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The Differences Between Hiring a Sales Manager vs. Sales Producer


The top producer on your team has been pushing for a promotion and you need a new sales manager. If you promote your top person and put a team of five beneath him, will you have five more superstars? Just because someone can sell, does it mean they can manage?

The process of promoting from within is common, and easy.   You fill the position, keep your salesperson happy and move on.  You think that placing your rainmaker in a leadership position will result in the creation of more rainmakers.  Unfortunately this plan can do more harm than good.  Just because Babe Ruth can hit it out of the park, doesn’t mean he’d make a great coach.

Hiring for a sales manager takes due diligence.  The roles of salesperson vs. sales manager require a different skill set and DNA. Yes, there are some sales people who are promoted to a managerial position and excel.  However when you randomly take your best player, give him a pep talk and send him off to create new and better results, you risk jeopardizing your whole sales function.

Sales Manager Traits vs. Top Producer Traits

Sales Manager

Top Producer

Delegator

Closer

Team Builder

Money Maker

Supervisor

Independent

Manager

Ego-centric

Leader

Competitor

Trainer

Achiever

Top sales performers are independent and singularly driven.  Often they like to work outside the boundaries of the organization.   Great sales managers are the opposite.  They think of the team before the individual.  They are managers and leaders and have the skills  to think about what is best for company.

Lastly, top performers are frequently driven by money.  As managers they often believe that others have the same motivation and can’t understand why their team can’t deliver the business like they can.  Good sales managers have patience and the ability to train poor performers.  Just because they have “it”, doesn’t mean they can teach “it”.

Responsibilities of a sales manager include recruiting and training, budgeting, forecasting, developing compensation, coaching and ensuring the success of the team.  The responsibility of a salesperson is direct selling.

When you promote from within, you may think you are getting a sales manager.  Actually you may be getting a salesperson that wants to be a sales manager.  Your new sales manager now has to transition from closing deals to running a small business.  A leap that may be impossible to make.

Image courtesy of sscreations / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

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Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

Sales Management Trends: Less and Less Active Candidates

difficult to find and hire good salespeopleThe economy is improving. Job creation is increasing but unemployment remains high.

So why is it so difficult to find and hire good salespeople?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics (BLS), in May 2010 there were over 13 million wage and salary sales workers in the United States. The BLS also stated the number of sales jobs will grow at a rate of 7% to 13% over the next nine years, while the number of sales candidates ages 25 to 40 entering the work force will grow at less than 1%.  Finding, hiring and retaining good salespeople will become increasing difficult as time progresses.

As the economy grows and companies increase sales positions, recruiting will be one of the toughest challenges for business leaders.   No longer can you post a help wanted ad and have talented reps show up at your door.   In fact, no one may show up at your door. College-educated sales professionals with several years experience are in high demand, and most of those reps are already working.   Businesses of all sizes will be fighting for those that are available.  What has changed?  Why is it so difficult to find and hire good sales people?

Underlying Causes:

  1. Fresh graduates are less likely to join the sales profession.  Lackluster classes in sales and marketing, combined with negative stereotypes of salespeople are turning new graduates away from this profession.
  2. Unhealthy sales environment.  With the high expectations and stresses of many sales jobs, junior salespeople drop out and change careers.
  3. Not investing in sales teams.  Poor training, and a lack of career advancement, sales culture and salary, has created less than desirable sales professionals in the market.
  4. Good salespeople are employed and difficult to headhunt.  Managers take care of top performers and top performers are hesitant to leave their client portfolio (and income).

How to Find Talent:

  1. Review the recruiting budget and be prepared to pay more to find top sales performers.
  2. Consider utilizing recruiting sources to reach as many qualified candidates as possible.
  3. Protect what you already have!  When resources are tight competitors will offer your staff more money, better benefits and opportunity.  Don’t get poached!
  4. Design a recruiting and retention plan.  Protect yourself from the high cost of sales attrition.

The economy is improving and in order to maximize opportunities you need a top-notch team ready to sell.   Soon the marketplace will be flooded with available sales jobs and less than ideal candidates to fill the positions.   Build your pipeline now in order to maximize growth.

Image courtesy of jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

The Importance of Thought Leadership in Sales

The sales community generally views thought leadership as a fancy name for marketing and something that is outside the purview of the sales function.

