Building a Winning Sales Management Team: The Force Behind the Force

© Copyright 2013 The Sales Management Association.

Sales Management Association Webcast

5 June 2013

Presented by

Building a Winning Sales Management Team: The Force Behind the Force

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-shapiro/5/666/8

About The Sales Management Association

A global, cross-industry professional association for sales operations and sales management.

Focused in providing research, case studies, training, peer networking, and professional development to our membership.

Fostering a community of thought-leaders, service providers, academics, and practitioners.

Learn More: www.salesmanagement.org

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http://www.salesmanagement.org/

Today’s Panelists

Slide 3© 2013 The Sales Management Association. All rights reserved.


© Copyright 2013 The Sales Management Association.

Sales Management Association Webcast

5 June 2013

Presented by

Building a Winning Sales Management Team: The Force Behind the Force


Optimal sales resource levels and deployment, within a structure that enables the sales process

Customer-focused sales process & planning, advancing the customer relationship with each interaction

Highly motivated, performance focused & accountable sales force committed to “getting it done” & “doing it right”

Sales managers & sales people with the knowledge, skills & attributes required to excel at their respective roles

Sales Strategy

Sales Force Design

Customer Engagement

Process

People & SkillsMotivation

Customer focused strategy targeting the best customers with offerings they value

Exceptional Customer Experience Profitable GrowthCustomer Loyalty & Advocacy

Source: ZS SFE Navigator Framework

ZS and Forum are both focused on helping organizations drive superior sales effectiveness

Forum

Which would you rather have?

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Average salespeople and an excellent manager

Excellent salespeople and an average manager

“The day you become a manager, it becomes about them. Your job is to walk around with a can of water in one hand and some fertilizer in the other hand. ”

Series180%

90%

100%

110%

Avg. time FLM spent with each sales person per month

Dis

tric

t goa

l att

ainm

ent 19% difference

What does the data tell us?

© 2013 The Sales Management Association . All rights reserved Slide 7

Low(bottom 1/3)

Mid(middle 1/3)

High(top 1/3)

Building a winning sales management team

Sizing and structuring the

team

Defining the role

Creating the success profile

Selecting talent

Enhancing competencies

Managing performance

Supporting critical activities

Motivating and rewarding success

The First Line Manager (FLM) Success Drivers

Facilitating change

Defining the FLM job

Creating a strong FLM

team

Enabling the right FLM activity

© 2013 The Sales Management Association . All rights reserved Slide 8

FLMs play three critical management roles

• Select the team• Build the team (coach)• Lead the team (translate the

strategy consistently)• Manage the team• Reward the team

STRATEGIC• Achieve sales goals• Manage sales

resources and pipeline• Adapt strategy to local

needs• Collect market insight

ADMINISTRATIVE• Ensure compliance

with policies and regulations

• Monitor expenses and budgets

• Coordinate withother company functions

• Develop account plans• Facilitate big sales• Assist with important

sales process steps

• Manage/lead key account relationships

PeopleManager

CustomerManager

BusinessManager

© 2013 The Sales Management Association. All rights reserved. Slide 9

Poll Question:

In which of the following areas would your organization benefit most from increased 1st line sales manager focus?

A. Business Manager

B. People Manager

C. Customer Manager


How do your managers spend their time?


Role Typical Time Allocation

Some Conditions Under Which Time Allocation Should be Greater than the Typical Range

People Manager

30% -55% Allocate more than 55% to People Manager role when:• Sales process is simple, streamlined, consistent • Many inexperienced salespeople due to:

• Rapid sales force growth• High salesperson turnover

• Important to closely control sales activity

Customer Manager

25% -40% Allocate more than 40% to Customer Manager role when:• Sales process is complex, multi-step, customized, involves many

decision makers• Customers value a relationship with someone with authority• Too few key accounts for a dedicated KAM• Managers have unique expertise (for example, in pricing or

negotiating)

Business Manager

20% - 35% Allocate more than 35% to Business Manager role when:• Sales process requires participation of other company functions• Managers control local budget and resources • Dynamic events or local conditions require adaptation of sales

strategies

A three step process for defining and implementing the right FLM role

Step 1: Assess Step 2: Design Step 3: Implement

How do FLMs currently spend

their time?

