Armand Farrokh’s Post

For those of you trying to make the jump to strategics, enterprise, or leadership. Make sure you build a strong list of internal champions supporting you. I’ve seen sales reps going from inside sales all the way to enterprise sales. Even for me, jumping from SMB to working with AWS’s most important customers in strategics. What both of us did was have a support system of people in that sector going to bat for us. When the interview comes around and people would say the person doesn't have the experience, those champions will be right in your corner supporting you for the role. So if you have been wanting to make the jump, or curious about it. Start to network. Shoot the email to that enterprise sales leader about your interest in enterprise sales and wanting to learn how to progress over the next year. It may feel daunting, but what is the worst that could happen? They don’t answer the email? So what. Imagine the upside of taking your career to the next level. The additional compensation you can earn. The experience you can gain. Now if this connects with you, don't keep scrolling. Stop what you are doing and write the damn email, put it in drafts, and be ready to send it later this week. Forget the downside, focus on the upside.

📣 TODAYS LESSONS IN SALES 📣 Color me impressed! A young man (Matt) with a national company (Salesforce) just called me. After a brief conversation that ended with me declining a scheduled meeting, I wished him luck, and we hung up. Then, I decided to call him back. Why would I call a sales rep back that I just said no to? 1. To see if he was in our area (we all need GOOD salespeople)! 2. To share with him that I was impressed with how he handled the call and that he should tell his boss someone called him back to say that. Sadly, he is not in our area. What he did well was listen, and he did some due diligence BEFORE calling me. He had researched me and picked up that I had used Salesforce before, and that few minutes of research on his part allowed him to bring my guard down immediately. He was not pushy, asked brief and succinct questions while listening, and respected that it was a no. He will go far if this is his standard. This experience contrasted with my recent experience with another national company sales rep. That rep ruined any chance of me entertaining his company's offerings. Why do I share this? To serve as a reminder for ALL SALES LEADERS: Hiring for and training reps to be good listeners and researchers is essential. Otherwise, the first call can be the last. Oh, and stay aware that if they are good — someone might want to steal them, so keep them happy 😉 Oh, and on a human level - it never hurts to compliment someone if they are doing a good job. #SalesTips #SalesLeadership #ListeningSkills #RespectYourProspects #CustomerExperience #SalesTraining #Professionalism

Sales leaders and reps face a lot of pressure when it comes to the state of their current deals. I get it, but I'd caution against doing this ⬇️ I've heard of sales organizations moving leads forward in Salesforce so that sales look better on quarterly reports and at meetings. Everyone wants numbers to look better for leadership, but this method can do a lot of harm. It's one thing if most of your leads ARE ACTUALLY ready to commit... But if they're not high-funnel, labeling them "ready to commit" for the optics of it is gonna cause serious problems. They're gonna get targeted more aggressively. When leads are still high-funnel, that's gonna mean: -> A lot of wasted time and resources from your reps -> Chilled/confused prospects -> LONG sales cycles (if you get the sale) -> Internal confusion over where prospects are at If you're concerned about sales numbers looking the way you want in meetings... maybe it's time for a new strategy? #salesenablement #sales #b2b

What’s the fastest way to close deals in a new role or company? When I started at Salesforce in 2013 as an Enterprise AE, I had no SaaS experience. Yet I was able to overachieve and finish "Rookie of the Year." How was this possible? By following this one simple strategy: Bring in my Sales Manager to all my deals! Although I was very good at setting meetings, I lacked experience in running and closing large, complex deals. So I brought in my Manager and directly learned from him. From there, I was able to watch him in action and learn firsthand what good looks like. He helped me craft the story, polish the Executive deck, and brought in other resources to assist including our Head of Product, Platform Team, Business Value team, and a key Executive Sponsor. The Result: We closed the largest Employee Communities deal that year at a 14 unit hospital, resulting in a 7 figure contract! You see, you don't have to know how to do EVERYTHING as an Enterprise seller to succeed. But you DO have to be great at finding deals, bringing in the right resources, and leveraging your extended team to execute. My boss showed me how to do this and led by example. Bringing in your manager also removes pressure to perform which comes from Sales Managers having poor visibility into your deals. Anytime you are new to a role or company, there's a steep learning curve. The fastest path to success is to find people who are smarter or more experienced than you and bring them in to lead the way. That starts with bringing in your Sales Manager!

