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[Re-sent] #88 - 2 approaches to start sales

[Re-sent] #88 - 2 approaches to start sales

Two better ways to start sales teams at a startup

November 06, 2022

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2 approaches to bringing on your first sales team

There are many ways to start your sales team at a startup. I only recommend two and favor one over the other.

Imagine you have your design partners or early adopters. You might have even won some early customers as a founder. But now you know you can’t be a bottleneck and need to hire your first salespeople. What do you do?

I have seen two approaches work better than others.

Plan A - Founder is the defacto sales leader and hires 2-3 salespeople

With this plan, the founder/CEO is the defacto sales leader, bringing on some salespeople to be prospectors and run the sales cycles.

Pros:

The founder is still deeply involved in all the sales activities.
The new salespeople can create a basic sales playbook by listening to what the founder says and does.
It's cheaper than hiring a sales leader. If you are concerned about burn, you won't have to pay a $200k base for a leader (plus commission and stock).

Cons:

Being a sales leader should not be a part-time job. Sales at a startup is tough, and you are only doing it part-time.
It’s tough to attract top sales talent, especially since you probably don’t have a sales network. Oh and many great sellers will want to work for sales leaders, not the founder/CEO.
Deals will likely be delayed or lost due to your lack of experience and knowing what’s coming around the corner in sales cycles.

Plan B - The founder hires a Head of Sales

A Head of Sales comes on board to build and lead a sales team. At the start, they will sell too and be involved in every deal.

Pros:

The sales leader is now a full-time job.
There is a much better chance of hiring right; the leader should bring people they know and trust.
Knows the playbook: comp plans, sales tools, sales process, network
Maturity to learn and adapt

Cons:

Increase burn in the short term
It is likely to be a junior leader, not an experienced, rounded, polished leader.

I recommend going with Plan B as soon as you can afford to. If you have the funding, don't cheat on this.

If you don't have the funding go with Plan A with the goal of getting a leader as soon as possible.

Important: whichever path you choose, be "All-in" or "All-out" on your plan and the people. Don't go down either path with a "let's see how it works out" mentality. You have to be committed to helping them succeed until you are not. And then you need to make a change.

Time for a dad joke break...

Q: Why was the basketball court all wet?

A: Because the players were dribbling all over it.

-Cristian A., Commercial Director USA, at IGT PlayDigital

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