The person who daily defends the interests of the company, conducting commercial negotiations with potential customers, is the main breadwinner of the "family". Ultimately, the fate of the organization and all its employees depends on sales.

The well-known Russian manager Maxim Batyrev tells about how to achieve high results in this difficult work, and even enjoy it, in the bestseller 45 Tattoos Sold. Sharing ideas from the book.
Other books by Maxim:

Each of us is a seller of joy

The job of every salesperson is to energize people, give them joy and inspiration. Bring your clients a good mood, radiate light - this is an integral part of your profession, and this must be trained separately.

A sincere smile works wonders!

Most products and services do improve the lives of customers, which means you should be happy with what you do. If the client does not become happier from your products, then you need to think ten times: are you selling, but are you doing this?

A salesperson who is not very good at his product, but enjoys this world and sparks through life, in the end still works more successfully than a dull and grouchy expert.

Met by clothes

The seller should at least look presentable. It doesn't matter if he sells apartments, 3D printers, cosmetics, computer programs or axes for lumberjacks.

Regardless of the field of activity or the region in which you work, customers are always more pleasant to communicate with people in freshly ironed shirts, with trimmed nails and clean shoes.

The level of trust is higher for those who look good.

If you put on a suit, it will be psychologically easier for people to give their hard-earned money into your hands. Even if just because appearance gives you status and solidity.

We sell the customer's future lifestyle

A sale is the exchange of a customer's money for a better future with your products and services. That is, thanks to the product that you offer, a person will feel more beautiful, smarter, more status, more competent, stronger, richer; his life will become a little more interesting; relationships are more harmonious; work is easier and more convenient ...

Tell your client about it! How much more comfortable he would be in a tailored suit. How will his health improve if he buys a subscription to a fitness center. What eyes will his beloved women look at him when he runs a marathon at a running school (or her beloved men when she visits all SPA procedures).

How comfortable will he be in the new car?

An important addition: do not lie and do not promise what is obviously unfulfillable. You must be responsible for your words. This is the only way to get a “client for life”, and at the same time provide yourself with enthusiastic reviews and recommendations.

Sale starts after the first "no"

The seller must deal with the doubts and objections that are born in the head of the client. No one will ever immediately after the presentation of your wonderful goods and services take out a wad of money from the safe and joyfully stuff it into your pocket.

People should have doubts, and they express them in the form of objections: “Expensive”, “No money”, “The director does not want to buy anything”, “Come after the crisis” and so on. But this is not a reason to immediately give up.

Treat objections as prompts. “I already use your competitors” means “I don’t see a fundamental difference between your products and your competitors’ products.” "My husband refuses to pay so much money for cosmetic procedures" translates as "I don't know what arguments you can use in a conversation with your husband so that he will allocate money from the family budget for your beautiful SPA." And so on.

Consider that any objection is a request: "Dear seller, please explain to me ..."

Fight and go to the end. Keep the dialogue going, try to defend the credibility and benefits of your offer. Sometimes you really want to believe the client and after the first objection let him go! But you can't.

Best Improvisation - Prepared Improvisation

The quality of a salesperson is determined by his ability to juggle many learned speech modules called scripts. Of course, a person who monotonously mumbles a memorized text about their products or services without changing facial expressions or showing any emotions does not inspire confidence. But prepared phrases are perceived quite differently when the seller colors them with expressiveness and really believes in the benefits of the client.

Many people criticize scripts, believing that they limit the flight of creative thought. But only the actor who masterfully masters the studied role can improvise on stage. It's the same in sales.

The seller's teeth should bounce answers to the most likely questions and objections. Then, at the right moment, he will be able to clearly state the arguments, and not mumble: “Uh ... well, this is ... like him ...”

Preparation is a salesman's best friend

Always be prepared to negotiate. What is a client? What does he do? What is known about him? What is the history of the issue? Internet and social networks help you.

The fight is won before it starts.

Why is this step so necessary? Firstly, if you take the trouble to learn something about the client, then your professionalism will cause at least respect from him. Second, by preparing for a meeting, sellers are essentially creating a scenario for themselves in which negotiations can develop and increasing their chances of influencing what happens.

Let's try. It always works!

