9 Things Ridiculously Successful Sales Managers Do Every Day
When we started Spiro, we interviewed hundreds of sales managers to learn what were the keys to their success. It turned out that there was large overlap in the areas that they felt made them successful.
It didn’t matter if their company was selling used widgets or high-end luxury cars, there is a method to the madness of sales management success.
Want to be a ridiculously successful sales manager? Then do these 9 things other top sales managers do every single day:
1. They make themselves available for their reps
The best sales managers are physically present. If you’re always working remotely, or spending most of your time on the road helping to close deals, then you aren’t really there for your team. There is a lot to be said for the productivity and knowledge transfer that happens in passing someone in the hallway. Get your butt into the office and be around when your team has a deal they need some input on.
2. They set specific, measurable goals
Metrics are a sales manager’s friend, and the successful ones know how to set smaller goals that will help them get to their target. Work backwards from your quota. Look at your team’s average deal size and win rate to figure out how many new opportunities they need to create per week. Then dial it back even farther to set specific goals on how many leads per week they need to realistically reach that number of proposals.
3. They keep their team focused on what’s important
One of the hardest things anyone in sales has to decide is what to spend their time and attention on. The best managers help keep their reps focused on only doing things that get them closer to their goals. They steer them away from wasting time on unqualified prospects, stop them from procrastinating, and let them focus on what matters.
4. They are involved in daily customer interactions
Sitting in on sales calls, or going along for the ride to a meeting, is an ideal way for sales managers to stay engaged on not only how their reps are doing, but also have some personal interaction with customers. Although this isn’t feasible on a daily basis, the best sales managers find a way to be involved with customer interactions every day – read some customer reviews, ask your reps about what they are hearing, or do take that extra 15 minutes and listen in on a call.
Want to become a ridiculously successful salesperson?
5. They keep their team in the loop on what’s going on with the company
One crucial role of a sales manager is to be a conduit to relay messages from the top down. Managers have their finger on the pulse of the company, and need to keep their reps abreast of all the latest, pertinent, news. The best sales managers know that if you keep your sales team informed, you can sell your products and services even better.
6. They take time for themselves
Have you ever been stuck on something, walked away from it for a bit, and when you came back to it had the answer? Our minds and bodies sometimes just need a break. Although sales can feel like a 24/7 job, it is absurd and counterproductive to think you can work 100% of the time. Be a good role model for your sales reps and show them that it’s important to give yourself time to unwind and recharge your batteries.
7. They roll up their sleeves and jump in
As the most successful sales managers know, nothing is beneath you. If something needs to get done to get you to your goal, you have to be willing to jump in and complete the task. A rep out sick and the account needs some immediate attention? Then pick up the phone and make it happen. The best managers are the ones who are team players and will not shy away from doing some grunt work. If you want to be successful, you need to roll up your sleeves and get shit done.
8. They are clear communicators about KPIs and expectations
It’s great to have expectations of your team and your sights set on your company’s KPIs, but it doesn’t mean a hill of beans to your reps unless you are delivering that message clearly to them. Ridiculously successful sales managers are excellent communicators. They can drive home a point in a clear, concise way, while keeping morale up amidst high expectations.
9. They keep the balance on deals for today vs. deals for the future
It’s human nature to focus on customers and prospects you like. But that means your reps may be giving too much attention to a future deal and ignoring a more pressing opportunity. The best sales managers can crunch the numbers, take out the emotions, and help their reps balance their attention on deals for today, while not neglecting the future ones in the pipeline.
How This Helped Us Create Spiro
At the end of the day, ridiculously successful sales managers are the ones who make their team more successful. We took all this great advice from sales managers and built it right into Spiro. Spiro helps salespeople be more productive and helps managers gain insight into where their sales team is spending their time.
