For Miss Professor pt.2

Case Study: Final Paper & Power Point Presentation---

Due: November 17, 2020

In classes, handout materials some of the topics and issues for Sales Managers include:

A. Sales Leadership issues, group process dynamics and team building options / processes

B. Learned and considered the trade-offs of Sales Management vs. Sales Positions

C. Recruiting, sourcing, and selection strategies to fill open positions on your team

D. Behavior-based questions for use in interviews (that are relevant, information rich, legal, and use SAR format – situation, action, result)

E. Identified several types of sales performance problems (Ability / motivation…)

F. Team Building and taking over an existing team and building a team (printed handouts)

G. Understanding the impact of personal style on management responsibilities including sales, behavioral interviewing, coaching, negotiating, etc.

H. Coaching process and model to help manage a sales representative’s specific performance issue following, guidelines and sales management coaching skills

I. Identifying specific tactics for revenue development using the Four Business Development Strategies

Sales Management --- Final case study & written action plan:

Sales Management Situation

Congratulations -- you managed to “sell yourself” into a Sales Management Position, with a “company and industry” in which you have a career interest. Choose one you like!

· Select an industry and specific large company with a sizable sales force - 200 or more. 

· Company is likely to have 10 – 20 additional Sales Managers with whom you would likely work - and compete with - in your new job.  

a. Provide a brief description of the company (industry, services / products, why you selected this company, hopefully it is one you have an interest in.

· Use Hoovers database, company / industry web sites, google, …

· Your company selection should be based on career interests: company / industry

b. Based on your successful track record as a sales representative with a competitor, you applied for and have just been hired as a sales manager to help the company (the one you selected / described above) grow and improve the quality of their sales force:

a. They were impressed with your sales track record.

b. They had some concerns about your lack of management experience

c. They liked your style and enthusiasm toward moving into sales management.

d. They are looking forward to your new ideas, insight and strategic approach

You are in your third week on the job and you just met with your Sr. Vice President of Sales who hired you and informed you that:.

“As a part of the company’s annual business review & sales planning process for Sales Managers, your company’s executive management team expects you and each sales manager to prepare and present your 6-month plan to your Sr. Vice President of Sales and his / her Executive Committee.”

The situation is as follows:

· In your new sales group of 12 direct sales representatives who will be reporting to you, there is a focus is on the fact that there are 6 openings to be filled - ASAP

· 6 are currently on your team and 6 need to be recruited.

· 4 openings are based on 4 recent terminations during past 6 months

· 2 self / voluntary resignations

· 2 employer-initiated terminations

· 2 new positions to capture additional revenue and growth expectations.

· The 6 current / remaining sales reps are mostly doing “ok” but management feels they could all be more productive with good leadership!

· Total staff of 12 sales personnel will report to you when fully staffed

· There is also concern about your predecessor who resigned 2 months ago:

· Not clear what happened – seems to have just left for “another position”.

· Management is concerned for strong leadership to take over and build / manage this sales team. May have been some concerns about management style of previous manager.

· They want to know how you will grow revenue and make a difference.

· They recognize the cost / investment in you and this team

· There is some recent history of having difficulty finding “qualified” sales candidates.

· There are some recognized issues concerning retention / turn-over in the sales force;

· they hired you hoping you could help improve the overall performance among the sales force and build a winning sales team

· they are increasingly aware and concerned about cost of turnover – but have not really costed out the problem or solutions

You have just been asked for a detailed plan of action and the steps / process you will follow to be successful in your new Sales Management role.

· Essentially answer – “What is your plan of action?”

· You are aware of the sizeable budget you manage (12 reps x $60,000 plus overhead for office support, travel, benefits, recruiting, etc. is approximately $1.5 million)

Reports should include and detail your Strategic Business Development Plan for increasing sales in each of the four sectors.

Focus on Your Four Business Development Strategies for January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021

Provide a clear direction / plan for your sales team for the coming year. Consider elements covered in class:

· Recruiting (Sources, networking, cost effectiveness…)

· Selection (Process, Resume screening, criteria, interview, Job description, qualifications…

· Training (Ability: Sales skills, style and motivation…)

· Coaching: How you will coach your team (using the 8-step coaching process)

· How you will take over and manage current sales team of 6 (when, where, why / what to coach…) – First 6 months

· How will you manage and assimilate your 6 new hires as they come on board?

· How will you approach / manage / use: Situation Analysis, Problem Solving, Decision Making and Planning Models / processes?

· Team Building – how will you “build your team” (all 12 salespeople)

· What Team Building initiatives might you employ

· Meeting your new team: Group / Individual meetings, identifying / resolving team and individual issues, dealing with individual needs / differences…

· Managing / coaching your team on an ongoing basis: Coaching culture

· Sales Strategies and tactics: How you will apply / coach your sales force using the Four Business Development Strategies

Sales Management Planning is an important aspect of every sales management position and is a responsibility both your senior management and sales representatives look to you to provide.

