HOW TO GET BEST OUT OF SALES TEAM?

Sales is the front-wheel drive that pulls a company forward in the marketplace. But in many companies, top managers are frustrated because the sales process seems to be disconnected from corporate objectives. This presents a serious impediment to management's efforts to achieve their goals effectively.

The process of transforming top management's goals into actionables typically breaks down for one or more of the following reasons:

• Lack of top management clarity about objectives or goals
• Difficulty in translating company objectives into sales plan
• Defining sales plans up to individual sales team members and managerial coaching
• Ambiguity in communicating objectives and business plan to the sales force
• Failure to align incentive and other reward policies with the objectives

Why does this occur so often, and what can management do about it? Actually each of these can be remedied through thoughtful management. There are various stages in sales and hence to achieve the best result, management has to take right steps at all the levels.

• At first, define the core strategy and set the objectives and goals clearly after understaning the market situation and its own growth opportunities
• Breakdown goals into smaller near term shorter goals (yearly plan broken down into quarterly plans etc.)
• Communicate the goals clearly to the sales team, with rationale behind the growth and creating confidence and excitement to participate in the growth. Communication helps in bringing the best involvement and hence higher accountability.
• Define success parameters (when can a sales executive be successful), set expectations, expect and accept feedback
• Set achievable but challenging goals and involve sales executives in the process, this actually helps and motivates them
• Recognise individual strength and areas of improvement and set targets accordingly.
• Tailor rewards and recognition programs according to the individual's performance. To motivate and retain the 'High flyers' they should be provided with customized rewards. However the management should also take care in maintaining internal and external equity

The management should also understand that different people are motivated at different levels depending on individual circumstances. Hence to achieve the best result the companies will have to understand the needs and wants of its resources. There are different types of sales people and hence to get the best out of them, the management should try to understand what will motivate them and then cater the same.

• There are sales people who are highly driven by incentives: Monetary benefits motivate them. To increase the customer base of your company employ them and provide them with the best customized remuneration (these are hunters – new sales, find fresh new business)
• There are sales people who are sensible and emotional and hence they care for their company, products/ services and customers too and hence the management should find these type of people to build brand and a good and strong customer relationship (they can be farmers – account management role)
• There are others, who are high flyers, but money alone can't motivate them and hence to motivate and retain these, the management should go on to acknowledge and recognise their efforts. Recognition in front of everyone motivates them to perform even better.
• There are some sales people who are very extrovert and outgoing, they are fearless and best in communicating and dealing with others, the management here can look for these people and get them involved in dealing with customers or target customers at official meetings or on corporate meets of different companies (more door openers. They impress in the first meeting but lack follow-up)

Hence in this way the management by reconnecting to its sales force and applying the best motivators can enhance the performance and growth of the company. These steps would facilitate in maintaining company's performance and would also help in building harmony among the management and its sales resources.