Lou Casados’ Post

It takes 15 months to onboard a top-performing sales rep. Here's how you can reduce the time spent by avoiding these mistakes 👇 Instead of solely focusing on product features during sales rep onboarding, emphasise how each feature solves specific customer problems. This contextual approach helps new hires grasp the product's value better. Why is it important? It addresses the discovery gap and common mistakes made by reps: Mistake 1: They pitch solutions without understanding the prospect's pain points: ⚡ To resonate the pitch, reps need to understand how each feature addresses the customer's challenges. ⚡ Only focusing on learning product features limits their conversation topics. Mistake 2: Spending majority of the call talking about product features: Why is this terrible? ⚡ Because it doesn’t interest prospects unless there's something beneficial for them. Mistake 3: Asking about challenges they could have uncovered during the call prep. ⚡ Ideal discovery questions should be within 4-8 when engaging with c-level prospects. ⚡ It also indicates that you didn’t invest enough time learning about your prospect. Which in turn is an instant turn off. So, what all have you learned about sales rep onboarding? Share with us in the comments! #salesonboarding #salesenablement #productfeatures

It's time to announce the launch of the latest service from Bright Evolve - our Sales Onboarding Service. That's right, SOS - it's the distress signal we know our clients are sending when they're looking to build their permanent sales team!   Every service offering we've launched has been in response to our unique position as the Sales Ally for founder-led businesses, bringing our experience & skills to better support them on their journey. This service is no different, we've witnessed our clients get stung with 15-20% recruitment fees to hire Sales people and then making the wrong hire or it not working out! It's not just about getting the right person, it's about ensuring they're set up to succeed and coached effectively in the early days....we're uniquely placed to help here.   Given every client engagement begins with Ascent access, and then creation of a three-phase sales plan, we're able to help you build your sales playbook but also we have a perspective on the right skills you need to help you succeed.   Therefore, we’ll identify and recruit the right talent, using years of experience of building successful sales teams. We’ll not only help you find and build a great sales team, but we’ll support with the interviewing and onboarding to set them up for ongoing success.   And the best bit, we'll align our fees to this success. No more paying a huge fee on day one of that person starting. Instead, you'll pay 50% of the agreed fee on day one and 50% on the day they hit pre-agreed objectives, which we will help them to deliver via coaching and hands-on support. This is just the latest step in us becoming the Sales Ally for early-stage businesses, our goal is to set you up for ongoing, lasting success long after you've stopped working with us!

How to onboard your new sales hires

Onboarding sales talent has never been more important. Here are 5 keys to doing it more effectively. https://hubs.li/Q02DZ0vZ0

Sales Enablement Topic of the Week: Timeline is Everything Timeline is so vitally important to a sales rep and often to a client. But, what I see far too often is reps just asking 1, maybe 2 questions about the timeline and then moving right along. The opening question almost always sounds like "When are you looking to make a decision?" And the prospect will answer with the normal, a week, next quarter, 6 months etc... Then, the sales rep puts that in as their close date on their opportunity. This makes me sweat! We need to understand WHY. Why is it next week or next quarter? The question here is super simple, "Tell me more about why that is your target?" If they don't have a good answer the next natural question should be, "What happens if we don't hit that target date?" What you are looking for here is a real reason for action, something like a contract end date, a new team starting, a new project beginning, etc... If you cannot get a trigger or implication tied to that anticipated decision date there is a high chance that it is going to push out by the time that date rolls around. Once you have a targeted close date my next question will be, "Is there any reason you wouldn't sign sooner if you found a software that is absolutely perfect and hits all the marks?" This question will ensure that you know if you have the chance to pull in this opportunity early. Remember, no answer from a client is a bad answer it just gives you more information to manage your pipeline more truthfully and understand what will or will not move your client to sign. #salesenablement #enablement #salesskills #discovery

Mastering Success: Unveiling the Ultimate Sales Onboarding Best Practices https://lnkd.in/dzy9y2gg #saleshiring #sales #salesteam #salestraining #salesjobs #salesleadership #salestechnology #salesmentor #gamification #evaluation #onboardingprocess #onboardingsuccess

The startup landscape is experiencing a shift. In Q1 2024 alone, 254 venture-backed companies went out of business, many of which have previously attained nine figure valuations. In the world 🌍 of SaaS sales that means a successful sales team has never been more exceptional. There are fewer winners among us and I encourage everyone to share what’s working for them. Gal Aga brings up the importance of coaching in his 2nd point. Sales coaching is critical to your sales team’s success. What ai 🤖 tools are you using? Are they helpful? Having the right talent, leadership and coaching are essential. So how can the wrong tools 🛠️ f*ck all this up? In about a million ways. If you can use 1 tool to replace Salesforce (+its accompanying headaches) AND coaching you are ahead of the game. #toolstack #streamline #salesteam6

