Sales manager what they do. Responsibilities of a sales manager: what to demand from an employee. Who is a sales manager

Long gone are the days when there was a shortage of goods. Young people, and even people of the middle generation, have no idea that once the necessary thing could only be bought "by pull."

Now the market for goods and services is oversaturated, and it is not so easy to sell almost any product; more than one company sells it. And buyers have become much more demanding and discerning than during the "stagnation" times, when they bought everything, regardless of the quality of goods and service, because all of this was not enough.

Due to the current conditions in the market for goods and services, the role of a sales manager is very responsible and significant. The modern sales manager differs from the salesperson of the period of "stagnation" and "perestroika" like heaven is from earth. Precisely because the range of responsibilities, opportunities and professional skills of sales managers is now quite wide, not everyone in this profession is successful.

And how do you become a successful sales manager, so that your management appreciates you, your customers respect you, and your material reward is constantly growing?

Here are ten basic rules for a successful sales manager:

1. A good sales manager is a contact person.

2. A good sales manager is always available on the phone.

Try to always be available for communication by phone. Leaving an autoresponder instead of yourself, you quite possibly lose a potential buyer. When a customer comes across the mechanical voice of an answering machine, the customer will most likely not call again. By answering each call personally, you will show attention and, more accurately, be able to convince the other person to make a purchase.

3. A good sales manager is a must.
That is, he never promises what he cannot fulfill. If you have promised something to a client, it must be done. Broken promises, even if you explain why this happened, undermine the buyer's trust in you. I promised - do it, and if you are not sure that you can do something, then the best phrase would be “I will do my best to fulfill it, but I cannot promise that it will work out”. And if you can do it, the client will appreciate not only your honesty, but also your efforts and commitment, and he will trust you.

4. A good sales manager can not only speak, but also listen.
Good contact in a relationship is impossible if it is based only on the monologue of one of the interlocutors; dialogue is necessary for confidential communication. Therefore, you need not only to be able to speak, convincing the buyer of the merits of the offered product, but also to be able to listen with interest to your interlocutor. Firstly, the ability to listen always makes a good impression on the interlocutor, secondly, the buyer can try to explain to you some features of the product that he wants to buy, and thirdly, he can tell you something specific about himself that will help you, to associate his preferences with the product offered to you.

5. A good sales manager is not afraid of complaints.
There is no need to dismiss customer complaints, even if they seem insignificant to you. Be attentive and be sure to consider any customer complaint, both serious and minor. This will build customer confidence in you.

6. A good sales manager is ready to provide any assistance, even if it does not bring benefits.
To provide some kind of help in the framework of their professional activities, to be useful that obviously will not bring profit, such actions of the manager are very much appreciated by buyers. And the next time when the need arises, the client is more likely to turn to you than to where they were indifferent and inattentive with him.

7. A good sales manager must be an expert on the product being sold.
A very bad impression on potential buyers is made by the manager's incompetence in some qualities and parameters of a product or service. Your uncertain or inaccurate answers to their questions about a product or service may discourage the desire to buy from you. A good manager must know literally everything about the product or service provided, and competently and intelligibly answer any questions from customers.

8. A good sales manager must be proactive.
That is, not only to offer the requested product, but also to tell about some similar products, thereby giving the client the opportunity to make a choice. And if the client is a regular, and has made more than one purchase from you, be sure to offer him a discount or bonus on the product he has chosen. This marketing tactic will strengthen the desire of your customers to make purchases from you.

9. A good sales manager is not afraid to admit his mistake.

Be sure to admit your mistake, even if the client didn't immediately notice it, and of course, apologize. This will show the buyer that you are honest with him and will only increase the degree of trust in you as a reliable seller.

10. A good sales manager does not use the word "try" where he can, even with some effort, fulfill the promise.

In the event that you know for sure that you can fulfill some promise given to the client, do not say "I will try", but firmly promise "I will." This will show the extent of your capabilities and your efforts to do everything for the convenience of the client.

To paraphrase a well-known expression, we can say “good sales managers are not born, but become” and it is within the power of any person in this profession to learn to be an excellent professional in their field.

