Sales Manager's Handbook

Who it is for

Sales managers, commercial directors, account managers, sales team leads and market managers. Equally suited to entrepreneurs and business owners who combine the commercial role with other responsibilities.

Objective

Equip sales managers, commercial directors and account managers with the core skills to lead teams and manage markets effectively. Across five modules, participants develop structured processes, market vision, commercial leadership, team management and data-driven decision making.

Curriculum

1. 1The manager and processes3 hours

   • The manager as architect of the commercial process
   • Building and rolling out a sales playbook fitted to the organisation
   • Aligning the sales process with the customer’s real buying journey
   • Running the pipeline with rigour: spotting blockages, deciding where effort goes
   • Forecasting as a management tool
2. 2The manager and the market3 hours

   • Account-based marketing in selecting and approaching priority accounts
   • Market segmentation on clear criteria, and managing the team’s territory
   • Growth accounts and maintenance accounts: two different strategies
   • Reading market signals and turning that reading into concrete commercial decisions
   • Building and reviewing account plans as an instrument of strategy
3. 3The manager and leadership3 hours

   • From salesperson to manager: handling the shift without losing effectiveness
   • Leadership styles, and matching them to the situation and the person
   • Formal authority and real influence: building the second one consistently
   • Managing your own emotional state as a leadership tool
   • The manager as architect of the team’s commercial culture
4. 4The manager and the team3 hours

   • Defining the ideal salesperson profile and setting firm hiring criteria
   • Designing onboarding that shortens the road to productivity
   • Sales coaching and field accompaniment: structure and effectiveness
   • Holding hard performance conversations with clarity, respect and a focus on growth
   • Team dynamics that build cohesion, motivation and collective results
5. 5The manager and the numbers3 hours

   • Identifying the KPIs that actually matter for the role and the team
   • Reading dashboards and reports for decisions, not merely for the record
   • Reporting upward with clarity, credibility and a business orientation
   • Diagnosing performance gaps: finding the root cause — activity, capability or market
   • Building corrective action plans and closing the improvement loop

Skills you will develop