The role of a sales development manager is one that is often overlooked. They are the front line for building relationships with potential buyers, and they must be able to adapt to changing circumstances quickly. This blog post provides seven tips for succeeding in this challenging position!
If you are looking to make a career change, then you should consider the role of sales development manager. There are many benefits to working in this position.
You will get to build rapport with prospects and see your results quickly! If you want more information on what it takes to be successful in this role then read on for 7 tips that will help you succeed as a SDM.
A SDMs role is to make sure that all the necessary means are in place for the affiliated sales team to be able to function at optimal capacity.
This involves making sure that people are assigned roles, tasks and responsibilities within the team, which will ensure that everyone knows what they need to do to achieve their goals.
A SDM should also be looking at ways of using technology effectively, whether this is software-based or not. This will enable the company selling process to run more efficiently - minimize time wastage through machine automation or other tools.
SDMs are generally given responsibility for liaising with upper management concerning ongoing performance against progress milestones throughout each stage of a campaign, as well as ongoing updates on any new initiatives undertaken.
A SDM's main role is "sales". They may have a team of people under them, but it will be their responsibility that the day-to-day running of this team is successful. To do this they need to be proactive - not just managing what goes on but anticipating potential problems and putting preventative measures in place before anything can go wrong.
For example, if business development begins to fall away towards the end of an annual campaign, a good SDM would already have discussed alternative means to gain leads for this period with upper management well in advance so that the appropriate steps could be put in place immediately should the need arise.
There really isn't much of a difference between the two titles. A SDM would typically be in charge of managing an entire team, whereas an account manager would only be responsible for one aspect of this team - which could include cold calling clients, gathering prospects or qualifying leads.
Both roles typically involve managing others to some extent. Account managers are assigned areas that they monitor closely once deals have been made with prospective customers.
These deals are not necessarily closed immediately after being struck but may require continuing attention up until the time they are actually closed. The deals managed by account managers are those that have been closed successfully.
It is not unusual for account managers to continue dealing with customers who have earlier agreements as part of a team assigned the responsibility of tending to the needs of these established clients.
In some cases, account managers may go on to manage small teams of their own or be given more responsibilities within the company itself, such as being put in charge of acting as a liaison between upper management and other departments.
The most common job responsibilities include:
1) Identifying new business opportunities across accounts and prioritizing them accordingly; this can involve assessing potential new business from existing accounts or from prospective new ones.
A manager would typically look at both existing and potential customers and figure out what could be done to increase the customer base.
2) Devising and implementing a plan for acquiring new business; this would be a plan that is tailored specifically to the company's needs and includes methods such as cold calling, email campaigns, social media outreach etc.
3) Managing the sales pipeline; this means ensuring that all leads are followed up on in a timely manner and that potential deals are progressed through each stage of the buying process until they are closed.
4) Tracking customer activity and providing reports on this activity to upper management; this could include updates on how many leads have been generated, how many deals have been closed, what the average sale value is etc.
5) Liaising with other departments within the company in order to ensure that sales targets are being met; for example, working with marketing to identify and target new prospects, working with customer service to ensure that customers are being satisfactorily served etc.
6) Training and coaching the sales team; this includes teaching them how to generate leads, qualify them and close deals.
7) Motivating the sales team to hit their targets.
SDMs have become a very hot commodity in high tech companies across the globe. They now account for more than half of all open positions at hyper-growth companies and now is not the time to hire just anyone, it's time to hire the right one.
The fact that this role has become so popular also means that your competition is going to come hard after them too. If you don't want to fall behind because you chose the wrong person make sure to focus on these vital skill sets:
1) Motivating Team Members- The ability to motivate team members about how their small part of a big team contributes towards a larger goal is one of the most important skills that an effective SDMs must have.
Sales reps want to be part of a successful team, and this desire for success is what drives them. They're not going to stay motivated if they feel their efforts aren't being recognized or respected by those around them, especially those in leadership roles.
2) Social Media Knowledge- In today's world having no clue how to use social media can make your job as a SDMs extremely difficult as you will now need to know at least enough about it as your sales reps do so you can properly support them as they engage with buyers throughout the selling process.
Also, even though social media shouldn't be used exclusively for lead generation its effectiveness cannot be ignored either.
