Broadcasting
Insights and Guidelines for Managing Your Sales Team
By Kunle Adebiyi
The right sales team is a critical factor that determines sales success and revenue growth for an organization. Your sales force isn’t just a group of people, it’s an engine that can propel your organization to get better results and bigger profits. This means that there is a connection between the sales team, the customers and the organization. A highly functional sales team is made of good salesmen and women and the right sales lead. Thus, the ability to develop a top-performing sales team falls on one person — the sales manager.
The sales team structure is an essential component in determining the success of an organization. With over 25 years of experience in consulting, managing sales operations, and developing new businesses across telecommunications, and other industries, I’ll be sharing a few sales tips that can enable you to manage a sales team and invariably close more deals.
The onboarding process is crucial
First, it is important to have a successful onboarding procedure for new sales representatives. Onboarding helps link the overall sales force capacity and staffing. Research shows that the businesses that properly onboard new sales team entrants achieve their profit goals 14% more successfully and have average sales growth rates that are 10% higher. New hires need to be in sync with recent features and updates about business products and services and are knowledgeable about how the product functions. A knowledgeable sales team is profitable, but this begins with an intentional onboarding process.
Ineffective onboarding may have unintended effects on hiring and turnover, such as prolonging firing decisions and stalling hiring while new salespeople become accustomed. As such, the success of your sales team hinges on this process. Pfizer Products PLC like most pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria has been big on its salesmen induction processes. It is during induction that the basic selling processes are taught and the fire of sales gets ignited in the newcomers. The likes of Doctor Adebodun Sanyaolu, Mr Lere Baale, now a Professor and the CEO of Business School Netherlands and a host of others will take their time to educate the newly hired salesmen on various modules ranging from an in-depth understanding of the company, the products and the competition. You cannot compete successfully without a full understanding of your position in the market relative to your competitors
Automate the processes
Next, acquire industry tools that help automate repetitive and unproductive tasks. Sales productivity is a lot easier if the team is not impeded by tasks that do not necessarily help achieve the overall target. Over 400 sales professionals with director-level ranks were surveyed for a 2017 report by CITE Research, and the results showed that most respondents use an average of 11 sales tools. The #1 “most valuable tool in increasing the effectiveness of a sales team” among those tools, according to the survey, was CRM platforms, which received 4.6 out of 5 ratings. The use of a CRM streamlines the sales process by enabling your sales teams to track prospect activity, engage and follow up with customers, and automate routine processes. The trigger enables reps to respond more rapidly while exerting less effort.
Sales productivity in the field demands a certain level of structure. It requires the sales team to organize their daily schedules. Once the necessary tasks have been listed, they must be prioritized. How many repetitive tasks do your reps perform each day? Your sales reps will have more unproductive tasks and less time to sell if you are not deliberate about automating processes and reducing redundancies. The scheduling and structure of a sales representative’s day are also incredibly essential. Create an effective structure and share it with the team. With Omatsola Barrow, Managing Director, Tingo, selling does not just happen. Results happen as an outcome of various activities that the salesmen engage in at the right time. This is the reason why he introduced the Sales Conference activities as the gateway into each sales year.
Also, always include enough life in your work-life balance to make your career meaningful!
Communication will ALWAYS be key
In my experience, the key competency for sales managers is communication. Schedules are far more difficult to organize than they are for sales teams, which means that more communications take place via phone conversations than in person. Managers need to regularly check in with the sales team to learn about their attitudes and performance to boost productivity. Having salesmen across a country like Nigeria is even riskier. Salesmen can easily default to the attitude of the forgotten. If Managers do not speak to team members spread across remote territories, they will assume that they have been forgotten and this impacts their productivity. It works like magic to call on some weekends to check up on your salesmen spread far and wide. It’s always a good idea to organize a one-on-one meeting in addition to checking in, especially post-covid. Always make sure to inquire about how you can increase their productivity. A simple ‘How can I help?”, may go a long way.
It is vital to also acknowledge successes and hard work openly.
Avoid Micromanaging
While leading a sales team requires strong leadership skills, avoid micromanaging the group. For example, while it is important to set deadlines and targets, you do not want to control how they get it done. Leaders that micromanage their staff often lack faith in the team’s abilities to stay focused and meet objectives. This will erode employee trust and motivation.
After agreeing on the numbers, salesmen need to come up with smart plans for achieving the numbers. Conversations are easier when the targets are being met. This unfortunately is not always the case. Managers must avoid dictating solutions but teasing out homegrown solutions from the salesmen in their various territories. The best way to do this is by asking probing questions and listening effectively. Mazen Mroue, MTN Group Chief Technology and Information Officer will always ask, “What more can you do ?” As short as this question is, the embedded power to stimulate thinking is huge.
Remain human
Finally, remain human. Sales managers get so focused on hitting targets, that they sometimes lose sight of the people they work with. These tips have helped me in managing diverse sales teams, implementing global operating plans, supporting product development, customer value management, and brand management. They have helped in revenue-creating processes, increasing market share, applying revenue-generating plans, and leading growth strategies across teams.
Messages like this “You are the best… I can not stop telling people about you, You made me who I am today… You trained me to be hardworking and creative” sent via WhatsApp by Dolapo Kehinde of 9mobile to me are simple testimonies that great results can still be delivered through disciplined execution without leaving blood on the tarmac.
Kunle Adebiyi is an award-winning business leader dedicated to helping corporate organizations achieve scale through excellent sales growth and channel development.
David Adedeji Adeleke, known professionally as Davido, has shared his past suicidal thoughts as he dropped Oriadé, his sixth studio album yesterday.
Davido
Davido said he chose the date on purpose as it marks exactly 15 years since he began his professional music career.
