Get answers from sales leaders
Roee Zelcer
TikTok Head of Sales, Products & Services • February 9
Naturally, in most cases, sales teams are mainly measured against revenue. This could come in many forms such as potential revenue such as leads, MQLs, SQLs, etc., or actual revenue from active and existing clients. I think there is one main KPI that is commonly overlooked, and that is the quality of the relationship with the client. This is a critical aspect that more often than not, is not measured. And I completely understand as it is incredibly difficult to do so. While a great and trustful relationship with a client will not always correlate with revenue in the immediate term, this is the key metric that will ensure long-term partnership and mutual accountability going forward. A great sales representative will forgo short-term gains in order to build a long-term partnership.
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Tim Britt
Freshworks Senior Director of Channels Europe • February 14
The key to success is having the correct building blocks in place starting with a company-wide sales methodology that is followed from rep level through to management and linked to your CRM systems. Being able to forecast on correct sales stages backed by data and conversion rates for pipeline management, is core to understanding where the gaps are in sales performance. Build regular solution learning sessions weekly monthly and quarterly across all supporting business units from pre-sales to Account management and post-sales customer success, if you do not understand your customer and why they are purchasing your product how can you effectively have the correct development strategy to be successful? Ultimately success is measured by performance, this could be YOY growth, opening up new markets or moving from a direct to indirect sales model and utilising the power of the reseller model to drive growth and success.
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Shahid Nizami
Braze APAC Vice President of Sales • January 10
I am a firm believer of meritocracy. So when it comes to pay raise especially in sales roles it should be very black and white for a sales rep to determine when would they qualify for a pay raise. It should be very easy for sales people to chart out their salary hikes based on their performance. The more consistent you are in delivering and over achieving your targets, the faster you should get to your pay raise. Needless to say, that there is no compromise when it comes to ethics and integrity when you are achieveing your targets.
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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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Beau Noonan
Matterport Enterprise Sales Director • June 7
Here are a few good OKRs that I focus on within my region: * Objective: Increase Revenue Growth * Result: Increase sales stage conversation rate by x % * Result: Increase average deal size by x % * Objective: Enhance Customer Retention & Satisfaction * Result: Increase net dollar retention rate for existing enterprise clients * Result: Generate a certain percentage of revenue from upselling and expanding customers. * Objective: Optimize Sales Process & Efficiency * Result: Decrease sales cycle duration by x % * Result: Improve win rate of inbound qualified leads * Result: Implement a new tool such as CI to improve productivity
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As a Sales professional we are often under a lot of pressure to close deals and meet our targets. If you're not careful you can quickly burnout especially when quotas reset each month or quarter. Over the years I’ve had to become more intentional in creating boundaries and finding new ways to recharge. Here are some ways that I’ve found success to prevent burnout and recharge: 1. Prioritize self-care: Prioritize self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and getting enough sleep. Pay yourself first physically and mentally to stay energized and focused. 2. Take breaks: Take regular breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge. This could include going for a walk, having lunch with a friend, or breathwork between meetings. I also plan a trip each quarter to make sure I'm spending quality time with the family. 3. Set Boundaries: Improving my time management skills and creating clear boundaries between working hours and personal/family time. This can help you prioritize tasks and manage your workload more effectively.
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Brandon Love
Salesforce Regional Sales Director • October 11
Our top reps excel at spotting potential opportunities. Since we're focused on run-rate tactical deals in the form of additional license, new initiatives, and pilots, our main stakeholders are typically at the VP level or below. The key here is mastering the art of tailoring conversations - distinguishing between "above the line" and "below the line" discussions ensures that our messaging aligns with the audience. In larger enterprises, industry trends and company direction are often widely available. It's crucial to delve into these trends, gaining a deep understanding of industry challenges and directions. This forms the basis for crafting a unique perspective that resonates not only with the business but also its key players. Once everyone's on the same page and the problem is crystal clear, we can then propose a forward-thinking solution that drives them towards their desired outcomes. What sets this approach apart is its emphasis on discovery. Rather than leading with a product pitch, we invest time in understanding the company's priorities. This makes our interactions much more aligned with the client's needs, creating a more genuine and less "sales-y" experience. This method ensures that our solutions aren't just one-size-fits-all, but tailored to fit the precise needs of each client we engage with.
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Alicia Lewis
Culture Amp Senior Sales Director • April 24
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?
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Eric Martin
Vanta Head Of Sales • November 28
First off, I'm going to assume that the question here is whether or not I have any advice for a "junior seller" who is a first sales hire. My advice is to ask your company leaders to help you find a sales mentor or sales coach. Asking for something like this is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of maturity. Your company leaders clearly see something in you (that you also hopefully see in yourself). You should operate from a place of confidence, but also seek out someone who you can also continuously learn from. As a junior seller in a first sales role, you should also assume (if your company is smart) that future sellers will probably have more experience than you. That's a great thing! If you're the legacy rep who's been finding a way to get the job done, and who has enough humility to know what you know and what you don't know, you're going to be incredibly well respected as the team grows.
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Maria White
Cornerstone OnDemand Vice President Sales Enablement and Education • April 6
By conducting a bi-annual survey and constantly checking in with them regularly. Attending their weekly meetings is a great start to becoming part of their team and really begin to understand what they need and how you can provide it to them. It is also a great idea quarterly to interview about 15-20 sellers to stay connected to their requirements.
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