Love this question, too. It's true. There are a few reasons: 1. You will always have outliers in a sales org. Sometimes a rep has a windfall and reaches quota without hitting KPIs, I've seen it. But the point of KPIs is the make success repeatable. 2. It gives your managers a tool kit to help coach and manage performance. 3. How do you eat an entire elephant? One bite at a time. Each KPI is a "bite" and we do best when faced with a big task (annual quota) to break it down to as small of pieces as we can.

As important as any KPI is why the metric is being measured, how you intend to reliably collect and review the data and the frequency you will get together to review the trend good or bad. In entering new markets, however difficult and unpredictable, you need to establish what you do believe to be true: size of the TAM, ICP definition and owners of each stage and target conversion of part of the funnel. Once you commit to the process - and give enough time for the work to show meaningful results, perhaps then can discuss what might feel arbitrary. If after all that there is still uncertainty about what goals might be realistic then commit simply to make improvements each week until there is enough data to set the right goal. Or take a leap of faith, set the goal and over communicate how and why you set it and what you'll do and why if you need to adjust at some point.

The most important intangible traits for account executives include a strong willingness to learn, grit, and the ability to build meaningful relationships while earning clients' trust. They should position themselves as thought leaders in their industry and be genuinely passionate about what they sell, as this authenticity drives success. On the tactical side, organization is the most critical skill. Account executives who manage their book of business with structure, clarity, and a sense of ownership—treating it as if it were their own company—are far more likely to be successful.

Excellent revenue leaders turn into outstanding revenue leaders based on how and who they hire. Your number one job as a leader is to hire the right people, followed by supporting them. If you only hire A+ talent, your team will only need you for strategy vs. blocking/tackling personnel and process issues. Some things to consider: 1. Define the sales culture: 1. Talent density: Slow down to speed up. We only hire A+ talent. Those who embody the innate skillsets that are difficult to teach (i.e. humility, hustle, high IQ/EQ, curiosity, relentlessness) 1. Create a robust recruitment process to ensure you don’t deviate from top-tier talent. Great books to reference: Who & No Rules Rules 2. Crystal clear on your mission, vision, values, and the importance of maintaining a strong culture especially at the age of our business. 3. What are the skillsets and behaviors of your top performers today? You use the current examples of what you have to help define what sales excellence means to your business. 4. Create revenue incentives to drive the right behavior (i.e. AE & CS comped off expansion so they can work together to drive customer outcomes) 5. Recognize and reward top talent, while also celebrating the struggles and failures in order to learn and grow 2. Define and create a revenue motion: 1. Define clear roles & responsibilities for all revenue 2. Define clear KPIs, both shared and individual 1. Expectation setting on performance/winning culture 2. Performance management. Make tough decisions early and often 3. Create and constantly iterate a revenue playbook in order to drive repeatability in our motion and forecast 4. Leverage data to gain insights into sales performance, customer behavior, patterns of successes/failures, and leverage leading indicators to guide decision making 3. Establish virtuous revenue training: 1. Clearly defined onboarding program to reduce time to ramp. Learn from your previous new hires. Every new hire should help iterate the onboarding playbook for the next round of hires 2. Continuous call reviews to ensure our ICs are following your sales methodology. MEDDPICC can be fairly outdated. I recommend building a model from several methodologies that get your GTM team to understand customer use cases, challenges, desired outcomes, how to solution sell vs. feature sell, key risks within deals, executive alignment, multi-threading, etc. 1. Custom training dependent on findings (i.e. value selling, objection handling, negotiation, competitive positioning, etc.) 3. Foster collaboration, problem solving, sharing best practice 4. Sell 90 initiative: ICs spending 90% of their time with the customer. This means we remove all internal inefficiencies. 1. Technology overhaul: What’s working, what’s not? 4. "We are customer obsessed": 1. Customer-first mindset. Maniacally focused on value selling, understanding pain, providing solutions, and making your customers' lives easier. 2. "We pride ourselves on building long-term relationships" 3. "We don’t put the competition down, we’re trusted advisors and know our competitors gaps inside and out"

To establish credibility and trust, you need to demonstrate your ability and reliability in your actions - consistently. Communicate openly and honestly and show empathy and consideration for other's perspectives while demonstrating your own knowledge and skills. People will trust you if your actions follow your words and you're honest in your communication.

