Episode Details

Are you tired of being the only one in your agency responsible for closing deals? Would you like to build a top-notch agency sales team to land the deals you've always wanted? In this episode, you'll learn how to find the right salesperson, build a sales team, train, manage, and compensate them so the owner is no longer the one responsible for agency sales.

It all starts with:

• Understanding your ideal client.
• Finding and training the right salespeople.
• Creating a sales process that works for the sales team.

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Being an agency owner can feel like being on a rollercoaster ride. One moment you have a full pipeline and the next it is as dry as the desert. I remember focusing all my attention on sales to get new business and then having to switch my focus to delivery. As soon as I was focused on delivery I noticed sales suffered. In hindsight, I think I was self-sabotaging sales because we just couldn't deliver as fast as I was selling the services.

To fix this problem you have to find a salesperson who can do a better job at sales than you do, as the agency owner.

• Hunter: usually has a lower salary and gets paid per appointment.
• Closer: with a higher base salary and tiered commission, and should have a sales quota.
• Farmer or account service: has a mid-range salary with a bonus based on client retention.

The BIGGEST MISTAKE you can make while searching for a salesperson is trying to find a unicorn that can fill all three of these roles. And, you don't need to hire all three at once. Start by hiring for the role you're weakest at. Are you good at getting the leads in but lacking when it comes to following up? Then hire a closer. Eventually, you can hire the rest and grow a sales team.

Pro tip: be sure to give them the right title. No one wants to meet with a "Business Development Manager" or "Salesperson." Personally, I've always preferred the term Specialist, like Scale Specialist or Conversion Specialist. You need a title that makes prospects want to have a conversation.

Now where can you actually find these salespeople? You have several choices:

1. Personal connections: I don't suggest hiring a friend, but a mutual connection is a winner almost every time.
2. Current and past clients: Your clients already know what you do and your process and they may love working for you.
3. Salespeople who have sold to you in the past: They can even be from another industry. The important thing is that you had a good experience; you can teach and train them in everything else agency-related.
4. Recruiters and job boards: This has never personally worked for me but it depends on your style and preferences.

Once you start the interview process, how can you tell a sales candidate is right for your agency? Look at how they're behaving during the interview. Are they talking too much? If they do, it's probably a bad sign. A good salesperson listens more than they talk. Are they asking great questions? Have they been successful in sales in the past? As mentioned, t