Many people think that the manager's job is to present the product to the client. The latter are sure that the essence of his work is interaction with regular customers. A third person thinks that the main job of a sales manager is to sell. But how do managers actually work, what is the meaning of the profession, and who needs it?

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The essence of the work

Most often, the product is sold by a line of intermediaries who deliver it to retail outlets. In order for the flow of the sold product to be measured and uninterrupted, it is necessary to define and maintain partnerships with customers.

It is the responsibility of the sales manager to create this link between consumers, retailers, and manufacturers.

Consequently, the role of the sales manager is to sell the product. He is obliged to control the fulfillment by all parties to the contract of the assumed powers and strictly control the delivery of goods. It is in his competence to do everything so that the client is satisfied with the purchase and in the future contacts the company again and again.

Types of goods that sales managers work with:

consumer products;
industrial goods;
service.

The profession of a manager has become widespread in the field of wholesale sales. In some companies, specialists prefer to contact the client directly (especially if the work is carried out with expensive services). Managers in other firms prefer to contact distribution companies, while simultaneously combining several sales methods.

About the position

At present, the concept of a manager is interpreted so broadly that almost every second specialist is called him. Different levels of a manager include a different set of powers. You need to acquire the technology and skills that will give you the chance to make sales on a regular basis. The essence of effective sales is based on a systematic approach, even if it is carried out by the hands of only one master.

At its core, every manager, even the lowest level, is a manager. Its activity consists in organizing, planning, coordinating and controlling all production mechanisms of the company.

The demand for this direction is quite easy to explain - in our country it is unique, since its representatives can find themselves in all sectors of the economy, both at the state level and in companies based on private ownership.

Professional competence

Any representative of this profession needs to be sociable, sociable and purposeful. Mobile workers must be able to plan and properly control work processes within the company and motivate workers.

Each applicant needs to be stress-resistant. Until the moment of signing the contract, more than one week may pass from the time of the start of work with the client. Sometimes it can take several years just to develop a client base. Also, the peculiarity of the seasonal factor cannot be ruled out.

As a rule, you can get passive income from serving a number of regular customers, but active sales need to find new candidates. It is possible to get the same profit from 1 large or several small trades.

Manager's work scheme:

identification of a circle of potential consumers and clarification of their contacts;
development of an effective commercial proposal;
drawing up a sales scheme, including the right attitude to communicate with the candidate before effectively positioning yourself and the work organization;
drawing up constructive communication with a potential client;
handling customer objections;
appointment of a meeting and proper organization of the presentation of the goods sold;
signing a contract, scheduling next meetings and sales;
development of a system of constant communication with the candidate.

In order for the visitor to be satisfied after the conclusion of the transaction, the manager is obliged to oversee the process and the observance of certain rights and obligations by all partners.

Personal qualities of a good manager

Trade workers who want to get good results are required to constantly improve certain skills, and have the following personal qualities:

Learnability. This allows the specialist to develop and adapt to changes in a different plan.
Focus on results. Every manager is obliged to come to work to increase the company's turnover. If a specialist is not interested in this, he simply wastes his personal and the time of the head of the company.
Honesty and decency. If a partner suspects a lie, the manager risks losing his trust once and for all.
Self confidence. In the eyes of the client, the feeling of insecurity is compared to unprofessionalism and incompetence. Most likely, most clients will refrain from communicating with him.
Stress tolerance. Not all partners are ready to make contact and behave kindly. The sales manager runs the risk of being rude, humiliating and insulting.

Motivation

Not all sales representatives are motivated enough to carry out their job duties. This threatens with low-quality performance of official duties and a decline in the desire to comprehend new heights. The company often has questions about why some manage to make a colossal volume of sales, while others do not.

As a rule, solving a problem is closely related to staff motivation, which can be increased in the following ways:

Rule 1: For effective work, at the very beginning of the working day, it is important to remember and clarify all the important details and collect your thoughts.
Rule 2: Perform all actions in accordance with certain rules that exist in this enterprise.
Rule 3: The specialist should strive to constantly improve his professional level.
Rule 4: Statistics are a good motivator. The more she focuses on the main and key points related to the number of successful transactions, the more effective further activities will be.