KPIs that are looking at the length of a sales cycle can identify bottlenecks in the pipeline and highlight opportunities that have been in the pipeline for too long. For example, an opportunity that has been in the pipeline for over 90 days could suggest a lower win rate if your average sales cycle is usually 30 days. From there, you can then dig further in to specific opportunities to understand whether the opportunity has been properly qualified or genuinely will take longer to close, as the AOV is well above the norm of your usual average AOV. KPIs that look at Lookalike sales cycles within your business could be an effective way to accelerate and better understand customer segment buying patterns.

Here are some of my tips on how to qualify an internal customer champion A true champion should have: 1. Influence – Can they drive internal conversations and decisions? 2. Access – Do they have direct connections to decision-makers? 3. Advocacy – Are they invested in your solution and willing to push for it when you are not in the room? 4. Knowledge – Do they understand the business problem and see your solution as the answer? To validate potential champions, ask questions like: • “Who else needs to be involved in this decision?” • “How have similar decisions been made in the past?” • “What challenges could come up internally, and how can we address them together?” If They’re Not a Strong Champion • Ask for Introductions – Position it as bringing in the right expertise: • “To make sure this aligns with your company’s goals, who else should we loop in?” • Grow the army – Offer resources that help them build internal buy-in. • Leverage Leadership – If you have a senior contact, use them to request an intro from the top down. If they resist, they may not be fully bought in—keep testing their commitment before investing too much.

KPIs are best socialized in the largest setting, where they are relevant for all stakeholders. This establishes transparency and consistency for those who it applies to. For smaller companies this might be a Sales All Hands, while larger organizations might be done in a Team Meeting. Of course, you'll want to allow for questions and clarity to be proven. This can be done in either a group setting, but I also suggest you give space in a 1:1 for nuanced questions to be addressed. Every seller should be crystal clear on what their goals are and how they are being measured. Once your measurement period is up, whether that be monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, it is important to reflect with your seller on their specific performance and how it compared to expectations. Speak about what they did to exceed expectations (have them share best practices with their colleagues) as well as what got in their ways from achieving expectations (coaching opportunity on removing obstacles). KPIs should not be a secret and how sellers are performing against them should be very transparent. Do your sellers a favor and don't sugar coat the performance. Clear is Kind.

If I were a sales rep trying to justify a raise, I would ensure I know: -Performance against quota -Percent to goal -MRR / ARR sold -If at a very early stage company, your contribution to the company's growth might be material, what % growth on the top line did you drive? -If larger, I'd be thinking about the KPI impact of strategic projects. I.e. if you developed a sales play that increased close rates of your peers from 20 to 30% - can you quantify that impact in revenue. It's a lot easier to ask for a raise when you can spell out that you drove $1 mil in incremental growth above and beyond your quota.

