How to Get From Good to Great in Sales Management using Customer Relationship Management
You just received a promotion from sales executive to sales manager, “now what?” Just because you were an outstanding sales executive and utilized CRM Software does not mean that your management skills will come naturally, in reality it is typically the opposite. Sales management has many demands on your time so becoming a good leader isn’t always easy. There are some very straightforward tips that can help you through this process, including CRM Software:
First, realize that each person is different. Don’t think one management technique will work with all your staff, or for that matter one selling style. Each individual has unique talents and challenges that need to be addressed. Your top performers use CRM and are often very different from one another when approaching a sale. To be a top manager, you need to find out what will work for each particular individual. Using your staff’s strengths and having people utilize them remembering to also use CRM Software is a big part of good leadership.
Second, figure out who the top performers are and how they feel about the management change and CRM. Get to know them on a personal level as well as at the office. It is essential to have strong relationships with good reps so that they have a sense of the company energy and connection as well as the in-house CRM tool. If they are left on their own, this will not take place. Good managers recognize that the relationship with their best reps who use CRM becomes key to their own success as well.
Third, deal with high performing staff in a professional manner without being rattled. Typically, high achievers using CRM in sales feel they can set some, if not all the rules however, if they understand the rationale behind the decision making and they are approached appropriately they will more willingly accept changes that are proposed. A manager needs to be objective and non emotional when dealing with these types of issues.
Finally, great managers need to lead from their successes as well as report issues in their CRM tool. In other words, they pair talent with the correct opportunities and resources with Customer Relationship Management to produce the best outcome. Most of your time should be spend with your top sales staff, noticing their great results and relationship building skills. By spending additional time with your high performing reps who utilize CRM, on average you will receive a 20% higher return according to some studies. A 20% increase in a top performer is worth considerably more than someone who isn’t a top performer.
