Builder - September 2008 - (Page 75) SALES STRATEGIES TIPS AND TACTICS FOR SALES SUCCESS ■ EDITED BY PAT CURRY Coaching Skills SALES MANAGEMENT I 1 tor of sales for the Ventura division of Standard Pacific Homes and author of The Ultimate New Home Sales Success Manual. “That’s where you’re most productive. Lead by Today’s sales managers need a complex set of abilities to succeed. example, make them accountable, t’s not unusual for a builder to look to his own sales push them, and get them out of their comfort zone.” LOYALTY. Sales managers need to go to bat for their sales staff when he needs to hire a sales manager. While it might be team members, says Debbie Dompke, sales manager for tempting to give the position to his top producer, that’s probably not the best person for the job. The customer-focused skills Chicago-based Lexington Homes. “Let them know you’re on their that make a person a great closer are quite different from the side,” she says. “When they know you’re sincere, it’s amazing the ones needed to keep a staff inspired, educated, and prepared to sell work ethic you’ll get in return.” AVAILABILITY. Dallas-based sales trainer Bob Hafer says (see “Master Closers,” May 2008, page 158, or check it out online at paperwork has to be done, but it can’t be used as an excuse “to http://www.builderonline.com/sales/master-closers-may.aspx). While sales associates need to master the sales process, build rap- not do the tough stuff.” It’s easier than dealing with people, to be port and trust with buyers, and be relentless at prospecting and sure, he says, adding, “Administrative tasks never talk back to you.” follow-up, sales managers need to be able to set the proper goals for When he was a sales manager, he got to work at 7 a.m. and spent two hours on paperwork before the phone started ringing. Then, their teams and give them the tools to achieve those goals. “Salespeople are funny,” says Leigh Staley Tarullo, a former divi- when the sales centers opened, he was available to work with his sion vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes who sales teams in the field. MOTIVATION. This includes encouragement and recognihas since founded 3D New Home Sales Systems. “The very qualition. Dompke says she does this in “so many ways—contests, ties that make them great salespeople make them very hard to manage, but despite what they say, they want to be led. It’s tough games, dancing, singing, dressing up. You laugh together and play together.” for a lot of managers to do.” CONTINUOUS LEARNING. Doctors, accountants, attorHere are 10 attributes of a great sales manager: PASSION. This is also one of the top qualities of a master closer neys, and other professionals keep learning their whole lives in and the only one that can’t be taught. Without a passion for the order to keep their skills up to date. Sales managers need to do like(see page 76) home building industry, it’s impossible to lead and inspire a team, wise. “When you don’t grow,” Capaldi says, “you Tarullo says. INTEGRITY. Combined with passion, these are the two most important qualities for a sales manager. “They need that core,” Tarullo says. “If they don’t have those, they shouldn’t be in sales management.” POSITIVE ATTITUDE. It’s up to a builder’s leadership to put smiles on the faces of the sales team and set the tone for the company. COACHING. Seventy percent of a sales manager’s time should be spent coaching, either in groups or one on one, Tarullo says. Any sales manager who says the workload doesn’t allow that kind of time with the staff needs to examine how the day is being spent and ditch or delegate any activity that doesn’t affect lead generation or conversion. LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE. “The sales manager should be out on the sales floor with his people,” says Jim Capaldi, direc- 6 7 8 9 2 3 4 5 W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM sep t e m ber 2 0 08 B U I LD E R ■ 75 http://www.builderonline.com/sales/master-closers-may.aspx http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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