Whether you are an ambitious account manager, sales executive or a marketing director. Becoming a successful sales or marketing leader is not only about having enough experience – you need to be able to demonstrate that you can lead a sales and marketing team to success. There are a number of factors that employers are looking for when recruiting for these types of roles. The traits required can range from the interpersonal to the analytical, and being able to demonstrate a range of these abilities will put you at the top of a recruiter’s wish list.
how to succeed in sales and marketing.
Here are nine skills and abilities you should look to develop if you want to progress into a role as a sales head or land the post as a marketing head.
delegate.
One of the first things to realise about a leadership position in sales and marketing is the importance of utilising the strengths and abilities of your team. As the team leader you need to delegate responsibilities and tasks and manage workloads across many individuals in order to get the best results for the group as a whole.
motivate.
As a leader you have to do more than simply issue tasks, you must inspire those around you to do their best work. Demonstrating passion for your role is a prerequisite for success in any industry, but in the results-driven worlds of sales and marketing, there is extra incentive to ensure your team have the drive and motivation to reach their targets.
communicate.
Good communication is critical in sales and marketing, so when you take a leadership position, strong communication to all stakeholders will be one of your most important jobs. You will be responsible for conveying objectives and goals and ensuring your team work towards these, while communicating your plans to senior management for support. Ensuring everyone understands your vision is imperative to your success.
monitor progress.
As a sales or marketing leader, you will need to set your own personal and team targets, but it is impossible to know how close you are to achieving success without monitoring progress regularly. Use data analytics in combination with the more personal approach of employee feedback to understand where improvements could be made and which aspects of your work are currently thriving.
be approachable.
Being a leader means working together with your team towards a common goal. Showing leadership is important, but so is demonstrating that you’re approachable. This fosters good dialogue between yourself and your team, encouraging your staff to take initiative and helping you to share ideas.
be knowledgeable.
Being a leader means knowing what goes on outside your company as well. Keep up to date with industry trends and innovations so you can bring new ideas to your company and make sure you stay relevant. Your team will soon realise if your industry knowledge is lacking, and being able to motivate others will become much more of a challenge.
hire the right people.
Hiring individuals on your team is critical to future success, and as a sales and marketing leader it is important to be aware of the kind of skills that your company needs, but crucially to also make sure the person is a fit for your team. If you need assistance in this area, going with an experienced recruitment consultant like Randstad may be beneficial to ensure you get the right person.
be flexible.
The sales and marketing industries are constantly changing and embracing new technologies, meaning leaders will need to be adaptable in order to survive. Smartphones, social media and faster broadband have already made a huge impact in the way people receive information, demonstrating the importance of being able to adapt your strategies to fit new types of communication channels.
be customer centric.
In whatever sales or marketing job you have, it is crucial to take a customer centric approach. Understanding who your audience is and what their needs are is the first step in creating your strategy. Regularly sourcing and monitoring customer feedback is essential to make sure the right message is reaching the right audience.
