A job interview is the ultimate sales call, so when you’re interviewing for salespeople, the interview process should be used to gain insight into how a candidate sells, from qualification to close. To the extent possible, a business leader must dig into how candidates have prepared for the interviews, in order to gain insight into how they would prepare for an important sales meeting.
As a CEO and founder, I know how tough it is to find and hire great salespeople—and I’ve been in the business for decades. According to Manpower Group’s recent Talent Shortage Survey, sales positions (including sales representatives, sales executives, and sales advisors) are the third-most difficult roles to fill and retain.
Hiring is both an art and a science, and arguably the most important aspect of any business. Not surprisingly, research shows organizations that spend more time recruiting high-caliber people earn 22% higher return for shareholders than their less discerning peers.
Eli Kalil, on May 8, 2018
When created and executed properly, there’s no question that a channel sales program can make a significant difference to your company’s bottom line. In general, using indirect sales channels results in year-over-year revenue growth of 20-30%—and up to 50% in some optimal cases.
Greg Dunne, on March 29, 2018
For cybersecurity firms, scaling and accelerating sales can be incredibly challenging. The marketplace is oversaturated with companies that claim their technology can do everything, fix anything—and when dozens of firms all supposedly solve similar problems, potential customers can get overwhelmed by the sales noise.
Greg Dunne, on February 26, 2018
In demolition derby, competing drivers ram their vehicles into one another on a large field. The winner is the last vehicle still running.
That’s the kind of attitude a business leader should cultivate when hiring a sales team or creating a sales process.
Greg Dunne, on October 24, 2017
In the private equity world, let’s face it, time is everything. If your portfolio does not quickly produce impressive returns, you could be in trouble. That is why having a robust post-acquisition sales strategy is critical to ensuring a meaningful exit multiple.
Greg Dunne, on October 16, 2017
When I talk with founders and CEOs of tech startups, they often believe that a single person can perform and manage all aspects of the sales process. In most cases, that is wrong. As soon as possible, you want to create a sales organization, not a department of one.
Mansfield Sales Partners, on September 26, 2017
ANDOVER, MA – September 26, 2017 – Mansfield Sales Partners (Mansfield), a leading strategic sales advisory firm, today unveils a newly refreshed brand identity, featuring a new website, refined messaging, and modernized logo. The brand refresh represents both the evolution of the company, as well as its strategic vision for growth.
Greg Dunne, on September 25, 2017
Sales cycles can vary considerably from company to company. For some companies, the sales cycle is three months, while for others, it may be more like six to nine months or more. If the numbers are not where they should be going into Q4, now is probably not the time to rely on new top-of-the-funnel strategies. To accelerate your sales before the end of the year, you need to consider a shift in focus, one that involves maximizing your conversion rates for deals already in the pipeline.