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I'm going to include some red flags on resumes since I have already talked about common mistakes people make in sales interviews. Some resume red flags: * Resume is multiple pages long (people pay most attention to the first half of the resume so if it's very dense, you will lose your audience) * Having every single job the person's ever had listed on there (relevant job experiences only please) * Having little-to-no quantitative results (e.g. % attainment, conversion rates, etc.) on the resume, especially for sales roles * Basic spelling or grammar mistakes (shows that there was no detail to attention if you have a lot of them)
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Eric Martin
Vanta Head Of Sales • November 28
The answer to this question depends on the sales leader (i.e. me vs someone else), the product that the rep is selling, the stage of the business, etc. The list goes on. I personally am always looking for candidates who have these two attributes: 1. Innate curiosity 2. Persuasiveness The first is (hopefully) obviously critical. The more curious the rep, the better they should be at discovery. The better they are at discovery, the more time you can spend helping them execute the back half of their deals. The second is also hopefully obvious. I know plenty of reps who excel in sales through discipline and structure, but I'd take a rep who is also persuasive (on top of those things) any day of the week.
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Beau Noonan
Matterport Enterprise Sales Director • June 7
Rep ramp-up time in my opinion is something that I've seen companies completely overlook. Given the boom tech has been on over the last decade many companies have skipped tracking key fundamentals from the moment you decide to hire the rep to the moment they hit quota due to them smashing their numbers. A key example of this is certifications around product knowledge. Assessing an AE's product knowledge and understanding of the enterprise software solution they are selling is key to this period. This can be achieved through role-playing, pitch certification, standing and delivering on specific product value props, etc. We've veered away from rigorous sales onboarding training in exchange for throwing them in the deep end quicker hoping they'll hit quota, succeed, and contribute to the company without laying the proper foundation.
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Brian Tino
AlphaSense Director of Strategic Sales, EMEA • January 25
Good question! When it comes to motivation, at any stage & maturity of a sales organization, you need to make sure: 1. Purpose - your sales team understands the mission & objectives of the organizations, feels connected to the purpose of what you are trying to acheive, and most importantly, can see how their work directly impacts progress towards company goals 2. Compensation - your sales team is well compensated and that the components of that make up compensation (base salary, variable inventives, bonuses/accelerators, equity, etc.) all work together to reward the behaviors required to acheive the output the company needs 3. Development - you are continually investing in the growth of your people. All top performers want to continue to learn, grow, improve, and ultimately master their craft. Look for those opportunities to expand the experience of your team, be generous with your feedback, and invest in coaching at every chance you get. That said, as companies & teams scale, the mechanisms & resources you have to impact motivation also evolve. Early Stage Companies & Less Mature Sales Organizations are usually focused on trying to find product-market fit and build a go-to-market motion to support it. During this phase, compensation plans need to be simple, aligned more to behaviors than outcomes, and reward progress. There is generally a greater need to ensure alignment and connection to "Purpose", and leaders should create opportunities for their salespeople to engage with cross-functional executives, influence the product roadmap, etc. If you are looking for a first compensation plan for your SaaS sales team, Jason Lemkin's framework can provide a great starting place. Mid-to-Late Stage Companies & More Mature Sales Organizations can then evolve to dedicate more resources to invest in their salespeople in different ways. Things like more formal career pathing, mentorship, and management development courses become table stakes. Salespeople will have opportunities to work with larger companies, build bigger deals, and raise their skillset. And compensation can shift to allow for additional rewards and incentives through SPIFs and President's Club.
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Alicia Lewis
Culture Amp Senior Sales Director • April 24
The biggest mistakes that we see from candidates are related to not being prepared for the interview. Failing to research the company, role, or industry before an interview can signal a lack of genuine interest and initiative. Thoroughly research the company, its products or services, industry trends, and competitors, and come prepared with thoughtful questions to demonstrate engagement and enthusiasm. We expect candidates to do their homework on the role, the interviewer and the company, just like we expect of our Account Executives prior to a prospect meeting. Asking questions when the answers could have been easily found online and not showcasing knowledge when they should have studied up on the company is a clear sign of not being prepared.
