Sales manager: who he is and what he does

How to become a sales manager

The sales manager plays a key role in the success (or failure) of a company. In fact, his or her actions are critical to achieving sales goals and–as a result–generating revenue.

To become a corporate sales manager, there is no set path, although there are various institutes, universities and master’s degree programs in which to acquire the right training.

In addition, it is essential to possess specific skills to enter this profession.

What does the sales manager do?

The sales manager must perform numerous tasks, as well as take on precise responsibilities:

is responsible for achieving the company’s sales goals, and must therefore plan the budget and activities effectively;

in order to achieve these goals, he cannot work alone: he needs the support of a sales team, in which everyone contributes as best he can and works according to predetermined (realistic and achievable) goals;

must delegate tasks, depending on the skills and characteristics that each team member possesses: in fact, his or her job is to spur each salesperson to give his or her best;

is called upon to devise strategies and techniques for achieving sales goals;

must identify potential customers, and generate new opportunities for the company;

is responsible for brand promotion, and brand outreach: he may often be called upon to offer his advice to the Marketing department to decide, for example, where to place an ADV (because of his knowledge of the target customer);

must motivate team members, making sure that the team works toward a common goal and that there is harmony;

can develop profitable incentive schemes and introduce monetary benefits to encourage the team to work at its best;

it is his duty to ensure that salespeople bring in the desired results: supervision and performance monitoring are therefore essential (there is often a tendency to ask for a weekly or monthly report from the individual salesperson);

must stand by individual team members in times of crisis and when their performance is disappointing;

is responsible not only for selling, but also for maintaining and improving customer relationships .

How to become a sales manager

There is no real path to becoming a sales manager, but a degree in marketing or business management is a good place to start.

However, people often come to the role after 5-10 years’ experience in Sales and-preferably-after attending a course to become sales manager: The best providers offer courses in communication, marketing, finance, negotiation, conflict management, and all the subjects that an excellent sales manager must master.

The sales manager must also possess precise Soft Skills, such as:

patience and kindness: a sales manager cannot afford to be rude to his customers, and must allow them time to trust the products and services offered;

honesty: he must be focused on the customer, understand his needs and expectations, not impose anything on him, and not be dishonest (ripping off a sale with a lie, or with a hidden truth, is counterproductive);

Dynamism: laziness is incompatible with the role of the sales manager;

responsiveness in the face of failure and failure to achieve a goal;

punctuality: it is necessary for a sales manager to keep his or her commitments and to arrive on time for every appointment;

flexibility: a sales professional must know how to modify his or her selling style according to the customer, but must also know how to adapt in the face of changes in the market, products, and services;

communication skills, to communicate with clients and the team, but also with his superiors;

problem-solving skills, to solve customer problems and internal team issues.

If you want to learn more about the most in-demand and lucrative jobs, check out our PHYDpedia: you’ll find fact sheets and insights on the jobs of the moment, with guidance on the educational path to take, the skills required, and details of the tasks.