Additional skills a manager needs

In addition to interacting with clients, the specialist is obliged to collect data, fill the information base, periodically visit exhibitions, conduct analytical reflection, draw up contracts, maintain primary documentation, etc.
A professional in this field must be able to correctly plan his work schedule and have practical knowledge of time management.
Some organizations require creativity and creativity from staff. A professional must be able to use various sales techniques, master the method of working with the imagination of clients, the skill of persuasion, argumentation and successful presentations. He must find an approach to each client.
The employee is obliged to focus on the final result in his activities, to be active, fully interested in work and ready for continuous improvement. As a rule, a specialist independently performs all the work and bears full responsibility for it.
Requirements for proficiency in foreign languages depend on the employer. Most often, only those employers whose company is related to the Western sphere of activity require compulsory knowledge of English.

Demand and prospects

At the moment, from 20 to 50% of vacancies in the labor market are occupied by sales managers. This profession is in the greatest demand, but at the same time it causes the highest percentage of dissatisfaction. Perhaps this is due to the fact that about 90% of citizens accept this activity as unattractive, devoid of any prestige.

Despite this, 40% of all vacancies are held by sales professionals.

The profit of the organization depends entirely on the professionalism of the employee. No matter what quality product a company makes, all its work may be in vain if its customers prefer the services of competitors. Many enterprises are looking for experienced craftsmen, but it is rather difficult to find a real specialist.

According to experts, a good specialist in this field must have a higher education. This can confirm his ability to competently convince the client of the correctness of his point of view and the ability to speak well and clearly with clients. In addition to a diploma, the ideal applicant for this position must have experience of successful transactions, be well versed in the intricacies of his profile market, information about the main suppliers and all potential customers.

A sales manager is an employee of an organization or enterprise who deals with the implementation of transactions with potential customers. A business that sells a product or service cannot exist waiting for customers to turn to them themselves. For this, there are special employees - managers. A manager can conclude contracts for the supply of goods at retail outlets, offer goods or services to each potential client personally, for example, at work places or in stores. This profession is essential for modern society, since the abundance of manufacturers makes it almost impossible to create a unique offer that does not require sales promotion. High competition forces manufacturers to intensively offer their product or service and independently search for customers. Today they buy from the one who sells better. Therefore, the skill and efficiency shown by the sales manager are the basis for the success and profitability of the business. A manager should always know the answer to two main questions: how to promote a product and how to sell a product. This formula is relevant for enterprises in any field. The aspiring sales manager should focus on meeting these key challenges.

Broadly speaking, the skills of a sales manager can be mastered by people with any education. Usually, they are graduates of economic specialties, areas of training "Management" or "Advertising and PR", as well as people who have received higher legal and pedagogical education.

10 deadly sins of sales
What determines the success of your sales? In many ways, it depends on how interesting and beneficial your offer is for buyers. But don't forget about sales managers. Often their mistakes can negate all the advantages of even the most "killer" proposal. We will consider ten such errors.

Working out objections before they arise

Anticipating the main objections of customers and having ready answers to them is the sacred responsibility of the sales manager. But there is nothing worse than rushing to work out these objections. Many managers try to anticipate customer objections and start working on them ahead of time. Thus, they lead the client to the idea of objections, he begins to look for flaws in your proposal, although he might not have thought about it before!

Leave the ball on the client side

Many sales letters and commercial offers end something like this: "If you are interested in cooperation, then call us back." This is mistake. You should once again call your customers and ask if they are ready to work with you.
Chip: keep the ball with you. End the letter, for example, with the following phrase: "I will call you back the day after tomorrow from 12.00 to 14.00." But the main thing is to keep within this interval, it is possible that clients will remember your promise and even out of interest I will wait to see if you will fulfill it!

Passion for characteristics

Many sellers believe that customers buy products and services because of their specifications. As a result, the manager gives out a list of the main functions of the product, its characteristics and ... And he expects that this will be enough for the sale. But no! This is not what matters to people. They often don't care about technical specifications. It is important for them how your product will change their life, their business, how it will improve all this. Therefore, when selling, show not the technical characteristics of the product, but what benefits it brings to customers.
Chip: figure out why customers prefer your product over your competitors, and that is where your selling advantage is.

