Earlier this week I sat down with professor and OCMC coach Will Mlacak to discuss the key concepts of sales management. With over twenty years in sales management Will has worked within managerial positions in many different industries, some of which include: food products, food services, consumer packaged goods and industrial products. Will joined the Humber Business School in 2002 with the goal of assisting students through their educational journey by sharing his experiences. This post focuses on three key areas that Will believes to be absolutely essential for successful sales management.
Tip 1- Cover the Fundamentals - "The five fundamentals are the core of sales management"
Every sales decision should be well thought through and carefully structured. Here are five specific areas that will help build a solid sales management foundation:
· Planning: Before you start, develop an overall game plan. This is where you establish goals, policies and procedures that will help reach a firm’s overall objectives.
· Staffing: A firm can only be as good as the people it hires. Look for passionate and dedicated employees who openly share their thoughts and opinions.
· Training: Be sure to train employees both internally and externally. Develop sound methods on how, where and when to train employees.
· Directing: This deals with organizing and leading employees positively and persuasively. The key focus here is motivation and compensation.
· Evaluating: Focus on comparing actual performance with objectives and taking appropriate corrective actions.
Tip 2- Communication is essential -"Without effective communication nothing can be accomplished”
Will says that one of the most important areas of concentration is communication. “It’s not about knowing how to speak, it’s about knowing how to listen.” Will strongly emphasizes the importance of listening to what employees and customers have to say. Will suggests that every business should, “establish a private platform for people to talk,” which will also help ensure everyone is on the same page.
Tip 3- Cultivate Relationships - “Know people's background and what motivates them”
Will stressed the significance of knowing a little about each employee’s background and personal situation – as offering a sales incentive for a two night stay at a high-end hotel to a sales person with a spouse and children is quite meaningless. If you get to know each employee on a personal level this helps find ways to directly motivate and inspire them.
Relationships also extend into the customer realm. Make an effort to understand what customers want out of a relationship. Quarterly meetings, company tours and fundraising events are all good ways to determine this on a professional level.
Put it to the test!
Although no two situations are alike, remembering and utilizing these tips in an effective manner will assist you throughout your career and OCMC journey. Make sure you have the fundamentals in place and then build on this with effective communication and strong relationship-building practices. These are the building blocks of sales management.
A very special “thank you” to Will Mlacak for talking the time to share his insights and experiences with us. He wishes all participants the very best at the competition.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free comment and share your thoughts and opinions!
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