play in any organization, the following descriptions of its management (will provide greater clarity in this regard:
- You must always have the best members of your team, for which you must surround yourself and do what is necessary so that the management you achieve from them assures you of the periodic sales results. Possess qualities of natural leader, not the one that is acquired by the title of the position he occupies but by his knowledge, experience, intelligence applied in different aspects of the management that he will manage. He is the one who permanently analyzes and perfects the course and carries out an adequate follow-up and control of all the actions of his collaborators to timely correct any deviation that may arise. It fairly administers compliance with the rules and rules of the game existing in the activity.It detects the deficiencies, errors or weaknesses in the management of each of its vendors and successfully strengthens them, training them with its knowledge and experience until it reaches its corresponding strength. It constantly seeks to generate a highly motivated climate in the activity through healthy individual competition from its sellers, its support for solving difficulties, its understanding of personal aspects, etc. Manage efficient planning, monitoring and management control tools for an objective and timely analysis of the daily evolution of each and every one of its collaborators in order to make the most effective tactical decisions towards the periodic achievement of results.It has as a priority to be permanently trained, updated and professionalized in its managerial activity, in its field and competence, as part of its continuous evolutionary process.
How to have the best sales manager
In order to have the best manager for each business or activity, and as it is developed in depth in the recent e-book "Keys to a successful sale" (*), it all begins with the clear and detailed definition of your "Ideal profile".
Only in this way can the incorporated candidate finally have the greatest number of qualities necessary to perform efficiently in the role.
Otherwise, the team's potential star team will not be able to shine as brightly as expected.
When such a profile is not available, selection goes through non-priority aspects regarding what each organization really needs.
The balance of these described aspects must be manifested in a balanced way. We mean that your performance results in such a way that it is totally administrative or "desktop" as well as you are permanently interviewing your clients, since a balanced role implies being both in the "trench" and in the "operations command".
Your presence in the market will provide you with wonderful direct information about your clients, the market, your competition, etc., which will be complemented by that provided by your collaborators on a daily basis.
Accordingly, the aspects that are traditionally used in the selective stage such as age, similar experience in other companies, etc., should be complemented by more specific aspects such as "their achievements" obtained, their experience in handling conflict situations., ability to diagnose requirements of their current salespeople for their better professionalization, examples of results achieved in conflict situations, training skills in their own activity, their leadership qualities, among the most important.
From my own experience in sales management, enriched by consulting and training activities for more than three decades, they allow me to ensure that sales results depend exclusively on the work done by salespeople. But this does not come from the sellers' own initiative but rather from the way they are led, oriented, content, trained and supported by their manager.
In this way they will produce the results in quantity and with quality depending on the way in which they are selected, trained and permanently strengthened in the exercise of their management.
In other words, according to the qualities of the person who exercises management in said organization.
© Copyright 2005, by Martín E. Heller
