You won't be able to solve your company's sales issues by simply hiring a salesperson.
It's the natural progression to make.
You run a business, are fantastic at what you do, and always look for new clients.
I have had a realization. We need to hire a salesperson because I'm sure that will help our company's sales.
Your mind wanders to the idea that if you hired a salesperson, you'd have more time to devote to other aspects of expanding your business.
If this sounds like you, you are not alone, as you will find out if you attend a Melbourne Business Network.
Look at this snapshot of the average income of successful Australian salespeople:
• Enhanced business and sales performance = $60K–$75K base salary plus $10K–$20K in bonuses (if you can help them close deals).
• An AE in sales can expect to earn a yearly salary of $110,000 to $135,000 (including a base salary of $110,000 and bonuses ranging from $110,000 to $300,000).
• The average annual income of an Account Director (a person in charge of a team of salespeople) is between $150,000 and $200,000 ($150,000 base salary plus $150,000 and $50,000 in commissions).
Yes, there are salespeople available who can solve all your issues in that area. However, they require the services of an Account Director, which is quite expensive.
Specifically, they need at least three to six months of savings to help with the bills.
It's not easy to convince people that working for you is better than a stable, well-paying job with a more well-known company.
Finally, they need to be well-versed in the practicalities of running a small business. If a company lacks a well-known brand and has fewer resources, it may have trouble making sales. Locating your own repeatable, scalable sales processes requires you to use creativity and accept more uncertainty.
Let's talk about how to get past that sales roadblock (s).
Consider Hypothetical #1:
Employ a sales trainer or consultant to assist you in maximizing your current sales potential. Result? Changing tactics or how you negotiate, price, or qualify leads can often significantly affect ROI. Depending on the call, I've seen an immediate increase of $6,000 to $10,000 in revenue. In addition, there is the possibility of a profit from using this strategy.
Consider Hypothetical #2:
Consider hiring a salesperson toward the upper end of the Business/Sales Development Rep salary range. Your annual salary will probably be somewhere between $80,000 and $90,000. The success of any executive-level sales hires on the company's ability to provide the necessary support systems.
A skilled Sales Manager/account director is needed on a temporary/contract basis to fill in the void.
An hourly rate of $200 is reasonable, and considering how infrequently you'll need their assistance, hiring one won't break the bank. Be sure they have experience working with small businesses before hiring them, as this position is more challenging than one in a large corporation due to the lack of name recognition, limited resources, and a high degree of innovation required. And be sure to join a Melbourne business network for everything else!
