Coming into an organization as the first sales hire puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. You are basically in charge of proving the validity of this function within the company. There are a few things that I would consider and act on in this position: Start with the short term. As a first hire in a sales organization, you are required to deliver results that have a very immediate impact that meets the business needs. This means focusing on some low-hanging fruits in order to deliver results within a short time frame. Build a framework. As a first hire within the team, you should make sure you document your work, and create clear guidelines and processes, with the expectation of adding additional members to the team in the future. This will ensure a smooth expansion of the team while positioning you as a thought leader and a pivotal member of this function. Go beyond your scope. As a junior sales hire, never underestimate the power of tenacity. I always invite my team members to push the boundaries and look for additional scope and responsibilities whenever they feel capable. This is a very strong signal that you are willing to take on more, and when management will face a new task at hand, they will know they can count on you.

Staying up to date: It’s important to pick a medium that you like for content. Whether it is Linkedin, podcasts, email newsletter, or chat based slack groups, you want to make sure you are setting yourself up for success. If the content goes unread or unlistened to, you won’t build a consistent learning habit. Personally, I find the most value in content forums where you can engage and ask follow up questions, hear multiple opinions on a particular matter, and even reach out the the original writer for a 1-1 chat! Another underutilized source of knowledge for industry trends is content from Sales Development technology vendors. It’s imperative that they stay on the cutting edge, so following a few top vendors on Linkedin will allow you to see what future the tools are preparing for. Avoiding the noise: There can be a great amount of value in public best practices. That said, there is risk in assuming that something that works for someone else will also work for you, or for implementing changes to something when you are already seeing above-average results. For example, if your content is getting a 20% reply rate, you may not want to adopt the “best practice” that moved someone else's team from a 10% to 15% reply rate. Having your own benchmarks and running your own A/B tests can help you determine where you should be altering your SDR motion, and where you should keep yours in place. Then, you can proactively search for interesting ideas to test in areas you are performing below benchmark. 

Be prepared: C-Suite folks are busy people- don't waste their time. Ensure you are prepared for every meeting you have with them. Anticipate the questions you would expect them to ask and have your answers ready to reply with in real time. Be clear and concise: It goes a long way in terms of how you show up to the C-Suite if you can articulate what you need to say in a clear and concise way. If you are taking the time to prepare, this should be easy enough to accomplish. Properly prepare them: If you are running a meeting or call together or simply need your C-Suite's involvement in a deal or project you're working on, it is critical to properly prep them for it. Take the extra time to build out a pre-read that outlines the background of the deal or project, who's involved, the goal of their involvement, what you actually need from them, and in some cases suggested ghost written content (i.e. ghost written email in a deal for exec to exec alignment). Simply put, if you are asking something of them, make it as easy as possible for them to get up to speed and execute on it. Be confident: The C-Suite are people too! Of course, have respect, but also have confidence in you and make sure that shines through. 

In today's world it is relatively quite easy to make a very well informed decision when assessing a new role in a different company. These are some of the things I look at and advise my mentees to do too : * If it's a public listed company, look at their financials to figure out their year on year growth. * Check out websites like RepVue which give you a very good understanding about how sales reps in that company are doing * On LinkedIn, check out the trend on their headcount,especially in sales, is it increasing consistently or not. * Check out analyst reports and websites like g2.com to see how the product is rated by their customers. * Check websites like Glassdoor to understand about the culture of the company you are considering * If possible speak with a few customers and partners of the company as well. 