Not all customers will decide to give you money immediately after your visit, no matter how brilliant your presentation is and no matter how confidently you show the product.

If the client thinks for a long time, give him the opportunity to work with you for free and independently evaluate the benefits of the product. In this case, you will have a good reason to come or call once a week and get feedback.

Transfer of the product to trial operation - The best way win the heart of the client.

After a couple of months of working with you, the client will finally form an attitude towards the product. Of course, the probability of rejection is still high, but then at least you will be sure that a person makes a choice consciously. He tried, made sure that he did not like it, - he rejected the offer. Or, on the contrary, I decided for myself that I irrevocably fell in love with you and your services.

Even if you failed to sell the product, just tell the client this phrase: “You can always count on me if you have any questions. And I would be grateful if you would recommend me as a specialist to your acquaintances or friends.” And then give a couple of extra business cards.

No great product, no unique line of services, no great company can play the same role as you. You are someone the client already knows a little, you are someone their friends might like, and most importantly, you are someone who can help them. This is the key.

We need a client solution. Any!

There are people who cannot make a decision by virtue of different circumstances. Someone is afraid to take responsibility, someone is endlessly trying to weigh the pros and cons, and so on. In sales, these are the hardest customers. They do not say yes, but they do not give a categorical refusal either.

You may have dozens of potential buyers who "think" or wait for something. And there are no sales. In this case, you just need to get a decision from each of them.

If a person refuses to cooperate - also good! Because a negative result is much better than no result. You can pause that client, switch to someone else, and use your time more productively.

Every manager is first and foremost a person. In the book, Maxim Batyrev gives the rules for interacting with the world, family, oneself - and all the successes and difficulties add up to a picture of how to remain yourself in any situation and step higher and higher on the ladder of self-development and career.

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The most important factor in achieving great financial success is not money at all, not primary capital. The main thing is what kind of person you have to become in order to earn such huge money and then stay at this level.

B. Tracy

Profession: sales manager

Often experts argue that this type of activity is still more a state of mind than a profession.

And from the result of the work done, you need to get only pleasure and joy, and if this does not happen to you, then this is not yours and it is better to do something else.

The specialty of a sales manager is, first of all, a representative of a trade organization, who must communicate the buyer not only with the trade organization, but also with the manufacturer of the goods.

This profession is especially widely used in such an activity as wholesale trade.

After all, it is the manager who must develop measures to create a trading network through which goods will be shipped, build channels for their movement to consumers, regulate relationships with intermediaries and develop dealer relations.

Sales manager: field of activity

The sales manager has certain characteristics that are characteristic of this profession:

1. Manage sales in assigned territory
2. Execute the sales plan
3. Organize customer relationships
4. Control accounts receivable
5. Analyze sales and prepare sales reports based on the analysis received.

The field of activity of a sales manager does not end there, it is multifunctional, multifaceted and requires deep knowledge and extensive experience.

It is necessary to consult dealers and distributors, to assess at what level the potential of all outlets, determine the scale of prices for goods and the size of discounts.

What does a sales manager do?

Engaged in pre-contractual work, which includes the need to select a contract, it can be a sales contract or a distribution contract. Defines ways and possible forms fulfillment of the obligations assumed.

In addition, he develops all pre-contractual documentation, in case of disagreements, coordinates them, concludes contracts with clients. Conducts negotiations and correspondence with clients. In addition, you need to organize presentations and expand the company's advertising strategy.

The main goal of a sales manager is, of course, not only to fulfill, but also to exceed the targets set by the manager. Expand the customer base, which will increase the turnover.

Sales manager - what does he do to fulfill the task assigned to him?

He creates and regularly updates a database of buyers in order to keep track of new potential customers in a timely manner, find out their preference for a particular product.

Maintains and develops long-term relationships with customers in order to keep their interest in the firm's offerings and, of course, maintain established sales.

In the description of the profession of a sales manager, you can include a lot of useful and varied information. This is the profession that is most in demand today.

Sales manager qualities

The face of the company - that's how you can characterize a sales manager. It depends on the attitude of customers to the company. There are several personal qualities, by developing which, the sales manager will achieve greater efficiency and success in work.

What should be taught first of all to novice managers - the technical characteristics of the product or the techniques of influencing the client? Which of these is more important for successful sales? Business coach Vitaliy Kravchuk shares his opinion.

