Sales Manager Training

Our sales leadership has asked us to roll out some Sales Manager training with our front-line managers.


The current workflow for this training that we've been asked to put together would look something like this:


  • Gathered focus group to learn current state
  • Surveying their reps (anonymously to get feedback). Will present this to them in one of our live, weekly sessions.
  • Content presented to these managers (content is based on needs observed from 2nd line managers + sales leadership)
  • Managers will apply these new practices (things like better forecasting process, agenda-driven 1 - 1s, deal coaching, etc) in the field on off weeks


I'm curious as to what type of Sales Manager training you've had before stepping into the role or ongoing training that's been beneficial (sales-specific rather than HR-type of generic "manager" training)?


Also, any feedback on the above would be helpful as well!

๐ŸฅŽ Training
๐Ÿงข Sales Management
โ˜•๏ธ Workflow and Daily Habits
4
TheFemaleWolf
Opinionated
1
Director of Sales
We've done executive coaching 1:1 and it was incredible!ย 

I highly recommend that for like/communication/management skill sets. For sales skill sets, the hope is that by the time they are in management they've fine tuned those.ย 

The areas of training focus I'd recommend are more leadership (leading from the front, being with their people... no armchair quarterbacks or ivory towers), culture building, communication style, patience, how to avoid common legal pitfalls etc.ย 
HoldemCaulfield
Politicker
0
Sales Training & Enablement
Thanks, @TheFemaleWolfย ! I'll take a look into that.

From observations, some managers are better than others on the communication/management side as some are recently promoted, some had no management, and some were just promoted because they were a good AE.

Good points. I think I just want to make sure that it does have a sales manager focus and not just a manger focus.ย 
TheFemaleWolf
Opinionated
1
Director of Sales
For sure!ย 

Last thing I would add is that for our sales managers the #1 sales focused training for them is high level sales skill sets for C level interaction and consultation for our enterprise customers. Time management and involvement with reps too. No sitting back letting everyone do the work for them. I am our Corp trainer too so I live and breathe this ISHย 
HoldemCaulfield
Politicker
0
Sales Training & Enablement
Good feedback. Time management is going to be a big portion of one of the sessions as managers and reps admittedly have difficulty in that area.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
๐ŸฆŠ
What was your end result?
chillandcloseit
Good Citizen
0
VP of Sales
Seeking out feedback from their people and looking for ways to build from that is an excellent start. I love that this is where your team focused first.ย 

I believe teaching leaders how to hold the coaching calls and 1 to 1s is so important. So many leaders are promoted because they are great at selling and people assume they know how to inspire and lead so the psychology of being a true leader and knowing each player well enough to lead them based on their individual needs is often missed.ย 

I recommend โ€œcoaching sales people to sales champions- by Keith Rosenโ€ itโ€™s a great read with excellent value add in the guide to great questions. Buy the hardback to reference back instead of digital.ย 
11

Good Sales training? How to be a good coach?

Discussion
14
81
Members only

Sales manager one-liners

Discussion
94
12

SDR Training

Question
15