3 Keys to Managing an Effective Sales Force

1. Create a 'Sales Plan' that indicates targets and objectives.

The sales plan should explicitly identify:

                   Sales Goals and Timelines

                   Product or products to focus on

                   Training (to be completed throughout the year)

                   Level of compensation for meeting or exceeding expectations

                   Penalties for underperforming

2. The Sales Manager must have a means of tracking the progress of the 'Sales Plan'.

Without continual updates, as to the progress of the sales staff, a sales manager has no basis of what to manage. It is useless to get half way through the year to find that your team is in a whole far too big to climb out of.

Charities often track donations using large signs to show the level of financial support. Using these highly visual means of tracking your sales forces' progress doesn’t leave any room for miscommunication. If you are on track the mood in the office will be positive. If sales are off track; decisions need to be made to correct the course. Without a clear understanding of how sales are progressing the sales manager has no idea of how to lead.

3. Evaluate the 'Sales Plan'

The final phase of meeting or exceeding your sales goals and building for the future is to evaluate the plan. Who finished on target? Who missed the target? Were the goals realistic? What could have been done to improve sales? Answering these questions by yourself will give you a definite answer as to how well you were able to execute the sales plan.

****Note there is a difference between Budget Targets and the 'Sales Plan'***

Budget Targets = Large corporate financial objectives.

Sales Plan = Sales action plan to attain regional goals.