by Asad Zaman The current state of the economy is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. From the zero-interest rates era – which meant virtually free money and funding rounds galore – we’ve been jolted into one in which capital is tight and startups have to justify every dollar they raise. Not every company was built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read) - [ ### These 13 answered questions will help you bounce back after a layoffBy Michael Pilon As you’ve likely seen in the posts dotting your LinkedIn timeline recently, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, especially in tech. In fact, in 2023 alone, tech startups across the globe have laid off over 135,000 employees (2022 saw over 160,000 cuts). Even tech giants like Meta and Shopify aren’t safe, having \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-13-answered-questions-will-help-with-tech-layoffs-2022) - [ ### Six tips for acing your next virtual interviewBy Michael Pilon The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to HireVue’s survey, 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview) - [ ### How to improve your sales resume and LinkedIn profileBy: Jamie Scarborough Your step-by-step guide to getting noticed, short-listed and interviewed for a great sales job. Finding your next great sales role starts with getting interviewed by a top employer. To get there you are going to need two important marketing pieces: an impressive resume and a well-developed LinkedIn profile. We assume you \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-sales-resume-and-linkedin-profile) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue. These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### Learning from Necessity: How Sales Leaders are Evolving Their Strategies in a Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 has presented us with economic challenges that we need to face head-on. It’s a chance to improve and innovate and find a new way forward. We need to be asking ourselves, how can we make our sales infrastructure and approach better than it was before? Watch this virtual event collaboration with Thoughtexchange to hear \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/learning-from-necessity-how-sales-leaders-are-evolving-their-strategies-in-a-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies. Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1) - [ ### We are excited to introduce Sales Talent Agency’s first ever Chief Executive Officer and Chief Customer OfficerBuilding Sales Talent Agency has been an amazing experience. We had the idea for a sales-specific recruitment company in early 2007 and launched in July of that year. The recruitment market was changing a lot at the time: the Internet had given agencies and internal recruiters bigger access to talent than ever before but it \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/we-are-excited-to-introduce-sales-talent-agencys-first-ever-chief-executive-officer-and-chief-customer-officer) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### How to treat your job hunt like a sales proAny time you have a goal in life that requires someone else to help you fulfill it (i.e. getting a great job), it’s called “sales”. And, it requires a sales mindset. With sales, it’s not just about having the best product. You have to ensure that you have enough potential buyers for that product \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-treat-your-job-hunt-like-a-sales-pro) - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Featured on Uvaro’s ‘The Future Of’Our Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of) - [ ### 5 things we learned from “Cross-Border Hiring: Everything you need to know!” webinarSales Talent Agency was pleased to host a webinar to discuss various aspects of ‘cross-border hiring’ with two leading legal authorities on the subject. Below is a summary of the top 5 takeaways from the webinar and a link to the full video is also available here. We were joined by two legal experts: Bonnie \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-things-we-learned-from-cross-border-hiring-everything-you-need-to-know-webinar) - [ ### The Predictable Revenue Podcast: The ins and outs of sales recruiting with Jamie Scarborough of Sales Talent AgencyOn this edition of The Predictable Revenue Podcast, co-host Collin Stewart welcomes Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder of The Sales Talent Agency Jamie has been on the forefront of sales recruitment for more than a decade: in addition to founding Sales Talent Agency, he also co-founded the Great Canadian Sales Competition, the biggest national student competition in Canada. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-predictable-revenue-podcast-the-ins-and-outs-of-sales-recruiting-with-jamie-scarborough-of-sales-talent-agency) - [ ### 10 tips for hiring and onboarding remotelyBY: Sheila Cassidy and Asad Zaman 1. When you’re looking for talent, rethink your ideal candidate profile We know the qualities that we typically look for in a hire from high DNA, a strong background, metrics to support it, the list goes on. But also think about the people on your team that are thriving working \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/10-tips-for-hiring-and-onboarding-remotely) - [ ### How we plan to manage, support and build mutual trust with our home-based teamBY: JAMIE SCARBOROUGH When we started Sales Talent Agency in 2007, almost 80% of B2B salespeople were outside reps. They travelled throughout their territory daily and were rarely, if ever, in the office. As a sales manager, your role was to stay engaged and be valuable to them when you were not in the same \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/home-is-where-the-hire-is) - [ ### Confidence vs. competence: how to manage a new sales hire through 4 stagesBY: Stefan karpowicz Great sales leaders know that making a successful sales hire is as much about equipping the candidate post-hire as it is about the candidate themselves. While there is an entire list of things you should consider when hiring a salesperson, a thoughtful management approach is critical for fast ramp-up and long-term engagement. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-manage-a-new-sales-hire-through-4-stages) - [ ### How to successfully onboard remote salespeopleBY: ASAD ZAMAN The future of work looks remote. That’s not a bleak analysis of the employment forecast – recessions come and go, but in the digital age, remote sales roles are here to stay. Working remotely offers a number of benefits to employees: they don’t have to commute to work, they don’t have to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople) - [ ### Webinar: How HR professionals can equip their sales teams for successWe have partnered with WorkTango to present a webinar on how HR professionals can equip their sales teams for cultural and organizational success. Check out the full webinar here. Do you want more content like this? Subscribe below to get our latest articles, podcasts, webinars and more delivered right to your inbox! \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-equip-sales-team) - [ ### Managing Director of Siteimprove Canada, Mike Cart, speaks to how he built a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian marketIn episode 1 of All About Revenue, we sit down with Managing Director of Siteimprove, Mike Cart, to discuss his journey to becoming a sales leader, and his strategy for building out a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian market. Asad: Today’s All About Revenue podcast is with Mike Cart, the Managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/all-about-revenue-episode-1) - [ ### Webinar: How to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales teamWe have partnered with Nudge.ai to present a webinar on how to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team. Check out the full webinar here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/webinar-how-to-hire-onboard-and-retain-a-scaling-sales-team) - [ ### Negotiation expert, Fotini Iconomopoulos, uncovers what negotiation really is and provides best practices to get the outcome you wantIntroduction of our guest, Fotini Iconomopoulos. Stefan: Welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. Our guest today is Fotini Iconomopoulos. She is an MBA Sessional Instructor at the Schulich School of Business at York University, and founder of Forward Focusing, a negotiation, communication, and leadership consulting firm. Nicknamed “The Negotiator” as a child, she \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/fotini-iconomopoulos) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) - [ ### The 3 biggest mistakes companies make when hiring sales engineersBY ALI ALIZADEH Over the past decade, the sales engineer (SE) has arguably become one of the most important business hires alongside the sales team. They play an integral part in the sales process by helping develop and present compelling solutions to the buyers while also presenting the competitive advantages of their solution. In \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-companies-make-when-hiring-sales-engineers) - [ ### How to Build a World-Class Sales Team WebinarBy Asad Zaman Click here to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1. How to FIND qualified sales people 2. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar) - [ ### Asad Zaman, Partner and Managing Director of Executive Talent Agency, featured on The North ReportCheck out STA Partner and Managing Director of Executive Search, Asad Zaman, as he sits down with The North Report to discuss go-to-market team structures and strategies for hiring great sales talent as an early stage company!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/asad-zaman-partner-and-managing-director-of-executive-talent-agency-featured-on-the-north-report) - [ ### Asad Zaman, Partner and Managing Director of Executive Talent Agency, featured on the Sergey Ross Growth podcastOn episode #22 of the Sergey Ross Growth podcast, Asad Zaman discusses his path to success, how he developed his sales skillset, and what it takes to run a sales team.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/asad-zaman-partner-and-managing-director-of-executive-talent-agency-featured-on-the-sergey-ross-growth-podcast) - [ ### Sales negotiation trainer & keynote speaker, Tony Perzow, speaks to why people “suck at negotiating”Introduction of our guest, Tony Perzow. Stefan: Welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. Our guest today is Tony Perzow, a negotiation keynote speaker & trainer, an international sales expert, and author. He has led presentations and workshops for over 10,000 professionals from companies like Walmart, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Intel. In his seminars \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-negotiation-with-tony-perzow) - [ ### Bombadil LLC Owner, Andy Gole, speaks about the worthy sales hero and best practices for sustaining motivationA little bit of information about our guest, Andy Gole. Stefan: Good morning and welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast series. Today, we’ll be focusing on the topic of motivation in sales and why the act of selling is very positive and should be viewed as heroic. For over 25 years, our guest \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-andy-gole) - [ ### Top 5 questions about sales compensation (Full Version)Over the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions. The original video is presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2) - [ ### Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie ScarboroughIn this episode of Sales Hacker, Jamie Scarborough sits down with Sam Jacobs to talk about the secrets to managing an amazing sales career. To listen to the full podcast, click here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker) - [ ### Kristin Condon, VP and Partner at Sales Talent Agency, featured on Zonecast podcastIn this episode of ZoneCast, Kristin Condon joins Salman Aziz to talk about professional development as a recruiter, Sales Talent Agency’s recruitment methodologies and female leadership.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/kristin-condon-featured-on-zone-cast) - [ ### Lessons from an executive: Charlie AtkinsonBY KEVIN HESARI A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak with Charlie Atkinson about managing relationships, working with technical talent, and some of the key habits he had that helped him get to where he wanted to be. Charlie’s background includes being both a Marketing leader at organizations like Sharp and Kodak, managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-9-19-lessons-from-an-executive-charlie-atkinson) - [ ### Canadian Business Feature: How to build a stellar sales forceCanada’s Fastest-Growing Companies are indisputable experts in selling stuff really, really well. Who better to give advice on revving up sales? It isn’t easy to get a sales gig at Home Painters Toronto. For Brian Young, the CEO of the Toronto-based company (2018 Growth 500: No. 205), the hunt for a new addition to his \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-stellar-sales-force) - [ ### TradeGecko, VP of Global Sales, Stephen Defina, speaks to building a profitable organizationThis allows you to find the right units to measure growth and determine if you are getting closer to completing your mission. One key piece of advice from Stephen was that you should not be looking for “sales reps”, but should be looking for problem solvers. At its core, your team should consist of individuals \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-trade-gecko) - [ ### Nudge.ai CEO, Paul Teshima, talks to the importance of building relationships and a successful sales strategyNudge.ai is a relationship intelligence platform that uses artificial intelligence to find actionable insights on prospects and helps salespeople manage/measure their relationships with clients. When engaging with prospects or nurturing relationships with current clients, Paul believes that sales professionals should focus on lead quality over lead quantity. He states that 84% of sales start \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-nudge) - [ ### Loopio Co-Founders, Jafar and Zakir, talk about attracting top sales talent and growing a company cultureAfter graduating from university, Jafar and Zak figured they would work a few years, get an MBA and work toward a corporate executive career like many others; which was the case for Jafar. However, after both were exposed to the startup bug they knew it was the path they wanted to pursue. Jafar and Zak’s early \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-loopio) - [ ### Citron Hygiene EVP of Sales and Marketing, Alison Mahoney, talks about understanding your role and growth in an organizationThis interview spoke much about the importance of drive, hunger, and an understanding of what it takes to be successful as key indicators of potential in salespeople. Alison focuses on making sure each member of her team understands their position and that without their efforts, that she would not be able to make her business \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-citron-hygiene) - [ ### 6 interview tips to land your best sales role yetToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-interview-tips-to-land-your-best-sales-role-yet) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, co-founder of Sales Talent Agency featured on LeadIQ podcastSonya joins Ryan O’Hara on the LeadIQ podcast. She talks about her story, how she learned about selling as an early employee at Monster.com and being sold to all the time by sales reps. Check it out below!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-4-19-sonya-meloff-co-founder-of-sales-talent-agency-featured-on-leadiq-podcast) - [ ### Honk Founder & CEO, Michael Back, talks about the evolution of sales and the trait he most respects in a sales personMichael Back (MB): On the consumer side, Honk is here to make it easier to search, find, reserve and pay for parking. On the owner and operator side, it’s about putting more cars in their parking lots. That’s really what it boils down to. Jamie Scarborough (JS): Collective POS, your last business which you built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-honk) - [ ### How to find a great sales roleToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-find-a-great-sales-role) - [ ### Firmex CEO, Joel Lessem on “building a machine”, a culture of respect, and why Firmex will never hire sales engineersTell us about Firmex today. Joel Lessem (JL): Firmex is 11 years old now. We are a for profit SaaS company. You find a lot of them aren’t making money. We’ve grown steadily in North America and now overseas. We’re over 100 employees and a “rule of 40” company. Great operating business with the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-firmex) - [ ### 8 LinkedIn tips to land your next sales jobToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/8-linkedin-tips-to-land-your-next-sales-job) - [ ### 3 Tips to Sell Without Selling OutBy Katherine Perrin I have a very interesting and unique job. Everyday I have the privilege of interacting with students, professors, colleges and universities, but what makes it unique is my mandate to sell them on why they should participate in a nationwide sales competition. The sell is not easy – sales has a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-tips-to-sell-without-selling-out) - [ ### Five things I learned in my first year as a Sales ManagerSonya and her SDR team at the 2017 STA holiday party by Sonya Meloff In 2017, I embarked on a journey to build a sales team for Sales Talent Agency. Prior to that, we’d never had one, as I had been the only “dedicated” sales person. This worked well for many years but by the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/five-things-i-learned-in-my-first-year-as-a-sales-manager-lzlgh) - [ ### What do you wear to a job interview?Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to write a sales resume? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-what-to-wear-to-a-job-interview) - [ ### How do you navigate your work’s holiday party?Today’s business world can be really confusing- especially in social settings. What is the protocol for office events? Are they mandatory? What about when alcohol is involved? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-holiday-party) - [ ### These 6 things helped me achieve success as a woman in businessBy SONYA MELOFF Let’s jump right into it! The first thing that has helped me as a women in business is that I really never think about it. I’ve always just taken the view that to be the best me in business, you really just have to be the best in business, regardless of gender. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-6-things-helped-me-achieve-success-as-a-woman-in-business) - [ ### Sales Talent Agency presents: A Candidate’s Guide to InterviewingWhile not all bosses will be as hard to impress in an interview as Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada; preparation, dress code, timing and post interview follow-ups will set you up for success. Congratulations! This job is now within your grasp and it is up to you to ensure you put your best foot \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interview-tips) - [ ### 5 tips to ace your next networking eventToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101) - [ ### Advice on Creating a 30/60/90 Day Plan for Your New JobSo, you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road. Your future employer is asking you to build this plan for the following 3 \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/advice-on-creating-a-30-60-90-day-plan-for-your-new-job) - [ ### 5 menswear looks to upgrade your office wardrobe for fallAs a formal dress code no longer exists (hello 2017) getting ready for work can leave us in limbo. How does one navigate that ambiguous space of looking office sharp without coming across as stuffy and drab or worse yet- overly casual? Fall is the perfect time to introduce a few staple pieces to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-menswear-looks-to-upgrade-your-wardrobe-for-fall) - [ ### Does your sales pitch meet these 5 key criteria?BY SONYA MELOFF Crafting a good pitch can be the difference between having a door open, or not. It is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell and who you are selling to. Below are 5 key elements to keep \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/secrets-to-a-perfect-sales-pitch) - [ ### Score your next sales role with your 30/60/90 day planSo you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road when it comes to money and a ultimately a job offer. Your future employer \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/score-your-next-sales-role-with-your-306090-day-plan) - [ ### What has changed in sales in the past 10 yearsBY SONYA MELOFF | September 14, 2017 This month, our company Sales Talent Agency will be celebrating a very exciting 10 year milestone as a business and, in honour of the occasion, I spouted my mouth off in a meeting (as I’m so apt to do) that it would be fun to put out a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/changes-in-sales-in-the-past-10-years) - [ ### 10 Years of STA: The Sales RevolutionSales Talent Agency opened its doors in 2007. Back then, sales was the accidental career. Today sales is one of the most sought-after jobs in every company. In the last 10 years almost everything has changed for a sales professional… It has been an amazing decade for Canada’s biggest sales recruitment company. More than 8,000 \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/10years) - [ ### Selling yourself for your first sales jobBY SHEILA CASSIDY We all know the infamous saying: you can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. As such, the idea of drafting a resume as a student is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I’ve reviewed resumes professionally in two capacities: one as a Student Career Leader \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/selling-yourself-for-your-first-sales-job) - [ ### Globe and Mail feature: Educational institutions should help prepare students for careers in salesBy Sonya Meloff | June 2, 2017 Canadian university and college students want to be entrepreneurs, marketers, teachers … the list goes on. One thing is becoming clearer than ever: If we want the youth unemployment rate in this country to decrease – it’s double the national unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent at 12.4 – \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/globe-and-mail-feature-educational-institutions-should-help-prepare-students-for-careers-in-sales) - [ ### Globe and Mail Feature: Companies aim to sell students on salesRead full article featuring Jamie Scarborough, founding partner of Sales Talent Agency here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/globe-and-mail-feature-companies-aim-to-sell-students-on-sales) - [ ### The Great Canadian Sales Competition featured on The NationalView the full segment here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-on-the-national) - [ ### Feeling overwhelmed with extra-curricular involvement? Choose your lane.Elite Daily stated that “we live in a society in which productivity is considered to be a highly valued aspect of life. If you seek to impress someone, whether it’s at a job, networking or in everyday relationships, people will wonder what you’re up to. ‘Nothing’ is an answer that’s often frowned upon, as is general laziness”. However, it seems that for the most part this statement is misconstrued, especially by those who are young, hungry and eager to impress – students.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/feeling-overwhelmed-with-extra-curricular-involvement-choose-your-lane) - [ ### Failing to Prepare is Preparing to FailAny good sales representative knows that preparation is often the key to success. This applies to all aspects of a sales process – from the discovery to the presentation, right up to negotiating and closing the deal.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail) - [ ### Women in SalesAccording to the most recent Stat-Can Labour market report, there has been a “substantial increase” in the number of women entering the workforce. Women are now 58% of all graduates at Canadian Universities/Colleges (you can read why here), and most of them are pursuing professional careers (doctors, lawyers, etc.) with more and more pursuing business.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/women-in-sales-6-reasons-women-thrive-sales) - [ ### BNN feature with Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, on the opportunities for women in business-to-business salesSonya Meloff, founding partner at Sales Talent Agency, joins BNN’s Catherine Murray for a look at why 2017 is shaping up to be the year women will find big opportunities in business-to-business sales. Check out the full interview here
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/bnn-feature-with-sonya-meloff-co-founder-at-sales-talent-agency-on-the-opportunities-for-women-in-business-to-business-sales) - [ ### She Does The City featuring Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya MeloffSonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency and the Great Canadian Sales Competition gives A GIRL’S GUIDE TO MAKING IT BIG IN SALES in She Does the City. Check out the full article here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/she-does-the-city-featuring-sales-talent-agency-co-founder-sonya-meloff) - [ ### Today’s Notable Young ProfessionalSheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition, was featured as Today’s Notable Young Professional. Check out the full article here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/todays-notable-young-professional) - [ ### How I Landed 2 Amazing Co-op Positions Without Applying to an Online Job PostingPrior to going into my second year of University I was approached by Sheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), regarding an ambassador position at St Francis Xavier University (StFX). When I received her message, I was unsure what I would be getting myself into – I knew absolutely nothing about sales, but I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot. Little did I know, just how much I had to gain from taking on this opportunity! I took the call with Sheila and quickly realized there was a huge networking opportunity that the GCSC would offer my fellow students and I.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-i-landed-2-amazing-co-op-positions-without-apply-to-an-online-job-posting) - [ ### Unlearning What I Thought I Knew About SalesIf you asked me a year ago if I would have considered sales as a career, I probably would have said “no” with a large degree of certainty. But in reality I was uneducated about what sales consisted of and what a sales career actually looked like. Working as an on-campus Ambassador for the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC) really helped me to understand what sales actually was and ultimately led me to the exec position I now hold with the team.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/unlearning-what-i-thought-i-knew-about-sales) - [ ### How extra-curriculars made me job readyBY KATHERINE PERRIN When I think back to the earlier days of my education, I remember one particular day like it was yesterday. A man from Enactus Canada came to one of my marketing classes to speak about the benefits of extracurricular activities. He said “How many of you want to get a job after graduating?” \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-extra-curriculars-made-me-job-ready) - [ ### How to write a sales resumeTips for writing a sales resume from Sales Talent Agency, a top sales recruiter in Toronto, Chicago & Vancouver. Find a position at a leading sales firm.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-resume-tips) - [ ### 9 tips for presenting a job offer to your preferred candidateNot every entrepreneur is a born recruiter, but hiring the right people is essential to making your business a success. And identifying great candidates is only part of the problem. Once you’ve found them, you’ve got to get them through the door.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-right-way-to-present-a-job-offer) - [ ### Media Coverage for The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionCheck out all the news coverage for the GCSC 2016!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-talent-agency-great-canadian-sales-competition-media) - [ ### The Key Ingredient to The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionIn its first year of execution, The Great Canadian Sales Competition attracted 215 students from 6 provinces and 33 different schools. We were thrilled with the results – we took a program that no one had ever heard of before and got it off the ground.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/key-ingredient-great-canadian-sales-competition) - [ ### 4 Situations When You Should Trust Sales Recruitment SpecialistsFinding and hiring talented sales associates for your company is a difficult and time consuming process. Sifting through resumes, conducting interviews and narrowing down candidates takes your attention away from running your business.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/situations-trust-sales-recruitment-specialists) - [ ### How to Choose a Recruiter & Develop a Great RelationshipWhen looking for a recruiter for your company, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Finding the right employees is one of the most essential parts of any business, and without outstanding hires, you will not be successful.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/choose-recruiter-develop-great-relationship) - [ ### 7 Benefits of Using Headhunters for Sales PositionsRegardless of business type, you need top sales talent if you want to maximize your revenues and open the door to continued and even explosive growth going forward.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-6260) - [ ### 3 things I wish someone told me as a quintessential millennialWhen reviewing postsecondary options, I had only one clear objective: get a job.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/3-things-wish-someone-told-quintessential-millennial) - [ ### Why Bragging Isn’t Always a Bad ThingBragging about yourself is typically a taboo thing to do. Most people are not interested in hearing you go on and on about how great you are. However, if you are interviewing for a sales position, it is a completely different story.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/why-bragging-isnt-always-a-bad-thing) - [ ### 5 key elements of the perfect sales P-I-T-C-HIt is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell, who you are selling to, and how you are going to get them to listen!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-key-elements-of-the-perfect-sales-p-i-t-c-h) - [ ### Why you can’t find young people to fill sales positionsThe traditional list of desirable vocations has expanded in recent years, as parents begin to recognize that it’s possible to make good money doing jobs today that didn’t exist when they were growing up.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/cant-find-young-people-fill-sales-positions) - [ ### 6 common questions about building a successful sales compensation planThe answers to six common questions about building a successful sales compensation plan
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-common-questions-about-building) - [ ### Why We Started The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionSo many people ask us why we started The Great Canadian Sales Competition. Ok…truthfully, we are the ones who are asking!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/so-many-people-ask-us-why-we-started-the-great-canadian-sales-competition) - [ ### How to build a 30/60/90 day planBuild a 30/60/90 day plan for ramping up into your new sales role. Find out how to impress employers with more advice from Sales Talent Agency.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/306090-plan-guideline) - [ ### How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview QuestionsMost people’s biggest job-hunting fear is being put on the spot by oddball interview questions such as these (which are real)
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-ace-the-50-most-common-interview-questions) - [ ### 4 Critical Things to Look For in a New Graduate HireHow to identify high-potential young sales talent.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/critical-things-to-look-for-in-a-new-graduate-hire) - [ ### The biggest mistake a sales professional can makeIf you are in sales of any capacity then you have seen this happen many times, and hopefully it made you cringe a tad bit each time: a colleague closing a deal by discounting heavily.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-biggest-mistake-a-sales-professional-can-make) - [ ### 6 Tips to Help You Own Your Next InterviewQuick advice for job seekers who want to ace their next interview
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-tips-to-help-you-own-your-next-interview) - [ ### Jamie Scarborough on the Canada AM Show: “Five Tips To Nail That Job Interview”On March 2, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency was featured on CTV News to discuss his “Five tips to nail that job interview” with Marci Ien.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/jamie-scarborough-on-the-canada-am-show-sharing-his-five-tips-to-nail-that-job-interview) - [ ### What to pay a new sales hireMoney matters, whether you’re recruiting a young graduate or a star performer.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-to-pay-a-new-sales-hire) - [ ### 5 Moneyball tactics to build a winning sales teamTop talent is often unaffordable or unavailable. How to build a super sales squad of unconventional candidates
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/moneyball-tactics-to-build-a-winning-sales-team) - [ ### The Smart Way to Deal With Pregnant EmployeesHow to make a great work environment for pregnant employees
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/smart-way-deal-pregnant-employees) - [ ### 8 Eye Openers in Sales ResumesWhat to look for on a resume
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/eight-eye-openers-sales-resumes) - [ ### Are your top sales reps going to jump ship?Think your top salespeople are about to be poached by competition? Here’s what you can do to keep them loyal.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-sales-reps-going-jump-ship-featured-profitguide) - [ ### The world’s best interview question5 hiring tactics to avoid ending up with salespeople who can’t sell
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/worlds-best-interview-question) - [ ### Sales star’s gone wild!What to do when your best salespeople start acting like spoiled brats
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/best-salespeople-start-acting-like-spoiled-brats) - [ ### What salary should a new graduate expect for their first professional sales rep role?By SONYA MELOFF Great question! A recent graduate with no sales experience but tonnes of energy and enthusiasm should expect a salary range from $25-45k for their first role. Sales roles should also offer a commission/bonus that rewards performance. If you achieve your annual targets as a new sales rep, you should expect a total \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/salary-new-graduate-expect-first-professional-sales-rep-role) --- ## Candidate Advice - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/candidate-advice [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) --- ## Candidates - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/candidates - [ ### These 13 answered questions will help you bounce back after a layoffBy Michael Pilon As you’ve likely seen in the posts dotting your LinkedIn timeline recently, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, especially in tech. In fact, in 2023 alone, tech startups across the globe have laid off over 135,000 employees (2022 saw over 160,000 cuts). Even tech giants like Meta and Shopify aren’t safe, having \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-13-answered-questions-will-help-with-tech-layoffs-2022) - [ ### Six tips for acing your next virtual interviewBy Michael Pilon The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to HireVue’s survey, 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview) - [ ### How to improve your sales resume and LinkedIn profileBy: Jamie Scarborough Your step-by-step guide to getting noticed, short-listed and interviewed for a great sales job. Finding your next great sales role starts with getting interviewed by a top employer. To get there you are going to need two important marketing pieces: an impressive resume and a well-developed LinkedIn profile. We assume you \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-sales-resume-and-linkedin-profile) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue. These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Overcoming The Experience Gap: How New Sellers Can Convert Senior BuyersStarting out in sales comes with many challenges – especially when your client has 20 years of career experience on you! Approaching a complex sale with less credibility and expertise can be easier if you have the support and know-how of an elite salesperson. In this session, our panel of seasoned salespeople shared how to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/overcoming-the-experience-gap-how-new-sellers-can-convert-senior-buyers) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies. Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1) - [ ### We are excited to introduce Sales Talent Agency’s first ever Chief Executive Officer and Chief Customer OfficerBuilding Sales Talent Agency has been an amazing experience. We had the idea for a sales-specific recruitment company in early 2007 and launched in July of that year. The recruitment market was changing a lot at the time: the Internet had given agencies and internal recruiters bigger access to talent than ever before but it \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/we-are-excited-to-introduce-sales-talent-agencys-first-ever-chief-executive-officer-and-chief-customer-officer) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### How to treat your job hunt like a sales proAny time you have a goal in life that requires someone else to help you fulfill it (i.e. getting a great job), it’s called “sales”. And, it requires a sales mindset. With sales, it’s not just about having the best product. You have to ensure that you have enough potential buyers for that product \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-treat-your-job-hunt-like-a-sales-pro) - [ ### The 6 things that have helped me be successful as a woman in businessBy: Sonya Meloff Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day 2019 and I’ve been thinking of my life as a woman in business and what has helped me be successful. While I recognize that there has never been a better time for a woman in business, I do appreciate that I, along with women everywhere, \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-6-things-that-have-helped-me-be-successful-as-a-woman-in-business) - [ ### 4 habits to improve health and crush your sales quotaYou may have read books or listened to podcasts on how to live a healthy lifestyle while balancing a busy sales career. There are many different types of guidance that you can find on this topic ranging from business and career strategies to health and relationship advice. The reality is, leading a healthy lifestyle while \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/4-habits-to-improve-health-and-crush-your-sales-quota) - [ ### How senior sales professionals can navigate a competitive job marketBy: Brian Rainboth – General Manager, SYSPRO Canada For the first time in my adult life, I found myself unemployed and looking for a job. After 20+ years in technology, it was important I find the right executive role for me and not settle for just anything. I also carried a sense of urgency \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-senior-sales-professionals-can-navigate-a-competitive-job-market) - [ ### How to nail your next sales interviewHave you landed an interview with a great company? Congratulations, but the work has just begun! If you really want this job, you need to ensure that you have done everything possible to prepare for your interview. After all, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Check out our interview guide below to help \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-next-sales-interview) - [ ### 5 tips to prepare for your next salary negotiationBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ When it comes to preparing for a salary negotiation, it can be easy to feel like you are getting ready for a fight or at the very least, a heated debate. This may cause you to feel hesitant about even asking for the opportunity to negotiate a salary. The reality is \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-prepare-for-your-next-salary-negotiation) - [ ### 6 interview tips to land your best sales role yetToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-interview-tips-to-land-your-best-sales-role-yet) - [ ### How to find a great sales roleToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-find-a-great-sales-role) - [ ### 8 LinkedIn tips to land your next sales jobToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/8-linkedin-tips-to-land-your-next-sales-job) - [ ### 3 Tips to Sell Without Selling OutBy Katherine Perrin I have a very interesting and unique job. Everyday I have the privilege of interacting with students, professors, colleges and universities, but what makes it unique is my mandate to sell them on why they should participate in a nationwide sales competition. The sell is not easy – sales has a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-tips-to-sell-without-selling-out) - [ ### What do you wear to a job interview?Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to write a sales resume? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-what-to-wear-to-a-job-interview) - [ ### How do you navigate your work’s holiday party?Today’s business world can be really confusing- especially in social settings. What is the protocol for office events? Are they mandatory? What about when alcohol is involved? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-holiday-party) - [ ### These 6 things helped me achieve success as a woman in businessBy SONYA MELOFF Let’s jump right into it! The first thing that has helped me as a women in business is that I really never think about it. I’ve always just taken the view that to be the best me in business, you really just have to be the best in business, regardless of gender. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-6-things-helped-me-achieve-success-as-a-woman-in-business) - [ ### Sales Talent Agency presents: A Candidate’s Guide to InterviewingWhile not all bosses will be as hard to impress in an interview as Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada; preparation, dress code, timing and post interview follow-ups will set you up for success. Congratulations! This job is now within your grasp and it is up to you to ensure you put your best foot \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interview-tips) - [ ### 5 tips to ace your next networking eventToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101) - [ ### Advice on Creating a 30/60/90 Day Plan for Your New JobSo, you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road. Your future employer is asking you to build this plan for the following 3 \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/advice-on-creating-a-30-60-90-day-plan-for-your-new-job) - [ ### 5 menswear looks to upgrade your office wardrobe for fallAs a formal dress code no longer exists (hello 2017) getting ready for work can leave us in limbo. How does one navigate that ambiguous space of looking office sharp without coming across as stuffy and drab or worse yet- overly casual? Fall is the perfect time to introduce a few staple pieces to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-menswear-looks-to-upgrade-your-wardrobe-for-fall) - [ ### 5 Fall womenswear looks you’ll wish you were wearing to the office right nowBy Lidia Aiello Fall is here and we’re collectively glad we no longer need to shiver under pashmina scarves (masking our chic summer ensembles) while getting our work done at the office. That said, many of us still ask ourselves what is and is not appropriate to wear when heading out the door. The \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-fall-womenswear-looks-youll-wish-you-were-wearing-to-the-office-right-now) - [ ### Does your sales pitch meet these 5 key criteria?BY SONYA MELOFF Crafting a good pitch can be the difference between having a door open, or not. It is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell and who you are selling to. Below are 5 key elements to keep \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/secrets-to-a-perfect-sales-pitch) - [ ### Score your next sales role with your 30/60/90 day planSo you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road when it comes to money and a ultimately a job offer. Your future employer \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/score-your-next-sales-role-with-your-306090-day-plan) - [ ### Selling yourself for your first sales jobBY SHEILA CASSIDY We all know the infamous saying: you can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. As such, the idea of drafting a resume as a student is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I’ve reviewed resumes professionally in two capacities: one as a Student Career Leader \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/selling-yourself-for-your-first-sales-job) - [ ### I’ve landed my first job. Now what?Working with Sponsors such as UPS within my first year as the Competition Coordinator with the Great Canadian Sales Competition. BY KATHERINE PERRIN It’s hard to believe that just a year and a half ago I was a new graduate entering my first role out of school, with the Great Canadian Sales Competition. Furthermore, it’s \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/ive-landed-my-first-job-now-what) - [ ### Feeling overwhelmed with extra-curricular involvement? Choose your lane.Elite Daily stated that “we live in a society in which productivity is considered to be a highly valued aspect of life. If you seek to impress someone, whether it’s at a job, networking or in everyday relationships, people will wonder what you’re up to. ‘Nothing’ is an answer that’s often frowned upon, as is general laziness”. However, it seems that for the most part this statement is misconstrued, especially by those who are young, hungry and eager to impress – students.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/feeling-overwhelmed-with-extra-curricular-involvement-choose-your-lane) - [ ### Failing to Prepare is Preparing to FailAny good sales representative knows that preparation is often the key to success. This applies to all aspects of a sales process – from the discovery to the presentation, right up to negotiating and closing the deal.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail) - [ ### Women in SalesAccording to the most recent Stat-Can Labour market report, there has been a “substantial increase” in the number of women entering the workforce. Women are now 58% of all graduates at Canadian Universities/Colleges (you can read why here), and most of them are pursuing professional careers (doctors, lawyers, etc.) with more and more pursuing business.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/women-in-sales-6-reasons-women-thrive-sales) - [ ### She Does The City featuring Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya MeloffSonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency and the Great Canadian Sales Competition gives A GIRL’S GUIDE TO MAKING IT BIG IN SALES in She Does the City. Check out the full article here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/she-does-the-city-featuring-sales-talent-agency-co-founder-sonya-meloff) - [ ### How I Landed 2 Amazing Co-op Positions Without Applying to an Online Job PostingPrior to going into my second year of University I was approached by Sheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), regarding an ambassador position at St Francis Xavier University (StFX). When I received her message, I was unsure what I would be getting myself into – I knew absolutely nothing about sales, but I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot. Little did I know, just how much I had to gain from taking on this opportunity! I took the call with Sheila and quickly realized there was a huge networking opportunity that the GCSC would offer my fellow students and I.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-i-landed-2-amazing-co-op-positions-without-apply-to-an-online-job-posting) - [ ### Unlearning What I Thought I Knew About SalesIf you asked me a year ago if I would have considered sales as a career, I probably would have said “no” with a large degree of certainty. But in reality I was uneducated about what sales consisted of and what a sales career actually looked like. Working as an on-campus Ambassador for the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC) really helped me to understand what sales actually was and ultimately led me to the exec position I now hold with the team.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/unlearning-what-i-thought-i-knew-about-sales) - [ ### How extra-curriculars made me job readyBY KATHERINE PERRIN When I think back to the earlier days of my education, I remember one particular day like it was yesterday. A man from Enactus Canada came to one of my marketing classes to speak about the benefits of extracurricular activities. He said “How many of you want to get a job after graduating?” \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-extra-curriculars-made-me-job-ready) - [ ### How to write a sales resumeTips for writing a sales resume from Sales Talent Agency, a top sales recruiter in Toronto, Chicago & Vancouver. Find a position at a leading sales firm.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-resume-tips) - [ ### 3 things I wish someone told me as a quintessential millennialWhen reviewing postsecondary options, I had only one clear objective: get a job.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/3-things-wish-someone-told-quintessential-millennial) - [ ### Why Bragging Isn’t Always a Bad ThingBragging about yourself is typically a taboo thing to do. Most people are not interested in hearing you go on and on about how great you are. However, if you are interviewing for a sales position, it is a completely different story.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/why-bragging-isnt-always-a-bad-thing) - [ ### 5 key elements of the perfect sales P-I-T-C-HIt is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell, who you are selling to, and how you are going to get them to listen!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-key-elements-of-the-perfect-sales-p-i-t-c-h) - [ ### How to build a 30/60/90 day planBuild a 30/60/90 day plan for ramping up into your new sales role. Find out how to impress employers with more advice from Sales Talent Agency.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/306090-plan-guideline) - [ ### How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview QuestionsMost people’s biggest job-hunting fear is being put on the spot by oddball interview questions such as these (which are real)
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-ace-the-50-most-common-interview-questions) - [ ### The biggest mistake a sales professional can makeIf you are in sales of any capacity then you have seen this happen many times, and hopefully it made you cringe a tad bit each time: a colleague closing a deal by discounting heavily.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-biggest-mistake-a-sales-professional-can-make) - [ ### 6 Tips to Help You Own Your Next InterviewQuick advice for job seekers who want to ace their next interview
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-tips-to-help-you-own-your-next-interview) - [ ### Jamie Scarborough on the Canada AM Show: “Five Tips To Nail That Job Interview”On March 2, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency was featured on CTV News to discuss his “Five tips to nail that job interview” with Marci Ien.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/jamie-scarborough-on-the-canada-am-show-sharing-his-five-tips-to-nail-that-job-interview) - [ ### How to Bond With Your InterviewerBY SONYA MELOFF The interviewer acts as the gatekeeper – they are who decides whether or not you get to the next stage. That is why ensuring that you are able to create a positive relationship with your interviewer is KEY. You can have perfect answers for all your interviewer’s questions, but if they aren’t \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-bond-with-your-interviewer) - [ ### Are You Really a Sales Expert?BY SONYA MELOFF These days when it is easy to blame a lost deal or sales opportunity on a bad economy, it is time for you to take an honest look at yourself and decide: am I really a sales expert? Sales experts are not afraid to pick up the phone or knock on a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/are-you-really-a-sales-expert) - [ ### What companies are looking for from sales peopleBY JAMIE SCARBOROUGH
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/my-take-on-what-companies-are-looking-for-from-sales-people) - [ ### How to Develop Your Personal Elevator PitchBY DEAN MITCHELL I just read this really great article on How to Develop Your Personal Elevator Pitch. It breaks the process down to 5 simple steps and includes helpful tips. I hope you find this useful!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-develop-your-personal-elevator-pitch) - [ ### 5 Reasons Sales is The Best Job for WomenBY SONYA MELOFF My friend who is about to have a baby was humming and hawing about what her plans will be after she returns from mat leave. The thought of leaving both her kids at home and returning to her rigid full-time job was daunting. Whenever women complain to me about their jobs, I \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-reasons-sales-is-the-best-job-for-women) - [ ### Speaking at the Women in Business Leadership SymposiumSpeaking at the Women in Business Leadership Symposium last month was an absolute privilege. It was a great opportunity to share my experience and knowledge of the sales recruitment industry with the students at Rotman, and I hope it was informative and helpful to those who attended!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/speaking-at-the-women-in-business-leadership-symposium) - [ ### Top 10 Tips for Candidates Working with Recruitersby Scott Corwin Recruiters are paid to fill a job not find you a job. Try not to take it personally but do understand this is how they make a living. Are you a good candidate? Recruiters do like to place good candidates with good companies. An old colleague of mine once said there is no such \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-10-tips-for-candidates-working-with-recruiters) - [ ### How to dress for an interviewLearn how to dress for an interview with tips from Sales Talent Agency, one of the largest sales recruiters across North America.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-2-dress-code) - [ ### How to ace your sales interviewFind out how to ace your sales interview with advice from Sales Talent Agency. Treat your interview like your first meeting with a new prospect.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-3-how-to-ace-your-interview) - [ ### What Questions Should You Ask In Your Interview?Candidate advice on being ready with good questions for your interviewer
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-questions-to-ask-in-interview) - [ ### How Important is Drive and Empathy?Identifying 2 of the most important traits in sales people
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/drive-and-empathy-2) --- ## Employer Advice - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/employer-advice ## Employer Advice - [ ### Your future sales rockstars: how to hire SDRs and BDRs that will grow within your companyBy Michael Pilon. 5 minute read One of the many reasons a junior hire could leave your organization is that they’re taking opportunities at another company – a challenge our clients regularly go through. But, hiring the right candidates who will stay and grow (and putting in the work to keep them onboard!) is critical. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-hire-sdrs-and-bdrs-that-will-grow) - [ ### The Battlecard: GTM Competitive Intelligence for navigating this wild market (5 min read)by Asad Zaman The current state of the economy is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. From the zero-interest rates era – which meant virtually free money and funding rounds galore – we’ve been jolted into one in which capital is tight and startups have to justify every dollar they raise. Not every company was built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read) - [ ### From AE to CEO: Sales Hacker Podcast Episode 200 with Asad ZamanIn the 200th episode of the Sales Hacker Podcast, they interviewed Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency (STA), where he rose through the ranks from AE to CEO, earning recognition as Toronto’s Young Professional of the Year (2019). Listen below for an entrepreneurial conversation about how to modernize your talent acquisition approach for both \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker-podcast-episode-200-with-asad-zaman) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue. These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Top 5 Trends Changing Sales, Forever – 2020 Sales 3.0 ConferenceThe sales community has been turned upside down in their approach to selling in 2020 with a global pandemic. We need more strategic, proactive, and brave sales leaders & sales professionals to lead the new Road to Sales Success for 2021. During this session, a powerhouse of Sales Leaders, including our very own Sonya Meloff, \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever-2020-sales-3-0-conference) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 1Radical lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic have taken a toll on the mental and physical health of employees. In fact, 1 in 5 employees traditionally experienced mental health problems, but today, this has increased by approximately 150%, where 50% of employees say their mental health has worsened due to COVID-19. Yet, having healthy \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-1) - [ ### Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### Learning from Necessity: How Sales Leaders are Evolving Their Strategies in a Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 has presented us with economic challenges that we need to face head-on. It’s a chance to improve and innovate and find a new way forward. We need to be asking ourselves, how can we make our sales infrastructure and approach better than it was before? Watch this virtual event collaboration with Thoughtexchange to hear \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/learning-from-necessity-how-sales-leaders-are-evolving-their-strategies-in-a-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies. Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Featured on Uvaro’s ‘The Future Of’Our Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of) - [ ### How we plan to manage, support and build mutual trust with our home-based teamBY: JAMIE SCARBOROUGH When we started Sales Talent Agency in 2007, almost 80% of B2B salespeople were outside reps. They travelled throughout their territory daily and were rarely, if ever, in the office. As a sales manager, your role was to stay engaged and be valuable to them when you were not in the same \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/home-is-where-the-hire-is) - [ ### Webinar: How to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales teamWe have partnered with Nudge.ai to present a webinar on how to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team. Check out the full webinar here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/webinar-how-to-hire-onboard-and-retain-a-scaling-sales-team) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) --- ## Employer Tips - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/employer-tips ## Employer Tips - [ ### Your future sales rockstars: how to hire SDRs and BDRs that will grow within your companyBy Michael Pilon. 5 minute read One of the many reasons a junior hire could leave your organization is that they’re taking opportunities at another company – a challenge our clients regularly go through. But, hiring the right candidates who will stay and grow (and putting in the work to keep them onboard!) is critical. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-hire-sdrs-and-bdrs-that-will-grow) - [ ### The Battlecard: GTM Competitive Intelligence for navigating this wild market (5 min read)by Asad Zaman The current state of the economy is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. From the zero-interest rates era – which meant virtually free money and funding rounds galore – we’ve been jolted into one in which capital is tight and startups have to justify every dollar they raise. Not every company was built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read) - [ ### From AE to CEO: Sales Hacker Podcast Episode 200 with Asad ZamanIn the 200th episode of the Sales Hacker Podcast, they interviewed Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency (STA), where he rose through the ranks from AE to CEO, earning recognition as Toronto’s Young Professional of the Year (2019). Listen below for an entrepreneurial conversation about how to modernize your talent acquisition approach for both \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker-podcast-episode-200-with-asad-zaman) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Top 5 Trends Changing Sales, Forever – 2020 Sales 3.0 ConferenceThe sales community has been turned upside down in their approach to selling in 2020 with a global pandemic. We need more strategic, proactive, and brave sales leaders & sales professionals to lead the new Road to Sales Success for 2021. During this session, a powerhouse of Sales Leaders, including our very own Sonya Meloff, \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever-2020-sales-3-0-conference) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 1Radical lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic have taken a toll on the mental and physical health of employees. In fact, 1 in 5 employees traditionally experienced mental health problems, but today, this has increased by approximately 150%, where 50% of employees say their mental health has worsened due to COVID-19. Yet, having healthy \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-1) - [ ### Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Featured on Uvaro’s ‘The Future Of’Our Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of) - [ ### How we plan to manage, support and build mutual trust with our home-based teamBY: JAMIE SCARBOROUGH When we started Sales Talent Agency in 2007, almost 80% of B2B salespeople were outside reps. They travelled throughout their territory daily and were rarely, if ever, in the office. As a sales manager, your role was to stay engaged and be valuable to them when you were not in the same \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/home-is-where-the-hire-is) - [ ### Sales tool review mini-series episode 2: ZoomInfoOn episode 2 of our sales tool review miniseries we take a look at ZoomInfo, a data aggregator that helps users connect with companies across the globe. Check out the quick video below that gives a tutorial of the main functionality of the tool as well as recommendations on whether or not this is something \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-miniseries-episode-2-zoominfo) - [ ### Sales tool review mini-series episode 1: LevelElevenIntroducing a new short-video series featuring quick reviews of the most popular sales tools available on the market. The reality is that there are thousands of different products on the market that claim to be able to help your sales team, but how do you know which ones are actually going to be useful? Our \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-mini-series-episode-1-leveleleven) - [ ### Confidence vs. competence: how to manage a new sales hire through 4 stagesBY: Stefan karpowicz Great sales leaders know that making a successful sales hire is as much about equipping the candidate post-hire as it is about the candidate themselves. While there is an entire list of things you should consider when hiring a salesperson, a thoughtful management approach is critical for fast ramp-up and long-term engagement. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-manage-a-new-sales-hire-through-4-stages) - [ ### How to successfully onboard remote salespeopleBY: ASAD ZAMAN The future of work looks remote. That’s not a bleak analysis of the employment forecast – recessions come and go, but in the digital age, remote sales roles are here to stay. Working remotely offers a number of benefits to employees: they don’t have to commute to work, they don’t have to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople) - [ ### Beginner’s guide to building a sales teamBy: Jamie Scarborough Most companies in 2019 know the value of having a specific lead generation team to drive more new business meetings. In its best form, this focused, energetic and highly measurable business unit can ensure more experienced, highly-paid Account Executives maximize their time in client engagements, as opposed to dialling for dollars or \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-building-a-bdr-sdr-team) - [ ### How to empower your sales team to overachieveBY DAN SILVERBACK As a sales leader, a large part of your job is to assign performance targets and help your sales team achieve them. Luckily, there are many resources available to you to help ensure your team hits their targets. However, the work doesn’t stop there. Even if your whole sales team hits their \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-empower-your-sales-team-to-overachieve) - [ ### Webinar: How HR professionals can equip their sales teams for successWe have partnered with WorkTango to present a webinar on how HR professionals can equip their sales teams for cultural and organizational success. Check out the full webinar here. Do you want more content like this? Subscribe below to get our latest articles, podcasts, webinars and more delivered right to your inbox! \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-equip-sales-team) - [ ### Managing Director of Siteimprove Canada, Mike Cart, speaks to how he built a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian marketIn episode 1 of All About Revenue, we sit down with Managing Director of Siteimprove, Mike Cart, to discuss his journey to becoming a sales leader, and his strategy for building out a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian market. Asad: Today’s All About Revenue podcast is with Mike Cart, the Managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/all-about-revenue-episode-1) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) - [ ### The 3 biggest mistakes companies make when hiring sales engineersBY ALI ALIZADEH Over the past decade, the sales engineer (SE) has arguably become one of the most important business hires alongside the sales team. They play an integral part in the sales process by helping develop and present compelling solutions to the buyers while also presenting the competitive advantages of their solution. In \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-companies-make-when-hiring-sales-engineers) - [ ### How to Build a World-Class Sales Team WebinarBy Asad Zaman Click here to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1. How to FIND qualified sales people 2. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar) - [ ### Top 5 questions about sales compensation (Full Version)Over the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions. The original video is presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2) - [ ### Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie ScarboroughIn this episode of Sales Hacker, Jamie Scarborough sits down with Sam Jacobs to talk about the secrets to managing an amazing sales career. To listen to the full podcast, click here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker) - [ ### Top 5 Questions About Sales CompensationOver the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation given by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation) - [ ### Is there any value to your value proposition?BY JAMIE SCARBOROUGH While our job at Sales Talent Agency is to help companies hire sales people, we spend a huge amount of our time ensuring our clients equip their hires for success. After all, if a salesperson we introduce does not perform well, our own value to the customer drops. One of the most \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/is-there-any-value-to-your-value-proposition) - [ ### 9 tips for presenting a job offer to your preferred candidateNot every entrepreneur is a born recruiter, but hiring the right people is essential to making your business a success. And identifying great candidates is only part of the problem. Once you’ve found them, you’ve got to get them through the door.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-right-way-to-present-a-job-offer) - [ ### Another happy candidate!Helping a quality sales rep find a great role and navigate their way to a successful hire is a lot of work, but can be extremely rewarding. Last week we placed a fantastic Toronto-based territory sales rep who had worked hard to build his skill-set and was looking for the next career step. We placed him with \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/another-happy-candidate) - [ ### When can we call ourselves a “medium-sized company”BY SONYA MELOFF Sorry in advance if I am overwhelming you with my prolific blogging. One in 2007, another in 2009, and now a 3rd in 2011! I really must take a nap after this. Hey, give me a break! It takes a lot of time and energy to run a small and growing company. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/when-can-we-call-ourselves-a-medium-sized-company) - [ ### The Employer’s Checklist: Tips for Equipping Your Sales RepHow to make sure your sales rep has everything they need to be productive and happy
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/tips-for-equipping-your-sales-rep) - [ ### What Sales Talent Can You Get For Your Money?BY SONYA MELOFF A typical sales person’s compensation model is 50% salary, 50% variable at plan, especially for roles that require both new business development AND account management (higher base/lower commissions is expected for “farming” roles, and lower base/higher commissions is often offered for “hunter” roles) A strong sales person will want uncapped commission potential \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-sales-talent-can-you-get-for-your-money) --- ## Employers - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/employers - [ ### Your future sales rockstars: how to hire SDRs and BDRs that will grow within your companyBy Michael Pilon. 5 minute read One of the many reasons a junior hire could leave your organization is that they’re taking opportunities at another company – a challenge our clients regularly go through. But, hiring the right candidates who will stay and grow (and putting in the work to keep them onboard!) is critical. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-hire-sdrs-and-bdrs-that-will-grow) - [ ### The Battlecard: GTM Competitive Intelligence for navigating this wild market (5 min read)by Asad Zaman The current state of the economy is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. From the zero-interest rates era – which meant virtually free money and funding rounds galore – we’ve been jolted into one in which capital is tight and startups have to justify every dollar they raise. Not every company was built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read) - [ ### These 13 answered questions will help you bounce back after a layoffBy Michael Pilon As you’ve likely seen in the posts dotting your LinkedIn timeline recently, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, especially in tech. In fact, in 2023 alone, tech startups across the globe have laid off over 135,000 employees (2022 saw over 160,000 cuts). Even tech giants like Meta and Shopify aren’t safe, having \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-13-answered-questions-will-help-with-tech-layoffs-2022) - [ ### From AE to CEO: Sales Hacker Podcast Episode 200 with Asad ZamanIn the 200th episode of the Sales Hacker Podcast, they interviewed Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency (STA), where he rose through the ranks from AE to CEO, earning recognition as Toronto’s Young Professional of the Year (2019). Listen below for an entrepreneurial conversation about how to modernize your talent acquisition approach for both \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker-podcast-episode-200-with-asad-zaman) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue. These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Top 5 Trends Changing Sales, Forever – 2020 Sales 3.0 ConferenceThe sales community has been turned upside down in their approach to selling in 2020 with a global pandemic. We need more strategic, proactive, and brave sales leaders & sales professionals to lead the new Road to Sales Success for 2021. During this session, a powerhouse of Sales Leaders, including our very own Sonya Meloff, \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever-2020-sales-3-0-conference) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 1Radical lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic have taken a toll on the mental and physical health of employees. In fact, 1 in 5 employees traditionally experienced mental health problems, but today, this has increased by approximately 150%, where 50% of employees say their mental health has worsened due to COVID-19. Yet, having healthy \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-1) - [ ### Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### Learning from Necessity: How Sales Leaders are Evolving Their Strategies in a Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 has presented us with economic challenges that we need to face head-on. It’s a chance to improve and innovate and find a new way forward. We need to be asking ourselves, how can we make our sales infrastructure and approach better than it was before? Watch this virtual event collaboration with Thoughtexchange to hear \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/learning-from-necessity-how-sales-leaders-are-evolving-their-strategies-in-a-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies. Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1) - [ ### We are excited to introduce Sales Talent Agency’s first ever Chief Executive Officer and Chief Customer OfficerBuilding Sales Talent Agency has been an amazing experience. We had the idea for a sales-specific recruitment company in early 2007 and launched in July of that year. The recruitment market was changing a lot at the time: the Internet had given agencies and internal recruiters bigger access to talent than ever before but it \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/we-are-excited-to-introduce-sales-talent-agencys-first-ever-chief-executive-officer-and-chief-customer-officer) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Featured on Uvaro’s ‘The Future Of’Our Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of) - [ ### 5 things we learned from “Cross-Border Hiring: Everything you need to know!” webinarSales Talent Agency was pleased to host a webinar to discuss various aspects of ‘cross-border hiring’ with two leading legal authorities on the subject. Below is a summary of the top 5 takeaways from the webinar and a link to the full video is also available here. We were joined by two legal experts: Bonnie \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-things-we-learned-from-cross-border-hiring-everything-you-need-to-know-webinar) - [ ### The Predictable Revenue Podcast: The ins and outs of sales recruiting with Jamie Scarborough of Sales Talent AgencyOn this edition of The Predictable Revenue Podcast, co-host Collin Stewart welcomes Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder of The Sales Talent Agency Jamie has been on the forefront of sales recruitment for more than a decade: in addition to founding Sales Talent Agency, he also co-founded the Great Canadian Sales Competition, the biggest national student competition in Canada. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-predictable-revenue-podcast-the-ins-and-outs-of-sales-recruiting-with-jamie-scarborough-of-sales-talent-agency) - [ ### 10 tips for hiring and onboarding remotelyBY: Sheila Cassidy and Asad Zaman 1. When you’re looking for talent, rethink your ideal candidate profile We know the qualities that we typically look for in a hire from high DNA, a strong background, metrics to support it, the list goes on. But also think about the people on your team that are thriving working \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/10-tips-for-hiring-and-onboarding-remotely) - [ ### How we plan to manage, support and build mutual trust with our home-based teamBY: JAMIE SCARBOROUGH When we started Sales Talent Agency in 2007, almost 80% of B2B salespeople were outside reps. They travelled throughout their territory daily and were rarely, if ever, in the office. As a sales manager, your role was to stay engaged and be valuable to them when you were not in the same \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/home-is-where-the-hire-is) - [ ### Sales tool review mini-series episode 2: ZoomInfoOn episode 2 of our sales tool review miniseries we take a look at ZoomInfo, a data aggregator that helps users connect with companies across the globe. Check out the quick video below that gives a tutorial of the main functionality of the tool as well as recommendations on whether or not this is something \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-miniseries-episode-2-zoominfo) - [ ### Sales tool review mini-series episode 1: LevelElevenIntroducing a new short-video series featuring quick reviews of the most popular sales tools available on the market. The reality is that there are thousands of different products on the market that claim to be able to help your sales team, but how do you know which ones are actually going to be useful? Our \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-mini-series-episode-1-leveleleven) - [ ### Confidence vs. competence: how to manage a new sales hire through 4 stagesBY: Stefan karpowicz Great sales leaders know that making a successful sales hire is as much about equipping the candidate post-hire as it is about the candidate themselves. While there is an entire list of things you should consider when hiring a salesperson, a thoughtful management approach is critical for fast ramp-up and long-term engagement. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-manage-a-new-sales-hire-through-4-stages) - [ ### How to successfully onboard remote salespeopleBY: ASAD ZAMAN The future of work looks remote. That’s not a bleak analysis of the employment forecast – recessions come and go, but in the digital age, remote sales roles are here to stay. Working remotely offers a number of benefits to employees: they don’t have to commute to work, they don’t have to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople) - [ ### Beginner’s guide to building a sales teamBy: Jamie Scarborough Most companies in 2019 know the value of having a specific lead generation team to drive more new business meetings. In its best form, this focused, energetic and highly measurable business unit can ensure more experienced, highly-paid Account Executives maximize their time in client engagements, as opposed to dialling for dollars or \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-building-a-bdr-sdr-team) - [ ### How to empower your sales team to overachieveBY DAN SILVERBACK As a sales leader, a large part of your job is to assign performance targets and help your sales team achieve them. Luckily, there are many resources available to you to help ensure your team hits their targets. However, the work doesn’t stop there. Even if your whole sales team hits their \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-empower-your-sales-team-to-overachieve) - [ ### Webinar: How HR professionals can equip their sales teams for successWe have partnered with WorkTango to present a webinar on how HR professionals can equip their sales teams for cultural and organizational success. Check out the full webinar here. Do you want more content like this? Subscribe below to get our latest articles, podcasts, webinars and more delivered right to your inbox! \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-equip-sales-team) - [ ### Managing Director of Siteimprove Canada, Mike Cart, speaks to how he built a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian marketIn episode 1 of All About Revenue, we sit down with Managing Director of Siteimprove, Mike Cart, to discuss his journey to becoming a sales leader, and his strategy for building out a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian market. Asad: Today’s All About Revenue podcast is with Mike Cart, the Managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/all-about-revenue-episode-1) - [ ### Webinar: How to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales teamWe have partnered with Nudge.ai to present a webinar on how to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team. Check out the full webinar here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/webinar-how-to-hire-onboard-and-retain-a-scaling-sales-team) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) - [ ### The 3 biggest mistakes companies make when hiring sales engineersBY ALI ALIZADEH Over the past decade, the sales engineer (SE) has arguably become one of the most important business hires alongside the sales team. They play an integral part in the sales process by helping develop and present compelling solutions to the buyers while also presenting the competitive advantages of their solution. In \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-companies-make-when-hiring-sales-engineers) - [ ### How to Build a World-Class Sales Team WebinarBy Asad Zaman Click here to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1. How to FIND qualified sales people 2. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar) - [ ### Asad Zaman, Partner and Managing Director of Executive Talent Agency, featured on The North ReportCheck out STA Partner and Managing Director of Executive Search, Asad Zaman, as he sits down with The North Report to discuss go-to-market team structures and strategies for hiring great sales talent as an early stage company!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/asad-zaman-partner-and-managing-director-of-executive-talent-agency-featured-on-the-north-report) - [ ### Top 5 questions about sales compensation (Full Version)Over the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions. The original video is presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2) - [ ### Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie ScarboroughIn this episode of Sales Hacker, Jamie Scarborough sits down with Sam Jacobs to talk about the secrets to managing an amazing sales career. To listen to the full podcast, click here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker) - [ ### Top 5 Questions About Sales CompensationOver the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation given by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation) - [ ### Lessons from an executive: Charlie AtkinsonBY KEVIN HESARI A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak with Charlie Atkinson about managing relationships, working with technical talent, and some of the key habits he had that helped him get to where he wanted to be. Charlie’s background includes being both a Marketing leader at organizations like Sharp and Kodak, managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-9-19-lessons-from-an-executive-charlie-atkinson) - [ ### Canadian Business Feature: How to build a stellar sales forceCanada’s Fastest-Growing Companies are indisputable experts in selling stuff really, really well. Who better to give advice on revving up sales? It isn’t easy to get a sales gig at Home Painters Toronto. For Brian Young, the CEO of the Toronto-based company (2018 Growth 500: No. 205), the hunt for a new addition to his \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-stellar-sales-force) - [ ### TradeGecko, VP of Global Sales, Stephen Defina, speaks to building a profitable organizationThis allows you to find the right units to measure growth and determine if you are getting closer to completing your mission. One key piece of advice from Stephen was that you should not be looking for “sales reps”, but should be looking for problem solvers. At its core, your team should consist of individuals \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-trade-gecko) - [ ### Nudge.ai CEO, Paul Teshima, talks to the importance of building relationships and a successful sales strategyNudge.ai is a relationship intelligence platform that uses artificial intelligence to find actionable insights on prospects and helps salespeople manage/measure their relationships with clients. When engaging with prospects or nurturing relationships with current clients, Paul believes that sales professionals should focus on lead quality over lead quantity. He states that 84% of sales start \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-nudge) - [ ### Loopio Co-Founders, Jafar and Zakir, talk about attracting top sales talent and growing a company cultureAfter graduating from university, Jafar and Zak figured they would work a few years, get an MBA and work toward a corporate executive career like many others; which was the case for Jafar. However, after both were exposed to the startup bug they knew it was the path they wanted to pursue. Jafar and Zak’s early \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-loopio) - [ ### Citron Hygiene EVP of Sales and Marketing, Alison Mahoney, talks about understanding your role and growth in an organizationThis interview spoke much about the importance of drive, hunger, and an understanding of what it takes to be successful as key indicators of potential in salespeople. Alison focuses on making sure each member of her team understands their position and that without their efforts, that she would not be able to make her business \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-citron-hygiene) - [ ### Honk Founder & CEO, Michael Back, talks about the evolution of sales and the trait he most respects in a sales personMichael Back (MB): On the consumer side, Honk is here to make it easier to search, find, reserve and pay for parking. On the owner and operator side, it’s about putting more cars in their parking lots. That’s really what it boils down to. Jamie Scarborough (JS): Collective POS, your last business which you built \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-honk) - [ ### Firmex CEO, Joel Lessem on “building a machine”, a culture of respect, and why Firmex will never hire sales engineersTell us about Firmex today. Joel Lessem (JL): Firmex is 11 years old now. We are a for profit SaaS company. You find a lot of them aren’t making money. We’ve grown steadily in North America and now overseas. We’re over 100 employees and a “rule of 40” company. Great operating business with the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-firmex) - [ ### Five things I learned in my first year as a Sales ManagerSonya and her SDR team at the 2017 STA holiday party by Sonya Meloff In 2017, I embarked on a journey to build a sales team for Sales Talent Agency. Prior to that, we’d never had one, as I had been the only “dedicated” sales person. This worked well for many years but by the \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/five-things-i-learned-in-my-first-year-as-a-sales-manager-lzlgh) - [ ### What has changed in sales in the past 10 yearsBY SONYA MELOFF | September 14, 2017 This month, our company Sales Talent Agency will be celebrating a very exciting 10 year milestone as a business and, in honour of the occasion, I spouted my mouth off in a meeting (as I’m so apt to do) that it would be fun to put out a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/changes-in-sales-in-the-past-10-years) - [ ### 10 Years of STA: The Sales RevolutionSales Talent Agency opened its doors in 2007. Back then, sales was the accidental career. Today sales is one of the most sought-after jobs in every company. In the last 10 years almost everything has changed for a sales professional… It has been an amazing decade for Canada’s biggest sales recruitment company. More than 8,000 \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/10years) - [ ### Is there any value to your value proposition?BY JAMIE SCARBOROUGH While our job at Sales Talent Agency is to help companies hire sales people, we spend a huge amount of our time ensuring our clients equip their hires for success. After all, if a salesperson we introduce does not perform well, our own value to the customer drops. One of the most \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/is-there-any-value-to-your-value-proposition) - [ ### 9 tips for presenting a job offer to your preferred candidateNot every entrepreneur is a born recruiter, but hiring the right people is essential to making your business a success. And identifying great candidates is only part of the problem. Once you’ve found them, you’ve got to get them through the door.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-right-way-to-present-a-job-offer) - [ ### 4 Situations When You Should Trust Sales Recruitment SpecialistsFinding and hiring talented sales associates for your company is a difficult and time consuming process. Sifting through resumes, conducting interviews and narrowing down candidates takes your attention away from running your business.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/situations-trust-sales-recruitment-specialists) - [ ### How to Choose a Recruiter & Develop a Great RelationshipWhen looking for a recruiter for your company, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Finding the right employees is one of the most essential parts of any business, and without outstanding hires, you will not be successful.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/choose-recruiter-develop-great-relationship) - [ ### 7 Benefits of Using Headhunters for Sales PositionsRegardless of business type, you need top sales talent if you want to maximize your revenues and open the door to continued and even explosive growth going forward.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-6260) - [ ### Why you can’t find young people to fill sales positionsThe traditional list of desirable vocations has expanded in recent years, as parents begin to recognize that it’s possible to make good money doing jobs today that didn’t exist when they were growing up.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/cant-find-young-people-fill-sales-positions) - [ ### 6 common questions about building a successful sales compensation planThe answers to six common questions about building a successful sales compensation plan
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-common-questions-about-building) - [ ### 4 Critical Things to Look For in a New Graduate HireHow to identify high-potential young sales talent.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/critical-things-to-look-for-in-a-new-graduate-hire) - [ ### What to pay a new sales hireMoney matters, whether you’re recruiting a young graduate or a star performer.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-to-pay-a-new-sales-hire) - [ ### 5 Moneyball tactics to build a winning sales teamTop talent is often unaffordable or unavailable. How to build a super sales squad of unconventional candidates
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/moneyball-tactics-to-build-a-winning-sales-team) - [ ### The Smart Way to Deal With Pregnant EmployeesHow to make a great work environment for pregnant employees
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/smart-way-deal-pregnant-employees) - [ ### 8 Eye Openers in Sales ResumesWhat to look for on a resume
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/eight-eye-openers-sales-resumes) - [ ### Creating “buzz” around your businessBY SONYA MELOFF “Every time we finish helping a client on a project, when we send the invoice, we request them to write a reference letter on their company letterhead. We’ve told our employees that if they can get a reference letter from their clients, we’ll pay them $100. Before we knew it, we had \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/creating-buzz-around-business) - [ ### Are your top sales reps going to jump ship?Think your top salespeople are about to be poached by competition? Here’s what you can do to keep them loyal.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-sales-reps-going-jump-ship-featured-profitguide) - [ ### The world’s best interview question5 hiring tactics to avoid ending up with salespeople who can’t sell
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/worlds-best-interview-question) - [ ### Sales star’s gone wild!What to do when your best salespeople start acting like spoiled brats
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/best-salespeople-start-acting-like-spoiled-brats) - [ ### What salary should a new graduate expect for their first professional sales rep role?By SONYA MELOFF Great question! A recent graduate with no sales experience but tonnes of energy and enthusiasm should expect a salary range from $25-45k for their first role. Sales roles should also offer a commission/bonus that rewards performance. If you achieve your annual targets as a new sales rep, you should expect a total \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/salary-new-graduate-expect-first-professional-sales-rep-role) - [ ### 5 reasons to fire your sales managerWatch for these solid indicators that it’s time to make a change to your sales team
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-reasons-fire-sales-manager) - [ ### How much should you pay your sales repsSpecific guidelines on what you’ll get for your money, and which types of reps are worth the extra spend
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-much-pay-sales-reps) - [ ### Hootsuite CEO on the Cost of a Bad HireBy Peymaneh Chychi As a Vancouver-based business person, I have long been interested in Hootsuite as it has surged from a “What is Hootsuite?” to a “Hootsuite is great!” positioning in the marketplace. The CEO, Ryan Holmes, has seen his share of hiring decisions and has some really insightful thoughts on the unexpected costs of \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interesting-perspective-on-the-costs-of-a-bad-hire) - [ ### 10 Reasons Your Top Talent Will Leave YouThe challenge isn’t always finding top talent; it is being able to keep it By Megan Dalton The challenge isn’t always finding top talent; it is being able to keep it! When organizations are faced with top talent leaving their company it can be costly, disruptive and discouraging. For this reason, determining the reasons \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/10-reasons-your-top-talent-will-leave-you) - [ ### Your Sales Management ChecklistBY SONYA MELOFF Simplify your commission plan Make it easy for your reps to know the specific activity you want from them (e.g. new clients vs. growing existing clients) Create a company-wide “elevator pitch” To ensure everyone tells a consistent story and value proposition Launch an internal initiative for reference letters They will help your \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/your-sales-management-checklist) - [ ### How to Spot a Poor Sales Person(even when your eyes tell you different!) BY SONYA MELOFF Your candidate may appear like the perfect sales hire – but are your eyes deceiving you? Even if your prospective candidate looks like a 10/10, has a charming personality and exudes the perfect amount of confidence– don’t be too quick to jump to, “you’re hired!” \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-spot-a-poor-sales-person-even-when-your-eyes-tell-you-different) - [ ### 5 Tips for Getting Sales LeadsBY SONYA MELOFF Are you not selling because you have no one to sell to? Simple solution – get hunting! It is easy to say that you are out of leads and admit defeat – but the separation from a good-to-great sales person lies in the dedication to seek out opportunities when opportunities seem \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-for-getting-sales-leads) - [ ### How to choose your next sales rep and equip them for successBY Amanda Rootenberg For every sales person that gets hired there is a business owner or hiring manager who wants to make more money and get a bigger share of their market. That goal is constant. The results are not. Why do some sales hires turn into top performers that are instrumental in growing your \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-choose-your-next-sales-rep-and-equip-them-for-success) - [ ### Another happy candidate!Helping a quality sales rep find a great role and navigate their way to a successful hire is a lot of work, but can be extremely rewarding. Last week we placed a fantastic Toronto-based territory sales rep who had worked hard to build his skill-set and was looking for the next career step. We placed him with \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/another-happy-candidate) - [ ### When can we call ourselves a “medium-sized company”BY SONYA MELOFF Sorry in advance if I am overwhelming you with my prolific blogging. One in 2007, another in 2009, and now a 3rd in 2011! I really must take a nap after this. Hey, give me a break! It takes a lot of time and energy to run a small and growing company. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/when-can-we-call-ourselves-a-medium-sized-company) - [ ### Your Guide to Identifying a Great Sales ResumeA tool for sales managers, entrepreneurs and professional recruiters on what to look for in a sales resume
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/your-guide-to-identifying-a-great-sales-resume) - [ ### The Employer’s Checklist: Tips for Equipping Your Sales RepHow to make sure your sales rep has everything they need to be productive and happy
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/tips-for-equipping-your-sales-rep) - [ ### What Sales Talent Can You Get For Your Money?BY SONYA MELOFF A typical sales person’s compensation model is 50% salary, 50% variable at plan, especially for roles that require both new business development AND account management (higher base/lower commissions is expected for “farming” roles, and lower base/higher commissions is often offered for “hunter” roles) A strong sales person will want uncapped commission potential \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-sales-talent-can-you-get-for-your-money) - [ ### How to Choose a Recruitment PartnerAdvice for companies when looking to engage a professional recruitment firm
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-recruitment-partner) - [ ### The Future Of Selling: It’s SocialWritten By: Brian Fetherstonhaugh In the era of Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yelp, buyers have as much control over the flow of information as salespeople. Buying, once a one-way interaction between an informed seller and a curious buyer, has become a conversation between equals, and the revolution in buying behavior is still ongoing. To find out \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-future-of-selling-its-social) --- ## Essential How do I get hired? - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-do-i-get-hired [ ### Six tips for acing your next virtual interviewBy Michael Pilon The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to HireVue’s survey, 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview) --- ## Essential how much do I pay - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-much-do-i-pay # Essential how much do I pay - [ ### Top 5 Questions About Sales CompensationOver the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation given by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the \[…\]
](/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation) - [ ### 6 common questions about building a successful sales compensation planThe answers to six common questions about building a successful sales compensation plan
](/blog/6-common-questions-about-building) --- ## Essential How much should I get paid - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-much-should-i-get-paid # Essential How much should I get paid - [ ### 5 tips to prepare for your next salary negotiationBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ When it comes to preparing for a salary negotiation, it can be easy to feel like you are getting ready for a fight or at the very least, a heated debate. This may cause you to feel hesitant about even asking for the opportunity to negotiate a salary. The reality is \[…\]
](/blog/5-tips-to-prepare-for-your-next-salary-negotiation) --- ## Essential How to attract and keep - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-to-attract-and-keep [ ### Beginner’s guide to building a sales teamBy: Jamie Scarborough Most companies in 2019 know the value of having a specific lead generation team to drive more new business meetings. In its best form, this focused, energetic and highly measurable business unit can ensure more experienced, highly-paid Account Executives maximize their time in client engagements, as opposed to dialling for dollars or \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-building-a-bdr-sdr-team) --- ## Essential how to be great in my sales role - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-to-be-great-in-my-sales-role # Essential how to be great in my sales role - [ ### 4 habits to improve health and crush your sales quotaYou may have read books or listened to podcasts on how to live a healthy lifestyle while balancing a busy sales career. There are many different types of guidance that you can find on this topic ranging from business and career strategies to health and relationship advice. The reality is, leading a healthy lifestyle while \[…\]
](/blog/4-habits-to-improve-health-and-crush-your-sales-quota) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) - [ ### How to build a 30/60/90 day planBuild a 30/60/90 day plan for ramping up into your new sales role. Find out how to impress employers with more advice from Sales Talent Agency.
](/blog/306090-plan-guideline) --- ## Essential How to equip - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/essential-how-to-equip # Essential How to equip - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### How to successfully onboard remote salespeopleBY: ASAD ZAMAN The future of work looks remote. That’s not a bleak analysis of the employment forecast – recessions come and go, but in the digital age, remote sales roles are here to stay. Working remotely offers a number of benefits to employees: they don’t have to commute to work, they don’t have to \[…\]
](/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople) - [ ### How to empower your sales team to overachieveBY DAN SILVERBACK As a sales leader, a large part of your job is to assign performance targets and help your sales team achieve them. Luckily, there are many resources available to you to help ensure your team hits their targets. However, the work doesn’t stop there. Even if your whole sales team hits their \[…\]
](/blog/how-to-empower-your-sales-team-to-overachieve) - [ ### Webinar: How HR professionals can equip their sales teams for successWe have partnered with WorkTango to present a webinar on how HR professionals can equip their sales teams for cultural and organizational success. Check out the full webinar here. Do you want more content like this? Subscribe below to get our latest articles, podcasts, webinars and more delivered right to your inbox! \[…\]
](/blog/hr-equip-sales-team) - [ ### How to Build a World-Class Sales Team WebinarBy Asad Zaman Click here to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1. How to FIND qualified sales people 2. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company \[…\]
](/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar) --- ## How much should I be getting paid? - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-much-should-i-be-getting-paid # How much should I be getting paid? - [ ### 5 tips to prepare for your next salary negotiationBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ When it comes to preparing for a salary negotiation, it can be easy to feel like you are getting ready for a fight or at the very least, a heated debate. This may cause you to feel hesitant about even asking for the opportunity to negotiate a salary. The reality is \[…\]
](/blog/5-tips-to-prepare-for-your-next-salary-negotiation) - [ ### Top 5 Questions About Sales CompensationOver the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation given by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the \[…\]
](/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation) - [ ### What salary should a new graduate expect for their first professional sales rep role?By SONYA MELOFF Great question! A recent graduate with no sales experience but tonnes of energy and enthusiasm should expect a salary range from $25-45k for their first role. Sales roles should also offer a commission/bonus that rewards performance. If you achieve your annual targets as a new sales rep, you should expect a total \[…\]
](/blog/salary-new-graduate-expect-first-professional-sales-rep-role) --- ## How much should I pay my salespeople? - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-much-should-i-pay-my-salespeople # How much should I pay my salespeople? - [ ### How to Build a World-Class Sales Team WebinarBy Asad Zaman Click here to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1. How to FIND qualified sales people 2. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company \[…\]
](/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar) - [ ### Top 5 questions about sales compensation (Full Version)Over the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions. The original video is presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: \[…\]
](/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2) - [ ### Top 5 Questions About Sales CompensationOver the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation given by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the \[…\]
](/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation) - [ ### 6 common questions about building a successful sales compensation planThe answers to six common questions about building a successful sales compensation plan
](/blog/6-common-questions-about-building) - [ ### What to pay a new sales hireMoney matters, whether you’re recruiting a young graduate or a star performer.
