University of Cape Town
Sales Management
Learn how to lead, manage, motivate, assess, and compensate a sales team.
Start date
25 September 2025
Course duration
9 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
8–10 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
A role in sales is one of the top 10 key emerging positions in South Africa.
World Economic Forum (2018).
The proportion of companies that list ‘closing more deals’ as their top sales priority.
HubSpot (2018).
Duration: 9 weeks (excluding orientation)
Even with the advent of various business models, sales remain a crucial source of revenue for many companies. Therefore, sales management is vital to any business operation as it can significantly affect the company's bottom line.
The Sales Management online short course offered by the University of Cape Town (UCT) is designed to equip you with the skills necessary to succeed in this crucial field. The course aims to provide practical and relevant skills, enabling you to understand the best practices in personal selling and build, motivate, train, and assess a sales team effectively. Additionally, you will learn about cost analysis, CRM selection, pricing strategies, and measuring business impact.
Furthermore, the course will allow one to engage in class-wide online discussions on topical issues like closing techniques and recruitment challenges. The discussions aim to help you gain confidence in leading the sales function in any organisation alongside the course content.
Is this course for you?
This course is ideal for individuals seeking to transition into a management role within the sales profession and for current sales managers who aim to validate their competencies and improve their performance. Those interested in expanding their understanding of sales within a business development context can also benefit from this online course. It is important to note that to fully benefit from the content of this course, having prior experience in the sales field is recommended.
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 9 weeks (excluding orientation)
Even with the advent of various business models, sales remain a crucial source of revenue for many companies. Therefore, sales management is vital to any business operation as it can significantly affect the company's bottom line.
The Sales Management online short course offered by the University of Cape Town (UCT) is designed to equip you with the skills necessary to succeed in this crucial field. The course aims to provide practical and relevant skills, enabling you to understand the best practices in personal selling and build, motivate, train, and assess a sales team effectively. Additionally, you will learn about cost analysis, CRM selection, pricing strategies, and measuring business impact.
Furthermore, the course will allow one to engage in class-wide online discussions on topical issues like closing techniques and recruitment challenges. The discussions aim to help you gain confidence in leading the sales function in any organisation alongside the course content.
Is this course for you?
This course is ideal for individuals seeking to transition into a management role within the sales profession and for current sales managers who aim to validate their competencies and improve their performance. Those interested in expanding their understanding of sales within a business development context can also benefit from this online course. It is important to note that to fully benefit from the content of this course, having prior experience in the sales field is recommended.
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
The skills to structure, train and lead a sales team, and the tools to measure team performance.
The ability to assess sales impact and align operations with the greater goal of business development.
The expertise to forecast sales targets and set accurate budgets.
Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Sales and marketing in the 21st century
Module 2
The personal selling function
Module 3
Stages in the personal selling process
Module 4
Sales forecasting, budgeting, and pricing strategies
Module 5
Sales planning and recruitment
Module 6
Sales training and development
Module 7
The role of technology in sales and sales management
Module 8
Leadership, management and compensating the sales team
Module 9
Analysis and evaluation of sales team performance and customer management
Course Convenor
Nkosivile Madinga
Marketing Lecturer, School of Management Studies, UCT
About the certificate
Develop sales management skills and earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
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Why choose GetSmarter?
GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.
We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.
Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
Financing options
We've recently partnered with financial services firm, FeverTree, to offer you another convenient way to finance your short course education. Find out how you can apply for a short-term loan below.
How do I apply?
- You have the option of applying for a full course-cost loan agreement with FeverTree (South African citizens and short courses only)
- FeverTree works with GetSmarter to ensure your studies are financed right away, giving you the chance to join the soonest presentation
- You can find out if you pre-qualify in seconds. Send an SMS with your “Name*Surname*ID Number*Gross Salary” to 30082
- FeverTree’s application process is simple and quick – expect a 15-minute turnaround to find out if you’ve been successful with your loan application
- Even if you aren’t successful in your FeverTree application, you’ll still be eligible for the payment plan options with GetSmarter
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