Many businesses grow to a size where they have a sales team (of technical, professional or sales staff), but aren’t ready to employ a full-time Sales Manager. Or maybe there is a short-term need to fill the role. In this situation the sales management responsibilities are often handled by the Managing Director, General Manager or other senior leader.
But the senior leader is already too busy!
However it’s common that the senior leader already has a full schedule with their ‘main’ area of responsibility and can rarely spend the time they should on specifically managing, mentoring, and developing the sales team. They are simply stretched too far; often leaving the team members to manage themselves… with varying degrees of success.
Worst case scenario is when no-one is really leading the sales team. The result can be a sales team (your “revenue engine”) that slips into neutral – coasting along – rather than accelerating sales results.
The sales team needs a leader that can understand their issues, hold them accountable for results, and focus on continual improvements.
The solution is to work with a professional Sales Manager on a flexible basis with a structured engagement that suits what your business needs.
Outsourced sales management is cost effective
Sales Management by Subscription™ is a professional pay-as-you-go outsourced sales management service that gives you a choice of how much support, interaction, and development you receive for a fixed monthly subscription fee that is a fraction of the cost of a full time sales manager.
As a subscription system you select the level of service you need for your business. Of course you’ll get advice and guidance on which aspects of sales management are most relevant for you at this particular point in time.
Importantly, as part of the service, you will have a Sales Manager on-site for specific events, whilst other sales management functions may be delivered remotely such as by email, phone, web conference etc.
You only pay for what you need
There are four subscription levels for Sales Management by Subscription. Each level includes a range of sales management components which enables you to choose the right combination of support to suit your business requirements.
- Starter – for businesses who are just beginning to introduce a structured sales management function
- Silver – includes a thorough reporting process to enhance management decisions
- Gold – includes a comprehensive focus on professional development of the sales team
- Platinum – the full-service subscription providing a complete sales management operation
Whilst the degree of sales management support required will vary from business to business, the Sales Management by Subscription service provides access to a comprehensive suite of sales management services that can cater for increasingly complex needs as the business grows. Services include:
Sales Operations
- Run sales meetings
- Review proposals/quotes
- Review sales support materials
- Liaise with other managers and functions such as marketing and IT
- Participate in regular management meetings
Performance Management
- Develop KPI’s for individual team members
- Weekly/daily contact with individuals on sales team
- Accompany team members on sales calls (in field or inside sales)
- Sales performance reviews
Team Development
- Sales coaching
- Custom training sessions
- Capability assessments
- Personal development plans for sales team
Sales Reporting
- Develop sales reporting procedures
- Sales pipeline reviews
- Monitor reports from team members
- Prepare monthly sales reports for the CEO/GM
Sales Planning
- Sales strategy
- New business evaluation
- Territory management
- Develop sales forecasts/budgets/goals
- Review and develop pricing, margin and offers
Sales Recruitment
- Develop Position Descriptions
- Manage the recruitment process
- Interview applicants
If your business is struggling to effectively manage your sales team without a dedicated Sales Manager then Sales Management by Subscription may be the solution for you.
Get the help you need to accelerate sales results
Now you can access professional sales management expertise without the expense or employment obligations of hiring a full-time Sales Manager.
To receive detailed information on the subscription levels and to arrange a confidential discussion about the performance of your sales team request a meeting now.
The initial discussion is an important step to clarify expectations and determine if your business is in a suitable situation to benefit from Sales Management by Subscription.
Take action to avoid these common symptoms of poor sales management
- Stagnant sales growth
- Sales targets regularly missed
- Losing deals/proposals you believe your company should have won
- Lack of skill development within the sales team
- Lack of direction; too much focus on low-priority activities
- Poor motivation within the team
- Poor time management by the sales team
- Keeping poor performers because you don’t have time to help them or replace them
- No sales reporting, or lack of significant detail in sales reports
- Lack of future sales opportunities
- Lack of communication between the sales team and other parts of the business
- Team members giving priority to administrative tasks rather than face-to-face selling activities
Not ready for a discussion yet?
Use the Sales Management Improvement Analysis to get instant insights into what your sales management development priorities are.
Access other sales management resources:
7 Steps to a High Performance Sales Team
The Sales Performance Improvement Framework
The Triple C Strategy for Making Initial Contact