Guest blog by Dennis Bridges, MBA
I spend the majority of my time as of late working in sales with teams and individuals and a question I continue to get is, “what roles do we need to fill to operate a successful sales team?”
Recently I met with some great people who are in corporate sales with our Edmonton Eskimos and they made me think of an easy way to frame the answer.
Think of your sales operation as a football team. During any given play there are a lot of things going on that you really need to know and be comfortable with for the team to have a chance at executing efficiently and successfully. Like a football team, a sales team is comprised of a number of different units. Some players are part of multiple units but within each unit they have a specific function and are supported by the others. Each unit has a coach and that coach coordinates with the head coach who is always focused on the big picture and the people they need to bring together to bring that picture to life. I have outlined the key operational roles that successful sales teams seem to have in place.
Key Operational Sales Roles Include:
A Strong Sales Operations Manager who oversees the following:
| Performance Analytics | Sales Process Definition | Sales Comp Design | CRM Development | Proposal/RFP Management |
| Sales Talent Training | Sales Tool Design | Customer service | Pricing | Sales Forecasting |
| Sales Strategy Definition | Sales Talent Recruiting | Quote to Order Processing | Sales Role Definition | Customer Segmentation |
Has your team accounted for these roles and areas of responsibility? Are all of your players in the best possible position for them to make an impact? Are there any elements you’re missing or need to improve? Contact our team to help you address any of these questions related to your sales team.
