March 11, 2009
Companies Get It Wrong Too
I was recollecting about a job I took in which I felt I did everything right. It is doubtful I did, but it is my recollection so bear with me. I qualified the opportunity, the sale, the expectations and the ramp time. All of the responses were a good fit to my abilities.
The ramp time was 6 mos. before getting to a steady revenue stream according to the hiring manager. I knew I could beat that and I did by cutting it in half. I had closed a handful of fairly sizeable deals within 3 mos. and was chasing a handful of large deals.
And then I was laid off less than 6 mos. into my employment. There were other factors involved including the company losing some large customers, but I never even got through the ramp-up time.
The company got it wrong – they should have never hired me.
I’ve seen companies hire salespeople simply because they were from their industry, not because the salesperson was a good fit. I’ve seen companies hire salespeople for one position and then try to force them into a different position once they start. I’ve seen companies hire hunters and give them farmer tools.
The key is to prepare for your next sales hire. I tell companies not to hire a hunter unless you are prepared for one to join your team (read: most companies are not ready). The little things should be handled before the salesperson arrives (business cards, laptop, email, CRM, etc.). The big things like product training, key accounts, support people, etc. should be the initial focus. Finally, call reports, travel, presentations, etc. should be the last piece of the ramp-up piece.
Unfortunately, companies often fail at setting these targets up. It is usually at this point that the compass starts spinning and the salesperson is in trouble.