Excessive gentleness with clients

Yes, sales are rarely successful if the manager and the client do not have a more or less trusting relationship. But the main thing here is not to overdo it. Sucking up too much on a customer is the worst a sales manager can do. Do you know what many of your clients are just sick of? From the banal phrase: “Hello! How are you? What are you doing?". Remember, these are your customers, not your buddies!
Chip: do not forget about chain of command and professionalism. In doing so, be friendly, but don't go overboard.

Haste with a proposal

Of course, the proposal made can help build further relationships with the client. But, as a rule, too hasty a proposal from the first phrases ruins everything. This can be annoying for customers, so try to find out their needs first. Unless, of course, the client himself does not rush you with an offer.
Chip: send your commercial offer only when you have received the verbal consent of the recipient!

Speak but don't listen

Perhaps one of the most common mistakes is the endless talking of a sales manager. Of course, it is easy to get carried away in a conversation, and it often happens, and as a result, the manager literally presses on the client, not allowing him to say a word. This is extremely annoying for customers!

Wasting your time

It often happens that managers "talk" to an answering machine. When there is no decision-maker, they give information to the secretary, and so on. It's a waste of time. It is better not to strike up a conversation in this case, but make another call.

Promised and forgotten

Any client has a distrust of sellers. At the same time, the most demanding clients remember everything you say. And they always know what you promised them and what you did. And if deeds differ from words, then consider that the client is lost, and your reputation is damaged. Therefore, communicate with your customers very carefully. And don't promise too much. Only say what you are 100% sure of.

Closed the deal and forgot

Yes, after signing the contract and paying the invoice, the work can be considered done. But this does not mean that the manager can relax, forget about the client and look for a new one. But many sellers are guilty of this. What's the bottom line? As a result, the client feels a loss of attention. They start to treat him worse. He becomes disappointed in you and leaves.

Requesting Recommendations Too Early

Many sales trainings recommend asking customers if they know someone else who might need your product. Yes, you need to do that. But this question cannot be rushed. Close the first customer contract. Build a good business relationship with him and only then ask about it!
Chip: Apply for a recommendation only when the client is definitely satisfied with you and you have fulfilled your obligations one hundred percent!

Video about the profession

Even 10 years ago, the word "manager" inspired confusion and awe. Indeed, in the vastness of the former USSR, there was no such position, as such. But the process does not stand still, so now, in 2016, almost everyone will be able to explain who a manager is and what he does. Let's figure it out and we.

Sales manager: description of the specialty

A sales manager is a person whose responsibilities include managing a specific department. All managers can be conditionally divided into representatives of the lower, middle, and upper echelons. The former supervise several people, the rest can manage dozens or hundreds of employees in different cities and countries.

The word "manager" came to Russian from English. The verb "manage" has several meanings that very accurately describe the main qualities of a representative of this profession. This verb can be translated as "to lead", "to cope".

Typically, the responsibilities of a manager include:

searching and calling clients;
meeting with them;
conclusion of cooperation agreements;
producing a presentation;
advertising promotion;
team motivation;
monitoring and improving work efficiency;
collection of statistical information.

From all of the above, we can conclude that the manager is the soul of the company in which he works. Choosing the “right” person for such an important position automatically increases the company's chances of success.

What industry can a sales manager work in?

A sales manager can work in almost any industry, as you can sell almost anything from clothing and furniture to information and security.

Wholesale

To work in the field of wholesale trade, the manager must be familiar with the segment;
Be able to work with reporting documentation;
Have an understanding of the pricing policy in this area;
Controls the distribution of the budget, salaries, and debt repayment;
A wholesale manager will be able to search for suppliers and customers;
The manager must be able to draw up a schedule of work and collection;
Select personnel;
Arrange meetings and negotiations with clients.

Retail

The retail manager must negotiate guaranteeing the lease;
Find time and place to open new offices or retail outlets;
Understand local documentation related to a specific type of trade;
Select personnel, take part in its training;
Solve current problems;
Monitor the performance of duties directly at the workplace and during field negotiations;
Notify staff about changes in schedule, new orders and recommendations from senior management;
Organize trainings to improve efficiency;
Submit monthly reports to regional managers.

