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Who is a Sales Manager?
Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect ~ W. Clement Stone
You could be one of the main revenue-generating sources for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. Therefore, if you become a sales manager then you can be involved in generating revenue for the company. As a sales manager, you will have to work with your team of sales executives and you make a sales target which you plan on achieving. The job of a sales manager can be interesting for you if you are good at managing and persuading people.
In this article, we will discuss how to become a sales manager In India or how to become a sales manager after 12th. An individual who opts for a career as a sales manager aims at achieving maximum output with minimum input. There are plenty of job opportunities in the career as every organisation has a sales manager. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual who opts for a career as a sales manager works closely with salespeople assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager roles and responsibilities also include hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. A Manager is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. A Sales manager is often a candidate who was transferred from other departments to sales. A sales manager is a salesperson who gets promoted to a management position. The salesperson promoted to a management role requires no training. An individual who opts for a career as a sales manager guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Sales Manager in a Nutshell
The sales manager's career is an interdependent career that requires the contribution of other departments of the organisation to function effectively. A sales manager has to multitask and provide guidance to the salesperson to improve his or her targets. An Individual who opts for a career as a sales manager supervises the sales representatives and organises training for sales representatives to increase work efficiency. Hence, it increases sales.
Quick Facts for Sales Manager
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Industry
Marketing
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Average Salary in India
₹30670.5
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Suitable for
Male, Female
Individuals can take up a career as sales managers, but it is not gender-specific. Males, women, and others can choose a career as sales managers. The career is suitable for everyone regardless of gender. Candidates with excellent persuasion skills and a keen interest in sales should opt for this career.
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Any special needs
Yes
Everyone, including those with physical disabilities, is appropriate for individuals who opt for a career as a sales manager. The career as a sales manager is well suited to everyone, even those with special needs. The career is not suitable for candidates with special needs unless the business of the organisation is based on an E-commerce website.
Table of Contents for Sales Manager
What is the role of Sales Manager?
Are you wondering about sales manager roles and responsibilities? no need to worry, in this section we will talk about the role of a sales manager. The sales manager jobs responsibilities vary with the size of the company. In larger organisations, the sales quota is decided by the executives while the sales manager oversees the performance of sales representatives. Sales management jobs are to instruct the distribution of services and goods as per assigned sales territories.
An individual who opts for a career as a sales manager sets sales goals and organises training programs for sales representatives. He or she supervises the performance of sales representatives and advises them to improve their sales performance. A sales manager puts pressure on sales representatives whenever it is required. The large organisations which sell multiple products employ regional and local sales managers. The sales manager career is all about overseeing the regional and local sales manager along with their staff.
An individual who opts for a career as a sales manager analyses sales statistics and determines the sales potential and requirements to improve sales. He or she stays in contact with dealers and distributors to get updates on market trends. Sales management jobs require working closely with managers of other departments as well. The marketing department identifies the target customers for the sales department. In such a way each department contributes to others making it a successful business for the organisation. Individuals who opt for a career as a sales manager are required to collect and interpret data to make sales strategies and target promising areas.
Also check in details - Sales Manager Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities
Resource Links for Online MBA
Target setting
Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers set monthly quotas and sales targets. They manage individual and team quotas. The sales managers supervises the sales team oversees their work reports and puts work pressure on them whenever required.
Target setting helps sales managers guide and inspire their team in the execution of the tasks and events that impact revenue. Yet revenue targets that are correct go beyond product line estimates. Financial targets also help improve concentration, develop skills, shape personality, and find the right way.
Monitoring progress
The sales manager roles and responsibilities include monitoring the progress of each salesperson. He or she analyses the data and oversees the improvement in sales performance. Monitoring a project describes the process of keeping track of progress-related measures like team performance and service period. The sales manager recognises potential challenges and takes the necessary effective actions to make sure the project is within the framework, on proper expenditure and within the schedules defined.
Overseeing sales training
The role of a sales manager is to decide who requires sales training to improve. He or she schedules training sessions for salespersons and oversees the training. Sales training is the approach to improve seller knowledge, and strengths to enhance behavioural change of sales personnel and optimise marketing success. Sales training must be used, designed, and implemented as a management process to be productive.
