29 Must-Have Sales Manager Skills for Success in 2025

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sales managers make an average annual income of $135,160 1. Highspot is the #1 platform for igniting revenue growth and driving repeatable sales Sales Manager/BDM for AI Educational Platforms job success. Marketing courses focus on understanding customer needs and aligning sales strategies with market demands. Classes such as Consumer Behavior and Strategic Marketing cover traditional and digital strategies, including social media and online platforms, which are vital in today’s marketplace. Likewise, as a sales leader, you too need to have followers who believe you’ll lead them to a better place by bringing about positive changes (i.e., better sales performance). Learn about and improve your communication skills, tackle conflict resolution, mediate in difficult situations, and develop your emotional intelligence.

Sales process skills

In a PayScale survey, the role of “sales account manager” was rated the second-most stressful job, with 73% of respondents rating the role as “highly stressful”. Managers need to meet quotas, inspire their teams and convert quickly — and there is rarely a ‘slow day’ to relax. Sales Managers are the driving force behind the success of any great sales organisation and, for this reason, it can be a tremendously rewarding profession. At the same time, it is a highly demanding role and is known to be an incredibly stressful career path. To help encourage further sales, prioritize maintaining a good relationship with your customers. If you are only around when you are trying to sell something, the customer will easily sense that your relationship is not authentic.

proactive sales strategies you can employ right now

Looking for ways Coding to develop and refine these skills and competencies for members of your sales team? Check out this round-up of training games and activities to keep your organization engaged. Upselling typically involves suggested add-ons to what the customer is looking to buy without changing the intent of the deal. In practice, this could look like asking prospects insightful questions during the sales process to truly understand what challenges they’re facing and what they need support with.

Sales Leadership Competencies

The problem is, when Sales Managers spend their time micromanaging and effectively doing the jobs of their team, they aren’t doing their own job, so things fall behind. Before long, they’ll be looking for a position elsewhere, where they will be given the space they need to develop and learn. Sales presentations and demos demonstrate your command of what you are selling and build trust with your customers. Being clear, engaging, and articulate will help you better sell to prospects.

• By focusing on these areas, you can effectively develop Sales Manager skills that will make your resume stand out.
• If you have to succeed in sales, you must adapt to new tools and practices.
• A sales manager should be able to design and deliver effective training programs that effectively coach team members.
• Finally, it’s important to create a positive and supportive work environment for your sales team.