16 Sales Supervisor Skills for Your Career and Resume

A sales supervisor is responsible for managing a team of salespeople. This can include setting sales goals, providing training and support, and monitoring performance. Sales supervisors need to have a mix of interpersonal and technical skills to be successful. If you’re interested in becoming a sales supervisor, learning about the necessary skills can help you determine if this is the right career for you.

Building Relationships

A sales supervisor needs to be able to build relationships with their team and customers. This means you need to be friendly, outgoing and willing to listen to others’ concerns. You also need to be a good listener so that you can understand what your employees are saying and how they feel about the workplace. Finally, you need to be able to work well with others in order to create an effective team dynamic.

Motivation

Motivation is the ability to encourage and inspire others. A sales supervisor needs motivation skills so they can help their team members achieve goals, such as meeting quotas or improving customer service. You can motivate your employees by providing positive feedback when they do well and encouraging them to set challenging goals. You can also use motivational tools like contests, prizes and recognition programs to keep your team engaged in their work.

Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is the ability to diffuse tension between coworkers or customers. As a sales supervisor, you may need to resolve disputes over product quality, pricing and other issues that arise in your organization’s customer service department. Conflict resolution skills can help you diffuse situations before they escalate into larger problems. You can also use conflict resolution techniques when resolving internal conflicts among your team members.

Telephone Etiquette

Telephone etiquette is the ability to be respectful and professional when speaking on the phone. This includes greeting a caller, listening to their needs and responding appropriately. It’s important for sales supervisors to have strong telephone etiquette because they often take calls from customers or other employees. They should also model appropriate behavior for their team members who may answer customer calls.

Organization

Organization is the ability to keep track of multiple tasks and responsibilities. As a sales supervisor, you may have many projects going at once, so it’s important to be organized in order to manage your time effectively. You also need to be able to prioritize tasks based on importance and deadlines. This skill can help you ensure that all necessary steps are taken for each project and that employees receive feedback in a timely manner.

Product Knowledge

A sales supervisor should have a thorough understanding of the products they sell. This ensures that you can answer any questions your team may have about the product and its features, as well as explain how it works and what results to expect from using it. It’s also important to know if there are any common issues with the product so you can address them quickly and efficiently.

Prospecting

Prospecting is the ability to find new clients and customers. As a sales supervisor, you may need to prospect for leads or prospects yourself. You can use your knowledge of marketing strategies and techniques to find potential clients and convince them to buy from your company. This skill also helps you identify which campaigns are most effective so you can continue using them in the future.

Customer Service

Customer service skills are important for sales supervisors because they can help you provide excellent customer experiences. You may need to train your team on how to handle customer complaints, answer questions and resolve issues. Customer service skills can also be useful when providing feedback or coaching employees who have received negative feedback from customers.

Communication

Communication is a necessary skill for any sales supervisor to have. You need to be able to communicate with your team and customers effectively in order to lead them properly. This means you should be able to listen to what others are saying, respond appropriately and give clear instructions.

Communication also includes written communication skills, which can be just as important as verbal ones. You may often send emails or fill out paperwork on behalf of your company, so it’s important that you know how to write clearly and concisely.

Upselling

Upselling is the process of suggesting an additional product or service to a customer. For example, if you’re selling someone a car, you might suggest they upgrade their tires for better performance and safety. This can help increase your company’s revenue and also make customers happier by providing them with products that meet their needs.

Decision Making

A sales supervisor needs to be able to make decisions quickly and confidently. You may need to decide on the best course of action when a customer complains about an issue with their product or service, for example. You also might have to make important business decisions like whether to hire new employees or invest in new equipment.

You can practice your decision-making skills by analyzing different options and then choosing one that you think will lead to success.

Closing Sales

Closing sales is the process of convincing a customer to buy a product or service. As a supervisor, you may need to train your team on how to close sales and motivate them to do so. You can also use your closing skills to help your employees meet their quotas. For example, if an employee needs to sell five products in order to receive a bonus, you might encourage them to try to close all five sales by offering discounts or other incentives.

Handling Objections

Objections are the reasons a customer might give for not buying your product. For example, if you’re selling cars and a potential buyer says they can’t afford it, that’s an objection. Handling objections well is important because it allows you to close more sales by addressing customers’ concerns. Your ability to handle objections also helps your team members learn how to overcome them when they sell on their own.

Product Demonstrations

Demonstrating product knowledge can help you sell more effectively as a sales supervisor. You may need to train new employees on how to use the products your company sells, so knowing how to demonstrate their features and benefits can help you teach others about them. Demonstrations can also be useful when explaining complex products or services to customers.

Generating Leads

Generating leads is the process of finding potential customers. This can include researching your company’s products and services to find people who may be interested in them, or identifying individuals who may need a product or service you offer. As a sales supervisor, generating leads can help you develop new clients for your team members to work with. It also ensures that you have enough incoming business to keep your team busy and productive.

Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide and motivate a team. As a sales supervisor, you may need to lead teams of sales representatives or customer service representatives. You can use your leadership skills in this role to help your employees achieve their goals and maintain high levels of productivity. Strong leadership also means providing guidance and feedback that helps your employees grow professionally.

How Can I Learn These Sales Supervisor Skills?

There are a few ways that you can learn the necessary skills to be a sales supervisor. Many of these skills can be learned through on-the-job training, or through taking sales courses offered by community colleges or online. However, some of the most important skills, such as conflict resolution and motivation, can often be learned through experience and observation. If you know someone who is currently in a sales supervisor position, try to shadow them and see how they handle different situations. Additionally, there are many books and articles available on the subject of sales that can provide helpful insights and tips.