Thought leadership is indeed a fancy name, but it’s not the name that makes it important. It’s the idea of going beyond business as usual and defining your organization as innovative leader and trusted advisor. So much business advice is blah, blah, blah. Sales people can sell “the sizzle” as a thought leader but does that make it true? Promoting a personal brand as an expert can be easier than creating the actual track record of accomplishments.

Trust-based, successful professionals become known for what they know. They are the go-to individual in their industry and have the ability to work with and profit from their target markets.

On a company level this means speaking, blogging and writing, but that does not make the company a thought leader. A thought leader demonstrates new thinking and initiates new directions. With unique insights and actionable strategies you can organically grow your client base and business.

How does this impact the sales rep? Customers want to buy from reps who are smart and not simply regurgitating what the marketing department is publishing. In a world with ever sophisticated buyers, your sales reps to be more knowledgeable than your customer on your product and your market and at least as knowledgeable on the customer’s business.

Thought leadership is about having followers. With out followers you’re not a leader; you’re just someone taking a walk.

Don’t leave thought leadership to the marketing department. Leverage insight from your marketing function to increase your reps product, market and customer knowledge. Demand that your reps be engaged in their thinking. Condition them to have informed opinions and seek opportunities for all members of your sales team to showcase opinions publicly so that they are seen as innovative leaders and trusted advisors.

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

Anatomy of a Top Performing Salesperson [Infographic]

What does it take to become be a top performing sales person? The infographic below demonstrates the anatomy of a top performing salesperson and why employers struggle to find and recruit sales people who will consistently over achieve.

Anatomy of a Top Performing Salesperson

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

The First 90 Days – How to Get Your New Sales Hires Producing, Fast

Next month, we will be publishing a new guide entitled The First 90 Days – How to Get Your New Sales Hires Producing, Fast. Here is a teaser from the introduction.

Most companies take months or even years to determine whether a new hire is successful, but often all the evidence to indicate whether a rep is a keeper or not exists in the reps first 90 days on the job. What happens in this critical timeframe will usually dictate the success or failure of the new rep, so after investing a great deal of time and effort to find a new sales hire, it is vitally important a ton of sense to make sure they not only develop, but begin producing as quickly as possible.
Here is a list of things the sales manager can do in the first 90 days of hiring a new rep to make sure they start producing results fast:
– equip the rep with tools and equipment (includes computers, phones, access to critical systems)
– provide company orientation (values, history, departments, etc)
– train the rep on key aspects of selling (sales approach, customers, market, trends and competition)
– walk through forecasting methodologies and systems
– hand over territory plans and data
– assign a mentor/coach who will work to develop the rep’s effectiveness in the field
– provide product and service demonstration (live if possible)
– take on tours of customer sites and provide introductions to key customers
– introduce internal support team
– shadow the rep on calls and presentations to ensure they are operating effectively and developing
* set expectations and objectives for 30, 60 and 90 days (plans, deals, leads and pipeline of qualified opps as well as MBO’s such as meetings, campaigns, and calls)
* meet regularly to grade behaviour and activities, provide constructive feedback, ensure goals are being met and proactively address any issues that arise
The rep has certain obligations as well if they are to achieve optimal production quickly:
– develop relationships with the internal support team
– create the territory and strategic account plans
– network with customers to understand why and how they buy
– practice presenting
– meet with prospects and advance opportunities
– speak with partners to learn about how you can help each other and to gather market intelligence
– ask for help from your manager and peers where necessary
– ask for constructive feedback wherever possible
Stay tuned to obtain the full guide when it becomes available in March.

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Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

Tough Decisions – Rebuilding the Sales Team

This morning I had breakfast with friend and President and CEO of Stratford Managers, Jim Roche. They are a progressive group, helping companies achieve growth and profitability through a mix of consulting and acting executive engagements. They are a sales savvy bunch as well.

