sassysaleslady

Head of sales

Personal Narrative

Internal Presentation for Executives: Advice Needed

Hello all!

I work in a SMB and currently handle all marketing and sales. I've successfully grown our company 35% my first year and 40% last year. The plan is to start building out a sales team this year.

The only problem is I AM NOT REALLY A DIRECTOR OF SALES! Or marketing for that matter. My background is operations in healthcare, so all people management, but operations and not sales process focused.

I know I can do the job, but I'm nervous about having the 'street cred' hiring great sales people to work with me. I don't speak the industry lingo and feel a bit weird. I need to increase my confidence. Back in my ops days I lead teams of over 600 employees, so that piece I'm not nervous about.

My idea is to request coaching and training from a sales executive so that I can start learning and implementing sales processes into our organization.

I'm asking for suggestions on how to present this to our executive team. They have an enormous amount of trust in my 'gut instinct', but I know I need professional training. They don't pay me enough to spend it out of my personal pay check, so I need the company to fund this. Any templates that you've used? Suggestions on how to position myself in order to obtain this training?

Thanks!

🎈 Mentorship

🧢 Sales Management

8

16 comments

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braintank

Politicker

3

Enterprise Account Executive

Not to be a Debbie downer, but how do you know you can do the job? Sometimes the best move is to bring in an experienced leader who can run this ship and mentor aspiring people like yourself.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

👀🍿

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

0

Head of sales

I can do job. I have the management skills. See above. I just need some technical and cultural knowledge. I have been in the SMB space, which is fine for now, but our plan is to grow and I need to obtain corporate level skills. I am willing to pay someone to mentor me. Not really looking to be 2nd in command at this point in my career.

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

0

Head of sales

I have been executive level in the past and we are small enough now that I feel confident I can grow into this role organically. Also, we are not at the level where we can pay a sales leader at the caliber I would want to be mentored by. ;)

ThatNewAE

Big Shot

3

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

Great numbers for sure! But what I am really apprehensive about is:
- As an executive leader, I might not be really comfortable hiring a mentor / trainer for my manager to ramp up.

- Like others mentioned, I would rather hire a manager who's well versed with the lingo and management too, than train someone and place that bet on them.

Also, few things:
- You are essentially letting them know your weaknesses, by asking a trainer to help you with so and so areas. I wouldn't go that far, to be honest. Not a matter of trust, but I wouldn't give them ideas they don't have yet.

- You can ramp up on your own. if you really want to buy some time and trust, let your exec team know what you are doing and what you need (materialistically) to ramp up to a director of sales ASAP!

- You are a sales person right now! You know the ground reality. You know what sales folks need, what they don't need from their leaders! You just have the core idea of all of this!!!! All you need is to use this knowledge, and back it up with self training and good conversations with sales leaders.

1. Podcasts!
2. If you can network 1-1 on LinkedIn, do that. Talk to sales leaders outside of your firm. Just a candid conversation over coffee, you will learn a lot already.
3. Start small! Start by 'mentoring' 1-2 folks in your team. That would give you an idea of 'management'.
4. Put up a plan together as to what all you need (not just what all you lack) and then formulate this presentation with your exec.

If there are other sales directors in your own company, ask if you can join their internal team meetings and stay a silent spectator.

I would not ask for a trainer. I would ask for a support, after doing my thorough research first! :)

Coastal_crusher

Politicker

1

Sales Director

Sounds like you are best off hiring a sales manager to handle a small team. While you may have great operational and people experience, you need to be able to motivate, track (and IF necessary, micromanage) a sales team

Why pay someone to mentor you when you can pay someone to do the job?

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

1

Head of sales

I understand hiring a sales manager would be a easy solution. That isn’t what we are looking for. I am an executive and working on obtaining ownership in this company and want to grow my skills as the business grows. Honestly if I wanted to be mentored by an in-house manager I would go work for a large company and get paid to be trained. I am looking to invest into my career and grow myself personally. Any advice that is a bit more in line with my ask?

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Tell them why you need it and have the details (cost, outcomes, etc.) ready.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

so first off the growth numbers are super solid! nice work.

I also like the idea of getting coaching in areas you dont seem confident in, so again, cudos.

in my opinion this sounds like a time to delegate. you sound like you could be a more of a CRO figure and what you need is to hire the right VP of sales. Someone who has sold products that are in your average deal size and who has hired sales ppl before.

because one of the BIG things AEs/ sales ppl will really care about is "who is my boss and what can i learn from them."

So your gaps that you have pointed out are real concerns. i would have a hard time working for someone who has never done sales if im JUST an AE.

go find a VP is my suggestion.

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

1

Head of sales

Thank you! This is so helpful, thanks for sharing the insight of how the team may respond to my personal experience. ;) any suggestions on kick a$$ sales leaders I should learn from?

TennisandSales

Politicker

0

Head Of Sales

hmmm i like Scott Leese https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/

hes a pretty real dude and has a no BS attitude. I might start looking through his content.

i think he could have some advice on the first sales hire.

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

1

Head of sales

Thank you, I actually follow him. ;) great stuff. What do you think about the sales rebellion? I like their style too.

activity

Politicker

1

VP, Business Development

We all have to make difficult decisions during our career and you need to weigh the pros/cons. If the pros heavily outweigh the cons, it may be scary but investing in yourself will never be something you regret.

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

0

Head of sales

Thank you. ;)

GingerBarbarian

Opinionated

1

Lead Sales

Find a coach you like first. Hopefully it is one that has a podcast or something like that. From there, send clips from YouTube videos and podcasts on occassion to back up your gut feelings.

After they start to trust the coach you pick, it will be easy to ask for the funds.

I will also point you towards Marcus Cauchi and the Inquisitor podcast. I have mentioned him before.

sassysaleslady

Personal Narrative

0

Head of sales

Thank you!

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