The eternal dispute in sales: what is more important during training and in the process of working, knowing the product or mastering the techniques of persuasion?

When you start looking for answers to it, you understand that this question is relevant for both beginners and experienced employees. Not to mention leaders:

• As soon as a new sales employee enters the job, he must be trained immediately
• If the manager does not fulfill the sales plan, the manager also decides to train him (although it happens that he fires)
• When a company enters new markets or adds new products and services to the assortment matrix, the question immediately arises of what to focus on again - in training

Most executives consider knowledge of the company's product and service far more important than salesmanship. They are guided by the following: the main thing is that the manager knows the product and service and can tell the client about it. And if the buyer needs our “good” (goods), they will somehow agree. Therefore, a newcomer to the sales department expects, at best, a short synopsis of the product and service, which will need to be learned. And if everything happens as usual - it will be Full description 300 pages "so that the manager can answer any question about his product."

And this seems to be the correct approach. Not to teach first of all how to establish contact and respond to objections?

However, its fallacy, in my opinion, is revealed at the moment such a "trained" salesman enters the field. When he starts contacting customers.

Imagine. The novice manager tried, taught and now knows everything about the product. And he really wants to tell the client about it. Yes, that's the trouble: potential buyers do not have time to listen to endless specifications, and somehow the employee does not sell anything. There comes a stage when clients are bad - they do not understand their happiness. The product is bad - no one needs it.

Categories of sellers

I propose to categorize all salespeople by making a graph (y-axis - product knowledge, x-axis - sales techniques/skills.

The result is 4 large groups:

1. Beginner. Knows nothing and knows nothing. There are no sales.

2. "Live directory". Everyone who only learns materiel and does not pay attention to sales skills just gets here. They know everything about the product in terms of its characteristics, they are ready to endlessly talk about them. But such a manager does not have deals or there are few of them, depending on the complexity of the sales process. From such a seller, only customers who are ideally suited for the description of the characteristics of the product / service buy.

To fulfill the sales plan, the specialist needs to make a huge number of attempts to hit the target exactly. The "living directory" does not have in its selling arsenal of techniques the basic tool for today - the transformation of the properties of its product / service into the benefits of customers. Moreover, these benefits should be directed to the needs of the client, and not to a description of the merits of the product. An advanced level is considered to be adding an emotional picture to the client’s benefit, thanks to which the client will distinguish the company from competitors.

When I was a manager, I sold sophisticated telephone equipment. Its reliability depended on the supply voltage of the line. Being a "living reference" I said: the supply voltage of the line is 48 volts. To which the client often shrugged his shoulders - this did not mean anything to him.

I went through basic sales training, read a couple of books and began to say: the supply voltage of the line is 48V, the equipment is more resistant to possible power surges. Started working a little better.

Then I learned that the client always wants to hear - about himself and how to solve his problems. The phrase looks like this: "The supply voltage of the line is 48V, this gives you an order of magnitude more protection from possible external network influences." It worked much better, but there was no life in the phrase. Somehow it didn't sound.

And only when I added emotions: “The supply voltage of the line is 48V. Due to this, you will get more reliability for the same money, and you will not have to drop everything and run to check the fuses during a power surge, ”I immediately felt the interest of customers. It's a pity that it took 3 years to get there on your own.
3. Shirt-guy. Often these are managers with experience or with well-developed communication skills and intuition. They think the opposite way - why teach a product if I'm a great seller, I can sell to anyone. In practice, they will not have a serious sales volume. Clients are happy to communicate with such managers, maintain relationships. But when the moment of choice comes, they will choose a professional who will not only tell a joke to the point, but also demonstrate how his offer compares favorably with everyone else. And then he will sell.

Recently, I encountered such a seller in one of the chain stores household appliances. The sales girl was very friendly, made good contact, showed all the options. But when it came time to decide, I could not clearly explain the difference between the two models. When I asked a direct question about the benefits, I tried to somehow laugh it off, and then generally suggested that I think about it, look at reviews on the Internet and come again. I looked - in another store, and after half an hour I left there with a purchase.

4. Professional. Knows the product and has strong sales and negotiation skills. Thanks to this, he sees the sales process from start to finish.