By far the most over-hyped KPI is total pipeline created. This is certainly a key metric to track week over week as a health check, but it provides little insight into what's actually going on. The problem with total pipeline created, is at no point should the conversation end with that KPI. If it's low - why? If it's high - why? Was it one large opp? Was it a bunch of baby opps? Was it quality pipeline? Was it from one AE/Segment/Business Unit - or is everything firing on all cylinders? At best it provides directional guidance to tune into major variances and inspect. At worst it provides false confidence in a pipeline that won't get you to goal. Typically addressing total pipeline creation falls into one of two camps: 1. Mention & move on. These are meetings where the metric is called out, compared to last week and it's either * Good - "great job, let's see if we can stretch this 10% higher next week" * Bad - "we really need to prioritize pipe gen this week. Get on it." 2. Paralysis by analysis. These meetings show the metric, and then dive into 40 slides with individual permutations of how everything performed over the past week; leading to information overload and very little insight into what actually needs to change. This is why instead of just tracking total pipe creation - we want to take a three-pronged approach: 1. How are we tracking towards our pipeline generation goal (which is a leading metric against future bookings)? 2. Identify the factors that are contributing to the current results. 3. Define strategies to optimize the path to goal The standard discussion described above hits the first objective, skips number 2, and the only strategy is often "do more." We could write an entire post on steps 2 and 3, but here are a few variables that can take your basic "total pipeline creation" reporting to the next level * # of opportunities created & average opportunity value. This controls for the one big opp skewing results. You generally want more big deals, but don't want to have to rely on only one big deal to hit the goal. This helps monitor quality & quantity. * Split by region/segment/AE's - this allows you to identify people and parts of the business that are doing well and understand why (do more of it, share learnings, double down). It also ensures that those who aren't doing well don't hide behind overall success of the business and get neglected. We want to identify why they're struggling, and ideally get them unstuck to improve performance. * Pipeline by opportunity source - attribution can lead to some sticky conversations, but tracking where the pipeline is coming from is necessary to improve the overall output. This isn't meant to start a blame game, but you can't optimize something you don't measure. So if AE's, SDR's, Marketing, Partnerships, or PLG is slacking - what can we do about it? If something is working incredibly well - how can we do more? * Pipeline conversion metrics - how is the pipeline that's coming in converting through the funnel to closure? Are disco to demo conversion rates improving, declining or staying the same? What about win rate? Any new trends where we should ride the wave? Anything that's not working which we should stop doing? These metrics will give you a much deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to current results and lay a strong foundation so you can define strategies to help optimize results. With a strong team and partners in marketing, partnerships, SDR and RevOps leadership - you're a brainstorming session away from having your best pipeline generation quarter yet.

How to convert ClassRoom Enablement into 'real world' experiences Effective account discovery can be the subject matter to be trained on. Normally these enablement sessions would use case studies based on potential experiences that could happen during the account discovery steps, giving insight but no "real world" examples. To convert your training you can do this in five simple steps. 1. Use an example case study - this is to expand on techniques for effective discovery. 2. Get each attendee come prepared with three accounts they can work on during the workshop. Create exercises that allow time for them to work on their own account discovery during the workshop. This will allow them to apply what they learned directly to their own accounts. 3. Get feedback from each group. What did they uncover during the exercise? Encourage feedback. 4. During their discussion allow the class to share their own approach to discovery expanding on their experience with the "own account" exercise. 5. Make sure you have a note of all the accounts they have worked on during the sessions to prove the value of these workshops. How to scale this across an organization in 3 simple steps. 1. After running a few sessions you should be able to prove the value of the workshop. Build documentation outlining the number of accounts that were worked on during the session and quantify the pipeline value. 2. Once you have secured agreement from stakeholders to run this workshop at scale get volunteers from the Sales community, you can then train them to assist in the roll out globally. 3. It is critical to schedule sessions in advance as well as having back up trainers ready just in case. Measure the success of the program and keep your stakeholders informed of the success of your program.

