SaaStr

JUNE 17, 2023

The toughest part in the end is always recruiting. Recruiting. Over time, that’s recruiting more and more senior folks, so the target changes. You’ll have to be recruiting new ones all the time. That means you are constantly recruiting. Dear SaaStr: How Should I Design My First Sales Rep Compensation Plan?

Sales Recruiting 167

Sales Recruiting Scale Compensation Business Model 167

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

From $1m in ARR, and Then Forever After: Recruiting Great VPs. Later, once you have a brand, you’ll be competing with Hot Startups nipping at your heals for top VPs. You need to learn to become great at recruiting. Why is my sales team less efficient at $20m ARR than at $2m in ARR? This challenge never ends.

Sales Recruiting 246

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Startup Scale 246

SaaStr

JULY 12, 2021

Q: What are some common blind spots and mistakes startups make when hiring for and building out a sales team? Some of the top blind spots founders and even VPs of Sales make: #1. You hire a sales rep to sell before you can prove you can do it yourself. You hire a VP of Sales to sell before you prove you can do it yourself.

Sales Hiring 260

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Sales Branding 260

Tom Tunguz

MAY 31, 2021

The third impact is damage to the employer brand. The management team at the time of the sale to Google collaborated for 5 years without turnover. Regardless, the shared culture and consistency of the team was a strength for the business, and ultimately a competitive advantage in execution time, culture, and employee brand.

Sales Hiring 169

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Startup Branding 169

OpenView Labs

DECEMBER 16, 2019

So if scaling your sales organization is a priority in 2020, here are the things you need to be aware of to make sure you do so successfully. In my experience both as a salesperson and as a recruiter, it’s primarily been four things: They want the work they’re doing to matter to them. How to build a magnetic brand.

Sales Recruiting 53

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Trends 53

SaaStr

JANUARY 27, 2021

We’ve talked a ton on SaaStr over the years on how to make sure your VP of Sales and top hires really work out. We can pretty much summarize a lot of it into the following: Your VP of Sales should have lots of experience selling at your average ACV. for that type of sale. That they are the right ones. Ask who they are.

Sales Recruiting 323

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Sales 323

SaaStr

AUGUST 28, 2020

I know we’ve hit a number of these points individually before on SaaStr, but after getting asked about the top mistakes hiring your first sales team so many times over the years, I thought it would be worthwhile to assemble a Top 10 List. Yes, you may be terrible at sales. It’s sales, after all. Here’s my Top 10 list: #1.

Sales Hiring 321

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Scale Sales 321

SaaStr

JANUARY 23, 2024

Once you cross $5m-$10m in ARR, then usually: You have a brand. At least, you have a mini-brand in your niche. And that brand generates leads organically, and fairly low-cost leads. Efficiency goes down in other places (sales efficiency usually, marketing efficiency often). This helps a lot. You have redundancy.

Scale 191

Scale Sales Recruiting Scaling Branding 191

SaaStr

MAY 29, 2022

So we’ve talked so much over the years on SaaStr on how to hire a great VP of Sales, the difference they’ll make, and how the level-up comes quickly. And VPs of Sales do, too. Don’t hire a VP of Sales that isn’t truly comfortable selling to your buyer persona, especially in B2D and fintech. Be careful.

Sales Hiring 246

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Startup Sales 246

SaaStr

MAY 31, 2021

Still, an overall deep-dive on lessons learned the second and third time around: Not Easier : Recruiting – Not Easier. You might think after (goodness) the best part of 20 years of working in tech, 18 as an executive or CEO, and 13 as a founder … I’d be pretty good at recruiting at this point. Brand, Brand, Brand.

Sales Recruiting 311

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Branding 311

SaaStr

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Ah the VP of Sales. The first post is What a Great VP of Sales Actually Does. The second post is a script for you to use (and modify as you see fit) – 10 Great Questions to Ask a VP Sales Candidate. Just so you know, there are 48 Different Types of VP Sales. You have a micro-brand. The toughest hire.

Sales Hiring 363

Sales Hiring Scale Sales Recruiting Sales 363

Kellblog

JULY 17, 2022

What does our brand stand for? What promise does our brand make? These are some of the questions that quickly come up when thinking about branding. In general, I think branding is a potential marketing rathole for startups, particularly early-stage ones. Do want to build a brand? Do want to build a brand?