Ready for almost any situations and questions. When communicating with such a seller, the client does not get the feeling that he is being sold something or is having a dialogue with standard book phrases. Professional:

• Always ready to sell, he has the perfect plan. But a real sale almost always goes differently. At any moment, the conversation can go both in the direction of discussing the nuances of the product, and in contractual obligations.
• Has an ideal sales plan in mind, as well as goals set for this round of negotiations, in the following format: the minimum acceptable option; satisfactory option; maximum possible variant. As a result, the professional adjusts to the current situation and leads the client in the right direction.

As an example, I will cite negotiations with a customer who, at the stage of identifying a need, put forward unrealistic requirements. I realized that this was his ideal position and asked the question: “And can it happen that because of the high cost you have to give up part of the requirements”? It turned out that this could indeed happen. After the negotiations were continued, and a comprehensive offer of several options was prepared for the client.

If there were no plan for negotiations, instead of shaking the ideal position of the client, one would have to say that the task is too tough. And leave, as I did in the beginning of my sales career.

A bonus for all 4 groups of sellers is good intuition. The better it is developed, the more we can feel what is important for the client in this moment. And based on this, make your offer. When at trainings I am asked to give an example of how to use intuition - although this does not apply to business topics, I often talk about personal relationships between people.

When a guy meets a girl on a date in a cafe, they communicate nicely. And suddenly the guy has a feeling that you need to kiss the girl and she will not mind. And, most likely, she will have the same feeling.

And then you need to act.

So it is with the client - you feel that he has matured - act according to the circumstances.

Summing up, I will note that there is no unequivocal answer to the question posed in the title. It is impossible to sell well on product knowledge alone or sales skills alone. Even the most powerful intuition or "sales from the heart, with all my heart to the client" will not help if we cannot:

• formulate the benefits of our offer
• lead the client to the right choice

Learn both. Knowledge of the product and the ability to sell it are two sides of the same coin. Equally important and mutually complementary.

A sales manager is one of the most popular professions, because it is this specialist who, in fact, ensures the financial well-being of the company. The main task of such a manager is to sell the company's goods and services, expand the circle of customers and maintain partnerships with them. Most a sales specialist spends his working time in negotiations (telephone or personal).

Places of work

The position of a sales manager is in any company, firm or organization engaged in one or another type of trading activities. Sometimes employers immediately look for a specialist in a specific area of ​​work, and then the following positions are found in vacancies:

• car sales manager (auto parts);
• window sales manager
• equipment sales manager;
• real estate sales manager;
• furniture sales manager
• service sales manager, etc.

However, despite the specifics of the goods being sold, the essence of the work of a sales department specialist is always the same - to sell the goods, to keep the sales volume at high level and, if possible, increase it further.

History of the profession

Sales managers have been around for almost as long as sales have existed. At all times, they were called differently: merchants, itinerant traders, barkers, clerks in shops ... But the essence of what a sales manager does does not change from the name - to sell goods and find new customers.

Responsibilities of a sales manager

The job responsibilities of a sales manager are as follows:

• Increasing sales in your sector.
• Finding and attracting new customers (processing incoming applications, active search clients, negotiations, conclusion of contracts).
• Maintaining relationships with established clientele.
• Keeping records of work with current clients and incoming requests.
• Advising on the range and technical parameters of goods (services).

it common list what a sales manager does. In addition, depending on the field of activity, the functions of a sales manager may also include the following items:

• Reception of goods and maintenance of its display in the trading floors.
• Conducting presentations and trainings on new products and promotions of the company.
• Participation in exhibitions.

Sales manager requirements

From an applicant who wants to become a sales manager, employers require the following:

• Higher education (sometimes - incomplete higher education).
• Citizenship of the Russian Federation (not always, but in most cases).
• Knowledge of PC, office programs and 1C, ability to work with electronic catalogs.
• Active sales skills

Additional requirements put forward by employers:

• Availability driving license category B (sometimes also the presence of a personal car).
• Experience in sales.
• Skills in preparing basic commercial documents (contracts, invoices, invoices, invoices, etc.)

