The sales department must obtain orders from customers as cost-effectively as possible, or else an organization will soon go out of business. In the Effective Sales Management course, we describe every aspect of how to run the department. Topics covered include sales strategy, managing sales opportunities, organizing the department, motivational techniques, salesperson compensation systems, sales forecasting, and the best metrics for the department.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
Identify the responsibilities of the sales staff and sales manager.
Specify the selling challenges in today's business environment.
Describe the traits of a good salesperson.
Identify the situations in which it makes sense to recruit salespeople from competitors.
Specify the different types of sales strategies.
Identify the contents of a go-to-market plan.
Recall the best possible customers for an in-house sales staff.
Specify the circumstances under which sales teams should be used.
Describe how to grow the customer base.
Specify how to calculate the average cost of a sales call.
Specify how up-selling and cross-selling are used.
Recall the different types of purchases that a customer may make.
Recall how a buying center operates.
Specify how an internal advocate should be used.
Identify the characteristics of an effective sales organization.
Recall the situations in which independent sales agents should be used.
Recall the process for developing a salesperson job description.
Specify how to refine the recruiting for salespeople.
Identify how to make salesperson candidates remove themselves from a job selection.
Recall the different types of training that can be applied to the sales force.
Specify the various steps in the training cycle.
Identify the nature of the spacing effect in training.
Recall the advantages and disadvantages of centralized training.
Specify the differences between leadership and management.
Identify the characteristics of someone with a high level of emotional intelligence.
Recall the actions that may be taken to enhance a leader's credibility.
Specify the strengths and weaknesses of traits analysis.
Identify the events normally included in a coaching session.
Recall the characteristics of a sales quota.
Specify the characteristics of an incentive system.
Identify the characteristics of a bonus payment.
Recall the nature of a house account.
Specify the characteristics of a 360-degree appraisal.
Identify the issues with using growth patterns to forecast sales.
State when forecasting based on customer spending works best.
Recall the issues with the development of sales forecasts from customer surveys.
Specify when to use an extrapolated forecast.
Identify when to use a smoothing constant when creating a sales forecast.
Recall when to use a moving average forecasting method.
Specify the meaning of a correlation coefficient.
Identify the causes of a change in revenues.
Recall when to use a sales budget that is structured by sales territory.
Specify how pacing can be applied to the development of a sales budget.
Identify the different metrics that can be used to assess the activities of the sales department.
Major Topics
Positioning of Sales within the Marketing Mix
The Sales Manager Position
The Salesperson Position
Types of Sales Strategies
The Sales Goal Breakdown
The Sales Team
Managing Sales Opportunities
Managing Existing Accounts
Types of Selling Models
Customer Relationships
Types of Sales Force Structures
Sales Territories
Salesperson Recruiting and Hiring
Salesperson Training
Leadership and Management
Motivational Techniques
Types of Compensation Packages
Salesperson Performance Evaluation
Sales Forecasting Techniques
Types and Timing of Sales and Marketing Expenses
Sales Metrics