Branding 132

Branding Startup Software Sales Recruiting 132

SaaStr

MARCH 25, 2023

So one recent survey we did really brought out a healthy debate: does your VP of Sales really need to be a product expert? Many of the comments said it was more important a VP of Sales understand process and leadership more than the product itself. They often melt. I say, you just gotta know the product. Not just with buzzwords.

Scale 218

Scale Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Sales 218

SaaStr

JUNE 24, 2022

Your best sales reps can close so much more than your average rep. Move the bottom 10% out and give the best leads to your top performer, and watch sales go up 20%. The best VPs of Sales design comp plans so the team never wants to leave. You should be striving for zero voluntary attrition on your sales team.

Sales Recruiting 204

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Customer Success 204

Buffer Resources

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

This is your street credibility and personal brand all rolled into one. Thanks to that hard work and consistency, I've established a personal brand grounded in credibility and respect, and grown my follower count to 45,000. The reality is that the best LinkedIn users are marketing machines. The ROI is insane.

Sales Recruiting 127

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Social Media 127

SaaStr

MARCH 7, 2021

I thought it would be worth drilling down deeper into each of them, and sharing the learnings and mistakes: 1/ Spending less time fixing things, more time recruiting senior folks to own them. No one spends enough time recruiting as it is, after $1m ARR or so. Yes, you can manage the sales team yourself. You can do this.

Part-Time VPE 257

Part-Time VPE Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale 257

SaaStr

MAY 6, 2021

A CRO owns and directs the strategy over a company’s revenue cycle, but there’s not a set standard for operational or management decisions: in addition to sales and sales development, they might be responsible for customer success, lead generation and pipelines, and even marketing and brand development.

Sales Hiring 228

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Interviewing Revenue 228

Sales Hacker

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Writer is an AI writing tool that helps teams write in the same tone and style so that all of the company’s communications are consistent and representative of the brand. Tips for recruiting the best possible team members and how patience factors into that. 31:07) A consultative sales process and messaging considerations. (36:56)

Sales Recruiting 93

Sales Recruiting Enterprise AI Banking 93

Mucker Capital

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

In this Mucker Growth session, Rosabel Tao from Fire & Bridge delves into the critical field of startup positioning strategy and its crucial role in shaping enduring brands. Think of it as the rational Spock side of your business brain, defining the concise, fact-based narrative, while branding embodies the emotive Captain Kirk side.

Branding 98

Branding Startup Development Strategy 98

SaaStr

APRIL 16, 2021

Just make sure at least 50% of their energy goes into promoting the company, and not just their personal brand. Support and partner with sales. Own brand & brand positioning. Having a CMO that is present, that is visible, is great for recruiting and much more. CMO is a tough job. The half-life is short.

Sales Recruiting 266

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Branding Product Marketing 266

SaaStr

JULY 29, 2021

Someone great at something core you aren’t: Sales, Engineering, Marketing. Great at sales. If you hire someone to do the first sales, you’ll never understand it yourself. When you go to hire your first sales rep, hire 2. 50% of the job for a VP is recruiting. At least, not until you have a brand. More here.

Sales Hiring 300

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Interviewing Engineering 300

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Dig deeper on a lot of titles during recruiting. A "VP of Revenue" often knows nothing about inside sales or building a sales team. A "CRO" often doesn't want to do sales anymore. Corporate Marketers know how to expand your brand. A “VP of Revenue” for a VP of Sales job.

Sales Hiring 266

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Growth Hacking Product Marketing 266

SaaStr

NOVEMBER 5, 2020

The companies that create the SVPs you’ll need, especially in Sales and Marketing, are still mostly based in the SF Bay Area. Just in the past few weeks, 3 top, brand-name CMOs I know joined $10m+ ARR start-ups HQ’d in Berlin, in Atlanta, and in Colorado. With SMBs, you can hack it a bit more. are all here.

Sales Hiring 294

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Scale Scaling 294

SaaStr

AUGUST 7, 2020

A few factors that contribute to high-performing sales teams: High quota attainment. The best startups invest in their sales teams and work hard so most of the reps hit and exceed quota. Turning over a sales team is very hard on the organization. A great VP of Sales is worth her weight in gold. They have low attrition.

Sales Hiring 309

Sales Hiring Scale Sales Recruiting Compensation 309

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

They have a good incentive to recruit almost as hard as you do, and network a lot to help you. A true brand name VC on your board or cap table can help attract top VPs and other candidates. Everyone is attracted to brands. They get better at this the longer they work with you. A Few Good Hires / Potential Hires. That can help.

