You are a sales tiger through and through, you live for your customers. And don't forget about your targets! A real professional. And suddenly the opportunity is there: The current one sales manager is promoted and you have the opportunity to grow into a sales manager. Managing a team of salespeople sounds like a fantastic challenge. A higher salary, more responsibility and more prestige. The perfect step! However, being a sales manager is not for everyone. Well for you?
Suitable, and can you let go of selling?
You were born for it, and no one is stopping you from doing what you enjoy most: selling! You love customer contact, the freedom the position entails, and, of course, the fact that your job doesn't take place in an office, but on the road.
Setting your own schedule and fighting for your targets. Exciting, sometimes stressful, but oh so rewarding! You love tackling the challenges of a sales process and going through the entire journey together with your lead or client to ultimately reach a great outcome for both parties!
But precisely because of this love, it can become difficult to feel comfortable in your “new” position. A sales manager is no longer in the field every day. You no longer have the freedoms of a sales professional; you have to be able to live with that.
Hours on the road give way to hours in the meeting room. Are you cut out for it? Can you let go of pure selling?
The 'legs in the clay'
As a salesperson, you have your 'feet on the ground'. You determine your own destiny and are personally responsible. That is sometimes difficult, but it provides a great deal of satisfaction. The duties of a sales manager primarily take place at a strategic level.
You are responsible for developing sales plans and leading the team of salespeople (of which you used to be one). Additionally, internally, you are usually part of a management team or the board of directors.
So, lots of meetings, and perhaps also the political games that come with a management position. You are faced with a completely different set of duties, and in addition, you need to possess other qualities to be a good manager and leader.
So you take your hands out of the clay and switch to a job 'on dry land'.
If you have always had that ambition, you can face this with optimism. If not, first consider carefully whether these capabilities fit within your vision of the future.
Are you a people's manager?
Because you are responsible for an entire team of salespeople, you must possess the qualities to lead and inspire this whole team. You must be a good leader, both professionally and personally.
It goes without saying that you must possess good communication skills. You must have skills as a people manager.
As a manager, you must also be able to motivate your team. As a former “salesperson,” this should naturally be no problem for you. However, transferring your relentless drive to others is much more difficult.
At the same time, with your experience, a danger is also lurking. As a salesperson, you are convinced of your way of working and most likely believe it is the best way. Remember that not every salesperson is the same.
Your perfect way of working can be a complete flop for someone else. Let the salespeople do it their way. Imposing your methodology on the team can have a very demotivating effect on your employees.
Moreover, chances are that the salespeople on your team are just as self-confident as you have always been. That conviction is a great strength for salespeople, so do not undermine it.
As you have read, as a sales manager you need to possess very different qualities than as a salesperson. Experience shows that this is by no means a suitable step for all born salespeople.
Forging a successful team provides at least as much satisfaction as closing a great deal, but it has to suit you. Whether this actually fits you as a driven salesperson is therefore questionable.
Therefore, think carefully before making the decision, not only about the advantages but also about the disadvantages. And ensure you are well informed and guided. Perhaps a training course or coaching program from Kenneth Smit can help you with this.