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Sales Force Management

Michael F. Walsh, Ph.D., Suzanne C. Bal, and Emily C. Tanner, Ph.D.

The second course in the Sales Operations/Management Specialization, Sales Force Management covers various aspects of hiring and personnel administration. Students will learn about job design and recruitment processes, tools of recruitment, the role of training in sales force development, and motivating salespeople to perform the tasks critical to an organization's success.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Sales Force Selection, Recruitment, Motivation, and Evaluation

This week provides a general overview of the job design and recruitment processes. As part of that, we cover three important documents: a job analysis, a job description and a job qualifications statement. We discuss what these documents are, what purpose they serve and how they are prepared. We present a concept called the job recruitment funnel and show how this is applied to hiring situations. Finally we discuss 8 sources for recruiting sales people.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores methods for hiring, motivating, and evaluating sales professionals

Taught by instructors with extensive experience in sales operations and management

Develops skills and knowledge that are core to sales management

Covers topics relevant to sales professionals at various levels of experience

Provides a comprehensive overview of sales force management

Utilizes a multi-modal approach with a mix of videos, readings, and discussions

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Reviews summary

Managing and motivating sales teams effectively

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in essential sales force management principles. Many found the content on recruitment, training, motivation, and evaluation to be practical and applicable to their roles. Students particularly appreciated the clear structure and framework presented for complex tasks like sales force evaluation. However, some reviews suggest the course might be too introductory for those with significant prior experience, and a few wished for more depth on advanced topics or real-world case studies to complement the theoretical concepts. Overall, it's seen as a valuable overview for those new to or seeking to formalize their understanding of managing a sales team.

Best for those new to sales management.

"This course is perfect for someone just starting out in a sales management role."

"As a beginner, I found the pace and content level just right."

"If you already have years of experience managing sales teams, much of this might be review."

Well-organized modules and topics.

"The course is very well-structured, making it easy to follow the logical progression of topics."

"I appreciated how each module built upon the last, providing a clear framework for understanding sales force management."

"The step-by-step approach to things like the evaluation process was incredibly helpful."

Concepts are useful for real-world roles.

"I found many of the concepts, particularly in recruitment and evaluation, immediately applicable to my work."

"The material provided practical tools and strategies that I could use right away in managing my team."

"Learning about the different motivation theories gave me new ideas for how to engage my salespeople."

Offers a strong base in core concepts.

"This course provided me with a solid foundation in sales force management."

"I feel much more confident in my understanding of the key principles needed to manage a sales team effectively after taking this course."

"It gives you a great overview of all the critical aspects of managing a sales force, from hiring to firing."

Could benefit from more advanced detail.

"While the overview is good, I was hoping for a deeper dive into specific metrics for evaluating sales performance."

"Some modules felt a bit brief; I wish there were more examples or case studies to illustrate the theories."

"As someone with some experience, I found certain sections to be a bit basic and could use more advanced strategies."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Sales Force Management with these activities:

Complete the job challenge assessments

Show steps

Enhance understanding of job design and hiring process by completing practical, interactive exercises.

Show steps

Read the job description carefully.
Identify the key requirements of the job.
Complete the job challenge assessments.

Show all one activities

Career center

Learners who complete Sales Force Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sales Manager

Sales Managers oversee sales staff activities, provide guidance, and develop business strategies. The Sales Force Management course can help Sales Managers understand best practices for hiring and motivating their teams, which can lead to improved sales performance and increased profits.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Salesforce Administrator

Salesforce Administrators implement, configure, and maintain Salesforce software for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Salesforce Administrators understand how sales teams operate, which can help them better support the needs of their users.

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Sales Operations Analyst

Sales Operations Analysts analyze sales data to identify trends and improve sales processes. The Sales Force Management course can help Sales Operations Analysts understand the factors that influence sales performance and develop strategies to improve results.

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Salesforce Developer

Salesforce Developers build and customize Salesforce applications for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Salesforce Developers understand the needs of sales teams, which can help them develop more effective applications.

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Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers provide technical support to sales teams and customers. The Sales Force Management course can help Sales Engineers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them provide more effective support.

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Product Manager

Product Managers develop and manage products for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Product Managers understand the needs of sales teams and customers, which can help them develop more successful products.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Marketing Managers understand the sales process and the role of sales teams in generating revenue, which can help them develop more effective marketing campaigns.

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Customer Success Manager

Customer Success Managers help customers achieve success with a company's products or services. The Sales Force Management course can help Customer Success Managers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them better support their customers.

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Business Development Manager

Business Development Managers identify and develop new business opportunities for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Business Development Managers understand the sales process and the role of sales teams in generating revenue, which can help them develop more successful business development strategies.

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Account Manager

Account Managers manage relationships with existing customers for organizations. The Sales Force Management course can help Account Managers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them better support their customers.

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Sales Trainer

Sales Trainers develop and deliver training programs for sales teams. The Sales Force Management course can help Sales Trainers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them develop more effective training programs.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers oversee all aspects of human resources for organizations, including recruiting, hiring, and training. The Sales Force Management course can help Human Resources Managers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them develop more effective recruiting and training programs.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of organizations, including sales, marketing, and customer service. The Sales Force Management course can help Operations Managers understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face, which can help them make better decisions about how to allocate resources.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data to make recommendations for investment and other financial decisions. The Sales Force Management course may be helpful for Financial Analysts who want to understand the role of sales in generating revenue.

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Consultant

Consultants provide advice and expertise to organizations on a variety of topics, including sales and marketing. The Sales Force Management course may be helpful for Consultants who want to understand the sales process and the challenges that sales teams face.

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Reading list

We've selected 19 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Sales Force Management.

Marketing Management

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This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of sales management. It covers topics such as sales force planning, organization, leadership, motivation, and control. valuable resource for sales managers and other professionals.

Sales Force Management

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Save this course

Reviews summary

Managing and motivating sales teams effectively

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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