This is the 10th in my series of the Top 10 Kurlan Sales Management Functions.

#10 - TACTICS

Sales managers tend to be very challenged in the area of tactics.  There are two varieties of sales managers:

1. Those who were great salespeople - they have the ability to recognize scenarios where they have been there and done that, but their success in those scenarios often had more to do with them than their tactics.  There is a huge difference between saying, "This is what I would do", as opposed to saying, "Here are the (time-tested, transferable) tactics to use in this situation.  Let's role play."
   
2. Those who were not great salespeople - They have difficulty:

• recognizing the scenarios where tactics will make a difference;
  
• identifying the right tactics to use;
• role-playing to effectively demonstrate their use;
• teaching as they go;
• identifying lessons;
• creating plans of action.

Tactics are the primary knowledge and experience components of sales coaching and without a wealth of simple, effective, current and transferable sales tactics, a sales manager's ability to coach is neutralized.  Although this sales manager can mentor and strategize, those roles are more appropriate for a VP of Sales. 

So how does a Sales Manager who is challenged on Tactics develop these important skills?

One option is to enroll in some comprehensive sales and sales management training where the emphasis will be on sales tactics and sales coaching.

My guest on yesterday's edition of Meet the Sales Experts was Steve Taback. Steve has another option. He is the publisher of the Email TACTICS Program, a tool that reinforces effective sales and people skills for successful sales and sales management.

A third option is to hire a sales coach, like Steve, who is well-versed in both sales tactics and sales management coaching.

Steve has 4 suggestions for becoming more effective:

1. Develop an ownership mentality as it relates to taking the time to build a business
   
2. Be a student of what you're doing - in this case, be a student of tactics
3. Resiliency - fail and bounce back without quitting
4. Take Responsibility - for both the good and the bad outcomes