Sales

Total dollar amount collected for goods and services provided. While payment is not necessary for recognition of sales on company financial statements, there are strict accounting guidelines stating when sales can be recognized. The basic principle is that a sale can only be recognized when the transaction is already realized, or can be quite easily realized. This means that the company should have already received a payment, or the chances of receiving a payment is high. In addition, delivery of the good or service should have taken place for the sale to be recognized.

Sales Management
Efforts put forth to attain a companys sales objectives. Sales management can involve any of the following activities: (1) formulation of sales strategy through development of account management policies, sales force compensation policies, sales revenue forecasts, and sales plan, (2) implementation of sales strategy through selecting, training, motivating, and supporting the sales force, setting sales revenue targets, and (3) sales force management through development and implementation of sales performance, monitoring, and evaluation methods, and analysis of associated behavioral patterns and costs

Function Of Sales People

Many sales executives get promoted into their positions because of their previous performances as salespersons. In some companies, outstanding sales persons have in inside track when sales executives jobs are being filled. The assumption is that outstanding salespersons will be outstanding sales executives. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The sales executives job demands administrative skills much beyond those required of salespeople. Personal selling experience is not unimportant, as sales executives manage people who do personal selling. But personal selling experience and outstanding personal selling performance are two different things most companies can recount instances where an outstanding salesperson failed in a sales executives job. Basically, the sales executive has two sets of function: operating and planning. The operating functions include sales force management, handling relationships with personnel in other company departments and with the trade (middlemen and /or customers), communicating and coordinating with other marketing executives, and reporting to some superior executive (such as the marketing vice president). In addition, in some companies and fairly commonly in lower

level sales executive sells some accounts personally (to keep a hand in and to keep abreast of current selling problems and conditions). The sales executives planning function includes those connected with the sale program. The sales organization and its control. The sales executive is responsible for setting personal selling goals, for developing sales programs designed to achieve these goals, for formulating sales policies and personal selling strategies, and for putting together plans for their implementation. Sales programs are put into effect through the sale organization, and the sales executive is responsible for designing and shaping the sales organization, for staffing it, for developing the skills of those who are part of it, and for providing leadership to it. Achievement of sales departmental goals requires controls over selling activities, sales volume, selling expenses, and the like. The sale executive is responsible for these and related control activities. The relative emphasis that sales executives give to the operating and planning functions varies with (1) the type of products, (2) the size of company, and (3) the type of supervisory organization. Customarily, sales executives at all organizational levels devote more time and attention to sales force management than they do to any other single activity. The significance attached to operating and planning functions varies with the product. If the product is a consumer good, sales executives attach the greatest importance to planning function: development of sales programs, coordination of personal selling with advertisings, and building and maintaining relationships with dealers and customers. If the product is an industrial good, sales executives attach the greatest importance to the operating function managing and directing the sales force, making calls with salespeople, and selling personal account. Consumer goods sales managers, in general, spend more time on planning and less on operating than do their counterparts in industrial goods companies. The amount of sales executives time devoted to planning and operating functions is influenced by size of the sales organization. Sales executives in small companies spend less time on planning and more on operating. As the size of the company increases, the sales executive devotes more time to planning and less to operating. Exerting important influences on the way sales executives distribute their time and effort, too, is the type of supervisory organization. When the sales executive supervises the field sales force directly, he or she spends most of the time on operating function. When the sales executive supervises the field sales force through subordinate sales executives, more attention is devote to planning and less to operating. Sales executives who have high caliber subordinates generally are more willing to delegate most of the performance of the operating functions to them and, consequently, have time left for planning.

Duties Of Sales Manager

The Role of the Sales Manager

The two primary responsibilities of the sales managers are to achieve the companys goals and to develop the people reporting to them. Many sales managers operate without a sales management process. On this one day Sales Managers Masterclass the sales manager will learn how to put in place a sales management process where he can clearly define the activities and responsibilities of the sales force and construct a formal organisation of the sales operation. The sales manager will learn how to lead and motive his sales team for success.

On this Masterclass the Sales Manager will learn:

How to lead the sales force Manage the right things - Time and People Leadership Styles Strategic planning and budgeting Four Pillars of sales support Basics of sales approaches Account relationship management Sales ethics Managing the difficult employee Motivating sales people Team building Developing the sales culture

Responsibility Of Sales Manager

A sales manager plays a key role in the success and failure of an organization. He is the one who plays a pivotal role in achieving the sales targets and eventually generates revenue for the organization. A sales manager must be very clear about his role in the organization. He should know what he is supposed to do at the workplace.

Let us understand the roles and responsibilities of a sales manager:

 

A sales manager is responsible for meeting the sales targets of the organization through effective planning and budgeting. A sales manager cant work alone. He needs the support of his sales team where each one contributes in his best possible way and works towards the goals and objectives of the organization. He is the one who sets the targets for the sales executives and other sales representatives. A sales manager must ensure the targets are realistic and achievable.

 

The duties must not be imposed on anyone, instead should be delegated as per interests and specializations of the individuals. A sales manager must understand who can perform a particular task in the most effective way. It is his role to extract the best out of each employee. A sales manager devises strategies and techniques necessary for achieving the sales targets. He is the one who decides the future course of action for his team members. It is the sales managers duty to map potential customers and generate leads for the organization. He should look forward to generating new opportunities for the organization. A sales manager is also responsible for brand promotion. He must make the product popular amongst the consumers. A banner at a wrong place is of no use. Canopies must

   

be placed at strategic locations; hoardings should be installed at important places for the best results. Motivating team members is one of the most important duties of a sales manager. He needs to make his team work as a single unit working towards a common objective. He must ensure team members dont fight amongst themselves and share cordial relationship with each other. Develop lucrative incentive schemes and introduce monetary benefits to encourage them to deliver their level best. Appreciate whenever they do good work. It is the sales managers duty to ensure his team is delivering desired results. Supervision is essential. Track their performances. Make sure each one is living up to the expectations of the organization. Ask them to submit a report of what all they have done through out the week or month. The performers must be encouraged while the non performers must be dealt with utmost patience and care. He is the one who takes major decisions for his team. He should act as a pillar of support for them and stand by their side at the hours of crisis. A sales manager should set an example for his team members. He should be a source of inspiration for his team members. A sales manager is responsible for not only selling but also maintaining and improving relationships with the client. Client relationship management is also his KRA. As a sales manager, one should maintain necessary data and records for future reference

Problem Face By Sales Manager

-Identifying leads - Setting Sales target - Building / Managing a Sales force - Trainingthe Sales force - Identifying or Generating leads - Keeping track of Lead generation to Sale booking ratio and other KEy performance Indicators - Making presentations to key customers / clients - Developing network of contacts for future business - Keeping yourself updated about the Competitors' sales efforts - Understanding the Customer situation and reporting it to the senior management

Challenger Face By Sales Manager

y y y y y Lack of support and development Your comfort zone and micro managing Strategy vs tactics Time management and focus The transition from selling to managing,coaching and leading.