BY Kathy Crosett
What should you look for when hiring a sales manager? Our research shows that 74% of sales reps give top grades to managers who set clear goals and explain how they will be measured. This means the best sales managers are excellent communicators and motivators. They offer personalized coaching and possess true empathy. You can find candidates with these traits when you use sales hiring assessments.
Why should you use sales hiring assessments to find sales managers?
When it’s time to hire a sales manager, companies can bring in an outside person or promote an internal candidate. Regardless of who they choose, company leaders should use sales hiring assessments and psychometric assessments like TeamTraitTM . Assessment results deliver objective data and make it easier to hire the right person.
What impact do sales managers have on the sales team?
Without a well-coached and motivated sales force, businesses will struggle to achieve their goals. An average sales manager will deliver some respectful results. But that's not enough.
SalesFuel founder and CEO C. Lee Smith points out that, "the job of the sales manager is to develop the team sufficiently so they can make their numbers."
And other research shows that “[s]ellers who reported to top-performing sales managers averaged a 72% win rate versus an overall average of 47%.”
These data points underscore the importance of hiring a sales manager who will do an outstanding job for your business.
What are the characteristics of top sales managers?
The ability to set realistic goals and help reps achieve them is a critical leadership trait for a sales manager. Scores on a candidate’s leadership traits appear on assessment results. These details allow the hiring team to understand specific strengths and weaknesses.
In our Voice of the Sales Rep survey, we asked reps to tell us about the best sales manager they ever had. Several traits emerged:
- Communication
- Motivation
- Accountability
- Coaching
Let’s review why these traits matter.
Communication
When hiring a sales manager, scan the assessment results for their communication skills. Great communication requires clearly stating what’s expected, such as the specific sales goals that reps must meet.
74% of reps who give their managers a 5‑star rating have a clear idea of what’s expected of them and how it will be measured. This high percentage shows how effective a great communicator can be in a sales management role.
The best managers also listen to their reps. They adjust what they say and how they say it, based on what they hear.
How to combine empathy with motivation
To truly motivate reps, sales managers must engage on a personal level. They must be invested in seeing their team members succeed.
What does that look like in action? It can be something as simple as starting a one-on-one meeting with a question about the rep’s family. Or the manager may ask what they’ve enjoyed doing outside of work lately. Reps want managers who care about them as individuals as well as professionals.
When hiring a sales manager, look for high scores on traits such as sincerity and empathy.
Why accountability matters
Communicating expectations is only part of the profile for a great sales manager. They also must be able to hold team members accountable. This trait is critical when a team member fails to complete a task, such as making the required number of touchpoints. The manager must ask why.
In some cases, managers may adjust the goal. But otherwise, they need to diplomatically work with their struggling team member. The process often requires additional monitoring or follow-up to help them meet goals.
How to personalize coaching
Sales reps who achieve top results often move into sales management positions. One of their biggest challenges at that level may be helping their team members reach sales success.
To do this, they need to understand where the rep is struggling. Sales managers will learn these details in regular one-on-one meetings. They'll also learn about a rep's sales skills by studying their assessment results. Only then can they personalize a coaching program.
Summary
Sales managers have one of the toughest jobs in any organization. They must manage expectations up and down the organization. When hiring a sales manager, successful organizations use sales hiring assessments to find the best candidate.
Image by Christina Morillo on Pexels.