](/blog/what-to-pay-a-new-sales-hire) - [ ### 5 Moneyball tactics to build a winning sales teamTop talent is often unaffordable or unavailable. How to build a super sales squad of unconventional candidates
](/blog/moneyball-tactics-to-build-a-winning-sales-team) - [ ### How much should you pay your sales repsSpecific guidelines on what you’ll get for your money, and which types of reps are worth the extra spend
](/blog/how-much-pay-sales-reps) --- ## How to attract and keep top talent - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-to-attract-and-keep-top-talent [ ### Managing Director of Siteimprove Canada, Mike Cart, speaks to how he built a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian marketIn episode 1 of All About Revenue, we sit down with Managing Director of Siteimprove, Mike Cart, to discuss his journey to becoming a sales leader, and his strategy for building out a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian market. Asad: Today’s All About Revenue podcast is with Mike Cart, the Managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/all-about-revenue-episode-1) --- ## How to be great in my sales role - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-to-be-great-in-my-sales-role ## How to be great in my sales role - [ ### Overcoming The Experience Gap: How New Sellers Can Convert Senior BuyersStarting out in sales comes with many challenges – especially when your client has 20 years of career experience on you! Approaching a complex sale with less credibility and expertise can be easier if you have the support and know-how of an elite salesperson. In this session, our panel of seasoned salespeople shared how to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/overcoming-the-experience-gap-how-new-sellers-can-convert-senior-buyers) - [ ### 4 habits to improve health and crush your sales quotaYou may have read books or listened to podcasts on how to live a healthy lifestyle while balancing a busy sales career. There are many different types of guidance that you can find on this topic ranging from business and career strategies to health and relationship advice. The reality is, leading a healthy lifestyle while \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/4-habits-to-improve-health-and-crush-your-sales-quota) - [ ### 5 tips to bridge the gap between your sales and marketing teamBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ While most small and medium sized businesses employ both a sales team and a marketing team, there is often a lapse in the ability for these two departments to work together to achieve a common goal. In fact, according to a study done by Forrester, only 8% of companies have strong \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team) - [ ### Asad Zaman, Partner and Managing Director of Executive Talent Agency, featured on the Sergey Ross Growth podcastOn episode #22 of the Sergey Ross Growth podcast, Asad Zaman discusses his path to success, how he developed his sales skillset, and what it takes to run a sales team.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/asad-zaman-partner-and-managing-director-of-executive-talent-agency-featured-on-the-sergey-ross-growth-podcast) - [ ### Bombadil LLC Owner, Andy Gole, speaks about the worthy sales hero and best practices for sustaining motivationA little bit of information about our guest, Andy Gole. Stefan: Good morning and welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast series. Today, we’ll be focusing on the topic of motivation in sales and why the act of selling is very positive and should be viewed as heroic. For over 25 years, our guest \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-andy-gole) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, co-founder of Sales Talent Agency featured on LeadIQ podcastSonya joins Ryan O’Hara on the LeadIQ podcast. She talks about her story, how she learned about selling as an early employee at Monster.com and being sold to all the time by sales reps. Check it out below!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-4-19-sonya-meloff-co-founder-of-sales-talent-agency-featured-on-leadiq-podcast) - [ ### 3 Tips to Sell Without Selling OutBy Katherine Perrin I have a very interesting and unique job. Everyday I have the privilege of interacting with students, professors, colleges and universities, but what makes it unique is my mandate to sell them on why they should participate in a nationwide sales competition. The sell is not easy – sales has a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-tips-to-sell-without-selling-out) - [ ### These 6 things helped me achieve success as a woman in businessBy SONYA MELOFF Let’s jump right into it! The first thing that has helped me as a women in business is that I really never think about it. I’ve always just taken the view that to be the best me in business, you really just have to be the best in business, regardless of gender. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-6-things-helped-me-achieve-success-as-a-woman-in-business) - [ ### 5 tips to ace your next networking eventToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101) - [ ### Advice on Creating a 30/60/90 Day Plan for Your New JobSo, you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road. Your future employer is asking you to build this plan for the following 3 \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/advice-on-creating-a-30-60-90-day-plan-for-your-new-job) - [ ### Does your sales pitch meet these 5 key criteria?BY SONYA MELOFF Crafting a good pitch can be the difference between having a door open, or not. It is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell and who you are selling to. Below are 5 key elements to keep \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/secrets-to-a-perfect-sales-pitch) - [ ### What has changed in sales in the past 10 yearsBY SONYA MELOFF | September 14, 2017 This month, our company Sales Talent Agency will be celebrating a very exciting 10 year milestone as a business and, in honour of the occasion, I spouted my mouth off in a meeting (as I’m so apt to do) that it would be fun to put out a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/changes-in-sales-in-the-past-10-years) - [ ### Failing to Prepare is Preparing to FailAny good sales representative knows that preparation is often the key to success. This applies to all aspects of a sales process – from the discovery to the presentation, right up to negotiating and closing the deal.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail) - [ ### 5 key elements of the perfect sales P-I-T-C-HIt is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell, who you are selling to, and how you are going to get them to listen!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-key-elements-of-the-perfect-sales-p-i-t-c-h) - [ ### How to build a 30/60/90 day planBuild a 30/60/90 day plan for ramping up into your new sales role. Find out how to impress employers with more advice from Sales Talent Agency.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/306090-plan-guideline) - [ ### The biggest mistake a sales professional can makeIf you are in sales of any capacity then you have seen this happen many times, and hopefully it made you cringe a tad bit each time: a colleague closing a deal by discounting heavily.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-biggest-mistake-a-sales-professional-can-make) - [ ### Are You Really a Sales Expert?BY SONYA MELOFF These days when it is easy to blame a lost deal or sales opportunity on a bad economy, it is time for you to take an honest look at yourself and decide: am I really a sales expert? Sales experts are not afraid to pick up the phone or knock on a \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/are-you-really-a-sales-expert) - [ ### 5 Tips for Getting Sales LeadsBY SONYA MELOFF Are you not selling because you have no one to sell to? Simple solution – get hunting! It is easy to say that you are out of leads and admit defeat – but the separation from a good-to-great sales person lies in the dedication to seek out opportunities when opportunities seem \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/5-tips-for-getting-sales-leads) - [ ### What companies are looking for from sales peopleBY JAMIE SCARBOROUGH
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/my-take-on-what-companies-are-looking-for-from-sales-people) - [ ### What Questions Should You Ask In Your Interview?Candidate advice on being ready with good questions for your interviewer
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-questions-to-ask-in-interview) --- ## How to equip top sales talent - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-to-equip-top-sales-talent [ ### Managing Director of Siteimprove Canada, Mike Cart, speaks to how he built a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian marketIn episode 1 of All About Revenue, we sit down with Managing Director of Siteimprove, Mike Cart, to discuss his journey to becoming a sales leader, and his strategy for building out a revenue generating SaaS company in the Canadian market. Asad: Today’s All About Revenue podcast is with Mike Cart, the Managing \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/all-about-revenue-episode-1) --- ## How to get hired by a great company - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/how-to-get-hired-by-a-great-company ## How to get hired by a great company - [ ### Six tips for acing your next virtual interviewBy Michael Pilon The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to HireVue’s survey, 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview) - [ ### How senior sales professionals can navigate a competitive job marketBy: Brian Rainboth – General Manager, SYSPRO Canada For the first time in my adult life, I found myself unemployed and looking for a job. After 20+ years in technology, it was important I find the right executive role for me and not settle for just anything. I also carried a sense of urgency \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-senior-sales-professionals-can-navigate-a-competitive-job-market) - [ ### How to nail your next sales interviewHave you landed an interview with a great company? Congratulations, but the work has just begun! If you really want this job, you need to ensure that you have done everything possible to prepare for your interview. After all, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Check out our interview guide below to help \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-next-sales-interview) - [ ### 6 interview tips to land your best sales role yetToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-interview-tips-to-land-your-best-sales-role-yet) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, co-founder of Sales Talent Agency featured on LeadIQ podcastSonya joins Ryan O’Hara on the LeadIQ podcast. She talks about her story, how she learned about selling as an early employee at Monster.com and being sold to all the time by sales reps. Check it out below!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-4-19-sonya-meloff-co-founder-of-sales-talent-agency-featured-on-leadiq-podcast) - [ ### How to find a great sales roleToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-find-a-great-sales-role) - [ ### 8 LinkedIn tips to land your next sales jobToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/8-linkedin-tips-to-land-your-next-sales-job) - [ ### What do you wear to a job interview?Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to write a sales resume? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-what-to-wear-to-a-job-interview) - [ ### Sales Talent Agency presents: A Candidate’s Guide to InterviewingWhile not all bosses will be as hard to impress in an interview as Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada; preparation, dress code, timing and post interview follow-ups will set you up for success. Congratulations! This job is now within your grasp and it is up to you to ensure you put your best foot \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interview-tips) - [ ### 5 tips to ace your next networking eventToday’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101) - [ ### Score your next sales role with your 30/60/90 day planSo you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road when it comes to money and a ultimately a job offer. Your future employer \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/score-your-next-sales-role-with-your-306090-day-plan) - [ ### Selling yourself for your first sales jobBY SHEILA CASSIDY We all know the infamous saying: you can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. As such, the idea of drafting a resume as a student is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I’ve reviewed resumes professionally in two capacities: one as a Student Career Leader \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/selling-yourself-for-your-first-sales-job) - [ ### How I Landed 2 Amazing Co-op Positions Without Applying to an Online Job PostingPrior to going into my second year of University I was approached by Sheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), regarding an ambassador position at St Francis Xavier University (StFX). When I received her message, I was unsure what I would be getting myself into – I knew absolutely nothing about sales, but I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot. Little did I know, just how much I had to gain from taking on this opportunity! I took the call with Sheila and quickly realized there was a huge networking opportunity that the GCSC would offer my fellow students and I.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-i-landed-2-amazing-co-op-positions-without-apply-to-an-online-job-posting) - [ ### How to write a sales resumeTips for writing a sales resume from Sales Talent Agency, a top sales recruiter in Toronto, Chicago & Vancouver. Find a position at a leading sales firm.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/blog-resume-tips) - [ ### Why Bragging Isn’t Always a Bad ThingBragging about yourself is typically a taboo thing to do. Most people are not interested in hearing you go on and on about how great you are. However, if you are interviewing for a sales position, it is a completely different story.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/why-bragging-isnt-always-a-bad-thing) - [ ### How to build a 30/60/90 day planBuild a 30/60/90 day plan for ramping up into your new sales role. Find out how to impress employers with more advice from Sales Talent Agency.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/306090-plan-guideline) - [ ### How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview QuestionsMost people’s biggest job-hunting fear is being put on the spot by oddball interview questions such as these (which are real)
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-ace-the-50-most-common-interview-questions) - [ ### 6 Tips to Help You Own Your Next InterviewQuick advice for job seekers who want to ace their next interview
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/6-tips-to-help-you-own-your-next-interview) - [ ### Jamie Scarborough on the Canada AM Show: “Five Tips To Nail That Job Interview”On March 2, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency was featured on CTV News to discuss his “Five tips to nail that job interview” with Marci Ien.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/jamie-scarborough-on-the-canada-am-show-sharing-his-five-tips-to-nail-that-job-interview) - [ ### How to Bond With Your InterviewerBY SONYA MELOFF The interviewer acts as the gatekeeper – they are who decides whether or not you get to the next stage. That is why ensuring that you are able to create a positive relationship with your interviewer is KEY. You can have perfect answers for all your interviewer’s questions, but if they aren’t \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-bond-with-your-interviewer) - [ ### How to dress for an interviewLearn how to dress for an interview with tips from Sales Talent Agency, one of the largest sales recruiters across North America.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-2-dress-code) - [ ### How to ace your sales interviewFind out how to ace your sales interview with advice from Sales Talent Agency. Treat your interview like your first meeting with a new prospect.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-3-how-to-ace-your-interview) --- ## Uncategorised - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/uncategorised [ ### Sales negotiation trainer & keynote speaker, Tony Perzow, speaks to why people “suck at negotiating”Introduction of our guest, Tony Perzow. Stefan: Welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. Our guest today is Tony Perzow, a negotiation keynote speaker & trainer, an international sales expert, and author. He has led presentations and workshops for over 10,000 professionals from companies like Walmart, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Intel. In his seminars \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-negotiation-with-tony-perzow) --- ## Uncategorized - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/uncategorized # Uncategorized - [ ### In-office, remote or hybrid? Here’s how to make the most of your work environment as a sales leaderBy Michael Pilon The pandemic dramatically changed how we see remote and hybrid work environments – and that’s an understatement. Even though many employers thought they’d fully return to the office some day, companies are now looking to the future, and there is a growing recognition that the traditional 9-to-5 office model may not be \[…\]
](/blog/in-office-remote-or-hybrid-work-environments) - [ ### Sales Enablement 101By: Vanessa Perplies, External Communications Lead at Lusha (and a former salesperson of 5 years) What will you read today? Learn what sales enablement is and why your SDR team needs it to succeed. You’ll learn about creating a world-class SDR process, key KPIs you should be measuring, and the sales enablement tools every \[…\]
](/blog/sales-enablement-101) - [ ### How to send the perfect interview follow up emailBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ Have you landed an interview for a great sales position at a reputable company? If so, congratulations, but the interview is just the beginning of the journey. You want to ensure that you have done everything in your power to maximize your chances of moving on to the next stage of \[…\]
](/blog/how-to-send-the-perfect-interview-follow-up-email) - [ ### 5 tips to become a cold calling rockstarBY STEFAN KARPOWICZ If you’ve had a job in a sales capacity throughout your career, you’ve probably been faced with the task of making an unsolicited phone call to a prospective customer. This is also known as cold calling, a scary term to find on any job description. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be \[…\]
](/blog/5-tips-to-become-a-cold-calling-rockstar) --- ## Webinars - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/webinars #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## What's New - Blog | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/category/whats-new - [ ### These 13 answered questions will help you bounce back after a layoffBy Michael Pilon As you’ve likely seen in the posts dotting your LinkedIn timeline recently, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, especially in tech. In fact, in 2023 alone, tech startups across the globe have laid off over 135,000 employees (2022 saw over 160,000 cuts). Even tech giants like Meta and Shopify aren’t safe, having \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-13-answered-questions-will-help-with-tech-layoffs-2022) - [ ### Six tips for acing your next virtual interviewBy Michael Pilon The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to HireVue’s survey, 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview) - [ ### From AE to CEO: Sales Hacker Podcast Episode 200 with Asad ZamanIn the 200th episode of the Sales Hacker Podcast, they interviewed Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency (STA), where he rose through the ranks from AE to CEO, earning recognition as Toronto’s Young Professional of the Year (2019). Listen below for an entrepreneurial conversation about how to modernize your talent acquisition approach for both \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker-podcast-episode-200-with-asad-zaman) - [ ### How to improve your sales resume and LinkedIn profileBy: Jamie Scarborough Your step-by-step guide to getting noticed, short-listed and interviewed for a great sales job. Finding your next great sales role starts with getting interviewed by a top employer. To get there you are going to need two important marketing pieces: an impressive resume and a well-developed LinkedIn profile. We assume you \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-sales-resume-and-linkedin-profile) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue. These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2) - [ ### The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales EngineeringDIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering. That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the PreSales Collective, we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering) - [ ### Top 5 Trends Changing Sales, Forever – 2020 Sales 3.0 ConferenceThe sales community has been turned upside down in their approach to selling in 2020 with a global pandemic. We need more strategic, proactive, and brave sales leaders & sales professionals to lead the new Road to Sales Success for 2021. During this session, a powerhouse of Sales Leaders, including our very own Sonya Meloff, \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever-2020-sales-3-0-conference) - [ ### HR Talks – Episode 1Radical lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic have taken a toll on the mental and physical health of employees. In fact, 1 in 5 employees traditionally experienced mental health problems, but today, this has increased by approximately 150%, where 50% of employees say their mental health has worsened due to COVID-19. Yet, having healthy \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-1) - [ ### Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### Learning from Necessity: How Sales Leaders are Evolving Their Strategies in a Tough Economic ClimateCOVID-19 has presented us with economic challenges that we need to face head-on. It’s a chance to improve and innovate and find a new way forward. We need to be asking ourselves, how can we make our sales infrastructure and approach better than it was before? Watch this virtual event collaboration with Thoughtexchange to hear \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/learning-from-necessity-how-sales-leaders-are-evolving-their-strategies-in-a-tough-economic-climate) - [ ### Overcoming The Experience Gap: How New Sellers Can Convert Senior BuyersStarting out in sales comes with many challenges – especially when your client has 20 years of career experience on you! Approaching a complex sale with less credibility and expertise can be easier if you have the support and know-how of an elite salesperson. In this session, our panel of seasoned salespeople shared how to \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/overcoming-the-experience-gap-how-new-sellers-can-convert-senior-buyers) - [ ### The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies. Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1) - [ ### We are excited to introduce Sales Talent Agency’s first ever Chief Executive Officer and Chief Customer OfficerBuilding Sales Talent Agency has been an amazing experience. We had the idea for a sales-specific recruitment company in early 2007 and launched in July of that year. The recruitment market was changing a lot at the time: the Internet had given agencies and internal recruiters bigger access to talent than ever before but it \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/we-are-excited-to-introduce-sales-talent-agencys-first-ever-chief-executive-officer-and-chief-customer-officer) - [ ### The Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success in a Challenging EnvironmentAs 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment) - [ ### The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19By Ali Alizadeh and Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Featured on Uvaro’s ‘The Future Of’Our Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of) - [ ### The Predictable Revenue Podcast: The ins and outs of sales recruiting with Jamie Scarborough of Sales Talent AgencyOn this edition of The Predictable Revenue Podcast, co-host Collin Stewart welcomes Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder of The Sales Talent Agency Jamie has been on the forefront of sales recruitment for more than a decade: in addition to founding Sales Talent Agency, he also co-founded the Great Canadian Sales Competition, the biggest national student competition in Canada. \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-predictable-revenue-podcast-the-ins-and-outs-of-sales-recruiting-with-jamie-scarborough-of-sales-talent-agency) - [ ### Asad Zaman, Partner and Managing Director of Executive Talent Agency, featured on the Sergey Ross Growth podcastOn episode #22 of the Sergey Ross Growth podcast, Asad Zaman discusses his path to success, how he developed his sales skillset, and what it takes to run a sales team.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/asad-zaman-partner-and-managing-director-of-executive-talent-agency-featured-on-the-sergey-ross-growth-podcast) - [ ### Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie ScarboroughIn this episode of Sales Hacker, Jamie Scarborough sits down with Sam Jacobs to talk about the secrets to managing an amazing sales career. To listen to the full podcast, click here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker) - [ ### Kristin Condon, VP and Partner at Sales Talent Agency, featured on Zonecast podcastIn this episode of ZoneCast, Kristin Condon joins Salman Aziz to talk about professional development as a recruiter, Sales Talent Agency’s recruitment methodologies and female leadership.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/kristin-condon-featured-on-zone-cast) - [ ### Sonya Meloff, co-founder of Sales Talent Agency featured on LeadIQ podcastSonya joins Ryan O’Hara on the LeadIQ podcast. She talks about her story, how she learned about selling as an early employee at Monster.com and being sold to all the time by sales reps. Check it out below!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/2018-4-19-sonya-meloff-co-founder-of-sales-talent-agency-featured-on-leadiq-podcast) - [ ### Globe and Mail feature: Educational institutions should help prepare students for careers in salesBy Sonya Meloff | June 2, 2017 Canadian university and college students want to be entrepreneurs, marketers, teachers … the list goes on. One thing is becoming clearer than ever: If we want the youth unemployment rate in this country to decrease – it’s double the national unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent at 12.4 – \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/globe-and-mail-feature-educational-institutions-should-help-prepare-students-for-careers-in-sales) - [ ### The Great Canadian Sales Competition featured on The NationalView the full segment here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-on-the-national) - [ ### BNN feature with Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, on the opportunities for women in business-to-business salesSonya Meloff, founding partner at Sales Talent Agency, joins BNN’s Catherine Murray for a look at why 2017 is shaping up to be the year women will find big opportunities in business-to-business sales. Check out the full interview here
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/bnn-feature-with-sonya-meloff-co-founder-at-sales-talent-agency-on-the-opportunities-for-women-in-business-to-business-sales) - [ ### Today’s Notable Young ProfessionalSheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition, was featured as Today’s Notable Young Professional. Check out the full article here.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/todays-notable-young-professional) - [ ### Media Coverage for The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionCheck out all the news coverage for the GCSC 2016!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-talent-agency-great-canadian-sales-competition-media) - [ ### The Key Ingredient to The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionIn its first year of execution, The Great Canadian Sales Competition attracted 215 students from 6 provinces and 33 different schools. We were thrilled with the results – we took a program that no one had ever heard of before and got it off the ground.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/key-ingredient-great-canadian-sales-competition) - [ ### Why Bragging Isn’t Always a Bad ThingBragging about yourself is typically a taboo thing to do. Most people are not interested in hearing you go on and on about how great you are. However, if you are interviewing for a sales position, it is a completely different story.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/why-bragging-isnt-always-a-bad-thing) - [ ### Winner of The Art of Sales Raffle is…Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth. It was great to meet everyone and discuss all things Sales!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/winner-of-the-art-of-sales-raffle-is) - [ ### Canada’s Best And Brightest Students Face-Off In Year 2 of The Great Canadian Sales Competition!The Great Canadian Sales Competition is an inspiring, educational, and exciting competition that will award Canada’s brightest students for the second year in a row!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/canadas-best-and-brightest-students-to-face-off-in-national-competition) - [ ### Why We Started The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionSo many people ask us why we started The Great Canadian Sales Competition. Ok…truthfully, we are the ones who are asking!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/so-many-people-ask-us-why-we-started-the-great-canadian-sales-competition) - [ ### Sonya Meloff On CTV News Ottawa“At Sales Talent Agency we meet tons of people, everyday, from a diverse array of background but, surprisingly, we see a lot of common mistakes people make when they go for their interview”.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-on-ctv-news-ottawa) - [ ### The Great Canadian Sales Competition on The Morning Show (Global News)On February 25, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency made an appearance on Global News’ The Morning Show, to talk about the Great Canadian Sales Competition.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-on-the-morning-show) - [ ### Winner Announced – The Art of Sales drawA big Thank You to everyone for stopping by our booth at the recent Art of Sales conference and submitting your business cards for our draw.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/winner-announced-art-sales-draw) - [ ### Latest Student NewsletterOnly 11 more days until Round 1 of The Great Canadian Sales Competition comes to a close. Remember that 50% of your scoring depends on the community vote, so it is in your best interest to submit your entry as soon as possible. Don’t forget about the amazing opportunity with Google! As a lead sponsor of \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/latest-student-newsletter) - [ ### What’s New With The Great Canadian Sales CompetitionThe Great Canadian Sales Competition is a contest for university and college students across Canada. Please check out the posts below to see the progress The Competition has made in the first year! Follow us on Twitter: Sales Competition (@greatsalescomp) Like us on Facebook: : https://www.facebook.com/greatsalescomp January – The GCSC Featured in the Financial Post Click \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/whats-new-with-the-great-canadian-sales-competition) - [ ### Press Release: The Great Canadian Sales Competition Looks to Curb Unemployment Rate for New GraduatesGoogle, Facebook, Dell and other billon companies sponsor The Great Canadian Sales Competition, the largest national sales contest for University and College students in 2015. Why? Canada’s students are faced with a challengingly high unemployment rate that is twice the national average, and they rarely consider sales a potential career path despite it being one of \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/press-release-great-canadian-sales-competition-looks-curb-unemployment-rate-new-graduates) - [ ### Sales Talent Agency recognized on 2014 Profit 500: Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies!Sales Talent Agency is thrilled to announce making the 2014 PROFIT 500: Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies. With a ranking of 181, it has been a year of monumental achievements: In addition to significant growth in our Toronto and Vancouver Interview Centres, we expanded our operations to Calgary and are already making significant inroads into that market. We \[…\]
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-talent-agency-recognized-2014-profit-500-canadas-fastest-growing-companies) - [ ### CityTV stopped by to say hello to Sales Talent Agency in TorontoHave a look at the Toronto Sales Talent Agency team in action as CityTV came in to say hello and speak with Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder Sonya Meloff.
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/citytv-stopped-by-to-say-hello-to-sales-talent-agency-in-toronto) - [ ### Sonya Meloff Featured in Canadian BusinessYou can also view the article Here!
](https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-was-featured-in-canadian-business) --- ## What has changed in sales in the past 10 years - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/changes-in-sales-in-the-past-10-years ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) | September 14, 2017 This month, our company Sales Talent Agency will be celebrating a very exciting 10 year milestone as a business and, in honour of the occasion, I spouted my mouth off in a meeting (as I’m so apt to do) that it would be fun to put out a content piece reflecting what has changed in the world of sales over the past 10 years. Working with hundreds of companies every year to help them hire their best salespeople, we’ve had front row access to seeing what has changed in the profession and discipline of sales and, though some changes seem remarkable, it feels like things are at a pivot point and only now starting to change at warp speed. We can only imagine where the next 10 years will lead us. Here’s a breakdown of 7 fun changes we’ve seen in the past decade of sales, as seen through the eyes of Sales Talent Agency! ## **Sense of Community!** Grassroots organizations supporting sales people are popping up everywhere, creating a community for sales people to connect with each other to share and learn best practices. Networks like the Enterprise Sales Forum (now in 80+ cities), SalesTO based in Toronto, and conferences like SalesMachine are doing a brilliant job of elevating the profession and creating an eco-system where sales professionals can come together to network, learn and share best practices with each other. ## **Prestige and the Rise of the CSO** It was around 2009 that we started hearing the title Chief Sales Officer popping up more and more. As sales organizations grow, so do the opportunities and layers of management needed to support these teams. Sales went from being the accidental profession, to recognized as one of the highest paid job and most valuable roles with an organization, and now the fastest path to CEO. One of my favourite stories of an original door-to-door salesman is the story of Bill Porter, a top-performing sales rep who worked for Watkins Incorporated selling soaps and mops door-to-door for over 40 years. He suffered from cerebral palsy and the movie Door to Door featuring William H. Macy does a brilliant job of showing that with hard work, discipline, positive nature, and some good smarts, anyone can be successful in sales. Today, thanks to greater education around sales as a profession, people are graduating university and college and choosing to go in to sales. Some of the notable CEO’s that made their rise through sales include: Marc Benioff from Salesforce, Mark Cuban of Shark Tank and Larry Ellison from Oracle. ## **Technology has invaded** Back in the day, sales people could get away with keeping their leads in excel, but when customer relationship management (CRM) software came on the scene, thanks mostly to category creator [Salesforce.com](http://salesforce.com/), it helped to provide a systematic approach to pipeline management and provided salespeople a proper tool to ensure their activities were being done. This helped hold sales people accountable and provided sales managers with insight they so desperately needed to do their job effectively as well. Today, the SalesStack as it’s come to be known, includes tools well beyond CRM– everything from datascraping tools, to tools that can unleash the contact details of any prospect a salesperson is trying to reach, to auto-dialers and software that records the tone of sales calls providing predictive data on how the calls went, to sales automation platforms that literally set every next step for a sales person in the sales process. Finding leads has gone from scraping newsletters and press releases to specially curated lists via tools such as Sales Navigator from LinkedIn to Pitchbook. SocialSelling is a term that has entered the vernacular as sales people look to leverage social media tools to also drive leads and foster connections. ## **The Rise of Inside Sales** Ten years ago, 75% of the sales jobs that companies were hiring for were outside sales roles, meaning that the sales reps were on the road, dressed in fine suits and expected to be meeting with clients and prospects for face-to-face meetings. They were equipped with car allowances, flight reward packages, and much time was spent shmoozing at lunch or on the golf course. Today, one could well write a book called The Vanishing Outside Sales Rep, as more companies invest in building inside sales teams that are equipped with top of the line video-conferencing and communications tools. At the most recent annual conference of the [American Association of Inside Sales](https://www.aa-isp.org/), the worldwide sales leader of Microsoft gave a keynote that laid out their plan for building a myriad of inside sales teams around the globe, effectively eliminating their channel business. Today, it would be safe to say that 75% of all sales are done from an inside sales perspective, with sales people rarely having to leave the office. ## **Cold Calling Didn’t Die** Around 2010, marketing automation started to dance a little closer with sales, and it was around this time that chatter started popping up everywhere that cold-calling was dead. The thought of never having to make a cold call is still music to many people’s ears, but the reality is that just isn’t the case. We always found it most ironic when the marketing automation companies themselves would call us to help them hire cold-calling sales reps, and eventually things settled down and everyone acknowledgement that cold-calling was an every day essential. Today, the expectation is for it to be strategic and precise, and sales reps have no excuse not to be well informed on the prospects they are calling. Can I Google that for you? ## **Books we are reading** If you’ve ever been to a sales conference, you know that sales people love their books! I can’t think of another profession that has so many books on how to be good at your job and as business evolves, so do salespeople. In 2007, everyone was reading Good to Great, which was quickly followed and eclipsed by The Challenger Sale which remains an extremely popular book and methodology used by sales leaders today. ## **The Next Generation** Possibly one of the most exciting changes that we’ve seen in the sales profession over the last 10 years is the excitement and enthusiasm for sales among new graduates, and the opportunities that are being created and fostered for entry-level sales jobs everywhere. We are seeing more interest by Academia towards the sales profession and courses are popping up across Universities and Colleges that focus on educating students about sales as a career. As founders of [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/), we’d like to think that we played a small part in sparking the conversation around how awesome new graduates can be in sales! For the love of Sales! --- ## How to Choose a Recruiter & Develop a Great Relationship | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/choose-recruiter-develop-great-relationship ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) When looking for a recruiter for your company, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Finding the right employees is one of the most essential parts of any business, and without outstanding hires, you will not be successful. That is why knowing how to choose a recruiter is so important. There is no shortage of [recruiting agencies](https://www.salestalentagency.com/about-us/) to choose from and all of them want your business. Part of learning how to choose a recruiter is finding the best fit for your company. The best recruiter may not be the largest one, or the one with the best advertising campaign. With the following tips, you will be able to match your company with a recruiter that understands your unique needs and finds the best hires possible to fill your employment openings. ## 1 . Ask For References When interviewing new employees, asking for references is quite common, and for higher level positions, expected. When selecting a recruiting agency, ask for references from other clients. When verifying these references, ask about the services provided and most importantly – would they hire the recruiting agency again? ## 2\. Check Their Reputation A good reputation goes both ways. A good recruiter will attract the best candidates and be able to find ones that fit your company’s needs. However, a bad recruiter with a bad reputation will be avoided by the best candidates, since those with in demand skills will not waste their time doing business with them. ## 3\. Ability to Build Trust with Candidates A recruiter who can build a trusting, working relationship with their candidates is one you want to hire. Not only does this mean that they can build a good relationship with your company, but they can also convince the best candidates that your company is worth considering for employment. Remember that the best candidates can be quite picky with whom they choose to work for. ## 4\. Verification of Candidates When selecting a recruiter, make sure they are representing their candidates fairly. When a candidate sends their information to a recruiter, the recruiter has to get permission to present them to companies as available for openings. Simply sending out mass collected resumes shows they are not in contact with their clients and do not care about finding a good fit for candidates or businesses. ## 5\. Ability to Fill Hard to Fill Jobs Many companies turn to recruiters for their most difficult to fill jobs. Some positions require unique skills or experience that can be difficult to locate. Depending on your local business market, finding such a person may require time and resources that you do not have available to you. That’s why recruiters are so valuable. So when considering a recruiter service, ask for examples of hard to fill jobs they have successfully recruited for. ## 6\. Diversity In the modern workforce, diversity is valued for the multitude of advantages and unique insights it offers businesses. When thinking about how to choose a recruiter, make sure they are diverse in their candidate pool to assure you’re getting the best candidates available from a multitude of backgrounds. * * * When you need to hire professional sales people, Sales Talent Agency is here to help. Our candidates compose 39 percent of Canada’s available sales professionals. Nobody covers a wider and more diverse candidate pool then we do, and our candidate pool continues to grow monthly! If you need professional sales recruitment, [contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today. --- ## CityTV stopped by to say hello to Sales Talent Agency in Toronto - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/citytv-stopped-by-to-say-hello-to-sales-talent-agency-in-toronto What's New ### CityTV stopped by to say hello to Sales Talent Agency in Toronto October 11, 2011 Have a look at the Toronto Sales Talent Agency [team in action](http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/videos/158560) as CityTV came in to say hello and speak with Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder Sonya Meloff. --- ## Creating "buzz" around your business | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/creating-buzz-around-business ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) “Every time we finish helping a client on a project, when we send the invoice, we request them to write a reference letter on their company letterhead. We’ve told our employees that if they can get a reference letter from their clients, we’ll pay them $100. Before we knew it, we had 75 reference letters on our website; they’re on the walls in our offices. When we’re out prospecting, we have this big book of reference letters. That’s been very helpful in getting new clients.” —Sonya Meloff, president, Sales Talent Agency Inc. (No. 181) View the full article [here](https://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/11-attention-grabbing-marketing-ideas/). * * * For a full list of Sales Talent Agency’s reference letters, click [here](http://www.salestalentagency.com/references-extended). --- ## 4 Critical Things to Look For in a New Graduate Hire | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/critical-things-to-look-for-in-a-new-graduate-hire ### ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) As May approaches and thousands of college and university students enter the workforce, you are faced with an amazing opportunity: hiring a rookie that could turn into an all-star. In professional sports, high draft picks are endlessly analyzed and coveted because of their relatively cheap salaries and high potential. In the business community, we don’t do nearly as much to determine the upside of a rookie. Most employers actually spend considerably less time interviewing and vetting a new graduate than they do a much more seasoned and proven professional. Our clients tell us that they struggle to know what to look for in a new graduate specifically _because_ of the candidates’ lack of proven work performance. How could they possibly know if the young, bright, well-dressed person in front of them is going to be the future CEO or a complete disaster? For every young person who worked their way up from the mailroom to the boardroom, there are dozens of examples of people who flame out in their first few months. All hiring has an element of risk. As employers, our job is to minimize that risk through intelligent decision-making. At the Sales Talent Agency, we believe strongly in hiring young employees—more than 50% of our employee base is under 30 years of age. We’re also the founders of [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/), Canada’s biggest national student competition in 2014/2015. We’ve developed for our clients and ourselves an expertise in how to find, attract, choose and equip young people for long-term employment success. Here are four critical things you need to consider when analyzing that shiny young prospect. ## Drive not ambition You can train on a lot of things, but you can’t train work ethic. Hiring a young person without a big engine significantly limits your upside. But how do you measure drive? There are a thousand predictive performance assessments on the market that claim to be able to predict drive through a 10-minute online form. But it’s critical that you look not just at potential, but also proof. Most well educated young people show ambition—they want to be managers, millionaires, and entrepreneurs. Instead of focusing on these bold aspirations, you need to ascertain whether candidates have the work ethic and resiliency to do whatever it takes to achieve their ambitious goals. Here are some questions you need to be asking: 1. What age were they when they had their first job, and how long and well did they do it? 2. Was the part-time job they chose gritty and demanding (like door-to-door sales), or was it easy and unimpressive (like filing papers at their mom’s law firm)? 3. Can they point to a particularly challenging goal that they set for themselves— educational, professional or even athletic—and explain how they dug deep to achieve it? ## The right amount of emotional intelligence While unempathetic people can thrive as entrepreneurs, artists and tyrannical dictators, they make terrible employees. You want people on your team who are going to be thoughtful and pragmatic. These people will follow you and help you improve the rules and processes of your company. They will be a little more patient and considerate of their colleagues, clients, boss and suppliers. They will represent you well because they actually care about how they are perceived! But it’s possible to go too far the other way when hiring for empathy. While you do not want an employee that wants to win at all costs and will crush everyone internally and externally to do it, you also do not want an overly sympathetic and soft touchy-feely person who breaks at the first sign of adversity. Here’s how to strike the right balance: 1. Don’t look for someone who only wants to win, look for someone who refuses to lose. This may sound like semantics, but you will know the difference when you see it. 2. Ask them about a time when the candidate made a mistake. People without empathy have huge trouble finding fault with any decision they have made—they will start off articulating a major fault, but if you keep digging they will find a way to blame someone else along the way. ## Curiosity, not existing knowledge A big engine (drive) and an optimal personality (emotional intelligence) should be the cost of entry, but the VIP section should be reserved for candidates who also have a high level of business curiosity. It is a little much to ask for business acumen from a 22-year-old, but you should at least see indicators that it will develop along the way. Curious employees will learn more about your company, products, processes, challenges, clients, industry and future, and will become that critical expert that can thrive in any situation. Here’s how to find curious candidates: 1. Ask that [World’s Best Interview Question](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/worlds-best-interview-question/): “How did you prepare for this meeting with me today?” You want to see more than just a parsing glance at your website. Curious people will have dug into your industry and personal profiles. They will have read your articles and know what your value proposition is. 2. Give them an assignment to complete that requires research. Look for signs that they were energized by the exploration exercise and did not find it a chore. ## A long term outlook Young people jump jobs. Not all of them, but enough for it to be a major part of your decision making: more than 50% of new graduates spend less than 18 months with their first employer out of college. Because it can take a few months or more for a new graduate to be trained enough to provide real value, a short-stint new grad hire could lead to a negative ROI. Here’s how to avoid being a stepping-stone: 1. Make sure they actually want to work for _you_. If you have reason to believe you are their Plan C, they will leap from your job eight months in to gain employment with their Plan A/B. 2. Build and present a three-year training program that shows clear learning, scope and financial progression. 3. Live up to your employment promise. If you sell them on the excitement of your company and then sit them in a corner entering data all day, their short stint is your fault. Looking for young sales talent to join your sales team? [Contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today! --- ## DealPoint.io Co-founder and CEO, Tom Williams, speaks to the method of buyer-centric selling - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/dealpoint-io-co-founder-and-ceo-tom-williams-speaks-to-the-method-buyer-centric-selling **Stefan:** Welcome to The Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. I’m joined today by [Tom Williams](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdgwilliams/), Co-founder and CEO of [DealPoint.io](https://www.dealpoint.io/) located in Portland, Oregon. Now Tom, I usually introduce my guests by listing info about their past, but you have such a detailed background full of great experience, I was hoping you could introduce yourself by telling us a few of your key highlights throughout your sales and marketing career. **Tom**: Thank you so much for having me on. I think my favorite story of my past is that I was the VP of marketing at a company, and we were in a board meeting because sales were down and the VP of sales said, “I don’t know what the hell happened.” The very next week, I became the VP of sales and marketing. I think that is a really instructive lesson both for me personally and for the rest of the world which is, when you go into a board meeting you really should know why sales are down, but it also gave a good introduction to the power of having both sales and marketing report to the same person. ### Stefan: What was that initial driver that made you choose a sales career and ultimately stick with it? **Tom:** I started my career in marketing and I liked trying to figure out what somebody’s problem is and how can we fix it. Ultimately, that’s what marketing is about; finding that right product fit and then getting the messaging to help them understand it. But there was that lack of endpoint touch. So, I’d make all these fantastic messaging exercises and I wouldn’t see them really pay off, and not just because of the messaging itself but I also didn’t get to interact with the people who I was helping. So, it was kind of hands-off and the thing I love about sales is when you actually connect with somebody and you’re actually figuring out what their problem is, and actually helping them, there’s a real rush to that. ### Stefan: What has the transition been like moving from a junior level role when you started your career, to now being in a leadership position? **Tom:** I definitely remember when I was younger, I signed for some kind of purchase, it was like a $10,000 dollar authorization and my superior said, “You’re not allowed to sign for that level of authorization.” But I always took the initiative and I figured out through trial and error what am I allowed to do and what I am not allowed to do. More often than not, if you do that then you get the authorization to sign for that level because people want to promote people who are forward-thinking and are willing to step forward. So, if you see something that needs to be fixed and you say, “There’s something that needs to be fixed, and here’s how we can fix it.” That person’s going to get ahead a lot faster than the people who ask, “What do I do now boss?” The other thing is that even before anybody asked me, I was running a budget. When I was just a marketing executive, I still had programs and stuff but I would keep really close track on the budget, both how much money I was spending, and how much ROI I was getting. That really helped in the future. One, I was comfortable with the budget, and two, it showed that I liked to connect the dollars and cents to the value, and if you do that then you should promote that person. **Stefan:** It sounds to me like you’ve always had more of a holistic viewpoint of whatever business it is that you’re working with. What I wanted to talk about quickly is your sales and marketing experience. What I’ve learned in my research is that in one study of over 500 small and medium-sized businesses that have both departments, only 8% claim to have strong alignment between the two departments. What’s more is that companies that do have strong sales and marketing alignment can experience revenue increases of up to 34%. ### Stefan: Given your experience, what are some tips on how companies can bridge the gap between sales and marketing, and how they can work more harmoniously together? **Tom:** Well, at the organizational level, I really like the VP of sales and marketing role or the CRO role. A CRO typically has the customer success team reporting in there as well, but I like it when both organizations are reporting to a single person because that person is responsible, not just for the messaging and the outbound information, but for actually closing the loop and getting the sales. And beyond that, an important feature is to make sure that sales has a place at the table when marketing is doing their thinking, because it’s really easy to grade marketing in terms of how many white-papers they put out or how many downloads there were, but I think you’ll be a lot more successful if you connect that to sales as targets such as “How many meetings do we have?”, “How many did we close?” and “What was the average revenue for those different sales?”, “What’s the up sale on existing customers?” If marketing is aware of those numbers and has to be measured against them as well, then they’re less likely to have what I call vanity pieces which makes the VP of marketing look good. A quintessential example is getting your boss on the cover of Time Magazine. That doesn’t help sales necessarily, it may have been way more effective to put more effort into a case study which is less fun and less award-winning but going to end up helping the salespeople more. So, ask the salespeople what they need, don’t necessarily believe them, because they’re going to say the thing they need is the thing that they needed like 20 minutes ago. So, have a longer-term view of what they need but make sure that they’re at the table when you’re making your decisions. **Stefan:** That’s an interesting point and over here at Sales Talent Agency we’re blessed because I’m on the marketing team myself, and the sales team works about five feet away from me. It is easy to connect because we’re very open and transparent with each other and any content that we make, we’ve collaborated on what it needs to be and how it’s going to help them. One interesting study shows that 70% of all B2B marketing content created is not actually used by the sales team, now that could be because the sales team doesn’t know where to find it? They don’t know how to use it or maybe the content that’s being created is just not relevant which definitely is the case in a lot of instances. Do you think it is a good idea to have sales and marketing in the same room collaborating on content and strategies? **Tom**: Yes, especially when you’re working on the quarterly marketing campaign, you have to listen very carefully to both the objectives of the sales team, but then also what they’ve been using. In my experience, the sales reps will have two or three go-to content items that literally live on their desktop, and I know that they’re happy to use anything that works, so I don’t think it’s animosity that they’re not pulling marketing content, I think they’re just are going with what works and they’re under a lot of pressure and they don’t really want to dig around in your knowledge base for something else. But if you present good content that could be pertinent to a particular circumstance they’re a lot more likely to listen and take advantage of what you’re creating, but you have to ask, “Where are your sticking points in the sales process, and what kind of content can we have to unstick that?” that’s way different than, “I want you to use this brochure.” You start with the question of, “Where are you guys getting stuck?” and then put your thinking hats on as marketers and say, “Well, how can we either get rid of the objection in advance with a nice piece of content or have something available that can soothe the concerns of that potential buyer.” **Stefan:** That seems really well laid out, I like to think that we use practices like that over here, and it really helps with transparency, when the final product finally comes into play there’s less time spent fixing it and tweaking little areas of it because we’ve collaborated in the creation stage and it’s pretty much ready to go to market as soon as we want to. **Tom**: The funny thing is, as a salesperson, marketing should be using the same series of “yes” with their sales team. So, identify what the problem is, that’s sales 101, and then say, “If I could fix that problem would you use my solution?” and get that quick “yes”. Then ask “Is there something that would meet your need?” and then they say “yes”. Then you can say, “Well use it!” You definitely use the same techniques that you would use to close any piece of business with closing sales to use the collateral. it iss exactly the same process. Ultimately, it’s about helping somebody do their job better and it’s the same principle. **Stefan:** Yes, and at the end of the day, as a sales marketing team, you do have a common goal, right? **Tom:** Ideally yes, you really, really should. ### Stefan: In your experience, what is the biggest disconnect between buyers and sellers and where does it come from? I suppose what I’m asking is, why do deals fail? **Tom:** So, I think there are two big disconnects, one is early on in the deal and one is a lot later on in the deal. The first big disconnect is when the rep launches straight into, “Look how cool my product is!” and it’s so easy because you know your product backward and forward, you can practice on the product and you can practice the demo until it’s perfect. Then the customer says, “Hey! That’s really cool!” because it is, you probably are selling something that’s cool. However, the disconnect comes when the seller interprets that as being, “I’ve got a sale, this guy is going to buy my stuff.” But, there was no connection to the customer’s problem. Yes, it’s a super cool piece of technology and the buyer could totally see how that would help them but they are not focused on that right now. That’s the first disconnect, when you don’t ask what they are working on or where they have concerns and you barrel straight into what you have to offer. The second disconnect is when you have successfully established that value because it would fix their problem, they’re really interested, they would like to do it, but the seller thinks “My work here is done, I just have to get them to sign the contract.” But in fact, when the buyer says, “Yes, I want to buy it.” That is actually one third into the deal because the actual buying process is probably going to be complicated and the buyer has probably never bought your product before, so they don’t know what it takes to buy and implement it. So, if you don’t have a clear expectation from, “Yes, I want to buy it” to what it takes to get it to the finish line, then there’s a very good chance that it’s going to die because of some unrelated problems. Oftentimes, an inexperienced seller will forget to do that due diligence of what needs to be done to make the deal happen so the deal falls down. The heartbreaking part there is that you spent all this time trying to get that value across to the customer, they said they want to buy it and then it falls down because of some unrelated issue. **Stefan:** That’s interesting and let’s just go back to the first disconnect, if I have a cool product but it’s not something that my buyer needs. Experienced salespeople are hopefully qualifying leads before they call them. Do you think this issue of reaching out to the wrong person gets better as sales reps become more experienced and they start to be able to recognize the needs of their lead before they even spend any time reaching out to them? **Tom:** Yes, I mean you can certainly have your SDRs ask some pre-qualification questions and I think you can find out pretty quickly if it is worth it. One of my favorite questions is, “Why did you take this call?” because instead of automatically going into your feature product, you started by listening and you can tell pretty quick where the person is at and if they really are worried about a problem. And if they’re not, then with the caveat that you have a fat pipeline so you can go work on something else, it’s a lot easier to let go of something early because it doesn’t sound perfect. ### Stefan: How does the notion of buyer-centric selling help salespeople connect with their client? **Tom:** I think there are three legs of buyer-centric selling, first of all, is “What does the buyer need”? Second is “Who is the buyer team” and third “What is the buyer process”. Kind of what we talked about at the beginning is understanding what their initiatives are and then connecting to them or anchoring to them is the most important skill in sales because you’re fixing their problem, you’re not selling your features. It can take a lot of trust to get them to open up so there are all sorts of sales strategies to get them to open up, like sharing a good story about a fellow person in the industry that had the same problem, but ultimately you’re doing all that work to get an understanding into what are they working on both at a business level and then also what their initiatives are at an emotional level. Once you’ve got a good sense of what their needs are then you can advance to learning more about who you are talking about. The buyer is not a single person, there are multiple decision-makers on the other side and what’s really confusing and complicated is that they may well not have the same needs and priorities but you still need to understand them because anyone of those people could kill your deal. You need to understand what are their focuses for the different people that you’re selling to within an organization. Once you’ve understood what that is then you can dig into the actual buying process and this is my favorite part of it because you actually have an advantage over them. You’ve sold this product a hundred times before but they’ve never bought it. So, you can present yourself as a guide to them who can say, “This is how you buy this stuff, you need to get the VP of finance involved, you may need to have legal checking up.” Whatever it is that makes them feel really good. If you don’t have all three of these forces working with you, then there’s a very good chance that one of the three pillars is going to fail you and you’re going to end up putting an awful lot of time into a deal that was ultimately doomed. ### Stefan: Just to go back to the idea that it’s a team effort in order to make this sale, what is the best way to make sure that you are speaking to the right people and the right people are involved, without sounding pushy? **Tom:** Yes, you can’t say in the first meeting, “What’s the name of your CFO?” Because that’s not going to go well. But I’m a big fan of mutual-action plans where you agree with the buyer, here are the steps that we need to take in order to get this deal across the line. And it has advantages in itself in that there’s a lot more clarity and there’s more transparency, you’re more likely to have an active forecast. There’s a really nice pay off to understanding who the buyer is as well, because when you’re working through the steps of “What does it take to get this thing over the line?” you can say, “Well, who would sign off on the budget?” It’s way different to say, “Give me the name of your VP of finance!” in a barking order, than to ask, “Well, who would be signing off on the budget?” because you’re working together to get this deal across the line. So, they’re a lot more likely to share the actual name of that person, or at the very least they’ll say what the role is, and then at least you’d have some more actionable information should you need to go upstairs. The second technique I heard that I really like, although I haven’t done this myself, is when you’re getting stymied and having difficulty talking to the more senior people inside the buyers organization then offer to your champions there, “Are there any questions that you think your boss may ask that you’re not equipped to answer?” And they’re probably thinking, “Well, I don’t know!” and then you say, “Well, why don’t we just take three minutes with your boss and find out what those questions are? And then you and I can huddle and provide the answers.” And so, you commit to not answering any questions to the boss, not getting in the bosses way, but respectfully asking for literally 5 to 10 minutes to hear what their questions are going to be so that you can arm your champion, and the cool thing there is that you’re honouring your champion as being your person in the operation. **Stefan:** I really like that, because in my sales experience oftentimes when you’re selling to that initial contact, a lot of times they’ll say, “Okay, let me bring this to my higher-ups.” Which totally makes sense, but it gets to the point where they’re almost selling your product for you and obviously nobody is more – hopefully, nobody’s more versed in your product than you are, so it becomes tricky, right? Because all of a sudden you have somebody else trying to sell your product and I can only imagine that’s the last thing you want to have happen. **Tom:** Think of it more like you’re the best person who knows how to fix their problem, it’s a big mind-shift if you can think, if it was a consultant they hired, they would willingly bring in the consultant. So, just kind of emotionally put yourself in the position of, “I’m a consultant, now, I merely have one solution which is ‘buy my thing'” but the mindset is thereof, “Let me help you fix the problem” and then, of course, it makes sense to bring the expert in to talk to senior people, because they have a perspective, they’ve seen the same problem a hundred times and they can share what they saw other people do to fix it. **Stefan:** That definitely makes sense, consultant mindset over a sales mindset is always a healthy way to go about it when you’re buyer-focused and this sounds like this is something you’ve put a lot of time into. Tell us what you’re doing at Dealpoint.io and what are some of the offerings that you guys have and how can you help the buyer journey? **Tom:** We believe really strongly in transparency. I used to run sales teams and I would see that the sales team would just have a radically different interpretation of where we are in the sales process compared to prospects, and I realize it’s because the sales team had sold this thing before and they have Salesforce telling them where they are in the process and then where it needs to go next. If the buyer could have that same level of awareness then everybody would be on the same page and either you’re more likely for the deal to close successfully or you’re able to say a lot quicker, “This deal is not working out, let’s put a pause and go chase some other business.” To that end, DealPoint makes it a lot easier to get the buying team and the selling team on the same page by using a deal room and specifically what we helped with is that mutual action plans, so, “Yes, I understand what your value prop is but what I actually need to do inside my organization to make it happen”? [Tana Mcdermott](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tana-mcdermott-310ab72/) from [Workiva](https://www.workiva.com/), who’s not a customer, is really big on mutual-action plans and she told me that no buyer will argue with clear expectations and I couldn’t agree more. If you can get on a piece of paper the steps needed to get the deal over the line in the next six months then your buyer is going to get those resources a lot faster. It’s going to be a lot easier for them to sell internally because you have just delivered near infinite levels of credibility by saying, “I’ve done this before, I’m honest and transparent, here’s the work that needs to get done.” If you try to hide it or if you don’t know what the work is to get done then it’s probably going to fail but you put all this effort in so, what we do is we have a mutual-action plan tool where you can layout a crystal clear timeline all of the steps that need to get done for a particular deal, share it with the buying team and then track progress so that if it does start to go off the rails you can have an opportunity to say, “We’re not going to hit your external deadline that you said you really wanted to hit, we need to re-align with you on what you want to do.” And that’s a way better conversation than, “I’m just calling to follow up.” Now you are helping them meet their initiatives with your solution and it’s all playing to see for all of the different buys, where we are at in the sales process and what they need to do to make it happen and why they’re working on this deal in the first place. **Stefan**: That’s a really interesting platform and I think it obviously improves the overall experience for both sides of the parties. Do you find it also decreases the time it takes from the initial phone call to the time a deal is closed? **Tom:** Yes, absolutely. Because what will happen in a non-mutual action plan deal is that somebody won’t realize that they need to get a resource together and the task would be due next week and then, “Oh, I haven’t even thought about who’s going to work on that.” And so, deals end up stretching. The other thing that happens is, when there’s not a clear alignment with a priority inside the buying organization then it’s really easy for deals to slip. So, by putting everything on a mutual-action plan including the external dates that are driving your buyer’s business, it becomes a lot easier for them to get priority inside their own organization to make your deal happen because the boss isn’t saying, “What is this thing?” They’re seeing that return on investment. And I’d like to emphasize, you can do all this stuff in a spreadsheet, there’s a lot of value just to doing this exercise of a mutual-action plan on a spreadsheet and sharing that with your buyer. You don’t need to buy software. Of course, I’d prefer you do! It’s easier if you do and it looks better and more consistent. But anybody who’s listening, if you’re an individual contributor or a sales leader, just try laying out those four to five key milestones and putting them in front of your customer and saying, “This is what it’s going to take to close this deal, are you in?”. When they say yes, watch that conversion rate, it’s going to go through the roof compared to when you try to sneak the deal past the buyer. **Stefan:** I want to close by asking one final question, it’s something that we focus on at Sales Talent Agency in helping our clients find, attract, hire and retain the best salespeople on the market. We see it all the time over here, rockstar candidates that are hired by companies that promise the world and look great on paper but they have no real process for ramping up our onboarding salespeople? And they have no tools to equip them to be successful. ### Stefan: What have you learned over the years that you consider to be crucial when onboarding new sales hires? **Tom:** Even before you’re onboarding them, you need to have a consistently understood sales process that your team uses. It doesn’t matter what that process is but you want to work with your best sellers to find out what they’re doing and replicate that across the team. Of course, I’m buyer-centric, so our process is making sure you understand what the person’s initiatives and problems are and connect them, et cetera. But if you don’t have that kind of consistency from the get-go then it’s really hard to scale because you will find your magical sales rockstar every now and then that figures it out themselves, but those other salespeople leave, and I would hate to have to rely on finding magical unicorns and then keeping them happy. You’ll be way better off having a consistent approach. So, make sure that your sales process is easy to understand. It’s not a powerpoint, it’s a philosophy, make sure they understand what your philosophy is. --- ## DNA/PRO™ - our candidate assessment methodology - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/dna-pro-our-candidate-assessment-methodology DNA/PRO™ is not a style of interviewing or an online assessment. It is the six critical things an employer should be assessing in order to make a great sales hire at any career level. DNA refers to the talent a person has that ensures sales success; PRO digs into the job-readiness of a candidate based on past work experience. Every candidate represented by Sales Talent Agency has been assessed with DNA/PRO™, and we encourage our clients to continue to explore these important areas throughout their candidate assessment process. ## Click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/what-is-dna-pro/) for a full breakdown of our DNA/PRO™ methodology! --- ## How Important is Drive and Empathy? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/drive-and-empathy-2 ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) 1. Drive is generally manifested by intense competitiveness (“I must win!”) and/or an intense insecurity (“I must not lose!”). Drive makes sure that a sales person makes call no. 100 when the first 99 calls resulted in “no”. 2. Empathy is a thoroughly underrated quality: being able to put themselves in their client’s thought-process enables the sales person to strategically navigate a sale, ensuring that objections are anticipated and addressed before they become destructive. Empathy—as long as it does not become sympathy—is the rudder that helps direct where the engine (or “drive”) is heading. Empathy helps a sales person understand why the first 99 calls resulted in a “no” and evolve their strategy for a better ratio. 3. “Well-rounded” sales people are considered those who can develop new business from scratch AND can effectively grow accounts year-in, year-out. There are many sales people without these attributes who have had very successful stints with a single employer. Like poker, there is a luck component to sales. If someone represents a product/service that is basically selling itself, they can be hit in the face with wins. But –again like poker—the very best sales people win again and again and again. If you look for evidence of these attributes in your sales hires, you will certainly be increasing your probability that you get an exceptional long-term employee. If a sales person shows particular strength in one of these attributes but weakness in the other, they can be successful but generally are not well-rounded enough to aggressively develop new business opportunities while nurturing existing relationships to ensure maximum wallet-share. A person with excessive drive but little empathy will likely be exceptional at making a sale once, but—because they do not truly understand their customer—they will struggle maintaining a healthy long-term relationship. On the other hand, a person with little drive but strong empathy will likely be a client’s best friend, but will struggle actually growing the business or bringing on new clients (they do not like asking for the deal, in fear that the client will find them too pushy). So what should you be looking for on the resume? ## A History of Success An empathetic sales person will instinctively understand the purpose of a resume: it is a marketing tool to help them get an in-person interview. Therefore, they will ensure that each previous position they held shows not just what they were responsible for doing (e.g. “I was managing 100 accounts in Toronto territory”), but also how well they performed. On the resume, you should be looking for quantifiable successes that could include: 1. Where the candidate ranked compared to other sales reps doing the same role (e.g. “I was #1 of 15 sales reps in 2009”) 2. How they measured towards an assigned quota (e.g. “In 2008 I achieved 115% to quota, in 2009 I achieved 107% to quota”) 3. Accolades they won (e.g. “I made President’s Club in 2007 and 2009”) 4. Territory/Account growth (e.g. “I grew this account portfolio from $50,000 in revenue in 2008, to $170,000 in revenue in 2010—340% growth) ## Consistent Employment The rule of thumb is that a productive sales person generally costs a company money in Year 1 (because of hiring costs, training costs, guaranteed income, ramp-up time, etc), starts to make a company money in Year 2, and really becomes an impactful profit centre in Year 3. A poor sales person generally will not exceed 1 year of employment with a company once that company realizes that they are not getting—or are not likely to get—a strong return-on-investment. As such, you should be looking for candidates who have 2+ years of experience with most of their previous employers. ## Relevant Experience There are a LOT of different variances in sales jobs. We do believe that an intelligent candidate with strong drive and empathy can be successful in ANY sales role, but there are ramp-up times to consider. Clearly it makes sense to lean towards someone who has already held a similar sales role. Here are the variances in a candidate’s background to consider: 1. B2B vs. B2C (often extremely different decision making processes from the customer) 2. Inside vs. Outside sales (completely different territory management process) 3. Hunter vs. Farmer (back to those drive and empathy attributes) 4. Average sales cycle (is it immediate, or is it 2 years—the longer the sales cycle, the more complex the sales process generally is) 5. Who they sell into (IT department often has different decision making processes than marketing department) 6. Average sale sizes ($1k sale or $100k sale) 7. One-time sales vs. recurring revenues 8. Have they sold for big brands or “no names” (often a big brand can open the door for a rep) 9. Do they sell to end-users or through channels like retailers or distributors (different decision making processes) ## What should you be looking for in your first interview? ## What is your initial impression of them? How do they look and sound—impressive, well prepared? Would they be a good representative of your company? Good sales people generally walk with a sense of purpose and look busy, but well organized. Poor sales people look hesitant and flustered. Tip: If you have a receptionist, ask them to pay particular attention to the sales person when they arrive for their interview (prior to meeting the hiring manager) and when they leave. An empathetic sales person will generally try to engage the receptionist (without being cheesy and “salesy”) knowing that it is important to make a good, memorable impression to EVERYONE they meet (you never know who influences decisions). ## Are they able to build fast rapport? An interview is a very tenuous and often uncomfortable situation. It is almost exactly the same environment a sales person will encounter when prospecting for a new customer. As such, this is a great opportunity to see how that candidate is able to build rapport (in sales we call this “relate and connect”). Are they over-friendly (e.g. seizing on any photo of you golfing to start stalking about your handicap)? Too relaxed (e.g. sprawling in their seat)? Is it like pulling teeth to get the conversation started? It should be a comfortable and productive conversation. ## Does the candidate know where they are in the process—are they selling or buying? This is another extremely important sign of whether a candidate has empathy. An empathetic candidate will instinctively understand where they are in this “sales process”. If you headhunted them and they are not necessarily looking for a new role, it is understandable that they are in “buying-mode” (i.e. they are looking to see why they should consider working for you). On the other hand, if they applied to the role—or are clearly looking for a job—they should understand that they are in “selling-mode” (i.e. they are focused purely on showing their fit for the role). This does not mean a candidate should not be asking questions in the first interview: it just means they should only ask “safe” questions. Example of a “safe” first-interview question: “How will you be measuring success in the first year for this role.” Example of a “bad” first-interview question: “When will I be eligible for a pay raise?” ## What decisions have they made and why have they made them? Working from high school to present day, you should be asking the candidate about every accomplishment and decision they have made in relation to professional growth and achievements. How did they get into sales? Why did they choose that employer? What was their role? How well did they perform it? Why did they leave? How much did they earn? Why are they looking right now? Look for unexplainable gaps or red flags. If something does not make sense, continue to drill for clarity and keep track of that issue to address later during reference checking. ## What are they looking for right now? It is important to understand as an employer that just because a sales person has been successful in the past, does not mean they will be able to replicate that success for you. Like all people, a sales person wants to feel they are progressing in their career. If you are offering them exactly the same role and compensation plan that they are currently have with a competitor, you must ensure you have a clear understanding of why they would take that role. Do they have the energy and enthusiasm to be successful _this_ time AND to stay for 3+ years? If they were really exceptional contributors with your competitor (or in a very similar role), you must be able to offer something compelling to bring them over (more money, a better career path, a better sales territory, better products/services, etc). If your offering is directly comparable to their current role and they are still looking to move, this could be a red flag. Why would they make this move? What don’t you know? Employment must be about win/win. If you feel you are getting a lot more value than you are giving, you must know that it is unsustainable (don’t be surprised if the candidate turns out to be a bust OR quickly leaves for another more enticing opportunity). Ensure that your employment opportunity matches the goals and expectations of your ideal candidate. Example: 8 months ago, a company hired their dream sales rep. This rep was perfect: extremely engaging, great sales performance and had industry experience. They felt so lucky to have him. Sure, he had made more money in the past. More than this employer could realistically offer. But that rep was looking to move to Vancouver, and this was the best job he could get at the time. They paid for his move, welcomed him on board, enjoyed 6 months of strong sales performance… Fast forward 8 months and that candidate found a better paying opportunity in Vancouver. Bad return on investment that could have been easily avoided. ## Would you buy from this candidate? At the end of your first interview, you need to ask this simple question. If the answer is yes, move them forward. If the answer is no, don’t. --- ## 8 Eye Openers in Sales Resumes | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/eight-eye-openers-sales-resumes ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) **Consider the following when looking for a Peak Performer:** ## 1\. Show me the numbers In sales resumes, results are key. Anyone can call themselves an “over achiever” or a sales “superstar.” If a candidate does not quantify his success in the resume, it may be an effort to downplay less than stellar results. ## 2\. Look for winners Strong sales resumes often have an “awards and achievements” section. That’s because great salespeople often win awards and can list significant achievements like important wins and large deals. It is another way to demonstrate results. ## 3\. Consecutive short stays are a warning sign If the candidate has a pattern of staying at companies for one or two years, she is probably not making quota, or perhaps repeatedly losing interest before building momentum. Optimally, you are looking for someone who stays three to five years at most sales jobs. ## 4\. Words, words, words When candidates go on and on about their “soft skills,” it is a red flag to the recruiter. Coupled with an absence of numbers, this reeks “no results.” ## 5\. A focus on “responsibilities” signals a mismatch Candidates who write reams on the companies they worked for in the past and what they did (eg. supervised a team of colleagues, oversaw initiatives) may be focused on things that don’t matter to superstar salespeople. ## 6\. Mind the gaps in employment Missing months in the job history, unless credibly addressed (eg. took hiatus to spend time with new child, launched a business) can indicate a failure to reach targets. Peak Performers are always employed and making money. If gaps show up repeatedly, put that resume on the reject pile. ## 7\. Are they an A-player? World class companies are successful because they hire high quality people. Has the candidate made it onto a major-league team and been successful? Has he been hired by companies you respect? ## 8\. “You should hire me because…” Look for a succinct summary sentence that captures the essence of the candidate. Superstars know their role is to deliver revenue, profits and growth, and they will tell you why you should hire them – because they will produce the results. --- ## F.A.C.E - how to find, attract, choose, and equip top sales people - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/f-a-c-e-how-to-find-attract-choose-and-equip-top-sales-people You don’t make a sales hire to fill a seat. You want a long-term top performer who will make a positive revenue and cultural impact. As the leaders in sales recruitment, Sales Talent Agency has identified the four critical components to consistently making great hires. We refer to it as F.A.C.E.™ Recruitment is a sales function. You cannot wait for candidates to come to you. You have to go get them. “Find” is about being creative and aggressive with your candidate networking techniques. **Tip:** Your ideal candidate may not be ready when you are… stay in touch even when you are not actively hiring so they think of you first when they are next exploring their career options. ## Attract Good candidates have choice. Are you ready to explain why they should choose you? “Attract” is about communicating an Employer Value Proposition that is unique and compelling to your ideal candidate. It should clearly show why your company is a great place for them to invest their career. **Tip:** Add proof through current employee testimonials. ## **Choose** What does a great salesperson even look like? Do they walk faster, think quicker, or schmooze better? “Choose” is about knowing specifically what kind of person will excel in your company and role, and developing interview and analysis techniques that will point you to the highest probability hire. **Tip:** Review Sales Talent Agency’s proven [DNA/PRO™](https://www.salestalentagency.com/what-is-dna-pro/) methodology to see the 6 areas we focus on when helping our clients make their best sales hires. ## **Equip** So you spent all that time and money to make a hire, and they are gone in less than a year? What a waste! “Equip” is about getting the most – both performance and tenure – from your sales hires. You need to consider how you onboard, coach and develop their skills, as well as how you direct their behaviour through compensation. **Tip:** Great case studies provide the proof of success that make a salesperson’s life so much easier… make collecting and distributing them a core mission for your support team. Want to analyze your current sales recruitment strategy and find ways to improve? [Book a F.A.C.E consultation today.](https://salestalentagency.secure.force.com/jsforms__forminclude?formId=a1Ro0000001Acv4EAC&_ga=2.208264658.1171174586.1566832881-1542763901.1562783922) --- ## Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail ### By [Kristin Condon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kristin-condon/) Any good sales representative knows that preparation is often the key to success. This applies to all aspects of a sales process – from the discovery to the presentation, right up to negotiating and closing the deal. Preparation also plays an important role in an interview process and can not only help you feel more confident but can help you stand out above the competition. At Sales Talent Agency, we refer to preparing for an interview as the Pregame. The term Pregame actually refers to the pre-show before a main event – and that really is what this is. You are preparing for the big show – a phenomenal job opportunity that could be a next big step in your career – and you do not want to leave anything to chance. What goes into a good interview pregame? Here is a summary of the key areas you should consider when preparing for a sales interview. ## Research - Know where you are going and how long it will take to get there. This seems obvious but many almost take it for granted and will forget to do this until they are walking out the door. - Google who you are meeting with. Take the time to look them up on LinkedIn so you can see their history and success with that company or in that industry, and see if you have anything common. (i.e. maybe you went to the same school or both played hockey). You can often find a good ice breaker. - Review the website backwards and forwards; read any press releases; research who the competition is. Show that you have an interest in learning and understanding who they are and that you are proactive about it. ## Presentation - Dress for the industry (banking is more corporate; advertising is more creative/trendy/ funky) but it still needs to include a suit or blazer. - Do not wear too much cologne or perfume (or smell like smoke); wear too much make -up; and no clangy or distracting jewelry. Hair (including facial hair) should be trim and neat. Fresh breath is important but no chewing gum. - Be early; bring multiple copies of your resume including a copy for yourself. - Be friendly to everyone you meet (including the person at the front desk). - Turn your phone off and please do not take selfies (yes, I had a candidate do this and yes, they did not get the job). - When greeting someone – stand up, have a firm (not crushing, not weak) handshake and smile. - Be on top of any bad habits – knuckle cracking, winking, etc. – they only distract and are often not interpreted positively. - Present yourself as though you are already working for this company and are now representing them to a client. ## The Interview - Review the job description so you have a clear understanding of what are the main responsibilities and requirements of the job. Write out the skills/experience/ education you have that aligns to those responsibilities and requirements. An ideal fit for a job will have 70-80% of what the company is asking for. - Prepare specific examples of situations of where you have demonstrated these skills or responsibilities. Past performance is a strong predictor of future performance. - Brag book – know your value; the what, how and when of your success. Know your metrics/numbers inside and out; how you compared to other reps in the same role as you; share any recognition you received or achievements you accomplished. Even personally – sports or academic awards are viewed positively and show signs of a disciplined, team-oriented, competitive, self-motivated and driven individual. - Questions – you should always have questions prepared to show you are engaged in this process and thorough in your decision making. The questions should be appropriate for the interview stage you are at. Do not ask how many sick days there are granted (you should never ask that question). Do not ask about compensation unless the interviewer brings it up. Ask about company strategy over the next 5 years or what challenges you would face in the first 6 months in the role. Ask questions that are smart and impressive, will leave a good impression and will give you some great insight to the position and company as well. - The Close – ASK FOR THE JOB. A good salesperson will try to close the process or at the very least, will ask for the next step. Asking “what is the next step” is not asking for the next step. Asking “do you feel that I have what you are looking for to move me forward to the next step” is asking directly for the next step. ## Follow-Up - Be sure to send a quick, triple spell-checked, thank you email. If you did not get their business card then call the company’s main number and ask reception like any good sales rep would do when prospecting. Finally – go in to win it. Show you want it. Show passion, energy and excitement. In the event you do not get the job, you will still leave a positive impression and still feel great about the effort you put into it. Successful people will do things that others won’t and that often starts with preparation. Good Luck! --- ## Feeling overwhelmed with extra-curricular involvement? Choose your lane. | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/feeling-overwhelmed-with-extra-curricular-involvement-choose-your-lane ### By [Katherine Perrin](http://www.salestalentagency.com/katherine-perrin) [Elite Daily](http://elitedaily.com/) stated that “we live in a society in which productivity is considered to be a highly valued aspect of life. If you seek to impress someone, whether it’s at a job, networking or in everyday relationships, people will wonder what you’re up to. ‘Nothing’ is an answer that’s often frowned upon, as is general laziness”. However, it seems that for the most part this statement is misconstrued, especially by those who are young, hungry and eager to impress – students. I’ll be first to admit, that when I was a student I was a culprit of being involved in _everything_. But, I wish I could go back and tell myself that it wasn’t necessarily the best choice. I worked part time, studied full time, was the vice president of a student group and trained 20 hours a week for various marketing competitions. Trust me, I get it. It’s hard to say no; you want to get as much job experience as you can, but learning to get super involved in one thing will benefit you for the future. ## Tip #1 _–_ Choose your lane. Find an activity that is suited towards your career aspirations, that you can invest the bulk of your extracurricular efforts in. As a Regional Manager for [the Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) I work with students that have spread themselves too thin everyday. Students that look great on a resume – they are involved in literally every school club/group – and I originally thought were going to be great additions to the team. But when it came down to it, they were too busy to excel in the ambassador role because they simply did not have the time to invest. If you are a student who is involved in everything, ask yourself critically how you will manage your schedule so that you are not just participating in an initiative, but are an engaged participant that is contributing to something great. I am not by any stretch implying that if you are involved with more than one thing that you will fail. You have to know yourself and understand what you can take on and how you can ensure that you are successful in everything, rather than scratching the surface with your capabilities. ## Tip #2 – Get organized. Mapping out your school and extracurricular schedule will allow you to allocate enough time to properly succeed in each, all while still having a social life on the side. As I mentioned before, I was involved in a lot of different things while in school. I have a VERY [gold personality](http://www.truecolorsworkshops.com/gold-true-colors-personality-type-work/) and while I was in school I had all of my activities scheduled in for the entire year. I’ll be candid with you, it took a lot of work and effort and many of my peers didn’t organize themselves to the same caliber because it took a lot of time. I can confidently say that being hyper organized is well worth the investment. I rarely felt overwhelmed, because each and every week I had a very good idea of what was required of me. It doesn’t mean that I wasn’t busy; it simply meant that I felt more prepared going into everything that I committed my time to. ## Tip #3 – Learn to say no. It’s an ongoing process to learn how to say no, but as long as you realize the importance of saying no, you’re on your way there. I now know that if I decided to put my time and focus into one of the extracurriculars that I was involved in, I would of been able to support my team and excel better within that position. There is this underlying philosophy that being involved with only one thing will somehow make you less employable and in my experience I’ve found the complete opposite. If you are highly committed to one thing, you’ll get a deeper and richer understanding of what you are doing and what you have accomplished. Employers are looking for someone to articulate how hard-working, committed and results oriented they are and you can absolutely accomplish this with one extra-curricular. My advice to current students is to learn to say “no” and put your time and resources towards one commitment that you want to excel in. You will end up with better metrics, better experience and you won’t disappoint the people that you have committed to. --- ## Five things I learned in my first year as a Sales Manager | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/five-things-i-learned-in-my-first-year-as-a-sales-manager-lzlgh Sonya and her SDR team at the 2017 STA holiday party ### by [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/sonya-meloff) In 2017, I embarked on a journey to build a sales team for [Sales Talent Agency](https://www.salestalentagency.com/). Prior to that, we’d never had one, as I had been the only “dedicated” sales person. This worked well for many years but by the end of 2016, having grown to approximately 60 people, we recognized the need to build a proper sales department to ensure consistent growth. We also realized that if we could get it right, we had a huge opportunity in front of us. Though I’d always been a strong individual contributor, I’d never been a sales manager before and it quickly became my job to figure out how. For a second, yes, I was terrified. But then instantly excited! We decided to run with an SDR model to see if we could replicate in a service business what we’d seen software companies do so successfully. That is, we’d break up the sales process in to fragmented segments, hire and train high-potential/low-experience talent, and train them on how to master the earliest and toughest part of the sales process: finding the right opportunities and booking high quality meetings for the senior leaders to carry forward. We also ramped up our marketing efforts to drive inbound opportunities, but that is for another article. We first test-piloted the idea of an SDR team in the summer of 2016 with a university intern. With a bit of trial and error, we proved quickly that the model worked and pushed forward to build a full-time sales team. By the end of 2017, our team had grown to five full-time sales people and it proved to be a year of tremendous learning and great results. We hit 107% on an aggressive target, brought on more than 100 new clients, and solidified our team as a critical part of STA’s future growth strategy. ## **1\. Hire the right people** 5 years ago, we developed our [DNA/PRO™](https://www.salestalentagency.com/what-is-dna-pro/) methodology for analyzing sales talent for our clients. The most critical of these are the first 3: Drive (are they ambitious, with the work ethic and resiliency to meet their goals?); Nature (are they emotionally intelligent and able to connect easily and authentically with customers?); Acumen (are they bright, curious and able to become a business expert?). Using this methodology we hired 3 high-potential sales rookies who have all excelled (all met their 2017 targets) and have since been promoted. Never have we been more convinced of this methodology than after using it for our own hiring. ## **2\. Pick 3 KPI’s** Starting from scratch, we needed to figure out the basics of what we would measure: how many companies was it reasonable to contact on a daily basis, how many calls should the sales people be making in a day, how were they going to find who to call, do emails work better and how many emails to send, and how many conversations could be had, and meetings booked? We set and revised daily activity targets and recognized what we could only measure that which we could control – specifically, who we were calling (did we identify the right contact), how often we called them, and what exactly were we saying. There is no doubt that the right activity leads to the right results and, with the help of a strong internal Salesforce partner, we set up dashboards and reports to help measure everything. ## **3\. Training must be ongoing** Beyond our training manual with the basics on both sales and product training, I quickly realized that training for sales is an ongoing thing, often in real-time after or before calls are made, emails written, etc. I set aside weekly 1-on-1 meetings with each rep to review deals in play, opportunities stalled, and to complete a thorough pipeline review. This allowed for pin-pointed and effective knowledge transfer and ensured effective pipeline management. As a team, we also met daily to review achievements based on the previous day’s goals. This has since been modified to a Monday and Friday meeting only. ## **4\. Tech for Sales has arrived and it’s great!