Breaking into the tech industry as a sales professional can be highly rewarding, given the growth and opportunities in this space. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you successfully transition: 1. Learn the Basics of Technology and the Tech Industry • Understand Key Concepts: Start by familiarizing yourself with foundational tech terms (SaaS, cloud computing, APIs, AI, cybersecurity, etc.). You don’t need to be an expert, but having a solid grasp of the language and concepts will help you communicate effectively with prospects. • Follow Industry Trends: Stay informed about major trends, such as AI, cloud migration, or digital transformation. Use resources like TechCrunch, Gartner, or LinkedIn to follow tech news and company updates. • Pick a Niche: Tech is broad, so consider focusing on a specific area (e.g., SaaS, enterprise software, cybersecurity). Having a niche will allow you to position yourself as more of an expert when approaching employers. 2. Identify Transferable Skills • Many skills from other industries translate well into tech sales, including: • Communication & Negotiation: Your ability to build relationships and close deals will be invaluable. • Problem-Solving: Tech sales often involve diagnosing customer challenges and providing complex solutions. • Consultative Selling: The ability to listen and offer tailored solutions (common in tech sales) is critical for success. 3. Gain Product and Industry Knowledge • Take Online Courses: Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer sales courses tailored to the tech space (e.g., SaaS sales, technical selling). Some programs focus specifically on mastering tools like CRMs or sales automation. • Use Product Demos: Engage with free trials or demos of popular tech products. This will give you hands-on experience and an understanding of product value from a user’s perspective. • Certifications: While not mandatory, certifications like AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or HubSpot Sales Software certification can set you apart from other candidates. 4. Build a Network in Tech • Join Tech Networking Events & Meetups: Attend tech-related conferences (in-person or virtual), meetups, and webinars. Look for opportunities to connect with people in the industry. LinkedIn, Eventbrite, and platforms like Meetup are great places to find events. • Leverage LinkedIn: Optimize your LinkedIn profile for tech sales. Follow tech companies and influencers, engage with their posts, and share relevant industry articles to position yourself as a knowledgeable candidate. • Find a Mentor: Seek out sales professionals who are already in the tech industry. Mentors can provide insights into the nuances of tech sales and introduce you to valuable contacts. 5. Start in a Sales-Adjacent Role if Needed • Business Development Representative (BDR) or Sales Development Representative (SDR): If you’re new to tech sales, applying for a BDR/SDR role is a great entry point. These positions focus on lead generation, prospecting, and setting up meetings for account executives. Many tech sales professionals start here before moving into more senior roles. • Customer Success or Account Management: Consider roles that still involve customer interaction and deal with post-sale relationships. These positions can help you build product knowledge and understand customer needs before transitioning into a pure sales role. 6. Master Sales Tools & CRM Systems • Familiarize Yourself with CRMs: Tech sales professionals must be proficient in CRM platforms like Freshworks CRM, Salesforce, or HubSpot. Many of these platforms offer free versions or trial periods where you can gain practical experience. • Use Sales Enablement Tools: Many tech sales teams rely on tools for outreach and pipeline management, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Outreach.io, and Gong. Understanding how to use these tools will give you a competitive edge. 7. Tailor Your Resume for Tech Sales • Highlight transferable skills like negotiation, problem-solving, and relationship-building. • Include relevant metrics (e.g., quota achievements, sales growth percentages) from your previous roles to demonstrate your ability to succeed in sales. • Showcase any tech-related training or certifications you’ve completed, even if they’re basic. 8. Target Tech Companies with the Right Fit • Start with Smaller Tech Companies or Startups: While everyone dreams of landing a role at big players like Google or Microsoft, smaller tech companies or startups may provide faster entry opportunities and more room for growth. Startups, in particular, often value hustle, resilience, and a willingness to learn over formal tech experience. • Look for High-Growth Companies: Research tech companies that are expanding or have recently received funding. These companies are likely to be hiring aggressively and may be more open to candidates with transferable skills from other industries. 9. Prepare for Tech-Specific Sales Interviews • Research the Product & Competitors: Come to the interview prepared with a solid understanding of the company’s product, the industry, and its competitors. This shows that you’ve done your homework and are serious about the opportunity. • Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios: Many tech sales interviews involve role-playing scenarios where you’re asked to pitch the company’s product or handle a customer objection. Practice these scenarios to feel confident. • Demonstrate Adaptability: Show that you can quickly learn new concepts and technologies. Emphasize any experience you have working in fast-paced, dynamic environments. 10. Be Persistent & Open to Learning • Breaking into tech sales can take time, but persistence is key. Keep applying, networking, and learning. • Once you land your first role, continue to educate yourself on the latest tech trends, sales methodologies, and tools to stay competitive and grow within the industry. Conclusion: Breaking into the tech industry as a sales professional requires a combination of industry knowledge, networking, and skill development. By building foundational tech knowledge, understanding the sales process, and leveraging your transferable skills, you’ll be well-positioned to land a role and succeed in tech sales