Dave Brock on Sales Manager Success and His new Book, “The Sales Manager’s Survival Guide” – Episode #59

When Anthony hits a snag in how he feels he should approach a managerial or administrative issue within his business or with one of his clients, he turns to Dave Brock, his guest on today’s episode. Dave is one of those guys that Anthony and many others felt should write a book, but the guy is simply so busy he’s never had time. But now, suddenly, he’s cranked out his first book and says that he’s got a series of books in the works based on this first one. The Sales Manager’s Survival Guide is the book Anthony has been looking for – over 400 pages and worth every second it takes you to read. You can get some insights into Dave’s brilliant sales mind and why you should grab a copy of this book, on this episode.

Sales Managers focus on what they do 4 the team, but the business expects something differentClick To Tweet

Recognizing what you know that you don’t know you know.

Dave Brock has known for many years that he’s a sales leader. He’s been in many companies and positions that indicate it to be so. But when he sat down to do some updates on an older ebook, things simply came flowing out of him, sales concepts and strategies, managerial insights and lessons learned, and much more. Over the course of a few months, his 400+ page book, “The Sales Manager’s Survival Guide” was birthed. As Anthony and Dave chat today you’re going to hear many examples of the kind of insight and wisdom Dave has poured into his book, so be sure you grab a pen and paper to take some great notes.

Why sales managers need to “do nothing” for the first 90 days.

Dave Brock believes that one of the toughest roles is that of sales manager and one of the toughest transitions to make is from salesperson to sales manager. When asked what a brand new sales manager should do in his first 30 to 90 days, Dave said, “Nothing.” He goes on to explain that he’s not talking about being lazy or simply sticking with the status quo. What he means is that the sales manager needs to spend a good deal of time coming to understand the lay of the land, the people, the systems, the frameworks that are in place already. When he/she takes the time to think through his environment.

The dangers new Sales Managers face in their first 30 to 90 days, and how to address themClick To Tweet

Do you know the difference between management and coaching?

Sales managers have to assess their team’s numbers, contacts, and CRM systems. It’s part of the job, and an aspect that the powers that be in the company care a great deal about. But those are not the most productive parts of what the manager does. The most important and critical thing for the sake of his/her own productivity and the team’s overall success is the time he spends coaching his team. On this episode Dave Brock goes deeply into how sales managers can do a better job at coaching, why they MUST do so, and what they can do to up their game in that area.

“This book is the very best in its class.”

That’s what Anthony says about Dave’s book, “The Sales Manager’s Survival Guide” – and he knows, he’s read everything in the field. The book is not only a practical how-to for new sales managers, it’s also a “reset” for the experienced sales manager who has perhaps gotten off course, become distracted, or lost his way in the morass of company politics. Dave’s book is a must read for every sales manager, no matter how long he/she has been in the game. It’s one of the most actionable, helpful books you’ll ever read, so be sure you listen to Dave’s chat with Anthony on this episode and grab a copy of the book as soon as possible.

We Sales Managers do a lot of managing but we don’t do much leading ~ Dave BrockClick To Tweet

Outline of this great episode

Anthony’s introduction to Dave Brock and his new book, “The Sales Manager’s Survival Guide.”
How Dave wrote his book – finally.
Recognizing what you know that you don’t know you know.
Why sales management is such a unique and difficult role.
The challenges new sales managers face in their first 30 to 90 days.
The things that will trip up new sales managers.
How sales managers need to manage their time.
Applying business strategy to the sales department.
Why explaining strategy in sales is a leadership issue.
The difference between management and coaching.
How Dave likes to merge management and coaching in every conversation.
Why forecasting is so difficult and how sales managers can do it better.
Why Anthony believes Dave’s book is the best book in its class.
What Dave is reading right now.
The most important book Dave has ever read.
The biggest influences on Dave’s thinking.
The most important lesson Dave has learned in life so far: Don’t take “no” for an answer..
What Dave would do if he weren’t writing and consulting.
What Dave hopes to be remembered for.
Dave’s relationship with www.CharityWater.org.