Mentoring
The sales manager roles and responsibilities involve mentoring individual sales representatives and administering incentive programs. Mentoring is a structured assistance programme in which one leader provides their expertise, knowledge and competencies to assist others to develop in their own careers. Mentors must be available and willing to provide assistance whenever the need occurs.
Recruitment
The sales manager job description includes hiring and laying off sales representatives on the basis of their work performance. Recruitment refers to the method through which employees are found, assessed, selected, recruited and onboarded. It requires everything from recognising the necessity to carry out a recruitment process. Recruitment is the duty of a number of staff especially a sales manager based on the scale of business.
Types of a Sales Manager
There are several types of sales manager depending on their roles and responsibilities. We have provided below the major types of sales manager job descriptions.
Business to Business (B2B) sales manager: The sales managers are responsible for overseeing from one business to another. The managers typically work for manufacturing to wholesaler or wholesaler to a retailer business. The managers either oversee the sales of groceries or fast food items or the sales of software to business firms. The B2B sales manager job description includes content marketing to be somewhat more insightful and easy to understand, unlike B2C, in a broad sense. This is because company purchasing choices are much more focused on the effect of bottom-line sales compared with those of customers.
Business to Consumer (B2C) sales manager: The sales managers are responsible for direct sales between businesses to consumers. B2C or business-to-consumer managers work in retail settings such as automobile dealerships and departmental stores. Marketing to consumers, or B2C, is a popular expression used by companies when referring to the form of company they operate. B2C companies aim to sell their products to individual people and market them for individual use. They even offer packaging options suited to individual use.
Advertising Sales Agent: Advertising sales agents are responsible for selling advertising space to individuals and businesses. Individuals who opt for a career as advertising managers gather the contact information of their potential customers and reach out to them through cold calling, e-mail marketing, or bulk SMS.
Retail Sales Worker: Retail Sales Workers are responsible for improving the sales of retail stores as they directly provide essential support to the customer. They help the customers to find the product they want and process customer payments. Retail sales workers either work for retail merchandising stores such as clothing, furniture, or automobiles. The part salesperson sells spare and replacement parts, equipment, and other parts of the car.
Insurance Sales Agent: Insurance Sales Agents sell several types of insurance. They identify their potential customers and reach out to them through cold calling and other ways of communication. Insurance Sales Agents explain various insurance policies to their clients and assist them in choosing the right plan that suits them as per requirements.
Market Research Analyst: The market research analysts are responsible for studying the conditions of markets and identifying sales opportunities. They examine the sales potential of products or services. Market research analysts provide essential information to companies that reflect what kind of products people want and at which price.
Public Relations Specialist: A Public Relations Specialist is responsible for creating and maintaining a favourable image of their employer. They write press releases, and media releases, and develop programs to enhance the public image of their organisation and create awareness about its work and goals.
Sales Engineer: For individuals who opt for a career as sales engineers work responsibility includes selling complex scientific and technological products or services. Sales Engineers possess extensive knowledge of the products and their parts. They understand the scientific processes involved in the function of the products.
Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representative: Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives are responsible for selling goods and services for wholesale businesses and manufacturing companies to businesses, government agencies, and other related organisations. They are involved in B2B (Business to Business). Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives reach out to their potential customers, explain features to them about products, negotiate prices, and resolve their queries about products and services.
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing managers: These managers play a similar role. They plan programs to generate interest in the product or services and hence generate sales. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing managers require the support of other members to draw effective results such as art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.
Fundraising Managers: Fundraising Managers: Fundraising Managers are responsible for planning and coordinating the campaigns to raise funds or donations for their organisations.
What is the workplace/work environment of Sales Manager like?
Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers work in both retail and non-retail settings. Sales managers carry out day-to-day management of sales activities. Education sales manager jobs include supervising the sales representatives. They implement the company’s goal and vision in the sales programs. They are accountable for meeting sales goals. Sales managers guide the sales team to improve sales performance. The sales manager's job is to make sure that sales increase without sacrificing customer satisfaction. Sales managers are experienced professionals in the sales field who further get promoted to the management role. They possess excellent managerial and leadership skills.
