Fractional sales leadership is a solution for small to mid-sized businesses that are looking for low risk, economical help with sales leadership. If you are considering the solution, ask yourself these important questions before you proceed.
Is sales leadership the highest and best use of my time?
Many entrepreneurs are the best sales person in the company. Were they born great salespeople? The answer is... no! The successful entrepreneur has honed their craft through tenacity and enough people skills to grow a successful business. Tenacity and people skills, two traits, while both important, not transferable from you to your sales team.
Leading a sales team is working "in" the business, your time is best invested working "on" the business. Is sales leadership the highest and best use of your time, money and energy?
What is the cost of a fractional sales leader?
Is a fractional sales leader expensive? The answer is no, compared to the alternatives.
First, consider the opportunity cost of promoting your best sales person to sales manager. You lose your best sales rep, and you gain an untrained, unqualified sales leader.
Next, consider the opportunity cost of hiring a bargain-basement sales manager. They are out there for the picking, check the back corner where they stage all the other scratch and dent merchandise. Ask yourself why this person is available at half the "going-rate".
Finally, look at hiring a seasoned veteran, capable of taking your organization to the next lever. Someone who has been battle-tested in the sales trenches. Any guess what that investment would be? Double it!
A fractional sales leader is a great investment and you may be surprised at what can be accomplished for the price.
What will this fractional sales leader do for me and my company?
Another great question. Maybe some or all of these things.
- Free up senior leadership to work on vs. in the organization
- Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of an existing sales team
- Build a sales team from scratch if there isn't one
- Implement a systematic sales process coupled with an accountability system
- Recruit and develop A-players Achieve company revenue targets
What else do you need done?
A seasoned fractional sales leader can help you co-create the right solution to meet your needs. Things like:
- Create a sales vision and action plans.
- Establish benchmarks for sales planning.
- Identify the best structure to achieve team goals.
- Identify skills and traits needed for sales a-players.
- Review and refine job descriptions.
- Assess (benchmark) the current team.
- Define hiring, onboarding, coaching and training methods.
- Identify and implement processes that need to be more effective.
- Determine performance metrics that need to be measured.
- Create and implement an accountability process. Identify individual team member's "WHY".
- Energize and re-energize through leadership support.
What are some Fractional Sales Leadership deliverables?
These will set your company apart from the competition?
- Performance Management Plan.
- Sales Playbook
- Hiring Playbook
- Sales Management Playbook
Is Fractional Sales Leadership in your future? Should it be? Hmm... might be worth a conversation. Let's talk! - Frank