** We discovered and tested great tools like Lusha, Pitchbook, ZoomInfo, Boomerang, ConnectAndSell, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Calendly, Vidyard and others which helped us get sales insights on our prospects quickly and saved time with tough tasks such as finding key contact info (aka mobile numbers!) for prospects. Time is money, and we continue to trial and explore new tools that can help drive efficiencies for our team. ## **5\. Celebrate the small wins and have fun as a team** Working in sales can feel like getting beat up a daily basis. Putting aside the slamming down of the phone, the crass replies to emails, there are prospects that will commit to a meeting, then not show up, never to be heard from again. If that’s not ego-bruising, I don’t know what is! But with every no, it’s one step closer to a yes, and along the way we enjoyed celebrating the small wins, including: finding an important number, having a good conversation, getting a referral, etc. We reviewed and celebrated these small wins daily. We also celebrated big wins – hitting targets and team promotions – and most importantly we had fun along the way. We learned to laugh at ourselves and had fun laughing at and with each other. Most importantly, we learned that sales is a team sport and nobody can do it on their own. * * * Because we help companies hire salespeople for a living, our standard is to be the salespeople our clients want to hire. We set a high standard for each other and, as a team, held each other accountable. This included work activities and personal goals, and basic expectations around showing up on time, using proper grammar, and being accountable to do what we say we are going to do. We set a bar to not be late for meetings, to always be prepared and not miss targets, while recognizing that nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. By stating our expectations clearly, it set the tone for how we wanted our team to be perceived, both internally and externally, and ultimately I think helped us achieve strong results. The profession of sales is one of constant growth and learning and this couldn’t have been more true for my first year as a sales manager. Our theme as a sales team for 2018 is: Always Be Growing. The definition of growing is to become greater over a period of time and I’m looking forward to continued growth for me, my team and everyone on it. For the love of Sales! #alwaysbegrowing --- ## Sales negotiation with Fotini Iconomopoulos | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/fotini-iconomopoulos ## Introduction of our guest, [Fotini Iconomopoulos](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fotiniiconomopoulos/). **Stefan:** Welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. Our guest today is Fotini Iconomopoulos. She is an MBA Sessional Instructor at the [Schulich School of Business](http://schulich.yorku.ca/) at York University, and founder of Forward Focusing, a negotiation, communication, and leadership consulting firm. Nicknamed “The Negotiator” as a child, she has always channeled her energy into a passion for the power of forward thinking. After a decade of owning and managing small businesses in the retail sector, she refined her negotiation skills in the CPG industry before becoming a management consultant. She also led a successful negotiation advisory practice for another global firm before branching off on her own. Over the last 10 years, she has helped clients all over the globe focus their energy on moving their commercial objectives forward. Fotini, how are you doing today? **Fotini:** I am great, thanks. I’m very pleased to be chatting with you. **Stefan:** I have to ask you right away. Where did the nickname “The Negotiator” come from as a child? **Fotini:** My dad. I had to negotiate my way for everything in a big fat Greek family. He would often say something, and I would be put forward because I was the youngest, they’d say, “You ask. You’re the cute one. You ask for something.” ## **Stefan:** [Sales Talent Agency](https://www.salestalentagency.com/) is the largest sales recruitment firm in North America. With that, it would only make sense that we talk a bit about how you got introduced into sales. How did you get to where you are now? **Fotini:** It was pretty natural. I grew up in – if you’ve ever seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding – that was my upbringing. I grew up in the back room of a restaurant and that restaurant became a doughnut shop, and then it was a fish and chips shop. I worked for the family business in the summer and then I wanted to start making money in the winter as well. So, I got a part time job at Danier which was a leather store here in Canada. I was working almost full time hours because I just enjoyed it so much. I loved being on the sales floor, and the techniques to keep asking for something until you get a no, really resonated with me. Then one day my dad said to me, “You need to quit your job.” I said, “How come?” He said, “Well, we’re opening up our own leather and fur boutique.” I said, “What do you know about leather and fur?” He said, “Nothing. I know I have a smart kid though, so we’ll figure it out.” So, we went into the leather business and then it was sink or swim. You had to be successful otherwise the family mortgage was on the line. ## **Stefan:** Tell us about your sales career with L’Oreal. **Fotini:** After I finished my MBA program, I was recruited by L’Oreal. Instead of working in a marketing role, I ended up in their sales stream. Although it was a hard decision initially, it seemed like a natural fit. It happened to be in Toronto instead of Montreal. So, I decided that seemed like a good idea. From there, I started working with Walmart, and it snowballed. So, I became the Walmart expert, and I got coached by another company and then that company had hired a consulting firm to train us to be better negotiators. Now, I work with sales teams on a regular basis, helping them improve their sales and negotiation skills. ## **Stefan:** There’s an element of [negotiation](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/sales-negotiation-with-tony-perzow/) in any form of sales but I’m always interested to hear how the different industries operate. What were you negotiating when you were with L’Oreal? **Fotini:** When I was working in the consumer goods industry, it wasn’t like you had to cold call Walmart and beg them to take your products. They were already selling products, but how do I get them to expand my line, buy more of my products and give me more promotional support? Or when I was with Smuckers, it was my jams instead of kraft peanut butter, for example. Then, working to leverage some of those relationships to maximize every opportunity that’s in front of me. Sales could be cold calling for some people. For me, it was business development. It was developing the business to a much bigger place. **Stefan:** It sounds like you’re fighting for shelf space, right? I mean I’ve worked in the CPG industry as well, so I know how that story goes. A lot of people don’t realize how valuable it is. **Fotini:** Yes. It’s only gotten worse since I was in the industry. ## **Stefan:** Talk to me about what your perception of negotiation really is and why it is so important in the psychology of business. **Fotini:** Most people assume the definition of negotiation is two people beating each other up. I don’t think it has to be combative. In fact, I know it doesn’t have to be combative. When you look at the dictionary definition of negotiation, it’s two people having a discussion until they reach an agreement. If you can think about it that way, it’s a joint problem solving opportunity, it’s an opportunity for debate, it’s an opportunity to conference and to discover more about the other person and have them discover something about you. Those are all things that get us to a much more amicable place. Even if I’m buying elephant pants on a beach in Thailand, I’m discovering what this person’s maximum or minimum is to let them go for a certain price. If I’m negotiating with Walmart on buying more of my product, I’m discovering what is holding them back, or how I can maximize opportunities and create some new complex and creative ideas to do that. ## **Stefan:** Is it important to understand what negotiation really is? Do you teach that to your clients before actual strategies? **Fotini:** Absolutely. We start with mind set. If you show up and think, “Okay, I need to brace myself for war,” it might start to feel that way at some point. What you need is to start in the place where you think, “how can I be curious about this person? What do I know about this person? How can I gain more knowledge about this person?” It’s that mindset that we start with. In part of that knowledge and discovery is, “You know what? This person likes to fight.” Then I can build a strategy around that. It’s really being able to be curious first, and going in with the idea that you are going to start a discussion, not a fight. So, mindset and curiosity are really important things. Being able to think about the other party is also critical to success, because negotiation’s not about you. You have an objective you want to accomplish, but it’s really about what’s going on inside their head. How do I leverage that to get what I want, to achieve the objective? ## **Stefan:** I’ve heard you refer to these four core words. “If you, then I.” Why is this so powerful during the negotiation process? What is it accomplishing? **Fotini:** Negotiation is a trade, right? It’s a give and take. Sometimes, there’s going to be a lot more to take than there is to give. Sometimes the balance might be out of whack. But, even if it’s all take, those words work. So, whether I’m buying something that’s a one-off deal or if I’m on a beach buying a souvenir, “If you drop your price to $20, then I’ll buy this from you today.” Now all of a sudden, it seems like a gift, right? The “if” is what I’m going to get out of it. So, if you do the thing for me that serves my objective, then I’ll do this thing for you that serves your objective. It makes it seem a lot more balanced. It also allows us the opportunity to then get rid of some of the other words that come up into play. So I don’t want to be using soft language like “I think”, it’s about being really firm and being really concise without sounding like a jerk. So, if you do this thing that I want, then I can do this thing that you want. Reverse the order and all of a sudden it sounds like a punishment. Yes, I’ll do that thing that you want, but only if you do this thing for me; it sounds quite menacing. So, you can frame your negotiation as a true gift to somebody instead as making it feel as overly demanding as perhaps it would have been perceived. ## **Stefan:** You’ve worked with some large clients that may or may not have previous negotiation training. What are some common mistakes made by inexperienced salespeople in a negotiation? **Fotini:** The number one thing that I see that happens, not just from new people with no experience but it also happens from the most experienced ones and that is, a lot of salespeople don’t shut up. You can go through your sales pitch and talk until you’re blue in the face, but have you stopped to consider what they want? Have you stopped to think about things from their perspective? The only way to do that is to allow them to do some talking. In order for them to talk, you have to shut up. I like to frame it with my own question so I can steer their talk in the discussion that I wanted to go by asking a really clever question first. I mean it comes back to the Simon Sinek Ted Talk, they start with why. You want to start with, why should they listen to you? What is in this for them? Too often people will even start down that path and they’ll keep talking and lose sight of what that person wants. That’s when that person disengages and loses interest. I have seen really experienced and clever salespeople roll over their counterparts. Had they just taken a pause to breathe a little bit, to ask a question, to allow that person to give some feedback or insight or even just digest it, they’re so much more credible and you’re so much more collaborative when you do that. **Stefan:** Let’s talk about playbooks and how you should frame your playbook based on the person that you’re speaking with. ## **Stefan:** Do you find that having one consistent playbook is the way to go or should you be tailoring, or mirroring that based on the type of person you’re speaking with? **Fotini:** I think mirroring is an interesting word. I prefer complimenting. By complimenting I don’t mean, kissing their butt. When I hear about someone who is a bull, if I were to mirror and also become bullish, it could actually end make us go into war with each other. It might not serve us very well. If I look at that person and see that they’re a bull, I think of how I can best compliment that behaviour to get what I want. Me being warm and fuzzy and kumbaya, may not be the best solution either because they might sense that it’s weakness and decide to walk all over me. But, I might be a little bit more reserved. I might be a little bit more poignant, or punchy in my questions. But, I can’t necessarily do the same things that they’re doing. So, there’s a bit of a misnomer with mirroring. Mirroring is really about reacting appropriately to the people in front of you. So, in some cases it could be body language. If they lean forward, you lean forward. It shows that you’re both interested and so on. If they’re really warm, you’re really warm. It’s a bit of a danger to think that if they’re going to be cold, you are going to be cold. If I see them as cold, I’m going to now prompt that to think, “Okay. Who’s my audience now? Do I need to do something that could warm them up? Are they even capable of warming up? How do I best handle somebody who’s going to be in that cold space?” Because I know from gender norms, and from research around gender, that what works for you, may not work for me. So, I have to be very careful about mirroring because it’s not always received the same way. But I would say if I’m complimenting, it’s a word that resonates a little bit more with me, with all of my audiences as opposed to just my male audiences. ## **Stefan:** When listening to you on Speaker’s Spotlight, you said that the playbook that works for most people, isn’t going to work for you. Tell us how you got to that idea and what you needed to do to change your own playbook in order to be heard. **Fotini:** It’s an interesting one because I talk about it as if it’s the equivalent of taking the stairs and taking the on-ramp. When it comes to the stairs, the majority of the population can use the stairs. But, there’s going to be some people who are disadvantaged, who are not going to be able to do that. But, the on-ramp will serve them and it will serve everybody else who can take the stairs as well. Everybody can use the on-ramp, the majority can use the stairs. When it comes to negotiation principles, the majority of those principles did work for me, but I started to see these issues coming up. Because I was the only female in this consulting firm that I worked in, I was the only one doing that job, that wasn’t over 6 feet tall and with male genitalia. We were taught to use the same script and the same playbook if you will. When I used that script, I saw men responding to me differently than they did my male peers. Here I was shadowing all these really accomplished great guys who were doing the same work that I was supposed to be doing and yet, their script wasn’t working the same way for me. They never were told, I don’t want to do that. They never got the push back that I got. I thought that was really weird and wanted to figure out why this is happening. I started to dig in a little bit deeper about gender in negotiation and women in business. What I realized was, if we’re both walking on a balance beam, your balance beam is about a meter wide, and mine is about half a foot wide. So I just have to be really mindful and really careful about the words that I choose, and the language that I use, and the way I carry myself, because the words coming out of my mouth aren’t going to be received exactly the same way. The same way that if I go to a different culture, and somebody local said something, and I say the same thing, they’re going to go, “Who are you?” To use that language with us, they’re just not used to that. So again, it’s about being mindful of who the person sitting across the table from me really is. What are their perceptions of me and how do I manage those perceptions appropriately? So again, it’s complimenting that perception to use it to my advantage instead of assuming that a square peg fits in a round hole. **Stefan:** Speaking of women in business, Sales Talent Agency founded the [Great Canadian Sales Competition](https://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/), the largest student sales competition in Canada, and we are across 80 campuses in Canada. This year alone we had over 4,200 student applicants. In round one, they submit a sales pitch on any topic that they want in 30-90 seconds. I don’t know exactly what the percentage was but in terms of female participants, it’s growing significantly. In fact, this year we had a female champion. Her name is Martina and she’s from [BCIT](https://www.bcit.ca/) in Vancouver. It’s becoming more and more prevalent to see women in business. Especially younger individuals. ## **Stefan:** In light of the fact that it’s grad season, what would be your final piece of advice for young business professionals entering the sales market for the first time? **Fotini:** I get asked a lot for advice on job offers. Most of my MBA students use my office hours solely for asking me for job offer advice. When it comes to negotiating for that stuff, what I find is, so many students go in assuming that they’re coming from a place of weakness. They’re thinking, “Why would they hire me when there’s 500 other people who are knocking down the door?” The first thing I tell them is, “Why are they talking to you? They have carved out time to speak to you. They’ve given you an interview, they’ve given you the next interview, they’re making you an offer right now. Why did they choose you over somebody else? Reflect on that for a second and recognize that you bring something to the table that nobody else does. It’s about putting yourself in the mindset of having the confidence to stand behind that. It’s not about being arrogant and puffing your chest out so much that you become a jerk. But it’s about going, yes. I do bring something to the table. So, if you can believe in that, and you can behave that way, you will carry yourself with the credibility and the confidence that you need in order to carry you through some really difficult conversations going forward.” ## **Stefan:** I know that confidence is a huge component of negotiation itself. Any tips on how to improve confidence going into a salary negotiation or a B2B sales negotiation? **Fotini:** I tell a lot of my audiences to keep what I call a feel good folder. If you get an accolade, a positive message from somebody, or an email saying great job, put it in the folder. Then when you need a confidence boost, you get to look at that folder and remind yourself that, “Oh, I have done a lot.” It is important to keep that list of running accomplishments active. It’s kind of like updating your resume in the moment instead of waiting until that interview to come along. That will help you with the confidence. It also gives you an objective list of information about yourself. So, when you go in there you’re speaking to facts instead of opinions. It’s not going, “I think I did a great job.” It’s, “Here are all the things that I did this year that others have recognized, that I’m really proud of and so on.” That will certainly go a long way because if you can speak to it the way a third party would speak to it, then it’s extremely credible in the other person’s eyes. If it says, “I think I did okay, or I think I did well.” But, I don’t have any tangible examples of that, then it’s going to be harder for you to even get your own confidence up. So how are they going to have confidence in you? **Stefan:** Negotiation is a very important component of sales but we don’t speak about it too often. I think more companies need to focus on getting professional training for negotiation. Do you find that your clients are seeing significant results after they complete the training that you’re able to present to? **Fotini:** Absolutely. So whether it’s individuals who tapped me on the shoulder when they see me at event and go, “I got a $20,000 raise because of something you said in one of your keynotes.” Or companies who have told me they’ve increased their profits after my training. Sales is what gets you in the door. The negotiation piece is what allows you to close the sale. If you’ve done a really great job in the sales process, but you’re not well versed in the negotiation piece, you could be bleeding all of your profit and all of your value in those closing pieces of the sales process. So, definitely an opportunity to upscale people there, that’s where I would invest first even before sales training. We’re natural sales people. We’d learn by trial and error what really works well for us in sales, how to get people to like us and so on. With negotiation, I find you really want to create a safe environment for people to make some mistakes and actually practice it. When you’re practicing negotiation, there’s a lot at stake when it comes to potentially losing profit or gaining profit. **Stefan:** In light of that, I am going to attach your LinkedIn profile [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fotiniiconomopoulos/) so that our visitors can connect with you regarding negotiation training for themselves or their organization. Fotini, I want to thank you for being on the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast today and I wish you all the very best. --- ## Free Sales Training for Megaphone's Street Vendors | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/free-sales-training-for-megaphones-street-vendors ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) For the 3rd year, I was invited to provide sales training to Megaphone’s sales people. If you are from Vancouver, you know Megaphone: it is the “street” newspaper sold to you by low-income and homeless East Vancouverites. It really is a great way for someone with little ability to get full-time employment to build a business for themselves where they can earn money based on the amount they work, their sales approach, and the unique content of the newspaper. I have grown to really appreciate this program – headed by Sean Condon – as well as all of the interesting, lively and very engaged street people (eager sales people) who have clearly had challenges in their lives and are looking for a way to stand on their own 2 feet. The event is held at 1 Hastings Street (yes – right at the “liveliest” corner of East Vancouver), in a really cool art gallery that displays photography and artwork related to the street people who inhabit the neighbourhood. Megaphone sells its publications to street vendors ($0.75 each) and the vendor will then resell the issue on the street corners, in front of grocery stores, and wherever there are large groups of people for approximately $2 (the recommended price – not always adhered to – the more the better:). The first 10 copies are given to the vendor for free to help them get off the ground (they are also often provided a t-shirt, hat, vendor badge, coaching and territory). It really does create an alternative to begging for money, for people who want to build some self-respect and earn themselves an honest living. Last year’s training session focused on how to “close” people who the vendor already had attracted, while this year we focused on how to attract people in the first place. ## My first goal was to get the vendors to understand that every sales person has 3 audiences: 1. those who will buy from you no matter what 2. those who will never buy from you 3. those who may or may not buy, dependant on your approach, their mood, the value proposition, etc A sales person should appreciate the first group, ignore the second group, and focus their attention on the 3rd group (usually 90+% of the audience). ## During the session, we discussed and – where practical – role-played: 1. How to attract someone walking down the street (where to stand, what audience is “low hanging fruit”, etc) 2. How to present yourself (what to wear, how to stand, how to display your product, etc) 3. How to articulate your value proposition 4. and we recapped – from last year’s session – how to close the deal Sales Talent Agency donated its time for this program (the money paid to us was instantly donated back to the program), and we were thrilled to be a part of this organization. Obviously the social problems in Vancouver and Canada as a whole are extremely challenging and complex, but we eagerly support any program that promotes the ability to work, pay for a roof over your head, put food on your plate (and often your family’s plate), and build your self-esteem. Next time you see someone waving a Megaphone newspaper at you remember that the content is unique and interesting, the person has limited ability to get full-time employment, and that they are not begging – they have created a job for themselves. I hope you support them. Here is a great example of some of the work displayed at the art gallery: --- ## Globe and Mail Feature: Companies aim to sell students on sales - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/globe-and-mail-feature-companies-aim-to-sell-students-on-sales All Resources ### Globe and Mail Feature: Companies aim to sell students on sales May 30, 2017 Read full article featuring Jamie Scarborough, founding partner of Sales Talent Agency [here](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/the-future-of-work/companies-aim-to-sell-students-on-sales/article32640723/). --- ## Globe and Mail feature: Educational institutions should help prepare students for careers in sales - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/globe-and-mail-feature-educational-institutions-should-help-prepare-students-for-careers-in-sales ### ### By [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) | June 2, 2017 Canadian university and college students want to be entrepreneurs, marketers, teachers … the list goes on. One thing is becoming clearer than ever: If we want the youth unemployment rate in this country to decrease – it’s double the national unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent at 12.4 – we need to realistically prepare students for the job market by opening their eyes to a career that they may never have previously considered. Throughout my 10 years as a sales recruiter, CEOs and business leaders have expressed how eager they are to hire talented, passionate college or university graduates to sales roles. This desire lines up directly with a study from the Conference Board of Canada, which consistently lists sales as one of the top-five highest-in-demand specializations. So why are we not preparing Canadian students for the jobs that are out there? Positions in sales at flourishing companies, particularly at up-and-coming technology companies, are not getting filled for two main reasons: - Not many students dream of being in sales when they grow up, because of misconceptions about the industry (used-car sales, commission-only, door-to-door, etc.). - Select new grads applying to these roles are not qualified. There is a big gap between what students are learning in the classroom versus the needs of employers. Sales people are capable of climbing the corporate ladder. My business partner Jamie Scarborough and I have found that about 20 per cent of the CEOs we encounter have come from sales positions. All of these discoveries inspired us to take on a big project in 2014: the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), an initiative aimed at shedding light on the opportunities in B2B sales with the help of faculty members at universities and colleges across the country. We wrapped up the third and largest year GCSC in March, as more than 2,100 students learned about a field that likely never crossed their mind. Of the contestants surveyed, only 11 per cent of them initially wanted to pursue a sales career. After participation in the GCSC, 98 per cent would considering it. Over the past three years, our program has grown from just 215 submissions to 2,187. Educators are starting to realize that sales is a career that is not being highlighted to students; in turn, they are not being properly prepared for modern job opportunities. Bruce Anthony is the program head of the Professional Sales program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), a postsecondary institution offering a Professional Sales Diploma. He says the program originally had 18 students enrolled in 1980, and today graduates an average of 50 students each year, with three companies hiring per one student enrolled. Moreover, they teach selling skills in other programs, including Engineering. Since 2014, we have built awareness on campuses and spoken with college administrators across Canada. But these efforts would be much more successful if they were mirrored by program directors who can prioritize the creation of programs that focus on sales education. Another advocate is Linda Traill, a professor and co-ordinator of the B2B Corporate Account Management Graduate Certificate at Centennial College in Toronto. She’s also the brains behind the Marketing: Corporate Account Management program advisory committee (PAC) at the School of Business. She’s aiming to raise the profile of the sales profession through a graduate certificate program and by exposing students to opportunities in the field. Derek Spence, professor at the School of Business and Management at Niagara College (Ontario), is researching what employers are looking for in future employees and how schools can better prepare students for their future. He says that once students go through the program, about 60 to 70 per cent of graduates land sales roles. Their opinions about the career shift positively from when they first start because they understand the opportunities. Our goal is to ensure that students across the country are landing jobs right after graduation – jobs they are passionate about, in organizations they can excel in. Every post-secondary institution, particularly with business courses, should implement some type of B2B sales course or project element to their programs to pull the curtain back on this often misunderstood field. * * * Read the original article [here](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/educational-institutions-should-help-prepare-students-for-careers-in-sales/article35152235/). --- ## The Great Canadian Sales Competition Launches with Great Fan Fair! - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-canadian-sales-competition Google, Facebook, Dell, G&K and other great companies sponsor **The Great Canadian Sales Competition**, the largest national contest for University and College students in 2015. Why? Canada’s students are faced with an unemployment rate that is twice the national average (14%), and they rarely consider sales a potential career path despite it being one of the fastest growing and best paying roles nationally. At the same time, companies are struggling to find educated and talented sales professionals. This innovative competition educates young Canadians on sales as a career option, and connects them with potential employers for mutual success. **Full competition details can be found at: www.thegreatcanadiansalescompetition.com.** --- ## The Great Canadian Sales Survey - Results Are In! - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-canadian-sales-survey Uncategorised ### The Great Canadian Sales Survey – Results Are In! June 4, 2014 **[Salessurvey](//www.slideshare.net/salestalentagency/salessurvey-35494894 "Salessurvey")** from **[salestalentagency](https://www.slideshare.net/salestalentagency)** --- ## Bombadil LLC Owner, Andy Gole, speaks about the worthy sales hero and best practices for sustaining motivation - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-andy-gole ## A little bit of information about our guest, Andy Gole. **Stefan:** Good morning and welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast series. Today, we’ll be focusing on the topic of motivation in sales and why the act of selling is very positive and should be viewed as heroic. For over 25 years, our guest has worked with CEOs, owners, and corporate leaders throughout the U.S, helping them achieve great sales performance. He also taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University for eight years at the Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies. He started three businesses, including a sales consulting business started 25 years ago. During his career, he has thoroughly researched popular sales processes and uncovered their strengths and their shortcomings. From years of testing and evaluation, he developed the Urgency-based Selling system®, a unique approach founded on philosophies which drive and accelerate human behavior. He contributes original content regularly to forbes.com and is the author of a forthcoming book titled, _Innovate Now: Scale up with 16 Break-through Techniques_ set to release in June of this year. For more information, you can always check out his website at www.urgencybasedselling.net. ## Stefan: How did it all get started for you? What triggered your fascination with sales? **Andy:** Well, it was an interesting personal story relative to this theme of motivation and what motivates sales people. I actually started out to be a professor of economics and it didn’t work out for me. I was in a PhD program at UC Berkeley, decided it wasn’t a fit, dropped out, spent a couple of years trying to find myself, and kind of went off the grid in my early twenties. I actually set up work in factories for two years and I studied philosophy at night, that’s probably when I formed a lot of the core ideas that underlie Urgency-based selling®. I eventually decided to return to civilization. I worked for a number of years for a company as the pricing and planning manager and in that role I had access to P&L data. With that I learned that the people who earned the most money, other than the leaders of the departments, were the salespeople and so I was determined to get into sales for that reason. I must have been 27 or 28 years old at that time and I went to my boss and I said, “I want to do some selling,” our corporate headquarters was located in New Jersey but the factories that made the cans were in the south of the United States. So my boss said, “We’ll do you want to move down to Atlanta Georgia or that area?” and I said, “No”. He said, “Well, that’s where all the sales jobs are so you can’t have a sales job.” So then I did something that I think could be interesting to your listeners. I went all in and I said, “Okay, I got it, if there is no sales job, I’m giving my notice because I want to sell.” **Andy:** That was really an important principle in my life. I discovered that you have to really be totally committed. You have to convey your level of commitment because this is an important reason why people decide to go ahead with you. I was totally committed so my boss found a sales job for me. There was a unique item in a factory that we bought that nobody was really selling and he gave me the assignment of selling it. A couple of years later when they moved everything down to Atlanta, I was offered a job and I proposed an alternative. I said, “Why don’t you set me up as an independent sales agent on a commission basis and I’ll sell these unique items?” That’s how I got into selling and that’s how I got into starting my first business. **Stefan:** That’s interesting because obviously you’re an entrepreneur and in a big component of being a successful entrepreneur is commitment. You learned at a young age, in order to be successful you have to give it everything you’ve got. ## Stefan: What acted as your biggest motivation for the development in your sales career? Was it the drive to be an entrepreneur? **Andy:** I considered one profession after another and I actually decided entrepreneurship was the only thing that fit. I wasn’t ready but I knew then that’s what I was going to do. When I went back on the grid, I picked a company that allowed for me to get an MBA because I felt I needed more business knowledge. So I have an MBA from NYU and I devoted all of my energy to acquiring experience, skills, and knowledge that would allow me to launch my first business. ## Stefan: You mentioned in the article that motivation can stem from strong corporate culture and in my experience with different companies, a sales team can sometimes be seen as a clique and are not fully integrated into the corporate culture. So, what are some ways that salespeople or a sales team can become more integrated into that workplace culture that can help them strive for success? **Andy:** The first thing that I would mention is that, very often salespeople are not fully integrated into the company and they’re actually in some ways toxic to the organization. Sometimes successful salespeople think they’re above everything and above everybody and they’re not team players and so, my model which I hope I embrace is the humble sales warrior. That is the ideal, the person who is just like a fantastic warrior at selling but has great humility and I think it’s the job of leadership to set up an environment where that can involve and supports that kind of a mindset for salesperson. The humility part is not hard to achieve if you’re familiar with books like “Good Too Great”, a level 5 leader is very humble and transparent and open the new ideas. It’s the sales warrior part that I don’t think is always so obvious to companies, to leadership in companies. If you’re not a salesperson, it could be hard to understand the mindset of what a salesperson goes through when he or she is doing their primary task of business development, bringing in the bacon and being a rainmaker. A person who does that kind of behavior on behalf of the organization is a hero. Very often, selling is disparaged sometimes by top executives who don’t understand selling. Believe it or not, it’s even disparaged by salespeople because of negative stereotypes in our culture such as those that flow from a book like _Death of a Salesman_. In this story, the anti-hero, Willy Loman, is a slimy loser. Whether or not people have read the book, seen the play or the movie, they’ve been affected by how that stereotype has infiltrated our culture. Sometimes you’ll hear somebody say, “Ew, I wouldn’t do that, that’s like a used car salesman.” So there’s a very negative view associated with salespeople which from my perspective is insane because sales people are heroes. Now, why are they heroes? Is it okay Stefan if I just talk for a minute or two about what makes salespeople heroes? **Stefan:** Absolutely. That’s one of the main focuses of today. I first heard this concept on your YouTube video, I’ve never thought of someone in sales as being a hero so I’d love for you to elaborate on why you feel that a sales position is an act of heroism. **Andy:** I’m just kind of curious, can you interest back for a moment and give me a considered answer to this question, why you never would have associated selling with heroism? **Stefan:** The reason why I didn’t fully compare the two relates to the old stigma behind a salesperson and that they are often seen as Willy Loman from _Death of a Salesman_, or that slimy car salesman. Being a successful salesperson is very challenging, I would never disagree with that, but I never considered it an act of heroism. **Andy:** So, the genesis here is the fact that we face uncertainty. We face uncertainty in sales and the reason we face it is because so often salespeople face buyers who say, “I’m good. I’m satisfied. I’m content.” I have a vendor to satisfy my needs.” and that person is closed. Now use a source material for the theory of the hero, _Hero with a Thousand Faces_ written by Campbell, an anthropologist. Campbell studied hero myths in hundreds of cultures over thousands of years. To me, the central contribution of this book is to sketch out the crusade of the hero and in particular, to define the moment in time when somebody becomes a hero. So an example, in a classic myth, you have an imaginary creature like a dragon who’s threatening a village and when enough people or cattle die, the mayor, the Queen or the King, they gather all the townspeople together and they say, “If somebody will go forth, find and kill the dragon and cut off his head and bring it back, their reward will be half of my kingdom.” You picture there are hundreds of people in the town square, they’re all looking down at their feet and all of the sudden one person says, “I’ll go.” So this person rides out facing the unknown and they have adventures, they meet allies and enemies on the road and the allies help them because an essential part of myth is the idea of the worthy hero. For example, somebody gives him the cloak of invisibility so the dragon won’t see him. They acquire tools on the road and finally come to face the dragon where they have the climactic battle. The hero vanquishes the dragon and the town is now free. The central question in this book, _Hero with a Thousand Faces_ is, at what point of this story does the champion become a hero? What is the heroic moment? I’m just curious, if you haven’t heard me talk on it do you have a response to that? **Stefan:** I think it’s facing uncertainty. **Andy:** That’s the answer. It’s when the person raises their hand and says, “I’ll go” because they’re facing great uncertainty and danger. Now salespeople who were doing business development are doing that every day. They’re putting themselves in harm’s way and one could argue they’re on a 3 or 4 level crusade. First of all they’re trying to sell for themselves. Most salespeople are on commission or they get a bonus for selling. So if they sell, they’ll improve themselves. Secondly, they’re on a quest for their company. They’re trying to keep the company vibrant and this is so important as we move towards what might be another recession. Therefore, salespeople are protecting the company and perhaps more importantly the company culture. They’re protecting the core team because in a recession, when sales can decline 20-30 percent. I was with a company a little while ago giving a seminar and we were talking about the last recession. They mentioned sales declined 30 percent or more and when sales decline like that, inevitably you have to lay off employees. So the salespeople are like knights protecting the realm and the realm in their case are all the other team members who work for the organization. The fourth level of the crusade may be the most important and that is trying to help the client reach a higher level of well-being. What makes this so tricky is that typically the client is fighting them because they start the interaction by saying, “I’m good!” And what is the salesperson to do when a prospect says, “I’m good”? They have to have such tremendous self-belief in themselves and in their company. They have to face the dragon, in this case it is not fire-breathing dragon, it’s a closed mindset and the essential heroic act of a salesperson is opening the closed mind. How do we do it? The heroic salesperson does it by getting the prospect to look up instead of looking down. So many prospects are on a false peak or a false summit. Imagine a mountain with two peaks, one is pretty high up and the other is much higher. The average prospect is on the lower peak of the mountain and is looking down. When we come in as a salesperson and we say, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea for you.” The prospect says, “I’m good,” because the prospect is looking down and saying, “Hey I’ve accomplished a lot.” What makes the salesperson heroic in my view is opening the closed mind to get them to look up instead of looking down and say, “Wow! There’s a higher mountain peak, how can you help me get there?” How do you get somebody to look up? There are two principles I would mention – bold vision and bold behavior, and how do you enact these two principles? With type 3 knowledge. There are three types of knowledge. Type 1 knowledge is what you know or what the prospect knows. Type 2 knowledge is what the prospect knows they don’t know. Type 3 knowledge is what they don’t realize they don’t know, and that’s why they’re not looking up because of type 3 knowledge. So the reason why we’re a hero is that we’re bringing information to the prospect. Type 3 knowledge will help them reach a higher level of well-being by getting them to consider the possibility of looking up versus looking down. **Stefan:** There’s a lot of great points in that answer and I like the connection that you made between how salespeople can be seen as heroes but I also like that you touched on the fact that it’s the sales leaders job to ultimately get their sales reps in that mindset. It’s to propel their sales team to get their prospects to look up instead of looking down, especially with the type 3 knowledge. Teaching them something they don’t know that they don’t know. ## Stefan: In the same article, you referred to emotional intoxication as the ultimate achievement for salespeople. So, I want you to explain in your context, what emotional intoxication means for a sales team and why is it important for a sales leader to strive for their team to reach this point? **Andy:** So, the discussion we just had about the heroic mindset is the core of emotional intoxication and so it’s a building block to this next question you’re asking. I’ve been studying philosophy for over 40 years, and my thoughts on emotional intoxication were inspired by Nietzsche in _Twilights of the Idols_ where he talks about this state of intoxication. Through the work I’ve done through my life, through my studies, and through introspection, I’ve culled out a formula for getting to emotional intoxication. So an emotional intoxication is an accelerated state of mind, it’s like how we want to experience life. For example, when you give me an opportunity to sing my song as I am now, I’m intoxicated and this is how I like to live, right? So it becomes a perpetual energy machine. Once you get to this state, it becomes self-propelling because you come up with great new ideas which leads to additional emotional intoxication. So, it’s an emotional intoxication machine when you get to this state of mind because you’re constantly creating. Here are the components of emotional intoxication. The base without which it’s not possible is moral certainty. You have to be sure that what you’re doing is right and that’s why the idea of opening the closed mind, showing the higher peak, and doing it with type 3 knowledge are critical. They’re critical to the base of emotional certainty because if you don’t believe that what you’re doing is a good thing, you’re going to hate yourself, right? So, these ideas that I laid out in the theory of the hero are essential to moral certainty because the closed mind is the essential heroic act and what could be more valuable or powerful than opening a closed mind? That’s your moral certainty. The heroic piece comes from not only those elements but also persisting in the face of adversity and I have a formulation that I’ll offer you and your listeners for another way to look at the heroic act – bold vision, bold behavior. Are you being bold enough in your vision? Are you being bold enough in your behavior? **Andy:** So this is how I got into this crazy business of sales consulting. It’s 25 or more years ago, I have the sales agency that sells packaging to food packers. I hired a new accounting firm and they invite me in to try to upsell me a proprietary spreadsheet they developed and I listened to a one-hour presentation. At the end of the presentation, I’m face-to-face with the main partner who’s in the room and I say to him, “Is this how you normally sell?” He says, “Yeah it was pretty good, wasn’t it.” I said, “Gee, I felt the need of some work.” So I chewed this over and about two weeks later, I call him and I said, “Bert, you and your six partners need to hire me to teach you how to sell.” They kind of liked my ideas and they saw a very primitive version of what I now teach. So they brought me in for a conversation and asked me some questions relating to my experience with teaching sales. At that time, I had no experience with actually teaching sales. So, as you could imagine, this is not a perfect setup for closing a sale. I’d never done it before but I was sure I could do it; I had the conviction. So, they liked my ideas and they brought me out on the sales call where I helped them close two sales. About a month later, the CPAs hired me. I worked with them for six months and during that period of time, their closing ratio went from 20% to 80%. Now this story represents bold vision, bold behavior because what I have going for me to make this sale, I had a bold vision. I conveyed a bold vision to the CPA firm. What was my bold behavior? It was insanity! It was insane to try to convince people who are by reputation, totally conservative that they should hire you to do something that you’ve never done before, right? This story is also an example of a learning mindset because I was able to open the closed mind. The real credit to the story goes to the CPA because they were willing to learn. **Stefan:** I think it relates to my thoughts on a good sales rep in that they’re servants but they need to have that motivation to serve. So it sounds like you didn’t have all the puzzle pieces in order in your first meeting with them but you had the motivation and conviction that you can help them and I think that is what propelled you to ultimately be successful in that instance. ## Stefan: We are all motivated financially to go to work, but how can you ensure that your sales team is motivated and excited about the product or service that they are selling? **Andy:** So, there are three things I would bring to the attention of both salespeople and sales leaders. First are two motivational components: respect and self-respect, and then the third is, supporting the worthy sales hero. So, let’s talk about respect and self-respect. What gives a salesperson self-respect is the crusade. Having a worthy crusade and opening the closed mind, bringing the prospect to a higher level of well-being, are all important components. So, leadership in my view needs to make it possible for people to be on a sales crusade. Similarly, the salesperson has to pick a job to which he or she can be committed and at the same time, leadership passed to him make it possible for them to be totally committed; that gets you self-respect. The respect comes from a very powerful selling system where the prospect shows respect to the salesperson. This is a leadership function to design a selling process that’s so powerful and I believe that urgency based selling, what I developed, is one such option. It’s so powerful that it causes the prospect to give respect to the salespeople. Salespeople are often treated disrespectfully by prospects. You have to have a selling process that’s so powerful that it causes the prospect to show respect. If you have a very powerful selling method and an even more powerful sales presentation, it engenders PIKs – payments in kind, which shows respect to the sales person. If a salesperson has self-respect and respect, they’ll be motivated for life. So, if you have a salesperson in front of you who’s a worthy hero, who’s riding forth like a knight of the realm to protect the organization and to protect the prospect against impossible odds, you need to support them. You support them with the sales culture that recognizes and supports the sales hero. You develop a sales process and provide powerful selling tools. In ancient myths, it was the cloak of invisibility, it was the invincible sword. In the case of a salesperson, it’s sales marketing tools and powerful messaging with visual icons that quickly convey our message to the prospect. It’s proving materials, testimonials, and case studies to address the skepticism of the prospect. If you have a bold vision and you catch the prospect’s attention, the next thing that might set in is skepticism. Prospects are risk-averse and so, the worthy salesperson has to be armed with a fantastic toolbox to handle that scenario. **Stefan:** I love the last point! As somebody who’s on the marketing team and responsible for helping build a tool box that the sales team can use, I definitely resonate with that point. Now Andy, we’re running out of time but you’ve got some big news coming up. ## Stefan: I want to touch on your forthcoming book, Innovate Now. What are some of the main ideas that you’re hoping the readers will take away from it? **Andy:** Well, the whole book, taken together, is a path to get into emotional intoxication and throughout the book, I offer the reader immediate ideas they could implement right now to revolutionize their selling. In addition, brainstorming processes in some of the chapters that will allow them to create their own new selling ideas. So you’ve heard about insured forum, like payments in kind, bold vision, bold behavior, and the “all-in” principle. We talked about the premortem as a brainstorming technique and the premortem is when you ask yourself the thought question when you’re in a campaign, “Why will I never close this account?” So I talk about how you could stimulate your own brainstorming. I give people, in effect, fish to eat today and then how to catch your own fish in the future which metaphorically means how to develop your own new selling ideas. As a final piece for people who are really adventuresome, I’ve developed an induction worksheet. A worksheet to help you go way out of the box and create your own ideas, drawn from Francis Bacon’s _New Organon_ written in 1620. So there’s all kinds of stuff in there for the salesperson and for the sales leaders. ## Stefan: When will it be available? **Andy:** It should be available by June. **Stefan:** Awesome, that’s fantastic. What I loved about this discussion is the fact that we really touched on the theoretical side of sales. I mean oftentimes, when I’m in discussion with other people in the industry, we were very analytical and metric-based which is also important but I think it’s crucial to look at the theoretical side of how to be successful. And I certainly enjoyed listening to your ideas. I want to thank you very much for your time today. I think we covered some awesome topics and I hope that our listeners learned something because I know I did. I wish you all the best and I look forward to the launch of your upcoming book. **Andy:** Well, thank you for this opportunity. I hope you have a great day and I hope your listeners have a great day. Thank you very much. For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Citron Hygiene EVP of Sales and Marketing, Alison Mahoney, talks about understanding your role and growth in an organization | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-citron-hygiene This interview spoke much about the importance of drive, hunger, and an understanding of what it takes to be successful as key indicators of potential in salespeople. Alison focuses on making sure each member of her team understands their position and that without their efforts, that she would not be able to make her business as successful as it could be. This is also indicative of company culture – acknowledging employee contributions, making sure employees know leadership is there for them, promoting those with coaching personality traits or re-evaluating compensation for more autonomous workers, connecting tenured employees with the newer employees for training purposes, and creating a work structure, but also allowing the flexibility to not have to directly work within this structure – are all ways Citron remains attractive to employees in order to increase employee longevity. The biggest takeaway? Challenging your employees to think of themselves as a business within a business and having them ask themselves; would you make this decision if this was your company? ### By [Ana Pesic](https://www.salestalentagency.com/ana-pesic) * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Firmex CEO, Joel Lessem on “building a machine”, a culture of respect, and why Firmex will never hire sales engineers | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-firmex ## **Tell us about Firmex today.** Joel Lessem (JL): Firmex is 11 years old now. We are a for profit SaaS company. You find a lot of them aren’t making money. We’ve grown steadily in North America and now overseas. We’re over 100 employees and a “rule of 40” company. Great operating business with the biggest customers only representing 1.5% of revenue. It is all recurring revenue with 92% gross margins and 25% operating margins. Very healthy business. We’re very proud of it. ## **How is the biggest opportunity for improvement in software sales?** JL: Sales as a craft is done poorly, generally speaking. As a result you can take advantage of that as an operator. If you have the right sales structure and training, you can outperform your competitors. I think, particularly in the tech industry, there is a belief that salespeople are not intelligent enough to present software, which to me, especially if it’s user based software, is a bias of the tech or engineering industry. If you train your salespeople to be able to talk and present intelligently about the product as well as all of the other things they are supposed to be doing like listening and understanding customers needs, then you’ll have a competitive advantage. ## **You’ve had incredibly low turnover on your sales team. Why is that?** JL: We set achievable targets. We have a heavily leaning commission structure, so the high performers can consistently over-achieve their targets. We have a relatively low price point \[for the average sale\] from $5,000 to $20,000 so our salespeople are writing a couple of hundred orders per year. It’s the consistency and predictability of their earnings plus the autonomy over the whole sale. They do the sale from soup to nuts. Plus, we have a lot of inbound leads. Inbound is 90% of it. For any salesperson it’s a great environment to work in. ## **Was it a conscious decision to leave the full sales process to the rep and avoid the more common “solution engineer” role?** JL: When I sold ERP software it could take 3 days of demos, and I would do them myself. Firmex has a product you often can demonstrate in under an hour so there is no reason we can’t do that without sales engineers. In fact sales engineers, and I have witnessed them, do a terrible job generally speaking because the “show-up and throw-up”. I never for a minute at our price point considered sales engineers. It is not that complicated because it is such an easy business software to use. ## **From a KPI perspective what has been important to you?** JL: That’s a simple question with many answers. I mean when it pertains to sales, closing percentages are an indication of competitiveness. That’s a key KPI for us. The other KPI is a simple demand generation. That’s the marketing and viral function of our product. If the demand isn’t coming in, then we know the bookings aren’t going to flow through. To that point, in our business, automation is a key part of keeping our cost of sale productive. That’s another one: cost of sale. What is the cost for me on the sales side of acquiring new revenue. We try to get more productive each year. As the business scales that’s an important point. Have you maxed that out or can you keep going? ## **What do you look for from your sales people?** JL: The myth in sales is that good sales people talk a lot and impress people. Our salespeople are the opposite of that stereotype. They are quiet and listeners. They are respectful of other people and pay attention to their prospect. They don’t have to be highly experienced but they have to have the right personality and be willing to learn. We are prepared to take chances and hire people for what they are and don’t look at their resume. We look at who they are as people. ## **When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur or a business leader?** JL: I was always, even as a kid I had little businesses. I think I always had the instinct. In my university days I thought I was going to be a professor; I studied history of philosophy. But then I decided I didn’t want to live in a library. The only job I could get without any qualifications was sales. I ended up being pretty good at it. I started as a bra salesman for Playtex. I don’t know many other people who have sold bras. I worked for entrepreneurs after that. My first company I started when I was 32 did not succeed, and then I started here at 39. ## **What about culture?** JL: People ask me what I do to drive the culture and I tell them: I don’t do a lot I let it breathe. I let it have its own autonomy. If you’ve done a good job of hiring, you should not have to worry about motivating people. You should just have to worry about demotivating people (laughs). ## **What’s the secret ingredient to determine if a salesperson is also going to be a strong manager? Is there something they have that is different?** JL: People always ask me ‘what does it take to become a manager?’ First of all, you need to be thinking about the company over yourself. As an an individual contributor you have to worry about one thing; putting up the numbers. It’s about your paycheck and your success. It’s a tough change. It’s about helping others- you’re only as good as your team. You really have to think broadly about the operations of the business. If someone’s like that- and a good coach and leader- then they will progress. ## **You start to see it early because they are coaching before they are in a leadership capacity.** JL: Are you going to be a ‘culture carrier’? Are you showing leadership in the company whether its the social committee, etc. You are showing leadership in other areas of the company. Can you be a respected leader or culture carrier in the company? Can you contribute to company culture? That’s an important factor in leadership in a company. ## **Let’s talk about technology in sales. How do you analyze the thousands of different tools that are out there right now? How do you decide what to use, and who does that?** JL: That’s something your sales manager has to do. They have to be technology savvy, fans of tech. They make the decisions. They have to be always looking for tools to make their teams more efficient. Your sales leaders should be the driver of technology to know what’s useful. You’ll never have adoption of your CRM platform if it’s not implemented by the VP of sales. ## **Any last advice for any sales leaders to create a successful sales infrastructure? What would be your biggest tip?** JL: I think fundamentally you’ve got to invest in your salespeople internally. Hire salespeople for who they are as people and if you have the right systems in place you can have a great repeatable process. I think the attitude to take is one of respect. Unfortunately the sales cultures in many large organizations is one of stick and carrot. There’s great pressure to hit monthly numbers. There’s a lot of yelling and screaming and huffing and puffing. A lot of stress- it just makes a lot of noise. ## **I think that culture of respect is really clear in every answer you’ve had about delegation of people, how you hire, what you hire them for. Obviously Firmex is a really impressive organization. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. I hope everyone that listens learns something because I know I did.** JL: Thanks Jamie, cheers! * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Honk Founder & CEO, Michael Back, talks about the evolution of sales and the trait he most respects in a sales person | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-honk Michael Back (MB): On the consumer side, Honk is here to make it easier to search, find, reserve and pay for parking. On the owner and operator side, it’s about putting more cars in their parking lots. That’s really what it boils down to. ## **Jamie Scarborough (JS): Collective POS, your last business which you built for 13 years, was also about convenience of purchase?** MB: That’s correct– Collective was a transaction processing business. We built one of the largest non-bank credit card processors in Canada. What was happening in the credit card world was something very simple. It was less about processing transactions and more about adding value around the transactions. When I sold Collective, it was then about what other industries needed disruption. It didn’t take us very long to think about the parking industry. If you think about the parking industry, the major innovation was adding a meter at every single space. Having the payment background that I did, Honk was started as a business to make parking about more than the parking meter. ## **JS: How is the business doing?** MB: Honk’s been around for 4 years and so much has changed already. We’ve realized it’s going to become so much more than the parking meter. We want to disrupt parking the way companies like Travelocity and Expedia disrupt travel. We are already starting to play with autonomous vehicles and connected cars. If you think about a car that in the very near future is going to drive itself, it has to know where parking exists, it has to know how much it costs and has to be able to transact, all without human interaction. That’s where Honk is going. ## **JS: With Collective POS, you used a more traditional sales model. From what I understand, a huge part of that workforce, that sales force, was an outside sales profession.** MB: It was a combination. At first, we had feet on the street all over the country, knocking on doors and presenting to small merchants on premise. As the business grew, we built an inside sales capability. ## **JS: Which is more modern– almost all inside sales is in that format. It is much less about being a lower version of sales, in fact it’s actually replacing almost all sales. We rarely call them ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ anymore. But at that time, outside sales was for the more senior people and inside sales was for the more junior people.** MB: Correct. ## **JS: How did you measure those outside sales people when you had so many transactions? I’m assuming it’s not an easy task to keep track of all of the salespeople and how many meetings they’re having?** MB: Absolutely. I was in my 20’s, I didn’t know anything about business so it was just about tracking how many deals each person was able to get. We were mostly just tracking the results: revenue, number of accounts and the type of accounts that were brought in. It wasn’t so much about inspecting the inputs or the activity, it was really just noticing the outputs. Eventually the company got to a size where our phone started ringing and something very interesting happened. Say we got a hundred inbound leads, we would sell 50 deals. Then we got 200 inbound leads, we sold a 100 deals. Then we got 300 inbound leads and we still sold a hundred deals. Then 400 inbound leads and a hundred deals. What we realized was our math was all wrong. What we really needed to track was the fact we weren’t closing 50 out of every hundred deals. When we put it like that, the funnel looked very different. That’s when someone introduced me to Salesforce. To this day, I live by it. I believe you need to inspect what you expect and look at all aspects of the funnel. At Honk, there is no concept of inside or outside. A sales person here uses the tools that are available. We do what it takes to win business. ## **JS: To be efficient in sales there’s this notion that you need to be in front of someone and shaking their hand to close a deal because that’s how all of the the big deals are closed. Now it seems as if people are doing millions of dollars worth of deals using remote technology.** MB: I actually think it’s the opposite now. People don’t want to see you. There are times and places where people will and that’s where the trade shows and conferences come in and that’s great because you can wine and dine… But beyond that, you can accomplish more in a 15 or 30 minute phone call than you can on an hour long meeting. People are so pressed for time today that people only buy from those that they know or like. Developing that relationship is important. ## **JS: The older model of sales was all about relationship building; playing golf or going for drinks. Now it’s entirely different. When you were looking at your Salesforce data did you find that it was so much easier to measure your inside sales compared to your outside sales?** MB: We could both measure and influence them. You knew when someone was doing presentations or sending out contracts because you actually saw them doing these tasks. There’s a certain type of camaraderie that comes with being in the office on a daily basis. It also brings a certain level of competition amongst all of the salespeople internally. There is something to be said about what happens by the water cooler, in the lunchroom or after work drinks. It’s all of those intangibles that I think push your sales force forward. ## **JS: As you were building Collective POS how did you start paying people? Was it really high commissions, low salaries, no salaries?** MB: Absolutely. First of all, I was the first sales person. ## **JS: With the best companies that’s always the case.** MB: So, I started that business by walking up and down the street and knocking on doors. Then I started thinking about elevating my process, building an infrastructure and getting more people in place to help me sell more product. That’s when we started building a sales force. After that, what ended up happening was I couldn’t afford to pay them, so it was all transactional. It was all tied to winning an account. They were 100% commission. We paid a lot so it was very lucrative for these people. ## **JS: They were bound to do well if the pay was there.** MB: Correct. Then we ended up growing to a point where we were able to put people on salary. That’s when we started bringing the inside sales folks in. It was very interesting because at the time we were competing with the likes of Salesforce.com and Rogers. Our customers were the same small businesses and our salary packages and commission packages were very similar. So we were competing in the marketplace for human capital. It was never by design. In terms of structure, our base was lower but our commissions were higher- that was sheerly because we couldn’t afford to pay anything more. So what happened was, the people that were competing with Rogers and Salesforce ended up self selecting out. If we were offering a $35K base back in the day and say Rogers was offering $40K, our $35K came with uncapped commissions and Roger’s $40K capped out at $60K. So the person who left and said, “I’m not going to take your opportunity and take a $40K that caps out at $60K instead”… turns out, that’s not the person we wanted in our sales force anyways. ## **JS: Right.** MB: We ended up having people who started with a $35K base around 8-10 years ago. Obviously salaries have gone up since then… but people would start with us at a $35K base and instead of capping out at $60K, they were walking out of our office with $75K, $80K. Our top performers making $100-120k. So, it’s amazing when they say necessity is the mother of all invention. We never designed our construction that way. Philosophically, I wanted a structure where there is no such thing as a cap, but most successful salespeople should get paid the most amount of money. There should be no reason to stop. These people are your stars. ## **JS: They’re hungry.** MB: That was something that we fell backwards into, but ended up being one of the key reasons that we were able to attract great talent, hungry salespeople, top performers and the ones that took the risk averse solution and went to the big company, versus the ones that were risk takers and went to the small company. Our people were very well rewarded for it. ## **JS: How did you choose who to hire?** MB: We hired for culture, we hired for fit and we wanted people that were hungry and aspirational. We wanted people who wanted to buy cars, houses and eventually get married. People who wanted to build a career, wanted to learn. ## **JS: People who were going to stay hungry.** MB: Correct. That was the profile we looked for. We wanted the money hungry people. It’s interesting, if you say to someone, “hey, do you want to make a million dollars?” very few people would say, “no, not me.” But what you do find is that some people fall off at a $100,000, some people fall off at $200,000, but as I said, we wanted the hungry people, we wanted the money motivated people, and it worked. ## **JS: How do you identify that the first interviews?** MB: You know it’s an easy question to ask and it’s a hard one to answer. I used to joke back in the day that I was very good at making bad hiring decisions. It was really just hiring for culture because you can always teach business. I knew nothing about parking when I started this 4 years ago. I knew about payments and I knew as a customer I had to park my car… but I didn’t know about the inner workings of parking and everything that goes on. I always hired the person not the experience. ## **JS: By the time you sold Collective POS you had approximately 80 people. How many of those were salespeople?** MB: Around 30 or 40 on the street and about 30 or 40 in the office. ## **JS: A legitimately large sales force for Canada. How many managers would you have had at that time? Was it that formulated?** MB: There was around one manager for every 8 sales reps. By the end we had a VP of Sales and directors. The inside sales group of around 30 had 4 directors and 3 managers. It was never 1 manager to 20, 30, or 40 sales reps. ## **JS: How did you learn this? Was it all trial and error? What were the biggest changes you made to your business? Did they come from trial and error or did they come from other experts giving you advice?** MB: I joined a CEO group early and I would go to these meetings once a month, non-competitive. There are various companies that put these together. They are still close friends to this day. I just happened to be at a meeting, talking about the fact that even though our lead volume is increasing, we can’t seem to be increasing our conversion rate. We hit a glass ceiling in terms of the number deals we could write in a month. It didn’t matter if I added more people… we were stuck. That’s when I was introduced to salesforce.com. That’s when the world opened up. ## **JS: Because you were seeing data that you just never knew existed.** MB: Correct. I was realizing that even though the lead came in on Monday, perhaps it took us six months to close that lead. My math was really linear and tied to the month. I started to understand people’s performance, knowing what the average close rate was, the average length of a pitch, frequently asked questions, objections; all kinds of metrics. So that’s when the world kind of opened up. A lot of it was trial and error, but a lot of it was some good advice. ## **JS: And it is that interest in data.** MB: Yes. ## **JS: While a lot of people have access to data, not everyone dives deep or has an interest in it. Were you always that way or did you surprise yourself?** MB: First of all, I have a degree in finance, so I would say that I was always analytical. We definitely made sales mathematical. ## **JS: What are the biggest KPIs that you look for as you are managing your sales team?** MB: I like effort. Well certainly, the numbers, the finance, the results… But when I am looking at salespeople and I am figuring out who the good salespeople are, I want to see hustle, I want to see effort– however you measure that. Maybe it’s calls, proposals, meetings… The sales cycles at Honk are longer than the sales cycles were at Collective. I’m looking for that person who shows up everyday and is organized, has defined next steps, comes in with goals and knows what they are going to do, those are the people that I have all the time for in the world. I really believe those are the people who achieve the best results. While there are exceptions to every rule, I would say that that one holds pretty true. ## **JS: Michael, you have been really open. I always appreciate the conversation.** MB: My pleasure. Thank you. This was fun. * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Loopio Co-Founders, Jafar and Zakir, talk about attracting top sales talent and growing a company culture | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-loopio After graduating from university, Jafar and Zak figured they would work a few years, get an MBA and work toward a corporate executive career like many others; which was the case for Jafar. However, after both were exposed to the startup bug they knew it was the path they wanted to pursue. Jafar and Zak’s early years at Loopio, along with their third co-founder Matt, were full of pleasant surprises. They were able to bootstrap the company for an extended period, thus leading to better than expected cash flows and big-name clients, all while having little trouble attracting top sales talent. Looking back now they had greatly surpassed their own expectations. When it comes to attracting top talent, the founders express the importance of the interview process. It should be one that is a sell for both the candidate and the employee. They also stress the importance of rockstar candidates that are able to receive feedback, both in the interview process (as a warning sign) and in the position itself. Being adaptive as a salesperson, regardless of tenure, is extremely important. Jafar and Zak stress an “uncomfortable feedback” company culture which pushes team members to develop a sense of “true culture”, one which embraces transparency, feedback, honesty, and integrity as opposed to an artificial culture brought about by perks and ping pong tables. Lastly, the founders explain the challenges associated with both maintaining a tight-knit company culture as well as retaining top talent during periods of high growth and how to best position oneself for such challenges. ### By [Dan Petz](https://www.salestalentagency.com/dan-petz) * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](http://salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series). --- ## Nudge.ai CEO, Paul Teshima, talks to the importance of building relationships and a successful sales strategy | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-nudge Nudge.ai is a relationship intelligence platform that uses artificial intelligence to find actionable insights on prospects and helps salespeople manage/measure their relationships with clients. When engaging with prospects or nurturing relationships with current clients, Paul believes that sales professionals should focus on lead quality over lead quantity. He states that 84% of sales start with a referral, so it’s critical to maintain business relationships to create warm leads, and it’s imperative to have relevant and insightful information about your prospects to increase your chances of forming a partnership with cold leads. When it comes to building a sales team, Paul says that sales leaders should ask for guidance when faced with uncertainty. He implemented advice from experienced consultants, which led him to structure his sales team by first evaluating whether he needed salespeople who exhibit more of a hunter or gatherer profile. Additional characteristics that Paul looks for in great sales hires are that they are entrepreneurial, follow a sales process, and have the ability to draw information from clients. These points along with many other insights that Paul learned while building his startup are discussed in this 26-minute podcast. ### BY [ALEKS INVEISS](https://www.salestalentagency.com/aleks-inveiss) * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). Check out our [webinar](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/webinar-how-to-hire-onboard-and-retain-a-scaling-sales-team/) in partnership with Nudge.ai! --- ## TradeGecko, VP of Global Sales, Stephen Defina, speaks to building a profitable organization | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/great-sales-leaders-know-trade-gecko This allows you to find the right units to measure growth and determine if you are getting closer to completing your mission. One key piece of advice from Stephen was that you should not be looking for “sales reps”, but should be looking for problem solvers. At its core, your team should consist of individuals with high character, integrity, resiliency and intelligence. To attract candidates to your opportunity, you need to focus on technology and where the company wants to go, this way the candidate sees how their role fits into the big picture. You need to be transparent on what works and doesn’t in the role, as well as have a defined job profile prior to beginning your search. Excellent managers will use data, as opposed to emotion when guiding their team. A key point is that you need to consider how individuals fit into management when promoting from within. It’s always great to have a healthy mix of external and internally-promoted managers to lead your team. This way your organization can gain the perspective from leaders who come from diverse backgrounds, opposed to leaders who were all trained by the same individuals. ### BY [KEVIN HESARI](https://www.salestalentagency.com/kevin-hesari) * * * For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Had a chance to present "A Career in Sales" to 70+ Sauders students - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/had-a-chance-to-present-a-career-in-sales-to-70-sauders-students ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) Sauders School of Business (UBC) invited me to present to their students (BCOM and MBA) last Friday on “A Career in Sales”. I thoroughly enjoyed thinking about the topic and putting together some talking points that included: 1. Why… you should launch your career in a sales role 2. What… top employers are looking for from you 3. How… to build and manage a professional sales career The presentation went well (I spoke a bit faster than I would like – especially with my accent – but no one seemed to notice), and I got great feedback from the students and leaders. I think people liked that I was very honest and practical about the topic (as opposed to a more theoretical, idealistic approach). I hope to get a chance to work more with students nationally: introducing Sales Talent Agency to business professionals as early as college is a key part of our company’s strategy moving forward. --- ## Had fun helping Sauder's MBA Students with their negotiation skills - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/had-fun-helping-sauders-mba-students-with-their-negotiation-skills ### By [Jamie Scarborough](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) Yesterday I spent the afternoon role-playing with MBA students enrolled in the Sauder School of Business (UBC). These soon-to-be-MBA graduates were looking to stretch their negotiation muscles as they selected one of 5 employment offer scenarios and reasoned with me (playing their future employer) on areas like salary, benefits and start-dates. It struck me as a really interesting exercise because there is so much nuance – especially for sales people – in striking the right balance between ensuring you get a fair offer, and building rapport with your future boss (you don’t want to negotiate your way out of the offer or into a bad long-term employment relationship!). We have not tackled this topic on salestalentagency.com yet, so I will definitely be writing some advice on Negotiating Your Employment Offer in the next 2 weeks and will add to our Candidate Resources section. I was REALLY impressed with some of the MBA students: smart, enthusiastic, eager to get their careers started… A couple really stood out as future Top Rookies, so I will be following them closely and will look to introduce them to an employer or 2. I want to thank [Ian Christie](http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ianchristie) (a former Monster alumni) for the invitation, as well as [Holly Langland](http://ca.linkedin.com/in/hollylangland) (Manager of MBA Careers at Sauders) for being such a great organizer and host. For more information on the Sauder School of Business, [click here](http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/). --- ## How we plan to manage, support and build mutual trust with our home-based team - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/home-is-where-the-hire-is **BY: [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/)** When we started Sales Talent Agency in 2007, almost 80% of B2B salespeople were outside reps. They travelled throughout their territory daily and were rarely, if ever, in the office. As a sales manager, your role was to stay engaged and be valuable to them when you were not in the same physical space. What a difference 13 years can make! Today, our modern B2B sales world has us sitting next to or across from our reps in an open space environment. We interact with them many times daily. If they make a sale, we celebrate with them. If a client call is not going well, we see it immediately in their body language and can help. We have become very used to in-person management and collaboration. **Until this week.** Starting today, every employee at Sales Talent Agency is working from home (it is Friday March 13, 2020 as I write this). Will it be for 2 weeks? 2 Months? None of us know. Like you, we want (need) to keep our business running but we will prioritize societal safety over revenues. Like yours, our business has not stopped. We have clients who need our help, we have candidates to contact and projects to run. We have recruiters to support. We even have our own new hires to onboard. I want to share a few simple ideas that we have on how we are going to do just that. **1. Have a scheduled 5-minute “check-in” to start and finish each day** In a typical in-office work day, you would say “Hi” to your employee at 9ish, and “Bye” at 5ish. Now that we are working remotely, we are going to start each morning with a 5-minute 1-on-1 goal-setting session, and end it with a 5-minute catch-up. By framing a typical work day, we are ensuring at least 2 touch points to stay connected. **2\. Be more available than ever** When you share a work area, you likely interact with your employees countless times a day. Losing that connection can feel isolating for both you and your employees. We are not going to let it go. We have encouraged our employees to contact us with even the smallest challenge, question or update and we will do the same in reverse: we don’t want every unscheduled call to have been initiated by them. **3\. Start from a perspective of trust** We have so many tools available to us today to check activities. We can see call times, meetings booked, InMails sent and people called. I’m not sure I would feel like a valued sales professional if my manager suddenly started measuring the minutiae of my daily activities just because I am now working from home. Instead, we are going to start with establishing the daily goals of the role, and work with our employees to plan the activities that go into consistently achieving those goals. If they don’t achieve their goals, we’ll dig into their challenges from a strategy and skills development perspective before assuming they are not working hard enough. Only when it is clear that a lack of effort is the problem will we start monitoring activity closely, at which time it should be on a performance plan. **4\. Make Salesforce (or whatever CRM you use) your shared office space** This is the best opportunity we will ever have to encourage the CRM behaviours that are needed for optimal collaboration between our team, their clients and prospects, and our leadership and support people. Without in-person collaboration, our CRM needs to become what it is best as: our shared understanding of company activities, interactions, relationships, pipeline, challenges and opportunities for improvement. **5\. Keep the whole team engaged through video** Working side by side every day, there is a lot of innate team building and skills development through osmosis. In fact, a sense of camaraderie is the #1 reason most full-time “work-from-homers” end up looking for in-office roles after a year or two. We are going to have a 30-minute team meeting once or twice per week where all members are on video sharing successes, challenges, ideas and best practices to ensure we continue to build the team’s overall expertise, and can avoid a lot of that isolation. **6\. Encourage a full calendar** In my personal experience, working from home with a full day of meetings and activities can be even more productive than working from the office (I’m on hour 7 of work already today and have forgotten to eat). I also know how easy I can be distracted if my calendar has too many gaps. We are going to encourage a full and productive calendar with meetings and time-blocking to help avoid distractions and help make continuous progress. So, we are all in this together for the next 14 days at least. If you are like me, you are excited to get back to being around the people you enjoy working with every day. The occasional work from home day is great… all the time feels a little lonely. In the meantime, I would love if you share any ideas and experiences as you navigate the same business parameters. To those who are also helping our society by creating short-term distance: thank you! _Sales Talent Agency has plenty of other resources available at our_ [_Knowledge Center_](https://www.salestalentagency.com/knowledge-center/) _to help you attract, hire and equip great salespeople to your organization._ --- ## How extra-curriculars made me job ready | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-extra-curriculars-made-me-job-ready ### BY [KATHERINE PERRIN](http://www.salestalentagency.com/katherine-perrin) When I think back to the earlier days of my education, I remember one particular day like it was yesterday. A man from [Enactus Canada](http://www.enactus.ca/) came to one of my marketing classes to speak about the benefits of extracurricular activities. He said “How many of you want to get a job after graduating?” I raised my hand. I looked to my left and looked to my right and everyone else had their hands raised too. “How many of you want to get a marketing job after you graduate?” Again, I raised my hand. I looked to my left and looked to my right and everyone had their hands raised again. He then said “This is your competition, what is going to set you apart?” And then it hit me, this was just my competition at _my school_. There would be _tons of graduates_ from universities and colleges in the GTA region that would also be my job competition. From almost every stand point these facts were daunting. So, what was going to set me apart? And my answer was extra-curriculars. Throughout my journey in the [Niagara College School of Business](http://www.niagaracollege.ca/business-management-studies/) I constantly strived to do my best academically. In fact, in my 3 year marketing program, I graduated with Honors Standing and at the top of my class. But, not only did I try to do well academically, I tried to be involved with as many extracurricular activities as I could manage between my academics and working part-time. I tried out and was selected to be a part of Niagara College’s Marketing Team from 2013 to 2015. Through this I became a silver medalist in market research and 1st runner up in retail marketing at the [Ontario College’s Marketing Competition](http://ocmc.ca/). I was also one of three Niagara College students selected in 2014 to complete at a national level marketing competition called the [BDC Case Challenge](http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/business-administration/official-case-challenge/). BDC involved 16 hours a week of training and a lot of hard work, but provided me with new and exciting skill sets. I was also selected to be the Vice President of Enactus Niagara College in 2014. Niagara College’s Enactus program focused on working with a community of student, academic and business advisors to create developmental projects for smaller businesses throughout the Niagara region. In my year as Vice President, I worked hard to restructure a program that had been ignored and undervalued. Within a year we had won the honor of being the Most Improved Enactus Team nationwide. After my 3 years in the School of Business I wanted to further my education and hone in on my communication skills. So, I decided to take on Niagara College’s Public Relations Post Grad, which was at the [School of Media and Technology](http://www.niagaracollege.ca/media-studies/). This meant a new campus and a new territory; and with this came new connections, new extra-curriculars and new experiences. Through this program and my extracurricular experience I was one of 12 students chosen to participate in the Public Relations Society- Hamilton Chapter 2015/2016 mentorship program. The mentorship program focused on building relationships with industry members, developing communication skills and networking with future connections. And last, but certainly not least, I took part in [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/), Canada’s Biggest Student Competition, as Niagara College’s Team Lead/Ambassador. In the Competition’s second year (and first year at Niagara College), our team encouraged 72 students to participate on our campus putting us at 360% to our team target. The GCSC helped me develop sales and entrepreneurial skills that I wasn’t necessarily learning in school. And the GCSC provided me with measurable and attainable targets that helped set me apart in the job market once I was finished school. Through all of these extra-curriculars I became committed, connected and driven. But most of all I became job ready. I encourage all students to get involved in extra-curriculars at their college or university in any way that they can. My extra-curricular’s gave me an accolade to put on my resume, relevant experience and amazing networking opportunities. Lastly, my extra-curricular involvement allowed me to develop skill sets that made me job ready. And for all students, extra-curriculars will provide you with the same. I couldn’t be more excited to be hired on as the Competition Coordinator/Regional Manager for The Great Canadian Sales Competition, right out of school. Not only do I understand competitions and how to get students involved, but I also understand how extra-curriculars can be a huge benefit to students. I encourage any student that is reading this to get involved and to get involved now. * * * Please feel free to contact me at katherine.perrin@salestalentagency.com to discuss how you can get involved on campus with the Great Canadian Sales Competition! --- ## How I Landed 2 Amazing Co-op Positions Without Applying to an Online Job Posting | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-i-landed-2-amazing-co-op-positions-without-apply-to-an-online-job-posting ### BY [Kiana Malt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiana-malt-277203a3/) Prior to going into my second year of University I was approached by Sheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), regarding an ambassador position at St Francis Xavier University (StFX). When I received her message, I was unsure what I would be getting myself into – I knew absolutely nothing about sales, but I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot. Little did I know, just how much I had to gain from taking on this opportunity! I took the call with Sheila and quickly realized there was a huge networking opportunity that the GCSC would offer my fellow students and I. After our conversation I was extended the position of Team Lead Ambassador for the GCSC at StFX and recruited two of my friends, Laura Pichette, a third year student completing an advanced major in entrepreneurship, and Meghan MacDonald, who graduated with a major in Leadership and Management to work alongside me. As an ambassador I had the opportunity to learn about sales as a career and skill set and familiarized myself with our 25 incredible sponsors. I also had the opportunity to meet and network with students on my campus from various societies, faculties and residences. I learnt so much about the GCSC and decided to enter as a contestant. I was then featured on their website homepage and made it to the semi-final round where I learned about, pitched, and connected with one of our sponsors, Grand & Toy. Ultimately our StFX ambassador team attained 300% to our student submission quota and received the 2nd highest amount of submissions out of 70 university and college campuses across Canada. Looking back I had so much fun and learned a lot about sales, but what truly made this opportunity stand out was that I landed not one, but two great jobs out of it. In December of 2015, I spent hours editing my resume, writing cover letters, filling out applications and making phone calls to employers. All with no luck. By March I was getting very nervous that I wouldn’t be able to find a co-op placement. When almost all hope was lost, I secured a placement as a Customer Service Representative with one of GCSC’s sponsors, Scotiabank. And then I received a call from Sheila offering me a position as the Regional Manager of Eastern Canada for the GCSC. It became very evident that making key connections and walking through doors that open for you, are the things that will set you apart in the candidate pool – not your cover letter. As a Regional Manager for the GCSC I have been provided with the opportunity to work on different projects every single day, travel to different cities and campuses and I have learned from top sales professionals at Sales Talent Agency. I am currently managing 17 ambassador teams and it is my responsibility to provide them with the support and resources they need to reach their goals. I have been able to effectively motivate my ambassadors, but I have also learned how to be self-motivated. I work from home and I am able to stay organized, prioritize my tasks, and get everything done as efficiently and as effectively as possible. This has been a great experience that will no doubt propel me forward as I enter my 3rd co-op position. The list of what I have gained by accepting the ambassador position and by entering the GCSC is endless. I continue to learn and grow every single day as Regional Manager. I met with my previous co-worker, Meghan MacDonald, at StFX homecoming, and learnt that she is as thankful to the GCSC as I am for the skills and knowledge we have gained. We discussed how the GCSC has positively influenced both of our lives. Meagan said: “Every day I’m reaching out to potential Affinio customers, sharing with them how incredible our platform is and how it could benefit them and their teams. I never saw myself in sales, but when the opportunity knocked, I couldn’t say no. The Great Canadian Sales competition taught me that being on the sales side of things takes perseverance and confidence – confidence in what it is your pitching and confidence in yourself. This side of the business world can be a total roller coaster with highs and lows. I’m grateful to the Great Canadian Sales Competition for giving me the opportunity to dip my toes into a career option I’m now extremely passionate about.” When I was applying to jobs the traditional way I made zero traction; when I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried something new and frankly a little scary, I had so many doors open for me. I challenge any student reading this article to think about what they have done that is a little outside of their comfort zone. If you’re struggling to find an answer I highly encourage you to enter a pitch for The Great Canadian Sales Competition this second. Don’t wait. There’s no time but the present to stand out. * * * If you are a student and would like to know more about the GCSC and the places it could take you, please visit [www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/). --- ## How much should you pay your sales reps | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-much-pay-sales-reps ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) One of the questions we hear all the time from business owners is how much they should pay their salespeople. If they pay too much, the cost of sale is too high and profitability goes down. If they pay too little, they cannot get high-level talent and are vulnerable to high turnover. So how _do_ you figure out what salespeople are worth? The most popular compensation model is one that’s around 50% salary/50% commission. This is especially common for “hunting” roles that require new business development. A higher base and lower commission is the norm for “farming” roles, in which the rep’s main focus is growing existing client revenue. Here, based on our company’s work over the years helping hundreds of companies find, choose and equip their sales teams, are some rules of thumb that you should keep in mind: - Commission plans should drive the behaviour your company is looking for. For example, if you want more new business, the commission plan should be weighted toward hunting achievements. - Avoid limiting the commissions a salesperson can make: a great business developer will want to know that their income is as high as the effort they put in. - Remember that no matter what the salary, there should always be a clear, attainable sales target—attainable through reasonable, not superhuman, effort. - If you’re hiring outside salespeople, they’ll require expense reimbursement related to business travel and client engagement. These expenses should be accounted for in your cost of sale analysis while developing the commission plan. **Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what you should expect from a given sales hire at a specific compensation range:** The base salaries in each range vary by a significant amount. At the highest level, a sales rep might be getting $80,000 or they might get $130,000. So, how do you stop yourself from making a $50,000 mistake? These are some of the variables that account for big salary swings: ## 1\. Industry type No matter how much experience a rep has, if an industry has a very high cost of sale, the salesperson is going to earn a lower base salary. ## 2\. Brand recognition Is your brand recognizable? In other words, will it do most of the work for you? Companies with a strong brand know that’s all they need to get in the door. Because their sales are marketing-driven, the big moneymakers at those companies will be the marketers. Companies with zero brand awareness will need a more experienced (read: more expensive) sales team. ## 3\. Scarcity of talent Western Canada, because it boasts an unemployment rate well below the national average, especially in Alberta and Saskatchewan, is a seller’s market. Those with strong sales skills can sell them at a higher price. From Ontario eastward, on the other hand, even though there are more jobs and more talent overall, the unemployment rate is higher, making the going rate for a good sales rep more reasonable. All this aside, here’s one piece of advice: the one thing you never want to compromise on is talent. Experience, on the other hand, is something you may have to compromise on to align with your budget. Remember that experience isn’t just measured in number of years on the job. In order to earn that higher pay, a sales rep needs to have been working in one lane. If they’ve jumped from industry to industry, suddenly their experience doesn’t mean much. The biggest variable—the one that could mean the difference between $120,000 and $180,000—is how specific a rep’s experience is to your industry; how well they know your competitors and the industry players and how much influence they have with them. If you hire someone with less experience, you’ll get away with paying them less, but you’re taking a risk. However, if you think they have the talent to be a great sales rep, you can always train them on the particulars of your industry. What you _can’t_ teach are drive, personality and smarts. --- ## How senior sales professionals can navigate a competitive job market - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-senior-sales-professionals-can-navigate-a-competitive-job-market **By: [Brian Rainboth](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-rainboth-7009ab7/) – General Manager, [SYSPRO Canada](https://ca.syspro.com/)** For the first time in my adult life, I found myself unemployed and looking for a job. After 20+ years in technology, it was important I find the right executive role for me and not settle for just anything. I also carried a sense of urgency as I had a family to support. The day I separated from a start-up, to the first day on my new job was four (4) months to the day. Below are a few tips for other sales professionals that are currently job hunting, especially ‘seasoned’ executives with experience under their belt and on the short side of retirement age (ok; ‘old guys’). 1. **Keep your routine.** Get up early, pour yourself some coffee, send and return messages and apply for new opportunities. Do this early in the day as this gives your recipients time for a same day response. 2. **Network.** Set up coffee chats, lunch meetings, happy hours and dinners with your network. Connect with your peers and colleagues and get out of the house. This is your best source of job leads. I ensured a full day of meetings 2-3 days per week. 3. **Cast a wide net.** Consider opportunities in new industries and new geographies. You can always say ‘no’ at the end of the day. Until then, don’t restrict yourself because of industry or commute time. 4. **Keep your mind sharp.** Attend industry events, read a lot and phone friends to discuss their business. This will help to keep your mind in the game and your knowledge of the industry up to date. 5. **Job hunting is a job.** Your new title is Job Hunter. This unpaid position involves a daily routine, hard work, focus and relentless pursuit of your goal. Resist the urge to binge watch Netflix, sleep in and play 18 holes everyday. That’s what weekends are for. Follow these 5 tips and your job search will yield better results much quicker! For more tips on how to land your next great sales role, check out more resources [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/candidate-advice/). --- ## How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview Questions | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-ace-the-50-most-common-interview-questions ### BY [KRISTIN CONDON](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kristin-condon/) I just came across this great resource that will be useful for anyone at any career level. [How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview Questions](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249028) _written by Dr. Travis Bradberry._ Most people’s biggest job-hunting fear is being put on the spot by oddball interview questions such as these (which are real): “Describe the color yellow to someone who’s blind.” – _Spirit Airlines_ “If you were asked to unload a 747 full of jelly beans, what would you do?” – _Bose_ “Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?” – _Stanford University_ Offbeat questions are nearly impossible to prepare for and they don’t achieve the interviewer’s objective — to test out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to perform under pressure. That’s the bad news. The good news is that companies are moving away from them. Recent research shows these questions do little more than boost the interviewer’s confidence. Even companies famous for oddball questions are abandoning them. In the words of Laszlo Bock, Google’s HR chief: _“If you’ve heard that Google likes to pose brain-teaser questions to candidates—like why manhole covers are round—your information is out of date. There’s no evidence that they suggest how people perform on the job.”_ Read the remainder of this article [HERE](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249028). --- ## How to Bond With Your Interviewer | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-bond-with-your-interviewer ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) The interviewer acts as the gatekeeper – they are who decides whether or not you get to the next stage. That is why ensuring that you are able to create a positive relationship with your interviewer is KEY. You can have perfect answers for all your interviewer’s questions, but if they aren’t jiving with you than those answers will lose value very quickly. We came across this very useful article on 6 major ways to bond with your interviewer –and they are definitely doable! * * * ### by David Clough When it comes to landing a job, developing positive rapport with your interviewer is almost a necessity. Sure, it’s possible to get hired even if you’re anti-social – provided you have the right skills under the right circumstances – but it’s more likely that “unlikable” that candidates will find themselves shelved in a recruiter’s contacts or buried under a hiring manager’s stack of resumes. You greatly increase your odds of receiving a job offer if you can make a strong social impression, so why not make the extra effort? Recruiters and hiring managers are just regular people – emotional creatures that crave personal connections. If you want to ace your next job interview, use these _interview tips_ on the next go round. Read more [here](http://bit.ly/Vz8FHI) --- ## Canadian Business Feature: How to build a stellar sales force - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-stellar-sales-force ## Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies are indisputable experts in selling stuff really, really well. Who better to give advice on revving up sales? It isn’t easy to get a sales gig at Home Painters Toronto. For Brian Young, the CEO of the Toronto-based company (2018 Growth 500: No. 205), the hunt for a new addition to his sales team is an intricate, multi-step process. He’s looking for so-called “farmers,” people who want to sow long-term relationships, and it takes some work to tease that out. The process starts by having candidates fill out an online questionnaire to ascertain whether they have the qualifications he’s looking for. Sample questions include “What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with?” and, “Can you tell me about a time when you needed to be extremely proactive?” If a candidate makes it past the initial questionnaire, the tests then begin. Young will ask a potential hire to call him at an irregular time—like 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday night—mirroring the unconventional work hours he sometimes requires of his sales team. He also likes to change the time and location of an in-person interview at the last minute, testing a candidate’s ability to pivot quickly without getting flustered. “I like to refer to the interview process as ‘running the gauntlet,’” says Young. Young knows as well as anyone that it’s hard to find good salespeople. Finding likeminded, customer-focused and highly motivated reps who can close, and who won’t quickly leave to chase the next big thing, is a chronic frustration for many business leaders. For entrepreneurs—many of whom never fully shed their early role as chief salesperson—the struggle can be especially acute. While Young’s techniques may seem to be a touch idiosyncratic, they clearly work: Home Painters Toronto grew revenue by 348% from 2012 to 2017, and that wouldn’t have been possible without a strong sales bench. His story, and those of his peers on the 2018 Growth 500 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies, prove that it is possible—and, with the right choices, relatively simple—to translate an entrepreneur’s innate hustle into a motivated and effective sales army capable of propelling exponential growth. ## Know who you want When it comes to salespeople, you have to know what and who you’re looking for—something that can be a challenge, say [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/), founding partner at Sales Talent Agency (No. 446), a sales recruitment company based in Toronto. “We go into some companies and ask sales leaders what they look for, and they all put their hands to their chins, look to the left and right, and then say something like, ‘I like someone who’s really sporty,’” she says. In other words, they look for easy markers of a competitive spirit. By contrast, when Meloff looks for new talent, she focuses in on several traits, including natural goal-setting tendencies, the ability to overcome obstacles, leadership aptitude and an appreciation for expertise. “The ability to achieve goals while faced with obstacles is what truly differentiates ambition from drive—and the latter is a key trait for success in sales,” she says. Ben Hogervorst, CEO of Lucknow, Ont.