Complete guide to managing a successful sales team

Management is a set of techniques, organizations and resources, the art of which is to direct human, financial and material resources. The objective is to obtain results that go hand in hand with the objectives set upstream.

Management consists of:

• Lead : the goal being to make strategic decisions that will allow the organization to achieve the objectives set.
• Mobilize : manage to unite the members of a team around a common objective.
• Control : the manager must therefore control the progress of the missions of his teams, and therefore ensure the proper execution of a project.

A distinction is made between operational management and strategic management.

Operational management corresponds to the decisions taken by the intermediate hierarchy. It includes the decisions taken within the framework of the day-to-day management of the company, it makes it possible to ensure the smooth running of the policy decided by the strategic management.

The role of strategic management is to make decisions with a long-term vision. It brings together all the decisions that can help an organization achieve its objectives. Strategic management corresponds to the line of conduct to be followed for the years to come.

A company must then set up an effective management system to guarantee the growth of the organization.

The technical skills of management

The management of a commercial team is not an easy task, a good manager is a subtle mix between know-how and interpersonal skills. Hard skills correspond to knowledge of management, digital tools, etc.

A good manager is therefore a technical expert, he must have managerial knowledge in various fields such as:

• Manage conflicts,
• Transmit and delegate,
• Be a good communicator
• Manage stress.

A manager is responsible for the cohesion of his team . He is therefore responsible for the quality of relations, indeed a conflict can impact the well-being and the effectiveness of a team. In case of conflicts, a manager must remain in a rational axis and not fall into the emotional.

Delegating is often perceived as a loss of control. Transmission is a skill necessary for effective and unifying management. Transmitting and delegating helps motivate your team at work . A manager will be able to control his time in order to focus on his priorities.

Good communication avoids problems of misinterpretations. In management, communication and listening will help to promote the performance of his team. A manager must know how to communicate clearly and precisely. Without forgetting that to be heard, you have to know how to actively listen to others.

Stress management is the ability to prioritize. Good stress and a real performance factor. Conversely, uncontrolled stress that sets in over time will have repercussions on the atmosphere and productivity of a team.

Technical skills are generally learned during a training course or during professional experience.

The soft skills needed to manage a sales team

Soft skills bring together a wide variety of personal qualities. They are referred to as behavioral, transversal or relational skills possessed by a person.

It is possible to categorize soft skills into four pillars:

• The capacity for self-management,
• The ability to use technological tools,
• The ability to solve problems,
• The ability to work in a team.

The human aspect is decisive in the tools and methods used to manage a team. Emotional intelligence is an ability to integrate the emotions of his interlocutor to adopt the right attitude.

The soft skills of a good manager are linked to his personality traits, his motivation, his qualities and his personal values.

These increasingly sought-after emotional qualities complement hard skills.

How to be a good manager?

No one is born a manager. The role of the manager requires common sense, investment, benevolence, emotional intelligence, etc.

A good manager has the makings of a leader, he leads by example and inspires his team. He participates fully in the process of recruiting his employees. In addition, he shares his vision and gives meaning to everyone’s missions. A good manager communicates regularly and effectively with his team. He is open to exchanges and he adapts his style of management according to the context, the situation or the personality he has in front of him.

To be a good manager , it is necessary to know how to spot and manage everyone’s talent , the goal being to allow your team to learn and improve.

In a professional environment increasingly prone to change, companies need leaders who unite a group around a common goal.

The main objective of a manager is to achieve the strategic objectives set by his management. He must then orchestrate the talents for which he is responsible as accurately as possible .

Our advice for managing a sales team

Managing a sales team starts with setting clear and measurable goals for each member of the team. These objectives should be aligned with the overall business objectives.

Then, it is important to encourage open communication and collaboration between team members, this will help promote problem solving as well as effective decision-making.

The management of a sales team also involves training, it is necessary to provide training and continuous development to improve the skills of your team.

Giving regular and constructive feedback on the performance of your team and congratulating them on successes are fundamental concepts for creating cohesion. Foster a culture of success by showcasing team successes and recognizing individual contributions.

To develop the skills of your team , you must promote autonomy by giving your team the freedom to make decisions.

Finally, it is essential to establish clear rules and limits for team members and ensure that they respect them.