1st Edition

The Art of Mastering Sales Management

By Thomas A. Cook Copyright 2009
    200 Pages 43 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    If you believe that the answer no is but a request for more information and understand that the best closing questions are rhetorical, you understand the basic art of sales. If you can teach that art to others, you have the makings of a good sales manager. But not all good sales managers are equal; some are forward thinking enough to be good leaders as well as managers. To be a leader you have to see failures as opportunities to learn and you have to understand the best way to respond to any challenge is to anticipate it before it arrives.

    In The Art of Mastering Sales Management, Thomas Cook shares the proven practices and principles of good salesmanship that have made him a highly successful businessman and one of the most sought-after sales trainers in the world today. Written for those managers and executives who want to elevate the performance of their entire teams in this age of globalization and minimal margins, the book provides core lessons supported with cases studies garnered during the author’s 35 years of hands-on experience over a diversity of businesses. This engaging and timely volume:

    • Explores the current world events that are changing the art of selling
    • Provides proven strategies, techniques, and tips for higher-end sales personnel and those who manage them
    • Looks at ways to provide exemplary leadership during uncertain times
    • Offers a daily regimen that will turn success into the result of practiced habit

    Change has become an absolute constant in the business world. That’s good news for those who are prepared to respond rather than merely react. The Art of Mastering Sales Management, will helps become a creative problem-solver. Heed its advice and turn your sales people from common employees into contributing committed stakeholders.

     

    Introduction

    1 The Importance of Leadership in Sales Management

    Overview

    Mentoring, Coaching, Teaching, Supervising, Managing, and Leading

    2 Making Sure the Goals of Corporate Conform to the Sales and Marketing Initiatives

    Growth

    Goals, Strategies, and Tactics

    Follow-up

    Managing the Four Corners of the Sales Matrix

    Manage-Up, Manage-Down, Manage-In, Manage-Out

    3 Globalization and Sales Management

    Globalization

    Foreign Languages

    Diverse Cultures

    Currency Exchange

    Management of Foreign Distributors and Agents

    Local Marketing, Promotion, and Sales Differences

    Political Risks

    Economic Differentiations

    Complicated Laws and Regulations

    Vast Geographic Differences

    Major Supply Chain and Logistics Issues

    Packing, Marking, and Labeling Variables

    Dealing with U.S. and Foreign Customs Authorities

    Compliance and Security Concerns

    Overseas Travel

    Time Differences

    Domestic Sales vs. International Sales: Major Differences in

    Overall Sales Management and Personnel Matters

    FCPA: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

    4 Know When to Be the Mother, the Father, the Brother, the Best Friend, or the Boss—What Personality Hat to Wear?

    Which Personality Hat to Wear?

    When to Mother?

    When to Father?

    When to Be the Best Friend?

    When to Be the "Boss"?

    Some Examples

    5 Mentoring and Developing the Skill Sets of Your Sales Staff

    Sales Skill Sets

    Sales Skills Development Strategy

    Excelling in Customer Service: Best Practices

    6 Motivational Techniques and Enhancing Bottom-Line Results

    Why We Need to Motivate

    Two Types of Motivation

    Team Motivation

    7 Case Studies in Sales Management Problem Solving

    Cases and Resolution Step 1

    Pricing

    Competitive Service and Value-Added Deficits

    Lack of Qualified Closing Skills

    Poor Proposals from a "Quality Communicative"

    Benchmark

    Lack of Quality Relationship with Buyers

    Not Selling to the Decision Maker

    Failure to Convince Prospect to "Buy-In"

    Extraneous Issues

    8 The Sales Manager Daily Regimen: Time Management Excelled

    Time Management Overview

    The Visual

    Take the Initiative to Change Behavior: It Will Change the Results!

    Mindset

    Organization

    Prioritization

    Communication

    Daily Regimen Planner for the Sales Manager

    Family

    Physical Conditioning

    Mental Setup

    Review of Long-Range Goals and Strategies

    Review of Short-Term Issues (Daily Checklist and Planner

    Team Contact

    Office Contact

    Best Use of Time

    Lunch

    Afternoon Focus

    Summary and Setup for the Next Day and Balance of Week

    9 Mastering Key Skill Sets

    Forecasting

    Information Flow

    Accurate Projections

    Unsatisfied Customers Are Clearly Not What

    Anyone Wants

    Angry Senior Management Is Not to Anyone’s Advantage

    Communicating Precisely and Timely

    Communications Effect Information Flow for More

    Responsible Forecasting

    Managing and Tweaking the Forecast

    Interviewing

    Know What Your Needs Are

    Identify the Skill Sets of the Salesperson against Your Needs

    Turn Over All Stones Both Inside and Outside of Company

    Interview as Many Candidates as Possible, after Being

    Prescreened by Human Resources

    Set a Time Frame for Interviewing and a Time Frame for

    Selection and an Anticipated Start Date

    Judge "Character" High on the List

    Qualify Motivational "Kick" Points, and Make Sure These Are

    Doable

    Call Referrals

    Develop a Job Profile/Description That Is Very Specific

    Make Sure the Offer Is Contemporary, Competitive, with Clear and Doable Incentives

