How to you sell your strategy to your Sales Team

Strategy is required, execution is also required. How do we join the lines?

A sales manager's ability to convert strategy into execution will be the delight of Management.

Trainings on Leadership have always pointed out that " you can lead the horse to the river, but you cannot force the horse to drink."  as a Sales Manager, if you can effectively sell the strategy to your team,  you have conquered the World.


  • Understand the psychology of your Team :   I was in a training, the facilitator mentioned " Everyone loves to work" I rolled my eyes to myself "I hear you" I mutter under my breath,  flashing through my eyes is every single Salesperson I had worked with,  candidly I have met nasty people on the job. The facilitator continued to explain that we all love working at what we enjoy, hence I realise that I did not make the strategy look like a cause my team  would enjoy.  I have a responsibility to make the strategy go with the psyche of my team mates,  not manipulation,  but truly understand the place your Team is.

  • Be Realistic :  Not every strategy will work,  it takes a strong character to admit defeat,  however,  be firm and true,  at least give the strategy a chance,  your team is like your army, you are the general,  why would you lead the troops to slaughter?

  • Understand the reason why? : If you continuously say that "Management said  !" you loose the respect of your men.  Explain the details,  some school of thought says it is need to know basis, even Secret Service have a procedure for information,  "for the service of the Nation " we need to have a why.

  • Listen to feedback : As managers,  arrogance slips in sometimes, we need to listen, handle the objections of your Team objectively, if you can handle sales objections, handle your team like your most precious customer, remember customer is always right.

  • Be as firm as required : Sell the strategy,  explain the features and benefits, do a SWOT analysis.

  • Close the deal:   Ask for the Team commitment, Ask them how would they execute the strategy, the team thinking about the strategy has began the process of your execution.

  • Create an Action plan: your team has began to buy into the strategy, similarly to the way you would ask a customer for a sale, ask your team to write down their action plans.

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