Area Sale Manager Interview Preparation Guide

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Should have done a thorough job of research or your industry and company

Be positive but do not go over the top. For instance comment on how associates have in the past remarked on your friendly attitude, thoroughness and ability to get things done on time.

What bothers me most about sales is walking away from a prospective buyer when I know our product could have been advantageous for them. No matter how beneficial of a solution we offer, the final decision is in the hands of the prospect.

Yes, I have always met or exceeded my sales goals over my ten-year career in the business. For example, last year I led my team to exceed our sales projections by 25% - and this was during a very difficult market when most of the other teams in our division came up short of goal.

Give a solution that is related to work and if possible the job you are applying for. Demonstrate something that shows how you saved a previous employer money, made them more efficient or increased revenue.

I never take a rejection personally. I realize that not all prospects will be interested or ready to commit to a purchase. I move on to the next prospect with the same level of enthusiasm and determination hoping for a better outcome.

The jobs title might be "sales manager," but that doesn't mean leadership skills fall by the wayside. Sales managers need to be able to lead through example and inspire others to action. Although this question is last on the list, it's probably the most important of all.

Yes, I work for one of them but I have always admired your company and have always wanted to work here.

Losing a sale, or failing at landing one, is disappointing. But if you want to succeed in this business, you can't take it personally. I work hard to learn from rejection and continuously improve my sales techniques.

I believe cold calling still holds value and can be beneficial in the selling process. The level of control a sales representative has via a cold call is extremely valuable. However, factors such as call recipients, call frequency and content all play a critical role in the success of that technique.

Similar question, different angle. The right answer is typically to get warm leads, but not because the reps are lazy or can't successfully build their own business from the ground up. Lead-driven sales are typically more cost effective than having expensive sales reps cold calling. Yes, leads are expensive up-front, but the eventual cost per acquisition and overall lifetime value and margin for the business on those new customers is usually much better when reps are making more efficient use of their time with warm leads.

Questions about your current compensation may sound personal, but they can still be asked at interviews. Never lie or stretch the truth, as if you are found out it could jeopardize your entire application.

My present employer pays me well outside of the norm, however I would not like to limit my job prospects by using that salary as a comparison.
As a highly valued member of the company, I am paid on the very high end of current market rates.

It would be nice if a sales manager could do ride alongs and listen in on each and every call a new rep makes, but this model is impractical at scale. Make sure the candidate acknowledges the importance of a repeatable training process that doesn't center around an informal passing down of knowledge.

In my opinion and as it relates to the workplace, success is a measurable variable. If you don't measure your accomplishments, success is lost. Success can be tied to everything you do each day.

If I plan to accomplish 3 tasks before the end of the day and I do so, then I have been successful. Success simply means accomplishing what you set out to do within the parameters you specify, whether they be time, money or learning, etc.

There is no danger in admitting to making a mistake. However to correctly answer this type of query there are certain guidelines that you should follow. Firstly always mention that you identified where you went wrong and have learnt from the experience. Secondly try to give a example of something that happened as far back in your past as possible. This way you can shrug it off as a youthful error and something you would not fall for now that you are more mature and experienced.

If I had a time machines I would go back to University and taken a degree in Business Studies rather than Hospitality.
I stayed too many years in a job that was stable but didn't offer me enough challenges or opportunities for growth.

The most important skills in closing a sale are active listening and strategic decision making. By that I mean truly understanding the buyer's needs and pitching the product in a way that will fit those needs. Additionally, alleviating any buyer concerns is crucial for those prospects who are on the fence about making a purchase.

Management interview questions like this are asked to find out what kind of leader you are. Should you ever get placed in a management role, how will you delegate the workload or teach your co-workers.

"I believe the main goal of any management position is to get things done by evenly distributing the workload to the most qualified members of the team. They also make sure that each member of the team has all the resources and training that are necessary to complete the job.

This can be a tough question that will put you on the spot. When responding be polite, diplomatic and give a good business related answer.

I can't really give you a accurate answer because at this time I don't know the scope of the job, it's responsibilities, hours, etc.
The job I perform, the salary I receive and the circumstances at my current company are not really comparable to the opportunity we are discussing today. However when I consider my skill sets, academic qualifications and work experience, I am confident that a salary between £25,000 - £33,000 would be appropriate.

If they give a positive one, ask for a negative one. e.g. a time they failed and what they learned

The sales manager is also expected to hire new sales personnel. Therefore, the sales manager should be experienced and knowledgeable enough to determine whether an applicant will succeed in sales or not. The manager must bear in mind that although some possess an inborn quality and have a salesman personality, successful salesmanship can be taught. A business administration degree can be very helpful as well, even for those people that just naturally have it in them to sell a product. As a sales manager, you should know how to bring out the best in each type, helping every salesperson excel in sales.

Great question to ask prospective sales managers. The right answer comes down to how many commission checks they want. Sales managers will still have a portion of their compensation come as a performance bonus or commission based on their team's performance. The best sales managers know they can make far more money as a manager in these conditions, buy not just driving higher sales themselves but improving the performance and consistently higher sales of an entire team. Sales managers still want their money, but they know the upside is actually higher as a manager with a good comp plan.

This is essentially the same question as 'Why did you apply for this job?' & 'Why do you want to work here?'. Reply to it by showing that you have researched the employer and have logically thought out reasons why you think you are a good match for their requirements. Turn the answer into a compliment to the company you are interviewing for.

There are only a limited number of opportunities for advancement with my current employer. Which is why I'm keen on working for a larger corporation like yours where I believe there are more possibilities to show what I'm capable of.
I'd like to work for a company where I feel I can make a real difference.
A common way to reply to this is to research the company before hand, find something unique about them and then give that as your answer. For instance they may have opened up a new store or launched a new product.

Every rep has an opinion about the sales process, and some ignore it entirely. But it's the manager's role to uphold the sales process in the name of organizational consistency and forecasting accuracy. Ensure the candidate is comfortable with taking on the role of sales process police, and ask about their strategies for making reps adhere to the regimen.

Yes, I consider myself to be very well organized. Everyday when I arrive at work, I check my email and messages. Then I plan out exactly what I am going to do that day. Even if I already know that I am going to work on the Johnson proposal, I still review my current status and set my goals for the day. At the end of the day, I review my progress and plan for the following day.

Look for logical steps including building a relationship and asking about the prospect's needs as the first two steps
Average number of contacts should be 12
Ask for the different types of contacts they make to qualified prospects