Sales managers are responsible for coordinating direct sales activities, inventory control, sales reporting, and sales analysis. They possess extensive knowledge of the products or services of the organisation. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers organize training for sales staff to improve their sales performance. They conduct meetings with regional and national sales managers. The sales manager's job is to collaborate with the managers of other departments as well as to get the statics, market analysis, and other essential data to identify potential customers. The sales manager generally possesses a bachelor’s degree in finance, marketing, business, and other related fields.
Does Sales Manager require travelling?
Likely
Yes, the career of a sales manager occasionally requires travelling for meetings with clients and important persons in the organisation.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
Most of the sales managers generally work on a full-time basis. A sales manager is responsible for generating sales leads, supervising the work of sales personnel and assigning their sales target.
Employment Nature
Permanent
Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers are employed on a permanent basis. The position requires a long time commitment. Therefore, the career is not employed on a contractual basis. Sales managers are least likely to get laid off unless the company is merging.
Work Place
Office
Sales manager's jobs require working in an office set-up environment.
Presence in Geographical Area
Rural, Semi-urban, Urban
Urban cities provide flourishing opportunities for sales managers. Urban cities are booming with growing businesses and start-up companies as well. There are negligible opportunities in rural areas.
Time Pressure
Likely
Time pressure is quite active for sales managers. Apart from performing their own research and work, they are also required to supervise and verify the work done by their team members. Hence, sales managers work under a lot of time pressure.
Overtime Details
The allotted working hours for sales managers are typically nine hours per day. But because of the responsibilities assigned to sales managers, they work overtime for half the time in a month.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 45 Hours
Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers work in retail and non-retail settings. They work from early mornings to late evenings. They typically work from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers work for 45 hours a week. Sometimes work hours may get extended due to work pressure and deadlines.
How to become a Sales Manager?
Steps to become a Sales Manager
If you are someone interested in customer service, selling products and services, meeting customer needs and then guiding and leading a team of sales associates to meet the targets then a career as a Sales Manager is the best option for you. If you are someone interested in this job role then this section will be beneficial for you as we have guided you through all the steps for how to become a Sales Manager In India.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Sales Manager?
When it comes to how to become a sales manager in India, the first thing that you should know about the skills required to become a sales manager. Some of the essential sales manager skills we have mentioned below.
Analytical Skills: Analytical skills relate to the capacity for knowledge gathering and interpretation, problem-solving, and decision-making. Workers who have these skills and talents could even be able to fix complex issues faced by the company and enhance performance and effectiveness. Analytical skills can sound bizarre but in normal duties, we use such expertise.
Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers are required to collect and interpret data and to target the promising areas where most of the audience is interested in purchasing the product. Analytical skills are essential to make strategies and boost sales. This particular skill is important for a career as a data analyst.
Communication Skills: Communication, especially in the workplace is essential to businesses as it helps organisations to be efficient and run properly. Individuals may experience more motivation, profitability, and much more sense of responsibility. Good communication is critical in improving efficiency as it adversely benefits the employee's actions as well as how they perform.
Communication breakdown may impact employee performance, as the workers can not provide sufficient information to accomplish a project allocated to them. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers require effective communication skills as they have to collaborate with other departments and guide their fellow team members or sales representatives. This particular skill is important for brand manager and business analyst as well.
Customer Service skills: Good customer support requires meeting as well as fulfilling those requirements. This involves showing the customer how valuable it is to the employees and the company by dealing in a courteous-helpful and constructive manner with them. Customer service requires going as far as to keep consumers satisfied, whether it really includes answering some questions they have or solving issues with a good attitude.
Sales are not possible without the support of customers. When they are not interested in purchasing the product or service, the sales representative fails. The sales manager should listen to the customer and know what they actually want or need.
Leadership: Leadership techniques can make businesses inspire their workers and develop motivation for workers. Recognition, strong performance reviews, and empowering employees with the information and resources they will need to achieve success are significant considerations that enhance motivation.
