A Head of sales is a key role in any organization that needs to generate revenue. They are responsible for leading the marketing and sales efforts, determining pricing models, and bringing on new customers. 

Sales can be challenging work, which is why it's important to hire someone who has the right qualities. In this blog post we'll dive into what you should look for when hiring HOS candidates.

What Is The Role of Head Of Sales?

A head of sales is a person who leads and manages the sales team in an organization. He/she establishes sales policies, sets the strategic direction for the sales (inside) department, ensuring that they are met. 

The HOS reports to top management and is responsible for maintaining and developing the profitable revenue stream through different channels (direct and indirect)  and creating strategies, plans, policies with regard to sales. 

A title might include terms such as "marketing manager" or "manager of business development."

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Key Responsibilities:

1. Develops short-term and long-term strategy related to sales activities based on marketing goals
2. Manages all company's sales activity so has full knowledge about customer wants  and needs  as well as market trends which may differentiate one product from another in the market with regards to quality, price etc.
3. Develop relationship with existing and potential suppliers to maintain favourable trading terms in accordance with volume of business
4. Identify new customer opportunities with the marketing department by using marketing tools such as media, conferences etc..
5. Perform competitor analysis and identify their strengths and weaknesses whereas also identifying gaps that are left behind by competitors for future growths based on industry standards.
6. Monitor customer satisfaction levels once they are fully aware of processes undertaken at different stages of the implementation process so that required modifications can be made to ensure continuous improvement within the organization .
7. Identify new products or services that can deliver customer satisfaction and ensure they are integrated into the business processes on time once their benefits are clearly presented to key stakeholders
8. Conduct training programs on new products/services/ processes for existing employees who will be directly involved in delivering the services
9. Gain customer confidence by implementing necessary risk management practices so that competitors cannot take advantage of any gaps left behind during the implementation process of new initiatives.
10. Calculate revenue required by the company to cover operational costs and make sure it is achieved within a stipulated time frame .
11. Develop different strategies based on industry standards which may differentiate one product from another with regards to quality, price., after analyzing market competition between both direct and indirect competitors.
12. Achieve sales target within budgeted cost without any negative effects on quality or quantity of output/products/services provided by the organization .
13. Ensure product delivery takes place at the right time without affecting other related departments' activities (i.e customer service dept.) who are involved in delivering the services which may affect customer satisfaction levels that ultimately affects company's image.

How To Become A Head Of Sales?

A degree in business administration will help you become a successful businessman, but that is not always what it takes to become an outstanding salesperson. There are people who did not graduate from college yet managed to achieve great results in making sales. 

Having at least some kind of diploma may be very helpful in being noticed by potential employers, but  having an impressive track record with past clients can be more valuable than having formal education. 

Many businessmen have admitted they were so impressed when someone showed enthusiasm for taking up responsibility and showed commitment towards work  that they decided to hire him/her on the spot without even asking for resumes or checking diplomas. 

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If you think that higher education is not for you, here are some tips on how to succeed in sales.

1). First of all, read about different techniques and strategies that are being applied in this sphere. There are several books published every year with recommendations on how to be more convincing when dealing with clients. 

2). try to look for things that you can apply in your line of work immediately without investing too much time or money into studying them. You should also constantly update yourself by looking at what other people are doing successfully  in their careers so you know what is trending now . 

It will help establish credibility if you show interest in new advances made in the business world. If you have a lot of friends who are currently working in sales positions, ask them how they achieve success  and make sure to take a close look at their strategies.

3). If you see a possibility of entering top management in the company where you are currently employed, try to learn as much as possible about every aspect of that business. Try to analyze what your client wants from your product or service and why he/she needs it. 

It will be very helpful if you know how to attract new clients . If necessary, ask for permission from your supervisor  to study reports concerning revenue growth and costs so you can assess your business better.

If there is an opportunity for promotion, only those employees who have extensive knowledge about other areas of work other than their own department can apply successfully  for such a post. 

4). You should also pay attention to social networks: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn should be your daily tasks. Constantly read what other people say about your company and try to interact with them, even if they have a negative attitude towards it. 

5). You can also create your own blog where you will post the information that you think will benefit others but at the same time promote products offered by your business.

If you do not consider yourself a natural born salesman, you might find it hard to get good results in this field without formal education. Still, no matter how difficult it may seem to begin with, there are many opportunities for self-development  that could lead you on the road of success . 

Selling does not last forever, therefore if you want this occupation to leave a positive mark on your life, continually work on your skills and you will be a successful business person soon.

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How To Be A Successful Head Of Sales?

