A sales career has numerous advantages and can be very rewarding, however, it can be difficult to try and navigate your way up the career ladder.
Even if you’re consistently hitting your sales numbers, this may not be enough for you to move into a sales management role.
Discover what activities you can start doing today to prepare yourself for a career in sales management and increase your chances of getting a sales promotion.
Top Performer
Having a good track record of success isn’t the only quality you will need to get a promotion, but it will help you stand out and build trust with your current manager.
If your sales manager knows you are consistently hitting and even exceeding your sales goals, then they can start to rely on you and even give you more responsibility.
Also, providing value to your company and establishing yourself as a top performer will keep you top of mind during strategy meetings where decisions about future management opportunities are being made.
If you’re not able to lead by example through your performance, then how can you expect others to respect you and follow your direction in a management role?
Continuous Learning
There’s an old saying: “Marketing always changes but selling stays the same.”
On one hand, this statement is very true to sales today. Customers still have the same motivations to buy, just as sales reps have the same skill sets to sell.
On the other hand, we know that technology is never stagnant and is constantly changing the way we communicate with potential customers and even impacts the sales process.
To keep up with these changes, consider taking courses at a local college, online training, or even seek out information online and in group discussions on LinkedIn. The internet has a wealth of free information and tips that can help you improve your skills and learn best practices.
Another option is to reach out to your management team about paid training classes or any internal training programs they may offer.
Whether you decide to learn new skills on your own or through your company, taking this initiative will show you’re invested in your future and development as a sales professional.
Go Above and Beyond
Exceeding your sales quota is not the only way you can go above and beyond what is expected of you.
Start by identifying any leadership opportunities you can perform in your current role. Do you have a company mentorship program where you can sign up to mentor a more junior sales rep? Do you have an idea on how to make a current sales process more efficient? Providing insight to a sales manager at the right time will show you’re capable of thinking strategically and are committed to the success of the company.
If you’re not able to identify any opportunities on your own, don’t be afraid to ask your boss if they need help on any new projects or if you could lead a project of your own.
Showing you’re willing to go above and beyond will help you stand out as leadership material, only if it doesn’t interfere with your current job duties.
Create a Plan
Many sales reps are quick to change jobs if they’re not moving up the ranks fast enough.
However, changing jobs too often will get you a reputation as a job hopper and companies won’t invest in you as a manager if they think you’re going to leave.
Instead, you set expectations with your sales manager about what it takes to get promoted and a clear timeline of how long it will take. If you then find out that there are no opportunities for growth at this company, then you can seek out a new position that offers room to grow.
Knowing what it takes to move up the ranks will help give you the motivation and drive to succeed at your company.
If you plan on making a career in sales and rising to the ranks of sales management, it’s important to start honing your leadership skills no matter how many years of experience you have in sales. For more advice, check out our career coaching services today!