Thanks for the question! There are three ways that we go about this: Focus Groups, Open Requests, and Analytics. First, I'll mention that all content should point back to your team's goals and objectives. What are you trying to achieve as an organization and business? Who are your target audiences? Will you be focusing on your ICPs or perhaps reinforcing the weakest sales opportunity? Are there any spots in the buying journey that have gaps and need to be addressed? These will ensure the content and strategies are giving you a north star and some hypotheses for the tactics below: For focus groups, we typically do a quarterly check-in with leads and they will recommend a few folks who are passionate about content. This helps us to get a pulse on what their biggest pain points are and we then diagnose and prescribe content. Typically specific pieces here are more general, like requests for "case studies" - which require more digging. For open requests, this is a typical form that our reps can go in and request content throughout the quarter. We send out a blast to the team reminding them, which is typically paired with a survey. Lastly, for analytics, we take a look at some factors: * Content searches with no results (what they want but aren't available) * Content most used but with low engagement (to help us understand what needs to be edited or made more of) * Look for reps who are using your content the most and the least and go back to focus groups to interview them Hope these help!

1. Tell me about a deal that you were particularly proud of closing. How did you overcome obstacles to secure the deal? Proper Answer: The candidate should describe a specific sales challenge they faced, such as a tough negotiation or a difficult client objection. They should then explain the strategies they used to overcome the obstacle, such as active listening and creative problem-solving. 2. Tell me about the most challenging part of your current role and how you’ve overcome or mastered it. Proper answer: We’re looking to see an answer representative of a growth mindset. We want to hear examples of the individual overcoming adversity and sharing how they adapt and evolve in the face of challenges. 3. Tell me about a time when you received negative/constructive feedback from your manager, how you respond? Proper answer: This question aligns to the value of “learning faster through feedback”. How did the individual respond to the feedback and implement action (if any) in order to develop. 4. Explain concisely how your company creates value for customers. Proper answer: We’re looking to see if the individual can provide a short, easy to understand and memorable description of the product or solution. This is an indicator of strong communication skills. 5. Tell me about an opportunity that you lost that really hit hard. What did you learn? Proper answer: The answer should illustrate humility and resilience. Did they learn what to do next time to ensure a better outcome? Do they have an example of implementing the learnings?

To effectively manage complex deal structures and negotiations, it boils down to a deep understanding of the customer's objectives and their timeline for achieving them, and most importantly which internal resources they will need to progress the opportunity. Once we've identified the "when," the next critical step is crafting a mutual close plan that outlines the roles of both internal and external stakeholders. However, it's imperative not to develop this plan in isolation. Every facet of our business must be in sync and fully committed to executing this mapped-out strategy. Without explicit agreement and a shared commitment to the timeline, progress can feel like an uphill battle. If it becomes apparent that the customer is not fully aligned with our mutual plan, it's a clear sign that there's a misalignment somewhere in the buying cycle. In such cases, I advocate for taking a step back, seeking realignment, and securing a renewed commitment from the business before moving forward. We understand that priorities shift, personnel changes occur, and budgets may be reassigned. Thus, it's essential to maintain a rigorous qualification process at every stage, ensuring a clear outcome and timeline. While this approach may seem deliberate, it ultimately accelerates the process in the latter stages of the sales cycle. By diligently bringing in the right people at the right time, we maximize our chances of success and create a smoother path to closing the deal.

