Fundamentals Of Sales Management

Master the Essential Sales Management Skills that empower you to drive sustained success.

What you'll learn

Effectively review an organisations current situation by analysing the firms in-ternal and external environment.

Identify KPI’s that fall short of industry standards, judge the likely causes of performance gaps and suggest corrective measures.

Develop strategic and operational sales plans to align with an organisation’s corporate strategy and long-term objectives.

Apply forecasting techniques to develop long-term and short-term sales forecasts.

Establish strategic objectives for the sales department and translate high-level goals into actionable sales targets for the sales team.

Optimally allocate company resources by making sound decisions on sales structure, sales territories and correctly sizing the salesforce.

Develop budgeted income statements for the sales department and apply appropriate budgeting approaches to ensure realistic and actionable financial plans.

Apply the 3-step Situational Leadership process of goal setting, assessing de-velopment levels and aligning leadership style, to a given sales context.

Prepare performance appraisals for the sales team with a view to providing constructive feedback and enhancing individual development.

Develop individual plans for the sales team that align individual goals with or-ganizational objectives.

Requirements

No sales management experience required. You will learn everything you need to know.

Intermediate level Microsoft Excel Skills.

Description

This course on the Fundamentals of Sales Management, is a comprehensive guide to mastering the pivotal role of the sales manager. By exploring the essential principles, skills, and practices detailed in this course, you will gain the tools needed to turn strategy into action and drive sustained success.Section 2, Setting the Stage, lays the foundation by emphasizing the importance of aligning sales planning with a company’s broader strategic goals. In today’s competitive B2B environment, this integration is non-negotiable. Sales managers are instrumental in ensuring that sales strategies support corporate objectives, organizing teams effectively, and adapting to changing market conditions. This section underscores how such alignment boosts sales performance and fuels overall business growth.To lead effectively, sales managers must possess a robust understanding of financial fundamentals, which is the focus of Section 3, Essential Finance Skills. From analysing financial statements to creating realistic sales budgets, this section equips managers with the financial acumen required for decision-making. By mastering these skills, sales managers become better positioned to plan strategically and manage resources efficiently.Sales success hinges on a deep understanding of customers, which is explored in Section 4, Customer Skills. This section focuses on the ability to analyse markets, craft compelling value propositions, foster customer satisfaction, and manage relationships effectively. These skills are critical for improving sales performance and building long-term client loyalty—cornerstones of sustainable success.Operational excellence is at the heart of Section 5, Operational Skills. A sales manager’s ability to optimize resources, streamline the sales process, and leverage performance metrics determines the efficiency and effectiveness of the sales force. This section provides actionable strategies to refine these operational capabilities, enabling managers to maximize productivity and profitability.No sales team can thrive without strong leadership, which is why Section 6, People Skills, emphasizes the human element of sales management. From recruiting and training the right talent to motivating and performance-managing a team, this section delves into the critical interpersonal skills that differentiate high-performing managers. The success of a sales manager often hinges on their ability to inspire and empower their team to excel in a competitive environment.The journey concludes with Section 7, From Theory to Practice, where learners apply the knowledge gained throughout the course to real-world scenarios. Through a detailed, integrated case study, this section challenges learners to think critically, solve problems, and execute tasks as they would in the workplace. By bridging theory and practice, it ensures that sales managers are prepared to meet the demands of their role with confidence and competence.Let us embark on this journey together—equipping sales managers to lead with clarity, inspire with confidence, and deliver with excellence. The stakes have never been higher, and the opportunities never greater.Welcome to The Fundamentals of Sales Management.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Preface

Lecture 2 About the Author

Lecture 3 How the Course is Organised

Lecture 4 Learning Outcomes

Section 2: Setting the Stage

Lecture 5 Corporate Strategy

Lecture 6 Alignment With Strategic Objectives

Lecture 7 Integrating Sales Planning

Section 3: Essential Finance Skills

Lecture 8 Introduction

Lecture 9 The Income Statement

Lecture 10 Balance Sheet

Lecture 11 Cash Flow Statement

Lecture 12 Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis - Single Product

Lecture 13 Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis - Multiple Products