Two weeks ago I interviewed the SVP of Sales at Checkr ($200M+ ARR) about AE pipe gen culture. We agreed on most topics, but she said something that goes against 99% of what I am hearing from her peers: “I hate cold calls… Maybe it’s because I personally don’t respond well to them, but I am not a fan of true cold calls.” She went on to explain that making dials is an important activity in ALL of the sales orgs she's been a part of (or ran), but she thinks they shouldn’t be the tip of the spear. “The people you are calling should have engaged with you in some format – whether it's seeing your name or your company's name, even if it’s just in the subject line of an email.” For her, a calling culture is critically important, however it’s just one part of the arsenal along with structured PG plans, dedicated time, orchestrated plays between sales and marketing, celebrating wins, sharing learnings, and consistent performance management. TAKEAWAY: Most orgs I speak with are trying to improve their prospecting culture, specifically for AEs. It’s hard to change this overnight. There are no silver bullets or a new piece of tech that will magically fix this. I’ve interviewed 9 VP-Sales/CROs at some of the best sales orgs in SaaS and will be publishing my learnings soon. If you want early access to the recordings and playbooks, like this post and comment PIPE below and we'll add you to the list.

Sales Management Tip of the Week #22 Successfully Onboard Each New Salesperson Effective onboarding is crucial for long-term success and team integration. Follow this guide aligned with EPOCH Sales Management Solutions and the MYBSTR program: 1. Pre-Boarding Preparation Setup: Equip workspace with necessary tools. Welcome Packet: Include company culture, mission, values, team structure, onboarding process, sales strategy, and toolkits. 2. First Day Essentials Welcome: Introduce to team and office. Meeting: Discuss onboarding plan, expectations, and company messaging. 3. Structured Training Program Model after MYBSTR, divided into modules: --Module 1: Focus on priorities using MATCH Framework. --Module 2: Build a healthy pipeline. --Module 3: Win more deals. --Module 4: Sales CRM success. 4. Mentorship and Shadowing Provide guidance and allow shadowing of experienced salespeople. 5. Regular Check-Ins and Feedback Discuss progress, address concerns, and provide feedback using performance metrics. 6. Sales Simulations and Role-Playing Conduct exercises with feedback to refine skills. 7. Encourage Team Integration Involve in team meetings and activities for strong relationships. 8. Ongoing Support and Development Promote continuous learning and discuss career goals for growth. 9. Celebrate Early Wins Acknowledge successes to boost confidence and morale. 10. Solicit Feedback Collect feedback to improve the onboarding process. Following these steps ensures new salespeople are well-prepared, confident, and motivated, leading to accelerated productivity and long-term retention. Read full tip here: https://hubs.la/Q02HmFk-0

Sales role in an early-stage start-up - Throwback to when I joined Klenty back in 2019 as part of their sales and support team which was a team of 3. In total it was a 25 member team with 500+ customers at that time. This was definitely one of the biggest learning curve for me. From answering chats to providing demos to onboarding clients- I was getting my hands dirty in every nook and cranny of the SaaS sales world. So, you thinking of dipping your toes in sales at a fresh-out-the-oven company? Here's the tea: 👉Embrace wearing multiple hats: At this stage, you're often required to be juggling your roles. This will help you gain a holistic view of the business, understand key metrics driving growth and also an opportunity to explore different verticals in the business. 👉Direct Impact: At this stage, you can determine how your work directly influences the company's growth and direction. This level of responsibility encourages a proactive mindset and a deep commitment to your role and the company's growth. 👉Rapid Learning: With no extensive playbooks, learning is hands-on and fast-paced, fostering a problem-solving mindset and the "figure it out" approach. You will be learning more from experiences and interactions with customers, co-founders etc. than from any manual or documentation. 👉Experimenting to learn: Experimentation is not just welcome; it's essential. This environment allows you to test and refine innovative sales tactics and strategies, learning what works best through trial and error. 👉Efficiency with High-Velocity Pipeline: Aiming for a short sales cycle is crucial at this stage, to get results faster. Quickly moving leads through the sales process not only drives revenue but also provides immediate feedback to refine your approach. So yes navigating the early-stage sales environment can be challenging but equally rewarding to setup your foundational knowledge in an industry. P.S.: I have only focused on the pros in this post and will soon post about the cons as well. I'd love to hear your thoughts. What are your views on sales role in an early stage company ?