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Sales Management is an extremely challenging position today - just ask any newly appointed manager. Today this is a tough job - and it can also be extremely rewarding. Here's what I find bizarre. There are too many under trained sales executives trying to coach and develop their under trained salespeople. It's not a pretty picture. What do you think happens when that happens? Right - nothing much happens. On a recent trip to Chicago, to conduct a one half-day sales training program, I was off to Las Vegas to present a two-day Sales Training Program. I'm sitting in an aisle seat (9D) on American Airlines flight #1417. Once I settled in I exchanged hellos with the guy sitting next to me. I asked, "What kind of work do you do?" He says, "I'm a sales manager" and proceeds to tell me about his company, his responsibilities, and some of his problems. After a while he asks me, "What about you - what kind of work do you do?" I gave him my prepared elevator speech, "I coach and train salespeople and their managers on how to increase sales, earn more money, have more fun, and how to do it all in less time." He says, "You coach sales executives, man could I ever use a coach!" I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "One day I'm a very successful sales representative and the next day I'm a managing a sales team." He continues and says "Hey, I wanted this job - it was a dream come true for me." Along with the promotion I got the standard "Hit the road Jack kind of attitude from my company." "It wasn't mean-spirited, just a go figure-it-out for yourself kind of an attitude." I asked him one of my favorite questions - a question that uncovers specific problems. I said, "Keith, as a sales manager, what are some of the biggest challenges you're dealing with now?" He said, "You got an hour to hear them all?" I took some notes while he was talking and here's a list of what he said he needed help with:
I said, "That's quite a list." He says, "My wife thinks I'm nuts for taking the management position." She says, "You're working longer hours, you're always stressed out, and you're always thinking about work." Well, I'm not going to bore you with all the details of that conversation - but Keith seems to be the perfect candidate for my just released Sales Management Coaching Program. After I explained the program and all of its benefits to Keith he perked up and said, "Sign me up!" You can use this link to see the complete Sales Management Coaching package - it will take only 118 seconds to read. If you're a sales representative please forward this to every sales executive you know, who wants to become the best they can be in their role as a new sales executive. If you're a manager, take a close look in the mirror and ask yourself, "How am I doing as a manager?" If you want to achieve superior results as a sales executive you'll have to have superior management skills at your fingertips. Here are three management tips you can use, especially if you're a new manager: 1. You need to ask your boss, beg if you have to, to allow you to take a fundamentals of sales management course. There are many to choose from. I have my own management development program that has helped 3,867 sales executives sharpen their management skills. 2. You must become a voracious reader of these publications. Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, Sales and Marketing Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fast Company. Plan to buy and read at least one business book every month to stay ahead of your primary competitors. 3. You must spend at least 70% of your time in the field with your salespeople, sales prospects, and customers. Generals don't win wars seated comfortably behind big oak desks. Your sales team will achieve successful selling results the less time you spend behind your desk. You can become the best sales executive in your industry as soon as you acquire the necessary skills to do the job. Your management position just might be the best line management job you'll ever have! It's the best sales job I ever had and for me the most rewarding! Enjoy your journey!
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