Lecture 14 CVP Analysis with Microsoft Excel

Lecture 15 Introduction to Forecasting

Lecture 16 Historical Analysis

Lecture 17 Qualitative Forecasting

Lecture 18 Sales Force Composite

Lecture 19 Market Share Components

Lecture 20 Advanced Methods

Lecture 21 Introduction to Budgeting

Lecture 22 Budgeting Basics

Lecture 23 Revenue and Cost of Goods Sold Budget

Lecture 24 Capital Expenditure Budget

Lecture 25 Mapower Budget

Lecture 26 Expenditure Budget

Lecture 27 Budget Phasing

Lecture 28 Performance Measures

Lecture 29 Gross and Net Profit Margin

Lecture 30 Asset Management Measures

Section 4: Customer Skills

Lecture 31 Introduction

Lecture 32 Analysing the Market

Lecture 33 Target Marketing

Lecture 34 Targeting and Positioning

Lecture 35 Selecting a Broad Position

Lecture 36 Selecting a Specific Position

Lecture 37 Defining the Value Proposition

Lecture 38 Creating the Total Value Proposition

Lecture 39 Customer Satisfaction

Lecture 40 Customer Perception

Lecture 41 Customer Perception Case Study

Lecture 42 Customer Relationships

Lecture 43 The Relationship Hierarchy

Lecture 44 Factors Influencing Relationship Level

Lecture 45 Relationship Building Best Practices

Section 5: Operational Skills

Lecture 46 Introduction

Lecture 47 Sales Structure

Lecture 48 Territory Design

Lecture 49 Sizing the Sales Force

Lecture 50 Sizing Methods

Lecture 51 Activity Based Method

Lecture 52 Customer Potential Method

Lecture 53 Streamlining the Sales Cycle

Lecture 54 The Sales Process

Lecture 55 Sales Process Best Practices

Lecture 56 Managing Sales Activity

Lecture 57 Managing Sales Activity Case Study

Lecture 58 The Sales Pipeline

Lecture 59 Performance Measures

Lecture 60 Performance Measures Cont.

Section 6: People Skills

Lecture 61 Introduction

Lecture 62 Building the Sales Team

Lecture 63 Train the Right Skills

Lecture 64 Provide Needed Support

Lecture 65 Retain the Best People

Lecture 66 Motivating the Sales Team

Lecture 67 Leading the Sales Team

Lecture 68 Directive Behaviour

Lecture 69 Supportive Behaviour

Lecture 70 Assessing Development Levels

Lecture 71 Managing Performance

Lecture 72 Define Individual Plans

Lecture 73 Review Individual Plans

Lecture 74 Rate Individual Plans

Lecture 75 Monitor Measures

Lecture 76 Performance Appraisal

Lecture 77 Performance Management Case Study

Section 7: From Theory to Practice

Lecture 78 From Theory to Practice

Lecture 79 Exercise 1: Analyse the Current Situation

Lecture 80 Exercise 1: Recommended Solutions

Lecture 81 Exercise 2: Establish Strategic Objectives

Lecture 82 Exercise 2: Recommended Solutions

Lecture 83 Exercise 3: Optimizing the Sales Force

Lecture 84 Exercise 3: Recommended Solutions

Lecture 85 Exercise 4: Develop the 2024 -2026 Sales Budget

Lecture 86 Exercise 4: Recommended Solutions

Lecture 87 Exercise 5: Apply the Principles of Situational Leadership

Lecture 88 Exercise 5: Recommended Solutions

Lecture 89 Exercise 6: Implement Performance Management

Lecture 90 Exercise 6: Recommended Solutions

Aspiring sales managers. If you are currently in a sales role and are looking to move into a management position, or, if you are a professional from another areas of business who wants to transition into a sales management position.,Existing sales managers. If you are an existing Sales Manager who wants to improve your skills and knowledge to be more effective in your current role, or, if you are a manager who does not have a formal sales background but find yourself leading a sales team,Business owners and entrepreneurs. If you run your own businesses and want to develop a strong sales strategy for growth.,Recent business graduates. If you have graduated with business degree that did not includes a sales management module.