ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a look at several of the key ways sales managers perform the vital information management role including forecasting sales, setting quotas, establishing the size and territory design of the sales force, performing sales analysis for managerial decision making. Sales managers are charged with making decisions and developing plans that impact multifaceted areas of a company. One of these areas, sales forecasting, is directly linked with the overall market opportunity analysis of the firm. Market opportunity analysis requires an understanding of the differences in the notions of market potential, sales potential, sales forecast, and sales quota. All in all, a market test can be a successful sales forecasting technique but one that should be used unless and until all the positives and negatives have been evaluated by management. The sales manager's role with regard to generating, analyzing, and disseminating information is vital to the success of both the firm's marketing strategy and the success of its individual salespeople.