-based Britespan Building Systems (No. 454), which builds temporary, permanent and portable structures, has learned through trial and error the value of personality fit in sales. He’s found the most successful hires have been those who really understand the friendly-but-no-nonsense style preferred by the company’s clientele. “Our customers just want to come in, tell you what they need and have you give it to them,” he says. “Analytical types will drive my customers crazy, doing 25 quotes for them.” Hogervorst pays particularly close attention to body language during the interview process, preferring candidates who are highly attentive, who lean forward in their chairs, make eye contact, smile and demonstrate enthusiasm. “Attitude is contagious and positive salespeople give consumers more confidence in what they’re buying,” he says. ## Train your managers As important as it is to find quality candidates to fill sales roles in a growing business, it’s even more key to ensure you have good people managing them. Many entrepreneurial businesses don’t hire dedicated sales managers until they’ve reached a certain scale—and when they do, they often find the fit isn’t right. “If salespeople are failing, the first place to look is their managers,” says Jason Jordan, co-author of the 2011 book _Cracking the Sales Management Code_. Part of the problem, says Jordan, is that employers tend to take successful salespeople and promote them into management roles. That might seem a logical progression, but the skills that make a good salesperson are different than those that make a good sales manager. Without the right training, a rep-turned-manager is unlikely to succeed. Bad sales managers don’t just lead to poor sales performance; they can also create retention issues. “Sales manager training tends to fall into a few buckets: general leadership training and generic coaching,” says Jordan. “But that’s not really what they do. They’re managing sales pipelines, creating forecasts, and spending time with their people to help them win deals and penetrate accounts—and that’s the kind of training they need.” That training can take a lot of forms: Mentorship, online courses, books and, increasingly, events. Sales Talent Agency’s Meloff, who has also observed a lack of formal sales management training, points to events run by such organizations as SalesTO and Enterprise Sales Forum as great opportunities for sales managers to network and learn. ## Be free with feedback Most salespeople thrive on information—the more, the better. “Salespeople are different from other people in an organization,” says Herb MacKenzie, associate professor of marketing at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business. “They like the excitement and challenge of closing deals on a regular basis, but they also need to be shown new opportunities.” MacKenzie recommends providing formal feedback three or four times a year, but informal feedback on a weekly basis. “There shouldn’t be a week that goes by when the sales manager doesn’t talk to a salesperson about how they’re doing.” The love for feedback ties, in part, to the common need among salespeople for validation—which can be essential in a role full of rejection. “The best validation a salesperson can get is closing a sale, but salespeople lose sales opportunities frequently,” MacKenzie says. “This makes feedback from sales managers much more important.” At Document Imaging Partners (No. 471), a Breslau, Ont.-based data management company, this takes the form of a weekly sales meeting comprising equal parts scrum, workshop and post-mortem. Every Monday, the entire sales team gathers for three hours to go through all aspects of the sales process, including tips to start that initial phone call and understanding ongoing customer needs. “We do role-playing,” says co-CEO Carole Dunkley. “Our reps have a chance to troubleshoot obstacles they may have encountered during the week.” The process takes up time and resources, but Dunkley says it keeps all the reps on the same page, with the added benefit of lifting morale. Another spirit-booster? When a sales rep makes a win, Document Imaging Partners shares that news with the whole team, and even blows an air horn in the head office. ## Simplify, simplify Research has demonstrated that the most motivating thing for salespeople is not compensation, but having a very clear task to accomplish. “Incentives and rewards are important, but when salespeople have a very clear idea of what they need to succeed, then they’re more motivated to do it,” says Jordan. He recommends setting one key, measurable objective for each salesperson—whether that’s winning back customers, acquiring new ones or cross-selling products into existing accounts—then limiting the scope of her job to include only the most important tasks achieving that goal. That clarity can have stunning results. Sherri-Lynn Teri, the other co-CEO at Document Imaging Partners, notes that her organization has recently reduced the amount of red tape expected of their sales team. “We really want them to have time to just focus on sales,” she says. “There are only so many hours available in a day, and administrative tasks can actually give sales reps an excuse to not prospect as much as they should.” This change necessitated the creation of a new admin role, but it’s allowing sellers to sell, which is proving popular with both reps and, crucially, clients. At Sales Talent Agency, Meloff is also a champion of simplifying the work of her sales team. She encourages her reps to focus on things they can control—like the number of [phone calls](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/5-tips-to-become-a-cold-calling-rockstar/) they make, or emails they send—rather than outcomes. “If you’re placing targets on the right activities, the results will follow,” she says. Patience, she adds, is key: “It can take a couple of years before salespeople hit their stride with targets. It’s up to the company to ensure the right activity is happening, that there’s progress in terms of learning, making more targeted outreaches, understanding clients and asking better questions.” If this measured approach seems like a slog, consider that it has helped Sales Talent Agency more than double its revenue in the past five years. That kind of growth doesn’t happen when salespeople are disengaged—and it sure doesn’t happen by fluke. --- ## How to Build a World-Class Sales Team Webinar - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-build-a-world-class-sales-team-webinar ### By [Asad Zaman](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/asad-zaman/) ### Click [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v06uAh7uXmw&t=72s) to view the full webinar. This 60-minute workshop on How to Build a World-Class Sales Team will provide you with best-practice sales recruitment strategies and will cover topics such as: 1\. How to FIND qualified sales people 2\. How to ATTRACT the best candidates and position your company as an employer of choice 3\. How to consistently CHOOSE employees that will succeed 4\. How to EQUIP each sales hire for long-term success These four critical components have helped us make over 5000 successful sales hires to date. Let your next sales hire, be your best sales hire. --- ## How to choose your next sales rep and equip them for success | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-choose-your-next-sales-rep-and-equip-them-for-success ### BY [Amanda Rootenberg](http://www.salestalentagency.com/amanda-rootenberg) For every sales person that gets hired there is a business owner or hiring manager who wants to make more money and get a bigger share of their market. That goal is constant. The results are not. Why do some sales hires turn into top performers that are instrumental in growing your business, while others turn into money-bleeding busts? More importantly: _how can you ensure your sales hires are successful?_ Like almost everything you do in life and in business, there is a right way and a wrong way. Doing things the right way will not always mean success. Doing things the wrong way will not always mean failure. But if you make 100 sales hires the right way, you will guarantee your company a distinct competitive edge, while making the same number of hires the wrong way will almost certainly mean disaster. As Canada’s best sales recruitment company, Sales Talent Agency has had the unique opportunity to play a very intimate role in the hiring and on-boarding of thousands of business-to-business sales reps with companies ranging from global giants to high-potential start-ups. Over the last 5 years we have learned some incredible lessons that have not only helped our clients make better hiring and on-boarding decisions, but have also helped us make better hires for our own company (Sales Talent Agency is consistently recognized for having the best recruiters in the industry). And now we are sharing those best practices with you. So if you represent a company that has made some questionable sales hires, has high sales-employee turnover, has open sales roles, OR is just looking to achieve its revenue potential, we offer some essential and previously unshared expertise on how to choose your next sales rep and equip them for success. This presentation includes: 1. What specific traits to look for in a new sales rep 2. How to identify those traits on a resume, in interviews, and in evaluation exercises 3. What kind of sales talent you can get for your employment offering 4. 10 essentials (and 10 “nice to haves”) that your sales rep needs to maximize their results * * * _To book Jamie Scarborough – co-founder of Sales Talent Agency – to talk at a company meeting, conference or business networking event, please [contact us](http://salestalentagency.force.com/jsforms__forminclude?formId=a1Ro0000001Acv4EAC&_ga=2.25956605.1933380708.1494598445-2065400469.1484682167). The presentation is approximately 45 minutes, with 15-30 minutes additional for questions. It can be tailored towards leaders from different businesses, hiring managers from the same company, and other key hiring influencers like HR and recruitment professionals. For more information, please see our [fees and offerings](http://www.salestalentagency.com/fees)._ --- ## How to Develop Your Personal Elevator Pitch | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-develop-your-personal-elevator-pitch Candidates ### How to Develop Your Personal Elevator Pitch July 27, 2012 ### BY [DEAN MITCHELL](http://www.salestalentagency.com/dean-mitchell) I just read this really great article on [How to Develop Your Personal Elevator Pitch](http://www.wikihow.com/Develop-Your-Personal-Elevator-Pitch). It breaks the process down to 5 simple steps and includes helpful tips. I hope you find this useful! --- ## How to empower your sales team to overachieve - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-empower-your-sales-team-to-overachieve ### BY [DAN SILVERBACK](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/dan-silverback/) As a sales leader, a large part of your job is to assign performance targets and help your sales team achieve them. Luckily, there are many [resources](https://www.salestalentagency.com/employer-tips/) available to you to help ensure your team hits their targets. However, the work doesn’t stop there. Even if your whole sales team hits their quota, one key question remains: _what do you do once they’ve already crushed their quota?_ Of course, there are cases where your top performers may never take their foot off the gas. For sales reps that are more human, they sometimes, without even knowing, tend to push a little less after they have hit the targets you set for them. Below are 3 methods you can use to empower and push your sales team to reach for the stars even after they have hit their target. 1. **Setting personal goals** Although this may be something you are already doing, consider reframing it in a way that helps your team realize that overachieving is not far out of reach. Have a 1-on-1 meeting with your team members early-on or mid-way throughout the quarter and ask them _“Based on how you’re doing so far, where do you think you’re going to end the quarter at?”_ Regardless of their answer, follow up by asking them if they think they could do 10% more. Equate this 10% achievement to their “new” earning potential as this will act as a personal motivator. Have your team write their stretch targets on a sticky note and keep it somewhere within eye-site at their work station. If you’ve ever been to the gym or done any sort of workout, you know that it’s basically your choice to push for one more rep or run for that extra 100m, and writing down your goals will motivate you to stay on track and push a little harder. The same concept applies in sales, you want your team to push themselves harder than anyone else ever could. 2. **Setting a team SPIFF or contest** It is rare that all of your team members are going to be crushing their quota. There are usually one or two reps who are still in the learning stage of their career and/or may be struggling a little. The great thing about a team SPIFF is that it pools everyone’s efforts together. Your top reps will keep working hard to achieve the SPIFF target while also keeping their peers accountable. After all, they don’t want to do ALL the work. The reps who are struggling are now getting help from some of the top reps and are working that much harder to make sure they’re contributing to the team targets. It is important to focus on a KPI that is easily controllable for your team. See below for an example of a KPI SPIFF that any business development team could run: **Restaurant upgrade SPIFF** The team has to collectively hit a target number of meetings booked within a given timeframe. This SPIFF should be at least 1 quarter to justify the expensive dinner. The restaurant the team will get dinner at is upgraded as the team hits better tiers: (example below) 1. 150 meetings: fast food joint 2. 200 meetings: low-end chain restaurant 3. 250 meetings: mid-level restaurant 4. 300 meetings: high-end restaurant 3. **Accelerators** Another option is to simply pay more. After all, cash is king. If your sales rep has hit their targets, they should have brought in enough money to cover their base salary as well as their portion of your company’s overhead expenses. The revenue that they are bringing in beyond their target is now more of a direct contribution to your company’s profit. The bottom line is that top performers should be compensated for being top performers. We did a [study](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/2018-sales-salary-guide/) in 2017-2018 that asked over 4,000 sales reps from all industries what their top reason for leaving their current job would be and compensation level was the #1 reason. Don’t lose your top sales reps because they aren’t getting paid enough. To see if your compensation structure lines up with the industry, check out our [salary tool](https://www.salestalentagency.com/sales-salary-guide-2/) here. --- ## How to find a great sales role | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-find-a-great-sales-role Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and debate the topics important to you. **In today’s roundtable we discuss best practices of identifying what makes a great sales job.** Todays panel clockwise: Dan, Jill, Brittani, Arkan, Sheila ## **Make sure there’s an audience for what you’re selling** Jill: With so many start-ups in the job landscape, how do you determine which are worth working for? I ask this because while some are amazing others are getting quite a bit of funding without a whole lot of success. What do all of you think? Brittani: I think first and foremost you have a true value proposition. Do you have a clear problem you are trying to solve? If so, how are you uniquely able to solve it? Lastly, what proof is there that you’ve solved it? If you don’t have any of these three things- run for the hills! Arkan: That’s exactly right. If you don’t have a clear and strong value proposition, the money won’t be there. ## **Determine who you would be working with and who your leadership team is** Sheila: Management is one of the biggest keys to a good sales role. It’s important that you’re looking at the company, the people who work there, the product, the longevity of the employees… Resources like Glassdoor are great to find common threads, but I don’t think anyone should use Glassdoor necessarily as gospel. Jill: Glassdoor isn’t always accurate, so I would take any review with a grain of salt. The reality is that you will see some great reviews and some horrible reviews. Really what you want to look for is consistency. If you see multiple negative reviews about management, that is probably a red flag. That said, if this is the case make sure to look at the date they were posted. Sometimes companies restructure and change so it’s no longer painting an accurate depiction. I would also look for long tenure of employees, that typically signifies if a company is worth sticking around at. Brittani: Yes. You want to make sure that the team around you that has been there is established. Obviously, if it’s a startup that’s an exception. If you’re a candidate far along or in the final rounds of the interview process, I would ask to sit with someone in a similar role and have a conversation with them about their team and what their role looks like. In fact, it may be even better to reach out on your own to ensure you are not heavily influenced by the bias of a top performer. Arkan: I would strongly suggest this step. Just to ask about the specific day-to-day aspects of the role in regards to workload, tasks, that sort of thing. It’s important to find out the nitty gritty because you want to make sure that you will be in a position that challenges you and will make you better in the future. Bonus points if you have a personal connection– that’s huge. It’s always much more transparent. ## **Investigate what the role entails** Dan: For me, one of the toughest things is to determine what a role entails. You can have two positions with the same title but be vastly different roles. I think the best thing to do is to wait until the interview process and actually ask about the role and what it entails, in terms of specifics. Ask directly: are you going to be getting all the leads? Are you going to be able to do your own prospecting? What is the focus of the role? Are you going to have face time with clients? Jill: To further that point, before you even go to the interview process you can always start off with Linkedin. Typically larger organizations, especially Fortune 500 companies, employ multiple people with the same job title so you can look across their profile descriptions and group commonalities of their day-to-day. Brittani: That’s a great point Jill when the company is a large one. What about for smaller organizations that are less established? Sometimes the role descriptions aren’t always so cut and dry. You can’t always go into the role expecting X, Y and Z because the role is going to develop and evolve overtime and you’re going to pick up extra responsibilities. Sheila: It’s funny because I feel like every candidate wants to ask about role specifics… but why? If you are at a good company with a good leader I think at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. Especially 2, 3, or even 4 years down the road. From my experience, most entry level roles are pretty general and as time goes on it is only natural to specialize, we start to see that here within Sales Talent Agency when people have been here for a few years. It’s hard when you have little to no experience or you’re just starting off. ## **Look for a company that offers training and development opportunities** Dan: I think one of the biggest ways to detect growth is to ask for a 3-5 year plan. Where can you expect to be in that time? What is the natural progression of the role? It is also good to know these things within yourself so you can strive to achieve them. Brittani: A lot of people think of building their career as moving up the career ladder but in reality it’s more like a jungle gym. Obviously we should be doing things to progress our careers, but you also need to do something that you love. There are two questions I think you should consider asking yourself that not everyone does: 1) how can you move up? and 2) how can you move sideways? Definitely look at what’s going on in the marketplace and keep an eye out for opportunities that are exciting to you. I strongly suggest networking events. Dan: We are truly in an enviable position at Sales Talent Agency because we are exposed to all sales roles across the board. I am exposed to literally, hundreds of companies on a weekly basis. ## **Have a clear idea of what the market is paying and what you are looking for** Brittani: I think in an entry level role the most important thing is what skills you are going to acquire from that role and how you are going to develop. Of course, you need compensation that is going to finance your life. I think at minimum you need to consider 35k as a base salary. From there it obviously goes up and you can ask for more once you start to prove yourself. Another thing with sales is that you have to consider the commission variable. A good way to assess this is to ask what their top performer is making, what people in the middle are making and how the commission structure is broken down and what you have to do on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis to achieve that target. Dan: I feel like 100% commission is not very fashionable these days for companies to offer. That said, if you do see this kind of offer, it’s really only suitable for two types of salespeople: those who are amazing and can crush their quota and those who, well, can’t get any other job. Jill: Exactly, I wouldn’t recommend accepting something like that if you’re just beginning your sales career. ## **Use the beginning of your career to gain experience before establishing your industry of choice** Arkan: At the beginning of your sales career I think it’s important to get your foot in the door, so industry doesn’t matter too much at that stage. As you gain a little bit of experience you will start to realize that while sales is similar across the board, each industry is a little bit different. Once you’ve established yourself for several years working at a place with the same role, then you want to hone your skills and start thinking about specializing, whether it’s in software sales or real estate. It’s harder to make that move later in your career which is why you don’t often see people transition from medical sales to software sales even though it is entirely possible. Sheila: Another thing I’ve noticed is that new grads or students are very keen on 2 or 3 industries most often being technology or consumer packaged goods. That’s typically because they have exposure to them on a daily basis… but there is so much more than that. Jill: My advice would be to remain open about industry and take on sales roles that offer transferable skills so you’re not stuck in one particular industry. Try to find a role in a company that has really established training, development and mentorship. That alone could overcome the fact that you’re in an industry that you’re not really that into. Brittani: It’s always unfortunate when I see people judging a role based on industry. Learning doesn’t always have to be positive but it has to be exhaustive. There are ebbs and flows in every role- it’s just whether or not you get complacent there. That’s my personal stance. ## **Look for transparency throughout the job process as well as in the organization** Sheila: This is a huge one for me because I don’t ever want to feel nervous to ask my boss a question, especially if it’s a bold one. I need to know upfront whether or not I can get that transparency, especially when it comes to professional development. Brittani: I agree, Sheila. You have to know where you stand, what the compensation will be, who your bosses will be, what you have to do to succeed. None of these things should be a surprise. It tells you a lot about a company when they are transparent early on. ## **Determine your personal motivating factors and incentives, so you can find a role that fits your needs** Jill: While ‘motivation’ is a huge umbrella term, it’s important to decide what factors are most important to you when looking for a job and whether or not the employer can meet your needs and expectations. Perhaps a motivating factor to you is a certain amount of money… maybe it’s a manageable workload because you have a family and don’t want to work 12 hour days anymore… maybe you don’t want to have to report into C level executives. These are all things you need to look at. Dan: A lot of companies advertise jobs based on little perks like “we have a pingpong table” or “we offer free beer!”. The reality is, for me personally, I’d rather make more money and pay for my own $6 beer. Arkan: Right- and while ‘unlimited vacation’ seems tempting in theory, in practice, top performers typically can’t afford to take countless days off because they are super focused on hitting their targets. I’d much rather solid health benefits or if the company offers a stock plan. Sheila: All quality points made today. Thanks for everyone’s advice on this Recruiter Roundtable! I look forward to the next one! * * * ### Past Recruiter Roundtable Discussions --- ## How to Choose a Recruitment Partner | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-recruitment-partner ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Companies in Canada spend an est. $14B annually recruiting top talent with 3rd party agencies. Here are 5 things to know to ensure you get the most optimal results from working with a 3rd party agency. ## Choose the right partner Pick an agency that has the expertise to hire for your specific role. Agencies that specialize in a specific niche are more likely to understand your need and have a large network of suitable candidates ready to present you immediately. ## Work on a contingency basis Only pay if they find you the hire. ## Don’t “over-negotiate” the fee You want to ensure your search is made a priority. ## Exclusivity If you feel you need more than 1 agency, you have chosen the wrong agency…Go back to Step 1. ## References A great agency will jump at the opportunity to provide quality client references! * * * For more information on Sales Talent Agency’s pricing check out our [fees and offerings](http://www.salestalentagency.com/fees). --- ## How to Hire SDRs and BDRs That Will Grow | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-hire-sdrs-and-bdrs-that-will-grow Illustration by Michael Pilon. By [Michael Pilon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/michael-pilon/). _**5 minute read**_ One of the many reasons a junior hire could leave your organization is that they’re taking opportunities at another company – a challenge our clients regularly go through. But, hiring the right candidates who will stay and grow (and putting in the work to keep them onboard!) is critical. Long-term hires reduce costs, create a wealth of knowledge for new staff down the line, provide training support, and positively influence company culture. So to find and attract the best growth-minded candidates, how do you structure the role, or the length of the interview process? How do you determine the ideal candidate profile and the most competitive compensation package to offer? And how does the size of your organization come into play? With the help of our junior hiring expert Daniela Dos Santos, who has focused on junior recruitment for the past five of her ten years at STA (and started as an intern herself!), we’ll answer all this and more. Whether you’re making your first entry-level hire or you’ve done it before, this step-by-step guide will walk you through how to make great hires that are more likely to grow within your company. ## **1\. Define the scope of the role.** Before searching for candidates, clearly define the scope of the role internally and understand the time it will take to hire and ramp your SDRs or BDRs up. This should be done first to avoid any ambiguity or disorganization in the hiring process, as it may deter potential candidates from choosing your company over others. **Daniela’s Insight:** It’s important to keep in mind that if this is your first sales hire, there will need to be someone to help mentor, coach and guide them in the beginning, and there should be clear guidelines in place for how you want new hires to grow (at STA, we call this “Equip” in our [F.A.C.E.](https://www.salestalentagency.com/what-is-f-a-c-e/) model). So, ask yourself questions like: - What will training and onboarding look like? - What are the KPIs that will be tracked, and are they realistic to hit target? - When do we expect them to be ramped up by? - How will we set them up for success? - What will professional growth look like? - What are the expectations around being in the office? Proactively addressing these questions will ensure you’re prepared when candidates ask them in the interview. ## **2\. Determine the candidate profile for your SDRs or BDRs.** When making a junior sales hire, you should first figure out if you’re looking for SDRs or BDRs with previous experience. Companies often look for it to reduce their overall business risk, even though these positions don’t typically require it, as someone who is less green can ramp up and get promoted to handling a full sales cycle more quickly. But, previous experience isn’t the only piece of the puzzle, and impressive drive and personality traits can often lead to better work performance and potential than experience alone. **Daniela’s Insight:** To figure out if you should hire an experienced junior, Daniela says to think back to the resources and training time you have available. If your business structure is solid and you have the bandwidth for a lengthier training process, previous experience isn’t always necessary. For those without room for risk, giving your team a break and hiring a BDR or SDR with experience can be a great call. Understanding your target audience and sales cycle can also help you choose the perfect candidate profile. Here are additional questions you should ask yourself when making a junior sales hire: **“Who are our customers?”** - Take the time to understand what your customers are looking for in a salesperson. Do they respond the best to a high level of confidence? Do they prefer longer, more detailed conversations or straightforward and concise interactions? What works for one audience might not work for another, so keep your customers top of mind and choose a candidate profile that will best speak to them. **“What is our sales cycle complexity?”** - Consider how challenging it is at your organization to book meetings and secure deals. Some sales processes demand a patient and strategic mindset, while others require a grittier and more hands-on approach. Overall, there is a place for individuals with all strengths and styles, and if a candidate displays genuine excitement for B2B sales and a drive to learn and grow, and conveys professionalism and expertise, they are more likely to succeed and grow within your company. ## **3\. Streamline your interview process.** According to Daniela, you should ideally have no more than three interview stages that all take place in less than two weeks – even in a downturn market. Having more stages than this won’t leave a great impression on candidates. Each step should also be impactful and different from one another, so that interviews don’t feel repetitive or meaningless. Here are additional factors to consider based on your company stage: **For large companies:** There are often many stakeholders involved in the hiring process, so it can be difficult to limit to three interviews. If you have a lengthy process, you can try shortening the interview process by combining steps, or hold some of the interviews virtually so candidates won’t need to take as much time off. Remember to be thoughtful about adding more interview stages in the middle of the process, as it should be as seamless as possible. But, if you need to add more ensure there is clear communication with the candidates in play. Throughout the interviews, you should also highlight how other hires in similar roles at your company have been able to move and grow in the organization. **For startups:** Blank canvas companies can be more intimidating for candidates since they have less proof of success, so you’ll need to know how to sell your story, vision, and leadership to get top hires. Your hiring process should also involve telling candidates how you will set them up in the organization and the impact they’ll have, rather than what others in the company have accomplished. Especially if they’re the first SDRs and BDRs you’ve hired. ## **4\. Develop a competitive compensation plan for your SDRs or BDRs.** A comprehensive and enticing compensation plan is crucial for hiring SDRs or BDRs if you want them to grow within your organization. It usually consists of a salary, bonus or commission structure (business development professionals are often offered a base plus commission, while account managers often have a higher base and a bonus), and other factors like health benefits. **Daniela’s Insight**: Since comp plans are a tool to drive and reward behaviours, they should be transparent and tied to the outcome you’re looking for. Here are some tips for the most important factors to consider: **Base salary:** - Start by researching market trends and what competitors are paying for similar roles. And take the candidate’s location into account – the cost of living in city hubs like Vancouver, Toronto, or New York is higher, for example, so salaries offered should be aligned and competitive. - Fully in-office candidates may expect a higher base salary to compensate for commuting and accommodation costs, and candidates may be more accepting of a slightly lower salary for remote roles. **Commission:** - A strong commission structure motivates salespeople to excel in their role. For most junior roles, performance is typically measured by booked meetings rather than closed deals, as SDRs and BDRs don’t have control over the final outcome. During the interview process, outline the commission structure very clearly to candidates, show them what reps can realistically make in a year, and give examples of key performers at your company if possible. **Other factors:** - A strong compensation structure should include a benefits package and a competitive number of vacation and sick days. It could also include: uncapped commission potential, performance bonuses, profit sharing and accelerators. Candidates will be looking for these elements in the compensation plan and will likely have questions for you, so prepare in advance and be ready to talk about them during the interview process. You should also offer a benefits package that is easy to access, primarily digital, and includes specialized services, like dentists or mental health professionals, to remain competitive. You should also offer at least three weeks of vacation – two weeks is no longer competitive, even for junior hires. In addition, companies typically offer five personal or sick days a year and one mental health day per quarter. Overall, making strategic junior hires that will grow within your organization could be the edge you need in today’s competitive market. We hope this step-by-step guide helps you make that happen. If you’re looking for more guidance, connect with us directly [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-sales-talent-agency/). --- ## How to improve your sales resume and LinkedIn profile | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-sales-resume-and-linkedin-profile By: [Jamie Scarborough](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) _**Your step-by-step guide to getting noticed, short-listed and interviewed for a great sales job.**_ Finding your next great sales role starts with getting interviewed by a top employer. To get there you are going to need two important marketing pieces: an impressive resume and a well-developed LinkedIn profile. We assume you already have some version of each of these documents, so here are the steps you need to follow to make sure they are working for you: **STEP 1 – GET NOTICED** Modern recruitment sees eager talent researchers scouring resume databases and LinkedIn Recruiter to create a target candidate pool. They typically want to build a list of more than 50 and less than 200 high potential “prospects”. If you don’t show up in their searches, all is lost. Questions to ask yourself: **_Will I be found on LinkedIn?_** Professional recruiters do not use the same version of LinkedIn as you do. They pay big money to be able to access the entire user platform and search by more than 30 different intricate data points. This means that almost every recruiter has their own tips and tricks for searching for high potential candidates. Two recruiters working on the same project parameters will very rarely (if ever) have exactly the same search results, meaning some people are not found when they should be. Your job is to make it easy for you to be found no matter how a recruiter searches. Make sure your LinkedIn profile accurately and exhaustively reflects your location, experience, job function, industry, education, and accomplishments. There are opportunities to add Skills and be Endorsed by your network based on those skills. These are searchable fields for a recruiter, so make sure you use them. **_Am I properly registered with recruitment agencies?_** While almost all agency recruiters use [LinkedIn Recruiter](https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/recruiter#:~:text=What%20is%20LinkedIn%20Recruiter%3F,to%20be%20on%20your%20team.), they most often start their search with their own internal database of candidates their company has met and evaluated in the past. This enables them to very quickly identify people that are both qualified AND easy to communicate with. You need to be properly categorized in those databases. An easy way to find relevant agencies is to search Google Jobs, Indeed, LinkedIn, or other smaller “job boards” for roles you are interested in and look at what agencies are advertising. Contact them all and ask for 5 minutes to be “profiled for future roles”. **_Are my job applications being seen?_** Whether through an agency or directly through the employer, every open job likely has an application folder. If you applied, you are probably in it. The challenge is that those folders are not always timely managed, so – if you have not had a personalized response (ignore the automated ones) within 2 business days – you should reach out via phone and/or email to the person managing the search to politely introduce yourself and ask if they have had a chance to review your application. If that person is not listed on the job advertisement, call the company, speak to someone, and ask who is running that search. **STEP 2 – GET SHORTLISTED** Recruiters may scan your resume/profile for less than a few seconds looking for further evidence that their search criteria was accurate. At this stage, they will typically reject as much as 75% of the prospects without ever contacting them. If your resume/profile does not pique their interest in that first scan, you’re gone. Questions to ask yourself: **_Do my job titles accurately reflect my roles?_** Employers like to feel unique and often create job titles that do not reflect a person’s actual role or career level. If you were an individual contributor with a VP of Business Development title, a recruiter may skip right past you at first glance. Make sure your job titles are accurate depictions of your job function as opposed to what your business card reads. **_Have I explained the scope of my roles?_** Not all sales jobs are the same, so it is important to highlight your areas of experience. What industries, company sizes, and geographic territories did you sell into? Were you hunting and farming or both? What were your deal sizes and sales cycles? What departments and decision-makers did you have to navigate through and sell into? What software did you use to manage your sales processes, and what did you use to interact with and present to clients? **_Are there stupid mistakes that could put someone off?_** More than 80% of resumes and profiles have at least one spelling or grammatical mistake. Sometimes those mistakes are big ones (misspelled job title) that can really put off a recruiter before they even contact you. Once they hit the reject button, you will not show up again in that search, so make sure you have checked it, rechecked it, and had someone detail-oriented check it again. **_Am I applying to roles I have a real shot at?_** If you consistently get rejected for your dream jobs, you may not be qualified. Take a step back and see if you should be looking at more appropriate roles where you can prove yourself and then get that bigger opportunity. **STEP 3 – GET INTERVIEWED** With today’s talent management tools, it is relatively easy for a recruiter to reach out via a well-crafted email to 10-100 interesting candidates to see who responds. There will, however, be a handful of candidates who look so interesting that the recruiter will give them special attention. If you want to be one of the Top 10 “whales” that they pick up the phone for, ask yourself these questions: **_Do I have metrics that highlight my measured successes?_** Employers know what a sales development rep does. They want to know how well you did it. For every responsibility you had, you ideally have a measurable success that you can highlight (e.g. I was responsible for new client development and brought on 43 new accounts in my 24 months in the role. This was the most of all my 5 peers, and exceeded expectations by 125%). **_Have I got anything else to “brag” about?_** Top salespeople often have successes above and beyond quota attainment. While in everyday life, “bragging” is unadvised, when positioning yourself as a top performer, it is recommended to bring some proof. Detail three or more of your biggest achievements that could include (but not limited to): awards, official rankings, sales metrics, president clubs, strong performance reviews, customer testimonials/references, letters of recommendation, as well as sports or academic achievements. **_Have I listed all of my relevant education?_** Okay, you put in your degree from Western, but did you also put in that 3-day course on solution selling at the Westin? Every course you have taken on negotiations, sales strategy, customer engagement, personality profiling, and prospecting shows you have continued your education and are more job-ready. **_Do I show passion and enthusiasm for my career?_** How you talk about yourself and your career in your LinkedIn biography and resume cover letter can really help you stand out. This is a critical marketing document representing the most important product you will ever sell: you. Does it truly reflect your personality and goals? Take a read of your LinkedIn introduction and compare it to 5 people who you think are building a great career for themselves. Does yours stand up? So now you have the interview… closing the deal is in your hands. To prepare for your interview, read Sales Talent Agency’s Guide to Interviewing [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-next-sales-interview/). Happy hunting! --- ## Confidence vs. competence: how to manage a new sales hire through 4 stages - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-manage-a-new-sales-hire-through-4-stages **BY: [Stefan karpowicz](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/stefan-karpowicz/)** Great sales leaders know that making a successful sales hire is as much about equipping the candidate post-hire as it is about the candidate themselves. While there is an entire [list](https://www.salestalentagency.com/employer-tips/) of things you should consider when hiring a salesperson, a thoughtful management approach is critical for fast ramp-up and long-term engagement. We often hear that different people require different management styles and that – as sales leaders – we need to be adaptable. The reality is, the same person needs different management styles as they go through their own evolution as a sales professional. There are typically 4 clear stages every sales person will go through if they are with your company for 18 months or longer. Your management approach needs to adjust to the stage they are in if you want to have them reach their maximum potential quickly and stay for a long tenure. **Stage 1:** High confidence, low competence **When it will appear:** Day 1 **When it will move to stage 2:** When they start failing **What to look for:** The best new hires will already know a lot about you when they first join. They have scoured through your website, your testimonials and case studies. They have searched for news articles and employee reviews. They have thought about your value proposition and – in their – mind, it is an easy sale. They have not seen rejection or had to overcome objections yet. They want you to let them call the best companies and close deals. If you do, they will fail. **What you do:** No one wants to be a micromanager, and no one wants to be micromanaged. But, in this stage you need to stay very, very close. You need to be on every call and check every email. If they are lucky enough to book meetings or presentations, you need to run them. It will feel very intrusive to them, so they need assurance from you that it will not be forever and you are only there to help them be successful and hit their on-target income. **Stage 2:** Low confidence, low competence **When it will appear:** When they begin to fail **When it will move to stage 3:** When they start earning some wins **What to look for:** After the first few rejections, they will believe that they just need a little more training and a few more repetitions. After even more rejections, they will start questioning themselves and this is normal. What you do not want is for them to start questioning your company, your training, and their entire decision to join. **What you do:** You will have to shift from close micromanagement, to empathetic coach and supporter. They need to be assured that you have faith that their hard work will pay off. Measure them on activities and skill development, as opposed to revenues and pipeline building. Ideally, you can connect them with other top performers in your company that went through the same stage. **Stage 3:** Medium confidence, medium competence **When it will appear:** When they start getting a few wins **When it will move to stage 4:** When they realize their full potential **What to look for:** The losses become less and less and they start closing some deals. Their confidence does not immediately rise because at first, they will think they are getting lucky. **What you do:** It is time for you to stop telling them what to do, and start letting them figure it out. You don’t want to completely take your hands off, but you should be asking for their perspective and ideas on their challenges and situations before you solve it for them. They still have some skill building to do, but their biggest improvements will come through repetitions and confidence building. Although they have earned some creative freedom, they have come to rely on you, so don’t go too far away or they will quickly lose momentum with a couple of losses in a row. **Stage 4:** High confidence, high competence **When it will appear:** When they are consistently hitting targets **When it will move out of this stage:** When they get a new role (some people stay in this stage for years) **What to look for:** They are good and they know they are good. They think they are better than you and if you have done a great job managing them, then they are correct. This is a result of all of the time and work each of you have partnered on to become better. **What you do:** Go from manager and coach, to partner and supporter. Get stuff out of their way. Talk to them about their career aspirations and remind them that the most money they will ever make as a salesperson is in this stage, so don’t be too eager to go back to stage 1 in a new role or somewhere else. By understanding what your sales rep needs from you in each of these 4 stages, you can tailor your approach towards how you nurture them as they progress. Are you looking to make a key hire for your sales team? [Contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today to discuss how we can help you find the best salespeople and nurture them throughout the onboarding phase! --- ## How to nail your next sales interview - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-next-sales-interview Have you landed an interview with a great company? Congratulations, but the work has just begun! If you really want this job, you need to ensure that you have done everything possible to prepare for your interview. After all, [failing to prepare is preparing to fail](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/failing-to-prepare-is-preparing-to-fail/). Check out our interview guide below to help you get ready for every step of the process: **Preparation** **Do your research**Get a feel for the companies products & services, culture, and their value proposition. Although they are assessing you for the role, you should also be assessing the opportunity to ensure that it is the right fit for you. Use online sources such as their Google and Glassdoor reviews, Yelp and LinkedIn to learn more about the company including their employees, their structure and the type of messaging and information they share. You should also do research on the industry they are in as well as their competitors and how they position themselves towards their customers. **Ask your Sales Talent Agent why they recommend you** This will help you understand why they think you are a good fit for the role and what the client has asked them for. Make sure you also ask what “red flags” they have about you that may put off their client (e.g. gaps in your resume that you have not adequately explained). **Create a list of reasons why you feel you are a great fit for this specific role** This is your time to brag about your past experience. Be prepared to discuss a few success stories and a great way to describe them is by using the SAR method. This allows you to provide a full summary of each story by presenting the situation you were in, the action you took and why, followed by the results of your actions. Lastly, it is also a good idea to personally note the reasons why you may not be the “ideal” candidate and prepare to overcome those objections if they are raised. **Know your performance metrics** Past performance is a predictor of future performance. Be prepared to discuss your sales targets/quotas in previous roles. What percentage of quota did you hit? What percentage of these sales were net-new business? How did you rank compared to other sales reps in the same role? Were you responsible for sourcing your own leads? If you have any documentation of your sales performance or any positive letters from your clients or superiors, bring these to your interview. **Prepare 5 appropriate questions that you want to ask** IMPORTANT: know the difference between an appropriate question (e.g. What are some of the challenges a person will face in their first 6 months in this role?) and an inappropriate question (e.g. How many sick days do I get?) **Timing** **Make sure you know the time, location and details of your interview** Traffic is never a good excuse, ensure to arrive at the location 15 minutes before your interview is set to begin. If your interviewer is running late, use this time to try and find out more about the company. Read the magazines/internal newsletters in the reception area; watch how people within the company engage with you and each other; engage politely with the reception staff and stay off your phone. **Nerves** **It’s okay to be nervous** In fact, you should be nervous. If you are too confident, you likely are not well prepared and are taking this opportunity or the interviewer too lightly. The more you prepare, the less nervous you will be. Take some deep breaths, keep a smile on your face, and don’t let the nerves overpower you. **In the Interview** **Treat an interview like you would treat the first meeting with a new prospect** In other words, remember that you are selling and that the interviewer is buying. In later stages of the interview process, once the employer has decided that you could be a valuable contributor to their company, you can start buying and let them sell the company, culture, and opportunity to you. **You should be engaging and polite at all times** Listen to the interviewer’s questions and ensure you have adequately answered them. Don’t be afraid to briefly pause and plan your response before answering. **Be mindful of interviews that seem really casual and friendly** It’s often a trap to see how in control you are of the sales process. Remember, your goal is to move forward to the next round of the interview process. Be friendly, build rapport, but make sure you stay focused. Always remain professional, never use slang or curse words no matter how casual your interviewer is. **Closing the Interview** **Recognize when your interviewer is trying to wrap up the interview** Don’t overstay your welcome. Ask for their business card on the way out so that you have their contact info. **Ask if there are any concerns regarding your candidacy** A great question to ask is whether or not there is anything about you that may prevent them from moving you on to the next step. This shows that you are treating the interaction as a sales function and will give you an opportunity to overcome any objection. **Ensure you are moving to the next step** All strong salespeople secure a next step. A great way to do this would be to thank the interviewer for their time, reiterate your strongest attributes for the role and close by asking for the sale! **Post Interview** **Call your Sales Talent Agent after the interview** Let them know how you feel it went and this will trigger them to get additional feedback from the interviewer. The client often wants to see that you have shared feedback with your recruiter. This is also an opportunity for you to address anything that you may not have clarified in the interview. **Send a follow-up email to your interviewer(s)** This is a crucial step that can significantly help you stand out from the other candidates. Make sure your email is short and sweet and that you triple check for any spelling or grammatical errors before sending. Once again, you want to treat this like a sales function. Indicate in your email when you will follow-up if you do not hear back. For more info on how to send the perfect follow-up email, [read this article](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-send-the-perfect-interview-follow-up-email/) for the best tips. --- ## How to send the perfect interview follow up email - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-send-the-perfect-interview-follow-up-email **BY [STEFAN KARPOWICZ](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/stefan-karpowicz/)** Have you landed an interview for a great sales position at a reputable company? If so, congratulations, but the interview is just the beginning of the journey. You want to ensure that you have done everything in your power to maximize your chances of moving on to the next stage of the interview process. Or, if you’ve really impressed them, get that offer letter. It is extremely important that you have a solid plan for following up with the interviewer after every stage of the hiring process. This shows them that you are taking the opportunity seriously, you respect and value their time and are very interested in the position. After all, you’re a sales person, only this time, you are selling yourself. Alarmingly, [studies](https://hiring-assets.careerbuilder.com/media/attachments/careerbuilder-original-2446.png?1469480217) show that 57% of job seekers do not follow up with their interviewer. To make it worse, 22% of employers are far less likely to hire someone who fails to send a follow up email. Therefore, sending even a thank you note can significantly improve your chances of getting that dream job. Below are 5 tips for crafting and sending the optimal follow up email after every job interview. **1: The interview is complete, when should I follow up?** Simply put, the sooner you follow up, the better. This isn’t like going on a first date and waiting 3 days to see who calls first. You need to be proactive and send a well-crafted follow up email within 24 hours of leaving the interview. You want to remain top of mind for the hiring manager, so don’t leave them hanging. **2: What is the cadence and length of my email?** Recruiters, HR and other hiring managers get a lot of emails. You want to keep yours as short as you can while still being thoughtful. To begin, make sure the subject line is brief and clearly illustrates what your email is about. If multiple people interviewed you, email them all individually. In total, your email should be no longer than 2 paragraphs in length. Tip #3 will outline what to say within this word limit, but essentially you need to include the 5 items listed below in a succinct, to the point manner. Secondly, and equally as important to your email length, is your cadence. It is best practice to be thorough and courteous. Use professional terminology, but don’t make yourself sound like a robot. Since you are interviewing for a sales job, you need to prove that you have the ability to send strong follow-up emails. After all, sales representatives send an average of 36 emails per day according to [Zoominfo](https://blog.zoominfo.com/sales-follow-up-statistics/). **3: What do I say in the email?** Below is a step-by step list including all of the items that you should address in every follow-up email: 1. Open up by thanking the interviewer by name. After all, they have invested time into getting to know you better on both a professional and personal basis. 2. Refer to the notes that you may have taken in the interview and spend a moment reflecting on them. For example, did you discuss a new sales strategy that the hiring manager is hoping to implement? Mention how you feel you could be an asset towards fulfilling that strategy based on your experience and skill-set. Did you give a great suggestion in the interview because of your experience in a similar situation? Re-share this point in more detail so the hiring manager can link your acumen with your experience. 3. Before closing the email, leave 2-3 sentences about yourself that will set you apart from other candidates. Consider bringing up your past work experience and how it can help position you as a unique asset that other candidates may not be able to offer. 4. Finally, end the email by offering to provide any additional information they may need upon request. It is also a good idea to ask that they keep you informed on when a final decision will be made. This will keep the conversation between you and the hiring manager going, and will of course, keep you from sitting by the phone anxiously waiting. **4: I made it to the second interview, does my follow up strategy change?** Luckily for you, these tips are still relevant for your second, third, and fourth interview. However, your follow-up email this time around should be more detailed. As you can imagine, the hiring manager has narrowed their search and only a few sales rockstars are left in the selection phase. So, use this opportunity to be more thorough and paint a bigger picture of yourself and your capabilities. In your second interview, you may have discussed specific company goals or projects that would pertain to the position they are hiring for. It is important to reflect on this in your email and provide insight as to how you could positively impact the outcome. For example: _I really enjoyed discussing the new sales strategy you are implementing for the upcoming year. I have spent some time reflecting on it and I have come up with a few ideas on where we should focus our efforts as we begin to implement it. Please find my suggestions in the powerpoint presentation attached. I would be happy to explain in greater detail with you at a later date and hear any feedback you may have._ **5: I forgot to mention a point that I think is really strong, is it too late?** If you forgot to introduce an important idea during the interview, this is your chance to briefly make up for it. However, never apologize for answering a question poorly or not bringing a point up when asked. Not only is it unprofessional and makes the hiring manager recall your poor execution on an answer, it shows that you failed to prepare for the interview. When discussing a topic that you failed to mention during the interview, don’t frame it as “I forgot to mention”. Instead, frame it as “in addition to my point made in the interview”. For example: _I thoroughly enjoyed our discussion today about your plan for launching into a new market. Although we had a limited amount of time to chat about it, I just wanted to take a moment to share a few additional points that I think are relevant to our discussion that I did not have a chance to do so in the interview._ _\[Point 1\]_ _\[Point 2\]_ _\[Point 3\]_ _I would be happy to further discuss a go-to-market strategy for the new market we are entering at a later date and hear what your thoughts are._ Remember that the fact is, nobody is perfect, and if they are, the hiring manager may get that “too good to be true” mentality. Own your mistakes and don’t be afraid to share 1 or 2 important points that you missed during the interview. Don’t forget, the job interview is only the beginning of the conversation. On average, 250 resumes are submitted for corporate job openings and 1 in 6 applications are typically asked to come in for an interview. So, differentiate yourself and get ahead of half of your competition by sending a thoughtful follow up email. If you follow these steps, you can be sure that you have improved your odds of landing that job. Are you ready to put these email tips to the test? Check out our [open sales jobs](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1) and apply today! Subscribe below to get the latest content delivered right to your inbox. --- ## How to Spot a Poor Sales Person | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-spot-a-poor-sales-person-even-when-your-eyes-tell-you-different ## (even when your eyes tell you different!) ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Your candidate may appear like the perfect sales hire – but are your eyes deceiving you? Even if your prospective candidate looks like a 10/10, has a charming personality and exudes the perfect amount of confidence– don’t be too quick to jump to, “you’re hired!” (you may regret it) Below is a list of some of the major red flags to look out for when meeting with a potential sales hire — so read on! ## Does the candidate seem interested in long-term growth? For you to get a good return on investment from your sales hire, they need to be with you for at least 2 years (and ideally more than 3). Determining whether this will be the case means finding out: does this candidate have a history of sticking around that long? Are there any reasons to doubt their long-term potential for your company? Are they “settling” for your role even though it is not what they really want? ## Tip If the prospective candidate gears the conversation towards vacation days, termination policies and future job opportunities then be cautious! ## Does the candidate show enough drive? Drive is the engine that runs a great sales person. It is the thing that makes them dial that 100th prospect when 99 people have turned them down. People often mistake drive for enthusiasm or ambition. Just because they say they want to make $1 million by the time they turn 30, does not mean they have the discipline and internal motivation to do it. Drive requires planning, setting goals, and having a back-up plan when goals are not met initially. ## Tip Look for a consistent history of setting and completing personal, educational and professional goals. ## Would your client buy from them? Sure, they look polished and are charming, but is that enough for your client to make a purchase? Buying decisions are often made based on the credibility and trust built by the sales person. They must consistently show that they are truly looking to provide a solution and not just selling a product/service. ## Tip While interviewing the candidate, find out how much research they have done on you and your industry. If they “wing” the interview without much preparation, they will likely do the same when selling to your clients – which will leave your clients feeling uneasy and insignificant. ## Have they got the results to prove their success? The candidate may describe themselves as a top performer and a hunter – but can they prove it? Can they give examples of how and when they demonstrated valuable sales skills? ## Tip Look for an overachievement of targets set for them by previous employers and investigate how the candidate’s results compared to peers on the same team. --- ## How to successfully onboard remote salespeople - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople **BY: [ASAD ZAMAN](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/asad-zaman/)** [The future of work looks remote](https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/05/07/are-remote-jobs-the-future-of-work/#506b200e6218). That’s not a bleak analysis of the employment forecast – recessions come and go, but in the digital age, remote sales roles are here to stay. Working remotely offers a number of benefits to employees: they don’t have to commute to work, they don’t have to move to take a new job, they can often set their own hours, and the flexibility of a remote sales role can make raising a family more viable. Employers, too, stand to benefit: remote work means you need less office space and you can hire from a much broader pool of sales candidates. [Working from home isn’t all sunshine and rainbows](https://www.fastcompany.com/90395082/how-to-address-the-productivity-and-satisfaction-pitfalls-of-remote-work), though. There are both logistical and emotional difficulties that can arise from remote sales roles – difficulties that wouldn’t be present in a traditional office setting. One of the best ways of alleviating these woes is having the right onboarding process; it’s especially helpful for young employees. Below are some personal and technical onboarding tips to help you tailor your onboarding process for your new sales hires that will be working remotely. ## Personal onboarding Personal onboarding is, in our opinion, the most important part of the onboarding process. Salespeople working remotely often feel alienated, lonely, left out of the loop, or like they’re not a real part of the team. [Disaffected employees](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/11/30/12-signs-your-employee-is-disengaging-and-how-to-respond/#1bf5a4c12928) contribute less to the company and are more likely to leave, so it’s important for employees working remotely to feel engaged right away. **ONE: Get some face time** The [benefits of face-to-face interaction](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/11/30/12-signs-your-employee-is-disengaging-and-how-to-respond/#1bf5a4c12928) can’t be understated. Optimally, your onboarding process will involve flying the employee out to your main offices where they can meet the sales team, ask questions, and get a sense of your workplace culture. Obviously, this isn’t feasible for every business. Failing an in-person meet and greet, you can always use Skype, FaceTime, or any other video chat software in order to meet your employees. **TWO: Get the team involved** Remote sales employees shouldn’t just interact with their direct superior – it’s alienating and gives them the sense that they’re working _for_ one individual instead of a full sales team towards a common goal. Instead, invite them to a team meeting; get Skype on the big screen and get everyone on camera to say hello. In fact, you can make the team meeting a part of the onboarding process – throw a little celebration with their teammates (even the ones working remotely via multi-person chat) in order to welcome them to the team! **THREE: Make yourself available** New sales hires usually have a lot of questions, and they need the management of an experienced leader to help them ramp up quickly to become revenue generators. To handle this, the best sales leaders have open-door policies in place in order to foster a sense of support and unity. Let them know you’re available for phone/video calls most of the time, and whenever you’re not, that an appointment can be scheduled. Let them know, too, that they’re a valued member of the team and that concerns, questions and feedback are welcome with open arms. Make this _explicit_ so your salespeople feel secure in learning and growing with your company. ## Technical onboarding Where personal onboarding is used to make new salespeople feel integrated with the team and to eliminate any feeling of isolation, technical onboarding is used to make sure they are compliant with the requirements of the position. This happens in a few different steps. **FOUR: Set time to fill forms** This is what many of us refer to as “housekeeping” – your new remote salesperson will have to fill in all of the appropriate forms, be they related to taxes, confidentiality agreements, contracts, or any other number of things. When possible, it’s preferable to send these all digitally – paper mail works fine too but be sure to send the forms out well in advance of the start date. It’s important you give remote salespeople as much time to fill out these forms as you would an employee working in your offices, be that a day or two. It’s equally important to be available during the form-filling process should the employee have any questions. Housekeeping will also involve explaining the primary ways they’ll interact with the company; project management systems, CRMs, chat rooms, video conferencing, and the like. They should also know how to conduct proper [record keeping](https://www.compass-cpa.com/), be it logging hours, gas mileage, work completed, or any other metric they need to calculate for compensation. If you’re planning a big simultaneous remote onboarding, be sure to have people with technical know-how on hand ready to answer questions. **FIVE: Set expectations** Remote or territory sales is inherently different from the sales process in a central office but that doesn’t mean boundaries shouldn’t be set. Does your new salesperson have to be available from and to a certain time or is it fine for them to work when they want? How are they supposed to log their hours if it’s an hourly position and what are the expectations for availability in salaried positions? Remember to account for time zone differences when figuring out availability. Flexibility is often one of the biggest draws for remote work. Be clear about your expectations for availability during the hiring process. **SIX: Schedule routine follow-ups** The onboarding process for a new sales hire is complex and a bit stressful. They should, and probably will, have a lot of questions early on, and you need to be able to micromanage them effectively. While having an open-door policy helps alleviate that, scheduling meetings to follow-up on the onboarding process is important. Schedule routine meetings to ensure that your new salesperson is completing sufficient sales activities early on in their role. Scheduling with remote workers can be challenging, but if you both use [appointment setting](https://bookedin.com/blog/top-3-things-that-drive-us-bonkers-about-appointment-booking/) software and coordinate your calendars, it can make things very manageable. --- ## How to treat your job hunt like a sales pro - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/how-to-treat-your-job-hunt-like-a-sales-pro Any time you have a goal in life that requires someone else to help you fulfill it (i.e. getting a great job), it’s called “sales”. And, it requires a sales mindset. With sales, it’s not just about having the best product. You have to ensure that you have enough potential buyers for that product to off-set their own biases and the market competition for that “sale”. This is called building a pipeline. You also have to ensure each potential opportunity is managed thoughtfully and strategically. This is called a sales process. In this case, the product is you, the buyer is the employer, and the sale is a great job. ## **5 sales tips that can help you with your job search:** ## **1\. Know what problem the buyer is trying to solve, and gear your sales “touches” to understanding and solving that problem** Your sales touches are your: resumes, cover letters, and your phone, video, and in-person interviews. If the employer is looking for an early career-stage person, they want “potential” more than “experience”. They are looking for someone who will be ambitious and confident enough to attack any challenge/task, while also being humble enough to do the “grunt work”. Each “touch” needs to clearly demonstrate that you will make their life easy as a boss: you’ll work hard, keep your ears open, and do whatever the job demands with energy and enthusiasm. **You can lose the sale here if…** You come across as if you know it all and want to “teach” not “learn”. ## **2\. Don’t just fill in an RFP… get noticed!** An “RFP” is a request for proposal. When a company is looking to source suppliers for a specific resource, they put up a request for proposal and companies apply to be considered. Great salespeople will not just respond to the RFP… they will ensure they get noticed. Here is how this relates to your job search: You see a job advertised and you hit “apply”. You write a nice cover letter and complete the application process. You sit and wait. Unfortunately, hiring managers are often overwhelmed by applications, and yours can get lost in the “noise”. Because your resume does not yet have years of highly relevant experience on it, hiring managers often overlook good candidates. You need to be noticed. The best way you can show your potential is to film a quick personalized video introducing yourself and send it to them through their email or social media channels. Don’t be afraid to follow up with a polite but eager phone call 24 hours after application to ensure you don’t get lost in the shuffle. Also, if you have someone in your shared networks, get a referral. **You can lose the sale here if…** You rely on the system. Big follow-ups may sound aggressive, but you can’t get a job you are not considered for. ## **3\. Don’t rely on any one opportunity, build a whole pipeline** If you are a great candidate and manage each opportunity well, you should expect to get at least 1 offer for every 5 jobs you are interviewed for. The best practice is to push yourself to get 5+ interviews to ensure the math works in your favour. **You can lose the sale here if…** You get too discouraged by early rejections. The hiring manager’s decision should not impact your mood and energy level. ## **4\. Do your research, but don’t be too pushy** It is critical before any interview that you dig into the research of the role, company, industry, and people you are meeting with. Spending a few hours getting prepared shows you are intelligent and eager to learn. It also shows you want them, not just a job. It can be really tempting to make sure your interviewer knows how much time and effort you have put into your research by oversharing early in the interview instead of waiting for more organic opportunities to show your work. In an interview, you should be looking for a conversation where you both talk and listen. The research you have done can also be extremely useful in designing a thought-provoking and intelligent question when they ask for one. **You can lose the sale here if…** You come out of the interview having done 99% of the talking. ## **5\. Follow-up on closed opportunities… they may reopen sooner than you think** So you get rejected from a role… what next? Just because they made the hire does not mean it will definitely work out for them. Make sure you are their first call if something does not go well (candidate they offer to rejects, resigns quickly, or does not work out). To do this you must handle your initial rejection with poise and empathy. Be disappointed but not deflated. Tell them you are still interested and would love another shot if anything changes on their end. Then follow up 4 weeks after the new hire is made to “check in” and show continued interest. **You can lose the sale here if…** You get frustrated with their decision and burn a bridge. As with sales, job searches can be pretty frustrating at times. You get a “no” that should have been a “yes”. You have buyers who don’t always tell you why you lost the sale. Any good salesperson stays focused and resilient throughout. They know that they will meet their goals if they stay focused and prolific. Want to learn more about how we can help with your job search? STA NEXT™ is Sales Talent Agency’s proactive candidate sourcing program that is designed to help company’s build, maintain and grow their sales teams with high-potential candidates that have 0-3 years of experience. Contact our STA NEXT™ team below to see if you’re a fit for the program. Happy hunting! \[popup\_trigger id=”10109″ tag=”button” classes=”d-block mx-auto”\]Contact Us\[/popup\_trigger\] --- ## Webinar: How HR professionals can equip their sales teams for success - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-equip-sales-team #### We have partnered with [WorkTango](https://worktango.com/) to present a webinar on how HR professionals can equip their sales teams for cultural and organizational success. Check out the full webinar [here](https://worktango.com/2019/07/03/hr-equip-sales-teams/). #### Do you want more content like this? Subscribe below to get our latest articles, podcasts, webinars and more delivered right to your inbox! --- ## HR Talks - Episode 1 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-1 **Radical lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic have taken a toll on the mental and physical health of employees.** In fact, 1 in 5 employees traditionally experienced mental health problems, but today, this has increased by approximately 150%, where 50% of employees say their mental health has worsened due to COVID-19. Yet, having healthy and productive employees is critical to an organization’s success… Digital technology can play a crucial role where it gives employees access to mental health resources that weren’t readily available before. These tools help address issues that are often overlooked and take your employees’ focus away from work. This means that more than ever before, there is an urgency for organizations to use these tools to champion mental wellbeing in the workplace to increase employee engagement and productivity. So, to help your organization better understand the best practices for increasing the focus on and improving employee well-being in the workplace, we brought together a panel of digital wellness and HR experts including [Danny Weill](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAMA4L4BUQWa5vZD2unmqiOehb_ps0Iv3WA) (Vice President, Sales & Partnerships at [LifeSpeak Inc.](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifespeak-inc./)), [Rob Catalano](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABq2BoB4ymauLAMiI32Dtb3tY6GIkO3RcU) (Chief Engagement Officer at [WorkTango Inc.](https://www.linkedin.com/company/work-tango/)), [Robyn Braha](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAADNkM6EBuMA-41OdgcpKY7waiBBckncq8mM) (Manager, Health & Wellness at [Wawanesa Insurance](https://www.linkedin.com/company/wawanesa-insurance/)), moderated by [Kristin Condon](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAFVFKMBjGKBSZqgZ_yMdhYCjbHrOshteJo) (Chief Customer Officer at Sales Talent Agency). Have a question that wasn’t answered? A topic you’d like us to cover? [Let us know](mailto:info@salestalentagency.com)! We’ll be hosting episode 2 of the series in early 2021. --- ## HR Talks - Episode 2 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/hr-talks-episode-2 In business and politics, leaders around the world have spent the past year facing a real-time leadership test due to the global pandemic. And, while the global pandemic has certainly reshaped the way organizations operate, it also, more specifically, has reshaped the notions of women in leadership roles. Numerous studies have shown that women-led countries tended to have managed the COVID-19 crisis better, and from a business standpoint, studies have shown that women have excelled more as leaders in this new working environment as they foster a better virtual experience for their remote teams. That said, on the other side of the spectrum, studies have also shown that advancements in gender equality across the globe risk being derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, in due part to the pandemic forcing millions of women to reconsider how to balance their professional and home lives. So, to better understand how the global pandemic has affected the female business leader in Canada, we partnered with [Elaine Zapotoczny](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainezap/) (Owner at [Ascent Coaching and Consulting](https://www.ascentleadership.ca/)), [Sonia Edmonds](https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaedmonds/) (National Managing Partner at [BDO Canada](https://www.bdo.ca/en-ca/home/)), and [Vince John](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincejohntd/) (Senior Manager of Human Resources at [TD Bank](https://www.td.com/us/en/personal-banking/)), for a live panel discussion moderated by Kristin Condon ([CCO](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristincondon00/) at Sales Talent Agency). **A few of our top takeaways from the session include:** **5:26** Organizations need to have a proactive approach to understanding how women and women in leadership roles have been impacted by the pandemic. First, an organization should acknowledge the problems/challenges that the pandemic has created for women and then create a purposeful action plan to help alleviate them. **18:50** We have lost decades of work, whereas advancements in gender equality have been derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the midst of disruption, female leaders can reshape this by working to rebuild something better, something that breaks the barriers still being caused by systemic bias. **26:58** It is no secret that the pandemic has had many adverse effects on women. That said, female leaders have excelled in their ability to be inclusive and to inspire their teams to be successful. This, in turn, has attracted much attention and praise to female leadership abilities throughout the pandemic. **42:59** When looking to implement strategies to help female employees and leaders overcome the challenges caused by the global pandemic, organizations need to be flexible and purposeful in their execution. For example, organizations can re-evaluate the flexibility of their working hours to help alleviate some of the challenges female employees face balancing their work and home lives. Have a question that wasn’t answered? A topic you’d like us to cover? [Let us know](mailto:info@salestalentagency.com)! --- ## In-office, remote or hybrid? Here’s how to make the most of your work environment as a sales leader - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/in-office-remote-or-hybrid-work-environments Midjourney. By [Michael Pilon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/michael-pilon/) The pandemic dramatically changed how we see remote and hybrid work environments – and that’s an understatement. Even though many employers thought they’d fully return to the office some day, companies are now looking to the future, and there is a growing recognition that the traditional 9-to-5 office model may not be the best way forward. Employee interest in going to the office full-time has [dropped by 24% since 2021](https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2022), and for remote work, it increased by 24%. Fully in-office, hybrid, and remote work arrangements are all valuable and have their own advantages and disadvantages, however. We’ve learned that success in each of these environments is found by properly leveraging camaraderie, productivity, training and development, and flexibility. We spoke with four sales industry leaders from a variety of companies to learn their strategies and how they leverage these aspects of work: Will Sheu (former field sales manager at Penske), David Sevitt (chief revenue officer of Giftagram), Nicolas Thierault (sales director at Indeed), and Aubrey Baron (senior director of growth). With the help of these leaders, this article will explore the intricacies of remote, hybrid, and fully in-office work arrangements, and offer insights on how to make the most of each setup. For each arrangement, you’ll first hear from the leaders, followed by a list of the main advantages and challenges you’ll find in the work environment. Regardless of which arrangement you choose, the goal should be to create a healthy and productive work environment that supports the well-being of employees – and the success of the organization. Jump to a specific section here: - [In-office work](#in-office-work) - [Remote work](#remote-work) - [Hybrid work](#hybrid-work) – Midjourney. In-office work environments have been a cornerstone of modern employment for decades. Being in an office has a range of benefits that cannot always be replicated in a remote or hybrid setting, including social interaction and increased collaboration. For Will Sheu, former field sales manager at Penske, this is the biggest draw: working in an office “better enables you to connect with your team, and it helps you get to know people,” he says. For many, “Virtual relationship building is not the same as in person relationship building, whether it’s with customers or internal people.” That’s because there’s less opportunity for communication and rapport working remotely. Sending a message or setting up a meeting takes effort, where in an office you might bump into someone in the hall and chat. And if text-based communication is your go-to remotely, then body language, facial expressions and gestures that help give you a sense of your coworker’s personality are lost. Even with more opportunities to connect, however, building a sense of camaraderie isn’t a given in the office — it takes time and effort to establish. Will’s advice is “just to really genuinely get to know people,” he says. “It’s about each person taking the time to care about the people that they work with. Once you understand a person, with feelings, empathy and challenges, I think camaraderie comes from that.” But all this easy access to direct communication has a catch. With so many distractions in the modern office, like hallway chats or popping out for coffee, productivity can take a hit. – ## **“If I sense a lot of distraction,” Will says, “I ask people to have a strategy in terms of setting up time for themselves dedicated to projects or proposals, or whatever they’re working on, to really shut out the noise.”** – Learning by osmosis can make training and development easier in the office, but an unexpected challenge is for trainers and managers themselves, Will says. When employees have questions and come to your office, it’s more difficult to stay focused on your projects than when working remotely, where you can finish what you’re doing and answer. For flexibility, it’s a common misconception that in-office jobs don’t offer any scheduling leeway for stepping out to appointments or personal matters. Many in-office employers allow this flexibility, which is great because 81% of workers are looking for it in their schedules ([Slack](https://futureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Future-Forum-Pulse-Report-Winter-2022-2023.pdf)). You won’t find this in all in-office environments, though, and some workplaces will have a strict 9-5 schedule. Others might let you start and end later, say to take your kids to school in the morning. If scheduling is more rigid in your workplace, or there’s no room for hybrid work at all, it’s important to make sure your job descriptions are detailed and expectations are crystal clear, so that well-suited employees hop onboard. “If people know where they’re stepping into, especially for new hires, it’s a lot easier,” Will says. – **Considering bringing your team fully in-office? These are some advantages and common challenges:** **Advantages:** - **Relationship building** – It’s often easier for in-office workers to build relationships with their colleagues through face-to-face interaction. When random encounters and conversations are common, developing a better understanding of each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and work styles becomes easier, which can strengthen teams as a whole. - **Learning through osmosis** – Employees in offices learn from their colleagues simply by being in the same space and listening to each other, which is especially important in sales. Observing how others approach their calls makes it easier to pick up new skills and techniques, and you can ask questions in real-time. This is valuable for newer employees who could benefit from more seasoned professionals, and it can prevent knowledge gaps between senior leaders. - **Training and development** – It can be easier to train and develop staff in an office environment where there’s more opportunity for direct contact ([42% of employees](https://futureforum.com/2021/04/06/bursts-of-brilliance-how-companies-can-embrace-flexibility-and-stay-innovative-in-a-digital-first-world/) found it more difficult to learn from their teammates remotely). Newer employees can benefit from immediate feedback and have more opportunities to ask important questions. **Challenges and solutions:** - **Flexibility** – In-office work can be challenging for employees who need flexibility in their work schedule due to family obligations, health concerns, or other personal reasons. To solve this, help employees achieve a better work-life balance by letting them step out when needed and allow them to make the time up. - **Productivity** – Some people are very productive in-office, but for others it can be challenging to focus in a distracting environment. Provide these employees with a quiet, designated workspace where they can work without interruptions, or develop a strategy for the whole team to stay focused. - **Distance from the office** – This can be a huge hindrance for in-office workers. Workers who need to travel an hour to the office each way lose a significant portion of their day, and the cost of transit or gas adds up. This can also make hiring a challenge, since you’ll be limited by geographical area or might need to pay for relocation. Solutions include offering transportation benefits to offset these costs, or implementing remote work options for days when employees find the commute too challenging. – Midjourney. ## **Remote work:** Workers around the globe have been embracing the work from home movement, and for good reason. Saving the time of long commutes, spending less on transportation, and being able to work from anywhere are key benefits, not to mention being able to focus more effectively and get more work done. It’s also important, however, to consider what’s being lost and how to get it back. As a social being working remotely, senior director of growth Aubrey Baron missed the social interactions outside of scheduled meetings, like going to get coffee with a coworker or running into someone on the elevator and drumming up a conversation. “I felt like there was a bit of a gap in the beginning,” she says. Many companies turned to happy hours and virtual events to encourage team building and camaraderie, but this wasn’t a strategy that stuck. “We saw a lot of people getting Zoom fatigue,” she says. “They wanted to go out and see their friends. They didn’t want to sit on their computer for an extra half an hour on a Friday and talk to their colleagues.” Instead, Aubrey creates space for camaraderie in every interaction she has. Whether it’s a one on one, a team meeting, or text communication through Slack, “Take that time to ask somebody how they’re doing, or how their weekend was, and it just adds a human element,” she says. – ## **“When it becomes something that people expect, they come excited to tell you about new things that are happening in their life.” And that’s a great opportunity to learn about team members and establish true connections.** – Just like how there’s a misconception that in-office schedules are more strict with scheduling, the opposite is true for fully remote work. “You can work remotely and still not have flexibility,” Aubrey says. “Those are not hand in hand.” Aubrey chooses to take a flexible approach as a leader, saying that she only wants to provide people with guidelines, and that she trusts her team to know when they get their best work done. For Aubrey, a main piece that’s missing for newer salespeople “is being able to organically learn from your peers,” she says. In a traditional sales office environment, people are sitting beside each other on their calls, hearing and picking up tactics and implementing them in future outreach. “It’s a lot different when you’re remote, you have your dog or your cat with you but they’re not giving you sales tips.” To overcome this hurdle, Aubrey suggests assigning a high-performing team member to onboard new staff. Plus, they should have all day every day access to their assigned person through Slack or video chats to ensure their questions can always be answered. “I then make sure that my door is always open,” she says. It’s also important to consistently ask for feedback as a leader, especially from people who are newer. Asking questions like: “What was your experience, what made you feel good, what would you change, or what have you seen at other companies that have worked or that hasn’t worked?” can give you valuable feedback that you can implement to build a thriving team. This advice doesn’t just apply for newer team members. Consistently checking in with everyone on your team can open your eyes to what’s happening and how your team is feeling, then you can make adjustments as necessary. One question Aubrey likes to ask is: “How does working remotely feel to you this month?” she says. “Because something that may have felt great or may have been a struggle can change very quickly.” – **Want to keep (or bring) your team remote? Keep these factors in mind:** **Advantages:** - **Productivity** – Many employees can be more productive when working remotely — 62% of workers in [a recent study from Owl Labs](https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2022) felt more productive — as there are less distractions than in your typical office environment. Additionally, remote work allows employees to work in a comfortable and personalized environment that can make it easier to focus and get work done (and, being within arms reach of snacks and your pets helps with motivation!). - **Flexibility** – Remote work allows employees to have more control over their work schedule, which can be especially valuable for those with family obligations or other personal commitments. By eliminating the need for a daily commute and offering more flexibility in their work hours, employees can achieve a better work-life balance and reduce stress (not to mention it can save companies money in office costs!). - **Access to talent** – Remote workers can get their jobs done from anywhere with an internet connection. This means they can spend less money and time on commutes, plus it opens up new opportunities for, say, employees who live in remote areas who can now apply for roles in larger cities. This opens up the talent pool tremendously, and many employers also allow remote workers to tweak their schedules to accommodate life requirements. - **Employee retention** – Since work-life balance is such a priority for employees, offering this work arrangement can encourage your workers to stay with you longer. Although this applies to hybrid work as well, 66% of workers would start looking for a new job if their option to work from home was taken away, according to [Owl Labs](https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2022), and 39% would outright quit. **Challenges and solutions:** - **Camaraderie** – Employees who thrive on social interaction and camaraderie with their colleagues can find remote work challenging. One solution is for employers to encourage regular communication among team members, like with regular check-ins or daily meetings, to help build interpersonal connections. - **Training and development** – It can be much more challenging for remote workers to learn new skills on the go, like they could through osmosis in a typical office environment. One solution for this challenge is to assign teammates together to have regular meetings and discuss their wins, losses, and what they’ve learned. - **Work-life balance** – In a remote working environment, it can be easy for the lines between work and relaxation to blur, and for some people it can be a challenge to close their laptops at the end of the day and enjoy their off hours, leading to faster burnout. Workers can create designated workspaces, if possible, to help shift the focus away from work when leaving the space. Or, create a routine that signals the end of the workday for your brain, like putting your laptop away completely or writing out a list of wins and losses for the day. - **Communication** – Talking with or managing colleagues can be more difficult in remote environments with less access to direct communication. Some workers might also be more easily distracted at home vs. in an office without direct guidance. So, leaders should specifically look for candidates who thrive working remotely, and have frequent check-ins with employees who need help staying productive. – Midjourney ## **Hybrid work:** Once pandemic restrictions began to ease, hybrid models became the dominant working arrangement. 85% of workers in [a recent study](https://press.roberthalf.ca/2023-02-21-The-State-of-Remote-Work-Five-Trends-to-Know-for-2023) were interested in hybrid or fully remote positions. It’s also what employers offer the most, with 74% of companies now offering hybrid working arrangements according to [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2022/12/28/hybrid-work-is-now-the-norm-for-the-year-aheadand-beyond/?sh=7f49ac92520b). But, there isn’t just one way to set up a hybrid workplace. There are variables that you need to consider – will everyone in the office come in on the same days, what kind of office space are you using, and what work will be done remotely or in-person? And why is working hybrid effective in the first place? For David Sevitt, chief revenue officer of Giftagram, it comes down to having the flexibility to work from home on the days that work for him, and being able to collaborate on projects in person with his team. “We’re building every day, and how we win or lose is going to be based on the pace of our decision making,” he says. – ## **“There’s a lot of ideation and being able to throw ideas up on a whiteboard is really important to us. And that kind of work is, in our opinion, harder to do remotely.”** – Even though not all teams are in the office on the same days, “there’s some overlap,” David says, “which is great because there’s cross pollination of ideas. There’s always a bit of a different mix of people.” Thanks to this overlap, hybrid environments can increase the probability of random encounters with people you might not normally see, which is helpful for establishing camaraderie. In terms of development, “I think the point is to be thoughtful about what you’re doing in person and what you’re not doing in person for onboarding or training,” David says. Call shadowing, roleplays, team meetings, and deal audits are all training situations best done in person, since they benefit from in-person collaboration, while training centered around content absorption is best done remotely so that people can go at their own learning pace. Some workplaces are taking creative approaches to ensure the happiness of hybrid employees. Nicolas Theriault, sales director at Indeed, and his team recently made the switch from remote to hybrid, and he says that “hybrid models are a bit more difficult than having a full remote or full in-office.” So, a task force was established to help create guidelines for success and determine different areas to work on. “Basically, we broke into teams of four,” he says, “and each team worked on a component, including what we wanted meetings to look like, what training should look like in a virtual environment, and how to make sure it’s inclusive.” This type of solution allowed for a work environment where everyone was heard and had a say in what the hybrid setup felt like. “We also make sure that we have a weekly wrap up when we’re virtual,” he says, which helps to maintain the collaborative and team-driven nature of the in-office side. Despite its increasing popularity and its many benefits, hybrid work isn’t for everybody. David thinks job seekers in particular should take a step back and assess their strengths and weaknesses and how their work environment supports or hinders them. For example, some extroverts could really benefit from having the in-person communication of a hybrid or in-office environment. But without the proper reflection, they might end up taking fully remote jobs that aren’t suited for their needs and growth just because the company is compelling. “I think this self-reflection is probably the first step in thinking about where to work,” he says, “because there’s major costs with choosing incorrectly for the individual.” It’s also costly for companies who might need to replace those candidates in the near future. Just like in-office, setting clear expectations when hiring can help make sure you’re bringing on talent that will thrive. It’s key for candidates to “know exactly what to expect,” he says, “and then it’s about being consistent in living what you promise people.” – **Keep these advantages and challenges in mind while setting up your hybrid work environment:** **Advantages:** - **Best of both worlds** – The benefits of remote work and in-office shine in hybrid arrangements. Employees save time and money on commuting when working remotely, can do their work in a comfortable environment, and often have more control over their schedule. Employees can head to the office to benefit from the social interaction and collaboration that’s more difficult to achieve remotely. - **Flexible collaboration** – Building a sense of community and shared purpose can be easier when employees are in the office, and hybrid environments allow for this while still giving employees the option of flexibility. This can improve employee retention overall, as flexible work arrangements and having colleagues and culture that inspire employees to do their best are both in the top five qualities sales professionals are looking for in their employers ([Sales Talent Agency](https://www.salestalentagency.com/state-of-b2b-sales-talent-in-canada/)). - **Work-life balance** – It’s often easier for employees to manage their personal and professional responsibilities while working hybrid, especially when there’s choice involved. Employees can work remotely on days with personal commitments or to focus on individual tasks, while still having the opportunity to collaborate and connect with colleagues in person on other days. This can lead to a better work-life balance, reduced stress levels, and increased job satisfaction. **Challenges and solutions:** - **Establishing which days are in office** – Some hybrid companies have all employees in-office on the same days to encourage collaboration, learning and team building, at the expense of some flexibility. Others let their employees choose which days to come into the office, which prioritizes flexibility over collaboration and team-building. Some departments have unique policies for this compared to others, which presents a challenge. A solution to ensure the happiness of employees is to ask for their feedback and preference, which makes it easier to create alignment. - **Productivity** – When in the office, it can be more difficult for some people to get work done with constant distractions. To address this, employers can help their team develop a strategy to remain focused. It can also be difficult to be productive remotely for some people; establishing clear expectations and guidelines, including setting specific deadlines and providing regular feedback and support, can help. - **Camaraderie** – If your team doesn’t come into the office on the same days, it can be challenging to foster a sense of camaraderie and connection between all members in a hybrid work environment. Try scheduling regular team meetings to bring together employees across different areas of the organization to encourage camaraderie company-wide. – Midjourney. ## **So, how do you choose between in-office, remote and hybrid work?** There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Different teams will thrive in different environments, so instead, reflect on the following to help you make your decision: - **Your business** — For some companies and industries, their sales process can easily be done remotely, while those that need more collaboration would likely benefit from being in-office. Think about the kind of work your business does and what environment will best support that. - **Your team** — If you are considering making a switch or starting with a fresh new team, ask your employees for feedback and their preference to ensure alignment and happiness across the board. Then, make changes accordingly. When your team can work their best, your business will prosper. Also, think about whether you need a larger talent pool to hire from, or if your team will need lots of face-to-face learning, to help make your decision. - **Your leadership qualities** — Are you a leader who can manage virtually, or do you find it easier in person? Setting up an environment where you can lead as efficiently as possible ensures your team has what they need to succeed. Whether your team works in an office, remotely or in a hybrid environment, there are also common threads to consider. For example, taking the time to build connections with your team, whether you’re together in a shiny office building or collaborating behind a screen, is the best way to build camaraderie. And, for all setups, making expectations clear in the hiring process will attract people to your team who will thrive. Nicolas has some final words of wisdom for leaders from any work environment: “It’s important to know that as a leader, as long as you’re flexible, understanding and lead with empathy,” he says, “that’s the most important thing that you can do.” --- ## Hootsuite CEO on the Cost of a Bad Hire | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interesting-perspective-on-the-costs-of-a-bad-hire ### By [Peymaneh Chychi](http://www.salestalentagency.com/peymaneh-chychi) As a Vancouver-based business person, I have long been interested in Hootsuite as it has surged from a “What is Hootsuite?” to a “Hootsuite is great!” positioning in the marketplace. The CEO, Ryan Holmes, has seen his share of hiring decisions and has some really insightful thoughts on the unexpected costs of making a bad hire AND a few really simple and easy tips for spotting a dud in the interview process. Read Ryan Holmes original article [here](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130716151946-2967511-the-high-costs-of-a-bad-hire-and-how-to-avoid-them). --- ## Interview: Heidi Benard – National Director of Sales and Training, Revera | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interview-heidi-benard-national-director-of-sales-and-training-revera ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) _As Canada’s best sales recruitment company, we work with some of the most innovative sales leaders in a wide range of industries. These are senior strategists and tacticians who are always finding ways to increase their revenues, grow market-share, and provide their customers with a better experience. I recently sat down with one of these sales leaders Heidi Benard – the National Director of Sales for Revera Retirement Living. The senior housing industry has exploded in the last 10 years, with massive investments in new retirement facilities and communities. Heidi sheds some light on this highly regulated industry and how Revera – a leader in this space – is tackling the significant competition for clients._ Interviewee: Heidi Benard – National Director of Sales and Training, Revera Heidi\_Revera **Jamie Scarborough: What is Revera’s positioning?** Heidi Benard: Revera is the largest provider of senior care – that would run from the full spectrum from home help, to retirement living, to long term care, to skilled nursing in the states. We are just starting our 50th year, and have well over 200 facilities. **J: How many are you specifically responsible for?** H: I’m responsible for all retirement living, which represents about 93 properties. I help coach all the sales standards for the company, from Montreal out to BC down to Oregon. This is my 23rd year within the industry and it has changed significantly over the last decade. There used to be a time when just anybody could hang up their shingle. It used to be that you had an extra bedroom and you would be Jamie Retirement Living, and away you would go. Now for the first time we are starting to get standards, so we’re seeing that there is more accountability in the industry, and we’re seeing a lot more competition than there used to be. **J: How has that increased competition changed Revera’s sales strategy?