In a recent blog post, When It’s Time To Rebuild Your Sales Team, they discuss one of the tough decisions facing CEO’s today: whether to tear apart and reconstruct a non-performing sales team. The article argues that when the picture is bleak and all other actions, such strategy, training and new tools have failed to deliver results, it is time for rebuilding and offer the following advice to CEO’S:

  • Ensure you recruit the very best new sales staff you can afford.
  • Simultaneously rebuild and document your sales processes.
  • Take a clinical approach to Customer Relationship Management.
  • Cultivate adaptability to change as a core competency within the Sales organization
  • Lead with inspiration and motivation not through fear.
  • Empower your VP of Sales and your highly experienced Sales staff.

Read the full version of this post here on Stratford’s blog : When It’s Time To Rebuild Your Sales Team

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

How to Make Friends and Influence People using Social Media

Now more than ever, sales and marketing are tied at the hip, with marketing driving leads and the sales function, particularly in small companies, engaging customers online. The art of making friends and influencing people online through the use of social media has become so important in businesses and jobs that many people now make a living out of “coaching” the tips we share below.

Clicky

Share/Bookmark

Web Analytics

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

6 Priorities for the New VP Sales

7 Priorities for the VP Sales

The Vice President of Sales is the hottest seat in any company, and one that turns over most often. When a company hires a new VP of Sales, he or she is more than likely taking over a sales function that has been under performing and there is a usually a mandate to turn things around as fast as possible.

Having been a new VP of Sales myself more than once, my model for achieving fast and lasting success involves focusing on 6 top priorities during the critical first 90 days of assuming the role:

  1. Connect – Meet with key customers to let them know you are committed to their success.
  2. Validation – How do customers view the company’s offering? How is the company positioned in the marketplace?
  3. Audit – Tear apart the sales pipeline to determine what is real and what is the realistic forecast.
  4. Analyze – Are the sales strategy and selling methodology aligned with the sales goals? Does the sales team have the right team members to execute on the plan? Are the right support tools and infrastructure in place?
  5. Plans – Make sure all sales managers and reps have a tactical plan to deliver and support the sales plan.
  6. Culture – Instill a winning culture and make it clear to the team that failure and mediocrity will not exist moving forward.

To your success!

Photo by Luis Llerena

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

Is Your Company Ready to Attract Top Sales Performers? Quick Test

Have you ever gone on a date without combing your hair, taking a shower or wearing clean clothes? You probably wouldn’t expect to be asked on a second date, yet many companies court sales hires as if appearances don’t matter. Top performing sales people are very picky about which employers they will work for, because incomes and careers are at stake.

Here is a quick test to determine whether your company is ready to attract top sales performers  (score one point for each “yes” answer):

1. Does the company have a recognized brand? (people are naturally attracted to household names)

2. Does the company have a track record of success? (subtract one if your company is a start-up and there is minimal proof of demand for what you sell – this equates to risk)

3. Does the company have a market leadership position? (sales talent is naturally attracted to the market leaders as it often makes selling easier)

4. Are a high percentage of the reps making quota? (subtract one if there are no other reps on the team – this equates to risk)

5. Is there a strong value proposition for the offering? (top sales people like to know why customers will want plenty of the product or service)

6. Does the website/office/staff project a professional image and does the public image look strong? (top talent will dismiss an employer that doesn’t create a great impression for customers)

7. Is the sales and company leadership credible and charismatic? (top talent will choose to work for people they respect)

8. Is the compensation plan at or above market? (top talent can choose to work for the highest bidder)

9. Does the company fund a benefits program? (a signal that the company invests in staff)

10. Is the company well known as a great place to work? (positive buzz helps attract talent)

Scoring – If your company scores 10, your company will have no problem attracting top sales talent. If you score 7-9, then there are ways you can enhance your ability to hire top performers. If you are at 6 or below, you may have trouble hiring the best talent in your sector and your work is cut out for you. The upside is that improving in any of these areas will have a positive impact on your hiring success.

 

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)

Attitude is Everything

One thing that separates winners and losers: attitude. It doesn’t matter whether it is sports, business or life. People succeed in spite of odds because they decide they want to be successful and will be successful. Their attitude is everything.

People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.
— Harvey Mackay

Next time one of your sales reps tells you that they can’t meet their targets because of this condition or that condition, this or that obstacle or this and that limitation, suggest to them that they look at people who succeed. It is really all in their head.

 

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Connect:

Eliot Burdett

CEO at Peak Sales Recruiting
Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.

Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.

He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.

Connect:

Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)