What to Know When It's Time to Hire Your First Sales Team

As your business starts to flourish and grow, you might find it impossible to handle sales on your own. That's when hiring a sales team becomes a necessity. Before you start, make sure to clearly define your hiring process, know what needs to be included in contracts, and take the time to understand accepted interviewing and hiring techniques. Here are a few tips on how to do just that.

Take Care of the Details

If this is your first foray into bringing on staff, there’s a lot to consider. This starts with whether you’ll be hiring full-time or part-time employees or if you’ll be hiring contract workers. Horizons notes that classification is essential when it comes to labor laws and tax filing. You’ll also need to set up a time tracking system as well as a way to process payroll. 

Applicant Considerations 

When reviewing applicants and interviewing, focus on people you'd buy your product from. Moreover, only choose candidates who've sold products in the same industry as yours to ensure they have the skills you need. Develop a solid application and interview process, and be sure to check references. A lot will be riding on your new team members, and a well-thought-out process will help to ensure you find robust candidates. 

Including NDAs, Employment Terms, and Other Details in Contracts

Small business owners must draft comprehensive contracts for new hires joining their sales teams. These contracts should clearly outline the terms of employment, including roles, responsibilities, and termination procedures, along with any necessary nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). An NDA is crucial, as it legally prohibits signing parties from disclosing sensitive company, client, financial, and other information during and sometimes after their employment. This will help you with the meaning of an NDA if you want to do some further reading to ensure you nail this detail in your contracts. Remember, finalizing the contract requires agreement from both parties through signing.

Management 

Designate specific tasks for each member of your sales team, and make sure they're aware of their duties and understand their expectations. If you don't delegate assignments, your sales team won't know exactly what you expect from them. You also won't be able to hold them accountable if they don't have assignments. Keep in mind that you should carefully monitor your staff and give them responsibilities based on their strengths.

Goal-Setting

Before you hire your first sales team, Pipedrive suggests setting reasonable goals related to sales. These goals should be scalable, so you can quantify and compare them accurately.

Reevaluate your goals as necessary to ensure your sales team continues to meet your expectations. Reevaluations help identify when you should change your sales strategy as well. 

Above all, remember that your sales affect more than just revenue. For instance, your sales play a role in your business's growth and potential. Make sure you understand every way your sales play a role so you can train your sales team to meet your goals and have them change when necessary. Effective goal-setting and benchmarking can give you an advantage, but they require you to have a comprehensive understanding of the financial end of your business.  

Lead Generation 

Lead generation can help expand your business. Your sales team may not be able to handle lead generation in addition to the standard point of sale activities, so you may need to hire one or more members to handle your lead generation. With a designated lead generation staff, it's easier to educate these individuals thoroughly, especially if your sales tend to be complex and have an extensive sales cycle. 

Content Marketing

Turn your online content into a powerful recruiting tool through time-tested, DIY strategies. You can leverage online content by showcasing company culture and success stories on social media and professional platforms to attract and engage potential sales team candidates. Learn more about content use and strategies by visiting sites that specialize in the ins and outs of content marketing.

Incentivization 

Using different incentives to achieve the desired outcome has a long history of use. You can use this same concept to boost your sales and revenue.

When your sales team prospers from the number of sales they close, they have a reason to try their best to seal the deal on as many sales as possible. As your staff receives recognition and compensation for a job well done, they'll want to continue to do well and strive to do better. 

Routine Meetings 

Hold routine meetings to let the sales team know how they're performing. Try one-on-one meetings in addition to group meetings. One-on-one meetings allow you to speak to your sales team members about their specific performance. These sessions give your staff a chance to speak about their concerns. You can build a relationship with your staff and ensure they feel comfortable speaking to you about their questions or concerns. 

Hiring Your First Sales Team

Now is time to hand off some of the sales responsibilities to your new team. Remember to hire the right people, include NDAs and other important details in employee contracts, and provide incentives for a job well done. Soon, your sales will take off like never before!