We come across several articles written on efficiently managing sales team, but question comes, when we are boss to sales team who has experience more than our age (In case of newly appointed CEO), experts in their area. Sales team with said characteristics undoubtedly needs to be handled diplomatically rather than autocratically, irrespective of once designation in top management.

Assigning right job: Creative sales team is essential to the growth of a business. In addition with years of experience creative sense augments. It’s important to allocate the assignments as per the caliber of sales person. For example, promotional activities, which comprise various sources of media, need careful examination of media selection. This need to be handled by experienced person rather than just assigning job of getting advertisement published in a magazine or general. This way their potential shall be enhanced as well as critical job shall be done tactfully.

No Contradiction: Roles should not be contradictory; your senior sales team should well informed about their projects, customer’s allocation, products or service they have to promote and be clear on their sales territory. This way they will be focused and build rapport with customers in assigned territory. Foremost important is transparency, key tool for company’s success. Senior sales team has plenty of projects and proposal which can be very well applied to existing operations or new ventures planned.

Suitable Activity Targets: Experienced sales team has key to achieve sales and activities targets. Generating new sales leads, Renewals and lapsed customers recovery have been rated standard assignments for them. They should be given targets of new product or service innovation, Product management and development and potential market research and analysis.

Hiring sub-ordinates for supportive functions: Authority counts not only by designation on business card but also by allocation of sub team to perform supportive functions. In marketing and sales there are countless follow-up jobs. If senior sales person has to handle follow-up profiles, they may loose focus from prime activity assigned. Hence allow them to build a team for supportive function or even create base for sales activity, later much complicated functions can be handles by seniors.

For year you retain salespeople because you want them to make a difference to your business. Experienced sales staff is not only valuable in generating revenue and profitability but also in shaping business future.