Think&Sell: how to improve the organization of the sales force
Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2025 4:20 am
In this week's THINK&SELL column , we focus on identifying ways to improve sales force organization. We share with you a 2013 Harvard Business Review article by Steve W. Martin. "Is Your Sales Organization Good or Great ? "
Steve Martin is a professor at the University of South Carolina – Marshall School of Business. c level contact list
The author lists seven characteristics of excellent sales forces. He bases this on consulting experience with several hundred companies. The seven characteristics thus listed define the success of the sales force organization.Steve Martin begins by explaining that it is the leaders of an organization who establish a sales culture. And that therefore strong leadership establishing a clear direction and ideal behavior for its employees is often an important success factor. It is rather by using motivation and strength of character rather than authoritarian power that this leader will succeed in organizing his sales force correctly.
This leader does not micromanage his sales force. Instead, he outsources it to local actors who ensure that the guidelines are implemented. It would be through the correlation of centralization and locally delegated authority that the sales force would find its success.
Steve Martin is a professor at the University of South Carolina – Marshall School of Business. c level contact list
The author lists seven characteristics of excellent sales forces. He bases this on consulting experience with several hundred companies. The seven characteristics thus listed define the success of the sales force organization.Steve Martin begins by explaining that it is the leaders of an organization who establish a sales culture. And that therefore strong leadership establishing a clear direction and ideal behavior for its employees is often an important success factor. It is rather by using motivation and strength of character rather than authoritarian power that this leader will succeed in organizing his sales force correctly.
This leader does not micromanage his sales force. Instead, he outsources it to local actors who ensure that the guidelines are implemented. It would be through the correlation of centralization and locally delegated authority that the sales force would find its success.