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Tim Britt
Freshworks Senior Director of Channels Europe • April 11
As the new sales manager for a B2B SaaS company that is starting to scale with 40 people, your first month and first quarter are critical for laying the groundwork for future success. Here's what you should aim to do in each timeframe: First Month: 1. Understand the Business: * Gain a deep understanding of the company's products, services, target market, value proposition, and competitive landscape. 2. Assess Current Sales Processes: * Evaluate existing sales processes, tools, and workflows to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. * Review sales metrics, performance data, and historical trends to identify patterns and insights. 3. Build Relationships: * Get to know your sales team members individually, understand their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. * Develop rapport with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, customer success, and operations. 4. Set Expectations: * Clearly communicate your vision, goals, and expectations for the sales team. * Align sales objectives with broader company goals and priorities. 5. Identify Quick Wins: * Identify low-hanging fruit and quick-win opportunities to boost morale and generate early momentum. * Focus on addressing any immediate challenges or bottlenecks that may be hindering sales performance. First Quarter: 6. Develop a Sales Strategy: * Develop a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with the company's growth objectives and market opportunities. * Define target customer segments, ideal customer profiles, and go-to-market strategies. 7. Optimize Sales Processes: * Streamline and optimize sales processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and scalability. * Implement standardized workflows, sales cadences, and best practices. 8. Provide Training and Development: * Implement a structured onboarding program for new hires and provide ongoing training and development opportunities for the sales team. * Focus on building sales skills, product knowledge, objection handling, and negotiation techniques. 9. Implement Sales Technology: * Evaluate and implement sales technology tools and platforms to support sales operations, enablement, and analytics. * Implement a CRM system to track leads, opportunities, and customer interactions. 10. Set Performance Metrics: * Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track sales performance, such as conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and quota attainment. * Implement regular performance reviews and coaching sessions to provide feedback and support to the sales team. 11. Foster a Culture of Accountability: * Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the sales team. * Celebrate successes, recognize top performers, and address underperformance proactively. 12. Align with Leadership: * Maintain open communication and alignment with executive leadership, providing regular updates on sales performance, initiatives, and challenges. * Seek input and guidance from leadership to ensure alignment with company goals and priorities. By focusing on these key initiatives in your first month and first quarter as a sales manager, you can establish a strong foundation for sales success, drive growth, and position the company for long-term scalability and profitability. ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.
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Grant Glaser
Salesforce Director, Sales Leader Excellence Coach • January 10
There needs to be a problem to solve. Begin by finding out what problem exists. Then, * Create a clear problem statement * Define the current vs. desired future state * Outline KPIs/metrics you want the program to impact * Build an MVP to shop around with sellers & sales leaders * Ensure you have sponsorship & buy-in from your sales leaders & teams * Deliver the program * Capture feedback * Iterate & repeat
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A mentor taught me to evaluate opportunities leveraging the VIP framework . The framework incorporates three inputs Vision, Impact and People. Here is a quick breakdown of how I have thought through each of the inputs. 1) Vision: How excited are you about the companies vision and mission? How aligned is the leadership team and company around the vision? Does the company have aspirations of being a generational company solving a large problem set? 2) Impact: Is there an outsized opportunity to drive impact for customers, the company and the people I work with by leveraging my experiences and skillsets? 3) People: Do the folks I'll be working with share similar core values? What is the quality of the leadership team and personnel? What can learn and develop from their experiences?
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Shahid Nizami
Braze APAC Vice President of Sales • January 10
My mantra on career advanement has been always around doing the role before you get the title. I have always asked my manager that apart from delivering on my targets what more can I do for him/her. Specifically around a sales manager moving to a sales director, the biggest difference is from moving to managing ICs to managing managers. It is a very different trait when you are leading 2 or more layers of sales people under you. The shift focuses a lot more from showing the reps how to run the deals to coaching your managers on how to run the business. It is a transition from being too much in the business to moving to being on the business. My biggest learning there is to build more on your Emotional Quotient and leadership skills as you strive for Director+ roles. Having said that, never move away from the customers. Always try to stay connected to the customers to understand the pulse of the market even if you are at a VP or above level. This way you will always stay relevant to the business and also able to make better GTM decisions
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Michael A. Rosenberg
RocketReach VP, Sales • May 24
I avoid burnout in 3 ways: 1. Make your job easier by always having pipeline ready to go. Burnout is most common when a rep feels they need to start over, and then think that maybe they should just start over somewhere else. Always have good prospects to call, pipeline to win, or customers to contact and sell to. 2. Try new sales tactics, but don't stray too far from what has made you successful. Testing and trying new things is fun and spices things up, but do not overhaul your entire approach. Ask that one question you never do and see what happens. 3. Take time off. Salespeople can have major FOMO. I'm going to miss an inbound opportunity if I take off, I know it! If you follow #1 above, vacations, even small ones, will be your best friend. My first 10 years of working, 3 and 4 day weekends were my best ways to recharge!
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