Sale of services

The services a manager can direct the sale of are quite varied. Here you can find everything - from the sale of fitness passes to foreign language courses. Selling this type of service requires no less skill than promoting the actual product. Therefore, there is a list of qualities that a person should have, and a list of responsibilities that a person who holds such a position performs:

Literacy in the field of services provided;
Ability to organize work in the network;
Identification of the consumer segment;
Selection of personnel who are well versed in the services provided;
Knowing and communicating with advertisers;
Organization of direct actions;
Building a base and calling potential buyers.

Advantages and disadvantages of the profession

As in any other profession, managerial work also has advantages and disadvantages. First of all, you need to love your job, and you need to correspond to the position you hold. If this condition is left unfulfilled, then the work will not bring pleasure. And everything that has been done simply because "it should be so" will sooner or later fall apart.

Consider the benefits of working as a sales manager:

Comfortable working conditions (mainly in the office);
The ability to travel;
Meeting new people, making useful contacts;
Competitive wages that directly depend on the work performed;
Opportunity to increase income by making efforts or changing concepts;
The possibility of getting a promotion;
Comprehensive development that becomes necessary for successful activities.

What about the disadvantages? All of them can be considered subjective, but still:

Irregular working hours;
The dependence of earnings not only on personal efforts, but also on the season, economic situation, and specific geographic location;
An abundance of stressful situations;
Large amount of paperwork.

Basic requirements of employers

Higher education. Employers are confident that having a higher education affects the ability to plan, “sell” oneself, and prove one's point of view. Although, let's be honest, his presence does not guarantee a job at all.
Active selling skills. The essence of active sales is not just to sell the product while standing behind the counter, but to be able to find a potential client, convince him, and make the buyer happy. You can make active sales in the office, on the street, or by phone.
Knowledge of the sales market. Even if a person has outstanding talent in the field of sales, he will not bring profit to his company if he does not have a deep knowledge of what he is trying to sell, where he does it, and who his potential buyer is. The sales manager must be able to collect information about the sales market and actively apply it in practice. The higher the level of self-organization, and the deeper the knowledge, the more successful the company is.
Good recommendations. Such a requirement is most often made by organizations that are looking for employees with experience, but by no means newcomers. This is unpleasant news for those who are at the beginning of their journey, but this problem can be solved. In order to get recommendations, you need to work a little in companies that are not so demanding on staff. Of course, you won't be able to make a fortune there, but you will receive a letter of recommendation and invaluable experience that will facilitate further career advancement.
Knowledge of languages. Nowadays, such a requirement is universal and causes a storm of indignation among people whose work, it would seem, is not related to communication, for example, in English. But this criterion cannot be called unreasonable. A person who was able to comprehend at least the basics of a foreign language has a high intellectual potential, knows how to organize his work, and knows how to achieve goals. This is the kind of person you want to see as a sales manager. In addition, knowledge of languages allows you to expand the horizons of cooperation, makes it possible to introduce ideas that have not yet reached competitors who are not able to monitor the foreign market.
Planning skills. Time management skills can not only improve your chances of getting a job, but also improve your quality of life. A successful person can become a person who needs 24 hours to complete a certain part of the tasks. Those who have not yet mastered planning skills are in constant stress, they do not have time to submit reports, postpone business, and then lose clients. Who needs such an employee?

If your goal is to pursue a career as a sales manager, take a look at this list and see if you are fully represented. If not, go for it!

Personal qualities of a sales manager

Focus on the successful result of their activities. Even if you work tirelessly, but do not have a specific goal, all efforts are in vain. Only highly motivated people are able to go towards the goal, prioritizing their tasks and moving towards them step by step. Such a personality will not only achieve what they want, but will also help the entire team to achieve success.
Communication skills. A good manager can be recognized by his communication style. His speech is clear and not inconsistent, he is confident in what he is talking about, he always listens carefully and reacts to the words of the interview. In other words, he has the skills of highly effective communication. It is this quality that helps to locate, convince, and, subsequently, sell.
Ability to withstand stressful situations. No matter how professional a person is, working with people will still not do without conflict situations and force majeure. Deals often fail, people change their minds, technology breaks down, and employees get sick. All this is undoubtedly unpleasant, but a professional in his field will not allow any of these incidents to affect his mood. You need to be able to quickly find a solution, and not sprinkle ashes on your head after the failure of the plan.
Learning ability. To survive, you need to be able to quickly adapt to new rules and circumstances. Rules, laws, product types, and sales techniques are changing. And only a person whose brain is adapted to constant learning will be able to stay on the crest of the wave. Those who are contemplating, not agreeing to change their way of thinking, will not get a job as a sales manager.

