You are starting as a small startup; you are getting more and more wins in the game called business. Sales, sales, sales. Nothing else. The product you have created, the service you have provided, and the brand you are advertising are doing great numbers.
One of the most frequent questions asked in this particular circumstance is the following: “Who should I hire for Sales? Do I need more than one person?”.
Lesson #1: When Should You Hire for Sales?
This is a reasonable question, and P2L is here today to provide a truthful answer. Nonetheless, after a great experience in the business world, our expectations would suggest one crucial thing to address.
Before the question of who, it is most important to address the question of when. When should I hire for Sales? That is the indication of professionalism, maturity, and adaptability.
People might get too excited with their first profitable products and hire a salesperson or team at a very early stage, making it tougher to provide both them and the company with the resources needed.
Others might be overly patient with this approach and try to save their resources as much as possible, but when they hire a salesperson, it will probably be a waste of resources since the company has adapted to a pattern without a sales team.
Lesson #2: Why Should You Hire for Sales?
So the first and most important question that you have to ask yourself about hiring a salesperson is whether you need it or not? Most importantly, an asset or a liability depends on how the company has worked through time. As Gary Keller says in his groundbreaking book, The One Thing, “All outstanding achievements are the result of sustained focus over time — all of them.
The same rules apply. The sales world is a dirty place. You will be under constant war. So, in other words, you need to find the best troops and put them in the right place and at the right time.
Nevertheless, what does this mean for ordinary people like you and me that did not study rocket science?
In possibly the most straightforward words, it means that sales are amongst the top-3 powerful parts of the company. The only thing that you have to do is treat it that way. Furthermore, people will always love to state generalities and make it like “when you have the right person, your inner self will know,” etc.
Lesson #3: Who Should You Hire for Sales?
Well… that is partially true. What you genuinely need is experience. I do not care about their character. I care that they know what they are doing. Personally, with 2 minutes remaining on a Super Bowl Final, I would not give the ball to the rookie when I can use Tom Brady for the last play. Would you?
As I said before, the sales world is a weird place. Are you not competent enough? They will eat you alive. Moreover, I am entirely aware of the fact that the truth hurts. Nevertheless, you cannot unsee the truth once you have seen it; you can sugarcoat it, but you can never change it.
Lesson #4: Do You Need More Than One Salesperson?
It is the same thing as in the “Do You Need More Than One Person?” Question; why would you not? Most importantly, this goes back to the question before concerning the perfect timing for hiring a salesperson. Of course, you should hire another one. Right away. No questions asked.
If you want to hire a person and you are at the right timing, you will have the financial resources to hire another candidate.
Last but not least, know where to be harsh on the salesperson you hire and know where to show understanding. Be harsh for someone who wants to become “the man” with two years of experience but don’t be harsh in the same way to someone with seven years of experience, one failed company in the books, and many other ups and downs. These people are still there because they have a dominating mentality, and their ‘heart’ is made out of steel.
Key takeaways from today’s article:
- The right time to hire a salesperson is when you have both the company’s financial resources and an efficient agenda, which has been proven to lead to results.
- Be aware that this is the process that will determine the next 2-5 years of your business.
- Try to find someone who will challenge you and won’t only listen to you, but will have the experience to also teach you.
- Should you have the resources, hire more than one salesperson. If you build a competent team, the results won’t take long before they reveal themselves.
