| There are few decisions more critical for a company | | | | but it is important that you recognize the created |
| than the hiring of the leadership of their sales | | | | perception. Again, this can cause issues with both the |
| organization. Yet, few know how to do it well. Many | | | | person in the role and clients if the responsibilities |
| err and "promote" their best seller to a sales | | | | don't match the title. Some very good sales |
| management position. Why this is called a promotion | | | | management candidates will elect not to apply to |
| is beyond me. The job of the sales manager is vastly | | | | your company because they believe it is a junior-level |
| different than that of a sales person, so why is this | | | | role. |
| considered employment elevation? Often times, sales | | | | § Interviewing. Probably the toughest role for |
| managers earn less than the top sales people. | | | | which to interview is the sales manager. For one, |
| Promotion? | | | | they are experienced in interviewing. They know the |
| Some sales people make the transition successfully, | | | | desired answers. They know the sales lingo and buzz |
| but many struggle with the change. Sometimes, it is a | | | | words. How do you get past the fluff and get your |
| mismatch of the person to the role. However, more | | | | real answers? One way is to develop a list of |
| frequently, the struggle is caused by the lack of | | | | benchmark questions that candidates are asked. This |
| recognition by the company that this is not a | | | | allows for comparison of answers among the |
| promotion, but rather a move into a completely new | | | | candidate pool. (Send me an email and I will send you |
| job. How do you handle an employee in a new job? | | | | my favorite 20 questions.) It is important that the |
| You train, mentor, and monitor their performance! | | | | questions not follow a sequence so that the |
| Look, most people don't come out of the womb | | | | candidate cannot build off their prior answers. Be sure |
| with the skills required to be an effective manager. | | | | to document the responses to each so you can |
| Thus, it is a key responsibility of the company to | | | | review them later. You will be amazed by what |
| recognize that when moving their top sales person | | | | comes out of this step of the process. |
| into that role they need to own the development of | | | | Another important consideration when interviewing |
| that individual. A congratulatory handshake and smile | | | | these candidates is with whom they will need to |
| just won't get it done. | | | | have a healthy business relationship to be successful |
| Many companies look for their sales management | | | | in their role. For example, there is an inherent strife |
| candidates from outside their organization. This | | | | between sales and operations. However, the |
| approach also has its challenges. Whether you | | | | company will fail if the leaders of those two areas |
| promote from within or hire from outside, consider | | | | are not able to work together in a productive |
| these five points to make sure you find the right | | | | manner. Consider the various department leaders |
| person for the role. | | | | with whom this person will interact and engage them |
| § Selling versus Managing. If you consider the | | | | in the process. This also helps the new manager |
| broad spectrum of responsibilities from selling | | | | assimilate into the organization once they are |
| business directly to managing a team, what | | | | onboard. |
| percentage of the time do you expect this person to | | | | § The Ultimate Screening Tool. The most |
| be focused on personal selling versus managing? As | | | | effective tool that I have found in screening sales |
| mentioned above, the skill set required for those two | | | | management candidates is the request for the |
| responsibilities is vastly different. It is also difficult to | | | | submission of a written business plan. When the |
| find professionals that have equal strength in both | | | | candidate has satisfactorily completed all of the other |
| skill sets. Often times, there will be a trade-off. If | | | | steps of the pre-offer process, the request is made |
| there is a sacrifice to be made, it makes the best | | | | for a one-page business plan that shows how they |
| sense to select someone who has their primary | | | | would approach the job. I mention the one-page |
| strength in the more predominant part of the | | | | scope three times in the conversation so my |
| responsibility. | | | | expectations are clear. The candidate is asked by |
| If the decision is made that the position has equal | | | | when they can submit the document. It is important |
| responsibility for selling and managing or the dominant | | | | that the submission date be asked of the candidate, |
| responsibility is selling, it may make sense for an | | | | not the other way around as you will see in a |
| internal hire. This allows the company to develop a | | | | moment. |
| new manager. However, the plan falls down if the | | | | The benefits of this step are numerous. For one, it |
| company is not committed to a development plan. | | | | shows if the candidate can communicate in written |
| § Creating versus Executing. Another | | | | form. Writing is a lost art in business, but a critical one |
| consideration is what your expectations of the sales | | | | for someone in a leadership role. |
| manager are relative to developing the company's | | | | Another benefit is that it shows if the candidate |
| sales architecture® (the framework of the sales | | | | understands what the role entails. A number of hours |
| organization). In some companies, there is a plan | | | | have been spent with the candidate by this point. If |
| already in place and the job of the sales manager is | | | | they are near the finish line, they should have a clear |
| to ensure the plan is executed as written. In | | | | vision of the expectations. |
| essence, the job is to motivate the troops and coach | | | | Another is to see if there is a synergy in the |
| them to make sure revenue targets are achieved. | | | | approach to the role. It is best to see before the |
| This is usually the case for mid-level sales managers. | | | | marriage is performed if their approach is aligned with |
| In other situations, the primary job is to establish the | | | | the leadership's vision. |
| overall direction of the sales organization, formulate | | | | Still another is the ability to see if this person can |
| the compensation plan that supports that direction, | | | | meet a self-imposed deadline. I asked when he could |
| and execute the plan. Needless to say, this is a very | | | | have the plan to me. He provided me with a date |
| different profile than the sales manager described | | | | and time. If it is late, the candidate is no longer |
| above. | | | | considered for employment. End of story. |
| § Title versus Responsibility. Check any job | | | | Finally, in this role, I am the client. I've asked for a |
| board and you will find a plethora of titles referring to | | | | one-page plan, not an epic. Do they follow directions? |
| sales management. However, there is not a direct | | | | Or do they ignore what the client desires and do |
| correlation between title and responsibilities. This can | | | | whatever they want. While I don't eliminate |
| create a disconnect with the new manager and with | | | | candidates solely for this, I refer to this in a follow-up |
| clients if those two are not synchronized. If you are | | | | session with the candidate. |
| going to give someone the title of "Vice President," | | | | One final point that is critical when hiring is to |
| there is an inherent expectation that this is a | | | | background screen. Resume fraud is at an all-time |
| high-responsibility, high-authority position. When clients | | | | high! Candidates lie about employment history, salary |
| hear that title, they believe that this person is a | | | | history, and their education experience, not to |
| senior-level person in the company and can make | | | | mention criminal history. Find a reputable firm to do |
| decisions. Thus, this can create client frustration if the | | | | this work for you. |
| responsibility and authority are not consistent with | | | | Finding the right person for your sales management |
| the title. | | | | role is difficult. It is also expensive. These five keys |
| At the other end of the spectrum, calling this person | | | | will help mitigate the risk and create a happy, healthy |
| a "sales manager" creates a more junior-level | | | | sales marriage between you and your new employee. |
| perception. There is nothing wrong with the term, | | | | |