Some employers specifically stipulate that in addition to the necessary skills, a sales manager must also have a pleasant appearance, but this is more the exception than the rule.

sales manager resume sample

How to become a sales manager

The skills of a sales manager can be mastered by people with any education. A sales manager needs, first of all, communication skills and an understanding of sales processes. The principles of sales can be understood in just a couple of days. It will take some more time to overcome the first fears (call to a stranger, hold a meeting, answer objections and other things).

The easiest way to become a professional salesperson is to get a job and receive on-the-job training. This is common in the labor market.

Sales manager salary

How much a sales manager receives depends on the specifics of the company's activities, on the specifics of the work of the manager himself, on the region of residence and, above all, on the implementation of the sales plan. Wage sales manager ranges from 12,000 - 250,000 rubles, and the average salary of a sales manager is about 40,000 rubles. I would like to repeat and say that earnings significantly depend on sales skills and the result achieved.

The profession of a sales manager is perhaps the most demanded in the modern labor market. So-called "salespeople" are required in many industries, as everywhere something is sold to someone. Among the main characteristics inherent in people of this profession, the ability to communicate is in the first place. This ability includes many options. The ability to communicate means the ability to build a dialogue, adapt to the client, not losing your own benefit, the ability to conduct an interesting and motivating presentation to buy, the ability to calculate future profits and predict the outcome of the transaction and further cooperation. good manager in sales knows how to handle customer objections and how to negotiate. All these skills can only be realized if a person has self-confidence, mobility, activity, purposefulness and excellent communication skills. The job of a sales manager is absolutely not intended for closed and not very active people.

The daily work of a sales manager can be compared to the performance of an actor. All clients have different tempers and interests, to each you need to pick up your key, before each you need to play a certain role. A sales manager, in fact, being a salesperson, must be able to catch the courage and excitement from his work. You can think of selling as an exciting process, reminiscent of gambling. In this game, you must follow the rule, but at the same time do not miss the opportunity to bluff, if such an opportunity presents itself.

An important property for a sales manager is flexibility. But flexibility alone is not enough. You need to skillfully combine flexibility and perseverance. This skill is necessary for successful transactions. Perseverance helps to achieve exactly the result that is most beneficial for your company.

The job of a sales manager is not based on personal qualities. This employee, like no one else, must thoroughly understand the products that he sells, know the features and trends of the market, and have information about competitors. A good seller knows what advantages and disadvantages his product is characterized by, and at the same time he knows how to turn disadvantages into advantages. It is also mandatory to know the needs of customers and the ability to offer a product so that it meets these needs.

Where to go to study to become an effective sales manager? Many educational establishments, in particular, colleges, schools, institutes, are already introducing training programs in this specialty. However, as practice shows, these programs do not always provide the full amount of knowledge that a specialist needs. It is very important for a manager practical experience, which can be obtained at specialized trainings, as well as when passing certain courses and foreign training programs. Particularly close attention should be paid to such skills as conducting bilateral negotiations, the subtleties of communication with different types of customers, and the presentation of goods. It is not enough to simply acquire knowledge on these topics. It is important to know how to use them correctly in a particular situation. It is desirable to bring many communication mechanisms to automatism in order to increase work efficiency.

The main criterion for evaluating the activities of a sales manager is the result of his work, that is, the volume of sales. This factor depends on the quantity and quality of transactions concluded by the manager for a specific period of time. When the planned sales volume is met, the manager brings profit to both the company and himself. If the sales plan is not fulfilled, then both parties also remain in the red. The manager's income is usually made up of some percentage of total sales. Sometimes, in addition to the percentage, the manager receives some salary, but the percentage component is still larger. In the work of a sales manager, as a rule, seasonality is observed. When exactly sales will reach their maximum depends on the specific product. When drawing up an implementation plan, the seasonality factor must be taken into account.

The profession and the work of a sales manager in the conditions of Russian reality are still, unfortunately, periodically neglected. It is difficult to say how the attitude towards "salesmen" in society will change. Nevertheless, according to experts, the demand for this profession will continue to grow in the future. This is due to the fact that recent times there is a significant growth in the service sector, and in particular trade. The job of a sales manager is very, very promising. It allows you to really earn very good money. With the right approach to work, the income of a sales manager is many times higher than the income of ordinary office workers. In addition, the ability to sell is useful in any industry, so a quality sales specialist can always find a job.