Sales Force Management Tips – Identifying the Three Types of Salespeople

Sales force management is all about organization, planning, and recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the individual members of your sales force. Just as there are different learning styles and personality types, there are three types of salespeople that most sales professionals identify with. This article will provide information about these four types in order to help you discover which types of sales professionals currently make up your sales force. As you read on, you will probably gain insight into which type of salesperson and sales manager you are as well.

The first and most common type of salesperson is what is known as the team player. Team players are typically top performers, and work well with others. These types of sales people are also prone to conservatism, and may be more reluctant than others to try new sales approaches and techniques if they feel like these approaches won’t be successful or if their fellow sales team members won’t like them.

The second most common type of salespeople is usually known as the performer type. At first glance, these types seem like the ideal salespeople because, as their name suggests, they consistently close deals and bring in new clients. The one downside to performers is that they don’t deal with failure well, and may require constant motivation and encouragement. When properly motivated, however, these types of people are invaluable assets to any sales team.

The third most common type of salesperson is the one who always seems to be building up and encouraging others even at the expense of their own career at times. Nurturers can be found everywhere, even in the business world. These people are great team assets, because of their desire to motivate, but need to be encouraged to stray from their comfort zones and take occasional risks.

Most salespeople fall into one of these three categories, but of course, combinations and variations are always possible. Effective sales force management requires any business owner/sales manager to identify and recognize the individual strengths and weaknesses of their sales people, and the best way to do that is to pay attention to how they relate to each other, to potential clients, to you, and to the duties of their jobs. By encouraging their strengths and helping them to improve on their weaknesses, you will be well on your way towards creating a more effective sales force.