The calendar has turned to September. The colors of autumn are starting to appear, the amount of light is decreasing and the countryside is busy with harvesting. Also in sales management Autumn is a busy time, when on the one hand you have to harvest the year's harvest, i.e. get your goals together, on the other hand you have to sow the seeds for the next year, i.e. budgeting and planning, and in the middle of it all, you shouldn't burn yourself out. That's why we want to share with you three key factors for a sales manager in autumn that you should keep in mind.

What is it about?

It's about leading people and things, or so-called leaderment. To achieve results, you can't just lead the action or the atmosphere, you need to focus on both and create a shared, inspiring goal that the team really wants to work towards.

Today we will specifically discuss the management of things (management) and the management of people (leadership), because creating a shared inspiring goal could be its own blog. Often, a shared inspiring goal is formed through reflection with the team.

One good example of a shared inspiring goal is together Mäkelä Alu“Together for the Betterment of the Planet” – you can read about it here.

Key Factor 1: Know and Understand – Management

What does the famous data-driven leadership in sales mean? Well, it certainly varies a bit depending on the industry, but the basic idea is the same everywhere.

Let's first consider maximizing year-end sales towards achieving goals. As a sales manager, you need to know the status of your project backlog:

Are there any projects coming to completion and winning, and how many?
Which projects are the ones you can influence to win and which of your salespeople own those projects?

Analyzing the data will help you understand the situation and create an action plan to drive sales.

Negotiating next year's goals will also go better if you have sufficient basic information at your fingertips:

What sales and margin are you likely to end up with this year?
What is the sales structure in relation to the portfolio and to customers?
What products and skills did you sell well this year, and what was the lack of that slowed things down?

Top business and financial management sets goals based on strategy and Excel exercises. You need to be able to analyze what these goals mean in practical sales.

Are the product portfolio and skills adequate in relation to the goals?
What is the baseline sales you can achieve with a good understanding of existing customers and product groups?
What is the sales gap between this standard sales and the target that needs to be filled to achieve growth goals?
What kind of investments do you think are needed to fill the gap and what are the dependencies between achievements and investments?

You don't have to stifle growth goals. Instead, you can suggest investments and measures that can help achieve growth goals.

Key Factor 2: Coach and Influence – Leadership

Openness creates trust. As a sales manager, telling your sales team your situation openly but analytically at the same time, while building trust, sets thinking and action in motion. Paint the finish line – that famous shared inspiring goal – clearly and signpost the route, and salespeople will run the most direct route through the checkpoints to the finish line.

Coaching Leadership means that you listen and help your subordinates solve challenges themselves. Those who are closest to the customers know the best tricks to boost sales. You know who and what projects or customer relationships you should especially spar with. Micromanagement dulls the mood, but being interested in how things are going and offering help is not micromanagement, but showing trust and appreciation.

You can also influence next year's goals and especially the circumstances that are a prerequisite for achieving growth goals. Use your knowledge and understanding of the situation and constructively propose investments and new ways of operating that you believe will help achieve the goals. This way, you are actively involved in creating a more open situational picture and leading future growth.

Key Factor 3: Take Care of Yourself

The autumn sales rush will certainly take your energy, and at the end of the year, most organizations start a new financial year and the task of gathering goals starts from scratch again. If your machine freezes, the whole bigger machine will easily freeze. When you invest in your loved ones, exercise and rest, you can make it through the busy autumn and long winter with a smile on your face, and your good energy will spread to the entire team.

So don't forget to take care of yourself. If necessary, set aside time with your supervisor or even an outside person to spar on these themes, so that you are also on target throughout the fall and into the coming spring.

Good luck and success in the fall!