You're a sales manager and you want to know how you're doing. What's the best way to find out?

As a sales manager wanting to assess your performance, start by reviewing key sales metrics such as revenue growth, conversion rates, customer acquisition cost, and customer lifetime value. Compare these figures against set targets and industry benchmarks. Seek feedback from your team on your leadership and support through anonymous surveys or one-on-one meetings. Evaluate customer satisfaction and retention rates as they reflect on sales team effectiveness and customer relations. Engage with peers and superiors for their perspective on your strategic approach and team management. Regularly reviewing these areas will provide a comprehensive view of your performance and areas for improvement.

The happiness index of my CUSTOMER is one of the smoothest ways I check. Are my customers happy with me? Are they happy with my brands? Are they happy with my service levels? Are they engaged? Do they see me as a partner? When my customers are happy, the rest of the metrics such as revenue, cash flow, margins, EBIT become easy. Happy and engaged customers will gladly pay me cash vs credit, happy customers will push my brands at or close to the recommended price points, and at a price that will deliver the right margins, etc. So if I can spend time delivering this, I get closer to achieving my objectives. This is why I recommend an annual or bi-annual customer survey for every customer facing organization.

An effective sales manager should be guided by sales metrics in their daily activities, as they show how things are progressing. These metrics can vary, but the most important ones are sales revenue and conversion rates, which provide valuable insights into the team's performance. We typically analyze weekly sales reports, incl. individual and team performance metrics, to identify areas for improvement. Every two weeks, we conduct one-on-one meetings with team members to gather feedback on communication within the team, providing valuable perspectives. Moreover, we obtain feedback from our customers through surveys, reviews, or even meetings with them to understand if our services meet their expectations.

As a sales manager, it is crucial to regularly assess the performance of your team to identify areas for improvement and ensure continued success. Here's a comprehensive approach to evaluating sales performance effectively: 1. Set Clear and Measurable Goals：Establish specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for each salesperson. 2. Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 3. Review Sales Reports 4. Conduct Performance Reviews 5. Gather Customer Feedback By implementing these strategies, you can effectively evaluate sales performance and make informed decisions to enhance the effectiveness of your sales team and drive revenue growth.

I think when you are into sales , what matters is numbers!! No matter if you are at manager level or executive level, if there is no number, it means you are not doing good, also if you treat your customer well and if they are satisfied, you would know you are doing good, it will reflect on your numbers

Before asking members of your team for feedback, explain the why behind your request. My recommendation (and language I've used many times) is something along the lines of, "You know how committed I am to development, and that is why we invest time regularly into coaching sessions, observing one another, practicing, and so forth. I need development as much as anyone else does, so I would really appreciate you giving me some candid feedback. Would you mind sharing some thoughts with me via...." It's also important to let people know what you've done with their feedback once received. "Based on everyone's feedback, it sounds like my top few development opportunities are X and Z. I appreciate this feedback and will be working on these areas."

Leave a recording device by the water cooler and see what Marcy from accounting really thinks of you! If your ego isn’t already utterly deflated, impersonate a team member on WhatsApp and moan about yourself to anyone who will listen. You won’t believe what they will say! Or, y’know, simply ask for feedback. 🤷♂️

Actively seeking feedback demonstrates a commitment to open communication and continuous improvement, fostering trust and rapport with your team, peers, and customers. When individuals feel heard and valued, they are more likely to provide honest and constructive feedback, leading to stronger relationships and collaboration.

Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Once the environment is established you can begin ask in multiple ways through surveys, 1:1s, team meetings, etc.

Utilize feedback from various channels to gain a holistic perspective on your performance. Customer feedback offers insights into satisfaction levels and areas needing improvement. Team members can provide valuable input on leadership effectiveness, communication, and support. Peers and mentors offer guidance and best practices. Managers and executives provide alignment with organizational goals and expectations. Self-assessment aids in recognizing personal strengths and weaknesses, fostering continuous growth and development.

El analizar diferentes métricas te permitirá evaluar tanto el resultado como el proceso de ventas, lo que te ayudará a identificar áreas de mejora y oportunidades para optimizar tu desempeño como gerente. Al medir y analizar estos indicadores, podrás tomar decisiones informadas y ajustar estrategias para impulsar el crecimiento y la eficacia en tu equipo de ventas.

Regularly analyzing data fosters a culture of continuous improvement within your sales team. By setting benchmarks, tracking progress, and iterating on strategies based on data-driven insights, you create a feedback loop that enables ongoing learning and optimization of sales management practices.

Break down data by product, region, sales representative, or other relevant segments to identify trends and areas for improvement. Establish benchmarks based on historical data or industry standards to assess performance against expectations. Generate regular reports to monitor KPIs and track progress toward sales objectives. This could be daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the business cycle. Compare current performance with past periods to spot trends and understand the impact of changes in strategies or externally.

It is important to periodically review the progress of sales. If stagnation or downwards trends are showing then there must be some serious issues calling for our immediate action / attention. Therefore, it is important to see the sales trend with market potential, customers feedback, addition of new customer base, retention of old customers, feedback from sales team on market trend and sales. Above are some parameters which we must analyse periodically to retain our market share of sales. Customers behavior is rapidly changing and so is the market trends. So, keep checking and analysing all the trends to remain in the market with your pie of market share.

Constantly looking at data and metrics is important. Data does not lie and is not emotional. Keep it visual, handy, set a calendar appt weekly to review for yourself, your team and regular 1:1s. Review the data and take action, and tweak when glaring data discoveries are made. Analyzing data is important but taking action on the data is where the secret sauce is made.