    Summary in Interviewing

    Hiring, Firing, and Maintaining

    Terminations

    Hiring

    Maintaining

    Security

    Career

    Compensation

    Leading-Edge Innovation and Reinventing

    Confrontational Management

    Proposals That Work

    Lead Development

    Managing the "Sales Pipeline"

    Running Meetings

    Eyeball to Eyeball

    Conference Calling

    Negotiation Is Key

    Strategic

    Understanding What Each Side Wants

    Negotiating with Leverage

    Obtaining Information: Mining

    Relationship Building

    Developing a Strategy

    Tactical

    Making the Strategy Work

    Determining the Place, the Time, the Players

    The Place

    The Time

    The Players

    Executing

    Follow-Up

    Problem Solving

    Emotional Intelligence

    10 Best Practices: Sales Management Excellence

    Health

    Remember Who You Are and Where You Came From

    Be Consistent

    Raise the Bar for Yourself

    Raise the Bar for Your Team

    Maintain a Mindset of Improvement and Maintain the Learning Process

    Manage Locally, Think Globally

    Be Altruistic

    Always Lead and Set a Positive Example

    Always Take the High Road

    11 Transitioning from Sales to Sales Management

    Why Are You Now in Management?

    Dealing with Colleagues and Peers

    Being of Value

    Be a "Turtle"

    Concluding Remarks

    Appendix

    Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA): Department of Justice Extract

    Introduction

    Background

    Enforcement

    Antibribery Provisions

    Basic Prohibition

    Third Party Payments

    Permissible Payments and Affirmative Defenses

    Facilitating Payments for Routine Governmental Actions5

    Affirmative Defenses

    Sanctions against Bribery

    Criminal

    Civil

    Other Governmental Action

    Private Cause of Action

    Guidance from the Government

    Political Risk Overview

    Political Risk Insurance Update: 2000 and Beyond

    History

    Spread of Risk

    Political Risk Coverages

    ISO War Risk Exclusion

    Trade Disruption

    Markets

    Loss Control

    Global Risk Management

    Political Risk Coverage Analyzed: Ten Critical Steps for Risk

    Managers

    Use a Specialist to Arrange International Protection

    Information and Technology in Sales Management

    World Trade Institute

    Needed: Fluent Access to and Use of Sales Knowledge

    The Challenge of Sales Knowledge Management

    Knowledge-Management Functions

    Technology Solutions

    Knowledge Architecture: Organizing Knowledge for Use

    State of the Sales Knowledge Technology Marketplace

    Benefits of the Strategy

    Making Someone Sell

    ARI

    Sales Management Seminar: Newly Appointed Sales Manager

    Workshop Agenda

    Presentation for First-Time Sales Managers

    Why Are You in the Position of a Newly Appointed Sales Manager?

    Why Have You Accepted the Position?

    What Are Your Concerns or Fears about These New Responsibilities?

    What Does Senior Management Expect from You?

    What Are Your Expectations from This Seminar and Class?

    Management vs. Leadership?

    Goals and Strategies

    Execution and Consistency: Success or Failure

    Name the Major Responsibilities of a "Sales Manager"

    What are Transitional Issues?

    Why Do People Buy?

    Management Qualities

    Delegation

    Potential Problem Areas

    Best Attributes of Sales Personnel

    Running of Meetings

    Prospecting and Lead Generation

    Interviewing

    Negotiation Best Practices Outline: 10 Steps

    Go to School

    Master This Skill Set

    Study the Psychology of Need and People’s Behavior

    Compromise

    Create the Win-Win Scenario

    Mine Heavily

    Articulation Is Key

    Sell to the Decision Makers

    Control the Venue

    Make It So It Sells Itself

    Closing Questions

    Sales Management Case Studies Workshop

    Basic Case Studies

    Cases 1- 15

    Advanced Case Studies

    Case I – VII

    What International Salesmen and Travelers Need to Know about U.S.

    Customs (CBP)

     

     

    Biography

    Thomas A. Cook