How Do I Create an Effective Training Module for Zonal Sales Managers in Marketing?

Hey Friends,

Can anyone tell me how I can design a training module for the higher-ups in Marketing in the company? I mean the Zonal Sales Managers, etc. I'm doing an internship in a Pharma Company.

I want to know certain specific topics to be covered with them and any other related things.

Thanks, waiting for someone's reply soon.

Shants.

Training Module

Zone Sales Management Training

Based on your brief, I am assuming:

- Zone managers report to the national sales manager.
- Zone managers manage sales reps and/or medical reps.
- Products include prescription/OTC products.

I have included all probable elements of the sales management functions. My suggestions based on my own experience are:

- Spread the course over 2-3 years.
- Blend the course with practical/theory concepts.
- You may cover HR areas but outsource experts from different fields (motivation/leadership, etc.).

Also, blend the course in such a way to cover:

- Zone managers with limited experience.
- Zone managers with medium exposure.
- Zone managers with lengthy experience but lack modern methods, etc.

The Zone sales managers have three major functional responsibilities:

1. Accounts management/Customer management.

2. Sales people management.

3. Zone sales organization management.

1. Accounts Management/Customer Management:

A. Accounts planning:
- Accounts profiling/individual accounts planning.

B. Accounts management:
- Developing/managing/maintaining accounts.

C. Negotiation selling:
- Using negotiation skills to close sales.

D. Customer relationship development/management.

2. Sales People Management:

X. Sales jobs:
- Job analysis of sales reps.
- Job specification.
- Roles.

A. Sales leadership:
- Leadership.
- Interpersonal skills.
- Management style.
- Communication.

B. Sales people performance management:
- Field visits.
- Field sales training.
- Sales coaching (one-to-one).
- Counseling.
- Empowering salespeople.
- Training.

C. Sales people performance development:
- Performance appraisals/reviews.
- Setting performance objectives.
- Preparing/conducting interviews.

D. Salesforce communication:
- Conducting sales meetings.
- Sales review weekly.
- Sales development meeting.
- Quarterly reviews/action planning.

E. Psychology in sales management:
- Managing problem situations.
- Handling problem salespeople.
- Using motivation as a catalyst.
- Managing changes in policies/procedures/market, etc.

3. Zone Sales Organization Management:

A. Sales operation audit.

B. Sales objectives/target setting:
- Setting sales objectives.
- Setting sales target.
- Resellers target.

C. Sales planning:
- Linking the sales with the marketing strategy.
- Sales strategy for individual territory plans.
- Sales strategy for resellers.
- Sales promotions guidelines.

D. Sales management control:
- Developing reporting systems.
- Controls through feedback systems.
- Managing by exception.

E. Organization of Sales:
- Planning the sales.
- Planning the organization structure required to service.
- Planning the salesforce strength.

One of the most important elements for sales management is auditing, which should include:

- Sales rep performance audit.
- Territory audit.
- Accounts audit.
- Sales performance.
- Zone market audit.
- Channel/distribution audit.
- Product sales audit.
- Resellers audit.
- Major/key accounts audit.
- Competition analysis.
- Pricing.
- Sales promotion audit.
- Review of sales policies of the zone.
- Sales procedures review.
- Sales force expenses, etc.

You may circulate a list to the Zone Sales Managers and to their bosses/seek feedback before you design. Hope this is useful to you.

Regards,

Leo Lingham

Hey Leo,

Thanks for the detailed information on my topic. Can you tell me how I can allot time duration for certain topics which, according to you, are important for the training of ZSMs?

By the way, the ASM is below the ZSM, and then the SRs/MRs thereafter.

Thanks and do reply.

Shants.

I understood the sales organization structure and how it cascades down. Zone sales managers, areas sales managers, sales reps/medical reps. BUT my question is "to whom do the zone sales managers report to?" This is the person with whom you should work with/get approval.

Also, while selecting subjects, you could select a blend of: what the organization needs priority-wise and what the zone sales managers think they need.

The ZONE sales managers have three major functional responsibilities:

1. Accounts management/Customer management.
A. Accounts planning. [4 hrs]
- accounts profiling/individual accounts planning.
B. Accounts management. [4 hrs]
- developing/managing/maintaining accounts.
C. Negotiation selling. [8 hrs]
- using negotiation skills to close sales.
D. Customer relationship development/management [4 hrs]

2. Sales people management.
X. Sales jobs [4 hrs]
- job analysis of sales reps
- job specification
- roles
A. Sales leadership
- leadership [4 hrs]
- interpersonal skills [4 hrs]
- management style [4 hrs]
- communication [4 hrs]
B. Sales people performance management [16 hrs]
- field visits
- field sales training
- sales coaching [one to one]
- counseling
- empowering sales people
- training
C. Sales people performance development [8 hrs]
- performance appraisals/reviews
- setting performance objectives
- preparing/conducting interviews
D. Salesforce communication [8 hrs]
- conducting sales meetings
- sales review weekly
- sales development meeting
- quarterly reviews/action planning.
E. Psychology in sales management [16 hrs]
- managing problem situations
- handling problem sales people
- using motivation as a catalyst
- managing the changes in policies/procedures/market/etc.

3. Zone sales organization management.
A. Sales operation audit [8 hrs]
B. Sales OBJECTIVES/target setting [4 hrs]
C. Sales planning [8 hrs]
D. Sales management control [4 hrs]
E. Organization of Sales [8 hrs]

One of the most important elements for sales management is auditing, which should include:
- sales rep performance audit
- territory audit
- accounts audit
- sales performance
- zone market audit
- channel/distribution audit
- product sales audit
- resellers audit
- major/key accounts audit
- competition analysis
- pricing
- sales promotion audit
- review of sales policies of the zone
- sales procedures review
- sales force expenses, etc.

The total hours work out to 120 hours = 15 days x 8 hours. Based on my exposure to many corporations, as a guideline, the normal requirements for training are 4 days per person per annum minimum and a maximum of 8 days per annum. The corporations would not allow salespeople to be off the field for too long.

Regards,

LEO LINGHAM

Leo,

I'm sure you'd agree with what I tell everyone before you ever begin training—Todd Lapidus was right in his book "High Impact Training." Always know who your customer is before you even begin the planning process. So often, the individual contracting with us isn't the true customer for the training.

Alan

Dear Alan,

I agree 100% with you that the trainer must do a lot of homework on customers and their profiles before designing the materials. Otherwise, when you stand in front of the participants, your credibility will be shot to pieces.

Regards,
Leo Lingham