** H: 10 years ago we would literally be able to wait until there was a knock at the door, and we were turning people away. People would come to see if there was an opportunity for their mom to move in, and they were thrilled when they could find them a spot. Now there is so much competition out there, there are so many companies that are getting ready for that curve of the demographics that will need senior care. **J: What typically drives customer choice?** H: You know people often think price is the influencing factor, I truly believe that it’s not. I believe that it’s the relationship that is built by the community. When you come in to look at a place for your parent, you ask: “what is the feeling I’m getting?” I will pay more if it means that my parent will be taken care of better, and so I think that the driver is making sure that the care is the best and that it’s the lifestyle that is going to be continued from their home, to the retirement living. So if Mom was very active, they are going to be looking for a home that is very active. If Mom or Dad were interested in a certain kind of food, they are going to be looking very closely at what’s being provided or options that can be provided. So you really have to delve into who your customer is, to really decide on if this is really the right fit. **J: How has the role of a sales person changed in the industry?** H: My first role was called a Community Relations Manager. What we in Revera now equate it to, is called a Lifestyle Consultant. So basically I was a sales person. I would be waiting for people to come through the door. At that time outreach \[going out into the community and actively looking to build relationships with potential customers\] hadn’t been developed a lot, so I did a bit of outreach, but it was quite unknown. People would say “what do you mean you’re going golfing or out for dinner and you’re going for this meeting and that meeting, and trade shows?” It was thought of kind of like fluff and stuff, and now of course that is what drives our business. You can’t wait for people to come to you, you have to make that phone ring and that door knock. So holding a shingle out and going on your laurels at Revera, is just not good enough. In individual communities you have to get out there. **J: It sounds like you were a bit of an innovator with that outreach component.** H: Yes exactly, now we are really starting to establish networking communities. Not just going to the chamber for the sake of it and having a glass of wine to say “check I was there”, but meeting someone new with a referral potential and saying, “okay what do you do and how can we partner?” “What are you looking for and what are your ideal customers?” And “what are my ideal customers and how can we help and make it a win/win?” So that was very new. **J: Can you share with us what Revera’s sales process is?** H: Especially at Revera we are truly a full sales culture company. And I’m so thrilled with that because it doesn’t matter if you are the receptionist or the maintenance person doing the garden outside, when I have a prospect that is coming to our building, it starts before you even get to the building. It starts from the first phone call you made trying to find out about our building, it comes from the maintenance person who is trimming the hedges and says “well good morning, Mr. Smith”. They are shocked because they think “How did you know I was even coming?”, but it’s because in their morning meeting they have said that Mr. and Mrs. Smith are coming for lunch at noon. I want to see that maintenance man out there saying “Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I understood you were coming today, let me get the door for you.” I want them to be wowed from day one, so every single touch point is truly reflective of the great lifestyle we create day-in/day-out for our residents. If they walk away and say to their brother or sister, “Hey you have to come and look where I want Mom and Dad to live, as a lifestyle for them I think it’s going to be amazing!”, you have complete confidence that every single touch point is just going to keep confirming what you have been saying, we’re caring; we’re loyal to our residents; we’re here for them; we’re your extension of your family when you’re not here. **J: I don’t think enough sales people know of the career opportunities available to them in senior living. Every one of your facilities has at least one sales rep, correct?** H: We may have a couple of rural areas where we may rely on the Executive Director and the Office Manager to team up to be that sales representative, if we don’t have the ability to have a sales leader in that building. But for the most part we have a Lifestyle Style Consultant in every building. **J: So when you look at a Lifestyle Consultant, which is your front line sales person, what is it you are looking for from them? Do they need to have experience going in?** H: For what we are looking for, we definitely want someone that has experience with relationship- building sales. Someone who is going to take the time to discover someone’s needs, and how we are going to fit that into the lifestyle we are offering. It’s very different from product sales, and what we’re finding is that people who have had experience in the travel, tourism, hospitality and healthcare industries are the kind of backgrounds that we tend to see excel as Lifestyle Consultants. **J: When doing interviews, how quickly do you know if that person would be a good fit?** H: Certainly if they start to ask good questions from the very beginning, and they want to look at targets and look at what’s achievable and what’s a stretch target. When somebody starts to talk to me like that, my little antennas start to get excited and I’m like okay let’s talk. **J: What key things do employees need to succeed as a sales professional in senior living?** H: When you are walking around with a prospect they’re probably remembering only 7% of what you just said. So if I asked you to reiterate everything I just said in the last 20 minutes, you wouldn’t be able to do it, and vice versa. But if you brought your team in here and had to tell them what you think I’m standing for in this industry, you would hopefully be able to say Heidi is passionate, she’s got energy, is interested in helping others etc. How are you getting that? Well you are getting that by how I’m presenting myself, how I am speaking, eye contact, etc. That is exactly what our prospects are saying. Did she sit there and listen to me? Did she try to understand me? So when they go home and talk to their family, they are going with the feeling that you really cared. That is what they are going away with, that feeling of how Mom or Dad are going to be taken care of, not that they have a bigger flat screen TV than the competitor. **J: Heidi, you are such a passionate person and it’s such an interesting industry and you seem to be so well fit within it and within the sales spectrum. As you know our company is focused purely on sales and I really appreciate you coming in and I absolutely loved chatting with you!** --- ## Sales Talent Agency presents: A Candidate's Guide to Interviewing | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interview-tips While not all bosses will be as hard to impress in an interview as Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada; preparation, dress code, timing and post interview follow-ups will set you up for success. ## **Congratulations!** This job is now within your grasp and it is up to you to ensure you put your best foot forward. Following are some simple tips and advice for how to prepare for-and conduct yourself during and after-this interview. ## **The most important thing to remember:** Approach the interview as though it is a sale – the product you are selling is you! Do not think you can “wing” an interview: preparation = success. Whether this is your dream job or a role that you are not sure you want yet, prepare thoroughly and always aim to get further short-listed for the role. You can always reject a job that you do not want, but you can never take back a bad first impression. ## **Preparation** - Make sure you know the time, location and details/role of the person you will be interviewing with. - Thoroughly explore the Company’s website to get a feel for its products and services, its culture, and how it positions itself to its customers - Read the job profile thoroughly and ensure you understand what you would specifically be responsible for in this role - Ask your Sales Talent Agent why they are recommending you to move forward (this will help you understand why they think you are a good fit for the role and what the client has asked them for). Make sure you also ask what-if any-“red flags” they have about you that may put off their client (e.g. gaps in your resume that you have not adequately explained) - List the reasons why you think you are a great fit for this specific role and prepare success stories/anecdotes that support this (e.g.: you exceeded quota each of the last 3 years and were the top performer on your team) - List the reasons why you may not be the “ideal” candidate and prepare to address those concerns - Prepare 5 appropriate questions that you want to ask. IMPORTANT: know the difference between an appropriate question (e.g. What are some of the challenges a person will face in their first 6 months in this role?) and an inappropriate question (e.g. How quickly can I be promoted?) - Know your metrics: what was your quota in your last 2-3 roles? What percentage of quota did you hit? What percentage of these sales were net-new business? How did you rank compared to other sales reps in the same role? Were you responsible for sourcing your own leads? Remember: your interviewer is looking for proof that you are a great sales professional who can meet and exceed set goals, so be prepared to talk about this. If you have ANY documentation of your sales performance, or any positive letters from your clients or superiors, make sure to bring these to your interview. Proof of accomplishments is worth 1000 words and can definitely help differentiate you from the crowd ## **Dress code** - In the entire history of Sales Talent Agency we have NEVER had a client reject a candidate because they were “over-dressed”, but have had lots of candidates rejected because they were too casually dressed. You should be going for a clean, professional look-every time! - No matter what the role or the company (blue-collar, white collar or trendy ad agency), you should always wear a suit (or equivalent) to an interview - Make sure your clothes are pressed, your hair is neat and tidy, your fingernails are spotless, there is nothing between your teeth, you are clean shaven and your breath is fresh - DO NOT WEAR perfume or cologne-no matter how many people have told you how great it smells on you! It can be extremely distracting to certain people and especially in small office spaces. You should look and smell clean. That means no sweat, no cigarettes, no perfumes. NO EXCEPTIONS ## **Timing** - Never be late for an interview. Traffic is never a good excuse (it makes you look unprepared, and great sales people are NEVER unprepared). Plan to be at the interview location 15-minutes prior to the interview BUT only walk into the office 5 minutes prior to your appointment - If your interviewer is running late, use this time to try and find out more about the company. Read the magazines/internal newsletters in the reception area; watch how people within the company engage with you and each other; engage politely with the reception staff and stay off your phone (unless in an emergency) ## **Nerves** - It is okay to be nervous-you SHOULD be nervous! If you are too confident, you likely are not well prepared and are taking this opportunity or the interviewer too lightly. Take some deep breaths, keep a smile on your face, and don’t let the nerves over-power you. ## **In the Interview** - Treat an interview like you would treat the first meeting with a new prospect. In other words: remember that you are selling and that the interviewer is buying. In later stages of the interview process-once the employer has decided that you could be a valuable contributor to their company-you can start buying and let them sell the culture, package and opportunity to you. THIS IS NOT THAT TIME! - You should be engaging and polite at all times. Listen to the interviewer’s questions and ensure you have adequately answered them. - Be careful of asking too many or inappropriate questions at this stage. There are good questions for you to ask in a firstinterview and there are bad questions to ask. Good questions show that you are interested in the client, the culture and their goals for the role (e.g. asking the interviewer what attracted them to the company). Bad questions make you are only interested in what is in it for you (e.g. asking how much money you will make in your first year) - Beware: Be mindful of interviews that seem really casual and friendly! It’s often a trap to see how in control you are of the sales process. Remember, your goal is to move yourself forward to the next round of the interview process. Be friendly, build rapport, but make sure you stay on focus! ## **Closing the Interview** - Recognize when your interviewer is trying to wrap up the interview-don’t overstay your welcome - As a good sales person, you want to ensure you are moving to the next step. A great way to do this would be to thank the interviewer for their time, reiterate your strongest attributes for the role, and let them know that you are interested in the opportunity and moving forward. Finally ask if there are any concerns that they have that would stop you progressing further so that you can address them before your leave or follow-up with a response ## **Post Interview** - Immediately following your interview call your Sales Talent Agent to let them know how it went (they will then know that the interview is ended and will get additional feedback from the interviewer) - Send a thank you email (would not suggest card – takes longer) – be sure to proof read – it is such a positive thing to do and if there are spelling/grammatical mistakes, this will only hurt you vs. help you – feel free to send to your Sales Talent Agent for review first if you want feedback --- ## Interviewing With Human Resources - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/interviewing-with-human-resources Your meeting with HR is never going to be as straightforward as a meeting with a Sales Manager, Director, VP or CEO. A Manager/Leader will always be optimistic. They are seeking out the good, the achievements, and your incredible milestones. An HR interview is very behavioural based. HR is not out to become your friend in an interview, they are there to assess you, analyze what you are saying, and ultimately looking at ways that you are NOT good enough for this opportunity. They are going to be very nice to you. You will feel good coming out of the interview, but you will soon realize – they can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. ## WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR & TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED: 1. Show your drive. Show you are a hard worker. Show them you have the tenacity to be a leader in your segment. 2. Be likeable and at the same time show confidence. Be an expert, but also be humble. Arrogance is a complete turn off for Human Resources and it ultimately can lead to the end of your progression in the interview process. 3. Be as transparent as possible. They do not want to ‘dig’ for answers, feedback, or a complete story. They want you to be very detail-oriented. A good method to use is the ‘STAR’ Method (Situation / Task / Action Plan / Results). That being said, have a good cadence to your answers – move the story along – do not concentrate on minute details. 4. Show them you have a bright and curious mind. You are always looking to learn. And exemplify ways that you are continuing to learn (additional coursework/reading/industry events etc….). 5. Know a bit about the HR leader you are meeting. Look them up on LinkedIn. Inquire about their interview style ahead of time. 6. Take the time to carefully read the job description and requirements. Look at ways that your current (or past) skills align with what they are looking for in a candidate/leader. If you are not coming from a competitor to the brand/company, you are going to have to exemplify why you are the right fit for this opportunity and the company (ie – how are your skills transferable to what they are seeking.) 7. Know your resume inside and out. Proofread it to make sure there are no grammatical errors. Attention to detail is critical. HR professionals have an eagle’s eye. 8. BE STRATEGIC 9. Get to the point – watch your time when answering questions 10. Answers should not be drug out – be detail-oriented, but REEL it in 11. Energy – enthusiasm – drive 12. The answers need to flow – biggest concern in past , spending too much time on minute details ## SAMPLE QUESTIONS: 1. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way. 2. Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. 3. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. 4. Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it. 5. Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone’s opinion. 6. Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. 7. Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete. 8. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done. 9. Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. 10. Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split-second decision. 11. What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example. 12. Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa). 13. Tell me about a difficult decision you’ve made in the last year. 14. Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed. 15. Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead. 16. Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker. 17. Give me an example of a time when you motivated others. 18. Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively. 19. Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem. 20. Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem. 21. Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures. 22. Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. 23. Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend. 24. Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low). --- ## Is there any value to your value proposition? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/is-there-any-value-to-your-value-proposition ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) While our job at [Sales Talent Agency](https://www.salestalentagency.com/) is to help companies hire sales people, we spend a huge amount of our time ensuring our clients equip their hires for success. After all, if a salesperson we introduce does not perform well, our own value to the customer drops. One of the most common issues we find is that a company is not clearly articulating a compelling value proposition consistently throughout their sales team. If your salespeople do not know what makes your company and its products unique and important, every cold call and customer engagement is weak. ## Example ## Quick exercise Ask all of your salespeople and leaders to write down your company’s Value Proposition. If they come back uninspiring and varied, you need to fix this before making another sales hire/fire. ## How to fix this So what should your sales reps be saying about you? Here are 3 simple “beats” that have to be covered: ## 1\. What problem are you solving? As B2B salespeople, we are problem solvers. A company needs to make more money, be more efficient, retain their customers, inspire their employees… Our products must solve a business issue. The first part of your value proposition should clearly explain the problem you are solving. ## 2\. Why are you uniquely better at solving this problem? We have to show how our company provides a better solution than any of the alternatives (i.e. competitors, legacy practices, or doing nothing). Typical advantages show cost savings, improved performance, and/or better customer engagement. ## 3\. What proof do you have that you have solved it for others? We can say anything, but can we back it up with evidence? Examples of proof can include: specific names of current customers, performance metrics, awards, our own revenue/customer growth. Once you have these basics worked out, you can add depth to your value proposition with some return-on-investment projections or historical data. You can further support it with [reference letters](https://www.salestalentagency.com/employers/#references), testimonials and [case studies](https://www.salestalentagency.com/case-studies/). But without the basics, your sales people are going to battle completely unarmed. For the love of sales! --- ## I've landed my first job. Now what? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/ive-landed-my-first-job-now-what Working with Sponsors such as UPS within my first year as the Competition Coordinator with the Great Canadian Sales Competition. ### BY [KATHERINE PERRIN](http://www.salestalentagency.com/katherine-perrin) It’s hard to believe that just a year and a half ago I was a new graduate entering my first role out of school, with the Great Canadian Sales Competition. Furthermore, it’s hard to believe how fast the time has passed by. I remember my first day. My first week. At the time, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. As I am sure most recent grads experience, it was completely different — but it was great. I started with the Great Canadian Sales Competition as the Competition Coordinator and Regional Manager of Ontario. I was the first full time hire for the competition, outside of its Director, Sheila Cassidy. As such, the role required us both to be extremely flexible and there were a lot of times that it felt like that old saying “you either sink or swim”. There were a lot of learning curves within defining what my role was and what the competition actually needed from a Coordinator. I am now the Manager of Campus Recruitment and Operations and I have the opportunity to manage this year’s Competition Coordinator and Regional Managers. I entered a growing company, in a brand new role and I learned a lot along the process. By all means, I am no expert on how to succeed in a new position, but I do feel inclined to share what I learned. See below my 5 tips to help you define your place within a new role and company in your first year. ## Don’t be afraid to ask questions First off, be resourceful. There are many resources that you can utilize to figure something out – and trust me, your boss will appreciate the initiative. But with that being said, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your boss wants nothing more than to see you succeed, so ask them questions. Use them for their knowledge. There is absolutely no reason why you should start working on something and have to redo it, just because you didn’t ask the question. ## Identify your strengths Your strengths are ultimately the keys to your success. Everyone has different strengths in different areas. From the get-go start to identify what you like and what you are good at. See what excites you and look to see what you do differently than everyone else. Start practising these skills and start to define them. And lastly ask to be a part of projects that utilize these skills. ## Work on your weaknesses Everyone has things that they wish they were better at, but I’ve learned to look at them less like weaknesses and more like an opportunity to develop. Ask for feedback. Chances are if you think you are weak in an area, your boss probably does as well. Utilize them to coach you through your weakness and to help you improve it. ## Enhance your credibility As cliche as it sounds, don’t be the last person in the office and the first person to leave. You need to prove to your boss and yourself that you deserve to be there. Go above and beyond when asked to complete a project. And when that is finished, be proactive and find other ways to put your skills to use. ## Take Initiative You may be new to the role, but don’t sit through meetings in silence. Show the initiative to engage and contribute to the conversion. Utilize meetings as a way to learn as much as you can about your organization and the way that it works. You need to be visible. The more people that see and hear you, the sooner that they will come to you in the future for help. --- ## Jamie Scarborough on the Canada AM Show: "Five Tips To Nail That Job Interview" - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/jamie-scarborough-on-the-canada-am-show-sharing-his-five-tips-to-nail-that-job-interview Jamie Scarborough (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) on Canada AM On March 2, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency was featured on CTV News to discuss his “Five tips to nail that job interview” with Marci Ien. Click [here](http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?playlistId=1.2259752) to watch the full interview. For the love of sales! --- ## The Key Ingredient to The Great Canadian Sales Competition - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/key-ingredient-great-canadian-sales-competition The Competition Team at George Brown College In its first year of execution, The Great Canadian Sales Competition attracted 215 students from 6 provinces and 33 different schools. We were thrilled with the results – we took a program that no one had ever heard of before and got it off the ground. As the Competition Director, I spent a lot of time on campus with any help I could find. I remember setting targets for our pseudo-teams while on campus, and our team being thrilled if we could get more than just a handful of students participating during one of our school visits. I was confident in saying that we got the Competition off the ground in its first year, but now we all wanted to see it claim the title of Canada’s Biggest Student Competition. So, going into our second year, we came to the table with very lofty targets, which included: - 500+ contestants (233% increase) - 50+ schools (151% increase) - 25 Sponsors (10% increase) Sales Talent Agency, founding partner of The Great Canadian Sales Competition, can be described as an organization that historically sees a wall and runs through it. I’ve been mentored to believe that no task is ever too big to conquer, but even I’ve got to admit that these targets felt daunting. I knew that in order to be successful in its second year we had to delegate, and anyone who is familiar with the Type A personality knows that delegation is our Achilles heel to leadership. How were we going to start a program that attracts more competitors and engagement, with the same level of control we had in the first year by virtue of doing it ourselves? This question sparked hours of discussion and resulted in the development of our Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program involved hiring 100+ students across the country that would be responsible to promote the Competition on campus and encourage students to participate. The Great Canadian Sales Competition is a 3-round competition: - Round 1 tasks students to pitch a 30-90 second video on anything they want - Round 2 tasks the Top 25% of students to pitch one of sponsors in a 1-2 minute video and - Round 3 tasks the Top 25 students to manage a sales meeting in front of a panel of judges in Toronto, ON. The 1st place prize is $7,500 and 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place win $1,000. When we hired our team of Ambassadors over the summer, each of them thought the task to promote this Competition on campus sounded “almost too easy” as the prizes, opportunity, sponsors, and scope is a seemingly easy sell. The reality is that when you ask a student to step outside of their comfort zone – and let’s be honest, pitching a topic on a camera in front of strangers is way outside of your comfort zone – students are not lining up by the dozens to participate. Our Ambassadors worked with our competitors to understand the importance of a sales pitch and how best to craft one together. They spent an average of 30+ hours on campus promoting the Competition to their peers and to people they had never met before. They got people rethinking sales as a profession and chipped away at the common misconceptions about sales as a discipline. They got students thinking about companies that they may not have heard of or previously considered as potential employers. And finally they made students feel comfortable enough to not only step outside of their comfort zone, but so comfortable in fact that many of our participants pitched their idea on video right there on the spot. When we started the Competition, we hoped that we would bring in 500 competitors, which would have doubled what we did last year. I know that there is no way we would have been able to bring in the results we saw without the drive and determination from our Ambassador team. Reflecting back, we hit the nail on the head on so many things, and – as always – have some lessons learned for next year. Below are our major take-a-ways on the program, and things to definitely take into consideration if you are in the process of designing on on-campus program. ## The students you want to work for you already have a ton of accolades on their resume, so what makes your opportunity different? When designing this program, I had three interns over the course of the program who brought in a very interesting perspective as they were all students and also the program’s first hires. We were all in agreement that the program needed to be paid, but what beyond that would incent students to participate? When we started interviewing our Ambassadors, I was amazed by the calibre of students that we met. We interviewed VPs for various clubs, varsity athletes, scholarship winners, medalists in various competitions who juggled other responsibilities like their part-time jobs, making time for friends and family and all of this is on top keeping up a respectable GPA. The students you want are riddled with responsibilities, so the program has to be really worth it for them to add yet another thing to their already more than full plates. ## The major take a-ways for the Ambassador program were: 1. Paid (obviously) 2. Team Leads (TL) gave recommendations for the additional Ambassadors that would be on their team, so TLs got to take a role in the hiring process which was a cool selling feature 3. Each team got a target, and would have a tangible metric indicating to future employers how well their team did 4. Ability to take part in a new initiative and shape it for years going forward 5. Weekly spiff program (gave away prizes like Keg gift certificates, Cineplex gift cards, etc.) When designing a program, there has to be a distinct balance between what’s in it for you and what’s in it for them. More importantly, the best way to figure out what’s actually important to your potential hires is by asking them, so ask. ## Feeling heard feels awesome When I started at Sales Talent Agency, I remember my boss very early on asking me what she thought we should do about a problem we were having. The problem was small (she probably forgets even having the conversation) but it stands out to me because it was the first time my superior genuinely asked for my opinion on anything. Everyone has ideas, and a lot of us (especially when we are first starting out) struggle with presenting them forward. Being extended an olive branch to present your ideas AND more importantly being given the opportunity to execute a solution is really exciting especially when you haven’t had opportunities to do it before. When we launched the Ambassador program, we speculated on what would work best for this program, but the reality was that we had never done it before so there was no way to really predict its success. Each week we had 1:1s with the Team Leads from our 60 schools with the goals to: 1. get a status update on their team and 2. to gather suggestions they had for the program. Asking for their opinions wasn’t an attempt to humour them in order to get more engagement – I was often very impressed by their creativity and innovation. I sent out a calendar invite for an _optional_ recap session in November (mid-way through the program) where we completed a [stop-start-continue](https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/SKS-process.htm) analysis on the program to date. I thought that I’d get a handful of students on this call, and was blown away to see over 75% of our Ambassadors attend. Many of the alterations we are making to the program for next year stemmed from this call. Even if you have limitations on what you can and cannot do, try your best to provide a platform for people’s ideas so they don’t just feel like they are executing on a plan, but rather moulding an initiative that excited them in the first place. It’s way cooler. ## Try not to compare apples to oranges We ran the Ambassador program on 60 campuses, and all with varying results. As a manager, it’s easy to look at a report on how teams are doing and assume that teams struggling to reach target are just not cut out for the position. Every campus faced a lot of different challenges. In markets where we weren’t getting as much traction, I really tried to understand some of the issues they were having, and found that some of the road blocks were entirely out of our control. It’s possible that you will need to go back to the drawing board and address some things that you likely never considered before putting feet on the ground, and that’s ok. Without sounding like a total cliché, there is no such thing as failure but rather room for improvement. I am proud to say that in our second year, we hit some really exciting milestones, and met or exceeded every single target that we set for ourselves, albeit lofty and scary. Our final numbers are: - 1,549 increase (720% increase) - 70 schools (212% increase) - 25 Sponsors (10% increase) Schulich School of Business Ambassadors with GCSC Competitors With all that said, if you are a current student studying at a school across Canada and are interested in taking part in the Ambassador program, please send your resume to [Sheila.cassidy@salestalentagency.com](mailto:Sheila.cassidy@salestalentagency.com). There is no time like the present to dive into an initiative that is miles away from the ceiling. --- ## Kristin Condon, VP and Partner at Sales Talent Agency, featured on Zonecast podcast - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/kristin-condon-featured-on-zone-cast All Resources ### Kristin Condon, VP and Partner at Sales Talent Agency, featured on Zonecast podcast December 12, 2018 #### In this episode of ZoneCast, Kristin Condon joins Salman Aziz to talk about professional development as a recruiter, Sales Talent Agency’s recruitment methodologies and female leadership. --- ## Learning from Necessity: How Sales Leaders are Evolving Their Strategies in a Tough Economic Climate - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/learning-from-necessity-how-sales-leaders-are-evolving-their-strategies-in-a-tough-economic-climate COVID-19 has presented us with economic challenges that we need to face head-on. It’s a chance to improve and innovate and find a new way forward. We need to be asking ourselves, how can we make our sales infrastructure and approach better than it was before? Watch this virtual event collaboration with Thoughtexchange to hear from a panel of accomplished sales and business leaders and learn how they are being productive, strategic, and forward-thinking during this challenging time. You’ll leave knowing that this crisis can be an opportunity! --- ## Marketing Blogger Christine Till interviews STA's Dean Mitchell - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/marketing-blogger-christine-till-interviews-stas-dean-mitchell ### BY [DEAN MITCHELL](http://www.salestalentagency.com/dean-mitchell) When Christine Till (The Marketing Mentress at Practical Podcasting) asked to interview me on how I got into sales and marketing for her podcast, I was happy to oblige. [Click here](http://bit.ly/otwZGu) to listen. --- ## 5 Moneyball tactics to build a winning sales team | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/moneyball-tactics-to-build-a-winning-sales-team ### ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) Michael Lewis’s 2003 book _Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game_ details how the [Oakland Athletics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Athletics) baseball team used analytics, creativity and strategic thinking to build a baseball team on a limited budget that could compete with Major League Baseball’s big spenders. Sales leaders often feel like that under-funded baseball team. We are constantly searching for the best and brightest hires we can find, but can’t afford their huge salary demands. While the Googles, Microsofts and Facebooks of the world have the sexy brands and bottomless bank accounts to attract the best of the best, our tight profit margins and B2B brands mean we are constantly competing for rainmakers. So what can we learn from the winning philosophy of A’s GM Billy Beane? Here are a few ways to get good value for limited dollars: ## 1\. Always choose high-talent/low-experience over low-talent/high-experience At Sales Talent Agency, we believe the best sales people share three innate traits: a great work ethic, a high level of emotional intelligence, and a bright and curious mind. The good news is that all three traits are available in candidates aged 21–70. While your ideal hires would have high talent _and_ great work experience, those are also the most expensive candidates and the hardest to attract. You can’t always afford those candidates, who are too close to the peak of their sales careers. So you need to focus on candidates with a little less experience who—with some training and development—could be up and running in less than six months. You just saved more than $20,000 in salary. You’re welcome! ## 2\. Pick candidates who excel at the thing you need most Hard-core hunters are paid big money to cold call prospects and make deals from scratch. If your company has a steady flow of inbound leads, why pay top dollar for a hunter? What you need instead is a smart and likeable person who can convert a warm lead to a close. You could save as much as $30,000 per year in total employee expenses by hiring someone with 70% of what your competitors need, but 100% of what you need. ## 3\. Just because they haven’t hunted, doesn’t mean they _can’t_ hunt Our clients often look for people who have proven expertise as a new-business developer, which makes sense: if someone has done it, they likely can do it again. But some of the best hunters we met last year—those that brought in over 40 new clients per year for their current company—did not have any prior experience creating new leads. The company met them, saw their hunger and potential, and took a calculated risk that they could train them effectively. ## 4\. Old people can sell too In our eight years in business, Sales Talent Agency has placed no more than a dozen candidates over the age of 50 in direct seller’s jobs. We’ve put lots in management and executive roles, but very few on the front line. It’s not our fault: hiring managers are obsessed with 25–40 year olds. Sales people in their 50s have at least another two decades of work potential left, and a great history of experiences that enable them to connect well with buyers. They’ve also got just as much of an incentive as your young guns to make money— is anyone more cash motivated than someone looking down the barrel of retirement? For a company looking to hire, this unfortunate ageism represents great value potential. If everyone wants the 30 year-olds, their price tag goes up, but the reverse is true of candidates over the half-century mark. ## 5\. Convert B2C sellers to B2B sellers Sure, B2B sales are more complicated than B2C sales. But a great B2C sales person—the ones who answer your questions at the Telus store, serve you at The Keg, or help you get a car loan—are capable of making the leap with a little training. Such salespeople are often making significantly less money than a lower-end B2B package offers, and are desperate to build their careers. They just need someone to take a chance. Why shouldn’t that someone be you? • • • • • Just identifying these unconventional candidates is not enough. You need to put in the necessary work pre-hire to ensure that you have a high potential of success. Analyze each candidate thoroughly, possibly using a good online predictive performance test; OMG, DiSC and Pro.File are the ones our clients tend to favour. Or have them do a job-related assignment for you so that you can get a sense of how much training would be required to get them job-ready. And be certain that these atypical candidates know what they are getting into. Do it right, and you can unlock at lot of value from unconventional candidates that other (sales) teams don’t want. Don’t spend all your savings in one place! Inspired to add some rockstars to your sales team? [Contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today! --- ## What companies are looking for from sales people | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/my-take-on-what-companies-are-looking-for-from-sales-people All Resources ### What companies are looking for from sales people October 25, 2012 ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) --- ## Navigating Turbulence: How HR Leaders Can Help Businesses Get Through This Tough Economic Climate - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/navigating-turbulence-how-hr-leaders-can-help-businesses-get-through-this-tough-economic-climate COVID-19 is impacting every aspect of our lives including how our employees feel, what we can expect of them during this period, and what they need from their leaders to feel engaged and supported. HR professionals have a very important role to play in helping their business leaders understand the needs of their teams during this period which is why we have decided to bring a panel of experts together for our next webcast to provide their experiences and advice on how HR professionals can support their employees and business leaders in this, particularly challenging environment. This webinar addresses multiple stages within the journey; from the organizational response, dealing with the remote work environment, addressing employees’ psychological health & Safety, and return to work considerations. The panel included an HR leader, a Chief Growth Officer, and a Psychological Wellness expert so that we could get a 360 degree perspective on what our employees are feeling and how best to support them during this period. --- ## Overcoming The Experience Gap: How New Sellers Can Convert Senior Buyers - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/overcoming-the-experience-gap-how-new-sellers-can-convert-senior-buyers Starting out in sales comes with many challenges – especially when your client has 20 years of career experience on you! Approaching a complex sale with less credibility and expertise can be easier if you have the support and know-how of an elite salesperson. In this session, our panel of seasoned salespeople shared how to equip new sellers with the tools they need to approach the sales process with a veteran client. You’ll learn: - How to evolve your ideal candidate profile when this is a major issue - How to fast track business/industry acumen - How to anticipate and proactively resolve bottlenecks in your sales cycles --- ## Presented at the 1st ever BCIT Marketing Association Regional Conference - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/presented-at-the-1st-ever-bcit-marketing-association-regional-conference ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) This past Saturday, I had the chance to be one of 3 speakers at the BCIT Marketing Association (BCITMA) Regional Conference (really excited about being asked, because the other speakers – from Hootsuite and BlastRadius – are extremely accomplished business professionals). The conference topic was “Marketing: Who is your Audience?” Speaking to approx 100 students (mostly from the marketing and sales programs), I focused on the importance of balancing the needs and wants of _all_ your stakeholders – not just the ones that make you profitable. It is easy for companies to get caught in the trap of focusing their business model on being #1 rather than being the best (#1 only requires making the most money: a great outcome, but an unsustainable market position without a focus on quality). At Sales Talent Agency, our focus on being “the best” sales recruitment agency (not just #1) means we continue to look at how to improve the company for our clients (who pay us), candidates (who are essentially our product), our team (who provide the expertise needed to match clients to candidates), as well as shareholders (who need to make a profit). We feel that by continuing to improve our performance for ALL of these audiences, we can establish a market position that is both dominant and sustainable. The students were very engaged and asked great questions, and – as usual when I deal with people at the start of their careers (at UBC, Ryerson and BCIT) – I came away rejuvenated and excited about the future of business in Canada. I thank the BCITMA for inviting me. I can’t wait to come back! --- ## Press Release: The Great Canadian Sales Competition Looks to Curb Unemployment Rate for New Graduates - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/press-release-great-canadian-sales-competition-looks-curb-unemployment-rate-new-graduates Google, Facebook, Dell and other billon companies sponsor The Great Canadian Sales Competition, the largest national sales contest for University and College students in 2015. Why? Canada’s students are faced with a challengingly high unemployment rate that is twice the national average, and they rarely consider sales a potential career path despite it being one of the fastest growing roles nationally. At the same time, companies are struggling to find educated and talented sales professionals. This innovative competition educates young Canadians on sales as a career option, and connects them with potential employers for mutual success. With students graduating with an average of $27,000 of debt, finding a well-paid job after graduation is essential. This is particularly daunting when faced with an extremely high unemployment rate for Canada’s youth. Compounding the issue is that students are typically focused on the same career options: marketing, finance, engineering, and a few others. This creates increased demand for the same open roles. With sales and revenue growth the most critical requirement of all Canadian businesses, companies are struggling to attract high-quality young candidates to their sales forces. The simple truth: sales is not being considered as a desirable career path, despite it providing exceptional earning power and opportunity. **About The Great Canadian Sales Competition** The Great Canadian Sales Competition is a 3-Round Competition that looks to educate students on sales as a career, and actively connects many of Canada’s best employers. Round 1 of The Great Canadian Sales Competition is open until January 31st, 2015 and involves post-secondary students pitching anything they want in a 30-90 second video pitch. The sponsors of The Great Canadian Sales Competition will select the top 25% to participate in Round 2 which will run from January 31st- February 16th. The top 25% will be tasked with pitching one of the sponsor’s products and/or services to a potential buyer. Sponsors will collaborate and choose the top 10 for The Final Round, where the main event is to open up a sales call in front of a panel of judges and sponsors. The Top 10 will win a paid trip to Toronto, the chance to land their dream job and between $500-5,000. Learn more about The Great Canadian Sales Competition at: [www.GreatCanadianSalesCompetition.com](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/). --- ## How to dress for an interview | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-2-dress-code ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) 1. In the entire history of Sales Talent Agency we have NEVER had a client reject a candidate because they were “over-dressed”, but have had lots of candidates rejected because they were too casually dressed. You should be going for a clean, professional look—every time! 2. No matter what the role or the company (blue-collar, white collar or trendy ad agency), you should always wear a suit (or equivalent) to an interview 3. Make sure your clothes are pressed, your hair is neat and tidy, your fingernails are spotless, there is nothing between your teeth, you are clean shaven and your breath is fresh 4. DO NOT WEAR perfume or cologne—no matter how many people have told you how great it smells on you! It can be extremely distracting to certain people and especially in small office spaces. You should look and smell clean. That means no sweat, no cigarettes, no perfumes. NO EXCEPTIONS If you are looking to put these tips to the test, check out our [open sales positions](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1) today! --- ## How to ace your sales interview | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/pt-3-how-to-ace-your-interview ### BY [KRISTIN CONDON](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kristin-condon/) ## In the Interview: 1. Treat an interview like you would treat the first meeting with a new prospect. In other words: remember that you are selling and that the interviewer is buying. In later stages of the interview process—once the employer has decided that you could be a valuable contributor to their company—you can start buying and let them sell the culture, package and opportunity to you. THIS IS NOT THAT TIME! 2. You should be engaging and polite at all times. Listen to the interviewer’s questions and ensure you have adequately answered them 3. Be careful of asking too many or inappropriate questions at this stage. There are good questions for you to ask in a first interview and there are bad questions to ask. Good questions show that you are interested in the client, the culture and their goals for the role (e.g. asking the interviewer what attracted them to the company). Bad questions make it seem that you are only interested in what is in it for you (e.g. asking how much money you will make in your first year). 4. Beware: Be mindful of interviews that seem really casual and friendly! It’s often a trap to see how in control you are of the sales process. Remember, your goal is to move yourself forward to the next round of the interview process. Be friendly, build rapport, but make sure you stay on focus! ## Closing the Interview 1. Recognize when your interviewer is trying to wrap up the interview—don’t overstay your welcome 2. As a good sales person, you want to ensure you are moving to the next step. A great way to do this would be to thank the interviewer for their time, reiterate your strongest attributes for the role, and let them know that you are interested in the opportunity and moving forward. Finally ask if there are any concerns that they have that would stop you progressing further so that you can address them before your leave or follow-up with a response ## Post Interview 1. Immediately following your interview, call your [Sales Talent Agent](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/) to let them know how it went (they will then know that the interview is ended and will get additional feedback from the interviewer) 2. Send a thank you email (would not suggest card – takes longer) – be sure to proof read – it is such a positive thing to do and if there are spelling/grammatical mistakes, this will only hurt you vs. help you – feel free to send to your Sales Talent Agent for review first if you want feedback Ready to put these tips to the test? Check out our [open sales positions](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1) today! --- ## How do you navigate your work's holiday party? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-holiday-party Today’s business world can be really confusing- especially in social settings. What is the protocol for office events? Are they mandatory? What about when alcohol is involved? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and debate the topics important to you. Today’s topic is “**How do you navigate your work’s holiday party**?” Clockwise: Dan, Danielle, Sheila (host), Brittany, Chelsea, Bana. Not pictured: Meredith, Nico, Emily **Sheila (our host):** Today’s scenario: you’re bracing yourself for your work holiday party. How do you balance having fun and being professional? **Nico:** The first thing that I am going to say is that I think you have to be comfortable with the decisions that you make. The question I always ask myself is: am I going to wake up tomorrow and regret anything I did? This is the same mentality I have when I go out with my friends. **Sheila:** So I think you’re alluding to how much you drink, right Nico? What are everyone else’s thoughts. **Dan:** I’m scared of getting drunk at the party so I really pace myself. **Bana**: To second that, I always try and be more aware when I am at a work function. I don’t drink as much as I normally would. At the end of the day you want to be perceived as professional when you come back into the office on Monday. You can have fun but I’d reconsider that last drink. **Sheila:** What are some tips for not kicking yourself come Monday? **Bana:** One tip is to watch the leadership team at the holiday party and gauge what is appropriate from there. **Chelsea:** I just graduated from university. I’ve never been to a work Christmas party ever. I know a lot of the scouts are the same. I’m sure a lot of us will be really careful to not be that new person who’s just going off the rails who’s too drunk and uncontrollable. **Sheila:** So to everyone who has never been to our holiday party, what does success look like to you? What are you hoping to get out of going to our holiday party. **Brittany:** “Hey, I work here” _(everyone laughs)_ **Danielle:** I think I want to use it as a chance to bond with everyone. Get to know everyone. **Bana**: As someone who has worked here for years I also try and be opportunistic about getting to know people that you work with. I especially think it’s a great opportunity to engage with the leadership team that you don’t directly interact with on a daily basis. **Meredith:** And even if you do engage with leadership regularly you can still work to further that relationship. That said, I don’t think you should corner your boss and ask for a raise or promotion. Definitely not an appropriate platform to have those discussions. **Sheila:** What are some appropriate talking points with your boss? **Nico:** Vacation plans. Christmas- great go to. What are you getting for Christmas. All safe bets. **Meredith:** I think it’s also healthy to reflect on your year you’ve had. Obviously you’ve had ups and downs. Just say ‘It’s been a great year. Thank so much for your leadership’. Acknowledge they are the healm of everything you’ve been doing for the last year. **Chelsea:** And I imagine work’s naturally going to come up, especially at the end of the quarter. We all work closely as a team so some personal stuff may come up as well. **Meredith**: On that personal note, introduce your plus one! **Emily**: But don’t bring your new Tinder date. _(Everyone laughs)_ **Sheila**: Agreed. Now, here’s a question. What do you wear? **Meredith**: Something festive and something dressier than you would normally wear on a day to day. Something that is more formal and less business. It’s an occasion. You don’t have to show up in a blazer and a pencil skirt, but of course if that’s what you’re comfortable with, that’s fine too. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is any piece of skin that you wouldn’t feel comfortable showing in the office- you shouldn’t show. I wouldn’t wear a crop top to work so therefore I wouldn’t wear to the office party. **Dan**: What about for guys? **Bana**: I think jeans and a nice dress shirt. Keep it simple. Keep it casual. **Emily**: I’d go for a suit. **Nico**: Agreed. I dress to impress. **Meredith**: It all comes down to your preference so long as you’re not crossing any line. **Sheila**: And a tip for that is if you’re questioning something, just move onto another outfit. **Sheila**: So let’s say you do go over the top, or you wear the wrong outfit. How do you recover come Monday? **Nico**: Unless you do something horrendous you are not going to be scarred forever. You can recover. If you do get a little too drunk, you can learn for next time. **Meredith**: The only time it will rub people the wrong way is if you’re making the same mistake one too many times. **Sheila**: With that kind of risk, would it be easiest just not to go? **Nico**: 100% you should go. **Bana**: It’s a silly opportunity to miss out on. Even on my maternity leave I made it to the party! **Brittany**: I am obviously excited to go but I’ll be honest that this is intimidating for me. Two weeks into the job… I don’t really know anyone… Do I just stand around… who do I talk to? **Dan**: You’re also at a Christmas party with people who talk for a living. **Emily**: …And have made 7 new friends doing this Roundtable, so you’re golden. _(everyone laughs)_ **Sheila**: So you’re at the party… are you early or are you late? **Dan**: I was first there last year. **Nico**: I would say fashionably late. **Sheila**: How late? **Nico**: …5 or 10 minutes late. 8:30, 8:35. You have to walk in so everyone looks at you. No one looks at the first person **Dan**: I can vouch for that. **Sheila**: But if you’re late you’ll miss the food! **Meredith**: Oh yes, don’t ignore the buffet. **Nico**: Eat some food before too, especially if you’re drinking. **Sheila**: On that note if you’ve been heavily drinking, when is it time to leave? **Bana**: When you take your heels off it’s time to leave. **Brittany**: If there’s less than 5 people on the dance floor or that last shot isn’t sitting well with you, it’s time to leave. **Meredith**: Don’t over or under stay your welcome. It’s all about balance. Also keep the venue in mind. If the party is at a public place, fine. If it’s at your boss’s house- be respectful of that. **Sheila**: Thanks Meredith for the final point and thanks to everyone who contributed today- this concludes another Recruiter Roundtable! ## **Our tips:** - Be opportunistic with the leadership team - It is okay to arrive 5 minutes late, but not 30 - Expand your network… don’t be cliquey - Follow the leaders on alcohol volume (never drink more than they do) - Dress to impress, not to attract - Eat before and during the party - Be thankful to those around you, but don’t be a sycophant - Choose your plus one wisely --- ## 5 tips to ace your next networking event | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101 Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to dress for an interview? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and debate the topics important to you. Today’s topic is “How do you network?” Clockwise: Xander, Sheila, Jamie, Sonya, Lidia, Armin, Kelsey (not pictured) and Emily (taking the picture). **Emily (Our Host):** Today’s scenario: You’re at a networking event and want to be noticed. You feel uncomfortable and awkward- what do you do? **Sheila:** Networking is an uncomfortable thing for me and most people, but what I learned from Sonya is to have a specific goal in mind for what I want to get out of it. I would rather have one quality outcome than networking for the sake of networking. **Sonya:** I think everyone has to decide upfront what their goal is. If you want an internship opportunity I think you have to be honest and upfront about that. I’m always impressed when someone comes up and has seen something our company has done or I’ve done. I’m impressed when people generally come up to me and start a conversation. It shows courage and maturity. That said, someone once found my instagram and quoted a hashtag I used. I found that creepy. It was a crossing of a boundary. **Xander:** I think it can get awkward if someone stays with you a little too long. You need to have emotional intelligence so you can infer whether or not someone is being short with you and whether or not you need to move on. **Sheila:** You have to remember that this networking event is not going to get you a job offer. You have to think of it as a first step and then follow-up the next day. You’re not going to a networking event to have a full interview or sign a service agreement. It’s not the platform to go deep. It’s just a next step. Anything over five minutes feels awkward to me. **Armin:** I agree. I think you need to state your intentions up front. **Jamie:** I find it awkward when someone comes to talk to me but they don’t really tell me what they want. **Armin**: Yeah. I also find it can be awkward when everyone is talking and you’re looking around trying to find a group to join… **Sonya:** That’s me! **Sheila**: Sometimes everyone works together and you’re the odd one out and someone brings up ‘Trisha’s lunch’ and you just think ‘well I’m the odd one out in this group’. Wrong group. **Sonya**: Last time that happened to me… I took a selfie and sent it to my team! I was standing there in the corner like a wallflower. It was my worst nightmare! _(Everyone laughs)_ **Kelsey**: I usually stand there on my phone awkwardly… **Jamie**: I think we need to learn to put our phones away otherwise we won’t get what we want out of it. **Xander**: Body language plays a big part in that as well. Think about how you’re standing. Shoulders back, smile. **Jamie:** I think it’s important to note that no many how many years you do this it’s still awkward. It’s not awkward just because you may be new to this. I’ve been at this for 25 years. **Sonya**: Some people just have their ‘move’. I know one person who hangs out by the pizza and offers people the dipping sauce. He offer’s the dipping sauce!!! He calls it his ‘move’. _(Everyone laughs)_ **Kelsey**: Normally my move is saying to someone ‘have I met you before… or have I just stalked your linkedin profile?” I say it all the time- it usually gets a laugh. But it’s actually true! **Jamie**: Bring a friend but both of you have to have the idea of talking to others. It’s almost like building an alliance. If everyone’s feeling awkward, find someone who’s just as awkward as you and do it together. **Emily**: Okay. Scenario: You strike up a conversation with another person. You exchange respective job descriptions and the conversation goes stale. Now what? How do you make your exit? **Sonya**: I would say “It was really great to meet you” and then let them know that you want to meet someone else who can help you achieve your goal of the night. **Sheila**: I always say “I’m going to let you go now”. **Jamie:** Ruthless. _(Everyone laughs)_ **Sonya**: They say your network is your networth. You can always learn something from everyone. **Jamie**: What if you’re shy? **Lidia**: I’m pretty shy and for me you just have to rip the bandaid off and go for it. **Kelsey**: Go get a drink. Go get a slice of pizza. Find a situation where you can make an easy intro to someone. **Sheila**: Another strategy is volunteering. Your busyness will create an easier transition into networking. **Jamie**: In these events you can always smell the people who are the busiest who people want to talk to versus the person who is scared. One thing you can do is to look a little more urgent. Look as if you have something to do without touching your phone. **Sheila**: I think networking is a lot like going for a job interview; the best outcome always comes when you are prepared. **Kelsey**: Yeah. Also making an a positive and memorable impression. Offer insight. If you are going to contribute, add something of value. **Sonya**: Follow-up. The work you do for today is not really for today. Even if you made a horrible impression. It doesn’t matter. Follow up. You can always provide value later “oh you mentioned you were interested in blockchain and I just came across this really interesting article”. **Armin**: An alternative idea is to have conversations not about the objective. Just a general conversation. Then in the follow up mention what your goal is. Sometimes you don’t want to pester for data points right away. **Jamie**: There’s a fine line between talking about what you want and not saying anything. Everyone’s there for a reason. **Emily**: Great point Jamie. Alright, well thanks everyone for taking part in our first ever Recruiter Roundtable. Up next: _What to wear to your next job interview: Women’s edition._ ## 5 things to keep in mind before your next networking event - Put away your phone - Set a goal - Don’t forget your follow up - Add value - Go outside of your comfort zone --- ## What do you wear to a job interview? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/recruiter-roundtable-what-to-wear-to-a-job-interview Today’s business world can be really confusing when managing your career. How to meet potential employers? How to write a sales resume? How to negotiate your offer or a raise? All of these topics and more are discussed in our Recruiter Roundtable series, where we invite a diverse group of Sales Talent Agents to share their ideas and debate the topics important to you. Today’s topic is **“What do you wear to a job interview?”** ## **Dress to appeal to the widest audience** Hayley: I once had a candidate come in with bling earrings that my client mentioned. He said ‘those earrings need to come out if he works for us’. Whether that’s wrong or outdated… that’s the reality. Especially when it comes to specific industries and old-school decision makers. Katrina: I think there is a certain level of understanding and risk that you take on naturally when you go to an interview. Especially if you decide to roll up your sleeve to show off your tattoo. It adds a personal layer and can sometimes detract from what you have to say professionally. Beth: Exactly. Once there was a guy who wouldn’t take off his nail polish. He said ‘This is me. If they are going to hire me, it’s with my black nail polish’. He definitely narrowed his audience right there. It was a bold move. ## **Make the statement piece YOU** Kailey: When it comes to styling yourself for an interview you want to keep it neutral. The whole idea is that you want to make yourself appeal to the widest audience; tone down the lipstick, the bold accessories, the statement shoe… YOU should be the focus of the conversation. Not your wacky bowtie or crazy nails. ## **Leave distracting accessories behind** Kailey: A guy once came in for an interview to do a presentation. He was very sharply dressed; steamed shirt, everything fit perfectly… but he was wearing suspenders and they kept falling down. He had to keep pulling them back up. It was a huge distraction to me throughout the entire interview. I wanted to ask him to remove them so I could focus. Same thing goes for girls and fiddling with jewelry. ## **One-size-does-not-fit-all: Use your judgement of what is appropriate for your body type** Natalie: When it comes to dressing appropriately for women, I think it’s hard to determine a ‘one-size-fits-all’ rule. I think it depends on many factors, the main one being body type. It’s especially hard when it comes to creating a general rule for dress and skirt lengths. For instance, I’ve definitely looked in the mirror and thought: ‘this is inappropriate’ because I’m tall and have longer legs. Even if I’m wearing a skirt below the knee with a modest heel I’ve felt there is too much emphasis on my legs and that flats would be better. Truzanne: That’s a fair assessment. I also think tights for women are always a safe bet. Are they a must? No. But I think it’s harder for people to critique your outfit and say ‘too much leg’. Tights are just a general safe choice. Katrina: You’re right, it totally depends on body type. I personally don’t think shorter women should wear dresses below the knee, but that’s just my opinion. What about footwear? ## **Air on the side of conservative, neutrals are always a safe bet** Hayley: Keep it basic. Not too high of a heel. Nothing loud. Again, shouldn’t be a statement piece as if you were going out with friends on the weekend. Black is always a safe choice, same with nude or any neutral colour really. ## **If you would wear it to a bar, you probably shouldn’t wear it to an interview** Kailey: I used to work in a very corporate environment and you were not allowed to wear boots over the knee. It was a hard rule. Katrina: It’s interesting that we as women can’t wear over-the-knee boots. They are technically not inappropriate but could be deemed as ‘too sexy’ or risqué. I also think it’s different if you are wearing them with a dress showing your upper thigh versus a dark jean. Natalie: Another tip for women is to watch the material of your clothing. If you are wearing a button-up shirt make sure the material isn’t see-through, you definitely don’t want your bra to be showing. Also, make sure your buttons are not open. It’s happened to me. I was actually interviewing a candidate. I looked down and both of my top buttons were open, I kid you not. For how long? I don’t know. Truzanne: In terms of men’s apparel, I’d say a general rule of thumb is dress to impress; slacks, a button up, nice shoes… And then the obvious- make sure your pants aren’t too long or short, shoes are tied, shirt is pressed, socks match, hair groomed… Go to the company’s website/Linkedin page and take a look at how the people are dressed in their photos. ## **Dress for the client/audience you will be selling to** Beth: If you do not have the luxury of working with a recruiter who can ask the client on your behalf, I’d say to go ‘suited and booted’. Everyone looks good in a suit. It sets a certain tone and impression. That said, sometimes clients say ‘Tell the candidate- no tie. No jacket. Slacks and a button up shirt… because that’s how I dress’. I think it’s important to match the industry you are going into because you wouldn’t dress the same across the board. Katrina: I’ve have clients in the industrial space say, ‘you will be selling into a blue collar crowd so you want to match that’. In general, they would rather see the candidate more casual rather than suited up. This applies to both men and women. Natalie: Unless you felt you were standing out like a sore thumb in the first interview because you were overdressed, you don’t want to give people the impression you have it in the bag by showing up to a second interview too casual or relaxed. If you’re that casual on the second interview, how are you going to look in your second month? You should treat every interview as if it’s your first interview– don’t have a huge change in how your present yourself. ## **Bring yourself, a resume and nothing else** Katrina: Here’s another thing: when you arrive to your interview, don’t bring a coffee. You’re not there to drink a coffee. You’re there for an interview. It’s just awkward, especially if you need to shake someone’s hand and you have your bag in the other hand… Hayley: We literally had a candidate come in who was going to bring his shopping bags with him to his interview… and the interesting thing is that this candidate had done so much preparation– He was over-analyzing the interview… he wanted the job more than anything else… but he didn’t even think anything of bringing this Nordstrom shopping bag with Jimmy Choo’s for his girlfriend. Beth: Oh my gosh! So there’s a rule- bring nothing but yourself, your resume and any other relevant materials for the interview. Nothing else. ## **If you have facial hair– groom it** Kailey: This next rule is for the men. Nowadays beards are especially in- I’d say 90% of the guys I’ve interviewed have had beards. I think you can have facial hair for an interview but it needs to be manicured. It can’t look scruffy. It needs to look like it’s well kept. Same goes for a haircut. It adds a level of polish, professionalism and overall attention to detail. Truzanne: In some fields such as medical or pharmaceutical, I think a beard could even be a deterrent. I had a director of sales once tell me ‘men need to shave their beard’. Maybe this isn’t always 100% realistic, but the goal is to look sharp and being well groomed contributes to this. Your appearance speaks before you do. ## **Don’t subject people to your scent (whether that’s eau de parfum or au natural)** Katrina: This applies to hygiene as well– watch your body odour. Sometimes guys, or ladies, either don’t know they smell sweaty or on the flip side, absolutely reek of cologne/perfume. You shouldn’t get out of an elevator and subject people to your overly pungent scent- good or bad. Neutral is best. Again the focus should be you and what you have to say. ## **When in doubt, wear a blazer** Truzanne: This is a total sidenote but I’m curious to hear your thoughts: As women, I used to feel the only ways I could be business professional was if I was wearing a blazer. Beth: I agree with you but I hate blazers. Truzanne: When I was in school and I was attending business events… I would never know what to wear. I would ask people in H&M ‘do you think this is professional?’. I would always find myself going back to the blazer because whether you like them or not, it’s definitely a piece that says ‘business professional’. Natalie: I agree. It’s not a fashion statement, it’s an item you need or will have to wear at some point. I think everyone should have a black blazer, a grey blazer… a general blazer that goes with everything… Katrina: I always bring a blazer to client meetings. Even if you are wearing casual clothing such as jeans or a t-shirt underneath, I feel a blazer adds a level of class and professionalism over say, a sweater. Beth: Alright. Well I will have to put one on my Christmas list then!! _(Everyone laughs)_ Kailey: Well that wraps it up! Thanks everyone for yet another recruiter roundtable! * * * _Be sure to check out our other Recruiter Roundtable’s including our advice on [navigating holiday parties](https://www.salestalentagency.com/candidates-blog/2017/12/1/recruiter-roundtable-holiday-party) and [networking 101](https://www.salestalentagency.com/candidates-blog/recruiter-roundtable-networking-101)_ --- ## What salary should a new graduate expect for their first professional sales rep role? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/salary-new-graduate-expect-first-professional-sales-rep-role ### By [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Great question! A recent graduate with no sales experience but tonnes of energy and enthusiasm should expect a salary range from $25-45k for their first role. Sales roles should also offer a commission/bonus that rewards performance. If you achieve your annual targets as a new sales rep, you should expect a total income ranging from $40-60k in your first year. For a more detailed look at compensation across sales roles, check out our [Definitive Sales Salary Guide.](https://www.salestalentagency.com/sales-salary-guide/) --- ## Sales Enablement 101 | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-enablement-101 By: [Vanessa Perplies](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaconvertingb2bsaaswriter/), External Communications Lead at [Lusha](https://www.lusha.com/) (and a former salesperson of 5 years) **What will you read today?** Learn what sales enablement is and why your SDR team needs it to succeed. You’ll learn about creating a world-class SDR process, key KPIs you should be measuring, and the sales enablement tools every winning SDR needs in their tech stack. **So, what is sales enablement anyways?** In a nutshell: sales enablement is the process of providing your sales team with the information, training, and resources they need to close more deals. This could be everything from investing in winning sales enablement tools; this typically includes a sales intelligence tool to find leads and b2b contact details, a technology stack like a CRM to track all prospect and buyer journey information, a sales outreach tool to automate outreach, and the content a sales team needs to nurture prospects on their buyer journey. Sales intelligence isn’t just investing in the right tools though, it’s also the process your team should follow in order to qualify, nurture leads and race them towards the finish line. **Why is sales enablement important?** The famous Peter Drucker quote comes to mind “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” A sales enablement process is so crucial to your success because it [empowers your sales team to overachieve](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-empower-your-sales-team-to-overachieve/). When it comes to sales, the [Pareto principle](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fixing-8020-rule-your-sales-team-wesleyne-greer/) or the 80/20 rule comes to mind. This means, 20% of your sales reps will be responsible for 80% of your sales, and vice versa, 80% will be responsible for the remaining 20%. A winning sales enablement process helps you not only to ramp up top performers (your top 20%) but also improve the 80% – your “average” performers. All of which translates into more sales. Additionally, at a time when more SDR teams are working completely remote, a methodical sales enablement process is crucial for successfully [onboarding and hiring SDRs](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-successfully-onboard-remote-salespeople/). **The Sales KPIs and Metrics You Should be Measuring** Here is a list of the most commonly measured sales metrics. However, which sales KPIs matter to you and your team depends entirely on your product or service, sales process, and the goals indicated by key management. For example, product mix could be relevant to measure at an organization with six different product lines, vs a company with only one product. What you measure and how much weight you put on each KPI is entirely up to you. **Commonly Measured Sales Metrics to Keep Your Sales Team on Track:** **1\. Time to revenue:** This is a measurement that tells you how long it takes a prospect to become a paying customer, from first touch to last touch. **2\. Quota attainment:** This is a timeline that allows sales to understand how long it will take a particular lead to hit its target. **3\. Lead conversion rate:** This is the proportion of qualified leads that turn into actual sales. **4\. Time spent actively selling:** A productivity metric, which shows how long sales reps spend selling (as opposed to other things like updating their CRM, sitting in team meetings, etc.) **5\. Content usage:** This metric evaluates how important each piece of content is in your stack, and often includes. unique visits to that piece of content and how long a prospect spends digesting that piece of content. **6\. Sales funnel transition rates:** This is the time between transition points in your funnel, i.e. time it takes for prospects to transition from marketing to sales. (It’s especially important to have an open channel of communication between sales and marketing in order to [bridge the gap between your sales and marketing team](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/5-tips-to-bridge-the-gap-between-your-sales-and-marketing-team/).) **7\. Average win rate:** This is the percentage of opportunities quoted, that the organization eventually won. **8\. Average purchase value:** This is your average value of each purchase made by your customer, or the average sales value of each sales transaction you process. **9\. Number of closed deals:** This is how many qualified leads result in a closed deal. **10\. Product mix:** This is the percentage of products included in a closed / won deal (or how many products your prospect purchased.) **Winning Sales Tools to Keep in Your Tech Stack** Now that you have a good starting point of what to measure, let’s discuss the sales enablement tools that can help your team SDR stay focused. In B2B sales today, more SDRs are moving from strictly inbound to both an inbound and outbound motion, helping to generate new pipeline in addition to qualifying pipeline solely generated from marketing activities. While official numbers don’t exist, we estimate that SDRs spend 60-70% of their time on inbound prospecting, with 30-40% of their time on outbound prospecting. (According to Lusha’s internal data, surveyed from over 1,000 product feedback and case study interview calls with SDRs.) Given that the SDR function is now both inbound and outbound, here are sales enablement tools you should consider implementing when building a winning sales enablement strategy: _**1\. Prospecting Tools and B2B Contact and Company finder tools:**_ A prospecting tool is one that allows you to search for and generate a list of thousands of ideal prospects that match your Ideal Customer Persona (ICP.) (For those who don’t know,your ideal customer persona is your customer avatar, or a set of characteristics which determine the ideal customer that’s most likely to be a perfect fit for your product or service.) Prospecting tools use a number of smart filters, like location, revenue, industry, position, and more, to generate that list of “best fit” prospects. Lusha is one such [b2b prospecting and b2b contact finder tool](https://www.lusha.com/lusha-extension/) that’s free to sign up for (with no credit card required,) and which gives SDRs 5 free leads every month. All you need is a business email address to sign up and in seconds you can find your first prospect for free. The Lusha prospecting tool allows you to generate lists of 1,000s of ideal prospects, and reveal their accurate b2b contact data in one click (direct dials and email addresses.) In one click you can save that information to a prospecting list, your CRM (like Hubspot or Salesforce,) or a Sales Outreach tool (like Outreach or Mailshake.) There are a number of other high-quality B2B prospecting tools in the space that are well-rated, such as ZoomInfo, Seamless AI, Cognism, and more. _**2\. Customer CRM**_ Once your sales team has generated a list of ideal prospects using their preferred B2B prospecting tool, you’ll definitely need a CRM to keep all customer data accurate and up-to-date. CRMs like Salesforce, Hubspot, and Zoho are perfect to organize your prospect and customer data, so that when salespeople find prospect contact information in a prospecting tool, that data is saved in your CRM. This is the best way to ensure that all customer data is kept up to date, prevent data decay, and centrally organize all customer interactions and purchases. If you’re already using a customer CRM in your organization, it’s a wise idea to ensure your [sales prospecting tool integrates with your CRM](https://www.lusha.com/lusha-integrations/), so that SDRs can spend more time selling, and less time manually inputting data into their CRM or Sales Outreach tools. This helps avoid manual inputting error, frees up more time to conduct sales, and ultimately helps SDRs generate more pipeline. _**3\. Sales Outreach and Automation Tools**_ Once your SDRs know which prospects they want to reach out to, depending on your sales process, they’ll either directly call or engage prospects with an email. Email is also an excellent option if prospects don’t have a phone number listed in a sales prospecting tool, or if a prospect has gone cold. Sales automation tools like Outreach and Mailshake help you to create sales cadences with customized text, in order to engage prospects and (hopefully) get them into a sales cycle. The right sales automation tool will ensure your emails are deliverable, don’t go to the spam filter, and that you can A/B test your email subject lines and text to ensure maximum open rates, click through rates, and responses. _**4\. An, Accessible Organized Content Management System**_ One of the most important sales enablement tools that SDRs have at their disposal is a well organized content management system. Today, it takes an average of [8 touchpoints](https://www.rainsalestraining.com/blog/how-many-touches-does-it-take-to-make-a-sale#:~:text=by%20Mike%20Schultz-,How%20many%20touches%20does%20it%20take%20to%20make%20a%20sale,conversion\)%20with%20a%20new%20prospect.) just to get an initial booked meeting in B2B sales. [The average B2B sales process is 4 months](https://www.klipfolio.com/metrics/sales/sales-cycle-length), [and averages 6.8 stakeholders](https://www.hello-adience.com/blog/insights/understanding-the-b2b-buying-process-the-key-factors-and-stages-that-affect-decisions/#:~:text=Because%20of%20the%20different%20levels,in%202017%20involved%206.8%20stakeholders.) in order to close a deal. B2B buyers are smarter, savvier, and more time-pressed than ever before. An organized and accessible content management system, with content that prospects need to push them to the next phase of the sales process is crucial. This is everything from customer quote forms, to customer case studies, product one-pagers, demo videos, and more. While the type of content will vary greatly on what you sell and your internal sales process, your content management system needs to be accessible, well-organized, and trackable. It’s crucial to understand which content makes the biggest difference in the sales cycle, what content is most viewed, and how long a prospect spends consuming each piece of content. **Sales Enablement Recap and Next Steps** If you don’t have a sales enablement process in place, you’re missing an incredible opportunity to generate more revenue. Sales enablement processes are crucial to focus SDRs on a common goal, help them optimize their time, focus on selling to prospects most inclined to buy, and convert more leads to sales. Next steps are to align with key management on the KPIs your SDRs should be focusing on. Then, you’ll need to think about the tools you need to get your SDRs surpassing their goals, like a sales prospecting tool, CRM, sales outreach tool, and accessible content management system. Good luck! --- ## Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie Scarborough - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker All Resources ### Sales Hacker Podcast: how sales managers should build their career path w/ Jamie Scarborough March 21, 2019 ## #### In this episode of Sales Hacker, Jamie Scarborough sits down with Sam Jacobs to talk about the secrets to managing an amazing sales career. To listen to the full podcast, [click here](https://www.saleshacker.com/sales-career-path/). --- ## From AE to CEO: Sales Hacker Podcast Episode 200 with Asad Zaman | | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-hacker-podcast-episode-200-with-asad-zaman In the 200th episode of the Sales Hacker Podcast, they interviewed Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency (STA), where he rose through the ranks from AE to CEO, earning recognition as Toronto’s Young Professional of the Year (2019). Listen below for an entrepreneurial conversation about how to modernize your talent acquisition approach for both high growth and long-term growth. --- ## Sales negotiation trainer & keynote speaker, Tony Perzow, speaks to why people “suck at negotiating” - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-negotiation-with-tony-perzow ## Introduction of our guest, Tony Perzow. **Stefan:** Welcome to the Great Sales Leaders Know podcast. Our guest today is Tony Perzow, a negotiation keynote speaker & trainer, an international sales expert, and author. He has led presentations and workshops for over 10,000 professionals from companies like Walmart, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Intel. In his seminars and workshops, he incorporates age-old negotiation tactics with cutting-edge conversation A.I. data, along with game-changing challenger sales methodologies to help organizations negotiate with a potent modern day process. You can check more about Tony at his website, [www.TonyPerzow.com](http://www.tonyperzow.com/). **Stefan:** Tony, how’s it going today? **Tony:** It’s going great. Thanks so much for having me on. **Stefan:** Awesome! You’re in Chicago for the sales leadership summit, correct? **Tony:** I am. I just finished teaching a two-hour workshop on the concession making strategy and it was a lot of fun. I gave an hour of content including 10 negotiation tactics and strategies that everyone must have. Then, I had everybody negotiate a case study so they could apply these tactics that I taught them and then I did a critique of their negotiations so they can see that these tactics and strategies that I teach actually work and they can see them evidenced in these negotiation simulations. So it was pretty successful and it was a lot of fun. **Stefan:** That’s great to hear. It sounds like a great event! **Stefan:** Today we’ve got three primary focuses. I’d love to talk about negotiation tactics specific to salary negotiations followed by the unhealthy mindset that many sellers have when in a negotiation, and that is not understanding the power that they possess. Last, but not least, you have a forthcoming book titled You Suck at Negotiating but You Don’t Have to with A Mindful Negotiation Practice. I’d love to hear a little bit about what the key takeaways will be from it. ## Stefan: How did you get introduced to sales and how did you get to where you are now? **Tony:** Well, it’s an interesting path. I was just having this conversation and it’s like some of these things are in our DNA. I live in L.A. and I was having a conversation with this UFC fighter. He’s retired now and he must be in his mid-40s. He was talking to me about how he grew up without a father. He left him when he was a baby and he never met him until he was in his 20s when his father came back around. He didn’t know anything about him and he wound up becoming this UFC fighter and he found out after 20 years that his father was also a fighter. So these things kind of follow us along. In my case, I’m from a long line of salespeople and I was raised by my father. He was a single dad and he was a serial entrepreneur, meaning every week was a different business idea that he was starting or working on. And I joked that – and this is true – that my bedroom became the room where all his failed business ideas lived. As a kid, I remember jumping on the phone and trying to sell his failed business ideas. Because we didn’t have a lot of money growing up and couldn’t afford babysitters for me, he would drag me along to conferences, trade shows and to retailers. He would show me how to merchandise and how to deal with buyers. Business and sales was kind of ingrained in me as a young boy. It just made sense that when I hit my 20s that I would kind of follow suit. So, I became an entrepreneur and also had a number of sales jobs as well. **Tony:** Right before I started teaching negotiation, there were a couple of years where I went back and worked for a company. I went back to the corporate world and I worked for a company called ESI. They’re the world’s largest closeout trading company in the world; a billion-dollar company. So on any given day, I was buying deals and I was selling deals. So, I would be buying fifty thousand TV’s at once. At any given time I had a hundred million dollars that I could spend on closeouts. And then I would have to actually go and sell these closeouts whether it be TV’s or turkey roasters or golf bags. Every given day we had tons of SKUs and I would have to get a good deal on them, buy them and then turn around and sell this deal to a Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, or some sort of foreign distributor, and try to sell it before it ever even hit our public warehouse. So I would try to sell the whole lot so we didn’t have to store these goods. They could just go right to the retailer that I was selling it to. I learned a lot about negotiation, a lot about buying, and a lot about sales in that process. I think it’s just as I said at the beginning, it’s a part of my DNA. **Stefan:** It’s interesting, too. You mentioned that your father was a serial entrepreneur and obviously you’re an entrepreneur yourself so I’m assuming he played a factor in that decision? **Tony:** Yes. I mean, my sister is an entrepreneur. So is my mother and my father. Most of my family is. I grew up in Montreal in a French-Canadian environment. I grew up as a minority. I grew up as an anglophone, English speaking person. It got to a point where there’s not a lot of opportunities for English speaking people in the corporate world of Quebec because you need to be French. Growing up in that environment, as an English speaking person living in Quebec, you kind of have to create your own opportunities. I saw everybody around me creating businesses and that was normal to me. I’ve always aspired to have my own thing and work on my own thing. I don’t think I would have it any other way. Even with the instability and unpredictability of being a business owner, I just I couldn’t have it any other way. **Stefan:** Let’s face it, you’ve witnessed hundreds, probably thousands of negotiations throughout your career. What are some inherent flaws in negotiating? Why do people suck at negotiating? **Tony:** Well, number one, it’s geographical. Anybody living in the United States or Canada are at a disadvantage because we kind of have it easy, right? I spent some time living in Cairo and I remember the first night I went out to the market to buy some vegetables, potatoes, and rice; some staples to have in my little apartment in Cairo. I remember I went into these little markets and I bought just a few items; a bag of rice, potatoes and some vegetables and fruit. It took me an hour and forty-seven minutes to buy three items because everything I had to negotiate over. The thing is, if you grow up in other cultures and other countries, negotiating is a way of life. It’s part of life. You literally come out of the womb and your parents are teaching you how to haggle because your livelihood is dependent on your ability to negotiate. Here in the United States and Canada, we have it easy. We have fixed pricing. You go into a grocery store and you see a bag of almonds for $3.99. No one ever says, “you know what, today I’m going to offer Loblaws $2.27”. The only negotiation is whether you’re willing to pay $3.99 or not. It’s a muscle that doesn’t get exercised with us. It’s a muscle that doesn’t get worked. In fact, it’s a muscle that we avoid. Here in the States, we have CarMax commercials that say, “Come buy your car from us! You don’t have to negotiate.” We’re scared of it. We’ve become deathly scared of negotiation and that’s a big issue. We’re not practiced, we’re scared of it. Another reason is that we generally in the United States and Canada don’t like combativeness. We don’t like conflict so we avoid it. We don’t want to step on people’s toes. We want people to like us. There’s an epidemic in this country called negotiating through email. It’s much easier to negotiate with someone when they don’t have to see us. We’re working against ourselves all the time. We don’t like face-to-face communicating because it makes us feel uncomfortable. There’s a lot of things that are hindering us and one of the first things I teach people is that these are the things that are killing you; not having skill, being scared to do it, and not liking conflict. I start teaching people to start looking at negotiation as a game because it really is a game. A lot of it is smoke and mirrors. You go into negotiation and you’re only showing cards you want people to see, you’re not showing cards that you don’t want people to see. If you can start seeing it as a game, and I teach negotiation like a game, you’ll take it less personally. All those things are reasons why we have trouble doing it. **Tony:** The biggest reason people suck at negotiating, which is what my book is going to be about, is that we need to be prepared. It’s like that old expression, “you’ll do better in life if you’re prepared”. How are you supposed to do better in a negotiation when you don’t know how to prepare for negotiation? How are you supposed to do your homework when you don’t know what the assignment is? So, preparation is the big thing. The problem is most people are going out there just hoping for the best. We go out there shooting from the hip and hoping that it’s working and I’m going to get a good deal for myself. The fact is you need to schedule out two or three hours on your calendar and call that time, “preparing for a negotiation”. Most people don’t schedule any time to prepare for a negotiation. If you know how to prepare, then you’ll be a lot more successful. That goes for salary negotiations as well. You’ve got to be prepared. You’ve got to go in with clarity as opposed to vagueness. **Stefan:** That’s a good point. I mean, in the on-boarding phase when you’re a new sales rep, you spend a lot of time getting to know the product, the service, the culture, the script and how to make the call, but from a negotiation perspective what you’re saying is a lot of people lack formal negotiation training. Am I correct in saying that? **Tony:** Yes, they lack formal negotiation training. I was just about to pull a stat out of my hat. This is one of the largest negotiation studies ever done, it was a two-year study that had 5,000 participants, with some of the world’s largest companies participating in this study. What they found was that 80 percent of companies have absolutely no formal negotiation process whatsoever. 80 percent of the largest companies are putting their margins and their profits in the hands of salespeople and procurement who really don’t know what they’re doing. Additionally, I believe it was 70 percent of companies who participated in the study have no negotiation planning tools. There are no job aids. There is no kind of sales enablement that comes in the area of negotiation. Then they also showed that the companies that did have a negotiation process during that two year period saw an increase to their net income of 60 percent. The companies that had no negotiation process saw a decrease in their net income of 40 percent. That’s a huge difference. Companies that have prepared salespeople working for them when it comes to negotiation, who are skilled and know what they’re doing, perform better. I often say that the reason why a lot of companies are not reaching their targets or their revenue goals is not really because of their product or their innovation or the lack of sales, it’s due to a lack of negotiating skills. Of course I’m going to say this because I’m biased, but you invest in negotiation training, it pays off. ## Stefan: What is some advice you can give someone who is or will be entering a salary negotiation? **Tony:** The first thing is to sell your value. If you can sell your value really well, a lot of negotiation issues will disappear. The thing to understand is that in the interviewing process, you’re a salesperson, right? So approach the interview process like you would approach a sales opportunity. A lot of people, what they do is they start tap dancing. They start putting on a show, talking and throwing their resume around. They talk about all of their accomplishments and how amazing they are. That’s just kind of bragging. We already know that bragging doesn’t work when it comes to sales. In fact, artificial intelligence is telling us that you don’t want to spend more than two minutes in a conversation bragging about yourself; it’s called a two-minute cliff. Every second after two minutes, your chances of closing that sale drastically decrease. So the majority of people will go into the interview process bragging. Approach the interview as a salesperson and sell yourself as a solution to a problem. When it comes to the actual negotiation, you need to be prepared. I definitely would recommend using this [planning guide](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bLDmwq3s2Ty5F4_jJrzPpSZL4kkmN0yQ/view?usp=sharing) that I created. It takes about 10-15 minutes and it’s a planning guide that you fill in that will bring you clarity in a negotiation. You’ll learn to know what you want, what the company wants, what your mission is as well as your objective in the negotiation with this company. What’s your BATNA, which is your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, which is basically your plan B. If this deal falls through with this company, what’s my plan B? What’s the organization’s plan B? And then more importantly, what are some things you can trade? So what are some things that are of low cost to you and might be high value to the organization? So if they say, “Listen, we can’t pay you a hundred thousand dollars a year. We can only pay you 80 thousand dollars a year”. You can say, “Yes, okay, fine. I’ll take 80 thousand dollars if you do this for me”. So, my number one tip is trade. Don’t ever give things away for free. If the organization who you’re trying to get a job with makes you an offer and it doesn’t match what you want, then that’s okay, but instead of just saying yes or no, trade with them. Try to get something in return. I call this the “if you” rule. Never make a concession without attaching those two lovely words “if” and “you” to the concession. Ask for things in return, it’s definitely something you should do. **Tony:** Oftentimes, we feel a lot of pressure. I just had this situation right now in the workshop I did. I talked about deadline tactics. I talked about how buyers will put deadlines on salespeople because they know that the closer you get to that deadline, the more pressure the salesperson feels. When salespeople are under pressure, they make bad mistakes and make big concessions. When we’re in a salary negotiation, there’s a lot on the line for us. We feel a lot of pressure. If we don’t have a plan and something to fall back on and say, “this was what my plan was,” we’re bound to make stupid mistakes and accept bad deals for ourselves. The next tool to use for preparation is my [power ledger](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QrDhtShhPEn3KKzCkwvCcMlrW9iUsbt1/view?usp=sharing). It’s a ten-minute exercise where you go through all the different power sources. There’s maybe about ten power sources in a negotiation where you or your buyer has leverage. There’s always a seller and a buyer in a negotiation. Even if you’re negotiating with your wife or your husband, there’s someone who’s selling and there’s someone who’s buying. In this exercise, you give yourself a little checkmark for each category. Ask yourself if you have the power in this category or does the company, the hiring manager, or whoever is hiring you. One of the biggest mistakes we make as negotiators is – especially in the sales role – we think that the buyer holds all the cards. We think the buyer has all the marbles and we are going in and we have no leverage and the buyer has it all. That is rarely the case. I’ve had over 10,000 people negotiate and practice these case studies in my seminars and in my classes. One thing I can say for certain is that you always have more power than you think. If you go into negotiation thinking, “I don’t have any power and this company has all the power,” I guarantee you, you’re not going to make a good deal for yourself. What a power ledger does is it shows you where your leverage is, where the company’s leverage is, and 9 times out of 10, you’re going to walk out of that exercise realizing you have more power than you think. This will make you more confident which will allow you to approach your negotiations with more confidence. You’ll be less likely to cave and give in and make dumb concessions. ## **Stefan:** What are some additional ways that you can overcome this mindset? So if I’m a sales rep, how can I overcome this mindset that I don’t have any power? **Tony:** Negotiation is risky. It’s extremely risky. In fact, everything I teach is risky. If you did a four-day workshop with me, during those four days there’s not one thing that I would teach that would work 100 percent of the time. One of my favorite negotiation quotes is by Sir Francis Bacon and he says, “All negotiation involves work, discovery, and taking risks. The person willing to suffer uncertainty has a better chance to tip the balance of power in their favor than those less bold”. What this means is that most people are risk averse and most people approach negotiation saying, “I’m not going to take any risk”. If you’re able to take some risk in your negotiation – and when I say taking risk, that just means utilizing tactics – you’re going to see the results. I tell people, even if you’re not confident, at least pretend to be confident. I often say, usually the first thought that comes into your mind is the wrong thought because that’s usually a risk averse thought or “i’m scared to negotiate” thought. I teach this stuff and even I still don’t trust my first thoughts. I’ve got to be able to stand back and say, “I’m going to try to get a little bit more. I’m going to take a little chance. I’m going to aim a little higher”. I want to tell people out there that you need to aim high. Aim higher than you think you can. Try to get more than what you think you can and don’t trust those first thoughts in your head. Take a second and ask for more because I guarantee you that the first thought that’s going through your head is not enough. If you’re about to make a concession and give some sort of discount or lower your ask for your salary, take a moment, stop and cut that concession in half. Take more risk and you’ll be amazed at what starts happening if you could just start taking more risk. **Tony:** Secondly, and this is what A.I. is telling us as well, is that confidence is key. Even if you’re not confident in your pricing, even if you’ve fallen for the brainwashing that your competition is a lot cheaper or that your pricing is way too high, you need to be confident. We’re all told, salespeople especially, a hundred times a day that their pricing is too high and that their competition is cheaper. It’s very easy to get brainwashed, but at least have confidence when you approach pricing or salary conversations. A.I.’s telling us that top sales performers use a lot less words to explain their value or their pricing. So, when you’re trying to sell, let’s say your salary, you’re saying, “I want $150,000 a year,” don’t over explain that. People who are less confident use a lot more words to explain their pricing. So, be brief and don’t over explain it. Top sales performers use 102 words on average to explain their pricing when bottom sales performers are using over 150 words to explain their pricing. Also, A.I. is telling us that top sales performers take a 2.1 second pause after they say their price. After you say your salary, take a pause. Bottom sales performers tend to keep on talking. I do this myself. I was just in a sales call with a construction company who wants to potentially hire me to train their salespeople. I quoted my price and as soon as I put my price, I said “Don’t worry, that’s gross. You won’t have to pay a penny more. That’s all that you have to pay. Everything’s included. The LMS is included in that.” In my head, as I’m saying these things out of my mouth I’m thinking, “Just shut up already.” Why am I saying these things? I teach this stuff and I make this mistake. So again, every time you talk about price or salary or every time you’re in negotiation, you have to pretend like you’re the king of the world and say things with confidence. You’ve got to show confidence because people smell weakness a mile away when it comes to negotiating. **Tony:** I was doing a cold calling workshop with a steel company and I’m training their salespeople in challenger sale methodology. How do you use challenger sale methodology in a cold calling situation? I would have people create cold calling scripts, about 2-3 minutes and have them perform it in the workshop. What I found was that people have a tendency to inundate, they use way too much information. It’s challenger sales, but finding a teaching point. In a cold call, you want to find one teaching point. One thing that you can get your buyer thinking, “Huh. I’ve never thought of that before.” What I find is that they start throwing all these teaching points around. They start coming up with three or four points, and they inundate the buyer with all these teaching points, overwhelming them and then nothing comes across as clear. Another age-old negotiation tactic is called argument dilution. Every time you’re making an argument, you always want to use just one argument. Let’s say you’re in a salary negotiation and you argue “my salary is worth $250,000.” You need to then explain your position. Why are you worth $250,000? You’ve got to use only one argument, one explanation. What people tend to do is that they start throwing all these different arguments out there. Some of their arguments or explanations will be wonderful, but some of them will be weak. Whenever you start throwing up more than one, what you’re doing is diluting the strength of your strongest arguments and giving the buyer or the organization, an opportunity to find gaps or holes in your weakest argument. Don’t think that there’s strength in numbers when trying to persuade somebody and that you need to throw all these amazing stats and data at them. ## **Stefan:** Tell us a little bit about what readers can expect upon release for your book? **Tony:** Well, it’s basically covering planning and preparation, which I think is the most important factor in a negotiation. How do you plan and prepare for a negotiation? What kind of questions do you need to ask? What kind of information should you be trying to gather? What are the best ways to gather information? I’m covering everything that you need to know right up until the bargaining stage, the point at which you are actually exchanging numbers or talking numbers. It’s kind of like a step-by-step approach. I’m putting it in a way where it is not going to take a lot of your time. Spend 30 minutes doing these before a negotiation and you’re going to make more commission. You’re going to make more money. Stefan: Where will it be available for purchase? Tony: It’s probably gonna be available fourth quarter of this year, and it’ll be available for purchase on all the Amazons and Kindles, all that stuff. Stefan: Awesome. I want to thank you very much for chatting with me today. I think we covered a lot of relevant topics and I love the enthusiasm that you possess when talking about your area of expertise. I want to wish you all the best and I’m sure we’ll chat again soon. For more interviews in our Great Sales Leaders Know series click [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/great-sales-leaders-know-series/). --- ## Media Coverage for The Great Canadian Sales Competition - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-talent-agency-great-canadian-sales-competition-media All Resources ### Media Coverage for The Great Canadian Sales Competition April 6, 2016 From top left to right: Nicholas Lambis (GCSC Ambassador), Matiya Szauer (GCSC Ambassador), Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) and Vanessa McMullen (GCSC Ambassador) on The Morning Show **Global News –** **The Morning Show** - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://globalnews.ca/video/1849553/the-great-canadian-sales-competition) with Jamie Scarborough (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) - [Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://globalnews.ca/video/2445812/great-canadian-sales-competition/) with Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) and Ambassadors Matiya Szauer, Nicholas Lambis and Vanessa McMullen Jeff Guthrie (CSO, Moneris) and Vanessa McMullen (GCSC Ambassador) on Canada AM **CTV News** **Morning Live** - [How a passionate pitch could be worth $7,500 for a Canadian student](http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/how-a-passionate-pitch-could-be-worth-7-500-for-a-canadian-student-1.2725612) with Jeff Guthrie (CSO, Moneris) and Vanessa McMullen (GCSC Ambassador) - [How to Pitch an Idea](http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=813552&binId=1.1487308&playlistPageNum=1) with Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) - [Job Interview Tips](http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=580931) with Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) - [Five tips to nail that job interview](http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?playlistId=1.2259752) with Jamie Scarborough (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) From left to right: Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director), Conrad Wong (GCSC Ambassador) and Michael Cote (VP of Sales, Purolator) **CHCH News** **Morning Live** - [Sale-ing into a new future](http://www.chch.com/sale-ing-into-a-new-future/) with Michael Cote (VP of Sales, Purolator), Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) and Conrad Wong (GCSC Ambassador) Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) and Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) on Rogers TV **Rogers TV Daytime** - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](https://www.facebook.com/campuscontest/photos/a.559863977492383.1073741828.543046142507500/798123036999808/?type=3&theater) with Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) and Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](https://www.facebook.com/campuscontest/photos/a.559863977492383.1073741828.543046142507500/825124610966317/?type=3&theater) with Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director) Postmedia Network **Financial Post** **Links to all posts found [here](http://business.financialpost.com/category/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition?