It is a big change from being one of the salesforce to actually managing all or part of it. Usually, the newly-appointed Sales Manager has little management training and remarkably little time in which to learn the essential skills in order to make a successful transition. Making the transition as smooth as possible should ensure that the team’s sales results are maintained and the business continues to develop well.

 

Essentially, this comprehensive, introductory course is designed to enable a new Sales Manager to quickly appraise the current position and to systematically establish a down-to-earth action plan to develop personal management skills as well as to boost the company's sales through the effective management of their sales team.

 

A PC simulation tool, which has been specifically developed to use in the pharmaceutical industry, will help to enhance skill and concept learning, along with numerous case studies and skills practice.

 

You will:

• Quickly come to understand the essential responsibilities and tasks of a Sales Manager so that you can begin to practice the skills needed to grow and be successful in your position

• Learn how to plan and deploy the sales management activity efficiently so as to achieve maximum sales growth for your company through the people you manage

• Acquire new skills in leadership and motivation which will help you gain and keep the commitment of the sales team you manage

• Learn and practice the techniques and skills necessary to recruit, train and evaluate the sales team in order to realise their maximum performance, as individuals and as a team

 

Contents·

• Marketing and the Sales Manager

  • The function of the sales manager in the corporate organisation

  • Planning, organising, leading, developing and monitoring resources; the classic management process applied to sales

  • How the sales function fits into marketing

  • Co-ordination of marketing and sales activity

  • The changing role of the RBM

• Leadership

  • Leadership vs Management

  • Understanding your own personality style (quadrant analysis instrument used)

  • Different leadership styles (instrument used)

    • management by control vs management by commitment

  • Teamwork, team dynamics, Team development stages and team roles (Belbin instrument used)

  • Adaptive Leadership

    • task vs people management

    • appropriate delegation

  • Winners vs Losers – Positive Mental Attitude·

• Motivation

  • Fundamental concepts of morale and motivation – Herzberg / Maslow / Personal Drivers

  • Assessing and identifying individual motivation (Personal Drivers instrument used)

  • Recognising motivation and demotivation

  • Motivating the more experienced salesperson / teams

  • Use of reward mechanisms in motivation / changing behaviours

• Business Planning

  • Business planning process

  • Quantitative and qualitative data analysis

    • Sales vs Activity vs Potential analysis

  • Supply chain management

  • Customer targeting / Key account management

  • The MORCAD Grid* Problem solving

  • Resource prioritisation; time utilisation

  • Setting financial / non-financial objectives & action plans

  • Forecasting / setting territory sales targets

  • Profit & Loss

  • Monitoring & Control

• Recruitment

  • Manpower planning and development

  • The specific requirements of sales selection

  • The mechanics of recruitment - job specifications, employee profiling, advertising and assessment

  • Screening applicants

  • The art of recruitment interviewing

  • Assessing and scoring candidates

  • Reaching a decision

  • The legalities of discrimination

  • Making a job offer

  • Possible selection tools

• Performance Management

  • Setting up and using effective Monitoring & Review systems

  • Key Performance Indicators

  • Documentation and paperwork

  • Communicating upwards

  • Principles of learning (instrument used)

  • Field training – the “GROW” model

  • The 3 C’s – coaching, counseling and confronting

  • Interpersonal communication skills

    • Exploring & summarising

    • Constructive feedback

    • Resolving conflict (Thomas Kilman conflict mode instrument used)

    • Praising good performance

    • Active listening

  • Tackling under-performance and other performance issues

  • Problem solving

  • Assertiveness vs Aggressiveness

  • Identifying training needs

  • Setting objectives & action plans

• Performance Review

  • Typical appraisal and performance review system

  • The appraisal and review process

  • Establishing standards and measuring performance

  • The performance review discussion / meeting

  • Succession planning and development

• Advanced Communication Skills

  • Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)

    • Advanced questioning and listening skills

  • Non-verbal communication

    • Building rapport; body language

• Chairmanship Skills

  • Preparation

  • Ground rules

  • Ensuring participation

  • Active participation - offering ideas, building on others' ideas

  • Staying on track

  • Leading discussions; judging when to call a halt to unproductive discussion

  • Recognising and managing different types of attendees

  • Maintaining control of disruptive attendees

  • Resolving conflict

• Effective Time Management

  • Important tasks vs urgent tasks

  • Managing and prioritising a task list / diary

  • Structuring an effective working day

  • Common causes of distractions; handling disruptions

    • Office layout tips to improve efficiency

    • Efficient use of Computers

 

Format

This is a six day programme, a four day workshop followed by a two day follow-up workshop two months later. There is extensive opportunity given to practice and refine the skills using a combination of exercises, case studies and a PC business simulation tool.

Maximum group size: 12

 

Participants

Recently appointed Sales Managers with frontline responsibility for a salesforce of at least four people; soon-to-be-appointed Sales Managers who need to learn more about management in a sales environment; Marketing Managers who need to gain a better understanding of the sales management function.