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Sales Management Skills: How to Lead and Succeed in Sales

Reading Time: 6 min read
Sales Management Skills: How to Lead and Succeed in Sales hero image for FiveRings Marketing blog
Being a great sales manager means more than just watching over your team. It’s about having the right sales management skills to push your team forward and hit those big sales numbers. In this job, you’ve got to know how to motivate your team, plan your strategies, and make sure everyone’s moving in the same direction.
When you think about what makes a great sales manager, skills like good communication, leadership, and planning often come to mind. But there’s more to it. There are some skills that don’t get talked about as much but are super important for taking your team to the next level.
We cover below unique skills that really set apart the best sales managers from the rest.

Sales Management Skills That Drive Revenue Growth

Design A Challenging, Yet Rewarding Commission Structure

FiveRings Marketing quote reading "The ideal sales target is out of reach, but not out of sight."
Your salespeople need to clearly see the path to making their commissions. They should clearly understand how they can earn their commissions and believe that the targets are achievable.
Start with setting realistic goals. Don’t make the mistake of setting targets so high that no one in the company has ever hit them. This approach won’t inspire your team.
But, goals shouldn’t be so easy that they don’t challenge your team or, worse, cost your company money.

The best targets are those that push your team but still seem within their grasp (out of reach but not out of sight). They should be challenging yet attainable. This balance will keep your team motivated and striving for more without feeling discouraged by unattainable goals.

Your job as a sales manager is to guide your team towards hitting these balanced targets and earn their commissions. Making the commission structure clear and achievable builds a culture where everyone aims for success and feels rewarded for their efforts.

Set Clear Targets and Expectations

Great sales managers are clear about what you expect from your team. This means setting straightforward expectations and goals for every team member.

Activity and Outcome Targets

Start by laying out specific activity targets. For example, you might ask your team to make 200 calls per day or send a certain number of emails daily. These activities are your team’s daily tasks aimed at reaching bigger goals.

Next, talk about outcome targets. These are the results you want, like the number of meetings your team should set up or the number of deals closed each quarter.

Make sure that the daily activities and the bigger targets are in sync. When you align your team’s daily efforts with the company’s bigger revenue goals, you create a focused and motivated sales team.

How Can You Help Your Sales Team Perform At Their Best?

Four Ways to Help Your Sales Team Perform At Their Best: : making sure they are getting all the training and coaching they need, being their biggest cheerleader, handling performance issues with empathy and firmness, and building relationships based on genuine trust and respect.

1. Make Sure Your Team Gets All The Training And Coaching They Need

Continuous training and coaching are both equally important. Your people need to be well-versed in what they’re selling and skilled in how to sell it. Here’s how you can support them:

1. Offer Continuous Learning: Keep your team’s knowledge and skills sharp with ongoing training. This could involve you leading the sessions or bringing in experts to deepen their understanding of what it takes to sell and navigate customer needs more effectively.

2. Focus on Product Training: Every good sales rep knows what they’re selling and who they’re selling to. Make sure your salespeople know the product inside out. Invite the product team to dive deep into every product feature and benefit. It will be a great confidence boost for your team.

3. Provide Sales Training: Organize structured sales training sessions on different sales techniques and methodologies. Focus each session on a specific skill or topic to make learning manageable and effective. For example, one session would focus only on cold call opening lines, while other would focus solely on email follow-ups.

By prioritizing both product and sales knowledge, you’re not just boosting your team’s confidence; you’re giving them the tools they need to engage prospects more effectively. A team that’s competent in their product knowledge and confident in their selling abilities is a team set up for success.

2. Be Your Salespeople Biggest Cheerleader

It’s really important to keep your team motivated. Why? Because their job is like a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, and so can their feelings. Sometimes, the little things can make a big difference, like chewing gum before making calls or always having their lucky pen with them.
Your job as a sales manager is to figure out what makes each person tick.
What makes them feel good or bad on any given day? Use this knowledge to keep them going. Whether it’s giving them a pat on the back, playing fun games, handing out awards, or other cool stuff, keeping the team spirit high is key to doing well over time.
Remember, when the team’s happy and motivated, they do their best work.
At the same time, make sure you’re always creating a place where everyone supports each other. Get everyone excited and ready to take on challenges. Add a little friendly competition into the mix to spice things up here and there.This way, you help build their confidence every single day.
And don’t hold back on the compliments. Tell them how awesome they are, celebrate their wins, and remind them of their successes. Be the one who cheers the loudest. Your support can turn a good sales team into a great one.
One of the most important sales management skills is to become your salespeople biggest cheerleader, saying motivational words and phrases to your team on a consistent basis.

3. Handle Performance Issues With Empathy And Firmness

Sometimes, you need to have tough talks with your sales team. If someone’s not doing well or missing their targets, it’s important to pull them aside and let them know you believe they can do better because you’ve seen them do it before. It’s all about finding the right balance between being understanding and needing better results.
When you notice a team member is struggling, pull them aside and have an honest conversation. Help them wake up and refocus so they can improve. Great sales managers tackle these problems directly, offer helpful advice, and lay out clear steps their team can take to get better.
But it’s just as important to figure out why they’re having trouble in the first place. Being supportive and showing you care about what’s going on with them can make a big difference in getting them back on track.

4. Build Relationships Based On Genuine Trust And Respect

Showing your team you support them, especially during tough times or when upper management is involved, really builds their trust and loyalty. It encourages everyone to give their best, not just for themselves, but for the whole team’s success.

As a manager, it’s important to create a supportive environment. Treat your team well, be there for them, provide what they need, and cheer them on. These things make them feel valued and confident.

When you do so much for your salespeople, they’ll want to achieve great things, not just for themselves but for you, too. This kind of support makes your team want to work hard and aim high.
It’s also important to “click” with your team on a personal level. Try to build connections based on shared backgrounds, stories, interests, or hobbies. Understanding each other in this way strengthens your team bond even more. The goal is to connect with them genuinely, so everyone feels like part of a close-knit group working towards shared goals.
A good sales management skill to have is build genuine relationships with your sales team

Cultivate A High-Performing Team With The Right Sales Management Skills

Learning to be a great sales manager involves a lot. You need to set clear goals, keep your team trained up, and support them through good and bad times.
It’s important to know what motivates each person and create a trusting and respectful team atmosphere. This turns a good sales team into a great one. When you deal with performance problems fairly but firmly, you show you’re more than a manager; you’re a leader who helps everyone do their best.
Yet, being open to outside expertise is also an option to consider. We help B2B companies like yours refine their GTM strategy and drive revenue, essentially becoming a seamless addition to your sales efforts. Think of us as your go-to revenue partners.

Take a look at our customer success stories.

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