🚀 **Shoutout to the Sales Team: The Unsung Heroes of Growth!** 🚀 In the fast-paced world of business, it's easy to get caught up in numbers, strategies, and targets. But let's take a moment to recognize the powerhouse that fuels it all: the Sales Team. You are the ones who relentlessly pursue opportunities, build relationships, and close deals that keep the wheels of our company turning. Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to success are what drive our growth and ensure we continue to thrive. To all the sales professionals out there—thank you for your hard work, your tenacity, and your passion. You turn possibilities into profits, and dreams into realities. Your contributions are the backbone of our success, and we couldn’t do it without you. Here’s to the ones who make it happen, day in and day out. We see you, we appreciate you, and we respect you. 💪👏 #SalesTeam #Gratitude #Respect #BusinessGrowth #SalesRocksters #sales #thoughts #business #businesspillers #salesforce

Starting a new VP of Sales role? Avoid these common pitfalls to hit the ground running from Day 1: 1️⃣ Not Knowing the Product Cold: Study the product inside out before Day 1. Don't rely on learning on the fly! 2️⃣ Not Starting Before You Start: Engage early via email, Slack, and team calls. Don't waste time setting up; be proactive! 3️⃣ Insisting It Be Done Their Way: Understand existing processes before making changes. Learn what works first. 4️⃣ Not Having a Team Ready: Quickly onboard trusted reps to support your initiatives. 5️⃣ Not Asking Enough Questions: Be curious about customers and the market. Avoid generic interviews and process talk. 6️⃣ Neglecting Outbound Outreach: Begin reaching out to prospects and industry contacts immediately. 7️⃣ Not Demoing the Product: Master the product demo early on to build credibility and understand customer needs. 8️⃣ Ignoring GTM Motions: Understand all aspects of the sales strategy, including partnerships and channels. 9️⃣ Rushing into Enterprise Sales: Start with understanding current SMB strategies before going upmarket. 🔟 Underestimating the Ecosystem: Deep dive into your company's ecosystem from Day 1 for strategic advantage. Starting strong as a VP of Sales means preparation and engagement from the get-go. Avoid these pitfalls to accelerate your impact and success! Source: https://lnkd.in/dJTCqsZq #SalesLeadership #SaaS #VPofSales #BusinessGrowth #StartupTips

Just changed our name to "Closeamofo: Executive Presence for B2B Tech Sales" because this is my focus for you. Since I'm actively in the #sales game (i.e. providing my CxO leadership regular updates, meeting with customers, driving sales strategy, orchestrating sales operations, leading key negotiations, mentoring my teams, closing deals, etc.) it doesn't leave a ton of time for me to go broad with you here on LinkedIn. This is why after many interviews with eager sales reps, speaking with friends in sales leadership, and connecting with some of you in DMs the feedback is that there is a lack of Executive Presence support out there. This is why I'm going to focus my energy on helping you improve your Executive Presence. Stay tuned for more updates. #b2bsales #techsales #saassales #executivepresence https://lnkd.in/eUxKbqhZ

Sales manager: "I DON'T SEE NEXT STEPS!" The best sales teams overcommunicate. They function as high-performing teams -- together. So yes, sometimes it's annoying to get shoulder tapped. But remember, your sales manager is trying to help you win. They are trying to have your back with leadership. No data means they get more questions. No next steps means more risk. Partner with them. Lean in. Sales is a team sport. Help them help you. 👋 Like this? Follow me. ♻️ Repost -> then go update Salesforce ;)

Will your VP of Sales help you or fail you when your VC does due diligence on your business? It is hight stakes poker out there. You work hard to build a business. Hire a team of developers that work around the clock to launch the next release. You have product market fit and sales seems to be ramping up. Your story looks sound and you have a VC that is holding a term sheet but wants to meet with the Head of Sales and understand "some deals". How healthy is that pipeline now? How confident are you in the numbers for the next 6 months? What does your sales leader know about each key deal? How involved are they in those deals? I was lucky enough to participate in the exercise a number of times. You can seriously have an impact if you know your business and are confidently explaining it to the prospective investor. I might have even erred on the side of cockiness when one VC met with us, and I told them to go in Salesforce and to pick "any deal you want to talk about". They did invest in the end. Not because of me, I was just one box to check amongst many; you just don't want to be the "failed process". So, how intimately does your head of sales know your pipeline? The sales leader should be as close to the top deals, as we expect the AE's to be close to theirs. Make a call, ask your sales leader about a deal. No warning. Not to catch them, but to coach them on the importance of knowing the "ins and outs' of your key transactions in pipeline. You don't need to find out in front of a VC that your pipeline or your leader needs work. As a founder or leader of an organization, the accountability flows both ways. Your AE's are expected to know their business, as much as your head of revenue or sales leaders should know theirs. In great details. #sales #salescoaching #salesleaders #pipeline #accountability

Biggest lesson from 10 years in the sales game. When most of the team is missing quota, the product is the problem. Don't look at skills, sales methodology, leadership or the marketing engine. That's not why your team can't hit quota. It's your product. Want proof? Below-average Salesforce reps hit quota every quarter. Undeniable PMF turns regular reps into quota crushers.