You should create / present your 6-month plan for January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 for your new sales management position using:

· Class notes,

· The numerous emails / handouts / models…

· Use of additional sources in encouraged

· Class discussions

· Previous assignments you prepared

Specifically, you should describe your plan of attack, critical sequence / timeline in your reports:

· To senior sales management

· To your existing sales team

FINAL written REPORTS and Power Point Presentation BOTH ----- Due on Tuesday November 17, 2020

Your Final has 2 components :

1. Written Report to Management --- Due on Nov. 17, 2020, before 2:00 class

2. Power Point Presentation --- Due on Nov 17, before 2:00 class

a. highlighting your presentation to management

b. This will be a prepared PPT – but will NOT to be presented / recorded

3. I will select and highlight selections from submissions in class on 11/17

Class Deliverables are as follows:

1. Written Report and Power Point

· Word Document and Power Point formats only

· Minimum / maximum of 5 / 7 typed (full) pages.

· Executive Summary Format – see handout provided

· Focus on facts / specifics of what and how you will grow the:

---Revenue

---Sales force

Use bullet points vs. prose

· Executive level format (grammar, wording, spelling, etc. – all count!)

Email copies of ---

1. Written Report and by November 17, 2020

2. Power Point slides by November 17, 2020

These reports must be submitted by Email

· Your 5 – 7 page Executive Summary & Sales Plan

· Your Power Point Slides as you would present to Management Committee

Subject Line must read: “ Sales Management RPS 4000 Fall 2020 Final”

i. Time stamp will reflect “on time” submission.

ii. Make certain to use subject line:

“Sales Management RPS 4000 Spring 2020 Final”

iii. Make certain YOUR NAME is on both documents

iv. Submit BOTH Reports in one email with both attachments

· In both your written reports and Power Point presentation, your goal is to: “ Convince Management they have made a great decision placing you in charge of one of their sales teams”.

Focus on your strengths:

· Your knowledge of your selected Employer’s industry and company

· Your Skills, Style, Strategic approach and ability in Sales Management critical performance areas (Recruiting, selection, interviewing, coaching, retention, strategic initiatives and direction for your sales team…)

· The 4 Business Development Strategies for growing Sales Revenue

· You want to convince them you understand the industry, sales / business development opportunities and specific challenges of your sales management position

· You understand your industry and company issues

· You will be able to recruit, select and manage a successful sales team

· You understand performance management issues and how to coach sales performance

· You will show them you have many possible initiatives you could consider (Initiatives in each of the Four Business Development Strategies)

Grades for both Written Report and Power Point documents will be based on:

· Convincing and instilling confidence in management, they made the right choice in hiring you!

· demonstrating understanding of Sales Management responsibilities,

· viability of initiatives, approach / solutions / tactics proposed,

· comprehensive presentation of sales management challenges in recruiting, selection training / coaching sales performance, retention…

· realistic goals and timeline

· written report / format / professionalism

· professionalism of Power Points, graphics, text / content, logical flow

As resources, you should refer to and reference at least:

A. Materials / approaches discussed in class,

B. Power Point and other handouts from class,

C. Individual internet research

D. Your selected company’s web site or additional company information

E. Demonstrating expertise in Strategic Sales – Revenue generating thinking and planning

· Strategic models reviewed in class including the The Four Business Development Strategies:

· Specifically – how are you and your sales team going to increase revenue for each of the Four Business Development Strategies ?

Some written report and Power Point Guidelines:

Approximately 15 - 20 Power Point Slides (25 MAX.) should be sufficient, assuming slides prepared approximately along the following (suggested) lines:

· 1. Title Slide (include your name, course, company, date…)

· 2. Executive Summary: Overview (of presentation that follows – what you are going to cover / do the coming year – January 1 – June 30,2021

· 1. Recruiting / Staffing Strategies – initiatives / criteria / sources…

· 1. Selection / Interview issues, strategy, interview process / questions

· 1. Performance Management: Coaching / Training

· 1. Retention: Team Building / Conflict Management

· 2. Leadership: Situation Analysis, Problem Solving, Decision Making & Planning

· 4. Sales Planning: Four Business Development Strategies

· Identify several possible sales initiatives for each of the 4BDS you will focus your new group on. (at least two for each for each of the Four Business Development Strategies)

· 1. Summary / Conclusion: Your Leadership Strengths

14 – 25 total

Consider, at a minimum, company / industry resources such as:

· Your selected Company’s Website

· Industry information sources

· HOOVERS Online and other databases (available through WPU Library – see instruction sheet)

· Competitor websites

· Google searches for

· news about your company

· industry information

· business trends

· press releases

· Personal experience / contact with industry / company

Use samples sent by email as guides

Email a copy of your written report and Power Point as follows:

Email copies of ---

1. Written Report and by November 17, 2020

2. Power Point slides by November 17, 2020

USE the information and Power Point slides / models provided and discussed throughout the semester as appropriate (just a few reminders are below)

Additional sample presentations will be provided

Be creative and impactful. Prepare and present as though your initial perception by the Executive Committee and future in management were on the line.

You want management to feel confident about hiring you and entrusting you with a team of 12 salespeople and related budget, expenses...

For 1st 6 months

For 1st 6 months

For 6 months

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