If you want to become an area sales manager, you'll need to be able to consistently achieve quotas as well as be able to coach your team to perform the same goal. Both a results-oriented attitude and good leadership are typically sought after by company executives and human resources staff seeking area sales manager candidates. Other area sales manager requirements include an ability to create sales strategies and build client relationships.
Building strong client relationships in sales goes beyond customer service skills alone although those are a part of it. Effective sales leaders learn about and anticipate their clients' supply or service needs rather than serving as mere order takers. They often call or email clients first as well as make product or service suggestions that fit in with the clients' company needs and objectives. To have the best chance to become an area sales manager, develop your ability to remember names, faces and details of what your clients need. Stay in touch with these people and be a pleasant, genuine communicator who always has your clients' business needs in mind.
If you begin this type of service and contact with clients even in lower-level positions, you may find that customers will comment positively on your dedication to your supervisor or manager. This type of customer appreciation can help you in your career path to become an area sales manager. Hiring managers look for candidates that their firm's clients appreciate dealing with, as it often translates into customer loyalty. Although this quality alone isn't all you're likely to need to be chosen as a manager of a sales team for a certain geographic area, being appreciated by customers can certainly help you in your career goal.
Adding a constant focus on sales results is a must-have quality of a good area manager. In order to always maintain required sales quotas, you'll need to understand your customers within your assigned area. Once you have this understanding, you should then develop a strategic plan to increase sales. If you're able to communicate your plan and coach others to achieve it, you will have demonstrated that you have the main skills required to become an area sales manager. Another great way to stand out to sales hiring managers is to develop a reputation for growing accounts by actually selling supplies to the clients rather than simply taking customer orders.