Reflecting on actions and outcomes through coaching in my team involves a structured approach to self-assessment and growth. I begin by examining specific situations or interactions with my team. Using open-ended questions, I encourage introspection and exploration of the decisions made, the effectiveness of communication, and the impact on outcomes. Through reflective questioning, I guide discussions on how different actions contributed to outcomes, whether positive or negative. We explore alternative approaches and strategies that could lead to better results in similar situations in the future.

En mi experiencia, analizar y reflexionar sobre la data generada por el equipo de ventas es imprescindible para entender a qué se debe el resultado, sea bueno o malo, potenciar áreas de oportunidad o construir sobre el éxito que se está teniendo. La data resumida en dashboards o construida de manera manual, necesita ser analizada para apoyar a cada individuo del equipo; según los resultado que arroja esta data podríamos redefinir objetivos, construir las capacitaciones correctas y entender que un resultado negativo no necesariamente significa que el equipo no está al nivel correcto; al contrario podríamos estar frente a un error en el proceso de nuestro funnel y por ende sobre los objetivos planteados.

Review the initial goals or objectives associated with the actions. Understand what was aimed to achieve. Evaluate the specific actions taken to reach those goals. Consider whether they were well-planned, executed effectively, and aligned with the overall strategy. Celebrate successes or achievements resulting from actions. This helps reinforce positive behavior.

Sales management is dynamic, and what works in one situation may not work in another. Reflection enables you to iterate on your approaches and strategies based on past experiences, continuously improving your effectiveness as a leader. Also, through reflection, you develop the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and market conditions. By analyzing past successes and failures, you can identify patterns and trends, allowing you to pivot your strategies when necessary to stay competitive.

If you set a goal, the worst thing you can do is not follow it up. Otherwise it just becomes a piece of paper. You will earn so much respect by following up, because people will know you're serious and mean business

This one isn't always easy as many folks have habits that are set in stone. Make sure to make small achievable goals that work towards a bigger goal. Make sure to have someone hold you accountable to those small goals to break bad habits and make better ones. Even if you don't have bad habits, still do the same steps. Also make sure you make metrics that are achievable and will allow you to feel accomplishment throughout your process.

This is allowed. You have to take yourself seriously and understand that if you procrastinate, no other single person will do this for you. You are not bullying people if done correctly and with respect and not with judgement or sarcasm or being personal. Follow it up and keep it simple.

Implemente com um mínimo de entregas viáveis, esperando resultados sem muita ilusão, com os pés no chão. Assim que rodar, acompanhe cada detalhe e vá criticando o processo para corrigir rápido, se necessário.

Ohne Plan erreichen Sie Ihre Ziele nicht, so einfach ist das. Das Formulieren von möglichst detaillierten Plänen ermöglicht die realistische Beurteilung der formulierten Ziele. Sie setzen damit den Startschuss des Vorgehens. Was dann folgt sind möglichst detaillierte Meilensteine, die es unter gewissen Rahmenbedingungen zu erreichen gilt. Das tolle an Aktionsplänen für mich: Durch die Meilensteine hinterlassen Sie regelmäßig Brotkrumen, an denen Sie sich orientieren können. Biegen sie and einer Stelle falsch ab oder verlaufen sie sich, finden sie anhand der Brotkrumen zurück zum letzten Wegpunkt. Von dort aus können sie ihre Handlungen analysieren und bei ausrichten. Ohne Plan keine Brotkrumen und dann landen sie garantiert im Hexenhaus.

Pienso que los planes de acción juegan un papel crucial dentro de una buena gestión de ventas. Los problemas son constantes, los mercados cambiantes y las situaciones en equipos siempre estarán presentes. Un líder de venta siempre tiene que estar atento a lo que esta afectando negativa o positivamente a su entorno. En caso de un situación positiva se debe evaluar cómo un plan de mejora puede hacer más eficiente el resultado para los períodos por venir. Cuando la situación no es la ideal, la innovación en soluciones planteadas como planes de mejora son imprescindibles. Es importante que cada plan de mejora quede documentado para que en el futuro puedan ser adaptados y mejorados según las necesidades del equipo y/o la organización

Remember that every salesperson comes to work for different reasons and every reason is ok. Some come to punch a clock and do a job. Some come to grow and others come to high perform and make bank. Take time to get to know each person on the team, what motivates them, how do they want to be recognized and rewarded. Take note, trace yourself, take an active roll in their success and their way they want to navigate their work world. No two people on your team will need to be managed the same. It's up to you to bring out the best in them, and coach them to the success they never knew they had until you brought it out of them.

We can set goals, analyze results, and create plans, but all of this doesn't work if we lack the motivation to develop and grow within our field. That's why I believe the first and most important factor is your motivation and desire. If you love what you do and feel inspired, you will perform your work as the best in the field.

Yeah yeah know your number blah blah. All that must be a given, but… You’re a manager and this means you manage people. So how you’re doing is directly correlated to how your team Is doing. Their motivation, their mental health, their effort etc. You measure this by having you eat to the ground. Coaching and joining calls, providing support in weekly pipeline reviews and by asking for feedback. Your job is to make hero’s and not be one. So numbers yeah, but your people first! Good luck 👍

Being in any role is a forever learning process so not shying away from feedbacks is a key. Whether it’s from the upper management or the people you manage. I always circulate an anonymous Google form to my team where they can share concerns, rate daily activities and talk about almost anything. This not only helps us get great ideas but also improves multiple area as a team. There’s always a room for improvement. There are people who are more vocal in an anonymous form than calling it out in a team meeting or one on ones. Apart from this, if your team laughs in team meetings instead of having a poker face thinking about when it’ll end then it’s a huge sign of success. A happy team is a winning team! :)

Consider having an external/third party sales consultant or coach evaluate your sales management competencies. Once you know where you are, you can then make a clear development plan and focus in on the areas that need the most work. You’ll also start to see these showing up in your team as your management style becomes more effective.