Oriadé is a Yoruba word combining “Ori,” meaning destiny, and “Adé,” meaning crown.
It translates to “the crowned head.” The album has 13 tracks and features Black Sherif, Aya Nakamura, Leon Thomas, Mayorkun, and Llona.
It follows his 2025 project, 5ive, which reached number two on the Billboard World Albums chart.
Davido also announced an international tour to support the new record.
In the days leading up to the release, Davido gave interviews that revealed personal details about his past and his current life.
Speaking to Vibe Magazine on Thursday, he described a 2014 incident in Ghana that left him feeling suicidal.
He said he invited a woman back to his hotel room after a show, and she later posted a photo of him sleeping online.
He said the fallout overwhelmed him.
“My daddy was calling me. My sisters were calling me. If I saw the balcony that day, I would have jumped,” he said.
He said he was young at the time and did not fully understand the consequences of his actions.
He described the experience as a turning point that changed how he thinks about privacy and fame.
In the same interview, he explained why he often dresses down in public despite his wealth.
He recalled a trip to the South of France where he went out in shorts and slippers without his watch.
“I’ve been on jets, I’ve been flying, I’ve been in all these places since I was a baby. I’ve been seeing money since I was a baby. So all these things don’t really excite me,” he said.
He added that he sometimes prefers to drive a Toyota to the supermarket in Atlanta instead of one of his luxury cars.
In a separate livestream with Davrel, Davido spoke about how his life has changed since marrying his wife, Chioma, and becoming a father.
He said his home no longer holds the large crowds it once did.
“I can no longer have 100 people in my house like before,” he said.
He said he speaks to Chioma every day regardless of his schedule.
He also disclosed that he spends between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on himself, not including costs for his wife, children, jewelry and cars.
He said the amount is lower when he is in the United States, where he described his lifestyle as quieter.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to digital transformation, revenue diversification and sustainable growth after reporting a strong financial performance for the first half of 2026.
Dr Catherine Nwosu
The company made this known during its H1 2026 Investor Call, which brought together institutional investors, shareholders, investment analysts, regulators and other stakeholders to review its financial performance and strategic outlook.
Dr Catherine Nwosu, managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Prudential, said the company’s performance reflected the resilience of its business model and the effectiveness of its long-term growth strategy despite prevailing macroeconomic challenges.
According to the company’s financial results, gross earnings rose by 27 per cent year-on-year to N4.28 billion, from N3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax increased by 22 per cent to N2.41 billion, while profit after tax grew by 18 per cent to N1.59 billion.
The company also reported a 27 per cent rise in net operating income to N4.21 billion, while total assets increased by 13 per cent to N46.53 billion.
Shareholders’ funds equally rose by 13 per cent to N12.52 billion, reflecting continued financial strength.
Management attributed the performance to sustained growth in its core registrar business, increased corporate action activities in the Nigerian capital market, improved treasury earnings and rising adoption of its technology-driven solutions.
The company said it was steadily transforming from a traditional share registrar into a broader technology and business solutions provider serving Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem.
During the interactive session, investors sought clarification on the sustainability of earnings, particularly as interest rates are expected to moderate.
Responding, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its recurring fee-based revenue streams to reduce dependence on treasury income.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams.
“Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, Annual General Meeting (AGM) technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app.
“Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
Nwosu noted that increasing capital market activities had created stronger demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved operational efficiency and enhanced compliance solutions.
She said the company would continue investing in technology-enabled products capable of delivering long-term value to shareholders while strengthening its competitive position.
According to her, Africa Prudential has identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026.
The priorities include driving sustainable growth across its core registrar and emerging business lines, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and deepening corporate governance.
She said the investor engagement demonstrated the company’s commitment to transparency, accountability and regular engagement with shareholders and the investment community.
Africa Prudential reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging innovation, operational excellence and sound financial management to sustain growth and strengthen its leadership position in Nigeria’s capital market.
Gugu Gumede and S’Dumo Mtshali, the power couple in Netflix’s telenovela, The Polygamist, will be guest on this week’s edition of African Voices, which is sponsored by Globacom on Cable News Network (CNN).
The 22-episode sitcom focuses on the misadventures of an adulterous spouse who unknowingly entangles his family in the difficulties of polygamy.
The film depicts a series of intrigues, betrayals, and other events that shattered the harmony of a once-perfect marriage.
The fictional couple in Johannesburg are interviewed by the programme’s anchor, Larry Madowo, for a 30-minute show in which they discuss their personal experiences and the difficulties they have in the film industry, such as coping with popularity and typecasting and advocating for more actor protections.
Gumede, a 34-year-old South African who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles to study acting, portrayed Joyce Gomora in the telenovela.
In addition to her part in The Polygamist, Gumede has portrayed Mamlambo, a prophetess on “Uzalo”, the most watched television program in South Africa, and Mandisa in “Generations”, one of the country’s most popular series.
Mtshali, a 43-year-old South African actor who portrayed Jonasi Gomora, gained notoriety in 2010 after competing in and winning the SABC1 reality program, “Class Act”. In the same year, he landed his first major part in the drama series “Intersexions” on SABC1.
Among other films, he has starred in “Inside Story” (2011), “Avenged” (2013), “iNumber Number: Jozi Gold” (2023), “Back of the Moon”, and “The Four of Us” (2025).
This special double-cast episode will feature on DSTV channel 401 on Saturday at 8a.m. It will be repeated same day at 11a.m., Sunday at 3.30a.m.,6p.m., Monday at 3a.m. and 5.45p.m. as well as on Tuesday,5.45p.m.
The repeats continue next week Saturday at 7.30a.m., 11a.m.;Sunday 3.30a.m., 6p.m.,and on Monday at 3a.m.
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