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Hire the skills you need. Are you looking for someone who can bring in new business, or do you need someone who can cultivate existing clients? Be clear on what you need. Expecting one person to satisfy all your needs is a set up for failure.
- Communicate your brand and your company’s brand to your salespeople. Clearly articulate the values in your work place and define your organization’s culture. If your salespeople are aligned with your values and mission, they will be better brand ambassadors for the business. Additionally, when you are all on the same page, the business runs a lot smoother and with far less friction.
- Educate your team on your financials. It can be difficult to talk finances with employees, but the conversation needs to happen so your salespeople have an understanding of profitability levels and where they should best invest their time. Make your sales people your strategic partners by allowing them to help define the path for growth.
- Compensate your sales people well. Provide sales team members a generous upside to their compensation linked directly to their performance. Since they are your company’s growth engine, don’t be averse to paying them more than you make, especially in the early years.
- Admit a bad hiring decision and act on it. Don’t expect to strike gold the first time around. If you have hired the wrong person for the job act swiftly and try again. It’s not easy to find the right fit, but don’t be afraid to be stubborn about what you seek in a candidate.
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