How often do you step away from your day-to-day work to think about what Sales Managers want?

Sure, if you're a business leader then sales managers have disappointed you in the past...so you may find it tough to listen when they talk to you.

Sure, if you're a sales rep you've got a pretty good handle on every mistake Sales Managers are capable of making...so you are often on your guard when you talk with them.

Sure, if you're a controller or CFO...you've got some reservations too.

But - maybe it would be a good thing to know what sales managers want?

I've taken a shot at creating a sample list...perhaps, you could discuss these sorts of items with your Sales Manager? 

1. To set realistic goals for their Sales Departments
2. To achieve those goals, or perhaps, to fall just a tiny bit short of them
3. To deliver insightful and pertinent communications to their sales reps so the reps can use those communications to gain advantage with customers
4. To have the authority to treat sales reps as individuals [and as members of 'categories']
5. To understand a broad range of clients
6. To thoroughly know sales reps and others at the company have personal relationships with certain clients
7. To understand their industry and how their company is different from the rest of the pack
8. To deliver quality products and services - on time
9. Real support from Marketing Departments...especially: help segmenting target markets, help identifying the company's differential advantage, and help creating 'unified' company messages for clients
10. To hear the truth
11. To see more smiles than frowns