The Best Sales Training Courses for Sales Managers

Most sales organizations train their sales teams. Fewer train their sales leaders, even though the evidence suggests sales training for managers improves their team's results. Leading a team requires many competencies and skills, so it's important to have a development plan for everyone. Five areas improve sales performance and solve the challenges of leading sales professionals.

Sales Manager Training Course 1: Leadership

Any person responsible for a team is a leader, regardless of their title and years of experience. It's not enough for a leader to take reports, manage the opportunities, and provide senior sales leaders with a forecast. Instead, the sales manager needs to lead their team, sharing their vision, sharing their priorities, setting goals that increase sales, and ensuring the sales representatives pursue the leader's goals and priorities.

Sales training for managers on leadership improves their long-term results because it boosts their team’s performance. A good course on sales leadership will provide leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the key principles, skills, and responsibilities involved in being a successful leader.

It will also provide an essential foundation for the courses that follow, as sales managers become better equipped with the knowledge and skills to approach further topics with confidence. The course should be the first in a series of sales training courses for managers because it enables sales managers to build on the foundational knowledge they gain and develop a more comprehensive understanding of the topics that follow.

Sales Manager Training Course 2: Interpersonal Skills

Leaders want their teams to produce results, but they should not put their goals above the needs of their sales team. Many sales managers prioritize the ends over the means. Effective sales management training on interpersonal skills will start with helping managers develop the self-awareness they will need to improve their leadership style.

Interpersonal skills training will also cover active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, a positive attitude, patience, responsiveness, and cultural competency, which is necessary to provide a positive culture of accountability. Every good leader can set the standards high and expect their team to strive to meet them. Interpersonal skills help foster a positive team dynamic, create a strong sense of trust and loyalty, and motivate their team to achieve the desired results promptly.

Additionally, strong interpersonal skills can help a leader better identify and recognize their team's strengths and weaknesses, and address any issues that arise. By utilizing their interpersonal skills, a good leader can further build the buy-in from their team and create an environment of collaboration and dedication to achieving the desired goals.

Sales Manager Training Course 3: Communication

A large part of a sales manager's work managing a team is communication. Most sales managers don't communicate enough, but what's worse is that they rarely repeat themselves as often as they need. A leader who only says something once is not effectively communicating. Effective communication is a key part of leadership and it is necessary to ensure that messages are received and understood.

If something is a priority, the leader needs to continually remind their team of its importance and explain why it is important. This can be done through regular meetings, emails, and one-on-one conversations. By repeating the message, the leader ensures their team is on the same page and motivated to accomplish the goal.

An effective course on this skill will not only help sales managers communicate effectively, but it will also provide a communication strategy that enables the manager to communicate the same message in different ways, changing the stories, the data, and the examples, while repeating the priorities and the call to action. The cadence of communication is a critical component of effective sales management.

Sales Manager Training Course 4: Accountability

There are several jobs salespeople need to do without fail. When a sales force lacks accountability, they won't reach their sales goals or hit their targets. The first thing a sales force needs to be accountable for is using the company's sales approach and process. Where most sales managers struggle with accountability is prospecting and cold outreach. Without creating enough opportunities, the sales organization will not get the results they need.

A good course on accountability is a foundational training that ensures the manager's team creates the opportunities they need to succeed. Because the sales cycle is difficult to control, sales reps should consistently create opportunities at the right time.

Sales Manager Training Course 5: Coaching

One of the most important responsibilities a sales manager has is improving the effectiveness of each member of their sales team. By coaching both individuals and the sales force overall, the sales manager increases their team's sales skills and the complex set of competencies that lead to success.

A good sales management training will use a competency model to identify the areas that, with improvement, can have the greatest impact on sales results. A course on coaching will provide sales managers with a methodology that delivers results for the coach and the person they're coaching.

These five courses make up the foundation of being a good and effective sales manager. By practicing what you learn in these courses, you improve your ability to lead and inspire your sales force to hit their targets and reach their sales goals.

If you want to explore training your sales management team, go here to schedule a sales strategy session.