Become your own Sales Manager and Increase Sales Dramatically - By: Len Goodman

Small to Medium sized enterprises (SME) usually don't have the knowledge or budget to establish an effective sales program. Given the famous statistic that about 80% of employers are from the SME family, just think of the lost opportunity! Indeed, many "sales people" are really order takers. It's not their fault; they just haven't been given the tools or structure to do their job correctly.

The majority of small to medium sized enterprises (SME) have no sales department, no sales training program and no sales manager. Normally SME companies "hire" commission only sales reps who represent a variety of different companies and products and whose loyalties lay with volume and margin of whatever is working at the time. The other way an SME sales effort is established is the owner or manager act as the sales department. And many of these key people come from the production side of the business. In other words, SMEs are usually very weak at the sales and marketing side of the business.

Normally, a good sales person is thought of as someone with a like-able personality and solid social skills. Not many people appreciate the training and the proper "game" that is required to become a successful professional sales person. Any professional sales person will tell you that selling is all about discipline, product knowledge and training on how to identify and capitalize on a buyer's wants and needs. It is not about being like-able and spinning a good tale.

Sales are an essential part of any business and that is why successful sales people are usually the highest paid of all employees. Few, if any products or services sell themselves.

So, how to get the right people the right training and supervision to make them successful? There are many sales training programs available and many are very good. However, selling is an active process and knowledge must be implemented on a daily basis. Without analysis and correction, bad habits and ineffective sales techniques grow as sales and enthusiasm languish. Once a training course or seminar has been completed, the new knowledge must be carried out into the field and constantly tweaked and nurtured.

But with most SME companies, there is no sales manager to play that important part of the process that drives sales by making sure the message is clear, properly presented and aggressively pursued. So, if you are one of those lonely SME sales persons set up to fail, here are some suggestions to help you keep focused and successful.

1. Get at a white board that is at least 3 x 5 feet and place it in a conspicuous location where you will see it throughout the day. If there is no room at the office, put it in a conspicuous place at home.

2. Analyze the sales process and divide it into clearly defined steps. For example, obtaining qualified leads, designing the most effective presentations, making regular follow ups, closing and doing the required paperwork.

3. Make vertical columns that divide each step in the process

4. As each lead develops, qualify it in color. For example, an interested lead could be red, a somewhat interested lead could be blue and a disinterested lead erased from the board.

5. As the process develops, each column shows the status of each lead as it moves toward a closing or a pass.

6. At the end of each day, the white board is updated to reflect the status of each lead.

7. Once a closing has taken place and the sale completed, it is taken off the board and moved onto a computer work sheet that tracks the project and the commissions due.

8. On the upper left hand corner of the white board is your monthly sales goal.

9. On the upper right hand corner, is the goal for percent close rate.

The main idea is to be organized and focused on making your sales goals. It is important to identify and focus time on the hot prospects(red). Push the noncommittal (blue) leads to raise the level of urgency or move it off the board.

Of course, there are many other aspects to becoming your own sales manager, but using the white board is a good start. More short articles on how to become your own sales manager will follow and by applying what you learn will increase your sales and job satisfaction.

Success is not about luck but all about discipline.

About the Author

Personal sales coach.org is an online sales training program where sales staff are matched with an experienced sales manager who will train and manage while in the field.Owners and managers should give sales staff the tools to do the job and create success for the company and its employees. For more information, see the video at http://www.personalsalescoach.org

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Len-Goodman/77533

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