When agencies begin to grow, hiring a full-time sales person is inevitable.
A good sales person can be the greatest asset in growing the agency.
Treat them as such, and make sure they feel confident in their abilities by empowering them with education.
Knowledge is Power
Sir Francis Bacon coined the term “knowledge is power.” I believe this term is particularly accurate when related to the success of a salesperson.
In this episode we discuss:
- Getting a salesperson up to speed
- Educational resources to help them improve
- The importance of a training process
- How to support a salesperson as an agency owner
Getting up to Speed
Unless the salesperson you are about to hire has plenty of experience selling inbound marketing retainers, they are going to need a lot of help. I came from a completely different industry with a background in sales but no clue about what an inbound marketing retainer entailed let alone what results prospects could achieve.
When getting a salesperson up to speed, do NOT focus on teaching them your sales system. Focus on teaching them inbound.
Start broad and work toward focus. I spent (and continue to spend) time researching the industry as a whole before I tried to learn how to sell inbound. My first month was spent reading every blog article about inbound marketing I could find.
Here is a list of some of my favorite resources I would check daily:
The Training Process
Begin with getting your salesperson comfortable with the industry. When I started I not only read general inbound marketing blogs but tried to understand what the community was like. I looked at things like:
- Who are some of the most successful agencies/people/thought leaders and what are they saying?
- Where do inbound marketers gather and hang out?
- What is the culture amongst the agencies?
- Where can I turn from help and guidance?
The nice thing about this industry, there is no shortage of resources. We all like to create content, and lots of it.
Once I felt I had a solid understanding of inbound marketing and the community surrounding it I began to listen in and take detailed notes while one of our agency owner’s would chat with prospects.
Any time I heard a question I did not know the answer to, or a phrase that was unfamiliar I wrote it down. I compiled these questions and after each meeting would ask Andrew or Gray what something meant or why we do or do not do certain things.
Then came the moment that is most intimidating. I began to contribute.
For about a month or so after I began chiming in with basic facts, I still needed Andrew and Gray on the phone to help when I would stumble. Eventually the questions I was unable to answer became fewer, and we finally decided to remove the training wheels all together.
Piece of advice:
As an agency owner you have to understand that giving more responsibility to a new salesperson will cost you money. Mistakes will be made, and deals you would have been able to close will be lost. Do not let this deter you from giving the new salesperson the opportunities they need to succeed. The short term revenue loss is an investment into the companies long term future.
Practical Advice
I want to leave you with a few pieces of advice to ponder.
- Get your salesperson inbound certified
- Empower them to negotiate within reason to close deals
- Use your outside resources (HubSpot Channel Account Managers) for help
- Develop a solid framework for success
How to Connect with Ryan and Gray
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