A successful leader is required to be optimistic in both their capabilities and their team member's abilities. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers must possess leadership skills as they have to guide and supervise the sales staff. A sales manager has to evaluate the performance of each sales representative and develop strategies to meet the goals.
Also read: Skills required to become a sales engineer
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Sales Manager?
We have mentioned below several certification courses offered in the field of sales and marketing. Individuals can opt for any of these courses to upgrade their skills.
Internship Availability
One could find internship opportunities in the sales department through various recruitment websites. Indeed.com, monster.com, naukri.com, Glassdoor, and Internshala are popular recruitment platforms. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers directly apply through the company's official websites or provided email addresses. The candidates are asked to work under the supervision of their seniors and assist them.
They are asked to identify and sell prospects to build a business. A sales manager career is all about learning skills such as maintaining relationships with clients. Individuals who opt for a career as sales managers learn to provide support, guidance, information, research, and recommend new product and service improvements to clients to build an effective relationship with them.
Career Path Progression for Sales Manager
Junior Sales Manager: A Junior Sales Manager is a professional who works under the guidance of a Senior Sales Manager. A Junior Sales Manager analyses the sales data and manages the sales of the company. He or she develops the sales plans and implements them to achieve the targets.
Senior Sales Manager: The Senior Sales Manager is responsible for guiding and leading the team of sales associates and junior sales manager. He or she manages the sales of the company and aims to achieve the sales targets.
Sales Manager Jobs and Salaries
Junior Sales Manager
- Average Salary 20341
Job Description
The Junior Sales Manager job description includes checking the sales team calls, managing the sales and meeting schedules and calling the clients and leads. He or she creates ideas implements sales campaigns and analyses the overall performance of the metrics.
Salary Description
The average salary for a junior sales manager is Rs 20,341 per month in India.
Salary Source: Indeed
Senior Sales Manager
- Average Salary 41000
Job Description
The senior Sales Manager job description includes delegating tasks to team members, analysing the performance of the team members and plans and providing training sessions to the new members. He or she conducts the research, is up to date with the latest sales and market trends and also manages the budget and analyses the sales data.
Salary Description
The estimated senior sales manager salary in India is Rs 5,43,371 per year in India.
Salary Source: Indeed
What is the job outlook for Sales Manager?
The employment of a sales manager is dependent on the contraction of industries or companies that employ them. There is an expected growth of eight per cent in the number of jobs for the sales manager by 2022 in almost all occupations. The sales training manager's job is to ensure the profits of the company. As the economy grows, the companies will depend on the sales team to generate sales and develop a sales strategy to sustain in the competitive environment.
The expected growth for sales training manager jobs in the business-to-business sales manager is more as compared to the business-to-consumer sales managers. The rising trend of online shopping has reduced sales calls to individual customers. An organisation’s most crucial personnel are the insurance sales managers and the sales department.
Senior sales manager's job description includes providing sustainability to business and hence, it is hard to let them go. Organisations are less likely to lay off sales managers unless the organisation is consolidating or merging. Domestic companies also hire insurance sales managers in foreign companies to expand the sales of products and services in foreign countries as well.
Frequently Asked Questions for Sales Manager
Que. What is the average salary of a sales manager?
Ans.The average salary of a sales manager is Rs.4,46,238 in India, as per payscale
Que. What is the minimum experience required to become a sales manager?
Ans.It requires an experience of a minimum of five years in the field of sales.
Que. What are the other job roles related to sales?
Ans.The other popular roles related to sales are advertising, promotion and marketing managers, public relations managers, public relations specialists, market research analysts, insurance sales agents, and wholesale, and retail sales representatives.
Que. What is the minimum required education for the role of the sales manager?
Ans.A bachelor in finance, business, or marketing is the minimum required education for the role of product manager.
Que. What are the top colleges of sales manager?
Ans.Some of the popular institutes for sales managers are Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad and Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi.
Que. How many hours does a sales manager work a day?
Ans.A sales manager works for 8 hours a day. He or she manages sales and due to huge responsibilities sales managers are required to work more than forty hours a week.
Que. Which degree is best for sales manager?
Ans.To become a sales manager a bachelor's and a master's degree is a must in management, accounting, business law, economics, finance, or statistics.
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