Things New Sales Managers Must Do in the First 90 Days

Congratulations! You’ve just been promoted to Sales Manager.

It’s a big achievement. Your hard work and contributions have been recognised, and your company believes you’re ready to take on greater responsibilities.

But here’s the challenge. Being a good salesperson doesn’t automatically make you a good sales manager. Yesterday, you were responsible for your own sales targets. Today, you’re responsible for helping an entire team achieve theirs.

And the expectations don’t stop there. Your boss wants results, your team needs direction, and you have to learn how to manage people while keeping the business moving.

So, where should you start?

Your first 90 days are an opportunity to understand the business, build relationships with your team and establish the right ways of working.

Most companies provide some form of onboarding for new managers. However, learning the company’s policies and attending management training are only part of the journey. What matters most is how you apply what you’ve learnt.

Here’s a practical 90-day guide built around three steps:

Step 1: STRATEGIZE (0 – 30 days)

Get Clear About Your Priorities

Before making changes, understand what’s expected of you. Start by having a conversation with your boss. Clarify your responsibilities, business priorities and what success should look like in your new role. Don’t assume that what made you successful as a salesperson is exactly what your boss expects from you as a manager.

Take time to understand your team, customers, sales performance and current challenges. Look at what’s working well and where improvement is needed. The clearer you are about your priorities, the easier it becomes to decide where to focus your time and energy.

Questions to ask your boss:

What are the top three things you want me to focus on?
What would you like me to achieve in the first 90 days?
Where do you think the team needs the most improvement?
What should I pay particular attention to?
How often should we catch up on my progress?

Don’t Rush to Make Changes

One common mistake new managers make is trying to change too many things too quickly. You may have fresh ideas and plenty of enthusiasm. That’s good. But before changing how things are done, understand why they are being done that way.

Unless there’s an urgent problem that needs immediate attention, spend time listening, observing and asking questions. Talk to your salespeople. Join them on customer visits. Understand the challenges they face, the support they need and what may be holding them back. You might discover that the problem isn’t always with the salesperson. It could be an unclear sales process, slow internal support or unrealistic expectations.

Questions to ask your team:

What’s working well for us right now?
What’s making your job difficult?
What do you think we should improve first?
What’s slowing us down when dealing with customers?
What support do you need from me?

Remember, you don’t have to prove yourself by changing everything. Sometimes, the best thing a new manager can do is listen before acting.

Step 2: MOBILIZE (30 – 60 days)

Make Better Use of What You Have

By now, you should have a clearer picture of your team’s strengths, challenges and sales opportunities. It’s time to turn what you’ve learnt into action.

Start by looking at how your team spends its time. Are your salespeople focusing on the right customers and opportunities? Are they spending too much time on paperwork or internal processes instead of selling? Look for practical ways to help them work more effectively.

For example, you could review customer coverage, improve how sales opportunities are followed up or work with other departments to resolve issues affecting customers. You don’t always need more people or a bigger budget. Sometimes, better teamwork, clearer priorities and simpler processes can make a difference.

Questions to discuss with your team:

Are we spending enough time with the right customers?
Which sales opportunities should we focus on?
What’s taking up too much of our time?
Where do we need better support from other departments?
What can we simplify to make our work easier?

Build Your Team’s Confidence and Skills

Making better use of resources is only the beginning. You also need to help your team perform better. Spend time observing how your salespeople work, especially during customer visits. Look at how they prepare for meetings, understand customer needs, present solutions and follow up on opportunities.

Don’t just tell them what they did wrong. Help them recognise what worked, what didn’t and what they could do differently next time. You can also organise short practice sessions, encourage experienced salespeople to share their approaches and provide regular coaching.

Questions to ask after a customer visit:

How do you think the meeting went?
What went well?
What was the biggest challenge?
What could you do differently next time?
What’s your next step with this customer?

Small improvements, practised consistently, can help your team build confidence and improve their selling skills.

Step 3: STANDARDIZE (60 – 90 days)

Set Clear Expectations, Respect Individual Differences

Every salesperson is different. Some are experienced and independent. Others may be new and need more guidance. Some are good at building relationships but struggle to close sales. Others are confident in selling but need help with planning and follow-up.

As a sales manager, you need to understand these differences and manage people accordingly. However, different people shouldn’t mean different standards. Be clear about what you expect from everyone, whether it’s preparing for customer meetings, updating sales opportunities, following up on commitments or delivering results.

Explain what good performance looks like and why these expectations matter. At the same time, adjust your coaching and support according to each person’s needs.

Questions to ask your salespeople:

Are you clear about what’s expected of you?
Which part of your job are you most confident in?
Where do you think you need to improve?
What help would make your job easier?
What will you focus on improving this month?

Your job isn’t to make everyone work in exactly the same way. It’s to help different people meet the same performance expectations.

Build Accountability Through Regular Conversations

What gets measured gets attention. But measuring sales results alone doesn’t tell you the whole story. Sales revenue, new accounts and closed deals tell you what your team has achieved. They don’t always explain why someone is performing well or struggling.

That’s why you also need to pay attention to the activities and behaviours that lead to those results. For example, are your salespeople meeting the right customers, identifying new opportunities, following up on proposals and moving deals forward? Review both sales results and the actions behind them.

More importantly, don’t wait until the monthly sales meeting to discuss performance. Make regular check-ins part of how you manage your team.

Questions to ask during performance check-ins:

How are you doing against your target?
What’s going well so far?
Where are you falling behind?
What’s stopping you from moving forward?
What will you do differently this week?
What support do you need from me?

Agree on the next steps and follow up on commitments.

Accountability is more than just chasing numbers or asking why targets weren’t met. It is making sure everyone knows what needs to be done and takes responsibility for doing it.

Conclusion: Your First 90 Days Are Just the Beginning

Becoming a sales manager is more than a promotion. It’s a shift from achieving results yourself to helping others achieve theirs. Your first 90 days won’t turn you into an experienced leader overnight. But they can help you build a strong foundation.

Start by understanding your priorities. Work with your team to improve how things are done. Then build the habits, expectations and accountability that keep everyone moving in the right direction.

And remember, your success as a sales manager is no longer measured only by what you can achieve, but also by what you help your team achieve. Keep learning, keep listening and keep coaching.

Want a practical guide for your first 90 days?

Download my free eBook, The Sales Manager’s First 90 Days, which includes a checklist to help you plan your priorities and actions throughout your first three months.