Sales Manual: SUMMARY

[Michelle Nolan <nolanmj -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM>]

Colleagues:

Many thanks to those who responded to my post regarding Sales Manual
content and format.  Here is a summary of the input I received-

*Definitely include a FAQ section (pick your veterans brain on this
one).
*Talk to the most successful senior sales people.
Get their take on a successful sales strategy, and be sure to include
it.
*Include information about who the customers are that the sales people
will be selling to. Are there any profiles available? Who should they be
targeting? Are there prospects who wind up taking up a lot of time and
usually don't buy? What's their profile? (so sales reps know to cut
their time short with such folks)
*Explain compensation and commissions VERY clearly and carefully. Make
it a section that can be replaced often (sales compensation usually
changes at least annually, if not quarterly). Be sure to let them know
if there are chargebacks for deals that fall through after they've gone
all the way through the order process.
*Explain what is expected of sales reps. Number of calls, number of
sales, quotas, etc.
*Include latest brochures and specs about the products (unless this is
a huge product line and they already have a catalog to work from), and
allow for additions and changes in that section.
*The company mission statement, anything that gives reps a clue as to
whether this company is sales-driven or accounting-driven.
and the stuff you were thinking of including.
*Rebate structure matrices/tables (i.e. turnover/customer
assessment/region
and the appropriate rebates) to assist them in selling
*Samples of Warranty Agreement/Service Level Agreement/after sales
support options (if your company is very large) with pricing
*All relevant marketing directives for the products (in case of software
I guess: version roadmaps, release and upgrade strategy for internal use
only)
*Introduction/abstract to the travel expenses software
*User Guide abstract to contact/proposal/traveling salesman management
software, if sales is that automated.
*For modular business software: snappy diagrams relating how modules
interact
*General information for salespeople on the road: how to synchronize
their mailbox on the road, remote dial-in instructions...
*Step-by-step workflows of all sales activities
*Format issues. I would strongly suggest sticking to 8 1/2 x 11 sheets
in a three-ring binder. This allows for easy updates and lets the sales
people add their own notes and materials. Also, most marketing
materials, newsletters, etc are printed in 8 1/2 x 11 format, and you
will probably want to include copies of this in the manual.

Michelle Nolan
Lead Technical Writer
The Nolan Technology Group, Inc.
(703) 768-3497


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