Throughout this series of articles I've been focusing on rebuilding a team of talented sales professionals who can perform as business development specialists. The primary message has been that you must carefully re-define the roles and responsibilities prior to searching for the best talent. I have also challenged you to re-engineer your recruiting and hiring processes so that you can hire and promote more effectively and reduce the considerable costs of hiring mistakes; and that includes dramatically improving  your management team's interview skills.

In the last article the focus was on strengthening your human capital through staff development and we made the case for designing both training and coaching programs.  With the past six articles as background, let's talk about managing this more sophisticated group of business developers.

I am a strong believer in the concept that you should "Manage your System and Coach Your People."  It is essential that a well thought out sales management system or program be designed that clearly defines your expectations and allows your sales team to actually manage themselves. Once this system is in place, the sales manager's primary role should be to manage/maintain the system and provide the necessary coaching so that your sales people can grow professionally and adapt to this dynamic market environment. If we select the right people with the appropriate skills and experience (eligibility) and behavioral traits (suitability), then this approach will result in significant growth.

Let's take a look at the components of an effective sales management program.

Strategy and Planning
Prior to designing the management structure you must facilitate a strategic planning process that not only defines what success looks like but also provides a clear picture of your current status. You should involve the key players in this process so that the team can become aligned around company expectations while preparing written goals and objectives.

Sales Process Management
You should clearly define the sales philosophy/approach that will be utilized and communicate it clearly to the team. It is most effective if you can provide a step by step process for your company's selling strategies so that sales people can develop the necessary skills for implementation. Integrating transactional and consultative sales strategies into your overall business development plan requires thoughtful planning and communication.  

Resource Deployment
As more people in your organization become involved in the overall sales process, the sales manager is responsible for deploying appropriate company resources to win new clients and protect your hard earned business. This of course requires a strategic analysis of where your business comes from as well as what is required to defend the business that is essential to your continued success. Setting and communicating priorities is a crucial component of this process.

Coaching and Leadership
"If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; if you teach him to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime." One great indicator of strong leadership is the ability to make the people around you better. This is accomplished by providing an example so that the process of modeling can occur. This is further accomplished by designing a carefully executed coaching program. This of course requires an accurate assessment of individual and team strengths and challenges and developing a plan that will, over time, assist your sales people in improving their overall competence. Teaching your sales people how to develop their own personal development strategic plan and assisting them in carrying it out is what professional sales management is all about.