Navigating the Player-Manager role in sales - managing the team and selling personally at the same time

10/26/24 • 36 min

The Luxury Of Choice - Sales Skills Podcast

Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

In this episode of the Luxury of Choice podcast, host Steve Vaughan, along with fellow sales trainer Jonathan Cooper and Debbie Airey, delve into the complexities of the "player manager" role in sales. In other words, both managing a sales team, whilst maintaining personal sales responsibility such as a territory, key account, product line, etc.
They discuss the challenges and benefits of balancing sales responsibilities with management duties, emphasizing the importance of time management, clear expectations, and effective coaching. The conversation highlights the need for strong customer relationships and the potential pitfalls of neglecting team dynamics. The episode concludes with practical advice for new sales managers and the significance of being attentive to both numbers and team needs.

Being a player manager can be a great learning experience.
Understanding the expectations from both management and the team is crucial.
Time management is essential when balancing dual roles.
Coaching is a key skill for any sales manager.
Clear communication with customers is vital during field visits.
It's important to listen more than you speak as a manager.
Handling underperformance requires difficult conversations early on.
Not every great salesperson is suited for management roles.
Building trust within the team is essential for success.
Asking for help should be encouraged in management.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

Being a player manager can be a great learning experience.
Understanding the expectations from both management and the team is crucial.
Time management is essential when balancing dual roles.
Coaching is a key skill for any sales manager.
Clear communication with customers is vital during field visits.
It's important to listen more than you speak as a manager.
Handling underperformance requires difficult conversations early on.
Not every great salesperson is suited for management roles.
Building trust within the team is essential for success.
Asking for help should be encouraged in management.

Previous Episode

Coping with Rejection and the Word No in Sales

Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

In this episode of the Luxury of Choice podcast, host Steve Vaughan, fellow sales trainer Jane Green and new colleague Debbie Airey discuss the challenges of facing rejection in sales, particularly the word 'no.' They explore the emotional impact of rejection, the different types of 'no' responses, and the importance of asking open questions to understand customer needs better. The conversation also delves into the sales process, the significance of effective prospecting, and strategies for resilience in the face of rejection. The episode concludes with practical tips for handling objections and maintaining a positive attitude after receiving a 'no.'
Takwaways:

Rejection is a common part of the sales process.
Understanding the emotional impact of 'no' is crucial for salespeople.
There are different types of 'no' responses that can guide future actions.
Asking open questions can uncover customer needs and objections.
Effective prospecting requires a strategic approach and resilience.
Sales is often a numbers game; persistence is key.
Maintaining a positive attitude after rejection is essential.
Building relationships with customers can reduce the frequency of 'no.'
Sales training should include role-playing to prepare for objections.
Understanding how customers prefer to communicate can improve engagement.

All views are the opinions of the individual trainers.
Music by artist.io

Next Episode

The Pro's and Con's of bringing business forward at year end.

Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

In this episode of The Luxury Choice podcast, Steve Vaughan, Prue Layton, and Debbie Airey discuss the complexities of bringing business forward at year-end. They explore the pros and cons of this strategy, emphasizing the importance of maintaining customer relationships and the potential pitfalls of short-term gains. The conversation also highlights the need for effective sales forecasting and alternative strategies to achieve year-end success without compromising long-term business integrity.

Every year-end, salespeople are often asked to bring business forward.
Bringing business forward can help clean up CRM data.
Maintaining customer contact is crucial during year-end.
Short-term gains can lead to long-term pain for businesses.
Price manipulation can damage customer trust.
Salespeople should push back against unrealistic demands.
Effective forecasting is essential for year-end success.
Alternative strategies can help achieve sales targets without compromising values.
Understanding customer needs is key to successful sales conversations.
Sales teams should focus on building long-term relationships.