You make more succinct: With submissions due last Friday, March 8, we are now shifting to the ‘manager review’ portion of our program. Over the next 2 weeks managers will be reviewing stories & will be serving up their teams strongest submission - Artur is very much looking forward to seeing some ‘gold standard’ storytelling from the field! ChatGPT ChatGPT Submissions closed on March 8. Now, managers will review stories over the next 2 weeks, selecting the best submissions for their teams. Artur eagerly anticipates seeing top-notch storytelling! You make more succinct: Shifting focus to ‘Golden Selling Time’ so our next Scoop (3/180 will be ‘newsletter only’. In this time we are working closely with PMM to finalize the exciting enablement programs for ‘Compute’ & ‘Bbots’ that will be launching in April 2! ChatGPT ChatGPT Focusing on 'Golden Selling Time,' our next Scoop (3/180) will be 'newsletter only.' During this period, we're collaborating closely with PMM to finalize exciting enablement programs for 'Compute' and 'Bbots,' launching on April 2! You make more succinct: Crowdsourcing Help! Good morning/Afternoon leaders, In Q2, we are rolling out a monthly 'on demand' video program called 'Conversations with...'. These short, bite-size, 'interview-style' videos will showcase internal teams & individuals from Fastly that our sellers will likely come across in their deal cycles, such as Procurement, Legal, Executive Admins & more. The aim is to understand what is important to them - when to engage, how to get them to be an advocate, how they can unlock access to decision makers & much more. In addition to the 3 teams/roles highlighted above, who else would you & your sellers like to hear from in this series, so we can ensure we get them lined up? Thank you very much ChatGPT ChatGPT Leaders, Introducing 'Conversations with...'—a monthly 'on-demand' video series launching in Q2. These brief, interview-style videos will feature internal teams and individuals from Fastly encountered in deal cycles, like Procurement, Legal, Executive Admins, and more. We aim to glean insights on engagement strategies, advocacy, accessing decision-makers, and more. Apart from the mentioned roles, whom else would you and your sellers like to hear from in this series? Your input will help us line up the right participants. Thank you. You make more succinct: Hi leaders, please thank your front-line managers (I'll insert names) whose teams met the Friday, March 8 deadline for the ‘Fastly Advantage’ Story Course. We now have two important asks of you: For AEs, AMs, SDRs, CAMs, and front-line managers who have not completed the course, please have them schedule 1:1 time with their manager this week to conduct their personalized story live via Zoom. They should record this session and use it as their video submission in Highspot; managers should then score that submission in Highspot for tracking purposes. Please encourage your managers to use the next two weeks score all of their reps’ submissions and serve up the ‘winning video’ from theirs team via the enablement-managers Slack channel by EOD Friday, March 22. Thank you for your partnership and continued attention to this! ChatGPT ChatGPT Hi leaders, Please extend gratitude to your front-line managers (insert names) whose teams met the Friday, March 8 deadline for the 'Fastly Advantage' Story Course. We have two important requests: 1. For AEs, AMs, SDRs, CAMs, and front-line managers who haven't completed the course, kindly arrange 1:1 sessions with their manager this week to deliver their personalized story live via Zoom. They should record this session and submit it as their video entry in Highspot. Managers should then score these submissions in Highspot for tracking purposes. 2. Encourage your managers to score all of their reps' submissions over the next two weeks and submit the 'winning video' from their team via the enablement-managers Slack channel by EOD Friday, March 22. Thank you for your partnership and continued attention to this matter! You For our team, measuring ramp effectiveness typically involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics. Here's a breakdown of areas we focus on: 1. Time to Productivity: Measure how long it takes for new hires to become fully productive in their roles. This could involve tracking the time it takes for them to close their first deal, achieve certain sales targets, or demonstrate proficiency in their tasks. 2. Sales Performance Metrics: Compare the performance of new hires to established benchmarks or the performance of experienced sales reps. Look at metrics such as conversion rates, average deal size, and revenue generated to assess whether new hires are meeting expectations. 3. Training Completion and Assessment: Evaluate how well new hires are engaging with and completing training programs. Assess their understanding of key concepts and strategies through quizzes, assessments, or role-playing exercises. 4. Feedback from Managers and Mentors: Gather feedback from managers, mentors, and peers on the progress and performance of new hires. This could involve regular check-ins, performance reviews, or informal feedback sessions. 5. Customer Satisfaction: Monitor customer satisfaction scores or feedback related to interactions with new hires. Positive feedback from customers can indicate that new hires are effectively representing the company and its products/services. 6. Retention Rates: Analyze the retention rates of new hires compared to established employees. High turnover among new hires may indicate issues with the onboarding process or a lack of alignment between expectations and reality. 7. Onboarding Survey Results: Conduct surveys to gather feedback from new hires about their onboarding experience. Ask about the effectiveness of training programs, support received, and overall satisfaction with the onboarding process. By combining these metrics, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of their ramp-up programs and identify areas for improvement.