High Performing Sales Managers/Sales Leaders

TWO CHARACTERISTICS of HIGH PERFORMING SALES MANAGERS / SALES TEAM LEADERS Part one
Author - Dave Kemp, The Automotivator
One of the fundamental problems in the car business today is ‘Sales’ Management. Sometimes you can stand in front of the office of a sales manager and just see the frustration of the salespeople as they leave after bringing an offer to purchase a vehicle. The salesperson had achieved the first goal of automobile salesmanship, "get the offer, and bring it to me". Yet you would think he had just interrupted a meeting between Harper and Bush. "Can't you see I'm busy!" is the expression on the manager's face. "I have work to do"!, is the attitude implied. It is pretty bad when the reason we are in business, an offer to purchase, is an interruption.
Don't blame your sales manager, he or she is not the problem in most cases. They are buried in administration, not "sales" management. Look at your list of typical "sales" management activities for your sales team leaders. The activities that are, directly specific to creating sales, desking a sale, or coaching a salesperson is too low on the list. These sales activities should be on the top of the list for your ‘sales managers’.

Two characteristics of top performing sales team leaders
There are four characteristics of top performing sales team leaders I have discovered in the automobile business ... and I have been providing professional development for sales leaders, studying and working with the best for years. Here are the first two. They know how to:
(1) Recruit the best possible sales team
(2) They are dedicated to the success of their sales consultants. They want them to make money and have FUN doing it.
RECRUITING. The top performing managers do not tolerate inappropriate sales consultants for very long. They seek out the best talent in their area and go after them. They don't depend on the best talent "just walking in" when they need salespeople.
They are proactively recruiting. There are good people selling or leasing business machines, office equipment, clothing, cameras, boats, service advisors and many more key areas. They don't depend on recruiting "experienced" automobile people. They want to develop their "own people". As one manager said, "I don't want someone else's mistakes screwing up my people." Don't hire anyone unless you are confident that they have the potential to succeed at your dealership. It costs you, far more than they sell you.

DEDICATED TO SUCCESS. The better ‘sales’ managers expect the best results because they give effective sales coaching, training, incentives and daily direction. They are dedicated to the sales team's success, there is a "results focus" mentality, they show it with strong daily direction about closing prospects that are in the showroom, working "hot prospects" in the system, and quick follow-up of showroom walk-outs and internet leads.
They meet with their salespeople "one on one", to give them ideas, motivation, and a sense of their value to the team. It is a war zone out there on the sales floor and you want to keep the attitude strong in this competitive market.
The best leaders get their people to "buy in" to the dealerships weekly sales objectives, and each sales person understands their role in achieving the objective. Personal recognition, incentives and high expectations are his/her motivation tools and fear, occasionally. A sense of trust, confidence and commitment to sales results "despite the odds" are inspired by the top managers. This "job will get done" attitude rubs off on the sales team.

Look for two more characteristics next edition.

Dave Kemp, the Automotivator, is President of Automotivator Professional Development and Trackstar International Follow-up Systems. A car industry expert with decades of success training Canada’s most achieving and profitable automobile dealerships. He has been a successful dealer, General Manager, Sales manager and sales consultant and has shared his sales strategies with thousands of successful dealers, manufacturers, sales team leaders across North America.. Contact info. http://www.automotivator.com/ Email Dave@Automotivator.com 1-800-668-0362