This is a role that needs to be fulfilled with a great deal of integrity and humility. It is not always about gaining numbers but driving results, leading a team and advocating the brand values supported by good data analysis.

How can you be successful in your new position? What qualities should you possess to make this role pull double duty for the organization? We have rounded 10 tips to help you get started on your way to sales success!

1. Be goal-oriented

It's all about setting goals and measuring progress toward them. This will keep you up-to-date with information from other departments such as marketing and finance which may aid in achieving even more revenue than initially planned! Make sure your targets are SMART : 

• S pecific  — The more specific your targets are, the better you can monitor your performance. 
• M easurable  — How will you measure progress? Measurable objectives are best so that you know when you have achieved them. 
• A chievable  — Are these goals realistic? Will they stretch you but not be out of reach?
• R elevant  — Will achieving these goals help to meet company or departmental goals?
• T ime-related  — Set a timeframe for completion.

2. Gather data

It's about making decisions based on information gathered from multiple sources, including market research, customer feedback, complaints and competitor analysis. Data is everywhere - use it efficiently to make better decisions.

3. Know your audience

Who are you selling to? Who makes the buying decisions? How many people are involved? What are their roles within the company? What are their pain points and how can you help to solve them? 

Make sure you have this information at hand so that you can better serve your customers. If needs aren't being met, why not consider creating an entirely new product or service for them ? This way, they won't feel the need to look elsewhere for a solution.

4. Be customer centric

Your job is to ensure your clients achieve their full potential with optimal results . The sales process should be designed around the person who will be purchasing from you so keep this in mind when speaking with anybody connected with the buying decision.

5. Be strategic

A sales representative is more than just a salesperson. You are the voice of your company, representing them to customers and business partners across the world (or at least in your region). 

You need to be knowledgeable about who you're talking to, what they do and how you can help them . It's not enough for someone to simply like your company - they must feel like their goals are aligned with yours before you become best buds!

6. Communicate efficiently

Great communication skills (and regular follow-ups) are critical in this day and age when it seems everybody is busy all the time . 

Make sure you stay on top of deadlines , project aims, milestones and resources so that each stage of the sales process goes as smoothly as possible. 

Although you can't be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (we wish!), you must be reachable and easily accessible to ensure that no opportunities are missed and your clients don't feel neglected .

7. Stay up-to-date

It's not enough to simply do your job; you need to know what is going on in your industry . What are competitors doing? How else can your product or service be adapted to better suit customers? Where are opportunities for growth? What is new in research ? 

Keep abreast of this information but also make sure you're sharing it with colleagues at regular events, meetings or informal catch ups - knowledge is power!

8. Be coachable

Keeping up-to-date is one thing, but if you aren't ready to learn from those who know more than yourself then you'll soon find yourself stuck in your ways. 

Learning from mentors and cooperating with experienced individuals within your industry will allow you to develop as a professional . Make the most of every opportunity that presents itself - chances may not always be around!

9. Be persistent

Every deal has its ups and downs. Success isn't guaranteed even for those who have been doing it for years - there will be times where everything feels hopeless and you think it's time to throw in the towel. 

Don't let this stop you from being successful. Keep going! 10. Stay positive It is easier said than done, we know! But a positive attitude is essential . No matter what, give your client the best experience possible because you never know when they will need to use your services again.

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Salary Of Head Of Sales

Average salary of a head (sales) in India is approximately Rs. 2,66,000 per year as per Indiastudychannel 

The top management of the companies that are leading and well known in different fields will be getting good remunerations, both in terms of money and sales and growth opportunities. 

A person having more than 30 years of experience can easily get more than Rs. 3,00,000 as salary per month. The total amount that goes into his or her pocket after dedicating all the time to his career is Rs. 3,00,000 and along with this, there will be commission and other perks that he or she might enjoy 

The job requires constant travel and moreover since companies want their services for 24 hours a day, they demand work from them at any time 

Hence we can see that it is beneficial if you choose head (sales) as your profession as you will be getting handsome salaries as compared to your counterparts in various fields like engineering etc 

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Conclusion

It can be very rewarding to have a career in sales. If you are the kind of person who enjoys challenges, likes talking to people and is able to convince others that your product or service is worthwhile then selling could well be for you.

But it's not an easy path - there will always be high levels of competition and even though you'll get lots of support from your employer, you're still expected to work independently. 

The great news is that if you do succeed in getting hired as HOS  (sales manager), this job offers some exciting prospects including healthy salaries, bonuses and autonomy over other areas like staff recruitment.