__lsa=ec50-f277) and [here](http://business.financialpost.com/category/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/page/2?__lsa=0829-c4da).** - [High-profile judges assess next generation’s sales skills](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/high-profile-judges-assess-next-generations-sales-skills-2) - [Mastering sales requires special skills](http://www.financialpost.com/m/search/blog.html?b=business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/mastering-sales-requires-special-skills&q=the%20great%20canadian%20sales%20competition) - [Technology no stand-in for responsive sales professionals](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/technology-no-stand-in-for-responsive-sales-professionals) - [Competition tests students’ understanding of the art of the close](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/competition-tests-students-understanding-of-the-art-of-the-close) - [“Hard seller” depiction of sales professionals an outdated Hollywood cliché](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/hard-seller-depiction-of-sales-professionals-an-outdated-hollywood-cliche) - [Infographic: Who is the future of sales in Canada?](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/infographic-who-is-the-future-of-sales-in-canada) - [Why legwork matters: “When you are prepared, you feel confident and can speak with authority”](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/why-legwork-matters-when-you-are-prepared-you-feel-confident-and-can-speak-with-authority?__lsa=1948-dd3c) - [Enthusiasm, energy and knowledge: Great Canadian Sales Competition judges reveal the key to a killer sales pitch](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/enthusiasm-energy-and-knowledge-great-canadian-sales-competition-judges-reveal-the-key-to-a-killer-sales-pitch) - [Sales the “number one role” for entrepreneurs and small business owners](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/sales-the-number-one-role-for-entrepreneurs-and-small-business-owners) - [Ambassador program spikes interest in sales force of the future](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/ambassador-program-spikes-interest-in-sales-force-of-the-future?__lsa=a48c-e483) - [Skills, not expensive degrees, provide path to successful sales careers](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/skills-not-expensive-degrees-provide-path-to-successful-sales-careers) - [The career path perfectly suited for the skill set of many Millennials](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/the-career-path-perfectly-suited-for-the-skill-set-of-many-millenials) - [Why business-to-business sales is a great opportunity young people often miss](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/why-business-to-business-sales-is-a-great-opportunity-young-people-often-miss) - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition connects job seekers with an in-demand field](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-connects-job-seekers-with-an-in-demand-field) - [Why Canada’s top companies face a lack of sales talent – and how to fix it](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/why-canadas-top-companies-face-a-lack-of-sales-talent-and-how-to-fix-it) - [What is the Great Canadian Sales Competition?](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/what-is-the-great-canadian-sales-competition) From left to right: Paula Festas (SVP Digital Sales, Postmedia), Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder), John Howlett (President, Bunzl) **Radio Appearances** - [The Jon McComb Show](https://soundcloud.com/cknw/the-jon-mccomb-show-nov-21) with Jamie Scarborough (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) - [Humble and Fred Show](http://humbleandfred.podcastaccelerator.com/february-25-2016.mp3) with Sonya Meloff (STA and GCSC Co-Founder), Paula Festas (SVP Digital Sales, Postmedia) and John Howlett (President, Bunzl) - [Newstalk770](http://www.newstalk770.com/audio-on-demand-2/) with Laura Hartwell (Director Enterprise, IBM) on Feb 9 at 4:45pm - [Ward and Al](https://www.facebook.com/campuscontest/photos/a.559863977492383.1073741828.543046142507500/805641682914610/?type=3&theater) with Sheila Cassidy (GCSC Director), Matiya Szauer (GCSC Ambassador) and Vanessa McMullen (GCSC Ambassador) - [Corus Entertainment Radio Ads](http://picosong.com/EiU7/) - [Coast 101.1](https://twitter.com/greatsalescomp/status/687655969564823552/photo/1) with Victoria House (GCSC Ambassador) Rachelle Benjamin in the Toronto Sun **Other Media Appearances** - [Press Release](http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-looks-to-curb-unemployment-rate-for-new-graduates-516523581.html) - [Molly Marcott represents Sonepar in 2016 Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.ebmag.com/training-education/molly-marcott-represents-sonepar-in-2016-great-canadian-sales-competition-18465) in Electrical Business - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition Winner Announcement and Gala](https://queen.snapd.com/event/820670#/) in snapd - [The Great Canadian Sales Competition: why you should take every opportunity that comes your way](http://racheleadabsurdum.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-great-canadian-sales-competition.html) in blog post by Rachele Benjamin (GCSC 1st Place Winner 2015) - [Why millennials shun sales careers, and what to do about it](http://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/best-jobs/why-millennials-shun-sales-careers-and-what-to-do-about-it/) in Canadian Business - [Grilled cheese takes the cake for Sheridan Oakville student](http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5529347-grilled-cheese-takes-the-cake-for-sheridan-oakville-student/) in Inside Halton - [Grilled cheese takes cake for Sheridan student](http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/06/grilled-cheese-takes-cake-for-sheridan-students) in The Toronto Sun - [The Future of Campus Recruitment](http://www.profitguide.com/manage-grow/human-resources/the-future-of-campus-recruitment-96426) in the ProfitGUIDE Rotman School of Business Ambassadors **School Newspapers** - [Edwards student represents U of S at national sales competition](http://thesheaf.com/2016/03/18/edwards-student-represents-u-of-s-at-national-sales-competition/) in University of Saskatchewan’s The Sheaf - [Great Canadian Sales Competition](https://www.uleth.ca/notice/events/great-canadian-sales-competition-information-booth#.VwUfeaQrKM9) in the University of Lethbridge blog - [UBC students encouraged to take part in Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://ubyssey.ca/news/ubc-students-encouraged-great-canadian-sales-competition/) in University of British Columbia’s The Ubyssey - [Talent with a Competition Edge](https://blogs.dal.ca/mcs/2016/03/talent-with-a-competitive-edge/) in Dalhousie University blog - [Sheridan student takes top honour at sales competition](https://issuu.com/thesheridansun/docs/march26issue) in Sheridan College’s the Sheridan Sun (page 11) --- ## Sales tool review mini-series episode 1: LevelEleven - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-mini-series-episode-1-leveleleven Introducing a new short-video series featuring quick reviews of the most popular sales tools available on the market. The reality is that there are thousands of different products on the market that claim to be able to help your sales team, but how do you know which ones are actually going to be useful? Our goal is to review some of the sales tools we have used and help you identify some of the ones that you may want to try yourself. We are beginning the series with a tool called [LevelEleven](https://leveleleven.com/), a performance management software that claims to drive better sales behaviours. Check out the video below! **Check out our other episodes:** [Episode 2: ZoomInfo](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/sales-tool-review-miniseries-episode-2-zoominfo/) --- ## Sales tool review mini-series episode 2: ZoomInfo - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-tool-review-miniseries-episode-2-zoominfo On episode 2 of our sales tool review miniseries we take a look at [ZoomInfo](https://www.zoominfo.com/business/solutions/sales), a data aggregator that helps users connect with companies across the globe. Check out the [quick video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZqrqEZ6bQo&t=2s) below that gives a tutorial of the main functionality of the tool as well as recommendations on whether or not this is something that you should integrate into your own sales technology stack. **Check out our other episodes:** [Episode 1: LevelEleven](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/sales-tool-review-mini-series-episode-1-leveleleven/) --- ## Sales Training 2.0 | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sales-training-2-0 ### By Bill Hadcock Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to attend a sales seminar at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto put on by sales legend [Jeffrey Gitomer](http://www.gitomer.com/), author of _The Sales Bible_ and _The Little Red Book of Selling_, and [Dave Winfield](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Winfield), philanthropist, businessman and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. The seminar focused on sales, winning, and success in general. There were about 150 salespeople in attendance, and we were all given lots of swag, snacks, coffee & more coffee. They wanted to make sure we were all pumped up… We were! The main takeaways from the conference were that first & unique impressions are everything, winners persevere no matter what, and building your brand online should be a priority. Same old tips? Maybe. Worthwhile to review? Of course. I had a client recently tell me that he was impressed by one of my rookie candidates because the candidate told him in his interview that he has spent lots of time on YouTube watching sales training videos. Not everyone can take a day out of their life to attend a sales conference or convince their boss to pay for proper sales training, but thankfully, we’ve finally reached the point where you can impress your future boss just by watching TV. [Check out Jeffrey Gitomer’s Sales Training Channel on YouTube by clicking this link](http://www.youtube.com/user/buygitomer?feature=results_main). For the love of sales! --- ## Score your next sales role with your 30/60/90 day plan - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/score-your-next-sales-role-with-your-306090-day-plan So you’ve been tasked with delivering a 30/60/90 day plan to land your next sales role. While it may seem like a time-consuming task up front, the investment you make in time and effort now will pay off down the road when it comes to money and a ultimately a job offer. Your future employer is asking you to build this plan for the following 3 reasons: - To predict how quickly you will ramp-up - To gauge how invested you are in the role - To see how you react under stress and scrutiny The first 30 days of the plan is about showing your eagerness to become an expert. Not every boss has the time or desire to hand-hold each new employee. Because of this, they seek those who are self-motivated and can hit the ground running. In the first 30 days you should be focused on equipping yourself for success namely by building your sales ‘tool-kit’. Use this as an opportunity to learn about the company’s processes; their systems, products, services, CRM’s and sales cycles. Understand the company’s value proposition, marketing templates and if given the opportunity, interview top-performing peers to gain valuable insight into the company. The first 30 days are also a time to understand the competition in the marketplace identifying “low-hanging-fruit” potential clients, learn your territory/opportunity base and – if available – review current clients purchasing/contact history. This is the time to show how you have set yourself up with a solid foundation of the company and are determined to succeed as a top-performer. Once the initial leg work is out of the way, this is your opportunity to show the practical experience you have and how you will employ it. Perhaps this entails getting in front of customers or overcoming pushback/rejection in the sales cycle. At this stage you will need to learn what a good “discovery process” looks like in this specific role (i.e. what do you need to understand about your potential client in order to be effective). This is an ideal time to ask for feedback to see how you are doing. It’s also an ideal time to outline specific activity targets that you want to meet (I.e. “minimum of 30 customer conversations per week”). The last 30 days of your master plan are a time to show what you are bringing to the party. By this time you should be up to speed, navigating your role with independence and contributing significantly. You should know your way around by now and be initiating things on your own: thinking of ways to increase customers or revenue, generating ideas to save time or money, implementing plans or schedules, fine-tuning your schedule, and continuing to get performance feedback. The overarching aim of your plan is to get your hiring manager to picture you in the role and have no objections about your work ethic or potential. ## **Details matter** The more details you can incorporate, the better. Specifics count here. Take the time to find out the name of the software used and put that in your 30-day section. Or if you know the name of the training and specific mantras used internally incorporate these. Include activity/revenue goals you plan to achieve. To discover these kinds of specifics, it’s important that you research the company as well as the goals for the specific position. ## **Overall** The point of the 30/60/90 day plan is not about getting it perfect so don’t worry about getting it ‘wrong’. It’s about having a high-level conversational piece to discuss in your interview. What is your thought process like? What did you do well on? What could you use additional guidance with? This is also a chance to hear any feedback the hiring manager may have for you. The fact that you’ve gone above and beyond in the creation of your plan already is something that will elevate you in the eyes of your hiring manager to show that you are determined, enthusiastic and energetic. This task overall shows qualities that are difficult to show on a resume; that you’re a hard worker who thinks critically about tasks and can prioritize and set goals. --- ## Does your sales pitch meet these 5 key criteria? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/secrets-to-a-perfect-sales-pitch ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Crafting a good pitch can be the difference between having a door open, or not. It is one of the most critical components of the sales process and it’s important to think carefully about what you are trying to sell and who you are selling to. **Below are 5 key elements to keep in mind when considering that perfect P-I-T-C-H** ## **P- Problem solver (Show how you have a solution that works)** First thing is to identify a problem that exists and what the solution is that you have to help solve that problem. Sales is really problem solving in disguise, so it’s critical to think about what problem you are looking to help with. ## **I- Inspire an action (Have an end goal in mind that you’re leading them to)** It’s important to have an end goal so that you know what direction you’re heading. We’ve all heard the term ‘getting to a close’ and it’s ok to say upfront what your goals are, whether it’s buying a case of steak knives, or requesting a professional business meeting. Getting that next step or inspiring a positive action, is the most critical component of an effective pitch. ## **T- Tailor it to the audience** Make sure you’ve done your research; know who you are talking to, (or if selling to a company, know everything about that company) what their own goals might be and why what you have to say is important. Part of knowing what is important to them is also asking good questions. One of the most critical components in sales is asking good questions and a great first pitch should open the door for that 2nd step which is a meeting to discuss and learn more about the goals of the customer. A well tailored pitch will get you to the next step in the sales process. ## **C- Concise (be quick and to the point)** We live in a Twitter Universe where people’s expectations are that you can make a concise argument in 140 characters, or 30 seconds! That’s pressure! It’s called an elevator pitch because if you’re in an elevator with someone you want to hire you, you have about 30 seconds before the elevator reaches the lobby to get him or her to take your card. By tailoring it to them and solving a problem they have, you’re more likely to keep their attention and inspire an action. ## **H- Heart (Be passionate!)** Passion is contagious!! Be passionate about what you’re selling. Whether you’re selling yourself or your product, show them why it’s important and why they should care – with passion! Be authentic and always be professional. * * * Learn more about crafting the perfect pitch [here](http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=813552&binId=1.1487308&playlistPageNum=1) --- ## Selling yourself for your first sales job | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/selling-yourself-for-your-first-sales-job ### BY SHEILA CASSIDY We all know the infamous saying: you can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. As such, the idea of drafting a resume as a student is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I’ve reviewed resumes professionally in two capacities: one as a Student Career Leader at Western University and one as a B2B Sales Recruiter at Sales Talent Agency. When I was a student leader I was trained to help students show off the transferable skills they have gained; when I was a sales recruiter I coached new grads to highlight not just what they did but what they accomplished. Sales is a very metrics oriented profession and that should be taken into consideration when drafting a sales resume regardless of your career level. The 5 tips below are designed to help you craft your first resume out of school to help leverage you for your first sales position. ## 1\. Make it as easy for prospective employers to contact you If you’re hoping for someone to contact you, make it as easy as possible for the person reviewing your resume to do so. The basic contact information you want to highlight should include your address, phone number (remember to set up voicemail!) and email address. ## 2\. Be conscious about the location you are choosing What address do you choose? Trust me, I’ve been there – I was studying in London, my hometown was Burlington and I wanted to work in Toronto. When you are selecting the address to put on your resume choose the one that is most aligned to where you will be located when you graduate. If you are open to relocating be sure to include that as well. ## 3\. Don’t underestimate the experience you already have Before you start putting pen to paper, complete this simple exercise: for each role you’ve had, both paid and unpaid, write down what you did, what transferable skills you developed and what you accomplished. When you go in for a sales interview, your hiring manager will be interested in your activity, but will also want to ensure that your activity delivered results. So how can this be applied for your experience that isn’t a direct sales role? Restaurant experience: - Did your restaurant ever push items to upsell? If so, how did you perform? - Were you ever recognized for having the highest sales? - Did you receive accolades for outstanding customer service and/or sales? Volunteer Experience: - Fundraising experience is very applicable to sales. Did your team have a goal? Did you meet or exceed it? - Did you have to get sponsors? If so, how many calls did you make and what was the result? - How did you measure success? Did your team do a great job? Awards: - What was the criteria? How did you win? How competitive was it? Extracurriculars and Sports: - Did you win an election? Win a championship? Take charge on a team? One of the first things that hiring managers will evaluate is the level of someone’s drive and a competitive go-getter spirit is a sure fire way to relay that you have a lot of it. ## 4\. Be concise with your descriptions and clear on your accomplishments I’ve heard a lot of rules on campus on the number of pages and bullets per section of a resume. The general rule should be that every line on your resume should be relevant and everything should be something you can confidently speak to. The other thing to consider is that everyone has different styles and that is very okay. Here are some examples that I put together based on my own experience, but use this only as a guideline — be yourself! Richardson GMP – Intern July 2010 – September 2010 - Worked with a team in transferring over 40,000 client files into an electronic database - Remained flexible and reliable in order to complete the project on time and on budget National University of Rwanda, Africa – Intern May 2010 – July 2010 - Actively participated in the development and grand opening of Butare’s first ice-cream shop “Inzozi Nziza” where a team of interns took on projects related to accounting, operational booklets and computer manuals Western University – Residence Don August 2008 – April 2010 - Promoted from the position of Residence Advisor to Residence Don in my second year on Residence Staff - Planned and executed regular floor meetings for new students to discuss any events, opportunities for advancement, and to strengthen the floor dynamics and was also recognized for having the best floor meetings across campus ## 5\. Do not invent experience you do not have You should be excited and prepared to speak to the experience you put on your resume and trust me – the hiring manager you are sitting across from will know if you are overemphasizing your previous job responsibilities. When hiring managers are hiring at an entry level they are not looking for experience; they are looking for strong drive, great nature and potential to develop business acumen. Your resume (and interview) should highlight that you are eager to learn, that you’ve developed some great transferable skills and have had some exposure to the workplace that has given you glimpses into your strengths and opportunities for improvement. Embrace it and don’t mask it with experience you can’t yet back up. For students eager to learn more about sales and landing a sales job please be sure to submit a pitch for the [Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) this fall! --- ## She Does The City featuring Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/she-does-the-city-featuring-sales-talent-agency-co-founder-sonya-meloff All Resources ### She Does The City featuring Sales Talent Agency Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff December 2, 2016 Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder of Sales Talent Agency and the Great Canadian Sales Competition gives A GIRL’S GUIDE TO MAKING IT BIG IN SALES in She Does the City. Check out the full article [here](http://www.shedoesthecity.com/a-girls-guide-to-making-it-big-in-sales). --- ## 4 Situations When You Should Trust Sales Recruitment Specialists | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/situations-trust-sales-recruitment-specialists ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Finding and hiring talented sales associates for your company is a difficult and time consuming process. Sifting through resumes, conducting interviews and narrowing down candidates takes your attention away from running your business. Fortunately, there are sales recruitment specialists available who are able to help you manage this task quickly and easily. Here’s how you know it’s time to bring in a professional recruiting agency to fill your job vacancies. When You’re Filling Prime Positions If you are looking for the right candidate to fill an upper management or executive position, it can be difficult to find highly qualified people with the right background to meet your needs. The good news is that [sales recruitment specialists](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/) focus on only finding the most qualified individuals for you, so you won’t have to weed through people who aren’t a good fit. ## When You’re Not Getting Enough Attention Companies who rely too heavily on overfilled online job boards and newspaper ads often do not get enough attention because the best candidates are being actively recruited through other avenues. Your job postings may be getting pushed back behind companies that sponsor the job site, or you may not be reaching the right audience. Sales recruitment specialists have a marketing budget that allows them to advertise the open positions they have prominently in your area. They are able to draw in more applicants and provide a larger pool of options for you. ## When You’re New If you are just starting up your business or if this is your first attempt to grow your sales team, it can be hard to convince experienced sales members to join you. In most cases, candidates in the sales industry want to work for companies that have established themselves as having a positive commission structure and viable products. Hiring a sales recruiting specialist will help you overcome this challenge and give you a more professional appearance. ## When There’s Lots of Competition The sales industry is extremely competitive, and the best sales associates are worth their weight in gold. Often times your top sales agents are being bombarded with job offers from headhunters and recruiters based on their accomplishments in the field. The best way to work around this is to be proactive and use your own headhunter to seek out available talent as well. You can’t hope to be competitive unless you get in the game and prove that you have something great to offer new employees. Sales recruitment specialists have the time and resources to trudge through the difficult task of qualifying and sorting out candidates before you ever have to get involved. If you set strict parameters and let them bring you the top picks from their agency, you will save time and money and not have to worry about taking a risk on a poor fit. * * * Sales Talent Agency provides recruiting and headhunting services to any company looking to fill a sales position in North America. For more information about best recruiting practices and how to list your job openings, call or [visit us online](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) to schedule a consultation today. --- ## Six tips for acing your next virtual interview - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/six-tips-for-acing-your-next-virtual-interview Illustration by Michael Pilon By [Michael Pilon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/michael-pilon/) The pandemic has changed many things across the globe from an employment perspective, including how common virtual interviews are now. It can be frustrating to learn how to navigate, but virtual interviews are here to stay; according to [HireVue’s survey](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/06/14/virtual-interviews-are-here-to-stay-hirevue-conducts-millions-of-one-way-videos-to-help-quickly-connect-candidates-with-companies-that-are-hiring/?sh=5cf839c32a69), 54% of hiring managers said the virtual interviewing process was speedier, and 41% said that it helped them find better candidates. So, the next interview you land might be a virtual one — and that’s nothing to fear. Sure, it can be a bit more difficult to connect with your interviewer in an already intimidating conversation, but there are still ways you can leave a dazzling impression. We’re here to help show you how. Along with the usual skills you’ll need to nail your sales interview (read more about that [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-nail-your-next-sales-interview/)), online interviews have a few added layers of planning that you’ll need to consider. Here are six of our best virtual interview tips to get you ready for that video call. ## **Research comes first** Whether you’re attending an in-person or virtual interview, your first step is the same – research the company! You want to be prepared for whatever questions they may ask, and according to [a survey from Express Employment Professionals](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/05/11/2440916/0/en/Virtual-Job-Interviews-are-Here-to-Stay-How-to-Impress-Potential-Employers-Over-the-Computer.html), 2 in 5 hiring decision makers are more tough with candidates virtually. Answering their questions thoughtfully and coming in with knowledge of the company can really help you stand out. **STA Tip:** “Practice your ‘elevator pitch’ so when you’re asked ‘tell me about yourself,’ you have a quick, two minute intro prepared that highlights your achievements but also gives the interviewer a glimpse of your personality.” – Nada Yates, Talent Acquisition Consultant To further prepare, have notes ready about the company’s purpose and values, what you like about their brand, some ideas you would bring to the table, and your unique qualities. You should also have a list of your performance metrics so you can highlight them while you answer, and of thoughtful questions you have about the company or its offerings to ask at the end of the interview. **STA Tip:** “Elite professionals always ask the hiring manager if they have any concerns about their candidacy at the end of the interview, and then address those concerns if there are any before asking what the next steps would be. Hiring managers – especially in sales – love it when this happens, but only a small percentage of candidates consistently do this.” – Asad Zaman, Chief Executive Officer ## Test your technology There’s so much that can go wrong when dealing with technology, so instead of letting a nightmare happen during the virtual interview, test that everything is working properly before you join. Your webcam and microphone should be connected and functional, and you should have the software you need already installed, if it’s something like Zoom or Teams. Take some time to learn how the program works if you’ve never used it before, too. Some will mute the other person speaking if you make a noise or chime in — you don’t want to accidentally cut your interviewer off with an “mhm!” It’s also good practice to test your internet connection about half an hour before your interview, and make sure it’s fast enough to carry the call smoothly. Have a backup device planned and ask for the interviewer’s phone number beforehand, so that if your computer or internet dies, you can give them a quick call to sort it out. **STA Tip:** “Logging on to the meeting early can make you look eager and interested in the role that you are interviewing for. This will also give you some leeway in case your connection is bad or if you need to update anything, and you can double check to ensure sure your camera and microphone are working.” – Audrey Bell, STA NEXT™ Account Manager ## Still dress to impress Wondering what to wear to a virtual interview? While you might be tempted to wear sweatpants with your formal button down since nobody can see your bottom half, we suggest that you wear proper virtual interview attire head to toe. If you look the part, it can help you feel the part, and give you the confidence to put your best self forward. Even [in a study](https://www.inc.com/molly-reynolds/research-shows-that-the-clothes-you-wear-actually-change-the-way-you-perform.html), research showed that the clothes you wear can actually change your demeanor, just like theatre actors when they get up on stage for a performance. When it comes to colour, neutrals like white, black, grey, or blue are always a safe and professional choice for a sales interview. If you’re a vibrant and creative person and don’t want to feel stifled by your clothes, feel free to wear a colour that isn’t too bright or distracting. It’s usually best to avoid loud prints, though — you don’t want your clothes to speak over you. **STA Tip:** “Wear something that is sharp, structured and has a good collar or neck line, like a navy blazer with a white button down or camisole. Or, try a top with a cool collar, like something with ruffles or that goes higher on your neck. Colours also have meaning behind them. Navy represents trust, honesty and credibility, for example – a powerful colour for an interview, if you ask me!” – Lidia Aiello, Operations Manager ## Plan your background Your clothes aren’t the only visual choice that matters in a virtual interview, your space matters too! The camera is a little window into who you are, and if your lighting is off or your space is unkept, that can send a negative message to your interviewer. Soft, indirect light from the front is best, and there shouldn’t be a bright window behind you, since it can cast a dark shadow. Anything visible in your frame should be clean and organized. Don’t feel like you need to hide everything in your room, though — your background can tell your interviewer positive things about your personality. That painting on your wall could be a great conversation starter, or that stack of books could show them what you love to read. As long as everything is tidy and won’t be distracting throughout your conversation, you’re good to go. **STA Tip:** “Ensure you are sitting in a place with a professional, clean background, which could mean a number of things depending on the person. Or, you can get creative and create your own unique background. I had a candidate that took images of the inside of the company’s office and used it as his background to look like he was actually sitting in the office – the client LOVED it!” – Netty Kim, Executive Search Consultant Finally, make sure to do a test run beforehand wearing your interview outfit, so you can see the whole scene together. There should be some contrast between your clothing and the background — you don’t want to wear red against a red wall! ## Have interview notes ready, but don’t read from them We can all agree that pulling out notes during an in-person interview isn’t professional, but the beauty of a digital interview is that you can quickly check your preparation notes discreetly. Virtual or not, you should prepare speaking notes on your work history, experience and sales KPIs, any research you have about the company, and your thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer. Keep a couple of those tabs open on the screen during the interview just in case something comes up and you want to reference an amazing feat. **STA Tip:** “You always want to have notes that you can reference, but don’t have them on paper in front of you. When you have tabs open on the screen, it looks like you’re keeping eye contact with your interviewer, even though you’re flipping through tabs.” – Andrew Cook, Key Account Manager If you lose your way and stumble over your thoughts, quickly glancing at a bullet point can get you back on track, but never rely on them or prepare a script full of answers to read from. Interviewers can tell when you’re not in the moment and aren’t speaking from the heart, which brings us to our next point. ## Stay present and engaged Even though you’re in front of a computer screen, you need to connect with your interviewer as much as possible. This is still a sales pitch, after all. It’s a bit harder than being in person, since you don’t have as many non-verbal cues, but you can stay in the moment by reacting with facial expressions and nods of understanding. You can also start off on the right foot by starting your interview with some small talk; you don’t get to shake hands, but a pleasant chat can set the tone for the rest of your conversation. Try to look into your camera lens as much as you can, especially if you’re on an iPad and looking at the screen means you’re staring off into space. It might feel strange to look there instead of your interviewer’s face, but establishing proper eye contact can make or break an interview. **STA tip:** “Remember to emote, smile, and be enthusiastic. Video calls can limit body language and expressiveness, so you need to be aware of that.” – Dean Mitchell, Managing Director UK/Europe You’ll also want to keep your space as free from distraction as possible. Close your windows to avoid outside noises, leave pets in another room if you can, and ask your family not to bug you during that time. Everyone’s understanding, though — if a distraction happens, just take care of it calmly and get back to your chat. With all these virtual interview tips in hand, you’ll be ready to ace your next one. You might be wondering… what’s next? [Send the perfect follow up email](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-to-send-the-perfect-interview-follow-up-email/), of course! These emails can make or break a hiring decision, since 22% of employers are less likely to hire someone who doesn’t follow up. Make it the cherry on top of all your thoughtful preparation. --- ## The Smart Way to Deal With Pregnant Employees | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/smart-way-deal-pregnant-employees ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) I’ll never forget the day that I met my business partner at a Starbucks on Sheppard Avenue in Toronto. Only a month had passed since we decided to quit our big corporate jobs and launch our company. He was in town from Vancouver to help scope out our new office space. I had anything but real estate on my mind. That’s because a week earlier I learned I was pregnant. Ah! When I told my partner the news, I assured him that nothing would change, and that I was committed as ever to the launch of our company. He was tremendously supportive; like all entrepreneurs, we believed we would figure it out and make it work. And we did. Once my baby was born, we turned one of the rooms of our new office into a nursery, hired a full-time nanny to look after the baby on the premises and continued to pursue our growth. All without missing a beat. Our in-office nursery started as an experiment, but it’s proven to be wildly successful. And I think it’s just the kind of creative solution modern workplaces should adopt. Since startup, we’ve added a lot of employees, and many of them are women of childbearing age. In fact, there have been 10 babies born to our employees since we launched seven years ago. Some of these women chose to use the nursery I set up because they didn’t want to interrupt their careers; others did not. Whatever their choice, we’ve aimed to be supportive of it and to accommodate whatever flexible arrangements allow them to stay engaged and, when they return to work, productive. We all know women who have felt judged by their employer and/or co-workers when they got pregnant—as though their decision to have a baby somehow meant that they were less driven towards success. If anything, I have witnessed the opposite. Back when we started, I used to get a lump in my throat whenever a member of our team announced a pregnancy—especially if she was a top performer. Now, I get excited for them. Honestly, truly excited. Having now had three children of my own and watched as many of my employees have become mothers, I firmly believe—and know others who do as well—that the demands of pregnancy and parenthood compel many women to take greater accountability for their time and to ensure that they deliver on expectations. Increasingly, the smart, savvy and ambitious women of today’s workforce feel pregnancy motivates them to succeed: they are not prepared to let the mouth they’ll soon have to feed stand in the way of getting that next promotion or, if they choose, buying that new handbag. But it’s not just about personal fulfillment. Giving women in the workforce the flexibility to accommodate both their personal and professional lives is essential if we want to maintain a growing economy and support the majority of our workforce. Employers should be having bold conversations with the expectant mothers on their payrolls about how they can best be supported before and after they give birth. I can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to tell a pregnant employee that you as an employer are 100% supportive of her plans, and that her path for promotion won’t be affected by her baby. In almost every case, you’ll be rewarded with renewed energy, enthusiasm and productivity. It’s time to lose the notion that it harms a business when an employee has a kid. In fact, with a supportive attitude and a creative approach, you’ll find more and more amazing employees drawn to your organization—which can propel you to unprecedented success. And you’ll feel good about yourself as you’re doing it, because you’ll be allowing people to really, truly “have it all.” * * * _Sonya Meloff is the co-founder and president of 2014 PROFIT 500 winner [Sales Talent Agency Inc.](https://www.salestalentagency.com/) She ranks No. 37 on_ _the 2014 PROFIT/Chatelaine W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs. Sonya also writes a column on PROFITguide.com with her business partner Jamie Scarborough_ As seen in PROFITguide.com --- ## Why We Started The Great Canadian Sales Competition - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/so-many-people-ask-us-why-we-started-the-great-canadian-sales-competition Sarah Westwood (1st Place Winner of GCSC 2016) and Matt Ono (Sales Manager, Dell) at The FInal Round So many people ask us why we started The Great Canadian Sales Competition. Ok…truthfully, we are the ones who are asking! After all, it is such a big financial undertaking (this year we are hiring 150 campus ambassadors across Canada to help promote it!), it is so time-consuming and such large project, and we don’t even plan to make a single dollar from it. Obviously, we are looking to position our company Sales Talent Agency as thought leaders and champions of sales, but the reason behind it is actually much greater. Over the past 8 years, we have watched as some of the largest and most successful companies in Canada struggle to attract and hire young people to their organizations for their junior sales roles. These are the entry level sales roles that are perfect for a new grad looking to get in to a business and start their career. We saw that the problem was two-fold: Firstly, nobody had ever heard of many of these companies (as a new grad, or even now: have you heard of Bunzl? Or Hilti?), and secondly, new grads just weren’t open to considering sales jobs. Most want marketing or finance! When we dug in to this issue further, we learned of all the negative perceptions that students had about the sales profession – if they had one at all. A bigger problem was that few students were even exposed to sales in school – do you know anyone with a Degree in Sales? Despite being arguably one of the most important positions within an organization, and the highest paying of the professions, it’s rare that sales is taught in school. New graduates are carrying unprecedented debt-loads (some say this will cause the next crash) and face double the unemployment rate than the national average, yet they aren’t considering or interested in some of the best jobs on the market. Something had to change. Our goal through the competition is to gamefy student recruitment, while helping to change what sales means. In the process, we are helping students develop their sales skill-set (in order to enter the competition, students must create an online video pitching anything they want) and introducing them to amazing B2B companies that are eager to hire them for fantastic sales jobs and internships. We believe that sales is one of the best professions (we are obviously biased as we are all in sales), but more importantly, sales is one of the most valuable skill to have, and we are encouraging students to develop their sales skills regardless of if they go in to sales or not. Regardless of one’s profession, sales is a fundamental skill that is as valuable as language (we teach English without expecting everyone to become an author) and being good in sales helps ensure you can make anything happen for yourself. How empowering a message is that to our young people entering the workforce? Everyday – we are all in sales. Our hope is that The Great Canadian Sales Competition will continue to be the biggest student competition in Canada and, more importantly, a program that becomes a huge part of student life across the country. We are so excited for this year! **[See our new website!](http://www.thegreatcanadiansalescompetition.com/)** --- ## Sales Talent Agency Featured on | Uvaro's 'The Future Of' | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-featured-on-the-future-of Our Co-Founder, [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/), participated in Uvaro’s first ‘Future Of’ event, with Anil Dharni of Sense, and Sahil Mansuri of Bravado, where they discussed what the future of sales development and sales as a service looks like moving forward. Even before our socially-distanced reality, a hot topic in sales was renting vs. buying sales talent. This discussion walks you through the advantages and disadvantages of both models and provides insights into the skill sets needed to succeed in each environment. Access the full panel discussion [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-cbg_7qXXo). --- ## Sonya Meloff On CTV News Ottawa - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-on-ctv-news-ottawa From left to right: Jeff Hopper, Sonya Meloff and Henry Burris March 30th, 2015 Sonya Meloff, Co-founder of Canada’s largest [sales recruitment agency](https://www.salestalentagency.com/) and the [Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) spent her morning at CTV News Ottawa with Henry Burris, CFL Super Star and Jeff Hopper, CTV Morning Live Host sharing her five tips to get a job. Sonya Meloff – “At Sales Talent Agency we meet tons of people, everyday, from a diverse array of background but, surprisingly, we see a lot of common mistakes people make when they go for their interview”. Follow these five easy steps to differentiate yourself from the rest and land your dream job: ## 1\. Don’t be distracting Don’t distract attention from yourself and your goal. Don’t wear chunky jewelry or dangly earrings. Remember, sometime less is more. ## 2. Do assume you are being watched You never know who may be watching you. Make sure to be ready, before you leave home. Don’t be caught putting your tie on in the parking lot! ## 3. Stash it! Finish your calls, emails and texts outside, even before you step foot into the building. It doesn’t look professional when you walk into a reception area with your nose buried in your phone. The same goes for coffee cups – your caffeine fix can wait an hour. ## 4\. Be Ready Show that you are prepared by having a pen and book in hand. ## 5. Bring your Brag Book, be prepared Bring your brag book, portfolio, certificates, accolades, letters of referral – you always want to show that you are not only prepared but over-prepared! To watch the full interview click [here](http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=580931) * * * For more information visit: www.salestalentagency.com --- ## Sonya Meloff Featured in Canadian Business - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/sonya-meloff-was-featured-in-canadian-business What's New ### Sonya Meloff Featured in Canadian Business August 12, 2011 You can also view the article [Here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Canadian-Business-Sonya-Meloff-p.pdf)! --- ## Speaking at the Women in Business Leadership Symposium - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/speaking-at-the-women-in-business-leadership-symposium Speaking at the Women in Business Leadership Symposium last month was an absolute privilege. It was a great opportunity to share my experience and knowledge of the sales recruitment industry with the students at Rotman, and I hope it was informative and helpful to those who attended! --- ## Thanks to our friends at SAP for inviting us to join the Fifth Annual Strachan Hartley Legacy Run - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/thanks-to-our-friends-at-sap-for-inviting-us-to-join-the-fifth-annual-strachan-hartley-legacy-run Sales Talent Agency’s Vancouver team had a great time on Sunday participating in this year’s Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation Run. There was both a 5km and 10km option, and if you have ever ran in North Vancouver, you will realize why this morning I wish I had opted for the 5km! We really did have fun and all agreed to play a bigger part in this fund-raising event for 2012. A special “thank you” to Jayme Smithers for the invitation and encouragement! To find out more about this event and the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation, [click here](http://www.shlf.ca/). --- ## The 3 biggest mistakes companies make when hiring sales engineers - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-companies-make-when-hiring-sales-engineers ### ### BY [ALI ALIZADEH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/ali-alizadeh/) Over the past decade, the sales engineer (SE) has arguably become one of the most important business hires alongside the sales team. They play an integral part in the sales process by helping develop and present compelling solutions to the buyers while also presenting the competitive advantages of their solution. In Canada, there are currently 5,060 open sales engineering roles within the software space and there are only 2,738 sales engineers so we are dealing with a market with high demand and very low supply. Demand is only going to increase because of investment trends in early and growth stage companies along with news of companies like Salesforce, Microsoft and Accenture increasing their presence in this market. In this environment it is critical for companies to be very strategic in how they go about finding, attracting, choosing and equipping their technical sales teams. Those who have gotten it right have avoided making the following 3 mistakes: **1\. Hiring the wrong fit based on the complexity of your product:** If you are an early or growth stage company selling a not so complex solution into small and mid market accounts, then don’t hire the most technical SE available. This will end up costing you a lot because those SEs are paid extremely well and they will also get bored easily because they are used to dealing with more complex solutions (and might leave you at that point). Alternatively, if you are a company that needs a very technical SE then don’t hire an up and comer because that’s an easy way to lose the trust of your prospect during the sales cycle. **2\. Going to market with a less than compelling comp plan:** With 5,060 open sales engineering roles and only 2,738 sales engineers in the market, we know that there are very high demand and low supply for such talent. This situation impacts compensation heavily and sales engineers are some of the best paid professionals in the market. Companies waste a lot of time by going to market with a compensation plan that can’t attract top talent and if they by chance do bring on board a great sales engineer they the run the risk of losing them to someone else who is paying according to what the market dictates. **3\. Over selling and under delivering:** The sales engineer has a tough job – they are supporting multiple sales reps (2-6) and travelling 50%-75% of the time. Companies need to set the right expectations with sales engineers when hiring them so that they know what they are getting into and can appropriately handle that workload based on where they are in their life. Those organizations that don’t set the right expectations will see huge turnover rates in their technical sales teams because there are a lot of exciting roles out there for disheartened sales engineers to take. Great teams build [great companies](https://www.salestalentagency.com/references/) and you can’t build great teams without understanding and adjusting to the labour market you are hiring within. Hire the right person for the stage you are at, pay really well and set proper expectations if you want to have a shot at building a great technical sales team. --- ## The 6 things that have helped me be successful as a woman in business - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-6-things-that-have-helped-me-be-successful-as-a-woman-in-business **By: [Sonya Meloff](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonyameloff/)** Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day 2019 and I’ve been thinking of my life as a woman in business and what has helped me be successful. While I recognize that there has never been a better time for a woman in business, I do appreciate that I, along with women everywhere, are standing on the shoulders of giants. Because of the work of so many amazing women – people like Elizabeth Cady Stanton who in 1848 led the first women’s movement to win the right to vote, and all the women who led the cultural revolution of women into the workforce during the WWII labor shortages – I have enjoyed the freedom to succeed in business, which is a freedom they fought for. From my perspective, today in 2019, women in business is generally a good news story. We are living in a time where women are empowered, have a strong voice, and are proven leaders. Overall, the business world has adapted well to women’s advancement and in participation. In fact, the majority of businesses we work with have a hiring preference for women – don’t shoot the messenger! So let’s jump right in; here are the 6 things that have helped me be successful as a woman in business. **1\. I literally never think about it** The first thing that has helped me is that I really never think about it. I’ve always taken the view that to be the best version of myself in business, I just have to be the best in business, regardless of gender. Competition in business, unlike, say a professional sport, is not segregated by gender, so in whatever it is that I was doing, whether selling for an ad agency, or selling recruitment services, I have always focused on trying to do it better, smarter and faster than anyone else. It’s not my gender that determines if I put in the extra effort, and I’ve always been told that if you work the hardest and do the best job, you will win every time. So I wake up every day prepared to go to battle, and I never think that any of my successes or failures, wins or losses, are based or influenced by gender. It is out of sight and out of mind. I believe winning in business is gender-neutral and I just never think about it. Focus on being the best version of yourself and it wins every time. **2\. Credibility is Earned** You have to be scrappy and fight your way to get in the door or a seat at the table – and that may not happen overnight. Once you are there, it’s your shot to build your reputation and build your credibility. Nobody expects you to know everything, but come prepared and be ready to ask good questions and earn the right to have great conversations. If something doesn’t make sense to you, be prepared to speak up and don’t be afraid to ask ‘why’ or ‘how’. You will never look bad asking good questions, and chances are if it doesn’t make sense to you, it doesn’t make sense to someone else who’s afraid to speak up. One of the best ways to earn credibility is by having strong expertise in whatever it is that you are doing. No matter what your profession of choice is, focus on becoming an expert because people will listen and you will become the person that they look to for advice and solutions. Expertise is not gained overnight, it comes with time and repetitions. **3\. Sales Solves Everything** The concept that everyone needs to understand is that we are ALL in sales. Every single day, we are working in sales. Whether it’s selling an idea to a classmate, selling yourself to a potential employer, selling an idea internally within a company, selling students to come to an event, or actually selling a company’s product or service, we are all in sales, everyday. Knowing how to sell is incredibly important and sales skills must be learned and practiced. There are a lot of misconceptions about what it takes to be good at sales, primarily around personality types. However, we know that if you are driven, have high emotional intelligence, and a sharp mind, whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, amiable, aggressive, male, or female, everyone can be good at sales, and a company will always need sales. Whether or not you actually work in sales, having the ability to convey a value proposition and learn the skills of resilience are critical. You need to always view yourself as a salesperson! **4\. Ambition is not enough** If you want to set big goals, then you have to be prepared to fight for them, get bloody, and not let excuses bring you down. It is very easy to set goals, but unless you are prepared to overcome any obstacle put in your way, none of them will matter. So be prepared to go through the wall, over the wall, or under the wall in order to achieve them. This is called drive; and drive crushes ambition every time **5\. Choose to See Inspiration Everywhere** Sometimes I get frustrated with those negative doom & gloom stories that I hear and read in the media about how bad it is for women in business. Dare I say fake news? If you look around, there are many unbelievable women leading some of the largest companies in almost every sector of the economy. Here are just a few examples: - [Rola Dagher,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/roladagher/) President of Cisco Systems - [Ginny Rometty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginni_Rometty), Chair, President and CEO of IBM - [Wendy Freeman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-freeman-aab79083/), President of CTV News - [Kathleen Taylor,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-taylor-10619556/) Chair of the Board of RBC - [Shelly Martin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-martin-a0b46110/?originalSubdomain=ca), CEO of Nestle Canada - [Priscillah Mabelane](https://www.odgersberndtson.com/en-za/ceox1day/participating-ceos/priscillah-mabelane), CEO of BP - [Mary Barra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Barra) – Chairwoman and CEO of General Motors - [Sabrina Geremia](http://business.financialpost.com/technology/google-appoints-new-canada-head-as-country-basks-in-its-tech-moment) – Head of Google Canada. **6\. If you don’t ask, you don’t get** If there is anything that I would recommend to women in business, it’s to understand that if you want something, you’ve got to ask for it. Make your intentions known, put your hand up, and be clear and direct with your request. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got himself in some hot water a few years ago when he first advised women in business at a conference that if they wanted a raise, it would come with good karma. He later walked back those comments, but let’s all just re-iterate, that is not how it happens. [Here’s the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3U7hTyZQnE). Asking for a raise is but one example where it helps to speak up and ask for what you want. Speak up and ask for what you want and need. If it’s more flexibility once you’ve had a child, ask. If it’s a raise, ask. If it’s wanting a meeting with an executive, ask. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, and not everyone will say yes all the time, and that’s ok. Sheryl Sandberg, the Facebook CFO and Founder of [LeanIn.org](http://leanin.org/), along with McKinsey, one of the worlds largest global consulting firms, published a study which found that women aren’t getting promoted as fast as men. What’s going wrong she asks? They found that women are less likely than men to feel that their managers give them opportunity to grow, and the higher up the corporate ladder you go, women just seem to get promoted less, despite asking. I think there are a lot of factors that go into this, but I believe Sheryl Sandberg is accurate in her findings that many women remove themselves from the workforce, even mentally, well before they need to because they foresee eventually removing themselves from the workforce when they have kids. Therefore, because they know they’ll be leaving, they don’t fight to get as high to the top as they could early in their careers. Leaving on maternity leave might be inevitable, but it’s better to leave and be as valuable to a company as possible. My favorite saying is one that I first heard on Oprah, although it’s a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt – “Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes.” So go for it, you have nothing to lose, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. You’ll be surprised how often people will say YES! Finally, I can’t help but end with highlighting why I believe Sales is a particularly amazing profession for women. Firstly, sales is one of the most obvious positions in a company that has a direct impact on the bottom line, and a company will always need sales. Therefore, if women want to show up, then they should show up and sales is where it is at. Elleyn Shook, Chief Leadership & Human Resources Officer for global consulting firm Accenture recently said that “getting more women into (profit-generating) roles is what’s going to change the percentage of women CEOs in the Fortune 500”. 20% of all CEO’s started in sales and it’s the fastest track to that spot. Sales is all about drive, and if success drives you, then sales is where you can quickly make success happen. It is completely measured and there is no disputing numbers. Sales provides critical flexibility, high earning potential, and empowerment. More importantly, every company is crying for more female salespeople! So my advice to women in business, the advice that I will give to my daughter, is that you can’t change your gender, so just get on with it and don’t think about it too much. Remember that credibility is earned, you have to learn how to sell, ambition is not drive, choose to see inspiration everywhere, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Happy International Women’s Day! For the love of Sales. --- ## The Battlecard: GTM Competitive Intelligence for navigating this wild market (5 min read) - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read The Battlecard – a newsletter designed to give you the knowledge to make better decisions in this market. by [Asad Zaman](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/asad-zaman/) The current state of the economy is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. From the zero-interest rates era – which meant virtually free money and funding rounds galore – we’ve been jolted into one in which capital is tight and startups have to justify every dollar they raise. Not every company was built to withstand the whiplash. The result: rampant layoffs, drumming up demand feels like squeezing blood from a stone, and close ratios have nosedived to a 15-year low. Employee morale is in the gutter and the once red-hot job market is losing its luster (particularly in tech). Like many of you, I spend a lot of time seeking to understand this new world and how best we can position ourselves in it. My perch gives me the privilege of reaching out to some of the sharpest minds across industries, from operators to investors to analysts, to help me create a map that can guide us through it all. So far, I’ve done a shoddy job of sharing all this intel with you in a systematic way. That changes today. We’re launching our newsletter: The Battlecard. In it, I hope you find the competitive intelligence that can help you navigate this crazy market; a go-to hot sheet that weaves in news, analyses and takes (some hot, some cold) on the market. I hope you get value out of it, and maybe even share it with folks who might find this useful. Let’s get started! **Battlecard Briefing: YoY Attrition & Employee Growth Rates at Series Across Company Stages** The backstory: a few weeks ago one of our VC partners – who happens to be one of the top 5 VC firms in the world – asked us if we had seen any information about attrition and employee growth rates at tech companies recently. We hadn’t. We did some digging, and still couldn’t find anything great. So, we took matters into our own hands. We looked at 25 B2B SaaS companies per stage, ensured they were all headquartered in North America, and raised their rounds between Jan 1 2021 and March 1 2023 from 12 of the world’s leading VC firms (to qualify for quality). And, the results were surprising to say the least. In a nutshell: what we see on LinkedIn or in the news does not show the full picture. Here is what we found: - Typically, attrition decreases as a company matures. Why? Early stage companies are resource constrained and have a lot to build and figure out, including a repeatable, predictable and scalable GTM motion at the Series A stage. Mature companies have more resources and organizational maturity, which correlates with lower turnover. - But, our research showed that the current trends defy the typical pattern. In most cases, attrition increased as companies matured, with sales attrition spiking into the 40%+ range at the Series C and D stages. But, this makes sense because currently fundraising is hardest for growth stage companies, and so they have to cut costs, and since people are their #1 cost, attrition has to be high there. - Insider Intel: for every $1 that growth stage companies raised in Q1 2023, they needed $3.2. This indicates more layoffs coming later this year. - Public companies should and did have the lowest attrition out of the cohorts – no surprise here. The next logical question: are these companies growing or contracting? We were really interested in this, as we are in the business of helping companies hire elite GTM professionals and want to know if they are hiring or not. Luckily, they are hiring, and more than most of us thought. - The YoY changes in the average number of employees within each stage illustrates growth, but a more measured approach to growth than what we would have seen in 2021 and 2022. This makes sense based on the overall state of the economy and especially the state of fundraising for B2B SaaS companies. - Our hunch was that we would see this, because we know that 1M+ tech professionals have taken new jobs in the past 12 months, and there are 600K open tech jobs in North America today (2x of the total number of people laid off in tech globally between 2022 and 2023). That said, we were a bit surprised to see growth at the Series C and D stages, as companies at this stage are in the toughest situation when it comes to fundraising (see Insider Intel in the previous section). So, what does this mean for you? - Mass layoffs, especially in the growth stage of tech, are pushing attrition rates higher. Sales teams, in particular, experience higher attrition as companies streamline their sales forces, adjust GTM strategies, and, in some cases, shift from SLG to PLG business models. - But, companies across all stages are still showing YoY growth when it comes to total employees. Often in such markets we hear that ‘hiring is at least going to be easier.’ There are examples of when that was true, like the peak of the 2000 bubble bursting, and the worst moments of the 2008 great financial crisis. In both those moments, demand for talent was non-existent, and layoffs were in the millions. That’s not the case right now. In this market, hiring is still tricky because: - We have exited a period of low interest rates and will be in a period of non-zero percent interest rates for some time. Everything from fundraising to driving demand and closing deals is harder in this environment. So the people we need to bring on have to be the absolute best for us to have a shot at generating momentum in this market. - Those individuals are probably less than 5% of the people out there – at least in sales that’s true – and if they have stability they are going to hold onto it. If they are looking, many great companies are looking for them, so you are in for a fight. **We know there have been layoffs, and we know there are open jobs, but not everyone looking is able to find a job right now. Why? We’ll dive into this next week.** If you or someone in your network is looking for a GTM role in North America, check out our [job board](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1&utm_source=salestalentagency.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read) that has 150+ open roles on it. **Podcast Plug: Introducing Topline** Yes, just when you thought there were enough podcasts out there, we launched a new one. Turns out there was room for one more because we are growing at 4x the rate of a normal new podcast. The Goal: Every week Sam Jacobs (Founder and CEO of Pavilion), AJ Bruno (Co-Founder and CEO of QuotaPath) and I break down what’s happening in the world of tech, and how it applies to Founders, CEOs and GTM Professionals. We want it to be insightful and entertaining, and this listener thinks we are on the right track: ‘it’s a blend of wall street journal meets comedy central.’ This week we spoke about: - AI valuations: tech is really the tale of two cities right now. It’s the best of times for AI companies, and the worst of times for everyone else. AI companies are raising money as easily as everyone did in 2021 and 2022, at valuations of 50x-100x of ARR. Even with all the excitement I have for AI right now, I worry that we are making the same mistakes that we made in 2021 and 2022 from a valuation perspective. - Debate on if VPs of Sales should have side hustles: we debated if it’s ok for a VP of Sales to have a side hustle or not. AJ and I were against the motion, and Sam was for it. It was a lively debate and in the end, we all found common ground, but you have to give it a listen to see what that common ground was. **Listen, follow and show some love wherever you listen to podcasts: [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/topline/id1682771619?utm_source=salestalentagency.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/0sMemOFdCtzkxINozlqp4r?si=b4dfcd95ace140b8&nd=1) or [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@JoinPavilion/videos?utm_source=salestalentagency.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-battlecard-gtm-competitive-intelligence-for-navigating-this-wild-market-5-min-read).** I hope this was interesting and insightful for all of you! If you have topics you want me to dig into, shoot them over my way. In the meantime good luck, good health, and goodbye. Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency --- ## The biggest mistake a sales professional can make | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-biggest-mistake-a-sales-professional-can-make ### BY [ASAD ZAMAN](http://www.salestalentagency.com/asad-zaman) If you are in sales of any capacity then you have seen this happen many times, and hopefully it made you cringe a tad bit each time: a colleague closing a deal by discounting heavily. That right there is a major red flag for B2B sales professionals. As long as your offerings are priced logically based on what the market has shown to value the solution at, discounting below that means you have not done a good job at showing the client the value and hence the return on their investment. The latest research by Vantage Partners shows that granting discounts is something the majority of sales professionals do with 48% of them discounting between 10%-24%. The biggest impact such discounting has is that it creates a new normal price – 50% of the time discounting leads to a new normal price within 1 month to 1 year. That is detrimental for a business in every which way and will hurt the sales team the most in the long run! If you notice yourself having to win a deal on price then it’s time to start building more value before discussing price. The key is effectively identifying the pain points during the discovery meeting/call so that you have the information needed to first see if you actually have a solution for them, and then position it effectively to the client. Do your research into the company, industry and competitors before the discovery call – this will make it possible for you to ask smart questions that allow you to understand the problems the client is facing. A quick test to see if you are on the right track would be to see who is doing the most talking during the discovery – if it’s you then you will probably end up using price to win the deal. Remember: They are talking to you because they need a problem to be solved and if you can show them you have the answer to that problem then price will not be a hurdle for you. If you want a lucrative career in this space then you have to burn some calories to leave this nasty practice in your past and start becoming an expert at solutions based sales! **#Fortheloveofsales** _Source for graph and data: The Downside of Discounts. (2015). Retrieved May 10, 2015, [.](https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-downside-of-discounts)_ --- ## The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 1 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-1 **Tension between Sales and Customer Success teams can be a common challenge at high growth companies.** Traditionally, these teams have operated in silos, even though so much of what they do is connected. Inconsistencies between these units regarding the customer experience are considered almost status quo, but could lead to serious issues such as lost deals, higher churn, team turnover, negative company culture, and inevitably missed revenue targets. But, when these teams align and work as a collective, the results can be spectacular which means one of the biggest questions for revenue leaders has to be: _How do you create a relationship between Customer Success and Sales where they work together to make each other stronger and more effective in their roles, and ultimately win and retain more business?_ So, to help shed light on what to do and more importantly, what not to do, we brought together a panel of CS and Sales Leaders including [Jocelyn Brown](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyndbrown/) (SVP Customers & Revenue at [Allocadia](https://allocadia.com/)), [Greg Elliott](https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-elliott-vpcx/) (VP, Customer Experience at [Loopio](https://loopio.com/)), and [Chris Bondarenko](https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbondarenko/) (VP of Sales at [Docebo](https://www.docebo.com/)), moderated by [Netty Kim-Hull](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nettykim/) (Executive Search Consultant at Sales Talent Agency) to share their best practices for developing a synergistic partnership that delights customers throughout the full customer journey. --- ## The Customer Success Roundtable – Episode 2 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-customer-success-roundtable-episode-2 **Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Retention Specialists are all roles that are critical to a scaling organization, and retaining/growing recurring revenue.** These roles are so critical in fact, that there are over 18,000 jobs posted on LinkedIn looking to hire this talent in Canada, AND the demand for these roles outweighs the supply by 52%. Although it is known that these roles are imperative to an organization’s success, the CS and Sales communities still have many unanswered questions when it comes to hiring for these roles: What are the key differences between these roles? How do they uniquely contribute to the growth of the company? How do you define the ideal candidate for each position? And, how do you attract the best talent? So, to tackle these questions and more, we’re hosed a live panel of esteemed Revenue Leaders that included [Josh Guttman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jguttman/) from [Lane](https://joinlane.com/), [Jayme Smithers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayme-smithers/) from [Thoughtexchange](https://www.thoughtexchange.com/), and [Vanessa Brangwyn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessabrangwyn/) from [Achievers](https://www.achievers.com/), moderated by [Netty Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nettykim/) from Sales Talent Agency. **A few of our top takeaways from the session include:** **18:30** – An organization needs multiple solutions (Customer Success Managers, Account Managers, and Renewal Specialists) to create a seamless customer journey. That said, it depends on what stage a company is in to determine what net revenue retention hires they need and what those roles look like. **21:35 –** There is currently a trend where organizations are moving toward a pod model where their net revenue retention team operates as one. When determining whether or not an organization should move toward this model they need to consider the type of stage they are in and the type of customers they have. **27:30** – When defining the ideal candidate profile for net revenue retention roles, your organization should have a philosophy that defines the needs/goals of the organization. This will help a company be clear on the skills and characteristics that are needed to fulfill these roles successfully. **39:50** – Onboarding for net revenue retention roles can be difficult as there is so much to be learned in these roles. Best practices include creating a partner system for new hires so that they can learn from and lean on someone already in the role. Have a question that wasn’t answered? A topic you’d like us to cover? [Let us know](mailto:info@salestalentagency.com)! --- ## The Future Of Selling: It's Social | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-future-of-selling-its-social ### ### Written By: Brian Fetherstonhaugh In the era of Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yelp, buyers have as much control over the flow of information as salespeople. Buying, once a one-way interaction between an informed seller and a curious buyer, has become a conversation between equals, and the revolution in buying behavior is still ongoing. To find out just what was changing, and why, OgilvyOne did research among 1,000 sales professionals in the U.S., U.K., Brazil and China. What we learned: Social media has had an enormous impact on buying behavior with 49% of sellers seeing social media as important to their success. In fact, among the most successful salespeople, over two-thirds believe social media is integral to their sales success. But companies are not adapting fast enough. Sixty-eight percent of sales professionals say they believed that the selling process is changing faster than their own organizations are adapting to it. Companies are not providing solid training to sales professionals in social media. In fact, many are actively discouraging the use of social media despite the fact that customers are buying that way. Nearly half of sales professionals surveyed believe their companies are afraid of letting employees use social media. Many U.S. companies claim to have a social media strategy, but only 9% of U.S. salespeople say their company trains or educates them on the use of social media for sales. This stands in stark contrast to Brazil where 25% of salespeople surveyed receive training on social media usage. Thirty-eight percent of the salespeople we surveyed in China use personal blogs in their selling process while only 3% of U.S. salespeople do the same. If salespeople are to continue providing solutions to their customers, selling must evolve in lockstep with buying. There are several significant initiatives that salespeople can adopt in order to remain the ideal partner to an interested customer. The one thing that unites all of these new ideas is the centrality of the customer. This new world of distributed information doesn’t loosen the focus on the buyer. If anything, it sharpens it. ## 1\. New Buyer Journeys Customers create their own buyer journeys. They take many steps without the seller’s involvement, and they may not always start at step one. A tremendous amount of action happens after the sale, especially when customers experience the brand and then share their experiences with others. Sometimes they talk with a few friends and family, or perhaps they will self-cast their thoughts to hundreds, thousands or millions of others through social media. Salespeople need to find out exactly where their customers are in their journey right now and advise them on the best way to get there. ## 2\. A New Role for Content Digital Bait In a disintermediated media world, customers are eager for professionally produced content, and we can use that desire to draw customers to our messages by creating digital bait. There are three main kinds: - _Beliefs and Points of View_ – Put out what your company believes and what it stands for. Not everybody will like it, but it will attract the kind of prospects already aligned with what you have to sell. - _Expertise_ – Customers and prospects are hungry for high-quality expert information. They want to be smart shoppers and be informed. They appreciate factual expert opinions about the category and about you. They will generate this information regardless, and you would be well served by having a hand in creating their narrative. - _Invitations and Offers_ – You need to extend appealing invitations and offers to make it easy for people to engage. ## 3\. New Listening Skills Digital Footprints Customers and prospects are throwing off billions of digital buying indications every day. They signal their intentions through the search keywords they use, the blogs they read, the whitepapers they download, and the shopping baskets they fill. They are leaving digital footprints for the savvy hunter to observe and act upon. IBM, for example, used digital traces to create sales leads for their software group. They studied the exact language that IT buyers used in their searches about software topics and then custom designed a whole raft of inexpensive “how to” videos around these topics. IBM posted them on YouTube and tagged them with exactly the same words that buyers use when they search. ## 4\. New Marketing Skills Behavioral Economics Behavioral economics studies why and how consumers make choices as well as the economic impact those choices have. It combines the rational and the emotional side of buying decisions into one view and can produce some surprising insights: - Creating a default option is one of the most effective ways to make a sale. With out one, human inertia stands in the way of selling. - Sometimes, increasing the price will increase volume, not reduce it. - And in another counterintuitive example, adding more choices will often result in fewer yeses, not more. ## 5\. A New Way to Sell Social Selling Selling is, now more than ever, a social enterprise. Great salespeople use all their allies to propel customers along the new buyer journeys to close a sale. To launch the new 2010 Explorer, Ford created a community of advocates and enthusiasts on line. They shared their plans for the new model, previewed the car, and gave their fans first dibs on seeing and test driving the new model. They looped in dealers in 11 major cities, getting them excited about the new vehicle and ready to take pre-orders. Ford can boast of 10,000 pre-orders, eclipsing expectations. ## 6\. A New Partnership Selling is a Team Sport Just as sellers are collaborating with buyers in new ways, sales and marketing need a new arrangement. But who should lead and who should follow? Should marketing join sales in having a quota? Regardless of the uncertainties, one thing is clear: Successful selling requires new and deeper collaboration. Great salespeople use all their allies to propel customers along the journey and close a sale. Sales collaborates with marketing; sales uses social media to create momentum; sales works with customers to create solutions. Your 30-Day Plan Now, let us leave you with five things you can do in the next 30 days. ## 1\. Walk in the Buyers footprints. - Write down the exact journey you followed to make the last three big purchases in your personal life. - What role did a live salesperson play? - What role did the media play, including search and social media? - Do the same for your business. Talk to the last three people who bought from you. Exactly how did they buy? –Write it down. Draw the journey. - Do you have an arsenal of great offers and a systematic way to personalize them? ## 2\. Use digital bait. - Can you do a compelling 2-minute you Tube video? - Do you tell people what you stand for? - Are you providing true expertise and category insights for your buyers and helping them make good choices? ## 3\. Sell something using social media. Maybe it’s something simple like an upcoming event or more complicated like a new product. The important thing is to try it and then to measure it. ## 4\. Get Marketing and Sales in the same room. Take half a day and share a heart to heart session. - Are you on the same page? - What more can marketing do for sales? - What more can sales do for Marketing? - How can you turn the tennis opponents into a winning basketball team? ## 5\. Join the new selling conversation. This is the most important time in the history of marketing and sales. Buying has changed dramatically, and we as sellers have fallen behind so far. But our customers want us to catch up. They depend on us, especially as they try to navigate a confusing new world awash in more information than they can handle. _Brian Fetherstonhaugh is chairman and CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide._ --- ## The Great Canadian Sales Competition on The Morning Show (Global News) - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-on-the-morning-show Jamie Scarborough (STA and GCSC Co-Founder) at The Morning Show On February 25, 2015 Jamie Scarborough, Founding Partner at Sales Talent Agency made an appearance on Global News’ The Morning Show, to talk about the Great Canadian Sales Competition. Please click [here](http://globalnews.ca/video/1849553/the-great-canadian-sales-competition) to watch the full interview. For the love of sales! --- ## The Great Canadian Sales Competition featured on The National - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-great-canadian-sales-competition-on-the-national All Resources ### The Great Canadian Sales Competition featured on The National May 29, 2017 View the full segment [here](http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/jobs-found-for-millennials-1.4041022). --- ## The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales Engineering - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT. **But, hiring a diverse team is easier said than done, especially in the world of PreSales Engineering.** That said, data on who has been included in the PreSales Engineering space is limited, so in partnership with the [PreSales Collective](https://www.presalescollective.com/), we hosted a webinar to uncover the field’s history, current state, and future opportunities. The panel of PreSales experts included: [Cindy Goodwin-Sak](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindygoodwinsak/), Vice President of Global Security Sales Engineering Organization at Cisco, [Tia Hopkins](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yatiahopkins/), VP of Global Solutions Engineering at eSentire, and [James Kaikis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameskaikis/), Co-Founder at PreSales Collective, moderated by [Ali Alizadeh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-alizadeh-4915046a/), Director of Technical Sales, and [Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyntizz/), Sr. Executive Search Associate, from Sales Talent Agency. **A few of our top takeaways from the session include:** **6:50 –** There is diversity in PreSales today, more than ever before. There is still bias, but the conversation has changed significantly, and progress has been made. However, as of today, only 15% of the PreSales workforce is women. **24:30 –** Making diverse hires doesn’t necessarily mean that you are aiding in diversity and inclusion. Organizations must follow through with a culture that promotes retention by fostering a welcoming environment and showing a clear career trajectory for all employees, no matter who they are. **32:13 –** Having a top-down diversity strategy enables movement within an organization, with one of the key advantages lying in increased profitability. By diversifying leadership and promoting an inclusive workplace, more ideas and experiences can be drawn from, leading to more innovation and marketable solutions. **36:34 –** Increased diversity starts with the organization. Organizations that demonstrate diversity throughout their leadership teams, departments, and interview panels will invite a greater diversity of applicants who see themselves reflected in that company. Have a question that wasn’t answered? A topic you’d like us to cover? [Let us know](mailto:info@salestalentagency.com)! --- ## The Predictable Revenue Podcast: The ins and outs of sales recruiting with Jamie Scarborough of Sales Talent Agency - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-predictable-revenue-podcast-the-ins-and-outs-of-sales-recruiting-with-jamie-scarborough-of-sales-talent-agency On this edition of The Predictable Revenue Podcast, co-host Collin Stewart welcomes Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder of The Sales Talent Agency Jamie has been on the forefront of sales recruitment for more than a decade: in addition to founding Sales Talent Agency, he also co-founded the Great Canadian Sales Competition, the biggest national student competition in Canada. Throughout the pod, Collin and Jamie discuss how a recruiter analyzes candidates, conducts its own sales process, and hires adaptable recruiters. You can listen to the full podcast [here](https://predictablerevenue.com/podcast/150-the-ins-and-outs-of-sales-recruiting-with-jamie-scarborough-of-the-sales-talent-agency?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=podcast). --- ## 9 tips for presenting a job offer to your preferred candidate | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-right-way-to-present-a-job-offer ### By [Jamie Scarborough](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) Not every entrepreneur is a born recruiter, but hiring the right people is essential to making your business a success. And identifying great candidates is only part of the problem. Once you’ve found them, you’ve got to get them through the door. So you’ve done the work of attracting great applicants, and choosing a future company star to add to your team. Now you’re ready to make an offer. You’re on the goal line—don’t blow it! Here are nine tips for presenting a job offer to your preferred candidate. ## 1\. Do It In Person Would you ever email an important proposal to a potential client, and leave it at that? Of course not. You need to be able to guide them through it and answer any questions they may have. Use the same philosophy when closing the deal with a future employee. Book a time to go through the offer in-person, and if that’s not possible at least make sure you can discuss it over the phone. Don’t rely on a document to do your talking for you. ## 2\. Do It Fast Once you know you’ve got the right person for the job, present your offer within 48 hours. The longer you wait the more time you give other companies to provide competing offers, and the less likely you are to close. Anticipate in advance any approvals that are needed to send out an offer to avoid candidate frustration and tap-dancing. ## 3\. Do It Yourself While it is sometimes more convenient to have an HR person or external recruitment partner present the offer, the manager the candidate will be reporting to is much more likely to get a verbal acceptance on the spot. Delivering the offer yourself is also a great opportunity to build the trust and rapport needed for a great long-term working relationship. If it’s a sales role, the sales manager is also best equipped to answer any last-minute questions the candidate may have about commissions, quotas and expectations. ## 4\. Do It With Enthusiasm Taking a job at your company is a big and exciting decision for the candidate, so you need to show that it is just as important and momentous for you. You are not an accountant presenting a spreadsheet—you are an entrepreneur presenting a life-changing opportunity. Make sure they feel that. ## 5\. Don’t Base It On Current Compensation You are not competing with the candidate’s current employer—the fact that they’re entertaining your offer at all suggests they’ve already decided to leave. Rather, you’re competing with market demand for this individual’s talent. While a 10–15% bump should typically be enough to get them to sign, make sure you consider what else is in the market for them. Check out this article that highlights the [Top 5 questions we get about sales compensation.](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2/) ## 6\. Paint the Big Picture Along with a salary and commissions, your presentation should address the goals of the business, the culture of the company, the leadership they will benefit from, any unique and exciting perks, and how you plan to equip them for short and long-term success. ## 7\. Prepare Them to Expect (and Reject) A Counter-Offer Great employees typically already have jobs, and will often be financially encouraged to reconsider leaving. You do not want to get into a bidding war with your candidate’s current employer, so prepare your candidate for the likelihood of a counter-offer and empathize with the emotional struggle of leaving their current boss, colleagues and clients. If it feels like more than a financial transaction, they’re less likely to be drawn by the money they’re being offered to stay. ## 8\. Stay In Touch The deal is not closed until the day they start work, so keep up a high-touch program of communication after the offer is signed to ensure nothing else comes along to distract them. ## 9\. Set a Deadline Two days should be enough, but never offer more than five. Extend your deadline if you want, but only once. Once the clock expires, move on no matter what—if they haven’t accepted by now, they’re just not that into you. * * * _Sonya Meloff and Jamie Scarborough are the co-founders of Sales Talent Agency, Canada’s largest sales recruitment company and named on the list of [GROWTH 500 Ranking of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies](https://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/growth-500/2018-ranking-g500/) in 2018._ --- ## The Sales Talent Agency 3-Year Apprenticeship Program - now accepting applications for Toronto 2012 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-sales-talent-agency-3-year-apprenticeship-program-now-accepting-applications-for-toronto-2012 Sales Talent Agency – Toronto Apprentice\_2012 The Sales Talent Agency 3-Year Apprenticeship Program Now accepting applications for Toronto – 2012 (Email: sonya@salestalentagency.com) This is an exciting time for Sales Talent Agency. Now in its 5th year of operations, we have become the most respected sales recruitment company in Canada AND we are the country’s best boutique recruitment agency – period. We have helped more than 250 companies find quality sales reps at all levels, from junior sales hunters, to senior business developers, key account managers, sales managers and sales VP’s. There are 20 Sales Talent Agents across the country and we are growing! All of our Sales Talent Agents with more than 12-months of tenure made 6-figure++ incomes in 2011. After the overwhelming success of our first Apprentice (she only lasted a year, skipped year 2 and 3, and is now a top performing Sales Talent Agent) Sales Talent Agency is looking to hire another apprentice who is looking to build their career in the recruitment industry. We are looking to on-board a future Sales Talent Agent on or before September 1, 2012. **Year 1: Learn to Become a Recruiter** In your first year, you will be assigned as a support partner for one of our established Sales Talent Agents. You will work extremely closely with that experienced sales recruitment expert for a 12-month period learning how to build strategic recruitment project plans, develop candidate sourcing strategies, write compelling job profiles, identify and interview quality sales professionals, construct candidate profiles, interact with hiring managers, and present candidates to clients for best possible results. You will be assigned research projects, you will learn how to identify quality recruitment clients/projects, and you will provide vacation support to your Sales Talent Agent mentor. Most importantly – you will learn how to identify top performing sales professionals. You will learn sales from the ground up. Your compensation for Year 1 will be a $24,000 salary ($2,000 paid each month split into 2 bi-weekly payments), with small incentive bonuses if you find quality candidates for your mentor that they place with a client ($500 per placement). It is important to note that Sales Talent Agency does not have an employee benefits package, and that your total Year 1 income is likely to be less than $30,000. You will be provided a lap-top computer and an in-office phone. **Year 2: Start to Develop your own Client Portfolio** In your second year with Sales Talent Agency, you will use your new-found expertise as a sales recruiter to start to develop your own client base. This will involve identifying new potential client opportunities and cold-calling companies to generate new business opportunities. In this 2nd year, you will be mentored by Jamie Scarborough and Sonya Meloff (the owners of Sales Talent Agency) and will learn quality business development techniques, how to manage a sales pipeline, negotiate service agreements, and become a well-rounded Sales Talent Agent. With each new client project you bring onboard, you will develop and execute a strategic recruitment plan to close the role. Your compensation for Year 2 will be a $36,000 salary ($3,000 paid each month split into 2 bi-weekly payments), with an uncapped commission plan that will see your income grow significantly. You will earn 10% commissions on your Recognized Individual Billings (RIB – a common term at Sales Talent Agency), which means that if your RIB over the year is $120,000 (this is a VERY realistic projected amount), you will earn an additional $12,000 for the year in commissions. Therefore, your projected total income for Year 2 is $48,000, but top performers will exceed this amount. **Year 3: Become a Sales Talent Agent!** In your third year, you will be a fully-fledged Sales Talent Agent, with the same compensation structure as our experienced representatives. You will manage your own client portfolio, work your roles, and have complete autonomy with a fantastic support system to help you maximize your personal income. Your on-target income for Year 3 is expected to approach or exceed $100,000. So by your third year with our company, you will have an exciting career as a Sales Talent Agent. You will have “earned your stripes” as a recruiter, learned best practices as a business developer, and have started to develop your client portfolio (an ongoing process that requires top-performers to continue to develop new client opportunities year-in and year-out). You will be working for an employer that truly believes in partnership and fostering an environment of success for everyone involved with the company: our employees, our clients, and our candidates. **How do you qualify?** We are looking for people just starting their career. A business degree or sales/marketing-related diploma would obviously be beneficial. Most importantly, you will be someone with undeniable energy and enthusiasm. You will be hungry for success but humble enough to learn. You will have a great customer-centric focus. You will hate rejection but not be afraid of it. You will be looking for a long-term career, not just a short-term job. You will be curious about businesses and business models. You will be likeable, engaging, and empathetic. In short: you will be a Sales Talent Agent. We look forward to hearing from you. Send enquiries to sonya@salestalentagency.com (Subject should read: “I want to be a Sales Talent Agent!”) For the love of Sales! --- ## Secrets to Equipping Your Go-To-Market Team for Success | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-secrets-to-equipping-your-go-to-market-team-for-success-in-a-challenging-environment As 2020 winds down, we’re on the road to recovery, but the pandemic has faced us with social and economic challenges that mean customers are erring on the side of caution with their spending. It’s a scenario we’ll likely be facing into 2022. How do we equip our sales, marketing, and customer success teams for success in these uncertain times? That’s the question we tackled during this virtual event. A panel of go-to-market experts including, [Kyle Lacy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAERMa0BwG5_wwEWEl2lzKiDQrPwYNU8HhY) (CMO at [Lessonly](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lesson-ly/)), [Roderick Jefferson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAAgK0EB8lyWwMtrEsvvbAUyZ4MGAYE66-0) (CEO at [Roderick Jefferson & Associates](https://www.linkedin.com/company/roderick-jefferson-associates/)), and [Jayme Smithers)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAACRRsgBa5f9o1C2uur7odqrvcEeruDuNjg) (CRO at [Thoughtexchange](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thoughtexchange/)), moderated by [Asad Zaman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAKnmOwBUj1ukKYoD_emulrMo4R-wNmPvW0) (Managing Partner at Sales Talent Agency), shared their insights and best practices for navigating the next 18-24 months. If you’re a revenue leader, enablement professional, or sales executive, you’ll find this 60-minute live webinar invaluable. You can access the full recording [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zLQED3ima8&feature=youtu.be). --- ## The Solution Engineer: The Most Critical Sales Role During COVID-19 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/the-solution-engineer-the-most-critical-sales-role-during-covid-19 By [Ali Alizadeh](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/ali-alizadeh/) and [Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kaitlyn-tissington-turner/) Every industry across the globe has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every individual’s job has changed in the short-term. However, the Solution Engineer (SE) has not received the attention it deserves given how critical they have proven to be for a company’s success in this new selling environment. They have been models of successful remote work for their colleagues for whom it is a new reality and have stepped into the role of Account Executive, Engineer, and Product Manager to navigate complex deals. To explore how COVID-19 has impacted this critical role in software companies, we spoke to five Solution Engineering leaders: - [David Halk](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-halk-b183583a/) from [Axonify](https://axonify.com/) - [James Kaikis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameskaikis/) from [The Pre-Sales Collective](https://www.presalescollective.com/) - [Jonathan Tempest](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-tempest-46356120/) from [Benevity](https://benevity.com/) - [Kevin O’Keefe](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-o-keefe-87899a30/) from [Salesforce](https://www.salesforce.com/ca/?ir=1) - [Rob Falcone](https://www.linkedin.com/in/justfingdemo/) from [Guru (getguru.com)](https://www.getguru.com/) **It’s better to be a “need-to-have” than a “nice-to-have”** During an economic downturn, the companies whose solutions enable us to continue doing business are going to fare better and may even thrive. We have seen examples of this during the pandemic with organizations focused on digital transformation, virtual communications, and remote learning solutions. If you’re a Solution Engineer in one of these companies or one that has pivoted successfully, you are going to be busy, but selling with relative ease. One of these organizations is Axonify, whose SaaS platform provides critical training to many front-line workers that have been in the spotlight since the start of the pandemic. David Halk leads Axonify’s Solution Engineering Team, and says this when it comes to necessity: “There is no room for nice-to-haves. You have to be driving some immediate value such as efficiency or cost savings. We’re talking to a lot of call centres right now where the theme is removing redundancies, and this is how you provide value for the cost you are about to spend money on.” This perspective was shared by James Kaikis, Co-Founder of the Pre-Sales Collective, and Kevin O’Keefe from Salesforce.com, who recognize that their solutions continue to be critical even if sales have slowed temporarily. Unfortunately, not all companies offer solutions that will sell when budgets are tight and business is anything but normal. Solution Engineers in these companies should sit down with their leaders and Product Teams to explore ways they can pivot their offerings; if things look bleak, it may be time to start looking for a new company with staying power. **Pre-sales teams have always been remote – but, that isn’t the case for their colleagues and customers** Jonathan Tempest, Director of Pre-Sales Solutions at Benevity, captured an observation shared by all of the leaders we spoke to regarding remote work: “The biggest thing is how the market shifting \[to remote\] has impacted the team. Not traveling for demos, not being face-to-face, and finding new ways to engage… The first month was relatively easy, but you see a dwindling of energy over time. \[It’s about\] finding ways to maintain optimism and keep the team’s energy levels high and bringing that energy to conversations with prospects on a daily basis.” Much of this energy drain is due to difficulty communicating and sharing information remotely. Previously, when people needed help, it was easier to ask a colleague face-to-face or get quick responses virtually since there was less digital noise. Now, people waste a significant portion of their day looking for information or answering repeat questions. “This whole problem doubly impacts Pre-Sales,” says Guru’s Rob Falcone, Senior Director, Sales Engineering and Strategy, “because they have to do both! They’re not only facing a constant stream of questions from AE’s and customers, but also waste a ton of energy seeking out information from product, engineering, and other functions in order to do their job. It’s a recipe for burnout.” **Moving forward, customers are going to decide how business is done** Across the board, leaders agree that buyer behaviour will ultimately dictate how Solution Engineering and Sales Teams do business in our new reality. Rob Falcone identified three areas of changing buyer behaviour that he has seen in the industry since the start of the pandemic: “Volume of deals have decreased overall, price sensitivity has increased significantly, and more buyers are asking for an experiential component to their buying experience (i.e., “try before you buy”) to reduce risk and see the return on investment before committing to a purchase.” When it comes to balancing workload across teams based on customer interest, Jonathan Tempest says, “Our model means that \[SEs\] are mapped to specific Account Executives and have a 1:4 ratio. Some weeks are incredible with demand and other weeks it drops right down. Finding a way to balance proactive work and responsive work, having people helping other people – that’s been heightened.” James Kaikis echoed these sentiments, saying that even the types of deals worked on by dominant players like Salesforce.com have changed, and Solution Engineers had to change with them. “We’re being asked to do things outside of our usual scope… We’re doing engagements we don’t usually do.” Vendors have become more flexible in the types of deals they work on out of necessity, and the organizations that can do this best will stand a better chance of surviving or even thriving. **Success means being empathetic, setting expectations, and treating every deal like it’s precious** Bringing empathy and preparedness to each engagement should be the standard, but it is especially important during times of economic uncertainty. That uncertainty can manifest itself in the quality of work being done, and Solution Engineering leaders recognize that preparing their team for success means three main things: 1. Empathize with your team AND customers: “Solution Engineers need to empathize that some of the calls they’re going on today won’t be qualified in the same way they were pre-COVID,” notes Kevin O’Keefe, Manager of Solution Engineering at Salesforce.com. Further, Solution Engineers need to empathize with prospects and customers who are more sensitive to pricing and risk than ever before. Specifically, O’Keefe says that, “the usual grandiose solutions a Solution Engineer would traditionally create may not be as suitable for more tentative buyers.” 