Managing a sales team often requires managers to strike a delicate balance between delegating tasks and offering hands-on guidance. Finding that balance, however, can result in a team that regularly meets its goals, hones its sales skills, and optimizes its paths to success.

Here’s how to shape your own management style and skills toward the goal of helping your team maximize their potential:

Set challenging yet achievable sales targets.

Setting sales targets is a challenge all its own. Managers must juggle the company’s goals and needs alongside their sales team’s abilities and need for a challenge that motivates them, yet is not so daunting it threatens failure

The best sales targets are a bit of a reach for your team, but not too difficult that they risk causing burnout or demotivation. Gather information to help you refine where goals and targets are set.

Incorporate goals and targets discussions into your team’s day.

Once you know where you want to set sales targets and other team goals, ensure this information is a regular part of your team’s awareness. Some software allows you to put in goals, keeping them right where your team can see them. Signs or boards in the office can help your team focus on goals as well.

Create a culture of learning.

The best salespeople know their products inside and out. In many industries, including medical devices, biotech and pharmaceuticals, knowing the products requires a career-long commitment to learning.

Top sales teams in these fields often have managers who encourage and support the ongoing learning of their sales team members. These managers also strive to ensure that their salespeople know how to talk about their knowledge in a way that helps customers understand how they benefit from the product.

Cultivate your own support team.

Just as managers lead a team of individuals with interrelated skill sets, managers themselves benefit from working with others whose skill sets complement their own. To find the right talent for your team, for instance, you might choose to work with a staffing partner who specializes in finding sales talent.

Looking for Top Sales Talent?

Building a strong sales team takes skill. At SMR Group, our staffing professionals are dedicated to helping our clients in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries find the marketing and sales talent they need to take their team to the next level. To learn more, contact us today.