How to work as a sales manager

It is necessary to determine the circle of potential customers and find out their contacts. This is work, most of which can be done on the internet. To do this, you need to devote a fairly large amount of working (and maybe free) time to search for thematic forums and other discussions. There you will find people who are interested in your product. They share their wishes, criticize, and praise. This is where you can find the approach to the client and get ahead of the rival. It will not be superfluous to "go" to the sites of competitors, read reviews about their work. This will help to avoid mistakes when planning work, and not to repeat ideas.
Make a working commercial offer. Ideas are good, but what good are they if no one needs them? The manager is obliged to highlight what is in demand, to find the goods that they want to buy. He should present it in such a way that those who need it want to buy it, and those who first heard the name of the product want to know more about it.
Think over a sales scheme. The days of trading at trays are over, so the manager must come up with such a scheme that will cover the maximum of clients with the minimum expenditure of funds. This can be a combination of telephone sales, online work, and office visits. It all depends on the product itself and the manager's imagination.
Build a constructive conversation with a potential partner. Having identified a person who can work with you, you need to carefully consider the strategy for working with him. You need to learn as much as possible not only about his company, but also about him as a person. This will help defuse the atmosphere and make the conversation more relaxed. If a person is in tension, he is constantly looking for a catch. By attracting your partner to you, you will increase the chances of an effective meeting.
Be prepared to deal with objections. In order to get through moments of objection, you need to prepare for them. The manager must not only know about his product, but also be confident in its quality and practical use. Think in advance of the lines that can be uttered by the interlocutor. Never tell him that he is wrong if you are presented with the real shortcomings of the product. It is better to answer like this: "Yes, there was such a problem before, but we solved it thanks to the vigilance of our customers."
Get an appointment and skillfully present a product or service. In order to get consent to a meeting, you will have to thoroughly delve into the psychological literature, and in the manuals created specifically for this area. Unfortunately, there will be many failures. But remember that every rejection brings you closer to agreement, so keep trying. Having achieved an audience, do a thorough preparation of the presentation, rehearse everything in front of a mirror, train with employees. There is only one way - to be ready.
Close a deal, plan subsequent sales. After convincing the client, don't give them a chance to change their mind. Immediately take on the planning of supplies, payments, and other work points. The more specific, the less risk.
Build a system of permanent relationship with the client. Even after fulfilling the terms of the deal, keep in touch with your partner, not letting him forget about your existence. Remember that a satisfied client will always recommend your company to those who need this kind of service.

The main stages of work

Telemarketing. In other words, narrowing the circle of potential customers. This includes working with radio broadcasting, television, and calling the customer base. Only after completing this stage can you proceed to the next.
A meeting. So, after you've convinced a few people to listen to the details about your product, you set up an appointment with it. This is already half the success. Take with you a great mood and as much information as possible and - into battle!
Contract. Was the meeting successful and you interested a potential partner? Wonderful, document it so that both he and you are calm. Explain everything to the client, do not rush, let him read all the conditions .
Work on the implementation of the contract. Now, as soon as possible, start to ensure that your goods or services begin to work for the good of the partner. Efficiency and diligence are not only signs of professionalism, but also features that will help you bring the contract to the end without letting your partner terminate the deal.
Control over the fulfillment of all contractual obligations. Signing a contract is not the final step. If you care about the reputation of the company, make sure that the buyer gets everything that was promised to him.
The final stage. After all the conditions are met, put the documentation in order, give the necessary copies to the second party.
Communication support. Be interested in the affairs of your client even after fulfilling all obligations, tell him about new offers. It will surely bear fruit in the future.

Ways to motivate a sales manager

The best motivator is purpose. Everyone can have their own: someone strives for material well-being, someone for fame and recognition. The work environment should remind everyone why they are here.

Not only awards, but also simple praise can give a person wings and make him work at full strength.