How should FLMs ideally spend their

time?

How do we progress from

current to a ‘practical’ ideal?

• Develop list of specific job tasks

• Conduct light assessment (eg: survey, interviews, …)

• Use results as a baseline

• Consider changes to sales environment

• Identify time traps• Learn from top

performers

• Identify gaps• Look for ‘practical

ideal’• Involve FLMs in

implementation process

• Communicate and reinforce expectations

A Leader’s Success …

Source: Carnegie Foundation

Other

People

80%


The First-Line Sales Manager is a complex role, and not immune to Traps


Races to get a lot done Fails to put customer needs first

Fails to delegate tasks Undermines salespeople by taking over customer relationships

Fails to build and lead a team Hires or mentors the wrong salespeople

Does not pay enough mind to people-leadership activities

Does not give credit where credit is due

Stays in the comfort zone Spends too much time on urgent, low-value activities

Equates a management title with authority

Demands Improvement on results without creating a path to get there

Carries out plans instead of creating them

Doesn’t complete tasks to keep headquarters and the field aligned

Traps of first-line managers Traps of first-line sales managers

First Line Leadership Essentials


Refine Your Leadership Approach

Focus Upstream

Build a High-Performance Climate

How can I get great results from my people?

How can I be more strategic?

How can I motivate and energize my team?

Key Questions for Sales Managers


Refine Your Leadership Approach


COMMAND

DEVELOP

PACESET

UNITE INSPIRE

COMMANDCreates forward movement

UNITECreates connectedness, employee engagement

INSPIREProvides clear direction linked to overall strategy

DEVELOPCreates effective, productive people

PACESETSets and demonstrates high standards for performance

GROWINGSALESPEOPLE

BUILDINGFIRM-TO-FIRMRELATIONSHIP

S

CREATING APROACTIVETERRITORYSTRATEGY

CREATINGINTERNAL

SALESPARTNERSHIP

S

• Pay more attention to excellence than weakness.

• Devote at least 25% of your time to coaching/teaching salespeople.

• Invest in the salesperson pipeline.

• Identify A+ customers.

• Enhance salespeople’s senior-level relationships.

• Invest time in critical relationships.

• Focus on leveraged situations.

• Set strategic focus.

• Build pipeline quality.

• Anticipate change.

• Invest in critical linkages.

• Create mutually beneficial relationships.

• Create alignment.

Upstream Strategies


Build a High Performance Climate


Build your own confidence

Build your team’s confidence

Build your customers’ confidence

Sales Team

Climate

Customer Climate

Personal Climate

Motivated Salespeople

Motivated Customers

Motivated Self RESULTS

Coaching Process Example

Case example: Coaching process


Key Objectives Duration & Mode• Review activities and progress over prior two

weeks

• Review next steps on ‘top-5’ sales opportunities

• Review activity plan for upcoming two weeks, including high-priority critical pre-call plans

~ 1 hour per salesperson

(telephone)

• Review call objectives and roles

• Observe calls

• Provide ongoing post-call feedback on sales process execution

• Provide written feedback summary

• Top 20%: 2 days / Qtr.

• Mid 60%: 3-4 days / Qtr.

• Bottom 20%: 2 days / Qtr.

• Review objectives & attainment

• Assess territory targeting plan

• Confirm strategies and plans

~1.5 hours per rep

(in person)

Bi-Weekly Sales Activity Meeting

(Tactical)

Quarterly Territory Plan

Review (Strategic)

Field Rides (Tactical)

Consider a development solution if…

Consistently do not make their numbers

Have high variability in sales person performance across their districts

Were previously strong performers but are no longer doing well

Have consistently high turnover of sales people in their districts

Hire many new salespeople who never make it out of the box and leave the company within their first year


Q&A:


Building a Winning Sales Management Team: The Force Behind the Force

Business

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