What Do Sales Leaders Do?
Sales leaders are responsible for maximizing sales and helping to control customer costs.
Implications
Those in charge of sales are responsible for exploiting opportunities with sales tactics* that yield acceptable costs per customer.
- Sales leaders recruit, train and manage their teams
- They do admin work
- Individuals in charge of sales make better decisions when they know their industry
What’s the Correct Title for a Sales Leader?
There are countless titles and job descriptions for individuals responsible for sales performance, depending on what the company expects from them or what their customers and other stakeholders will likely respond to. This article will use “sales leader” as a placeholder for specific titles.
Examining Leadership Styles Among Sales Leaders
Sales leaders must have a leadership style that works for them. Some leaders are autocratic, while others prefer collaboration and consultation.
Sales Leaders Need To Be Flexible
Those in charge need to adjust their style depending on the situation. Sales VPs, directors, managers et al must provide direction, without distractions.
When it comes to implementing plans, some leaders prefer to be hands-on, while others delegate, but most prefer hybrids.
Which style of sales leader is best? I’ll let you decide.
Sales Team Culture?
Absolutely. Leaders should foster the best of their teams, which is complicated enough to have its own episode.
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Is it fun?
Not necessarily. I dislike group exercises in which we all pretend to be happy to be there.
Compensation
Leaders must recognize and reward representatives to keep them from leaving.
*
Strategies are corporate configurations based on competitive advantages and shortcomings of a business unit (i.e. differentiation vs. cost domination (2) integration strategies). Strategies exploit opportunities in the supply chains of specific industries during measurable periods.
Sales is a tactical discipline, (not a tactic in and out of itself) and like other tactical disciplines, its actions are organized in plans or programs, which are parts of strategies.
I am aware that many use the word “strategy” to describe narrative arches or tactics with big names like “We will be on social media for free”, while disregarding basic questions such as:
- Where are you in this industry’s supply chain?
- Who are the better customers for your business?
- How much extra profits could you earn from the proposed actions?
