You have done it! You conceptualized it, developed it, tested it, delivered it to a potential customer, and then sold it! Then, you sold it again and again. The culmination of years of dreaming has sent you entrepreneurial spirit into overdrive. So, what next, your brother lent you some money, as did your grandmother and uncle. Now you are on the path to showing them dividends on their trust. You are an idea widget factory, and while you love your offering more than anyone else ever could, to run this business you are going to need salespeople.
So what to do? Is the first step to find some powerful executive, or a consultant to show you what to do? Is the first hire best an aggressive and hungry sales person, who at the front lines can close more business and fund the other potential employees? The resounding answer to all of this is NO!!!
The first thing you should do is ask yourself some questions?
1. Can I train people on how to sell my offering? Do I have the patience and the understanding of how I succeeded?
2. Do I understand the buying cycle for my offering?
3. Do I understand the type of mentality required to make these sales?
4. Do I have a strategy for growth that aligns with a sales process?
5. Is there anything that could hamper someone from successfully selling my offering?
There are a few more questions that will arise as you answer these, but this is a gut check and not a time to let the ego rule. Sure you sold your product, but that is because you are its parent. No one, and I MEAN NO ONE can express the love of a child better than that child’s parents. However, when looking for those first key people in your sales team, it is imperative that you find people that can love your baby like they have adopted the child. This is more important in evangelizing new solutions than any other particular skill or set of experience.
Now, do not misunderstand, it is imperative that if you hire an executive, they come with pedigree, or a consultant with a track record of success. It is vital that any rep you hire for sales has a history of overachievement, and a good sound work ethic. These attributes however, must come aligned with a passion for what you are offering just short of your own. Without this dedication the ability to generate opportunity is lost.
The types of questions to ask to uncover this are simple:
1. Go into value in interviews; get them to see what your offering does. Once they do, there should be a point when they take over the conversation and get you excited with their speech.
2. Look for deeper understand and a need to be heard. They should have checked out your website, ask you questions about the features and functionality, and display a bit of hesitation until they really get what you offer. If they do not push you on the quality of the offering, they are not really ready to evangelize.
3. The interview should get turned around, and at some point you should feel like they are interviewing you. Great startup sales people have a habit of treating an interview like a sales call. If they do not qualify and discover, then they will not do it on the phone.
With regards to who you should hire first, it is relative to the offering and its uniqueness, complexity, and if there is any market. These are questions best asked by someone who understands the sales world and you should probably continue to seek advice.
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