Sales Hiring 205

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Investment Acquisition 205

Tom Tunguz

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Every prospect championing a software purchase will be asked by the opponents of the sale and decision-makers : “Who else is using the software?” And the best way to fight the inertia in sales is to equip your champions. A great customer logo slide is like a bank account. Great brands attract other great brands.

Sales Recruiting 214

Sales Recruiting Banking Branding Software 214

Sales Hacker

MARCH 30, 2023

If you’re new to sales (or don’t have an economics degree), decoding the sales compensation plan on offer can make your head spin. There are 3 key questions you must ask your hiring manager or recruiter when offered a sales role to maximize your earnings and career potential. Variable OTE. Quota attainment.

Compensation 74

Compensation Underperforming Technical Team Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring 74

Sales Hacker

NOVEMBER 17, 2022

If you’re looking to move up the ladder into a sales leadership role, your resume is key to getting your foot in the door. Related: 8 High-Paying Sales Jobs (And How to Get Them). In most cases, I prefer having these basic sections: Branding Title. Related: Secrets to Acing the Sales Interview: Tips From a Recruiting Leader.

Leadership 76

Leadership Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Sales 76

Sales Hacker

AUGUST 7, 2020

Fortunately, more organizers than ever before are consciously seeking out female sales experts for panels, presentations, and podcasts. At Sales Hacker, we’re serious about diversity, and for that reason, we’ve compiled a list of 530+ female sales experts to consider for your next event. Sales Development. Sales Growth.

VP of Engineering 121

VP of Engineering Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Payment Services 121

SaaStr

JULY 25, 2021

They talked about product adoption, sales alignment, freemium models and lessons they have learned throughout their successful SaaS careers. As two CEO who love the art of sales and scaling, this one really was special. Recruiting is easier, but the things that don’t change are customers don’t care.

Sales Recruiting 242

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale VP of Engineering 242

Tom Tunguz

JUNE 11, 2020

A recruiter in the audience submitted a question often discussed in startup boardrooms. And when I say pillar, I mean like a product marketing problem, a growth problem, or brand marketing problem. If I’m not doing a lot to build the brand and I’m still getting inbound, then I’m like, wow, okay. The full transcript is here.

Sales Hiring 249

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Product Marketing Acquisition 249

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

379: From how many reps to hire, to compensation models, here are the top 10 mistakes founders make when hiring their first sales teams and how to avoid them. Announcer: In today’s SaaStr Insider, SaaStr CEO and founder, Jason Lemkin, shared the top 10 mistakes founders make when hiring their first sales team.

Sales Hiring 167

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Scale Sales 167

Tom Tunguz

NOVEMBER 9, 2019

The question facing founders recruiting marketers is: which is the most important to prioritize? Marketing expertise falls into three segments: product marketing, demand generation, and brand marketing. Brand marketers are the third type of marketer who develops the market’s awareness of a company.

Scale 223

Scale Startup Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring 223

Sales Hacker

DECEMBER 8, 2023

Accordingly, the recruiting of beta customers and roadmap selling happen earlier, providing for customer quotes as part of the launch. Julien Sauvage (VP Brand, Content and Product Marketing at Clari ) explains that this is part of Clari’s playbook. Make sure your message lands. Keep it simple. “Do It’s showtime. Message amplification.

Sales Recruiting 99

Sales Recruiting Generative AI AI AWS 99

Neil Patel

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

With the competition for customers becoming stiffer by the day, brands have to be savvy about the way they do their marketing. Research indicates that 80 percent of customers are more likely to do business with a brand that offers personalized experiences. Make sure they align with your brand. Clear and Compelling Content.

Sales Recruiting 141

Sales Recruiting Marketing Social Media Branding 141

Buffer Resources

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

This is your street credibility and personal brand all rolled into one. Thanks to that hard work and consistency, I've established a personal brand grounded in credibility and respect, and grown my follower count to 45,000. The reality is that the best LinkedIn users are marketing machines. The ROI is insane.

Sales Recruiting 52

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Scale Social Media 52

The Angel VC

APRIL 1, 2017

At the excellent SaaStr Annual 2016 conference about a year ago, a very experienced SaaS CEO said on stage that an internal recruiter can be a startup CEO’s secret superpower. Being willing to invest in an internal recruiter or talent manager (or more broadly, an HR person) early on requires pretty big balls a lot of confidence.

Sales Hiring 168

Sales Hiring Sales Recruiting Startup Software Review 168