p>Sales is driven by numbers whether units sold or margin of profit. As a manager, there are things you can do to boost the success of your team. These handy tips combine your sales knowledge with actionable insights.
Forecasting
Forecasting your sales may have been a dreaded task when you were a salesperson, but as a manager, these forecasting models are necessary to provide your bosses with projected revenue earnings for the month, quarter or year. The upper management team uses these numbers to anticipate growth or decline and make decisions. Forecasting software is one way to find the information you need and take some of the guesswork out of it. Each member of your team can input their information and then you can run reports.
Hiring
Probably the best thing you can do to boost your team’s sales performance is to hire the right people for the team. These people should have a good rapport and be results driven. Sales is a competition and you can capitalize on that to grow the revenue the team brings in by hiring the right people. Activity can be part of the equation, but it is better to keep the emphasis on the outcomes to drive productive activity and close sales.
Coaching
As a manager, you need to be able to coach your team effectively. Regardless of the person’s background, they may need to learn new software, a new product or a new system. Have the salesperson demo the products in their first weeks to offer tips to help them be more successful. Provide feedback and then check back in to see how they are performing. The process may take more than two rounds to complete, while some may have it down pat the first go-round.
Flexibility
Not every person learns or thinks the same. Some new hires may take more time to ramp up than others. Have a bar set but be flexible if needed. If someone is having trouble working near another person, consider moving their office or cubicle. This can enable them to focus more on their work and less on distractions. Same goes with two buddies always joking around rather than making calls. Be willing to be flexible.
Incentivizing
Incentivize your salespeople to do their best. Create that competitive environment by having displays of daily closed deals, dollar amounts and volume. Offer extra bonuses for those who exceed their quotas. Most salespeople are driven by the amount in their paycheck. Reward them for working hard to grow and exceed expectations.