In today's world, your SDMs needs to understand what social media is and how it should be used as a supplement for lead generation.
3) Organizational Skills- Having good organizational skills can make or break you as a SDM
While many think that the role is all about making the phone ring and setting up meetings between executives and prospective buyers, this couldn't be further from the truth.
In fact, one of your most important tasks will be keeping track of all information gathered throughout the process so you know exactly where each lead stands. From there you must have systems in place to keep yourself organized so you can provide effective support whenever needed or requested by sales reps on your team.
4) Communication Skills- To successfully perform as a SDM, an individual must have strong communication skills in order for them to properly support sales reps who are engaging in conversations with potential buyers.
Successful SDM's know how to listen carefully to what is being said by the prospect and then provide feedback that helps move things along when necessary.
5) Problem Solving- Having strong problem solving abilities goes without saying when it comes to any leadership role, but even more so when you're talking about SDMs.
As these individuals are always on their toes helping out wherever they can, having great problem solving skills will not only save your team time and resources but improve productivity levels significantly as well.
The ability to keep an eye out for possible problems before they happen means there won't be any stressful situations that come up unexpectedly which ensures everyone stays calm and collected throughout the process.
These are just some of the essential skill sets you should focus on when interviewing candidates for your open SDM position.
Having strong interpersonal skills like empathy, problem solving abilities, accountability ,and organization means not only will they be successful in this role, but they'll excel and be a valuable asset to your team.
The role of SDMs is a great career change for those who want to move into a more managerial position. In this role, you will get to build rapport with prospects and see your results quickly!
You will also need to be able to work with a team, so strong communication skills are essential. To help you succeed in this role, we have put together seven tips that will set you on the right path.
1) Have a Passion for Sales- If you want to be successful as a SDM, then it’s important that you have a passion for sales.
This means being excited about working with prospects and helping them reach their goals. Without enthusiasm for sales, it will be difficult to motivate your team to do the same.
2) Be an Effective Communicator- You will need excellent communication skills as a SDM. You are responsible for coaching and guiding your team, so clear, concise communication is essential in order to be successful at this role.
If you have trouble with public speaking or communicating complex ideas, then it may not be the right position for you. But don’t worry! There are many other jobs that would fit well with your personality type if you lack confidence in these areas.
As a SDM, effective communication skills are important because of how much responsibility falls on your shoulders throughout the day-to-day work life of your job. Coaching and guiding your team effectively is key to success in this role.
If public speaking or communicating complex ideas are not your strong suits, don't worry! There are many other jobs that would fit well with your personality type.
3) Have a Proven track Record of Sales Success- In order to be successful as a SDM, you need to have a proven track record of sales success.
This means being able to show that you can successfully generate leads and make conversions. Without this experience, it will be difficult for you to manage and motivate your team to do the same.
4) Be Organized and Strategic minded- Being organized and strategic minded is essential if you want to be a successful SDM.
You will manage several teams and have many tasks on your plate, so being able to prioritize what needs to get done first is crucial in order for the business to succeed. Without this organizational skill, it will be difficult for you to effectively oversee everything that’s going on at once.
5) Be Personable with an Outgoing Nature- Being personable with an outgoing nature is important when working as a SDM because of how much time you will spend interacting with prospects throughout the day-to-day work life of this role.
If you are introverted or don't enjoy connecting on a personal level, then it may not be the right position for you. However, if you are someone who loves meeting new people and building relationships, then this is a great opportunity for you!
6) Be a Strong Leader- As a SDM, it’s important to be able to lead by example. This means being able to motivate your team and set the tone for how work should get done.
If you have trouble with leading teams or feel that you need improvement in this area, don’t worry! There are many resources out there to help you become an effective leader.
7) Stay up-to-date on Industry Trends- In order to be successful as a SDM, it’s important to stay up-to-date on industry trends. This means being aware of changes in the market and new strategies that are working well for other businesses.
Without this knowledge, you will be at a disadvantage when competing against others in your field.
A good SDM is essential to any business looking to increase its revenue. They need to be proactive in identifying new business opportunities, have a keen eye for detail and be able to manage a sales pipeline effectively.
They must also be able to effectively train and coach the sales team so that they are hitting their targets. The role of a SDM is one that requires skill, experience and a lot of energy.
