Is there a difference between managing and leading? Most companies have Sales Managers by title and not Sales Leader. Today, some companies have Chief Sales Officers. Regardless of the title, what do top sales executives try to accomplish?
Top sales executives are people who can find the balance between both managing and leading. As a top sales driver in your organization, you have to lead. You can’t hide behind other people; you need to be out front and totally accountable for organizational performance. You lead by example. You are first to a meeting. You are organized, you set the tone for your team to follow, you openly communicate about your company’s vision and goals and you make sure that not only your people but your top vendors are in step with your company vision. It is these partnerships and this level of information sharing that takes your relationships to the next level, and that next level typically gets results and garners higher profitability.
You are out on the road with your sales people visiting their customers and listening to their customers’ needs and addressing issues….rapidly. This keeps you crisp and in touch with the marketplace. This leadership shows your team that you are engaged and that you care about their success and that of their customers. Do the little things, follow up thank you emails to customers about your recent sales call and thanking them for spending time with you go a long way. It is professional. Then follow up on regular intervals. Post notes in your calendar for additional follow up and check in to gage customer satisfaction.
As a sales leader you also need to manage. You manage your financial performance, you manage through customer and employee adversity and you team with HR to constantly try to retain, train and improve the skillset of your team. Sales and operations also need to be on the same page. You need to manage thru issues that affect customer satisfaction and affect the ultimate buying experience. Your outside team is only as good as their inside and technical support teams make them.
It is this delicate blend of managing and leading and it is how you effectively strike a balance between both that will enhance the value that you drive to your organization.
Copyright © 2015 by John Salvadore
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