Unit 4: Sales Teams
With an understanding of the range of sales professions out there and how to present a basic sales presentation, it is helpful to look at the career from the management perspective. When you accept a sales position, you will probably not be alone. You will be part of a team. As part of a team, you will likely experience the process of being recruited into the position and engaging in sales training. Over time, you also will be managed with a variety of motivational approaches. Before beginning your sales career, you should have some understanding of the forces that will guide your work efforts. This unit is designed to provide those insights.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- articulate how sales people are recruited;
- explain how a sales training program is created;
- recognize motivational strategies used in the management of sales people;
- describe how sales teams function in an organization; and
- list the criteria typically used to evaluate sales professionals.
4.1: Building a Sales Team
Read the section of this page titled, Recruiting and Selecting Salespeople, regarding the basic means for recruiting sales professionals. This information can be helpful both as you seek a sales position and later if you find yourself in a management position. For now, consider how this article can help you find that first sales position.
Read this article regarding how you should compensate a sales staff through salary. This information will give you some guidance as to what level of compensation you could expect in the sales positions you consider.
This article offers the suggestion that managers help foster social networks among their sales staff. Consider the benefits you might garner by working in a sales team that features these types of relationships.
In this article, Chris Stiehl provides insight into his research regarding sales staff motivation. Which of these methods might work for you?
4.2: Evaluating Sales Professionals
This brief article provides a synopsis of McKinnis' research and publications on sales management practices. Rod McKinnis is the author of Sales Is Simple: From Luck to Leverage. He provides a slightly different overview of how to help others find success in sales.
Unit 4 Summary
Sales is often thought of as an individual process. However, you will more likely be a member of a sales team. The team element introduces issues of training, working with others, staff motivation, and possibly competition. Recognizing the variables present in sales teams and being comfortable with them will be helpful in your career. Those who excel in these areas might have the opportunity to move into management positions. Unit 4 provides an overview of the team element in sales from both the sales person and sales management perspectives.
Based on your previous work and experiences assess how you might perform as a sales team leader. What would your skills and strengths be? What type of leadership or managerial approaches do you think you would use? What skills and knowledge do you think you need to develop now, or during your sales career, that would make you qualified to be a sales team leader in the future?
