The Art of Mastering Sales Management

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.

InThe 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)