Introduction

Running a sales team is far from a cakewalk. Sales has a not-undeserved reputation of being fast-paced and stressful, and being able to not only cope with this environment but lead people in spite of it requires a strong skillset—and a mentality to match.

Below we’ve listed and described 10 of the most important skills that every sales manager should possess to lead their teams successfully. Whether they are more “soft” interpersonal skills or those that demonstrate hard-hitting professional savvy, the competencies in this toolkit will help keep teams’ morale high, their workflows efficient, and promote a culture of ongoing growth and revenue expansion. Read on to find out how!

1. Leadership and Motivation

Inspiring and motivating the sales team to achieve their targets and fostering a positive work environment.

This one should probably go without saying—as it’s contained in the very job title—but it can’t be stressed enough how much being a leader (and a good one at that) is essential for a team’s success. Anyone can run a team, but leading a team is another matter entirely. Ultimately, a sales manager should be able to foster a cohesive environment and serve as a figurehead for the rest of the team.

2. Strategic Thinking 

The ability to develop and implement effective sales strategies that align with the company's goals and market trends.

The roadmap to winning more sales and revenue begins—and ends—at the sales manager's desk. Having the foresight and vision of what needs to be accomplished from week to week, month to month, quarter to quarter, and even year to year is the factor that sets effective and ineffective sales managers (and their teams) apart from each other.

3. Strong Communication

Effective communication with both the sales team and other departments within the organization to ensure clarity and alignment.

Clear and direct communication with both employees and customers is perhaps the most important component of leadership. In this context, communication skills encompass not only clear dialogue with customers, but also the ability to give constructive feedback and successfully resolve conflicts, whether with customers or between agents on your team.

4. Coaching and Mentoring

Providing guidance, training, and feedback to help team members improve their skills and performance.

An integral aspect of Plecto product use is the VCC model. Short for Visualize-Coach-Celebrate, the VCC model provides actionable steps for coaches and managers to effectively utilize Plecto for their employees’ benefit. Coaching encourages and increases performance, as it targets agents’ needs, strengths, and weaknesses: increasing their strengths, minimizing their weaknesses, and enabling them to perform at their very best.

5. Data Analysis

Using data to make informed decisions, track performance metrics, and identify areas for improvement.

There are many components or factors to data analysis. One of these is gathering relevant data to begin with. For sales managers, this data will likely be related to a huge variety of metrics or KPIs commonly used within sales. Another component of data analysis is extrapolating information from visualizations, or creating them to understand the relationships between data points. Finally, data analysis can also consist of identifying meta-trends in the industry, especially those related to financial performance or consumer habits.

6. Building Relationships

Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, partners, and internal stakeholders.

Trust is the foundation of successful business relationships. Due to their forward-facing role, sales managers play a critical role in upholding keeping these relationships strong and viable through the power of trust, whether internally (between team members or company management) or externally (between customers or other stakeholders). Listening to and understanding customer needs and concerns—while doing their part to address and remedy these—is the cornerstone of a truly successful sales manager.

7. Adaptability 

Being flexible and able to pivot strategies in response to market changes or unexpected challenges.

The twenty-first century has brought with it many rapid changes and challenges—particularly regarding internet use—and it’s safe to assume these changes will only continue. With that in mind, adaptability is the name of the game for sales managers. Staying informed of the latest industry developments and trends, while remaining open to new ideas and methods to improve workflow and efficiency, are necessary to stay sharp and ahead of the competition into the future.

8. Time Management 

Prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively to balance strategic planning with day-to-day operations.

The old saying “time is money” is never more true than in a sales center. In the all-too-often stressful sales environment, time suddenly assumes a massive importance. That said, while it’s probably unavoidable that a call center environment can be nerve-racking, a competent sales manager knows how to leverage limited time to the benefit of their whole team: optimizing the agenda to best suit the team’s needs, and freeing up extra space for them to perform tasks without feeling unduly rushed.

9. Problem-Solving

Identifying issues and developing creative solutions to overcome obstacles and drive success.

In the daily hustle and bustle of the sales center environment, problems can and will arise at the drop of a hat. That’s why it’s crucial that sales managers can engage in creative quick thinking to solve problems whenever they occur.

10. Emotional Intelligence

Understanding and managing emotions, both personally and within the team, to foster a collaborative and supportive work environment.

One’s EQ can be just as important as IQ. Having the smarts and know-how to run a sales center is—of course—essential. However, being able to transmit this knowledge in a friendly, supportive, and empathetic manner creates an environment grounded on solidarity and mutual respect. In this setting, your agents can feel encouraged and empowered to take responsibility for their work, creating a team whose members share in and celebrate each others’ successes.

Conclusion

Whether you want to develop your leadership abilities or simply review and reiterate the basics, you can’t go wrong with the 10 essential skills we’ve listed here. 

Keep in mind, however, that having and using these 10 skills is just the starting point for facilitating a high-performing sales team. There are many, many more skills that any sales manager would want to incorporate into their toolkit for future success.

Data dashboards will help facilitate your leadership and maximize your team’s capabilities. When used in conjunction with the VCC model, dashboards will allow you and your team to keep track of your sales revenue and other relevant KPIs—and as you develop your leadership skills, you can watch how you hit your KPIs faster and more easily.

Sign up for a free 14-day Plecto trial, and see how quickly your team can reach its potential!