Skills required for sales force managers and generic strategies

Sales and Purchasing Management

Skills required by a sales force manager

Sales managers must be result-oriented

A sales manager must be recruited based on their ability to deliver the desired results. Sales managers must be clear about the results to obtain from the sales force. This must be made clear in the interviews. In some cases, salespeople have been hired with the wrong idea of what the job requires of them. Another aspect of proper hiring deals with the fit between the company and market needs. Some sales employees are suited to a given environment while others are not. The appropriate way to identify the proper fit is for the sales manager to appreciate and like the prospective salesperson genuinely (Rogers, 2011).

Offer superb sales training

Another important skill for a sales force manager is training. This includes identifying the skills that the sales force will require to own in order to generate sales in a competitive market. The second aspect involves teaching the new recruits the required skills. The sales manager must help them to make calls and supervise them as they work. Provide them with available audio programs and send them to sales seminars. A sales manager cannot expect the team to perform well in areas that require skills without the appropriate training. Thirdly, the sales manager must have the capacity to reinforce and follow-up what he has taught or what the sales force has learnt. It is important to remember that sales training is a continuous process in the career and life of a sales force (Rogers, 2011).

Effective

A sales force manager must have the capacity to manage sales people in an effective manner. This begins with setting clear sales quotas and goals for all team members. All members must be aware of all their roles and ways to achieve them. In addition, the manager must set clear plans of action in terms of making appointments, prospecting and following-up. It involves managing and motivating the sales force. Once the sales manager and the sales force are absolutely clear about what they need that the sales force must accomplish, the manager must continually encourage the sales force to engage in the activity. This process must be vigorous to lead to the achievement of the desired objectives. Surprisingly, it appears that all the sales management skills can be learned. An excellent manager can be developed systematically (Rogers, 2011).

Skill development

Sales philosophy is always evolving: no one knows everything about sales. In addition, it is easy for a sales force to develop bad habits. Therefore, a sales manager must have a plan for developing skills for the sales team. This involves getting to devise an approach for developing the team members. The manager is required to probe strategies on how to inspire the overachievers so that they continue achieving more. In fact, they know how to manage the under performers and lead them to perform (Rogers, 2011).

Leadership

This skill falls under the management category because a strong sales manager is also a leader. The sales force run across walls for the sales manager. The success belongs to the team and their manager. The manager must establish how individual sales persons create an environment where others are encouraged to imitate them and their teachings. Sales-force retention and leadership skills operate collaboratively. As strong leaders, sales managers must keep their strong sales persons on board for the long haul (Rogers, 2011).

Types of generic strategies and their effects on the sales programs

In terms of business, Porter's Generic Strategies, particularly the focus strategy has been widely applied. Companies like Nike have applied this strategy by focusing on women because of significant marketing research. The company found that most of the population is female: women initiate most of the buying decisions. Based on this strategic theory, companies like Nike are now targeting women. Therefore, businesses are making their store layouts more attractive to women. This includes painting stores in calm colors that appeal to women. The displays are clean and neat while the shopping carts can comfortably pass at the aisles. In addition, they carry more women related items than before as most of the customers are now women (Rogers, 2011).

Therefore, companies are using a focused differentiation strategy founded on the responsiveness of clients. With the ageing baby boom generation, the trend is shifting customers are now in need of professional assistance. As such, business owners are increasingly implementing a number of strategies to fulfill the needs of customers. The sales programs offer specialty products and services to customers with unique tastes. This is current customers want. Companies are similarly implementing product differentiation.

The sales programs offer far more models and varieties to occupy a space in the market place. This enables firms to provide products in exclusive global brands. This strategy recognizes the needs and demands of customers with better quality, higher end, and unique products. Companies are moving from price-oriented approaches to a much-balanced blend within the upper and middle end of customer lines. Stores are currently carrying a vast selection of well-known premium grade products (Rogers, 2011).

Porter's Generic Strategies

Companies like Home Depot have introduced the big box warehouse stores in main metro markets. The company has re-designed its logo with the intent to attract professional contractors. Adhering to the strategies of low prices, great service and best assortment, Home Depot has outperformed its competitors as it continues to expand at a rate of approximately 25% per year. As the youngest home merchandise retailer, the company has grown to become the largest in the industry recording over $60 billion annual sales (Rogers, 2011).