Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/280096
March 2014 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 39 Sales Manager be preeminently excellent at what they do. This means salespeople need to be passionate about the products they sell and the problems they can solve for customers. It also means holding people to high standards – and high performers do not typically mind being held to high performance standards. Sales managers who are serious about coaching and development have a huge opportunity to help people become successful. Sales management is not really about "being the boss." In fact, the outdated "boss" mentality positions you as more of a constraint than a coach. Enlightened leadership is immensely more rewarding and it can help your sales team reach their potential; it is also critical to growing your business. Coaching and mentoring helps sales people to act and think like business people, making them more valuable to your customers and to your company. 2.) Teach salespeople how to build strong business cases. Customers tend to push for bottom- line price concessions because they feel it simplifies the decision-making process. A great sales manager will equip salespeople with powerful and persuasive business cases to help convince customers of the value and real cost of ownership. The best overall solution is rarely the cheapest price, but it takes preparation to lead such a complex sales dialogue. Salespeople sometimes need a sales manager's help to construct a conversation that results in a convincing business case. 3.) Help salespeople achieve and maintain a healthy life balance – A sales position in the equipment indus- try is a spectacular career opportunity. I routinely reaffirm this to clients in the industry. I encourage sales profes- sionals to whole-heartedly commit to go the extra mile and work like crazy on the front-end of their careers and it will pay off big-time in their earning potential later on. However, salespeople must remem- ber that it is possible to have a great career / life balance. A great career will require some great sacrifices along the way, sacrifices that may affect family life. It is critical to get the family all on board to support the career that the salesperson is working so hard to build. A sales position in the equip- ment industry can be a great way to achieve your family's financial goals and dreams but it takes a lot of hard work, planning, sacrifice, and support from home. PORTLAND, OREGON EDMONTON, ALBERTA JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI WWW.PIERCEPACIFIC.COM 800.760.3270 Only genuine Pierce long reach booms are designed to meet the strict demands of the OEM's. And unlike cheaper offshore imitations, Pierce booms are approved and endorsed by all leading excavator manufacturers. We are a direct supplier they depend on to deliver…and we do! Hey, it's your hard-earned reputation, don't you think you should compare apples to apples? A Pierce boom is not an imitation wrapped in a different skin…can they make the same claim? MARCH 4-8 EXHIBITOR SEE YOU AT CON-EXPO IN LAS VEGAS FIRST-CLASS COMPANIES DON'T ENDORSE SECOND-RATE EQUIPMENT. BOBBY WEBER, president of Maximum Performance International, works with equipment dealerships to improve sales and service perfor- mance. He can be reached at 214-618- 3059, bweber@team-mpi.com. Visit his website at www.team-mpi.com.