2. Setting expectations: Every leader referenced the heightened need for Sales Reps and Solution Engineers to set expectations with one another. Solution Engineers are in-demand at the best of times, but could be pulled into spontaneous meetings prior to the pandemic. In this new selling environment, their skills are extra critical to closing deals and they can’t afford to be underprepared for meetings. Ample notice must be given for any client engagements or product demonstrations so that performance is optimal. 3. Every deal is a “big deal”: Most businesses cannot afford to approach certain types of deals as casually as they may have before because spending is down. On top of this, meetings are being conducted virtually, and it is easier to lose the attention of your audience in this format, making your team’s delivery critical. As David Halk describes, “If teams have a big presentation coming up, we are doing tons of dry runs, because when you do virtual presentations it becomes more like a show than an organic conversation with jokes and bouncing around in-person… Doing dry runs tightens the presentation up really well.” **Looking ahead** Solution Engineers have proven how essential they are to a technology company’s survival in light of COVID. Every discovery, demo, and proof-of-concept is dependent on their unique skill set and so they have greater job security than most people within a sales organization. The way their roles look moving forward will be impacted by customer behaviour, but there is no doubt that top-notch talent is going to be what makes the difference between a won or lost deal. Most leaders we spoke with said that hiring top talent during this period will be critical, and we expect that it will be tougher than ever to compel the best talent to take a risk in the current market. We would like to thank David Halk, James Kaikis, Jonathan Tempest, Kevin O’Keefe, and Rob Falcone for their time and insight into the importance of the Solution Engineer and its essential function, no matter a company’s state. To better help your team to succeed in this new sales environment, check out “[The 3 Biggest Mistakes Companies Make When Hiring Sales Engineers](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-companies-make-when-hiring-sales-engineers/)” or reach out to us directly to discuss what talent will set you up for long-term success. --- ## Impacted by tech layoffs in 2022? These tips can help you bounce back | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-13-answered-questions-will-help-with-tech-layoffs-2022 Illustrations by Michael Pilon. By [Michael Pilon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/michael-pilon/) As you’ve likely seen in the posts dotting your LinkedIn timeline recently, mass layoffs have been happening worldwide, especially in tech. In fact, in 2023 alone, tech startups across the globe have [laid off over 135,000 employees](https://layoffs.fyi/) (2022 saw over 160,000 cuts). Even tech giants like [Meta](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/09/why-mark-zuckerberg-announce-11000-job-cuts-meta) and [Shopify](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-shopify-compensation-hiring-plans/) aren’t safe, having laid off around 11,000 and 1,150 people in 2022 respectively. If you’ve just been laid off, or you think you could be getting laid off soon, you’re likely going through a confusing and emotional time. To help, we’ve put together this guide answering common questions and providing guidance on how to move forward in this transformative period, all for you to bounce back stronger than before. Feel free to read the whole article, or jump to a specific topic by using one of the links below: - [Why do layoffs generally happen?](#why-do-layoffs-happen) - [Why are layoffs currently happening, primarily in the tech space?](#why-are-layoffs-happening-in-tech) - [What types of companies are being most impacted in the tech space and why?](#what-company-types-are-the-most-impacted) - [What are some signs my company is about to make layoffs?](#what-are-the-signs-of-a-layoff) - [What happens to my benefits after a layoff?](#what-happens-to-benefits-after-a-layoff) - [Will I get severance pay if I’m laid off?](#will-i-get-severance-pay-after-a-layoff) - [Are noncompete agreements enforceable after a layoff?](#are-noncompete-agreements-enforceable) - [Should I ask for a reference after a layoff?](#should-i-ask-for-a-reference-after-a-layoff) - [What mental health support is available for laid off employees?](#what-mental-health-support-is-available) - [Additional questions to ask if your company laid you off:](#additional-questions-to-ask) - [What types of companies are hiring right now?](#what-companies-are-hiring-now) - [Steps to take to find employment after being laid off:](#steps-to-find-employment-after-a-layoff) - [How do I talk about being laid off in an interview?](#how-to-talk-about-layoffs-in-an-interview) ## Why do layoffs generally happen? Layoffs can happen at a company for a variety of reasons, from needing to cut costs to meet market demands or restructuring whole departments. Here’s are a few of the most common reasons for layoffs and why they occur: **Cost reduction:** One of the main reasons companies make layoffs is to cut costs; they might not have enough revenue to sustain wages, or they might have lost financial backing from investors. For software companies specifically that rely on investments to grow, some might need to cut costs to extend their runway (the time they have before running out of funds) in a market where it’s hard to raise funding. **Closures or restructuring:** Depending on how a company is structured, it might need to layoff employees if it’s closing off a portion of the business, or when restructuring a department to meet current market needs. Additionally, organizations may have layoffs due to overhiring for specific projects, where priorities shifted or funding fell through. In the tech industry, the market you’re in can also be an indicator of structure. Companies will spread their wings in a bull market, investing in projects that have a longer term horizon and thus increasing costs. In a bear market, though, the projects might be considered risky investments and are often cut. **Mergers and Acquisitions:** Layoffs can happen when companies merge due to department overlap, and previously deemed essential roles become unnecessary (this isn’t always the case, though – mergers can also lead to creating new teams and positions.) Also, companies acquired by investment firms might be looking to cut costs to improve profitability, which can lead to layoffs. ## Why are layoffs currently happening, primarily in the tech space? Tech companies are currently the most impacted by this round of layoffs. There are a few reasons why, which starts with the demand created during the pandemic. During the waves of lockdowns, companies realized they needed to invest more into digital transformation. Factors like more people working from home and comfort around digital experiences, like ordering food or groceries, also accelerated the digitization of customer interactions. In fact, some companies implemented digital changes, like increasing spending on data security, the use of advanced technology, and working remotely between 19 and 43 times faster than previous years. Investors saw this increased demand for digital technologies and deployed more capital than normal into the market, which in [November 2021 reached a peak of $70 billion in VC funding](https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/global-venture-capital-funding-data-monthly-recap-may-2022/). At the same time, though, supply chain, and geopolitical issues were creating an economic problem. And, with inflation at an all time high in 40 years and central banks increasing our interest rates, the cost of capital has gone up. The macro economic challenges and recession risk both make growth and raising money harder, so tech companies are cutting costs by implementing layoffs and hiring freezes across the board. There is also a valuation correction happening, and companies in the tech industry who received high valuations last year are in the toughest spot. ## What types of tech companies are being most impacted by layoffs and why? Both public and private tech companies have been affected by mass layoffs and hiring freezes, but [late-stage startups specifically have felt the impacts the worst](https://news.crunchbase.com/job-market/tech-layoffs-analysis-late-stage-startups/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=SocialSnap). As of last month, 55.79% of the layoffs in the US were at a late-stage startup, while only 18.95% were at the early stage. Late-stage startups tend to be capital-intensive businesses. They are not yet profitable, but they still need to invest in order to grow, so they aren’t as nimble as earlier stage companies. It’s harder for these tech companies to raise capital and to get the positive cash flow they might need, so in a tough market, they may need to implement cost cutting measures like layoffs. ## What are some signs my company is about to make layoffs? While nothing can 100% tell you that layoffs are coming, if you see multiple of the following signs at your company, you might want to start thinking ahead: **There’s a sense of belt tightening and drastic budget cuts:** If a company starts implementing restrictive budgets, and expenses that previously didn’t need approval from higher ups now need a sign off, it could mean that it might need to start cutting back on employees soon, too. This might all be done in an effort to avoid layoffs, though, so don’t rely solely on this indicator. **Executives are leaving:** If the upper leadership in your organization starts leaving, it could be a sign of instability in the organizational structure, or that they know something other employees don’t. While one or two executives leaving might not be an indication of instability, more than that in a short period of time could mean the company isn’t operating as well as it should. **Growth has halted:** Periods of downward growth for two quarters or more could be a sign that the company isn’t financially stable, and might need to cut down on their workforce to match market demand. **New projects are being postponed:** If you’re used to getting many new projects but now they’re getting postponed or canceled, it could be a sign that priorities are shifting to make sure that enough revenue is being generated and reduce costs. **A shift in the environment:** When things aren’t going well for a company, you’ll likely have a feeling that something is off with the environment and corporate culture. HR teams or other leaders might operate behind closed doors more often than normal, and there might be less communication than you’re typically used to. Trust your instincts if something feels off. **You’re no longer kept in the loop:** If new projects are being pushed out, and you’ve started being kept out of the loop, that could be a sign that your role is on the chopping block. Try to connect with your supervisors to see if you can provide assistance for these projects to gauge whether or not you are intentionally being kept out. [See here](https://www.michaelpage.com.au/advice/career-advice/career-progression/how-ask-your-boss-more-responsibility) for some best practices to keep in mind while asking for more responsibility. ## What happens to my benefits after a layoff? **Benefits:** What happens to your benefits like health or dental insurance after a layoff will depend on your employer and country, but generally your benefits will end once your employment does. Some employers might extend them for laid off employees, which could give you some leeway until you find another position. If it isn’t laid out in your termination package, be sure to ask the HR department or your employer when your benefits will end. **Stock options and equity:** If you received stock options or equity as part of your compensation package, and want to hold onto them, then you will generally have to exercise them before leaving. How this works can vary depending on the company and country, but generally you’ll have a 90 day window after your departure, and if you don’t decide what to do with your shares or equity before then, they’ll go back to the organization. Companies aren’t likely to let you know that you haven’t exercised your stock options, so make sure you’re proactive about it and ask your previous employer or benefits provider for help if you have questions. **401K:** It’s important to figure out what to do with the money you accrued in your 401K while you were employed. Taking it out early can leave you paying income tax and other fees, which can be hefty. You could also roll over your 401K into an individual retirement account (IRA) to avoid paying fees and continue to save – talk to your plan administrator to see if this is a possibility. ## Will I get severance pay if I’m laid off? Severance pay is a contractual offer from a company which usually offers money or benefits in order to waive liability when cutting your contract short. Whether or not you get severance pay, and how much of it you get, depends on a variety of factors that can vary between countries and companies. For example, [in Ontario](https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/severance-pay), employees need to have been employed for at least five consecutive years, and employers need to have a payroll of $2.5 million, or be laying off at least 50 employees within a 6 month time period, before severance pay is legally required. You might also be entitled to termination pay, which is a separate payment meant to compensate workers for the time it would take to find a new position. Generally, this payment is given instead of the legally required length of notice. ## Are noncompete agreements enforceable after a layoff? Essentially, yes, noncompete agreements are still enforceable if you’re laid off. But, noncompete agreements can be difficult to enforce in general. And, if you’re taken to court, the judge will consider all aspects of the situation before deciding on whether or not to enforce the agreement, including whether or not you were laid off. That doesn’t mean you can try to take customers from your previous employer, though; the courts will consider these actions too when making their decision. ## Should I ask for a reference after a layoff? In general, yes: It’s a good idea to ask your employer for a reference, and for what information they’ll provide on a reference check after you’re laid off, so you can be prepared for how they would answer. Some severance packages might already include a positive reference in the terms, especially if you’re being laid off because of downsizing or a correction in the market. That being said, make sure that you ask anyone you’d like to have as a reference for their preferred contact information before you depart. [See here](https://ca.indeed.com/hire/c/info/employee-reference-letters-tips-template-and-example?gclid=Cj0KCQjwz96WBhC8ARIsAATR253bDXpARNe9N_YVqem51t4Luy5IAW98ttmh9YYD40j9kaARrmew14gaAmEOEALw_wcB&hl=en&aceid=&co=CA) for information that should be included in an employer reference letter. If you were laid off for performance reasons, though, you might want to reconsider asking for a reference from your superior, especially if their response wouldn’t paint you in the best light. Consider another person if possible – you could try a different supervisor at the same company who you had a better working relationship with. ## What mental health support is available for laid off employees? Being laid off can be shocking and stressful for anyone, so it’s important to get the mental health support needed to get through difficult times. The Government of Canada offers an [Employee Assistance Program (EAP)](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/occupational-health-safety/employee-assistance-services/employee-assistance-program.html) that laid off individuals who need mental health support can call or live chat, and they’ll be connected to an experienced counselor, who can provide short-term professional guidance and make referrals where necessary. In the US, the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)](https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/tools-resources/workplace-health/index.html) has a wealth of online resources and professionals to contact to help with depression, stress, and other workplace ailments. Some companies will offer their own mental health support programs when laying off employees, and have mental health professionals available to meet with when needed. In some cases, these professionals support the employers through the process as well, giving guidance for how to properly deliver the news, or they might even be present in the room during a layoff meeting to provide immediate support to either party. If you think you’ll need mental health support from your employer, be sure to ask what’s available in your layoff meeting. ## Additional questions to ask if your company laid you off: Being laid off can feel like a whirlwind, so it’s easy to forget important questions you should ask your employer before your departure. Here are a few useful questions to keep in mind, if they aren’t already outlined in your termination package: **Am I eligible for rehire?** While this might not be an option if your layoff was performance based, there might still be an opportunity for rehire in the future if the company hires for your role again. Asking upfront can show your interest, which your employer might remember when it’s time to hire again, and could also save you the time applying for nothing later on if they say no. **What happens to my vacation pay?** Every country and province has its own way of handling vacation pay, so if you’re unsure of the process, or you think something is off in your termination package, ask your employer or a lawyer. In Ontario, for example, those employed for less than five years would have two weeks of vacation days available, at a rate of 4% of gross wages, and those employed for more than five years get three weeks of vacation days, at a rate of 6% of gross wages. These would be paid out to you if eligible and unused. **Lastly, confirm anything unclear about your termination package.** If you’ve read through your termination package and have any questions, like about your severance pay or benefits, be sure to clarify anything you’re unsure of before your last day. ## What types of companies are hiring right now? Layoffs and hiring freezes can happen in any company, but there are a few business stages that are more likely to survive a correction in the market. As we mentioned, late stage tech companies are among the hardest hit, but earlier stage companies can be more nimble and they don’t have the same valuation challenges since theirs are more recent and accurate. Some public companies have some extra padding as well, especially if they’re profitable, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t being affected by this market correction. Where the job opportunities are will change, but firms that either help companies make or save money, and solve mission critical problems, are generally the most secure in a harsh economic environment. Also, some of the companies who have laid off employees might still be hiring for critical roles to pull them through this tough period and weather the storm, so keep your options open when applying. If you’re looking for some specific companies in Canada to apply to, see [here](https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/heres-whos-hiring-in-canada-4371473/) for a list from LinkedIn, and [here](https://doc.clickup.com/24539925/d/h/qcwrn-182/b279f790a068966) for a list of companies and organizations recruiting (and who to contact there!) There’s also a [B2B tech hiring tracker](https://peersignal.org/b2b-hiring) you can use to search for jobs worldwide. ## Steps to take to find employment after being laid off: After being laid off, it’s important to take a few days to process what happened. It’s perfectly normal to feel shocked or angry, so take some time to cool off so that you don’t carry that energy into the job hunt. Once you feel ready, freshen up your resume, practice your interview skills and start thinking about your next move. These tips can help you through the process: **Network:** Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a job, so your first step should be to network as much as possible. If you’re comfortable sharing your story, post about your layoff experience on LinkedIn to let your network know that you’re actively looking for a new role. Otherwise, reach out to your connections individually and chat over some coffee to test the waters. **Look for others offering help:** Many workers and employers feel compelled to help others throughout a time when companies are undergoing layoffs. [Wiseful.co](https://www.wiseful.co/layoffs) has a list of laid off employees available from a wide range of industries, which companies can search through when looking to hire (see [here](https://airtable.com/shr0MaKkuw0iItwVe) to add yourself to the list). On LinkedIn, you can look through the [#layoffs](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/layoffs/) page to see who is offering their help, whether they’re holding office hours to help with your resume or offering to put a word out in their network for you. You can also tag your posts with #OpenToWork to let recruiters and employers know you’re in the market and give yourself some extra visibility. **Connect with a recruitment firm:** Recruiters are experts at filling open roles, and many of them are looking to help place laid off candidates in a new position. So, reach out to the recruitment firms operating in your area to see if they can help. Some firms focus on specific industries and others are more general, so do some research to see the types of roles they fill before reaching out. If you’re looking for a new sales opportunity, you can contact us [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/). **Browse job boards:** Once you’ve exhausted your social resources, it’s time to start applying to new positions yourself to get your name out there, and a job board is the perfect place to find relevant roles. If you’re looking for a new sales career, take a look through [our job board](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1) for available openings – some other popular spots to browse are [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/), [Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.ca/index.htm) and [Monster](https://www.monster.ca/). ## How do I talk about being laid off in an interview? **Be honest, and bring it up yourself:** The main question your interviewer would likely have is how the layoff would affect your performance in a new role. Don’t give them time to worry about it – bring up the layoff yourself, and address any potential concerns they might have. The interviewer might think that the layoff was based on performance, so be sure to mention if it wasn’t. Or, they might think that the experience left you bitter at the workforce, so stay upbeat and enthusiastic while you discuss. **Stay positive, and highlight your work:** No matter the circumstances, try to stay positive when talking about your previous employment, and don’t say anything negative about your departure. And, make sure to talk about your successes in the role, such as implementing a useful system or crushing a sales quota, and use numbers where you can to quantify your feats. You might also want to put together a portfolio of the work you did there, depending on your profession, to further showcase your talents. **Don’t dwell on it:** Overall, it’s important to not spend too much time discussing the layoff. Once you’ve successfully brought it up and highlighted the positive aspects of your time there, it’s best to move onto other more important topics. Spending too much time talking about your layoff might come across as bitterness, or it might seem like you have trouble rolling with the punches. ## Lastly, mass layoffs are stressful for everyone involved, but there could be a silver lining. It’s easy to fall into the trap of negativity and self doubt after a layoff, even if you know that it was based on the market and not performance. But, once the confusion or anger ends, remember that this is a transformative time in your life that could lead to better opportunities. For example, if your situation allows for it, you could use the time off to take a break and recharge with your family before launching into a new job search, or even use the time to learn and practice new skills. Your wellbeing is key, so be kind to yourself and remember that you’re not alone. There’s a [community of people](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/layoffs/) sharing this experience with you, and also a [community of people](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/layoffs/) looking to help. With this guide in hand, we hope that you’ll bounce back when you’re ready and land a new role that you love. --- ## These 6 things helped me achieve success as a woman in business | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/these-6-things-helped-me-achieve-success-as-a-woman-in-business ### By [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/sonya-meloff) Let’s jump right into it! The first thing that has helped me as a women in business is that I really never think about it. I’ve always just taken the view that to be the best me in business, you really just have to be the best in business, regardless of gender. Competition in business, unlike say .. professional sport, is not segregated by gender, so in whatever it is that I was doing, whether selling for an ad agency, or selling recruitment services, I have always focussed on trying to do it better, smarter and faster than anyone else. It’s not my gender that determines if I put in the extra effort, and I’ve just always been told that if you do the best job, you will win every time. So I wake up every day, prepared to go to battle, and never do I think that any of my successes or failures, wins or losses, are based or influenced by gender. Out of sight, out of mind, and I believe winning in business is gender neutral and I just never think about it. Focus on being the best and it wins every time. You have to be scrappy and fight your way to get in the door, or a seat at the table – and that may not happen overnight – but once you are there, it’s your shot to build your reputation and build your credibility. Nobody expects you to know everything, but come prepared and be ready to ask good questions. If something doesn’t make sense to you, be prepared to speak up and don’t be afraid to ask ‘why’ or ‘how’. You will never look bad asking good questions, and chances are if it doesn’t make sense to you, then it doesn’t make sense to someone else who’s also afraid to speak up. One of the best ways to earn credibility is by having strong expertise in whatever it is that you are doing. So no matter what your profession of choice, focus on becoming an expert because if you can become an expert, people will listen and you will be the person that people look to for advice and solutions. Expertise is not gained overnight and it comes with time and repetitions. The first thing that everyone needs to understand is that we are ALL in sales. Every day, we are working in sales. Whether it’s selling an idea to a classmate, selling yourself to a potential employer, selling an idea internally within a company, selling students to come to an event, or actually selling a company’s product or service, we are all in sales, everyday. Point one. Point two to understand is that sales solves everything! Knowing how to sell is incredibly important and sales skills must be learned and practiced. There are lots of misconceptions about what it takes to be good at sales, primarily around personality types, but we know that if you’ve got an engine, have high emotional intelligence, and a sharp mind, whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, amiable, aggressive, male, female, everyone can be good at sales. And a company will always need sales. So whether or not you actually work in sales, having the ability to convey a value proposition, and learning the skills of resilience, are critical whether you are a scientist trying to get a grant, or a founder of your own next-gen game changing app. See yourself as a salesperson! If you want to set big goals, then you have to be prepared to fight for them, get bloody, and not let excuses get you down. It is very easy to set big goals, but unless you are prepared to overcome any obstacle put in your way, it really doesn’t matter. So be prepared to go through the wall, over the wall, or under the wall in order to achieve your goals. That is drive and drive crushes ambition every time. Sometimes I get frustrated with the negative doom and gloom stories that I hear and read in the media about how bad it is for women in business. Dare I say fake news. If you look around, there are so many unbelievable women leading some of the largest companies in almost every sector of the economy. Here are just a few examples: - [Rola Dagher,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/roladagher/) President of Cisco Systems - [Ginny Rometty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginni_Rometty), Chair, President and CEO of IBM - [WEndy Freeman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-freeman-aab79083/), President of CTV News - [Kathleen Taylor,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-taylor-10619556/) Chair of the Board of RBC - [Cynthia Hanson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-hansen-45441622/), President of Gas Distribution, Enbridge Gas - [Shelly Martin](http://nestle.com/), CEO of Nestle Canada - [Priscillah Mabelane](https://www.google.ca/search?q=Priscillah+Mabelane&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwif8-nPoO7WAhVJ34MKHUaSARoQ_AUICygC&biw=1242&bih=557#imgrc=AgWou6m7TTRPMM:), CEO of BP - [Maureen Kempston Darkes](http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/former-gm-canada-president-maureen-kempston-darkes-on-gms-first-female-ceo/), CEO of GM Canada - [Sabrina Geremia](http://business.financialpost.com/technology/google-appoints-new-canada-head-as-country-basks-in-its-tech-moment), Head of Google Canada And if you’re interested in the business of politics, it’s actually amazing how many countries have [elected female leaders, including presidents, prime ministers, and heads of states.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_and_appointed_female_heads_of_state_and_government) Again, a good news story can be found. Even in Canada, we’ve had our female Prime Minister, Premiers, Mayors, and Governor General. For those with an interest, there is inspiration that can be found everywhere. If there is anything that I would recommend to women in business, it’s to understand that if you want something, you’ve got to ask for it. Make your intentions known, put your hand up, and be clear and direct with your request. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got himself in some hot water a few years ago when he first advised women in business at a conference that if they [wanted a raise, it would come with good karma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3U7hTyZQnE). He later walked back those comments, but let’s all just re-iterate, that that ain’t how it happens. Asking for a raise is but one example where it helps to speak up and ask for what you want. Speak up and ask for what you want and need. If it’s more flexibility once you’ve had a child, ask. If it’s a raise, ask. If it’s wanting a meeting with an executive, ask. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. And not everyone will say yes, all the time, and that’s ok. Sheryl Sandberg, the Facebook CFO and Founder of [LeanIn.org](http://leanin.org/), along with McKinsey, one of the worlds largest global consulting firms, published a study which found that women aren’t getting promoted as fast as men. What’s going wrong she asks? They found that women are less likely than men to feel that their managers give them opportunity to grow, and the higher up the corporate ladder you go, women just seem to get promoted less, despite asking. I think there are a lot of factors that go into this, and I don’t believe that gender parity in the workforce should be a goal, but I believe Sheryl Sandberg is accurate in her findings that many women remove themselves from the workforce, even mentally, well before they need to because they foresee eventually removing themselves from the workforce when they have kids. Therefore, because they know they’ll be leaving, they don’t fight to get as high to the top as they could early in their careers. Leaving on mat leave is inevitable, but it’s better to leave and be as valuable to a company as possible. * * * So my advice to women in business, the advice that I will give to my daughter, is that you can’t change your gender, so just get on with it and don’t think about it too much. Remember that credibility is earned, you gotta learn how to sell, ambition is not drive — how hard are you prepared to go through the wall to achieve your goals, choose to see inspiration everywhere, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Happy Women’s History Month. For the love of Sales! --- ## The Employer's Checklist: Tips for Equipping Your Sales Rep | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/tips-for-equipping-your-sales-rep ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) While Sales Talent Agency can ensure you find the very best sales people for your organization, even the most talented and driven reps need help to close deals. The better prepared your organization is to help the sales rep, the higher your return on investment will be. Think of your sales rep as a soldier, and you are the general. Sure you can throw that person into a battle and hope they come back alive. But if you give them some decent armor, a good arsenal of weaponry, a well thought out plan of attack, a quality briefing on their opponents strengths and weaknesses, and a feeling that they are part of an army and are not fighting alone, they will help you win the war! Below is a checklist Sales Talent Agency has put together based on the combined Best Practices (and some of the mistakes) of our vast client list. See how your company/division ranks against the very best sales organizations and look for ways to improve. Assign a number (1=bad, 5=great) for each area and start looking for ways to close the gap. Bigger companies can invest heavily in each area, while smaller companies can use creativity and high-effort to address each need. ## A well-equipped sales rep has the following: 1. A compelling and easily explained value proposition: what does your company offer its clients that is unique and helps them meet their goals? 2. Strong product/service training on each and every component (or category of components) you sell 3. Sales process/strategy training that aligns with the type of sales approach they will be engaging in 4. A lead generation strategy (marketing support that helps open doors and gain brand awareness) 5. A great understanding of your company’s “cost of sale”, implementation limitations and processes, and co-workers roles and responsibilities 6. Access to “subject matter experts” who can attend meetings/strategize opportunities 7. An ongoing understanding of the competitive landscape 8. A strong understanding of what is “low hanging fruit” (what types of businesses are most likely to buy from your company right now?) 9. Case studies, reference letters and/or testimonials from happy customers 10. Continuous access to up-to-date company successes and/or new product and service offerings 11. Well developed and constructed marketing materials (including a strong company website) 12. Other quality sales reps who are fighting the same battle 13. A good sales leader to provide 1-on-1 goal setting and review sessions, plan meetings, analyze the sales pipeline, set realistic quotas AND strategize accounts/tactics 14. A fair playing field: each rep must feel that all rules are thoughtful and enforced evenly 15. An uncapped commission plan that is both motivating and easy to understand 16. A sharing of Best Practices of other sales reps, including sales approaches and email/phone/voicemail communications that work 17. A database of quality responses to frequently asked (or tricky) questions 18. A good database (CRM) to keep track of their prospects, customers and activities * * * [Let Sales Talent Agency help you develop a strategy for equipping your sales team for success!](http://salestalentagency.force.com/jsforms__forminclude?formId=a1Ro0000001Acv4EAC&_ga=2.59445485.1933380708.1494598445-2065400469.1484682167) --- ## Today's Notable Young Professional - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/todays-notable-young-professional All Resources ### Today’s Notable Young Professional December 2, 2016 Sheila Cassidy, Director of the Great Canadian Sales Competition, was featured as Today’s Notable Young Professional. Check out the full article [here](http://notable.ca/sheila-cassidy-todays-notable-young-professional/). --- ## Top 10 Tips for Candidates Working with Recruiters | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-10-tips-for-candidates-working-with-recruiters Candidates ### Top 10 Tips for Candidates Working with Recruiters February 14, 2012 ### by Scott Corwin 1. Recruiters are paid to fill a job not find you a job. Try not to take it personally but do understand this is how they make a living. 2. Are you a good candidate? Recruiters do like to place good candidates with good companies. An old colleague of mine once said there is no such thing as a bad company or a bad candidate; you just have to match the two. 3. Building strong relationships with recruiters. Follow up once a week via a call and once a week via an email. If a recruiter has information about an interview for you or the next steps they WILL call you. More than that detracts from the recruiter doing their job…getting you the interview. 4. Keys to the kingdom. Recruiters often hold key information about positions, companies hiring, and specific hurdles hiring managers put in front of candidates. They are always willing to share that information with the candidates they believe to be their personal top choice. 5. Preparation is the difference between the top candidate who gets an offer and the runner up. Does your resume really present you well? Do you have a plan on how you are going to be successful? Know the market, the competitors and industry news. 6. Q & A with the recruiter. This should really go both ways, but understand the recruiter is trying to qualify you IN, not knock you out of consideration for this position. They need to know specifics and will ask hard questions. Just be truthful. 7. Compensation. This is the reason we all work. In vision your recruiter as your talent agent. They get a piece of the action because they put you in the job in the first place. 8. Not Enough Time in the Day. Some recruiters are trying to do the job of 4 people. You are looking for one job and look how time consuming that can be. Image trying to fill 30 spots, all in the next 48 hours… 9. Be nice. Be professional. Transitioning to a new job or career can be stressful, we get it. Just don’t make your recruiter your shrink. Be sure to communicate clearly with your recruiter what is the most important criteria for you to make a move. Nothing is more frustrating to a recruiter than doing all the work required to get you the offer to have you then so no. 10. Karma and referrals. Pay it forward. Do you want to be top of mind of a recruiter? – help them with a referral. What goes around comes around. I’ll personally go out of my way for someone that has already gone out of their way to help me. --- ## Top 5 Questions About Sales Compensation - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation _Over the past 12 years, our team at Sales Talent Agency has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a [presentation](https://vimeo.com/312989145) given by [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) on the top 5 most popular questions presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. For the full article, [click here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2/)._ ## Do sales people care only about money? Of course, salespeople do care about money, however, their needs are far greater. The true hierarchy of needs for a sales person includes much more. Specifically, they need: a clear value proposition, proof that their company has been able to help others, engaged support, realistic targets, a simple compensation plan, and a ‘big picture’ vision. Salespeople view themselves as expert problem solvers, and ultimately, they must believe in their own company’s unique ability to solve a critical problem. Being able to identify and close a sale with a customer is an incredibly valuable and rare skill to do successfully, and as result, salespeople care deeply that they are being compensated appropriately. ## What is the right balance of base and commission to pay? 95% of salespeople that we meet have a combination of salary and [commissions](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-much-pay-sales-reps/) or bonuses. There are 3 levers that you can use when structuring a compensation plan – salary, performance-based variable and equity. There are pros and cons of every possible structure, however the best compensation plans are a thoughtful balance tied directly to what the sales person is responsible for. This is why having clearly defined role expectations is critically important as it must align with the overall business objectives. Additionally, the timing of when and how to pay commissions is also a balancing act. The best plans pay salespeople their commissions the pay period after the company has successfully collected payment from the customer. This keeps salespeople happy and engaged. ## Am I paying enough? You will know that you are paying enough if you are able to attract and keep good people. Period. Remember that the best salespeople are paid above the industry average because they deserve it, so don’t make the mistake of benchmarking your compensation on what the average is making. It is also important to keep an open-line of conversation with your sales team. If you have a real star in your midst, be prepared to have that discussion around salary resizing. At any given moment, salespeople typically feel that their base salaries should increase between 11-36%. Since we published [**The Definitive Sales Salary Guide**](http://www.salessalaryguide.com/) – salaries in some categories have jumped 20%+. The market salary for sales positions is rapidly changing, don’t ignore it. ## Should commissions be capped? If you are going to incentivize people through a commission-based structure, you shouldn’t cap it. One of the most important compensation factors for salespeople is that their income should be uncapped to allow them to truly earn as much as their skill and drive allows and reflect the value they bring to the organization. The understanding of an ‘at risk plan’ is that employees are willing to accept a lower base salary in return for the potential to earn upside potential for overachievement. While it’s prudent to use caps for no-risk compensation plans, you should never use them for sales plans. ## What are the best SPIFFs? A SPIFF is the practice of paying a small, immediate bonus for achieving a goal and act as a great way to motivate salespeople to maximize revenue for your business. SPIFFs are used as a quick ignite or power boost to complement a long-term sales strategy. Any SPIFF program should be built to have immediacy and little administrative burden. If they take too long to achieve, they can be forgotten. SPIFFs should be well thought-out and you should have a good understanding of your expected ROI before launching it. Keep them short, infrequent and the cost should not exceed more than 5% of your incentive budget. In addition to SPIFFs, you may want to consider implementing accelerators, or overachievement commissions. This compensation variable kicks in after quotas are met. Once your employee has surpassed their quota, they then become eligible to earn an increased commission rate for any additional revenue generated. I hope that this article has provided you with insight on how to motivate and retain top performing salespeople to your organization. According to experts, a better sales compensation plan is the secret sauce to boosting sales. If you can attract a top performing sales rep to your team, it’s the best asset of a company and you’ll be a rockstar all day long. If you have other compensation questions, [contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today! --- ## Top 5 questions about sales compensation (Full Version) - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2 _Over the past 12 years, our team at [Sales Talent Agency](http://www.salestalentagency.com/) has been asked a lot of questions on the topic of sales compensation. Below is an amended transcript of a presentation by Sonya Meloff on the top 5 most popular questions. The original video is presented by MaRS Discovery District at the Mastering Talent: Startup Compensation event. [Click here](https://vimeo.com/312989145) to view._ ## Do sales people care only about money? This is a very important question because salespeople are typically the only employees within the organization who earn a commission. Therefore, it is easy to see how one may naturally think that this is all they are concerned about. Of course, salespeople do care about money, however, their needs are far greater. The true hierarchy of needs for a sales person includes much more. Specifically, they need: a clear value proposition, proof that their company has been able to help others, engaged support, realistic targets, a simple compensation plan, a ‘big picture’ vision of where they are going and where the company is headed as a whole. If the company that they work for doesn’t have a product they believe in or the ability to deliver effectively on goods sold, they can’t make good money. Salespeople see themselves as the ultimate problem solvers; their goal is to understand their customers’ needs better than anyone. Ultimately, they must believe in their own company’s unique ability to solve a critical problem. Being able to identify and close a sale with a customer is an incredibly valuable skill and we must appreciate that it is a rare skill to do successfully. A good salesperson is worth their weight in gold -or bitcoin- and salespeople are hyper-aware of their worth. As a result, they care deeply that they are being compensated appropriately. It is also important that their sales targets are achievable & reasonable and when not, reviewable. ## What is the right balance of base and commission to pay? 95% of salespeople that we meet have a combination of salary and commissions or bonuses. There are 3 levers that you can use when structuring a compensation plan – salary, performance-based variable and equity. The right balance will incent what every company wants from their sales reps: to over-achieve on their target! There are pros and cons of every possible structure, whether your job offering is 100% salary, or 100% commission. The best compensation plans are a thoughtful balance tied directly to what the sales person is responsible for. This is why having clearly defined role expectations is critically important as it must align with the overall business objectives. Adding new customers, setting up customer demo’s, increasing deal size, improving customer retention and selling products with better gross profit are all examples of this. Ideally, salespeople can track these metrics in real time through their CRM. Typically, there will be a different commission structure for the salesperson that is bringing net new clients and the salesperson that is responsible for growing that business. In many situations, the same person is performing both of these tasks and they are paid with the same commission structure. As companies invest more in client success models, it may be cost-prohibitive to pay a rep high commissions for business renewal, especially if they have little involvement in that transaction. On the flip side, this could help retain a good person, so you need to consider multiple factors. Typically, a pure hunter, will be paid a 50/50 plan, meaning that if the base salary is $55K, their plan will allow them to make $110K on-target earnings (OTE). Most junior reps are not ready for high commission sales roles. The pressure will often negatively impact their growth curve and in many cases, their family and friends may also discourage them. If you are hiring bright/driven new grads, you have to keep in mind that your $40-$45K base is competing against the $65K base salary that they are seeing offered by consulting and CPG companies straight out of university. The balance needs to be adjusted based on what roles you are competing against. If you can’t pay them the salary they want, you need to offer something else that is appealing such as an elite employment brand, high potential stocks, a leading marketing position or a healthy draw against commissions. Always consider the things you can put in play that make your compensation more attractive than the person sitting beside you. There are still companies that think paying 100% commission is typical for salespeople. While this may lower your financial risk if there is poor performance, you are significantly limiting your candidate pool to sales reps that are either supremely confident or those lacking employment opportunities altogether. The argument made by all-commission employers is that salespeople will not perform unless financially incentivized to do so. Right or wrong, this strategy is flawed because it limits the quality of talent you hire in the first place. Some additional drawbacks of straight [commission](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/how-much-pay-sales-reps/) plans is that they can cause reps to be overly-aggressive. This can scare off customers and hurt your brand image. It often leads to extreme differences in pay, not just _between_ employees, but also for an individual who may experience uncertainty in his/her commission value from _month-to-month_. Salespeople on straight commission may be less loyal and it might actually be less profitable to your company given that you typically have to pay higher commissions to the ones that are really good at what they do What about straight salary with no commissions? A recent trend seen by some companies is to appear that they aren’t ‘selling’ at all. Hence, no need for “salespeople” to be paid the way that traditional “salespeople” get paid. Sales is a sleazy term in their mind, and they want to ‘educate’, not sell. In today’s B2B environment, all sales should be educational and consultative. You can call them whatever you want, if they are front-line and bringing in revenue, they are salespeople. Therefore, the best salespeople are more likely to jump to a new employer for the opportunity to increase their income with performance-based commission. I’ve heard impassioned advocates for this strategy, but I’ve never seen it work well in practice. The biggest disadvantage to a straight-salary system is that it takes away salespeople’s incentive to excel. If they are earning the same income no matter their volume or quality of sales, they may be tempted to settle into a routine that’s just good enough to keep their managers satisfied. The timing of when and how to pay commissions is also a balancing act. The best plans pay salespeople their commissions the pay period after the company has successfully collected payment from the customer. This keeps salespeople happy and engaged. Many companies choose to pay commissions in the form of an annual bonus at the end of each year. The theory is that an annual bonus promotes retention among their employees, as they will turn down other job offers to collect on that big bonus that may be months away. Given that salespeople typically have lower base salaries, they may find it extremely hard to live the other 11 months of the year on their base-salary alone and this payout timeline may actually incent salespeople to leave at the end of the year once their bonus has been collected and you risk having a mass exodus going into the new year. An annual incentive, based on factors like consistency or surpassing company targets, works well to help encourage retention as long as it’s a smaller component of their overall commission structure. ## Am I paying enough? You will know that you are paying enough if you are able to attract and keep good people. Period. Typically, the best candidates are NOT making average compensation, so it’s very important to understand what the market is paying and what they may leave for. Don’t make the mistake of benchmarking your compensation on what the average is making. Over the past few years, we’ve seen many companies flock to Canada, leveraging their strong dollar and flooding the market with lots of high-paying roles. There has been record VC (Venture Capitalist) investment and there are now 2,500 startups in Toronto alone. The best salespeople are exposed to many options during their careers. As a result, they will be open to less salary with an employer at the top of their ‘wish list’, opposed to a company they are less inspired to sell for. When hiring salespeople, it is important not to over inflate their on-target earnings. While you may get them in the door with the promise of a big performance-based incentive, once they recognize it is unachievable you risk a quick exit. The number one complaint we hear from candidates who have had a negative experience at a startup and the number one reason sales people leave their role in their first year, is because the compensation promised when they signed on is not realistic. It is important to stay ahead of the compensation discussion. Keep an open-line of conversation with your sales team and be prepared to resize the salary if you find that you have a real star in your midst. At any given moment, salespeople typically feel that their base salaries should increase between 11-36%. So, if you have a BDR at $45K base, they may think they deserve an increase to $60K+. That seems high, but I have regularly seen jumps from $42k to $55K. If you are a rep with a base salary of $55K, there is a distinct possibility that you could find a similar role with a company that is willing to pay $74K for the same experience. As a company, you want to recognize your top performers and make sure they continue to be paid what they could get elsewhere. While money isn’t everything, 95% of all offers at or below an employee’s current base salary level are rejected. If an offer is not 10-15% higher than a candidate’s existing base salary, you risk it being rejected. That means a candidate currently earning $50,000 would need to see at least a $55,000-$57,500 offer to have a likely close. While it may be unrealistic to outbid much of what is out there, it’s important to understand what you have to offer OTHER than compensation. If all you have to offer is compensation, then it better be very appealing to the candidate. As an employer, a red flag to look for when you are interviewing is when the candidate asks for a lot more than you are offering. This may be an indicator that your current employees are vulnerable. The market is constantly changing, so assume that your other employees are getting the same offers. Since we published [**The Definitive Sales Salary Guide**](http://www.salessalaryguide.com/) – salaries in some categories have jumped 20%+. Therefore, the market for sales positions is rapidly changing, don’t ignore it. ## Should commissions be capped? If you are going to incentivize people through a commission-based structure, you can’t cap it. One of the most important compensation factors for salespeople is that their income should be uncapped to allow them to truly earn as much as their skill and drive allows and reflect the value they bring to the organization. The number one reason that salespeople claim they will leave their role is for more money. The way to push them towards leaving is to cap their commissions, so avoid this at all costs. Greater flexibility and a more convenient location were reasons two and three. We have all seen salespeople with bumper years – 200% to 400% of target. That means, at a target of $2.5M they brought in $5M in sales or more. Since most SaaS companies are valued at 6-12 times their annual recurring revenue (ARR), this means that if the sales-rep was tasked with bringing in $15M in value (6x of $2.5M), they actually brought in $30M of value (6x of $5M). That, however, would not have happened if the commission plan was capped at 150% of target. Sales compensation is referred to as an ‘at risk plan’. With at-risk plans, individuals agree to risk, or sacrifice, a _percentage_ of their total compensation if they fail to reach their goals. As part of this agreement, they accept a lower base salary with the understanding that, in return, the company will offer upside potential for overachievement. While it’s prudent to use caps for no-risk compensation plans, you should never use them for sales plans. ## What are the best SPIFFs? Similar to commissions and bonuses, SPIFFs are a great way to motivate salespeople to maximize revenue for your business. I couldn’t find an actual definition, but a SPIFF is the practice of paying a small, immediate bonus for a sale. It’s a great way to encourage a salesperson to push one product or to achieve a very specific outcome in a specified amount of time. SPIFFs are used as a quick ignite or power boost to complement a long-term strategy. If your company is looking to enter a new market or push a new product, a good SPIFF can help ignite that behaviour or desired outcome. Any SPIFF program should be built to have immediacy and little administrative burden. If they take too long to achieve, they can be forgotten. They should be structured to take place over days and weeks, not quarters. At Sales Talent Agency, we wanted to increase the number of reference letters that we had from our customers. So, as a SPIFF, we offered everyone over the course of a month $100 dollars if they got a reference letter from a client. In that first month that we launched the SPIFF we received nearly 50 reference letters! This may have cost us $5,000, but today we have pages of amazing reference letters that continue to help us grow our business. We’ve kept this one going over the years because it’s been so popular. Make sure that your SPIFFs are well thought-out and that you know your expected ROI. Keep them short, infrequent and limit the cost to about 5 percent of your incentive budget. Accelerators, or overachievement commissions are another variable component that I want to touch on before ending this article. An accelerator is when a higher commission rate kicks in after quotas are met. For example, your salesperson may make 8% commission on all sales up to 100% of their target, then 10% commission on all sales above that. Or $25/demo for the first 20 each month, and $35/meeting for anything above the monthly target. This keeps salespeople pushing to the end as they have the opportunity to make great money and it may help make up for others on the sales team that fall short. To conclude, I want to highlight a common misconception about commissions; that they will drive a salesperson’s work ethic. This isn’t true. If you have a hard-worker, they will work hard and if they are lazy, they will not. Commissions will direct their self-motivation, which is why self-motivation and drive is so critical in sales. The right commission plan will tell your salespeople exactly what you want them to focus on and will align their pay to the effective execution of that plan. Outside of compensation, the simpler the plan, the better. Ideally, salespeople should be able to easily equate the amount they earn on every deal. I hope that this article has provided you with insight on how to motivate and retain top performing salespeople to your organization. According to experts, a better sales compensation plan may be the secret sauce to boosting sales. If you can attract a top performing sales rep to your team, it’s the best asset of a company and you’ll be a rockstar all day long. If you have other compensation questions, [contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today! --- ## Top 5 Trends Changing Sales, Forever - 2020 Sales 3.0 Conference - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever-2020-sales-3-0-conference The sales community has been turned upside down in their approach to selling in 2020 with a global pandemic. We need more strategic, proactive, and brave sales leaders & sales professionals to lead the new Road to Sales Success for 2021. During this session, a powerhouse of Sales Leaders, including our very own [Sonya Meloff](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/), shared their insights & advice on the top 5 toughest topics that changed selling in 2020 and what they are doing to change the mindset and habits to be at the top of their game for 2021. --- ## Are your top sales reps going to jump ship? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/top-sales-reps-going-jump-ship-featured-profitguide ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) In the inaugural edition of our “Great Canadian Sales Survey”, salespeople across Canada were asked: “Would you ever go to work for your company’s biggest competitor?” The results showed that 58% of sales people would do just that. This raises 3 important questions: 1. _What are the impacts of losing a top performer to the competition?_ 2. _How do you identify which of your reps is most vulnerable to be wooed away?_ 3. _How do you ensure your best people stay loyal to your company?_ **1.** Top sales performers are your organization’s most prized possessions (and your competition’s biggest threat). Losing a top performer means losing profits, market share, proprietary business intelligence, and competitive edge. However, before you start to get anxious, know that your highest performers are the least likely to leave. Their top accounts, long tenure, and hefty paycheques are not something your competition can easily outmatch. They can be vulnerable to leaving for increased responsibility, so be sure to have a career path worked out. **2.** There are many factors that influence an employee’s decision to work for the competition: a better boss, a better product to sell, more sales support, a step up in career level, and most importantly, money. Your poorest performers are certainly vulnerable (they tend to get passed from company to company every 18 months), but aside from some treasured internal secrets, the only thing they can take to your competition is a poor work ethic and a future problem. Let them go and be grateful for the open headcount. That leaves us with those salespeople in the middle. These individuals may have the top skills, but not the best opportunity for financial or professional growth within your organization. The sales profession should be a meritocracy in its purest form: those who perform, deserve (and demand) to advance. If an opportunity for a better territory/account portfolio or increased responsibility is well deserved but isn’t available, that salesperson will begin to look for greener grass. **3.** Keeping your top performers loyal is all about making them feel properly rewarded and appreciated. By recognizing achievement and having a competitive compensation structure, salespeople are motivated to give their all. When it comes to career advancement, not all sales reps aspire to become a manager. Often times they prefer becoming a lone ranger with prestigious accounts. The only way to know your employees’ aspirations, are by simply asking them. It’s also your duty to know what your competitors are paying their salespeople – be proactive to make adjustments as your compensation model becomes outdated. Check out our new comprehensive [sales salary guide](https://www.salestalentagency.com/sales-salary-guide-2/) that uses real-time data to show the most up-to-date salary information based on the industry, job type, and location you are working in. Another strategic way of maintaining loyalty is by breeding contempt for the competition. A person would not begin to support the Habs after years of Maple Leafs support. Same premise. Non-compete agreements are the most obvious prevention method. These can prevent your salespeople for working for the competition, but it is highly advisable to pay a lawyer to draft one. You must also consider how that agreement will affect an employee’s career potential – too many stipulations may deter new sales employees altogether. Ultimately your sales employees are your organization’s soul; bringing energy and enthusiasm to the work environment. Although they’ll always be coveted by your major competitors, treating them like partners and not revenue lifelines will motivate them to stay loyal to you. [Contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today to learn how you can find, attract, choose, and equip top salespeople – _For the love of sales!_ --- ## Unlearning What I Thought I Knew About Sales | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/unlearning-what-i-thought-i-knew-about-sales ### By [Katherine Perrin](http://www.salestalentagency.com/katherine-perrin) If you asked me a year ago if I would have considered sales as a career, I probably would have said “no” with a large degree of certainty. But in reality I was uneducated about what sales consisted of and what a sales career actually looked like. Working as an on-campus Ambassador for the Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC) really helped me to understand what sales actually was and ultimately led me to the exec position I now hold with the team. Like many students, if you asked me what sales was, I would have immediately thought of the telemarketer I hung the phone up on last Saturday morning or my first experience buying a car. I didn’t see the relevancy of sales in any of the fields that I was interested in (marketing, advertising, public relations, etc.). So, if you asked me if I would ever need sales, or if I would use sales daily, I would have said no. But let me tell you – I was wrong. As the Competition Coordinator for the GCSC I use sales daily, but I am not necessarily in a sales role. I have just finished recruiting and hiring 140 ambassadors at 87 university and college campuses across Canada. I had to sell every single ambassador on why they should get involved with the on campus promotion of the GCSC. I am also the Regional Manager of Ontario for the competition, which entails managing 65 students and coaching them on how they can sell this initiative with conviction and persuasion to the student body on their campus. Understanding what sales is and what it constitutes of is so important in my job, even though I am not in a direct sales role. Every single person uses sales daily, whether they actually realize it or not. You sell yourself to your friends, your ideas to your coworkers, yourself in an interview – the list just goes on. It is a very essential skill and the troubling part is that many colleges and universities across Canada don’t actually offer sales courses to their students. So how will students learn to define this important skill set? How are they going to learn what a sales career actually looks like? My answer to you is the Great Canadian Sales Competition. This competition gives students an amazing opportunity to get involved in something that gives them a platform to practice sales, to get feedback from the pros and to network with some of the most relevant B2B and B2C sales companies in Canada. The GCSC will help students understand the benefits and the opportunities within defining their sales skill set and what a sales career constitutes of. * * * If you just so happen to be a student and would like to learn more, please visit [_www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com_](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) --- ## We are excited to introduce Sales Talent Agency’s first ever Chief Executive Officer and Chief Customer Officer - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/we-are-excited-to-introduce-sales-talent-agencys-first-ever-chief-executive-officer-and-chief-customer-officer Building Sales Talent Agency has been an amazing experience. We had the idea for a sales-specific recruitment company in early 2007 and launched in July of that year. The recruitment market was changing a lot at the time: the Internet had given agencies and internal recruiters bigger access to talent than ever before but it had also made everything more crowded and chaotic. We wanted to make sense of that chaos. To build a company that connected rainmakers with smart, forward-thinking companies. To change the way sales careers were thought about. While the old recruitment companies struggled to keep up, Sales Talent Agency thrived. We made our 1,000th placement just 5 years after launching, and have made 5,000 more since then. We learned from our clients and placements, and launched [DNA/PRO™](https://www.salestalentagency.com/what-is-dna-pro/) in 2012, giving our recruiters and customers a candidate assessment methodology that has proven to be exceptional. We have interviewed more than 200,000 salespeople, from the most accomplished leaders to new graduates and everyone in between. We launched [Canada’s biggest Student competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) in 2014, helping introduce sales and – in many cases – employers to more than 14,000 university and college students across Canada. We launched our [Executive Search](https://www.salestalentagency.com/executive-sales-marketing-recruiters-that-build-winning-teams/) practice in 2016, our Technical Sales practice in 2018, and our Customer Success practice in 2019. This year – through all the challenges and unpredictability – we launched STA Next™, our “agency within an agency” for early-career stage sales talent. We love creating new ways to tackle the toughest employment problems. Along the way, we have been featured on Global News, in the Globe and Mail, and by hundreds of other media. In total, we have facilitated more than $500,000,000 of salaries since we launched. We have been recognized by Growth500 as one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies 6 times. We are still passionate about our company and know we need to expand our leadership team to take it to the next level. Throughout our 13 years, we have been fortunate enough to attract some of the very best talent to our own organization. Two of those people are now officially joining our executive ranks in roles that are brand new to us and critical to our future. **[Asad Zaman](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/asad-zaman/) – Chief Executive Officer** Throughout our time we have never had an official President or CEO. While we had our individual roles and responsibilities, we have had one shared title: Founding Partner. It is time to have an operational leader of Sales Talent Agency and we are thrilled to promote Asad Zaman to this role. Asad is as passionate about sales recruitment as we are and – in 6 ½ years with STA – has been one of our biggest thinkers and most respected team members. Asad’s vision is to take our company to the next level through elite client and candidate experiences and we are both eager to support this quest. **[Kristin Condon](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kristin-condon/) – Chief Customer Officer** While we have always prided ourselves on providing an elite customer experience, we have never had a true customer advocate internally. We believe this is a unique role that will give Sales Talent Agency an even bigger advantage in the coming years. Kristin Condon is our most accomplished contributor, having excelled early as an individual recruiter, and then as a team manager, and most recently as a Partner and Vice President. Any client who has ever had the privilege to have Kristin lead a search or a project knows just how incredible she is as a problem solver. We are so excited to support Kristin as she navigates this important mandate. We will stay Founding Partners and passionate contributors, looking for ways to support Asad, Kristin, and our entire team as we all navigate the immediate impact of Covid, as well as the economies to come. Through it all, we will stay focused and enthusiastic. The journey is just getting started. For the love of sales! Jamie Scarborough and Sonya Meloff --- ## Webinar: How to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/webinar-how-to-hire-onboard-and-retain-a-scaling-sales-team All Resources ### Webinar: How to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team July 2, 2019 #### We have partnered with [Nudge.ai](http://nudge.ai/) to present a webinar on how to hire, onboard and retain a scaling sales team. Check out the full webinar [here](https://nudge.ai/scale-sales-webinar-recording/). --- ## What Questions Should You Ask In Your Interview? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-questions-to-ask-in-interview ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) ## **An interview is a two-way street** (A polite street, with traffic rules.) Ask questions. The employer should, and will typically, provide an opportunity for you to ask questions at or near the end of the interview. Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent thought process, or are ill-prepared, or are not bright, or some combination. ## **Employers make judgments about you based on the questions you ask** Have you done your research on the organization? (If yes, good.) Are you asking rather dull questions that you could find in a web search, but about which you have no interest? (Not good.) Are you asking about salary? (Bad sign.) Are your questions intelligent and thoughtful and cordial? (Very good.) ## **How many questions to ask** There’s no set number. It’s not a formula. It really depends on what you need to know. However, it’s highly unlikely that you would enter an interview without at least three to five questions on your mind and prepared to articulate. You may in fact have 20 questions on your mind, but there may not be sufficient time alloted to cover that many questions. Prioritize your questions based on the interview situation. Is this the first interview? Ask for the information that matters most early. Is this the second interview? By now you should know the basics, so ask more probing questions. Is this an all-day interview during which you are meeting with different groups and individuals? Ask questions that fit the roles of those individuals and groups (and ask one same question of all in order to compare responses!). ## **Show you’ve done your homework** Example: “I read on the company / organization / agency website that employees have recently done presentations at XX conference. Is that a typical opportunity in the job for which I am interviewing? Are there specific professional organizations employees have been encouraged to join?” ## **Know the nature of the organization and appropriate terminology** Not all employing organizations are “companies.” For example governmental agencies and not-for-profit organizations are not accurately referred to as companies. Most educational institutions are not for-profit (although some are), and may call themselves schools, colleges, universities, institutions, etc. Some for-profit organizations may call themselves firms or businesses or agencies. You will appear more prepared if you use appropriate terminology as used by the specific organization. ## **Some of your questions may be answered during the course of the interview** …before you are offered the opportunity to ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were interested in knowing about …, but that was addressed during the interview (and express appreciation for the thorough information you were given). You could ask for additional clarification if applicable. ## Do not ask questions that are clearly answered on the employer’s website and/or in any literature provided by the employer to you in advance This would simply reveal that you did not prepare for the interview, and you are wasting the employer’s time by asking these questions. Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those subjects are raised by the employer. Good questions are open-ended, and thus cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no.” ## **Better questions are behavioral** They ask how things are done or have happened in the past, because current and past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. The least useful questions are hypothetical, such as “what would you do if…?” The better way to get a useful answer is to ask “what have you done when….?” However, hypothetical questions can make sense if asking about something a person or organization has never experienced; the answer would at least exhibit the thought process. Examples of ways to ask essentially the same question: > > Example 1: > > > > Not good: Does your organization value its employees? (Aside from being answerable with a “yes” or “no,” it almost sounds antagonistic, because a “no” answer is clearly a negative.) > > > > Good: How will your organization show it values its employees? > > > > Better: What are things your organization has done recently to show how it values its employees? > > > > Example 2: > > > > Fair: Are you planning to open an office in Calgary? > > > > Good: What are the plans for opening an office in Calgary? > > > > Better: I read a news story about the possible opening of an office in Calgary. Knowing that a news article does not always capture the full story, I wondered what factors are under consideration for this decision. (Notice this isn’t technically a question, but a series of statements showing your interest and inviting conversation.) Samples: If you are having trouble developing questions, consider the following samples as food for thought to help you consider your own questions. However, don’t ask a question if you are not truly interested in the answer; it will be obvious to the employer. Your questions must show your own thought process. - What are the organization’s/company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition? - How does upper management view the role and importance of this department and this position? - What is the organization’s plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in? - Could you explain your organizational structure? - What do you most enjoy about your work with this organization / company / agency? - What are the various ways employees communicate with one another to carry out their work? - Could you describe your company’s management style and the type of employee who fits well with it? - What particular CRM do you use? - How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my efforts? - How and by whom will my performance be reviewed? Are there specific criteria upon which I would be evaluated? And how frequently is formal and informal review given to new employees? - How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals? - Are there specific professional organizations employees have been encouraged to join? - How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first assignment? - Can you describe an ideal employee? --- ## What Sales Talent Can You Get For Your Money? | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-sales-talent-can-you-get-for-your-money ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) 1. A typical sales person’s compensation model is 50% salary, 50% variable at plan, especially for roles that require both new business development AND account management (higher base/lower commissions is expected for “farming” roles, and lower base/higher commissions is often offered for “hunter” roles) 2. A strong sales person will want uncapped commission potential (we hear story after story of companies trying to limit commissions payable on huge deals brought in—plan ahead for this occurrence because it is guaranteed to cause disturbance and potential employee turn-over) 3. There should be a clear sales target that is extremely attainable with a reasonable effort (not super-human) **Remember:** outside sales people will require expense reimbursement related to business travel and client engagement—these expenses should be accounted for in your cost of sale analysis while developing the commission plan **To share this article please download this [PDF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Talent-for-Your-Money.pdf)** --- ## What to pay a new sales hire | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/what-to-pay-a-new-sales-hire ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) ## Scenario 1: You want to hire a bright new graduate With an average of $27,000 in student debt\*, a new graduate is pretty incented to take the best financial offer on the table. While senior sales professionals focus heavily on “total income potential”—meaning they consider performance-based commissions and bonuses heavily in their decision-making—in our experience new graduates are a little more risk averse and often lean toward the biggest salary. Salaries of $35,000-$40,000 are the norm for high-potential new grads, but many of our software clients pay up to $45,000, and top-tier consumer goods companies can pay up to $50,000. It is important to remember that money is not the only driver for a new graduate hire. The most strategic of them tend to think five years ahead and take an opportunity that is going to get them where they want to be long-term. Having a role that offers a lot of quality training and a clear career-path can make your company’s offer a whole lot more attractive. ## Scenario 2: You want to hire a stud from a competitor Our biggest challenge with clients is getting them to understand that great sales people do not jump from one competitor to another without a really good reason. Occasionaly that reason could be a promotion or change in career potential, but most often it is cold hard cash. The benefit of hiring a top performer from your rival is quick ramp-up time combined with the weakening of your competitor. But it will cost you; a typical rule of thumb is to look at their current salary and propose a 10–20% increase. If they are making $90,000 in their current role, $99,000–108,000 is the likely expectation for them to even consider moving to your side of the street. Aside from a big price tag, there are other draw-backs to hiring from a direct competitor. They include: 1. a high probability of a successful counter-offer (all your work and time wasted for nothing) 2. sharing of company competitive information 3. never really having a “loyal” hire—if they left their last employer for a healthy raise, they will do the same again ## Scenario 3: You want to hire a hard-driving sales leader No position adds more value to a growing company than a strong sales leader. From an increased focus on training and activity, to better alignment of territories and opportunities, a sales leader can be worth their weight in gold. How much gold and how it is paid out is your issue. A strong sales leader will be looking at 3 financial “levers”: 1. The salary: guaranteed money that will ensure their lights stay on and their kids are fed 2. The performance-based commissions or bonuses: the carrot that drives their day-to-day and quarter-to-quarter behaviour 3. Equity in the company: the “big exit” potential Each of these levers should impact the others. For example, if your candidate wants a bigger base salary, their equity component should be reduced. The less risk they want to take on, the less reward they should be able to reap if a big buy-out happens. If there is no opportunity to provide equity at your company, you likely will need to make the salary and/or the performance-based bonuses bigger. In our experiences strong sales leaders are more willing to give up some salary for a big performance-based payday, so a good rule of thumb is to negotiate a salary that is an average of their last three years‘ guaranteed income. ## One final tip It is common to first offer a salary at the lower end of your negotiation range and have the candidate edge it up. The thinking is that if the candidate does not negotiate you get a good deal, and if they do you have some room to move. One of our best (and most successful) clients does the opposite—they have our Sales Talent Agents make it extremely clear that they are going to be offering the candidate a salary that takes all of their compensation history and market value into account and is designed to be excepted and appreciated. This client makes a fair offer every time (always erring on the side of being a little more generous), and consistently get acceptances from top-tier candidates without negotiation. Not only does this create a higher chance of making the hire, it also gets the relationship off on the right foot. Your goal is to make a hire that lasts 5–10 years. Do you really want to start that relationship off with a tough and avoidable negotiation? Other compensation questions? Check out the [most asked questions](https://www.salestalentagency.com/blog/top-5-questions-about-sales-compensation-2/) about compensation in 2019 answered by STA Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff. _\*as estimated by The Canadian Federation of Students_ * * * _Sonya Meloff and Jamie Scarborough are the co-founders of Sales Talent Agency, Canada’s largest sales recruitment company and #181 on the [PROFIT 500 Ranking of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies](https://www.canadianbusiness.com/profit500/2017-323-sales-talent-agency/) in 2014. Meloff was on the PROFIT/Chatelaine W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Scarborough is an accomplished sales leader and speaker specializing in how companies find, attract, choose and equip sales talent._ --- ## What's New With The Great Canadian Sales Competition - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/whats-new-with-the-great-canadian-sales-competition [The Great Canadian Sales Competition](http://www.greatcanadiansalescompetition.com/) is a contest for university and college students across Canada. Please check out the posts below to see the progress The Competition has made in the first year! Follow us on Twitter: [Sales Competition (@greatsalescomp)](https://twitter.com/greatsalescomp) Like us on Facebook: : [https://www.facebook.com/greatsalescomp](https://www.facebook.com/greatsalescomp) **January – The GCSC Featured in the Financial Post** Click [here](http://business.financialpost.com/executive/great-canadian-sales-competition/ambassador-program-spikes-interest-in-sales-force-of-the-future?__lsa=56b6-2a42) to read the full article **May – The GCSC Featured in the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers’ Newsletter** OPSE newsletter **May 6th – Breakfast at Google with an Account Executive** Like our page [here](https://www.facebook.com/greatsalescomp) to see more photos Our Winners (from left to right): Aryan, Ben and Sarah and Google Account Executive (far right) Kim Sarah (Wilfrid Laurier) at The Google Office Aryan (The University of Toronto) at The Google Office Kim’s advice for any new grad entering the workforce: hustle! Ben (George Brown) at The Google Office Our Winners (left to right): Ben, Sarah, Aryan Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to Kim for a great morning **April 1st, 2015 – Rachele Bejamin, 1st place winner, featured in The Sheridan Sun** **March 30th, 2015 – CTV Morning Live Ottawa** Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency, talks about interview tips for sales professionals To watch the full interview click [here](http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=580931) **March 29, 2015 – Rachele Benjamin, 1st place winner, featured in The Oakville Beaver** To read the full article, click [here](http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5529347-grilled-cheese-takes-the-cake-for-sheridan-oakville-student/) **March 22nd, 2015 – Rachele Benjamin’s blog highlighting her experience in The Great Canadian Sales Competition** [http://racheleadabsurdum.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-great-canadian-sales-competition.html](http://racheleadabsurdum.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-great-canadian-sales-competition.html) **March 12th – The Winners Gala at The Storys Building** Our guests enjoying food, drink and music at The Storys Building The Top 10 Finalists: Bethany Chan, Langara College; Hanna Johnson, Conestoga College; Tony Kim, UBC; Matiya Szauer, The University of Toronto; Robby Jones, BCIT; Lenny Ohm, BCIT; David Hughes, Concordia University; Vikram Singh, Rotman Management; Jacquie Kine, BCIT; Rachele Benjamin, Sheridan College The Awards Ceremony at The Winners Gala The Great Canadian Sales Competition sponsors (left to right): John Lilly, Yellow Pages; Matt Ono, Dell; Meg Sinclair, Facebook; Sarah Chapman, Texcan; Kim Rellinger, Google; Brian MacIntosh, Compugen; Shachin Ghelani, Salesforce; David Hughes, Purolator; Mark Voegelin, Pattison; Mandy Ungar, Canadian Professional Sales Association; Jeffrey Ferrer, BMO; Andrew Fitzpatrick, G&K Services; Michelle Young, Air Canada; Brad King, Xerox Matiya Szauer (2nd place), Rachele Benjamin (1st place) and Bethany Chan (3rd place) The Storys staff serving drinks for our 150+ guests **March 12th – The Final Round at The Google Office** The Great Canadian Sales Competition Judges (from left to right): Duncan Bureau, VP of Global Sales at Air Canada; Chris Adamkowski, Head of Industry at Google; Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency; Erin Elofson, Head of Financial Services at Facebook; Michael Back, CEO of HonkMobile Andrew Fitchpatrick, Sales Manager at G&K Services and Rachele Benjamin (1st place finalist) managing a meeting in front of the panel Bethany Chan, 3rd place finalist, enjoying The Competitor Lounge at The Google Office 1st stop on The Google Tour! **February 25th – The Morning Show on Global** Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency, discussing The Great Canadian Sales Competition on Global Television. To watch the full interview click [here](http://globalnews.ca/video/1849553/the-great-canadian-sales-competition) **February 10th – Women in Business event at McMaster University** Executive members (far left); Christina (left) and Danielle (right) **January 30th – Scouting visit at George Brown** Camila at George Brown College on the last visit of our tour **January 27th – Business Connect Event at Western University** image004 Jordynne (left) and Mary (right), Council Members of the Dan Management Association UWO **January 26th – e-mail from a University of Toronto Student** Hello Sonya, We met during a University networking event called A Taste of Marketing in downtown Toronto. I remember talking to you about going into sales as a potential career, especially for a young woman who is extremely ambitious in sales/marketing. I wanted to thank you again for your great advice and for helping me initiate a great interest in sales as a profession. Sincerely, \[2nd year Business Student\] **January 23rd – Women in Leadership at Wilfrid Laurier University** Booth Wilfred Laurier Three Girls Marda (far right), president of WILL and her council members **January 22nd – Rising Stars at Capilano University** Jamie S Jamie Scarborough and Capilano University students Dean Dean and Peymaneh at Capilano University **January 22nd, 2014 – E-mail from one of the students we met at Ryerson University** Hello Sheila/Asad, I attended the presentation of yours a couple days ago for the Ted Roger’s School of Management Marketing class at Ryerson University. Your presentation really helped me take a step forward in understanding myself. Your messages also provided me with a more focused directions for the future in my career and the kind of job that would be suitable for me. What you said made me think more deeply on how I should be viewing what I am doing. Usually, I would be the person who would think of doing tasks but not actually going through with them. But learning about the DNA model (Drive, Nature, Acumen), it helped me be more proactive with what I need to do in order to get what I want in life. What you said to me broaden my horizon and allow me to think more deeply of the type of job I want, especially in my upcoming summer internship. I fully agree with your views on a career in sales. Such a career is rewarding because it fosters person-to-person relationships, personality, and diplomacy. I do echo with you on the positive benefits and personal satisfaction in such a career. I’m also really happy and satisfied when I successfully help to find solutions for my customers through selling jewellery a my part time job. I would like to thank you and Asad for spending time with us, even though you have such a busy schedule. Sharing your experience with us is highly educational and most appreciated. Consequently, I will certainly consider applying to the Great Canadian Sales Competition. Thank you, 3rd year Graphic Communications Management Student **January 21st, 2014 – Sheridan College Advertising and Marketing Networking Event** Sheridan **January 20th – Class visit at Ryerson University** Asad – Ryerson Asad speaking to Sales class at Ryerson University **January 17th – BCIT Sales Competition** Three Students BCIT Students Four Students Peymaneh (far left) and Kevin (far right) with BCIT students One Student First place winner Crystal Radford **January 16th – 17th – Ivey Marketing Summit** Ivey Ivey Building **January 19th – Class visit at Ryerson University** Sheila Ryerson Sheila speaking to sales class at Ryerson about The Great Canadian Sales Competition **January 16th – Scouting visit at SAIT** SAIT **January 15th – Scouting visit at The University of Calgary** Sheila & Kelsey Kelsey and Sheila at The University of Calgary **January 14th – Breakfast at Google!** We have a very exciting opportunity for contestants of the Great Canadian Sales Competition. Google is going to host 3 contestants for breakfast and a tour of their Toronto office (dates to be determined). You will be shown around their impressive facilities by an Account Executive and will be able to ask questions about the life of a [#sales](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/sales?source=feed_text&story_id=10155155621855389) person at Google. To qualify for this lunch and tour, Google is asking you to submit your 30-90 second video pitch by Saturday, January 24th at 4:00pm EST. At that time, a team of Google executives will choose 3 strong submissions. new-google-logo-knockoff **January 14th – Proud to announce that the Canadian Professional Sales Association is now a sponsor of The Great Canadian Sales Competition!** image006 **January 14th – Scouting visit at The University of Lethbridge** Markin Hall Two boys Richard and Kinsley, participants in The Great Canadian Sales Competition **January 13th – Competition posters on the walls of Capilano University** Student Life **January 13th – Class visit at NAIT** NAIT **January 13th – Scouting visit at The University of Alberta** Selfie Hat Sheila at The University of Alberta University of Alberta **January 12th – Presentation and scouting visit at The University of Alberta** Selfie Sheila at The University of Alberta Career Centre (CAPS) Asian Cho, our first Engineering participant, pitching his idea of a life saving water device **January 12th – Webinar for Peter B. Gustavson School of Business (University of Victoria)** Best Paying Jobs Jeniffer Gill **January 7th – Officially reached 20 school partners!** Logo – Schools **January 6th – Competition posters spotted at The Sauder School of Business** GCSC – Poster **January 5th – Officially at 15 sponsors!** Logo – Companies **December 19th – posters distributed to 20 schools across Canada!** Sheila **December 16th – The Great Canadian Sales Competition spotted on TTC subway!** Bus **December 11th – George Brown College visit** Asad Asad Zaman speaking to an eager sales class at George Brown College **November 25th – The Great Canadian Sales Competition featured in Money Magazine** Newswire **November 25th – Press Release** Unemployment **November 21st – The Jon McComb Show** Show Jamie Scarborough, Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency, featured on the Jon McComb Show **November 20th – Speed Networking Event** Girls Tiffany Chan (left), President of the Rotman Women in Business group and her council members as they lead their annual Speed Networking event **November 18th – Career in Sales Event at Wilfrid Laurier** Sheila 1 Sheila Cassidy speaking on a sales panel **November 14th – George Brown College** Camila Camila and Jesse representing The Great Canadian Sales Competition at George Brown College **October 31st – Scouting visit at Ryerson University** sheila – poster Sheila Cassidy in front of Competition banner before her and Sonya Meloff, Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency, visit Ryerson **October 29th – Seneca College** Sonya Sonya Meloff speaking at Women’s History Month at Seneca College **October 9th – Taste of Marketing** Sonya 2 Sonya Meloff (left), Co-Founder at Sales Talent Agency, speaking to Business students at the University of Toronto Sonya and Sheila Sheila Cassidy (right) and Matiya Szauder (left), speaking about The Competition **October 9th – postcards are in!** Flyer --- ## When can we call ourselves a "medium-sized company" - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/when-can-we-call-ourselves-a-medium-sized-company ### ### [BY SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Sorry in advance if I am overwhelming you with my prolific blogging. One in 2007, another in 2009, and now a 3rd in 2011! I really must take a nap after this. Hey, give me a break! It takes a lot of time and energy to run a small and growing company. A lot more than I could have ever imagined. Which brings me to the following question: are we still considered a small company? It feels small to me. Very intimate and entrepreneurial. We only have 14 Sales Talent Agents, which is about 30,986 less than CGI (one of our newest clients). In fact, we are smaller in employee-count than almost all of our clients at this point! Most of the team are long-time friends, and all of them have become people I love, root-for and trust. But we are exactly the size we want to be right now. Controlled growth – the best thing Sonya and I have learnt on this journey (Sonya clearly has not adopted this strategy in her home life: she is currently pregnant for the 3rd time since we started the company – at least this time she had the foresight to have a girl!). We have carefully built our team over the last 4 years, and have found a formula that works: only hire people we truly believe fit our long-term goals, enhance our culture, and who we absolutely _have to_ work with. I think we all like being considered a small company, but we are hardly a start-up anymore. Now in our 5th year, we are clearly the “go-to” sales recruitment company in Canada. Our revenues are rising at a very healthy rate each and every year, our client list is insane, and it feels like every second sales person we interview these days wants to join _us_! It is a far cry from our first 2 years when we were all swagger and hustle. So maybe we continue to wear the “small company” uniform for a couple more years: I like the way it looks on us. --- ## Why Bragging Isn’t Always a Bad Thing | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/why-bragging-isnt-always-a-bad-thing ### BY [KRISTIN CONDON](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/kristin-condon/) Bragging about yourself is typically a taboo thing to do. In fact, most people are not interested in hearing you go on and on about how great you are. However, if you are interviewing for a sales position, it is a completely different story. Not only are you expected to run through all of the amazing things that you have accomplished (with proof!) – but the more you can share, the better! In fact, it can help differentiate you from other candidates and help land you the job. In most interviews, Hiring Managers or HR professionals look for you to provide examples when answering interview questions – they are looking for you to back up what you are claiming you can do. These interviews incorporate behavioural questions (_tell me about a time **when** you demonstrated XYZ_) over situational questions (_**what** would you do if XYZ happened_) as they are looking for examples where you have specifically demonstrated a key skill or trait. The saying – “past performance is a strong predictor of future performance” – is very true and this is where a Brag Book comes in. The great thing about a Brag Book is that it can incorporate both personal and professional achievements. An effective Brag Book should include specific highlights where you have been successful and recognized for that success. Another great thing about having a Brag Book prepared, is that it shows you came to win – and sales leaders love that. They also want to win and they want to hire people who are eager, who want the job they are interviewing for, and who ultimately like to win. Coming to an interview with a Brag Book shows you are prepared, and it shows that you can speak to your achievements very easily – another sign of a good salesperson. A great Brag Book can include any/all of the following: - Awards - Official rankings (sales metrics, President Club, etc.) - Excellent performance reviews - Letters, and mails that demonstrate how you go above and beyond and take initiative - Customer testimonials - Honours or high G.P.A. (if recent) - Volunteer letters - Certificates and personal development classes taken - Letters of recommendations - Photos (where you are receiving an award, on an award trip, etc.- keep it professional and relevant) - Sports or academic achievements and awards A Brag Book is one tool in the toolbox of how to best prepare for an interview. To ensure the highest chance of success – you need to properly prepare for the interview, which includes: doing your research, dressing to impress, and finally, ensuring you have a strong resume that sells you. For more tips on how to land a great sales job, visit our Knowledge Center [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/knowledge-center/). To apply to a great sales role, visit all of our open roles [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/job-search/?page=1). --- ## Winner Announced – The Art of Sales draw - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/winner-announced-art-sales-draw A big **Thank You** to everyone for stopping by our booth at the recent Art of Sales conference and submitting your business cards for our draw. The event was a great success and we look forward to seeing you there again next year! In the meantime, spend some time on our website to see the roles we are currently working on and many useful resources for both candidates and clients alike. Watch the video below to find out the **Grand Prize Winner of two tickets to Edge Walk**! If you are the lucky winner, please contact Sonya Meloff at sonya@salestalentagency.com For the Love of Sales! --- ## Winner of The Art of Sales Raffle is... - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/winner-of-the-art-of-sales-raffle-is Sales Talent Agency was thrilled to once again participate as a sponsoring partner of [The Art of Sales](http://www.theartof.com/sales-vancouver-2016). Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth. It was great to meet everyone and discuss all things Sales! The winner of our FitBit draw is: **Dayna Whitney, District Vice President from Meridian**. Congratulations Dayna – a FitBit is on its way! For the love of Sales! --- ## Women in Sales - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/women-in-sales-6-reasons-women-thrive-sales ## 6 Reasons Sales is the Right Career for Women in 2017 According to the most recent [Stat-Can Labour market report](http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-006-x/2016001/article/14651-eng.htm), there has been a “substantial increase” in the number of women entering the workforce. Women are now 58% of all graduates at Canadian Universities/Colleges (you can read why [here](http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2008001/article/10561-eng.htm)), and most of them are pursuing professional careers (doctors, lawyers, etc.) with more and more pursuing business. Listed below are the 6 key reasons why more women should consider sales as their career of choice – both those entering the workforce, and those re-entering or considering a career change. ## Compensation is based on performance, not gender In sales, your pay is directly correlated with your performance, and nothing more. How much you make or are bonused will never be a guessing game. Everything is earned and based on merit. Because numbers speak for themselves, there should be zero barriers for advancements. ## There is a strong demand for women on traditionally male sales teams Now more than ever is the time for women to enter sales. At least 50% of all sales leaders in Canada are specifically looking to add more women to help round out their workforces. And it is not for PC reasons, stats show that women perform great in sales. Many believe women are stronger listeners, relationship builders and even better hunters, not letting their ego get in the way. ## The career path leads to c-level If your ambitions are to reach the top spot of leading a company, sales is a great place to start. In fact, 20% of all CEOs came from a sales path! There is fast career progression potential for top performers. You will also learn everything about the business and be on the front lines of connecting directly with customers externally, as well as areas of the business internally (engineers to scope projects, delivery teams to execute, etc.), and will put your relationship building and problem solving skills to work daily. Bonus: it’s also an amazing skill set for future entrepreneurs! ## Great jobs are available right now Sales is consistently one of the most widely advertised jobs on the internet and there is sadly a great deal of misperception of what it means to work in sales. Most people think of consumer sales (door-to-door, car sales) when they think of sales, but in the corporate world, sales is more about educating clients and solving real business problems. Everything falls to sales and it represents one of the most highly respected areas within the business. For women that like being part of the action and are driven by targets, there is no better place to be within a business then on the sales team! ## You can work in any industry that excites you Sales is the backbone of almost every company and so the choice of industry is wide open. No matter what your interests, you can find a great sales job and have the opportunity to build a very successful career. Maybe you are interested in business software, medical technology, media and advertising, construction infrastructure, industrial products, or professional services… Big company, small company, the opportunity is out there. ## Money is uncapped Every other job in a company has a fixed total income. Sales is the only role outside of the c-suite where you can earn as much as your ambition and achievement allow. * * * To watch more on Women in Sales, from Sales Talent Agency’s Co-Founder, Sonya Meloff, as seen on BNN – Canada’s Business News Network click [here](http://www.bnn.ca/business-day-pm/opportunities-for-women-in-business-to-business-sales-uncapped~1021398). --- ## The world’s best interview question | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/worlds-best-interview-question ### BY [JAMIE SCARBOROUGH](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/jamie-scarborough/) As business leaders, we hate lousy salespeople. I mean we _really_ hate them. Listening to their weak sales calls makes us cringe. Watching them meander aimlessly around the office makes us want to throw things. Reviewing their sales pipelines makes us want to yell at them, shake them, wake them up! We spend countless hours of our lives talking about our poorest performers, analyzing them, motivating them. How did we get stuck with such lazy, thoughtless, uninspiring salespeople? _We bloody hired them!_ Let’s be honest with ourselves: most of our worst hires should have been shown the door during the interview process. Working closely with some of the smartest and most accomplished entrepreneurs over the years has helped us put together these five immediate improvements you can make to your hiring process (feel free to kick yourself as we tell you things you already know and are not doing): ## 1\. Listen to your gut, and then let your head take over The first 30 minutes of your initial interview with a salesperson are incredibly important. You have to decide right then and there if you would buy from them. Forget the resumé for that brief period and forget who referred them. Instead, put yourself in the mind of a potential customer. Just have a conversation (that includes Tip No. 4) and allow them to engage with you. If, after 30 minutes, the answer is “no,” reject them from the process. If the answer is “yes,” progress the candidate to a much more rigorous analysis. **_Bonus Tip:_** Experience the job candidate as your clients would. So if you’re hiring an inside sales rep, that first meeting should be over the phone; and if they’d be selling face to face, you should meet them in person. ## 2\. Find some proof that they have a strong work ethic If a salesperson is a speedboat, their work ethic is the motor. Some reps have a powerful V8, some have a tiny little 4-stroke and some have a paddle with a hole in it. Everyone will tell you they have a strong work ethic, but most are just giving you lip service. The clearest evidence of a hard worker is someone who knows their own performance numbers extremely well because hard workers _love_ to be measured. The best reps discuss their performance history _proudly_ and _confidently_ both on their resume and in-person. The top performers know they are at the top and they want to be sure you know too. You will also find that these people typically set activity and performance goals for themselves that are above and beyond the targets set for them by their employer. _Bonus Tip:_ Watch the way a salesperson walks. Although this isn’t an exact science, more often than not a slow, meandering walk suggests a person without much sense of purpose, while big, fast strides often show someone who has something to prove. ## 3\. Dig into their sales metrics There are about 340,000 professional B2B salespeople in Canada with at least one year of “quota-carrying” experience. If this were the medical profession, we could sue 75% of them for malpractice. In our experience, only about 25% of professional salespeople can consistently perform at a high level. If a lousy salesperson is in the right company, at the right time, they can make quota for a couple of years in a row with ease—although it gets trickier to do so more than that. A better measurement of their success is determining how well they performed compared to their peers. You should be looking for people who consistently rank in the top 25% of performers in each of their previous roles. _Bonus Tip:_ Many companies have some kind of President’s Club or Chairman’s Circle that rewards the true top performers of their organization each year. Ask your candidate how their previous employer(s) recognized their sales elite, and look for times when they met the criteria. The hardest sales imposter to spot is the one who survives entirely on hustle and personality. This A-type a-hole blows into our world like a tornado of charm, and if we are not careful we get sucked up and spat out miles from where we want to be. Expose them with this one question: “How did you prepare for this meeting with me today?” Boom! Like water on a wicked witch, we will see the poorly prepared splutter and shrink in the spotlight, while the true sales champion will be thrilled that we asked. They will explain to us how they dug into our websites, Googled our competitors and industry, reviewed our work histories on LinkedIn and found photos of our dogs on Instagram. They will be prepared in the way we always want them to be when they meet our clients: ready to set themselves apart. _Bonus Tip:_ None. Don’t be greedy! We just gave you the world’s best interview question, now spend a few minutes sending us a thank-you note. ## 5\. Spend more quality time with the candidate If the most important thing we can do as business leaders is make great hires, why do we make such important decisions based on a couple of hours (sometimes much less!) of interviews? Picking top sales talent means finding people who are hard working, likeable and engaging, and who are passionate about—and interested in—what we do. A common practice today is to assign each short-listed candidate a project (such as a 30-, 60- or 90-day plan) that helps determine how job-ready they are, how much effort they put into things, and also gives the candidate a chance to get more invested in our company. Instead of sending them home to do this and present to you later, invite them to work _with_ you for a couple of hours on the project so you can get a real sense of how they think and tackle challenges, how coachable they are, and how much you enjoy spending time with them. The extra two hours of analysis pre-hire could save you months of wasted time and effort post-hire. _Bonus Tip:_ Give the assignment only to someone you’re prepared to make an offer to if they do a great job. Nothing hurts your employment brand more than strong candidates (with great networks) who feel you have wasted their time. Making better sales hires leads to making more money, growing market share, reducing headaches and increasing employee retention. Hopefully, these simple tips will make a difference to your business. You can stop kicking yourself now. Want to put this interview question to the test? [Contact us](https://www.salestalentagency.com/contact-us/) today to meet with some rockstar sales candidates! --- ## Year Two of Presenting My Take on 'A Life In Sales' to UBC Sauder Students | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/year-two-of-presenting-my-take-on-a-life-in-sales-to-ubc-sauders-students Recently I returned for my second annual visit to UBC’s Sauder School of Business for the Careers in Business Development information session. Here I got the chance to share my industry knowledge of sales, why I love it, and the opportunities that sales jobs have to offer to students. It is always exciting to get the chance to tell my personal story of how I got into sales and how it led to my co-creation of Sales Talent Agency – Canada’s #1 sales recruitment company. With my experience in the industry I give students a well-rounded view of a life in sales – including the great parts and the not so great parts. My goal was to inform students of all different levels (BCOMM, MBA and MASTERS) what it honestly takes to survive in the industry and why it really can be worth taking a sales profession on. It is important that people at the college level are aware of the potential that exists in sales. Just like last year it was a great experience where I met lots of enthusiastic and bright students. Thanks to the UBC Sauder Business School for asking me to join this awesome event and I look forward to next year! --- ## Your Guide to Identifying a Great Sales Resume | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/your-guide-to-identifying-a-great-sales-resume ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) Salespeople make a living out of presenting their product in the best light. With a resume, their product is themself. So don’t let a pretty looking resume fool you – consider the following when looking for a Top Sales Performer: ## 1\. Look for numbers In sales resumes, results are key. Anyone can call themselves an “over achiever” or a sales “superstar.” If a candidate does not quantify their success in the resume, it may be an effort to downplay less than stellar results. ## 2\. Look for winners Strong sales resumes often have an “awards and achievements” section. That’s because great salespeople often win awards and can list significant achievements like important wins and large deals. It is another way to demonstrate results. ## 3\. Consecutive short stays are a warning sign If the candidate has a pattern of staying at companies for one or two years, she is probably not making quota, or perhaps repeatedly losing interest before building momentum. Optimally, you are looking for someone who stays three to five years at most sales jobs. ## 4\. Words, words, words. When candidates go on and on about their “soft skills,” it is a red flag to the recruiter. Coupled with an absence of numbers, this reeks “no results.” ## 5\. A focus on “responsibilities” signals a mismatch Candidates who write reams on the companies they worked for in the past and what they did (eg. supervised a team of colleagues, oversaw initiatives) may be focused on things that don’t matter to superstar salespeople. ## 6\. Mind the gaps in employment. Missing months in the job history, unless credibly addressed (eg. took hiatus to spend time with new child, launched a business) can indicate a failure to reach targets. Peak Performers are always employed and making money. If gaps show up repeatedly, put that resume on the reject pile. ## 7\. Is he an A-player? World class companies are successful because they hire high quality people. Has the candidate made it onto a major-league team and been successful? Has he been hired by companies you respect? ## 8\. “You should hire me because…” Look for a succinct summary sentence that captures the essence of the candidate. Superstars know their role is to deliver revenue, profits and growth, and they will tell you why you should hire them – because they will produce the results. * * * For help developing your company’s interview and candidate assessment strategy, [contact a Sales Talent Agent](https://www.stagtm.com/agents). --- ## Your Sales Management Checklist | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/blog/your-sales-management-checklist ### BY [SONYA MELOFF](https://www.salestalentagency.com/team-members/sonya-meloff/) ## Simplify your commission plan Make it easy for your reps to know the specific activity you want from them (e.g. new clients vs. growing existing clients) ## Create a company-wide “elevator pitch” To ensure everyone tells a consistent story and value proposition ## Launch an internal initiative for reference letters They will help your sales people get more credibility when hunting for new business ## Help your reps know their competitors! Learn and disseminate their go-to-market strategies, their pricing, and any positive differences between your offering and theirs ## Create a “cheat sheet” To help your reps consistently answer frequently asked questions and overcome typical customer objections * * * We hope these 5 simple and free tips help your company get more from its sales team. If you would like to find out more about how to find, choose, incent or equip your sales team for success, please contact us at 1-888-997-3544 or email [Jamie Scarborough](mailto:jamie.scarborough@salestalentagency.com). More than 280 high performing companies utilize Sales Talent Agency, for the love of sales! --- ## Book a Call - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/book-a-call ## Book a call “STA combines the precision of a specialized search firm with the strategic insight of a talent advisory. They don’t just fill roles — they build teams that transform companies. In high-stakes moments, they’re the partner you want in your corner.” Sam Jacobs CEO, Pavilion Calendar Embed --- ## STA Client Stories: Made for your make-or-break moments | Executives. Front-Line. Build-Outs. Portfolio Support. Strategy. | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/client-stories # Made for your make-or-break moments. Executives. Front-Line. Build-Outs. Portfolio Support. Strategy. > “I’ve used STA for VP of Sales, Marketing Director, and Sales Rep searches across six portfolio companies in the past year. They consistently deliver high-quality candidates on expedited timelines, with a process that’s strong from end-to-end.” AJ Gandhi Formerly Chief Growth Officer > “STA built a thesis around the GTM problem we needed to solve, mapped every leader in the market, and pressure-tested the profile until we had conviction. We hired a VP of Worldwide Sales and a Director of Product Marketing who’ve already made an impact.” Rotem Weiss Founder & CEO > “Highly recommend STA! They’re the hardest working recruiting team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. They go the extra mile on candidate back channels and are capable of adapting to unique talent strategies.” David Patterson-Cole Co-Founder & CEO > “I’ve worked with STA for the best part of a decade across several startups. I recommend them to all the companies I coach and invest in. They have deep domain experience in GTM, and know where to find and how to attract world-class talent.” Paul Fifield Co-Founder & Managing Partner > “I’ve worked with dozens of agencies, and STA is head and shoulders above the rest. They help me think critically about criteria, candidate pools, and profiles we actually need. They nail the subtle things that add up. Most importantly, they help me avoid costly mistakes.” Peter Nolan Head of Financial Services > “STA has emerged as one of the best executive search firms in the business. Their passion for helping us build great teams comes through in every email, phone call, and touchpoint. You’d be foolish to try to build a great team without them.” Sam Jacobs CEO > “STA is the only external sales recruiter I’ve used in the last 10 years. They make you better at the craft of hiring high-performance people. They focus on getting you the right candidates and not just a lot of them. Highly trustworthy!” Kyle Norton CRO > “STA is the best recruitment team I’ve worked with. They understand our business intimately, they move fast, and they consistently deliver the right talent. They’re also a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend.” Matt Braley CRO > “We engaged STA to support a sales team buildout at a portfolio company and came away impressed. Their rigor, thorough understanding of the market, and ability to represent the company credibly was clear. The engagement resulted in multiple strong hires.” Sean Cloney Head of Talent > “Working with STA was the best exec search experience I’ve ever had. When I need a ‘no-miss’ hire, they’re my first call. They don’t just run a search — they sharpen the hiring strategy.” AJ Bruno CEO > “I’ve spent years hiring and onboarding salespeople, and STA has been the best recruiting firm I’ve ever worked with. They placed some of my best hires, and equally as important, their team is a joy to work with.” Laura Guerra VP of Growth > “The candidate checked all our boxes. Put plainly, we didn’t know someone like that existed, and STA found him. That’s the bottom line.” Sebastien Douville Partner & COO > “Working with STA has been an amazing experience! Most of our top performers have come from them.” Nick Babington Vice President > “We’ve promoted 9 of the candidates \[STA helped us hire\] to management levels. This was epic.” Meghan Nichol Director of People and Culture > “STA has not only been able to learn the skills required but also gain a good understanding of the cultural fit that’s equally important to us. They’re very responsive to the needs of different leaders throughout the organization.” Karen Stone Director of Human Resources > “We’ve developed a strong partnership with STA. They have a genuine interest in understanding our business, our needs, and our challenges. They always deliver on their promises, are rigorous and extremely professional. It’s a true pleasure to work with them.” Amelie Blais Director of Talent Acquisition > “It’s clear that STA is the expert in sales recruitment. Their comprehensive screening process, their method of analyzing candidates, and the speed in which they delivered set them apart. We’d recommend STA to any organization making sales hires at any level.” Jason Little VP of Business Development > “We were looking for an Inside Sales Rep. STA was able to present a group of high-quality candidates in 6 business days, and their comprehensive candidate screening and analysis process saved us time. I’d recommend STA to any organization looking to grow their sales team.” Chris MacLean Director of Sales --- ## Case Studies | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/client-studies Closing Top Talent on Expedited Timelines > I’ve used STA for VP of Sales, Marketing Director, and Sales Rep searches across six portfolio companies in the past year. They consistently deliver high-quality candidates on expedited timelines, with a process that’s strong from end-to-end. AJ Gandhi Formerly Chief Growth Officer Fostering Consensus in the C-Suite > STA built a thesis around the GTM problem we needed to solve, mapped every leader in the market, and pressure-tested the profile until we had conviction. We hired a VP of Worldwide Sales and a Director of Product Marketing who’ve already made an impact. Rotem Weiss Founder & CEO Adapting to Unique Talent Strategies > Highly recommend STA! They’re the hardest working recruiting team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. They go the extra mile on candidate back channels and are capable of adapting to unique talent strategies. David Patterson-Cole Co-Founder & CEO Demystifying the Market with Data and Experience > I’ve worked with STA for the best part of a decade across several startups. I recommend them to all the companies I coach and invest in. They have deep domain experience in GTM, and know where to find and how to attract world-class talent. Paul Fifield Co-Founder & Managing Partner Avoiding Costly Hiring Mistakes > I’ve worked with dozens of agencies, and STA is head and shoulders above the rest. They help me think critically about criteria, candidate pools, and profiles we actually need. They nail the subtle things that add up. Most importantly, they help me avoid costly mistakes. Peter Nolan Head of Financial Services Building Successful Sales Teams > STA has emerged as one of the best executive search firms in the business. Their passion for helping us build great teams comes through in every email, phone call, and touchpoint. You’d be foolish to try to build a great team without them. Sam Jacobs CEO Delivering High-Performance Hires > STA is the only external sales recruiter I’ve used in the last 10 years. They make you better at the craft of hiring high-performance people. They focus on getting you the right candidates and not just a lot of them. Highly trustworthy! Kyle Norton CRO Recruiting the Right Talent, Fast > STA is the best recruitment team I’ve worked with. They understand our business intimately, they move fast, and they consistently deliver the right talent. They’re also a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend. Matt Braley CRO Leading Sales-Team Buildout > We engaged STA to support a sales team buildout at a portfolio company and came away impressed. Their rigor, thorough understanding of the market, and ability to represent the company credibly was clear. The engagement resulted in multiple strong hires. Sean Cloney Head of Talent Aligning Talent Strategy with Winning Outcomes > Working with STA was the best exec search experience I’ve ever had. When I need a ‘no-miss’ hire, they’re my first call. They don’t just run a search — they sharpen the hiring strategy. AJ Bruno CEO Sourcing Hard-to-Find Candidates > I’ve spent years hiring and onboarding salespeople, and STA has been the best recruiting firm I’ve ever worked with. They placed some of my best hires, and equally as important, their team is a joy to work with. Laura Guerra VP of Growth Finding Exceptional Talent > The candidate checked all our boxes. Put plainly, we didn’t know someone like that existed, and STA found him. That’s the bottom line. Sebastien Douville Partner & COO Launching in a New Market > Working with STA has been an amazing experience! Most of our top performers have come from them. Nick Babington Vice President Recruiting High-Volume in Limited Time > We’ve promoted 9 of the candidates \[STA helped us hire\] to management levels. This was epic. Meghan Nichol Director of People and Culture Reducing Time to Fill Roles > STA has not only been able to learn the skills required but also gain a good understanding of the cultural fit that’s equally important to us. They’re very responsive to the needs of different leaders throughout the organization. Karen Stone Director of Human Resources Recruiting Top Talent in a Competitive Market > We’ve developed a strong partnership with STA. They have a genuine interest in understanding our business, our needs, and our challenges. They always deliver on their promises, are rigorous and extremely professional. It’s a true pleasure to work with them. Amelie Blais Director of Talent Acquisition Growing Successful Sales Teams > It’s clear that STA is the expert in sales recruitment. Their comprehensive screening process, their method of analyzing candidates, and the speed in which they delivered set them apart. We’d recommend STA to any organization making sales hires at any level. Jason Little VP of Business Development Saving Time to Hire > We were looking for an Inside Sales Rep. STA was able to present a group of high-quality candidates in 6 business days, and their comprehensive candidate screening and analysis process saved us time. I’d recommend STA to any organization looking to grow their sales team. Chris MacLean Director of Sales --- ## Consumer Goods Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/consumer-goods Since 2007, we have focused our efforts on consumer goods sales recruitment in the B2B space. To date, we have worked with 1,600+ clients across North America, Europe, and Australia. Our roster of clients includes tech start-ups as well as many of the largest brands across industries; including medical, media, industrial and construction, and professional services. With every project (13,000 and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, FACE™, The live Sales Salary tool, and The Great Canadian Sales Competition. In 2022 alone, our 40+ Sales Talent Agents met with over 18,000 salespeople to learn about their career goals and evaluate their potential for our consumer goods clients’ critical sales roles. We are respected within the industry as tenured consumer goods recruitment experts by the people we place, the companies we help, and by the sales community as a whole. Our candidates are difference makers for our clients and our clients respect our candidate’s contributions and pay them well for results. If you’re in the market to make your next best sales hire or find your next consumer goods sales job, we would love to hear from you. --- ## Contact - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/contact ### Let’s Talk EMPLOYERS Looking to hire top GTM talent for your organization? [Get in Touch](/contact-form) CANDIDATES Exploring new career opportunities in GTM roles [View Open Opportunities](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=4419892652&f_C=221146&geoId=92000000&origin=JOB_SEARCH_PAGE_JOB_FILTER&sortBy=DD) --- ## Let's talk about what's at stake. | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/contact-form ## Let’s talk about what’s at stake, and how we’ll solve it. --- ## Cookies Policy - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/cookies-policy ****COOKIE POLICY**** Last updated August 27, 2021 This Cookie Policy explains how Sales Talent Agency Inc. (“Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our websites at https://www.stagtm.com, (“Websites”). It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them. In some cases we may use cookies to collect personal information, or that becomes personal information if we combine it with other information. **What are cookies?** Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information. Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Sales Talent Agency Inc.) are called “first party cookies.” Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called “third party cookies.” Third party cookies enable third party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., like advertising, interactive content and analytics). The parties that set these third party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites. **Why do we use cookies?** We use first and third party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Websites to operate, and we refer to these as “essential” or “strictly necessary” cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Online Properties. Third parties serve cookies through our Websites for advertising, analytics and other purposes. This is described in more detail below. The specific types of first and third party cookies served through our Websites and the purposes they perform are described below (please note that the specific cookies served may vary depending on the specific Online Properties you visit): **How can I control cookies?** You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie rights by setting your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager. The Cookie Consent Manager allows you to select which categories of cookies you accept or reject. Essential cookies cannot be rejected as they are strictly necessary to provide you with services. The Cookie Consent Manager can be found in the notification banner and on our website. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website though your access to some functionality and areas of our website may be restricted. You may also set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. 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We may use other, similar technologies from time to time, like web beacons (sometimes called “tracking pixels” or “clear gifs”). These are tiny graphics files that contain a unique identifier that enable us to recognize when someone has visited our Websites or opened an email including them. This allows us, for example, to monitor the traffic patterns of users from one page within a website to another, to deliver or communicate with cookies, to understand whether you have come to the website from an online advertisement displayed on a third-party website, to improve site performance, and to measure the success of email marketing campaigns. In many instances, these technologies are reliant on cookies to function properly, and so declining cookies will impair their functioning. **Do you use Flash cookies or Local Shared Objects?** Websites may also use so-called “Flash Cookies” (also known as Local Shared Objects or “LSOs”) to, among other things, collect and store information about your use of our services, fraud prevention and for other site operations. If you do not want Flash Cookies stored on your computer, you can adjust the settings of your Flash player to block Flash Cookies storage using the tools contained in the Website Storage Settings Panel. You can also control Flash Cookies by going to the Global Storage Settings Panel and following the instructions (which may include instructions that explain, for example, how to delete existing Flash Cookies (referred to “information” on the Macromedia site), how to prevent Flash LSOs from being placed on your computer without your being asked, and (for Flash Player 8 and later) how to block Flash Cookies that are not being delivered by the operator of the page you are on at the time). Please note that setting the Flash Player to restrict or limit acceptance of Flash Cookies may reduce or impede the functionality of some Flash applications, including, potentially, Flash applications used in connection with our services or online content. **Do you serve targeted advertising?** Third parties may serve cookies on your computer or mobile device to serve advertising through our Websites. These companies may use information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in. They may also employ technology that is used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. This can be accomplished by them using cookies or web beacons to collect information about your visits to this and other sites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services of potential interest to you. The information collected through this process does not enable us or them to identify your name, contact details or other details that directly identify you unless you choose to provide these. **How often will you update this Cookie Policy?** We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons. Please therefore re-visit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies. The date at the top of this Cookie Policy indicates when it was last updated. **Where can I get further information?** If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please email us at katherine.perrin@stagtm.com or by post to: Sales Talent Agency Inc. 96 Spadina Ave. Toronto, Ontario M5A 2J6 Canada Phone: (+1)416-304-9823 --- ## Face Presentations - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/face-presentations ### How to Find, Attract, Choose and Equip your salesteam --- ## Finance Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/finance-2 Over 15 years since its 2007 launch, Sales Talent Agency has helped more than 1,600 clients across North America, Europe, and Australia find top sales professionals. We are seasoned financial sales recruitment experts and pride ourselves on the following 3 core principles: 1\. Don’t let anyone outwork you 2\. Give a “wow” experience 3\. There is always more to learn This winning attitude has lead to an impressive and passionate client portfolio of some of the most successful and fastest-growing companies across North America, Europe and Australia. Sales Talent Agency has also been recognized as one of the Profit500 Fastest Growing Companies from 2014-2019 and is the founder and manager of The Great Canadian Sales Competition (GCSC), Canada’s biggest student competition. If you require financial sales recruitment services or are looking for your next financial sales job, we’d love to connect with you. --- ## STA. GTM teams. From C-level to frontline. | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/homepage **Welcome to STA,** We are the first call business leaders make when they are planning critical GTM hires. They demand top talent with urgent timelines. We make it happen, every time. Our people are exceptional: they are artisans in a world of widgets. Our processes are honed over 20 years and 10,000+ repetitions. We live and breathe this craft. For those who can’t afford to get it wrong, --- ## Industrial & Construction Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/industrial-construction Over the last 15+ years Sales Talent Agency has built a reputation helping clients with their construction and industrial recruitment needs across North America, Europe and Australia. Since opening our doors in 2007, we have worked on over 13,000 projects with hundreds of happy clients. What makes us the best: • We have recruited for over 1,600+ companies in Canada • We have facilitated over $600M in salaries • We meet more than 18,000 sales professionals every year (more than any company!) • Our replacement rate is less than 3% 80% of our placements exceed 90% of their first-year revenue target • We have more than 150 glowing reference letters For the love of sales! --- ## Industries - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/industries --- ## STA Insights from The Edge | Plus Topline Highlights | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/insights ## The _edge_ [ Leadership ##### A Proven Method for Identifying Early-Career Talent ](/the-edge/a-proven-method-for-identifying-early-career-talent) [ AI & GTM ##### Constructing a Pre-Hire Assignment in an AI World ](/the-edge/constructing-a-pre-hire-assignment-in-an-ai-world) [ Leadership ## State of the GTM Talent Market – 2026 Why the “best job market ever” and the “worst job market ever” are both true. ](/the-edge/state-of-the-gtm-talent-market-2026) [ Leadership ##### How to Prepare and Enable STA to Get You Elite Hires ](/the-edge/how-to-prepare-and-enable-sta-to-get-you-elite-hires) [ GTM Benchmarks ##### To Negotiate or Not to Negotiate? ](/the-edge/to-negotiate-or-not-to-negotiate) ## **Get** the _edge_ Low volume. High value. #### Proud producer of the go-to newsletter for Go-To-Market Leaders ##### Don’t Be Bland as F\*ck: Why AI Isn’t the Differentiator You Think It Is by Kyle Lacy When every competitor has the same tools, taste is the only advantage left. June 9, 2026 ##### Why I Tried to Replace Myself as CEO by AJ Bruno The same stretch that nearly ended my run as CEO became the best I’ve ever operated in. What changed — and the lessons I learned along the way. AJ BrunoJune 2, 2026 ##### The Core 4: What Separates Elite Execs from Everybody Else by Cassie Young Hitting your numbers is the price of admission for senior executives. Here’s what keeps them in the room. Cassie YoungMay 26, 2026 ##### AI-Native GTM: All the Way or Not at All by Tim Rutten My honest answer to the question every CMO and CRO is asking right now. Tim RuttenMay 19, 2026 ##### 3.43% Response Rate? The Founder-Led Fix by Craig Rosenberg Cold email is broken. The most efficient GTM lever left for startups is on the founder’s LinkedIn — and you don’t have to become an Influencer to run it. The TransactionMay 12, 2026 ##### We Hit 211% NRR by Saying Yes on Purpose by Amanda Kahlow I ran my last two companies on a culture of “no.” 1mind has to be the opposite — and in this market, so does yours. Amanda kahlowMay 5, 2026 Load more 1:08:02 1:01:24 1:01:31 1:04:01 53:29 58:37 59:38 51:32 1:01:40 49:26 56:32 51:01 19:25 23:11 53:43 1:01:04 ### Newsletter Archive [ ##### OpenAI’s $1M Test: AI Models Failed 67% of Real Coding Tasks February 27, 2025 ](/newsletter/openais-1m-test-ai-models-failed-67-of-real-coding-tasks) [ ##### MIT, Klarna, and Cursor: Three Stories That Reveal AI’s True Impact February 20, 2025 ](/newsletter/mit-klarna-and-cursor-three-stories-that-reveal-ais-true-impact) [ ##### Deep Research: OpenAI Just Fixed Sales’ Biggest Problem February 6, 2025 ](/newsletter/deep-research-openai-just-fixed-sales-biggest-problem) [ ##### Breaking: Tech Writer Finds Sales Lesson in Sonic Boom January 30, 2025 ](/newsletter/breaking-tech-writer-finds-sales-lesson-in-sonic-boom) [ ##### OpenAI’s o3 Outranks 99.8% of Coders December 26, 2024 ](/newsletter/openais-o3-outranks-99-8-of-coders) [ ##### The ChatGPT Effect: Why The Titans Are Back December 19, 2024 ](/newsletter/the-chatgpt-effect-why-the-titans-are-back) Load more --- ## Locations - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Calgary - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/calgary Sales Talent Agency is North America, Europe, and Australia’s leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been specifically recruiting in Calgary for 15+ years. Our amazing sales recruiters have worked with over 1,600 employers and help each of those clients – from the big guys to the start-ups – make great sales hires that ramp up quickly, last a long time, and make a positive revenue and cultural contribution along the way. Beyond spending thousands of hours in Calgary sales recruitment, we are also the founders of the Great Canadian Sales Competition, which is Canada’s biggest student competition and educates students on the possibilities with sales as a career. Whether you require seasoned headhunters in Calgary or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 200+ sales jobs in Calgary and surrounding areas - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $24,000 – $235,000 representing over $5M+ in salaries in Calgary - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Chicago - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/chicago Sales Talent Agency is a leading business-to-business sales recruitment in Chicago. Over the past 15+ years, Sales Talent Agency has facilitated more than 7,000 sales hires for 1,600+ employers across North America, Europe, and Australia, translating into over $600,000,000 in salaries. In 2022 alone, our 40+ Sales Talent Agents met with over 18,000 salespeople to learn about their career goals and evaluate their potential for our clients’ critical sales roles. With every project (13,000 and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, F.A.C.E.™ and The Live Sales Salary tool. Whether you require seasoned headhunters or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job in Chicago, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years, we have successfully placed 35+ sales roles in Chicago with salaries ranging from $50,000 – $300,000 in industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Edmonton - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/edmonton Sales Talent Agency is the leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been specifically recruiting for sales jobs in Edmonton for over 15+ years. We started Sales Talent Agency in 2007 and now we have built a company that we are really proud of. Whether you require seasoned headhunters in Edmonton or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 120+ sales jobs in Edmonton and surrounding areas - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $32,000 – $235,000 representing over $5M+ in salaries in Edmonton - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Halifax - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/halifax Sales Talent Agency has established a reputation as the hardest working, most knowledgeable, and well-networked sales recruitment company in Halifax. We have successfully helped more than 1,600+ companies hire top-performing sales professionals throughout North America, Europe, and Australia – from aggressive sales hunters to account managers, sales managers, and sales executives – including: Rogers, SAP, Salesforce.com, Honeywell, Acklands-Grainger, TouchBistro, and Ceridian. In 2014 – 2019 we were recognized by Growth 500 as one of Canada’s fastest growing companies! With every project (13,000 and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, F.A.C.E.™, The Live Sales Salary Tool, and The Great Canadian Sales Competition. We’ve been recruiting for sales jobs in Halifax for over 145years. Our team meets with 18,000+ candidates each year and 80% of hired employees make 90%+ of their first-year sales target. Whether you require seasoned headhunters or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job in Halifax, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $40,000 – $135,000 - Successfully placed sales roles in Halifax in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Kitchener & Waterloo - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/kitchener-and-waterloo Sales Talent Agency is Waterloo’s leading B2B sales recruitment company. We are a full-service agency with a range of offerings to meet your sales recruitment needs. We work on roles at all levels, across industries including Executive Search placements. We will Find, Attract and Choose top sales talent for your organization within 7-12 business days and support the sales recruitment process at all stages. Launched in September of 2007, our roster of clients include Waterloo start-ups as well as many of the largest brands across industries (Shopify, TouchBistro, Turnstyle, IBM, Purolator, Grand & Toy and Hootsuite). Each year we meet and interact with over 18,000 sales people across North America, Europe and Australia. Our clients meet the very best. Notable Accolades: - 2014 – PROFIT 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada - 2015 – Launched The Great Canadian Sales Competition - 2015 – PROFIT 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada - 2016 – PROFIT 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada - 2017 – PROFIT 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada - 2018 – PROFIT 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada - 2019 – Growth 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $36,000 – $200,000 representing over $6M in salaries. - Successfully placed sales roles in Kitchener & Waterloo in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Massachusetts - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/massachusetts Sales Talent Agency is Massachusetts’ leading sales recruitment company, helping more than 250 employers each year hire their best salespeople. Placement salaries in Massachusetts range from $45,000 – $230,000 representing positions from Vice-President and Sales Directors to entry-level Sales Development Reps and Account Executives. Our offerings include: hiring single sales employees, building entire sales teams, end-to-end recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), and providing workshops/consultancy services to business leaders to help them build successful sales teams. We excel because: - We have the best candidate network. In 2022 alone, we met and analyzed more than 18,000 sales professionals. - We use the very best sales recruitment tools and technologies, and take a sales-centric approach to recruitment, expertly positioning our clients as employers of choice to the best candidates in the market. - We typically present quality candidates within 7-12 business days from the project launch. - We developed a proven candidate analysis methodology called DNA/PRO™ that ensures every candidate we present has a high probability of success for our clients. In fact, 80% of the candidates we place achieve 90-200% of their first year sales target. - We have more than 150 reference letters from a large range of 1600+ happy clients including: SAP, IBM, Moneris, Ceridian, League, Top Hat, and Rogers - Over the past 15+ years we have successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Montreal - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/montreal Sales Talent Agency is the leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been recruiting for sales jobs in Montreal for 15+ years. Our team meets with 18,000+ candidates each year and 80% of hired employees make 90%+ of their first-year sales target. When selecting a sales recruitment company to work with, it is important to decipher what sets them apart. Beyond spending thousands of hours in Montreal sales recruitment, we have also developed a proprietary assessment methodology that helps us determine the best fit between our clients and the sales professionals that we engage with every day. Whether you require seasoned headhunters or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B Montreal sales job, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 220+ sales jobs in Montreal and surrounding areas - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $35,000 – $250,000 representing over $9M+ in salaries - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters New York City - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/new-york-city Sales Talent Agency has established a reputation as the hardest working, most knowledgeable, and well-networked sales recruitment company for New York City. We focus on full go to-market recruitment, including sales, pre-sales, customer success and marketing roles. Since 2007, we’ve met with over 250,000 salespeople across North America, Europe, and Australia, and have placed more than 7,000 elite sales hires for 1,600+ employers, which has translated into $600 million in go-to-market salaries. All while having the lowest replacement rate in the industry at 3%. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Ottawa - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/ottawa Sales Talent Agency is the leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been recruiting for sales jobs in Ottawa for 15+ years. Our amazing sales recruiters work hard to help every single client – from the big guys to the start-ups – make great sales hires that ramp up quickly, last a long time, and make a positive revenue and cultural contribution along the way. With every project (13,000 and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, F.A.C.E.™, The live Sales Salary tool, and The Great Canadian Sales Competition. Today, we are as hungry and focused as ever on sales recruitment in Ottawa. Business is changing, and with those changes, the demand for exceptional sales talent grows. STA is here to help you make your best sales hires whether they take place in Ottawa or across Canada. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 140+ sales jobs in Ottawa and surrounding areas - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $40,000 – $140,000 representing over $2.8M+ in salaries - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters San Francisco - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/san-francisco Sales Talent Agency is leading business-to-business sales recruitment in San Francisco. Over the past 15 years, Sales Talent Agency has facilitated more than 7,000 sales hires for 1,600+ employers, with a reputation of placing top performers– 80% of candidates placed reach 90% of their quota in the first year of their new sales job. In 2022 alone, our 40+ Sales Talent Agents met with over 18,000 salespeople across North America, Europe, and Australia, to learn about their career goals and evaluate their potential for our clients’ critical sales roles. We are respected within San Francisco as sales experts by the people we place, by the companies we help, and by the sales community as a whole. Our candidates are difference makers for our clients and our clients respect our candidate’s contributions and pay them well for results. Whether you require seasoned headhunters or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job in San Francisco, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15 years, we have successfully placed sales roles in San Francisco in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Saskatoon & Regina - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/saskatoon-and-regina Sales Talent Agency is Saskatoon & Regina’s leading B2B sales recruitment company. We are sales experts who associate with rain-makers, not warm bodies. We know a quota crusher from a revenue sponge. We have credibility with quality sales professionals in Saskatoon & Regina because we have been in their shoes. We know that every open sales role – from VP to Business Developer – represents revenue a company is losing. Every day a role is unfilled or has the wrong person in the seat, means a day losing ground on the competition. We are respected within Saskatoon & Regina as sales recruitment experts by the people we place, the companies we help, and by the sales community as a whole. Our candidates are difference makers for our clients and our clients respect our candidate’s contributions and pay them well for results. Launched in 2007, our roster of clients includes start-ups as well as many of the largest brands across various industries; including media, software, IT, industrial, and telecom companies. For many, we have exclusive outsourced contracts. Finding great sales professionals is not just our business: it is our passion. Whether you are looking to fill one key sales role in Saskatoon & Regina or need help building your entire sales team, Sales Talent Agency will get it done the right way, the first time. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated sales hires in Saskatoon & Regina with base salaries ranging from $45,000 – $100,000 - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Seattle - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/seattle Over the last 15 years, Sales Talent Agency has established a reputation as the hardest working, most knowledgeable, and well-networked sales recruitment company in Seattle. We have successfully helped more than 1,600 companies hire top-performing sales professionals – from aggressive sales hunters to account managers, sales managers, and sales executives – including: American Express, Hootsuite, Shopify, and Purolator. We excel because: - We have the best candidate network. In 2022 alone, we met and analyzed more than 18,000 sales professionals and have engaged with more than 250,000 salespeople since our 2007 launch. - We use the very best sales recruitment tools and technologies, and take a sales-centric approach to recruitment, expertly positioning our clients as employers of choice to the best candidates in the market. - We typically present quality candidates within 7-12 business days from the project launch. - We developed a proven candidate analysis methodology called DNA/PRO™ that ensures every candidate we present has a high probability of success for our clients. In fact, 80% of the candidates we place achieve 90-200% of their first year sales target. - We write a regular sales leadership advice column for PROFITGuide and in 2017 published The Definitive Sales Salary Guide to help employers attract and retain top talent. Over the past 15+ years we have successfully placed sales roles in Seattle in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Toronto - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/toronto Sales Talent Agency is North America, Europe, and Australia’s leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been specifically recruiting in Toronto for 15+ years. Our team meets with 18,000+ candidates each year and 80% of hired employees make 90%+ of their first-year sales target. When selecting a recruitment company to work with, it is important to decipher what sets them apart. Beyond spending thousands of hours in Toronto sales recruitment we have also developed a proprietary assessment methodology that helps us determine the best fit between our clients and the sales professionals that we engage with every day. Whether you require seasoned headhunters in Toronto or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 2,600+ sales jobs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including Toronto, Mississauga, Scarborough, and North York. - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $30,000 – $275,000 representing over $150M+ in salaries in the Greater Toronto Area. - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Vancouver - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/vancouver Sales Talent Agency is North America, Europe, and Australia’s leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company and has been specifically recruiting in Vancouver for over 15+ years. We have spent over 975,000 hours in sales recruitment and have been a part of over 13,000 recruitment projects to date. Beyond spending thousands of hours in Vancouver sales recruitment, we have also been featured experts on PROFITguide and Canadian Business for sales recruitment. Whether you require seasoned headhunters in Vancouver or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next B2B sales job, we’d love to connect with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated recruitment projects for over 1,500+ sales jobs in Vancouver and surrounding areas including Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminister, and Victoria. - Facilitated sales hires with base salaries ranging from $24,000 – $250,000 representing over $38M+ in salaries in the Greater Vancouver Area. - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales, and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Sales Jobs and Recruiters Winnipeg - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/locations/winnipeg Sales Talent Agency is Winnipeg’s leading business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment company. Founded in 2007 we’ve spent the last 15+ years working hard to help every single client – from the big guys to the start-ups – make great sales hires that ramp up quickly, last a long time, and make a positive revenue and cultural contribution along the way. Beyond spending thousands of hours in sales recruitment (975,000+) we have also developed a proprietary assessment methodology that helps us determine the best fit between our clients and the sales professionals that we engage with everyday. Today, we are as hungry and focused as ever on sales recruitment. Business is changing, and with those changes the demand for exceptional sales talent grows. STA is here to help you make your best sales hires within Winnipeg and the rest of Canada. We look forward to connecting with you. Over the past 15+ years we have: - Facilitated sales hires in Winnipeg with base salaries ranging from $40,000 – $90,000 - Successfully placed sales roles in a vast majority of industries including professional services sales, media sales, medical & pharmaceutical sales, technology and software sales, transportation and logistic sales, finance sales, industrial sales and consumer packaged good sales. --- ## Media Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/media-2 Sales Talent Agency is North America, Europe, and Australia’s leading business-to-business sales recruitment firm with 15+ years of experience in media sales recruitment. We’ve spent more than 975,000 hours in sales recruitment and are dedicated to finding your organization the best media sales professionals on the market. With every project (13,000 and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, FACE™, The live Sales Salary tool, and The Great Canadian Sales Competition. We have more than 150 reference letters from a large range of 1,600+ happy clients including: MediaPlanet, Blender, Kijiji, Strutta and Metro. If you’re looking to hire specialized media sales recruiters or looking for your next media sales job, we’d love to hear from you. For the love of sales! --- ## Medical Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/medical Sales Talent Agency is one of the only firms focused exclusively on business-to-business (B2B) sales recruitment. We are sales experts, in medical sales recruitment and know that every open sales role – from VP to Business Developer – represents revenue a company is losing. Every day a role is unfilled or has the wrong person in the seat, means a day losing ground on the competition. Our candidates make a difference for our clients and our clients respect our candidate’s contributions and pay them well for results. Launched in 2007, our roster of clients includes start-ups as well as many of the largest brands across industries; including medical sales, software, IT, industrial, and telecom companies. For many, we have exclusive outsourced contracts. Finding great sales professionals is not just our business: it is our passion. Whether you are looking to fill one key sales role or need help building your entire sales team, Sales Talent Agency will get it done the right way, the first time. Whether you require seasoned medical sales recruiters or you’re a working sales professional looking for your next medical sales job, we’d love to connect with you. --- ## 6 buying tips from elite GTM leaders - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/6-buying-tips-from-elite-gtm-leaders In 2024, the world will collectively buy $5.06 trillion worth of IT, an 8% YoY increase. When we buy, 87% of us spend six months analyzing different products, and 99% of us are either “very confident or somewhat confident” in our eventual purchases. So maybe we are all great buyers? Not so fast. We buy too much: Reducing tech bloat was one of the themes in our slice of the world in 2023, with 94% of sales organizations planning to reduce their tech stacks. This is not just because of cost-cutting but also because 66% of reps reported feeling overwhelmed by the number of tools they were required to use. We buy things that don’t work: Even though 99% of us are ‘very confident or somewhat confident’ in our purchases, according to the 2024 Gong State of Revenue Leadership Report, 73% of tech companies missed their customer renewal targets. We’ve mostly renewed purchases that are working well, which implies that much of what we buy doesn’t provide the value we thought it would at the onset. We buy in ways that lead to regret: It’s often quoted that 75% of buyers prefer a rep-free experience, but in the same Gartner report, they also state that “those who purchase through digital channels alone are more likely to regret their purchase.” We might want a rep-free experience, but that’s often not what we need. Great GTM leaders will generate millions – sometimes billions – in revenue over the course of their careers. It’s what they are hired to do. But they also spend many millions – rarely billions – on products and services. So, they also need to be great capital allocators, which also includes being a great buyer. **6 buying tips shared with me from elite GTM leaders:** 1\. Know what your specific “win” looks like There are clear advantages of being a great buyer: you get a sharp price, great advice, fast implementation, better terms, and maybe even value-added services included for little or no charge. Sometimes price is the ultimate goal: case and point, a Series B CEO I know negotiated the leading revenue intelligence platform “down from $340 a person to $180” – a 52.9% discount. Other times, price is less of the focus, and how the tech is implemented and supported becomes the most important buying motivator. In both cases, the smart buyer has determined the biggest reason that tech solution could fail in their organization (i.e., a slim ROI requires a push for lower pricing, while lack of adoption requires more focus on the implementation) 2\. Get intimate with the problem Every leader I spoke to knew the problem they were solving inside out. This enabled them to be efficient and organized in solving it. They avoid confirmation bias and instead consider all options—automation, outsourcing, or maintaining the status quo. If automation is the answer, they create a scorecard and assemble a buying committee, aligning all stakeholders before evaluating solutions. With this groundwork, they avoid legal delays that slow down 61% of deals. They spend the next six months evaluating 3-5 products, continuously doing their own ROI analysis, while 47% of buyers rely on sellers for it. This approach gives them confidence when approving the final purchase and the conviction required to drive adoption. 3\. Categorize tech to understand your leverage better One GTM leader I know buckets their tech stack accordingly: Little to no Leverage: This typically applies to tech from a company with an existential offering (i.e., you are a clearly worse company without it) and a big moat. A good example of this is LinkedIn’s Recruiter suite, which would be essential for any talent acquisition team. Your pricing leverage is almost non-existent, so you need to find other areas (free training, more consultancy, multi-year contracts that avoid annual pricing increases). Some Leverage: Technology in this category is still extremely important for your stack, but a few good options can create more competition for your business. Think of Apollo as an example: very good tech, but many of Apollo’s competitors would argue that their contact results are equivalent or better. That increased competition creates leverage in pricing and other areas important to your optimization. Lots of Leverage: This tech is an advantage to your stack, but there is little to no moat for the supplier, so the ability to negotiate is extremely high. Think video conferencing, where there isn’t all that much difference between Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. You should have lots of room to maneuver in these negotiations. 4\. Use your expert knowledge of quotas to your advantage Every GTM leader has had a rep ask for discount approval on the last few days of a quarter, and every one of us – when fighting for those last percentage points – has at some point said yes. Knowing that we can all be our most flexible when targets are pressurized creates the most leverage potential. One GTM leader recommended being very open early about this timeline, specifically suggesting that you do not wait until the very last day to implement this strategy and instead ask, “What would the best price/user be if I could get this approved before the end of Q3?” 5\. Determine if you have more value than just money Word of mouth is powerful, so the promise of a reference letter, case study, or even negotiating a referral credit to off-set future costs can be a great way to lower your spend while keeping the quality of their implementation and customer service high (the case study specifically ensures that both parties benefit from a strong ROI). 6\. Be fair and kind 66% of the time, getting the best price is important to buyers. To achieve this, you need the salesperson to secure the discount. Great buyers work with salespeople who care about their craft and treat them fairly and kindly. This means being transparent, not ghosting, and avoiding rudeness. Building this relationship ensures that when it’s time to negotiate, the salesperson is on your side, helping you get the best deal. Since we are no longer in a “growth at all cost” world, we must master how we spend money, not just how we make it. That’s not only about getting the best price because sometimes you can push too hard on price and suffer as a result. It’s about buying the things we truly need in a way that is thoughtful, efficient, and likely to lead to the ROI we need. --- ## $700M Saved: The Biggest AI Impact Story of 2024 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/700m-saved-the-biggest-ai-impact-story-of-2024 AI Copilots started 2024 as the golden child of tech – hyped, hot, and everywhere. By year’s end? Branded Clippy 2.0 and kicked to the curb. In its place came AI Agents. The new darling has drawn over $1 billion in venture capital this year—a staggering 81% YoY increase—and delivered a titillating glimpse of what’s to come. But as the year kicked off, skeptics were quick to remind us: cloud adoption still hovers at just 30%. Their warning? Don’t overestimate how quickly AI will reshape our lives. Mass adoption of AI may still be uncertain, but the pace of innovation is undeniable. What’s even harder to ignore is AI’s growing real-world impact at companies like Klarna, Bell Canada, and Autodesk. Impressive? Absolutely. But there’s one example of AI’s transformative power that no one is talking about—and it’s the most compelling one yet. **Salesforce’s vanishing payroll** What a year it’s been for Marc Benioff. Salesforce entered 2024 riding high, but by Q2, their stock had tanked 20% on the back of weak results. Questions swirled about their future prospects in an AI-driven world. Never one to back down, Marc went all in on a bold pivot: Agentforce. Topline readers know I was intrigued, but the real question was whether a behemoth like Salesforce—pulling in more revenue in Germany alone than Hubspot does globally—could actually pivot. Months later, the results are coming in. Salesforce has emerged as the #1 enterprise AI supplier globally, processing a jaw-dropping 2 trillion enterprise AI transactions a week. The market took notice, rewarding these signals with a 10% post-earnings stock bump, pushing their market cap to $341B. None of this is new information, but wait, I have some. In a recent podcast, Marc let drop that thanks to AI’s impact on their engineering teams, Salesforce won’t hire any new engineers in 2025. That one comment got me digging into their financials. Historically, R&D makes up 15% of their revenue, and about 70% of that is headcount. Do the math, and Salesforce stands to save a staggering $700M in engineering costs next year. This isn’t just the largest AI-driven cost savings we’ve seen so far. It’s a forerunner of what’s possible for all of us in 2025 and beyond. **No mud, no lotus** At Pavilion’s last CEO Summit, Jason Lemkin nailed it: we live in a bifurcated world. He was talking about valuations, but the same divide applies to AI. On one side, leaders are evangelizing AI-driven transformations. On the other? A sea of holdouts, sitting on their hands, waiting for someone to show them how. The difference is clear: the winners aren’t just experimenting with AI—they’re living it. The best leaders I know aren’t outsourcing AI adoption to their teams; they’re embedding it into their own workflows. Their personal wins fuel their belief—and their urgency—to unlock bigger, company-wide gains. Take Tomasz Tunguz. The man uses AI 50-100 times an hour. For him, it’s as vital as his phone. That level of immersion doesn’t just impact productivity—it builds perspective. It helps him spot opportunities and grab competitive advantages before they disappear. Before I read Tomasz’s post, I thought I was doing pretty well with AI. It was a wake-up call. So, this winter break, I’m doubling down. My plan? Build GPTs for the team, experiment with Replit to create a simple app, and test AI Agents. Why? Because the race is on. AI is handing out productivity boosts and margin gains, and I want to grab them before my competitors do. No one’s coming to hand you the playbook. You’ve got to write it yourself—and fast. --- ## AI Can’t Touch This: Why Taste Matters Even More Now - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/ai-cant-touch-this-why-taste-matters-even-more-now Think about your favorite piece of technology. Maybe it’s your iPhone. Would it still be your favorite if it did the same things but looked like a Motorola Flipout? Now, think about your favorite marketing campaign. Mine is Patek Philippe’s iconic ad: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely hold onto it for the next generation.” Would anyone remember it if the tagline had been watered down to, “Patek: A watch your kids will want someday”? In both cases, the magic came down to choices. Apple and Patek made the right ones. But for every Apple and Patek, there are countless Jaguar’s – brands that made choices destined to end up in the graveyard of irrelevance. So, what separates the great from the forgettable? Taste, which as Paul Graham puts it, is the ability to tell the difference between good and bad. And this ability commands a new premium today. Why? Because AI is redefining the value of a knowledge worker. It’s automating the tedious tasks we’ve spent hours on and generating insights and options at a speed that feels almost magical. In this new world, a knowledge worker’s value will lie in doing what AI still can’t—deciding, from a sea of possibilities, which one to pursue. Till now, taste has felt like an art—something innate, possessed by a few, and hard to explain. But as its importance grows, we need to ask: can taste be developed intentionally, like any other skill? **Taste: The Critical Factor** When most people think about taste, they think of art, food, fashion, or music. Push them to consider taste in business, and they’ll point to design or product. They’re not wrong—but they’re missing the bigger picture. Taste shapes every decision we make. The problem a company decides to solve. The values it champions. The structure it adopts. The tagline it crafts. All of these require judgment, and taste is the filter through which these decisions pass. Here’s the challenge: these choices don’t exist in a vacuum—they impact employees, customers, and the brand itself. Getting them right requires balancing empathy with a clear point of view—a combination that confuses most. The leaders who consistently strike this balance, and make the right calls, are the ones with taste in spades. For those who do, here’s the good news: in the age of AI, taste is the critical filter that turns data into meaningful experiences. But as taste becomes more valuable, we can no longer leave it to instinct or chance. Instead, taste must transform from a mysterious art into a teachable, scalable skill. **Exposure + Curiosity** I’m no expert in taste development, and I’m not sure anyone truly is right now. But solving new problems starts with talking to people smarter than you. So this weekend, I turned to the Topline Slack channel. What we landed on was this: depth and breadth of exposure are the foundation of developing taste. Depth matters because you can’t tell good from bad if your understanding is surface level. If the only art you’ve seen is what hung in your childhood home, how much can you really know? Breadth is equally important. It provides context and fosters metaphorical thinking. People with great taste often have diverse interests and draw from them to form a unique yet relatable point of view. But exposure alone isn’t enough. Without curiosity, it’s just noise. Curiosity fuels reflection, empathy, and the ability to nurture a distinct perspective. Exposure is the vehicle; curiosity is the fuel. We also discussed how pivotal moments in life often have an outsized impact on the taste a person develops, and how great taste requires both humility and confidence—humility to learn and evolve, and confidence to trust your judgment. Interestingly, technical expertise isn’t necessarily linked to great taste. Rick Rubin, who can’t play a single instrument, has produced some of the greatest music of our time. How do we tie all this together to help people develop taste? Will organizations build this internally, or will we rely on third parties? Is it even solvable—or does the rising importance of taste simply give those who already have it a bigger edge? I don’t know the answers yet, but I’m confident they’re not far off. In the meantime, I’ll be placing even greater importance on ensuring that the people we hire have good taste. --- ## Beware the startup sleight of hand - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/beware-the-startup-sleight-of-hand On Tuesday, Bolt’s investors got an unwelcome jolt, when the investment that was emblematic of their ZIRP-fueled exuberance – and idiocy – proved to be a story far from over. For a hot minute, Ryan Breslow was the man. The Stanford dropout had taken advantage of Amazon’s expiring one-click-checkout patent and built a company that investors like General Atlantic and BlackRock plowed $1B into, at an $11B valuation. But things started falling apart in 2022 as they did for many of that era’s unicorns. Churn was high, new logo acquisition was low, and while Ryan was busy delivering Twitter haymakers to the “Silicon Valley Mob,” major customers like Authentic Brands Group were taking them to court. Ryan didn’t survive the fallout. He started a new company called Love.com and went to be a yogi in Puerto Rico. Everyone thought he was done. They were wrong. Out of nowhere this week, the interim CEO of Bolt sent a letter to its investors announcing an impending $450M+ Series F round led by UAE—and UK-based investment firms. He claimed the infusion would “elevate our total valuation to over $14 billion.” Oh, and yeah, Breslow would be returning to take the reins. Most of the ecosystem is abuzz about Ryan’s undeniable fundraising prowess and the bizarre term sheet the deal comes with. You can feel the schadenfreude toward current investors whose capital has been incinerated and brands dented. Investors play the power law game and can take an L. Employees, though, have but one career and can cast their lot with just one company at a time. Thousands of talented professionals wasted valuable years and racked up the man-hours in therapy by being lured by Pied Pipers with names such as Adam Neumann and Ryan Breslow. There will always be Adams and Ryans out there, so it’s on us to learn how to avoid their traps. **The London Games** Ok, we have to talk about that term sheet. A mysterious Middle Eastern fund is said to be coughing up $200M, while the $250M balance isn’t cash, but rather comes in the form of “marketing credits” from a firm called The London Fund. What are marketing credits? Remember the cloud credits Microsoft gave OpenAI? Marketing credits are a similar concept, but for influencer marketing, which feels very 2021. Ryan’s return comes with a $2M bonus, $1.5M+ in expenses per year and more shares. Bolt will also invest money into The London Fund and Love.com. Surprisingly founder-friendly for a founder who hasn’t been a good steward of capital. London Fund founder Ashesh Shah, who had a miniscule public profile before this week, disagrees: “Look at the term sheet and how many rails there are,” he told Newcomer in a very strange conversation. “Headlines, people love headlines.” To boot: existing investors have to either invest more capital into Bolt or their shares will be converted to common stock and two-thirds of them will be bought out for $0.01. They have until Aug 26 to decide if they want to “pay to play.” **Beware of the Razzle Dazzle** There’s a real difference between founders who shape the world, and founders who shape-shift to manipulate investors and employees. But rarely is it visible to the untrained eye. Part of the problem is that we love rooting for the underdog. When we come across a David vs Goliath story, we cheer for the little guy, suspending our skepticism. And as employees, we know we are taking on significant risk when we decide to join a startup, so we tend to give them more leeway. But not all risks are equal. Some are worth taking, others are not. Joining a company that is still figuring out product-market-fit is a risk worth taking. However, joining a company where the founder is terrible at capital allocation isn’t. Companies are able to deploy a sleight of hand and distract from important topics like product-market-fit and capital allocation by throwing off razzle-dazzle signals like funds raised with lofty valuations, hotshot investors, marquee clients and glitzy offsites. Remember that those are not core concerns. Instead, we need to focus on asking about the unglamorous data that will actually tell us what we’re getting ourselves into. Revenue, NRR, GRR, CAC and burn are a good starting point, but only if you know what they really mean, and what “good” looks like for companies at various stages. When understood properly, they can help an individual realize that a company like Bolt, which was burning $100M/year with less than $30M in revenue, and had raised at a 400X valuation 2 years ago but been unable to add any new revenue, might not be a good place to bet your future. Over 150 people have joined Bolt in the last 12 months, so this lesson is far from learned. --- ## Breaking: Tech Writer Finds Sales Lesson in Sonic Boom - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/breaking-tech-writer-finds-sales-lesson-in-sonic-boom 25 years ago I was a pudgy kid parked in front of an ancient TV – the kind where you had to wrestle with a physical knob to change channels – and I saw the Concord slicing through the screen at the speed of sound, like a silver arrow from the future. In my world of analog simplicities – where our neighborhood dry cleaner still made his rounds on a donkey cart – this supersonic marvel might as well have been a spaceship from the Jetsons. I made myself a promise right there: someday, I’d be on that plane. But dreams don’t always sync with reality. Three years later, long before I could afford my supersonic adventure, the Concorde made its final descent into history. For all its speed and style, it proved too costly, too loud, and too technically complex for commercial reality. If you’d bet back then that we’d soon crack the code and return to crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 hours, you’d have lost big. None of us realized we were decades away from even glimpsing that future again. But this week, 22 years after the Concorde’s farewell, that glimpse arrived. Over the Mojave Desert, Boom Supersonic did what seemed impossible: their civilian-built supersonic jet shattered the sound barrier 11.5 minutes into its test flight. In today’s frenetic news cycle, this milestone barely registered. But for builders and operators hunting for real inspiration, this is the story to study. Zero to Mach One Some founders run headfirst into the impossible – and win. Blake Scholl is one of them. A software engineer at Amazon and Groupon, he walked into the Concorde museum and walked out with an obsession: bringing back supersonic travel. That he wasn’t an aerospace engineer? Irrelevant. The endless technical and regulatory hurdles? Just problems to solve. A vision that would take decades to realize? All part of the plan. Blake had that rare energy you find in founders who change the world – the kind that makes the unreasonable seem inevitable. Boom’s mission wasn’t just to resurrect the Concorde – it was to revolutionize air travel itself. In an industry that had become a wasteland of innovation, where carriers differentiated themselves through nothing more than loyalty points, Boom aimed higher: literally cutting travel time in half while making supersonic flight commercially viable. Their approach was radical: slash ticket costs to 25% of the Concorde’s prices, making supersonic travel as accessible as today’s business class. They committed to sustainable fuel and chose to vertically integrate – “the SpaceX way” – controlling every element of development. The market’s verdict? Boom has already sold 10x more planes than Concorde ever did. Culture: The Real Jet Fuel Success stories like this make me reflect on what powers them. Early in my recruiting career, I became deeply skeptical of how companies talked about “culture.” I’d sit across from leadership teams who’d rattle off their differentiators: cold brew on tap, meditation rooms, Taco Tuesdays. The works. It felt hollow, like confusing the wrapping paper for the gift. The disconnect was stark. I spent my days talking to elite sales performers, and not once did these perks factor into their decisions to stay or leave. No top performer ever jumped ship because the snacks weren’t good enough, and no one chose their next role because of ping pong tables. What did they care about? Purpose that pulled them out of bed each morning. Colleagues who felt like co-conspirators rather than cubicle neighbors. Leadership that invested in their success like it was betting on a sure thing. This was real culture – not the window dressing that so many mistook for the main event. That’s why I’m obsessed with studying companies like Boom and SpaceX. These aren’t just companies – they’re decade-long bets on seemingly impossible futures. Boom launched in 2014 but won’t see a commercial flight until 2030. When your mission requires that kind of patience and persistence, you can’t sustain it with ping pong tables and free snacks. You need real culture. What have these long-game players taught me? Purpose matters deeply – but only if you’re relentless about hiring people who genuinely connect with that mission. Culture lives in conversations, especially those crucial exchanges between managers and their teams. And perhaps most importantly, performance and culture are inseparable. When things aren’t going well, you want to see some fire in people’s eyes – that mix of frustration, determination, and “watch me prove you wrong” energy. That’s when you know you’ve built something real. As AI drives the biggest platform shift in a generation, forcing us all to rethink our businesses, these cultural lessons become more than just interesting – they become essential. The difference between adapting and getting left behind might just come down to how well we build cultures that can weather long odds and stay focused on distant horizons. --- ## Calling BS on “Founder Mode” - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/calling-bs-on-founder-mode Founders had never felt more seen than on Sunday when Paul Graham dropped “Founder Mode,” an essay in which he basically permitted them to run riot. But even though the essay was delivered in his trademark stirring prose and sprinkled with his hard-won insights, I worry that PG has done more harm than good with it. Before we begin, I should say that PG is a certified GOAT of tech. He built YC, enabling the birth and growth of some of the world’s most transformative companies, from Airbnb to Stripe. His iconic essays have shaped many leading minds—as well as humbler ones like mine—in significant ways. Since I rate him so highly, my immediate reaction to Founder Mode was to nod along. But as the day went on and I digested its key takeaways, I found myself perturbed. I have been a founder, but I am no longer one. I am now a non-founder CEO, or, in PG’s words, “merely a professional manager,” like many of you. While founders have been thumping their chests since the essay dropped, our crew has been anxiously waiting for this wave to pass, hoping that the clear flaws of Founder Mode don’t make our already tough jobs 10X harder. But for the vibe shift to happen, we need to challenge the thesis. Otherwise, irrational exuberance will lead to blind implementation, which will wreak havoc in our fragile ecosystem. So, let’s poke some holes. **Divisional vs. Functional** Founder Mode riffed on a talk Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky gave at YC last month. Chesky’s core thesis, per PG, was that the “conventional wisdom about how to run larger companies is mistaken.” This conventional wisdom, per PG, is to “hire good people and give them room to do their jobs.” Many of the founders in attendance shared that “they’d been given the same advice about how to run their companies as they grew, but instead of helping their companies, it had damaged them.” While Chesky’s talk was off the record, he has spoken a lot about changing how he ran Airbnb when it faced existential challenges in 2020. His big shift was mainly in corporate organizations. Airbnb used to use a Divisional structure: business units that operate as businesses within businesses. When done well, it can lead to greater flexibility and increased customer responsiveness. But it can also mean tech debt, higher expenses, duplication of efforts and politicking. By 2020, it was clear that the divisional approach wasn’t working for Airbnb. So Chesky went Jobsian and turned Airbnb into a Functional Org. He implemented a single product roadmap and one keeper of the flame: himself. Airbnb did fewer things, and focused on doing the right things really well. Teams were more closely integrated, collaboration increased and they shipped better stuff. Things improved drastically. How a company is organized is one of the most important decisions a CEO can make. Getting it wrong is ok, because you can change course. Blaming others for it isn’t. I’ve never seen Chesky do anything but accept full responsibility for missteps. PG’s essay, though, shifted the blame onto others, which is counterproductive. Founders complaining that they were given the “same advice” and it didn’t work for them are abdicating responsibility for a critical decision that should be made with a great deal of care and intellectual rigor. And there’s no one right way: Microsoft—with a $3T market cap—is set up as a Divisional Org, and it works quite well for them. These are hard decisions, and mistakes are part of the process. Part of what makes our ecosystem thrive is that we’ve prized a culture of learning from our mistakes. Pointing fingers mars that process. It suggests that if only we had been left to our devices, we would have gotten it right. **Us and Them** PG asks: “Why was everyone telling these founders the wrong thing?” Eventually, he realized “what they were being told was how to run a company you hadn’t founded — how to run a company if you’re merely a professional manager.” Here, he distinguished between “Founder Mode” and “Manager Mode,” with a clear preference for the former. Look, I’m as guilty of fetishizing founders as the next guy. Our worlds have been made far richer – in all senses of the word – by their brilliance, pluck, and drive. Founder journeys are brutal and they take far more than their share of knocks on the way to victory – IF they ever get there. We’re lucky to have them. However, PG’s antagonistic framing alienates those non-founder operators who dedicate their careers to helping founders fully realize their visions. We have yet to see a one-person company sitting atop the S&P 500, and until that happens, we need to remember that creating great companies is a partnership, a partnership between founders and professionals. There are over a million “professional managers” in North American tech. Within this group, there are tens of thousands who are not very good, and hundreds of others who are cartoon-movie villains. But when PG draws such a bold line, he does a disservice to the hordes of professionals who are doing a stand-up job. If name-calling was the way to go, managers could certainly invoke examples like FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried or Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes and attempt to group others with those charlatans. But it wouldn’t serve anybody. The reality is that hiring top talent is hard as hell, and every great founder has made hiring mistakes. But that’s what they are – mistakes. Abdicating responsibility for them by damning the entire group of professionals who we need to turn these ideas into elite firms is childish. Remember that for every John Sculley, there is a Dara; for every Laxman Narasimhan, there is a Satya. We’re far better off celebrating the partnerships between great founders and great professional managers who have helped create world-leading companies. Think of Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg. Meta is the behemoth it is because of that partnership, and there are thousands of other examples. PG is a legend. But “professional managers” as a “class” are just as legendary, so let’s give them their flowers. --- ## Databricks, Snowflake, and the Virtues of Competition - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/databricks-snowflake-and-the-virtues-of-competition I roll my eyes when some business guru says that you shouldn’t care too much about your competition. “Play your own game” sounds zen, but it is some of the worst advice floating around. For years, I kept my skepticism to myself, looking at these “experts” and assuming they must know something I didn’t. After all, they’d achieved more and had been around longer. I might have had better hair, but they had the accolades. But something about it never sat right. How can you not care who you’re up against? In professional sports, teams study their competitors intensely. Fighters pore over footage, dissecting every strength and flaw in their competitor’s game. Football teams build strategies around exploiting the other side’s gaps. So why would business be any different? These “play your own game” mantras often come from people who had the luxury of growing without much competition and mistook that luck for wisdom. It’s a lesson that falls apart in today’s world, where the ecosystem is exponentially bigger and fiercer than it was just a few years ago. That’s the good reason. The other reason? Some of these folks did obsess over their competitors but think it sounds cooler to say they didn’t. It’s ego masquerading as advice. But the reason doesn’t matter. What matters is this: it’s bad advice. Today, studying your competition isn’t just important. It’s essential. **The Heart of Our Economic Policy** To understand why studying competition matters, let’s look at why competition itself is good for us and why the U.S. Supreme Court calls it the “heart of our national economic policy.” In a free market, competition is the engine that drives lower costs, better quality, more choices, and, ultimately, innovation. Americans know this, so they lead the world in their love for competition. Our system is built to encourage competition. It makes starting a business easy, with infrastructure, financing, and expertise all available to help founders build and scale. And nowhere is this more evident than in tech, where the number of companies is growing at a staggering 7% per quarter. So, each new generation of founders faces fiercer competition than the last, making it crucial to question old advice. Not all lessons from the past hold up, especially the idea that you shouldn’t worry about competitors. Of course, this can be frustrating because it makes doing business tougher. However, the alternative is a system built on cooperation, or as I like to call it, collusion, which doesn’t work for America. Why? Because it restricts upward mobility, and that’s un-American. **Should You Be So Lucky** Even if you don’t watch football (the real kind, the one played with feet), you’ve probably heard of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Their rivalry is one of the fiercest in sports history, with both players rewriting the record books. And when Ronaldo eventually left the Spanish league, Messi said, “I miss Cristiano.” Sport is full of rivals who ultimately appreciate how the competition made them better. That’s what true rivalry does: it pushes you to perform better, innovate faster, and reach new levels you wouldn’t hit alone. Business competition is no different. Gates and Jobs had a famously contentious relationship, with Jobs saying Microsoft had “no taste” and Gates claiming Jobs “never knew much about technology.” But as the years passed, Gates called Jobs “an incredible genius,” and Jobs said he “admired” Gates for the company he’d built. The defining companies in our ecosystem benefited from fierce competition, but to do that they first had to recognize that they had competition, and then like a prizefighter does, study the competition. Today’s rivalry between Snowflake and Databricks will be considered legendary one day. Founded in the 2010s, these companies were on separate, cordial paths until their ambitions collided. Snowflake initially held the edge, leading by sheer size. But Databricks didn’t just chase from behind; they named their pursuit “SnowMelt” and aggressively set out to overtake Snowflake. This bold approach galvanized Databricks internally and, frankly, drove the Snowflake team “nuts.” The result? Databricks is now in talks to raise funds at a $55B valuation, surpassing Snowflake for the first time. Is this story over? Not a chance. Just look at Apple and Microsoft, fierce competitors for almost five decades, each claiming the crown for the world’s most valuable company. Could they have reached these heights without caring about the competition? I don’t think so. --- ## Deep Research: OpenAI Just Fixed Sales' Biggest Problem - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/deep-research-openai-just-fixed-sales-biggest-problem Every sales professional remembers their first big win. Mine came in the 1990s, when I somehow convinced my father to invest a small fortune in an Intel 486 computer. We didn’t even own a microwave, but we now had a portal into the future. That portal was remarkably limited by today’s standards. MS-DOS offered no graphical interface, and the internet was still science fiction for most households. Yet something about that beige box made flying cars feel possible. That same mix of limitation and possibility defined AI’s “promise phase” from ChatGPT’s debut through 2024. We knew AI would reshape everything, but the how remained fuzzy. The technology felt simultaneously revolutionary and constrained – like that 486 sitting on my childhood desk. But OpenAI’s recent releases – the o3 models and Deep Research – mark our decisive shift from promise to practice. We’ve now entered the “operationalization phase,” where AI’s impact extends beyond developers and support teams to transform how everyday professionals work. The Great Trade Off For decades, B2B sales has been haunted by an impossible choice: preparation or volume. The math was brutal but simple. More research meant better meetings but fewer of them. More meetings meant more chances to close but less preparation. Pick your poison. This tension has cost us dearly. Only 29% of buyers trust salespeople, and who can blame them? We’ve all been on the receiving end of a rep winging it, armed with nothing but a LinkedIn profile and hope. Yet 88% of buyers only move forward when they view a salesperson as a “trusted advisor.” Becoming a trusted advisor has always demanded deep research. Not just the basic “who are you and what do you do,” but the competitive dynamics, market trends, and strategic challenges that signal true understanding. Few reps could justify this depth of preparation – until now. Last week, everything changed. Since getting my hands on Deep Research, I’ve generated comprehensive briefings for every customer meeting. Now I’m walking into calls with McKinsey-grade insights – for $200 a month. The impact has been immediate: prospects lean forward when you demonstrate deep knowledge of their market. They open up when you can discuss their competitive challenges intelligently. They engage differently when they realize you’ve done the work to understand their world. With Deep Research, the age-old tension between preparation and volume hasn’t just eased – it’s evaporated overnight. But this is just the beginning. Ubiquitous Intelligence Using Deep Research through ChatGPT is transformative, but it’s just the appetizer. The real feast begins when APIs unlock deep integration within new and existing tools. Here’s what I think is coming: CRM – The Intelligence Hub: Imagine clicking a single button in your CRM and watching it light up with intelligence. Not just basic company stats, but a living, breathing dossier: executive movements, strategic shifts, market positions, even social sentiment. Every account record becomes a war room of insights, automatically refreshed and relevant. No more tab-switching, no more cobbling together research – just instant, actionable intelligence right where you live. Sales Tech – Real Time Edge: Your sales stack is about to get supercharged. Picture ZoomInfo or Sales Navigator infused with real-time, AI-powered insights. Instead of static data points, you get dynamic analysis that evolves with your prospect’s business and is contextualized to you. That competitive battlecard from last quarter? It updates itself based on the latest market moves. That vertical you’re targeting? The AI serves up fresh trends and opportunities before you even ask. CS – From Reactive to Predictive: CSMs become market oracles. When a client’s CTO tweets about a new tech direction, your CS platform flags it immediately with context and implications. When a customer’s competitor makes a move, you know before your next QBR. The system doesn’t just track usage metrics – it anticipates needs based on real-world signals. With all this we’re not just talking about convenience – we’re talking about survival. In a world where tech companies are spawning at 7% per quarter, being “generally prepared” is a death sentence. The market now demands excellence in every interaction. The things that got us here – the LinkedIn profile skimming, the rushed research, the wing-and-hope approach – are no longer enough. But for the first time, we have technology that can turn every interaction into an opportunity for deep engagement, and every customer relationship into a partnership built on genuine understanding. The only question is if you will be one of the early adopters or eventual stragglers? --- ## Google-Wiz Deal: Much-Needed Rizz for the Market - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/google-wiz-deal-much-needed-rizz-for-the-market Google is in advanced talks to buy Wiz for $23B, which would be its largest-ever acquisition AND the largest M&A deal ever for a startup less than 5 years old. While this deal has been dominating the Topline Slack (join us), many founders and execs elsewhere have been flippant about it. They feel this is an outlier – Wiz is the fastest-ever startup to break the $100M ARR threshold – and there’s not much to learn from it for the rest of us. I’m sorry: How can there be “nothing” to learn from Google’s record-setting acquisition amid antitrust scrutiny, while Wiz is going through an intense IP legal battle with Orca, in one of the few mission-critical categories in tech during a year when the anticipated M&A bonanza never manifested? I obviously disagree, and thought to use this as an opportunity to debut our “deal breakdown” feature, in which we extract important lessons from such transactions. But first: Let’s look at what Wiz does. What is Wiz? Wiz delivers “agentless” cloud security monitoring solutions to 40% of the Fortune 100. This was traditionally done by humans and firewalls. Then we got software agents that had to be installed on each endpoint – a huge improvement, but still resource intensive and prone to human error. Wiz simplified this with an agentless approach, connecting to cloud environments via API. This enabled full coverage with minimal human oversight, which was both efficient and highly effective. Takeaways: **1\. Extreme PMF:** Within 4 years after launch, Wiz whizzed to $350M in ARR. To achieve such Extreme Product Market Fit, you need heavy tailwinds and the right solution to an important problem. Cyberattacks have skyrocketed – phishing emails, for example, are up 1,265% since Q4 2022 and credential phishing is up nearly 1,000% during the same period. AI will likely exacerbate this problem. Wiz built a solution at the intersection of this situation that works really well, and was rewarded accordingly. To achieve Extreme Product Market Fit, you need to build a game-changing solution to an existential problem that only promises to get worse – unless customers buy your solution. **2\. Good to Great:** This isn’t the first dance for Wiz’s founders. They sold their prior startup to Microsoft for $350M in 2015 – a solid outcome. They left Microsoft in 2020 to start Wiz, and used all their learnings and battle scars to spectacular effect this time around. If you are on your first startup and it feels really hard, remember that life is long, and learnings compound in ways that will later seem magical – so keep going! **3\. Tip of the cap (table):** Wiz’s investor group reads like the who’s who of venture, but one of the firms mattered a lot more than the rest: Cyberstarts. Founded just six years ago by Gili Raanan, the VC firm has a portfolio of less than 2 dozen cybersecurity startups that are collectively valued at a staggering $35B. Through deeply entrenched – and somewhat controversial – relationships with Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Cyberstarts can provide portcos an accelerated path to $2M+ ARR. This gives them a headstart on competitors and sets them up for a robust Series A. From a $350M ARR perch, $2M may not seem like much, but picking this investor was a key inflection point in Wiz’s journey. Early investors have binary impact: they can help supercharge you or get you stuck. So pick them carefully. **4\. Dodge the vibes:** Antitrust action has held large enterprises back from M&A, but Google didn’t let the vibe hold them back here. It took a first-principles approach to the deal, and realized that as a clear #3 in the cloud, they needed better security solutions to compete with Microsoft and Amazon. This acquisition – at least in theory at least – increases competition in the market, which makes FTC chair Lina Khan’s job much harder if she moves to block it. Forget the vibe, and focus on first principles to gain an edge when it seems least likely. Broader Impact Since the rate hikes began, IPOs have ground to a halt. 2024 was supposed to be the year of M&A but has ended up looking much like 2023, according to Carta. This lack of liquidity in the market makes raising venture harder for everyone – AI startups excepted. Wiz’s investors include Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, Greenoaks Capital, Cyberstarts, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Thrive Capital, and Greylock Partners to name a few. If this deal goes through, these investors will realize some much-needed liquidity, potentially salvaging funds that were underwater after the exuberance of 2020-2022. This will also increase their willingness to do capital calls, boost their fundraising abilities and give them some more investing confidence. Also: Wiz has approx 1500 employees, many of whom have been there since inception. Expect a lot of newly minted millionaires after this transaction, and as we have seen in the past, many will go on to become founders and active angel investors. More liquidity, angel investors and new founders are positives for all of us. --- ## It's time to tackle the tradeoffs of “getting fit” - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/its-time-to-tackle-the-tradeoffs-of-getting-fit [**According to Carta, April 2024 saw the lowest tech layoffs**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w10Y3dh8MW95jsWP6lZ3mPW3C_Gxq7gL379W66X4LF1RdJznN8T0V1wCnrptW2MQDxD8ld09QW922hYM5FTJ8JW5ZpJ0q7_3bwZVJb_DM99mncjW5xxhS-5scFvlW5t_Xtd2Xv2TSW3jM2MF7f2qn5W4SYWKt6HZ9lZN4yK_RL200-KW77r7G38cwpmpW4t571n7tTBvcW73Pn9P4xQfj1W1cNtBw3lwVjfW2gHCxh37SKz-W6xddtD7z07LJW96DZyw5QqTC-W6WTVBR1GnZMRW7q6qzK1x5M_TW2CJYSZ6hGj7dW1_0M3H5_GssWW7j76GT6FtY_GVzNPtf8XCLD3W1yVfFt3WZfT3W8wSGLw2VBJ0vN5dc3qCvQSF0W7fbnTb5T75F7W8cH3Vv98xV9cf7_9djM04) – less than 7,000 – across Carta startups since April 2022. [**In 2023, 263,180 employees were laid off globally, and the trend continued into 2024, with 96,551 layoffs across 321 tech companies to date.**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w0_M3qgyTW6N1vHY6lZ3lQW26PMBs7KnnJgW4JNlCY4bpPGcW2K5Dxv69MnPNW2H0jzg66QR3tW20P_-C4FvWP8W6p5-MM4PVVVtW7H-Y7_8zPPxPW4Xk-J64rDpF8N793VYs4XShLN80mqJff7Q-PW2-f-kn5sr64nN8Y__mhH4TS7W3gXrx-596vDrW9ksJ1f4DPfP6W937fvZ3hl2YRW5g1JqR2kxC0QN1jnQr3BzjkFW7Jbjhd5Ly5jHW4L2m206m_q2jW89-Jt14jwGs5N3QGVrWk2Z-zW5D84vR6TM0VFf3Phd-W04) So, the April data was a welcome relief for many. Is this the end of layoffs? Probably not. Layoffs will always occur, but the rate has slowed due to a combination of companies working hard to get fit in 2023, and the economy slowly improving. There are many reasons to be optimistic about the future, but we are coming out of this with a number of problems that need to be recognized and addressed, especially when it comes to tech workers. The Problems: 1. **Gen Z is frustrated (and for good reason).**Gen Z has been at the forefront of some curious trends like ‘barely there Mondays,” indicating low engagement, but their frustrations are valid: 1. [**Diminished purchasing power:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w1023qgyTW7lCdLW6lZ3mpW4BdJvr1WTL2MW8wjWfx4ssxPSW8Yxw4k8_pSw-W9k12xT3PjqFRW1cZXYC4D-kFjW8FqzVm4pzTdCW818Fn31JQ_CNW3Jy_dK7KYg0MW4kYH732ylhqMW8XgbqK76q9kfN7VjWJGLZLjcW5D3Pjn8F1N_lW4WfQ7J3ksSTvN5lh7KpBhzJ9W20CWDS8Z9_9gW8SRHtx72N4x4W6FpM-c1-9JGSW33bMWY8xRV26VkynjL5cmNmJW14JsBG96dPhRW4bjhTL1Fd8J7W6nJK6w7TDLr0W8sqjSN2-xVTWW6Zdmvw5TBZ69f38Qgln04) The house to price ratio for their grandparents was 3X and for them it’s 7X. 2. [**Declining upward mobility:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w1023qgyTW7lCdLW6lZ3pHW7xlL209gVfjSW77w4YF3P7m5fW5_GH7B5WfMFPW4xCc4r10MVtdN5wxswM2_S2DW91TtM_2lkGcRW1gjDgQ8BMWzFN6VCgfWs1m69W8SBm8D5n6kYgW1S0pv64cHZcPW7d3HXT9gzBj9W7TrjBj4TSL8vW8X5vQl5rHLlLW97h0Bx2xD5k3W3DVXM94qhWtNW34dF7s13YKF4W55d4bY6qpqTqW7zMRQD14vLPcW2wWv1p6Xb503MWBGJYg9f5YW1W3sqK2NJ_3dW5_0lDl16zxFQW7NVHgV7Yk6YVW81YqzH4D8SJrf8sp6sC04) In 1940, close to 90% of 30 year olds earned more than their parents did at 30. Now, it’s down to 50%. 3. [**Increased debt burden:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w1023qgyTW7lCdLW6lZ3q6V8cdpn5f_1s9W4C7twb2dqy9VW6qrc3K3-Q08dW5wkhH84NqKn_W4NRksn2gGKYRN67Ryk-xdsCyW2BXjZX6hM7S1W38fr561St_8lW5pqffW6XXBkDW2gxxnD1Xn3KpW79bgMr2V8byFW6hNCG37D7lPwW4b8Nbm7dLJzjW5xl78g1wskD9W6JPwx04hk8PjW19my562HvGRHVzdmzh8ZsP-ZW4Jfnmb7fb6VlW80X32-4sJtwdW7FjJnk78wrVKW2Fn9zL3gLBXJW3Mx6g_43HVPzN5fGBWN1TpdLW1C8vf27fC-YBf5TcYkv04) College debt as a percentage of first year income was 31% in 1987. In 2022 it increased to 53%. [**This is why 50% of Gen Z workers are disengaged at work**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w10F3qgyTW8wLKSR6lZ3lHN3Xj3ktW2wtDW3yhnmN8RS6wQN9fnzc-P_2gwW3r3rR_1rxdpzW7ZwCSX6XqzJ7W7BtRx56bzlXQW830yM58zfstLW1D81sD7Pb4wvW3YhPSD1rV7zDW35Kv9n4sQz71W2NZ9XL4r241VW1fPvqp3NdwfVW2f5j8P3VzfmdW603YhQ4xR11lVWtXnD142lG4W8Pkbx63pgprKMjxyf5rxTx6W5yj5Z06J5zQlW5bFf8z33fYBVVbJ5jm5Vc_nlW3003yd8m5BK7V-xhmK97RybNW4hpC2K2ns_NBVGkyjh3jJz2LW2q5p02574hL6N2nDPDrYmn3rW7Tv4Tx73C7pnW5cPmpC1LVFlCf1Ngm6j04), but it’s also important to recognize that this cohort has also shown to be extremely mission driven, growth focused and take better care of their mental and physical health compared to previous generations. Gen Z is making up a larger and larger portion of a GTM workforce, so we need to understand their realities and priorities if we want to get the best out of them. **2\. Loneliness and unproductive meetings are weighing heavily on the majority, and costing us employee engagement (as well as potentially $191B/year).** COVID changed how and where our employees work, and the downstream effects of that include more meetings and less interpersonal connectivity. 1. [**Rising loneliness**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w1023qgyTW7lCdLW6lZ3lJW34vVhh5ZsHj7N3X2Jw7DJYjgW831vCf4L5qhYW53TgWZ14qXCzW3DC2Nx1N-T94W3v_pj64NDM9wW5VzH958B3MB_W3XFffm3JvLSwW3-YgLJ12MfVLW8CSQxT93FfH-W1GBcwK2MVDWlW7Pmglr2Dct6TVbfxlj7bVFlHVv2X5l8ykXHYW23nzHz2wxqFZW5pmgvz8Gzm3YW3C3tPy2RRCT_W2CQk2Q4Lyy5SN6DgSZCyQQJGW17Z_2H8VRGcCW7sGKFn2C4bZfW3HM_Zz2CkBFxW1P11hw61sx2bW8kQ_ks2JzyD9f4mzkr204): 58% of adults say they are lonely today, compared to 48% in 2018. 2. [**Isolation in remote work:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w1023qgyTW7lCdLW6lZ3m8W1-0jHc2grC0ZW81-dtj4ZyG7vW22WKBy7h_FsyW6p8Rmk3J2NZ9W17_GlM2S0gfdW235WNr6ZL2KxW2--nQB42-bYJW7Dcf4C9f3NRFN49nThGWz5xYW7_gXPK1jW3KXN3blmzNtWp6TN1LmhCt6JM2cW85Bn836QltyTW6nKhKx2T3S6yW6BzmPn77TLc4VThxVT7tMtx7W6DCl-R22Y6pNW4zJDNt66W4d3W5ytpL66KhjTyW6P-k7g6wxpMWW3xSr8g5hY0jRW11dhwK1Q7nMKN2BXCFTNczC4W8S4P8t6C0HYlf1v87S604) More than 40% of fully remote workers polled in a 2023 survey of working parents say they ‘go days’ without leaving the house. 3. [**Meeting Overload****:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w10Y3qgyTW95jsWP6lZ3q2W2dW7c_52m6s9W6W1hWt8lMkxjW8Bz2r76th4DnN4L8DBffdGnmW4kqjCS6GwHQWW1lnJ1l77kNmhW2TLm8Y4DgG6VW7zw6XF6rc_wqW21cW8D80TxgpW7PmmMY5M3YnpW7y2RVs6zPGL_W4qCpmK1cW-KnW4mRR3g3fMRtHVJlQx32jpsQyW7ptxd46FmxD0W1q63WZ4tvHg4W44BbJk39BNM3W63PkHn6b4BKPW2N1nsY38FfbqW2cYT-T243V19W3NBJV25kSDNVN20jnpjrbnLCW4Sz-Hz5KHsZWW8TpZ6Y1v_4ByW3SVhKP36sCJPW2Z1fdR2ffyvSVBY_LY7SHqXQW2P6B1D7qsXkMW3NWN2f53-rKvN6BrjT891QYvf45JQJz04) Americans have seen a 3X increase in the time they spend in meetings since 2020, with 38% of employees spending 33.3% of their week in meetings. How many of those 24 billion hours a year are wasted on unproductive meetings? We have gone from the world of Growth At All Costs (GAAC) to one where we prioritize Profitable Efficient Growth (PEG). We can’t achieve maximum efficiency if our employees are feeling lonely, disengaged and wasting 15+ hours of their week in unproductive meetings. **3\. Fear and anxiety due to layoffs.** [**In 2022, the premium investors put on growth over FCF margin was 11.1X. It’s been 2.9X for the last 8 quarters.**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w0_85nR32W5BWr2F6lZ3q4V9F3091RFNlKW7TnNx-5MlPXwW24Qf6X3Cck50W7KxlzK2cW0HVW3TRsyQ7rxBSmW4d70tC4sPs1MN7Hp7tHzqtBBW4rL2lr4F3YVvW89HLnr5VY0rRW7ts13H3-LjpNW74VwMW1t8xCCV9l0GD8n2PZ_N4y_NgYMbS54W5P_qnh3_BCYFW3HptJl4BL_b_VRXntH5XwCzBW19XC6M98mhGmW4NyPht2KHy1qVw-TRK5qp9_WW88KBq31dBwrvW5v92393vkHlzW4wdw7R6qxWjxW3JQSZG7BWM8YW4SkLdN7g63n9W92tyKx4xXYgPW7Y5-Zs2L8dygW7JMZmH62RFZMW4b3CtG5dwMlSW8nfZys1yNG5rW1TyrpZ31bTkrN3gNpWk2H_rYN8GWXkBTCQk6W85c2fs5dh73lW1SjfR456N32Yf3tllk204) For tech companies this meant cost cutting, and the number one cost for a tech company is its people. Mass layoffs were inevitable, and while painful, they did help companies get more efficient. But their impact is beyond the people laid off, and the P&L: 1. [**Survivors’ guilt:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w0-T5nR32W50kH_H6lZ3m5W8cmD8-63p3BHW2B19NX8Xn8K6Vm_XW98lGltXN1J7XTswJmd8W12hJx849B5c_W4ZdX-x5td7FNN153HMPqzNvFW2HsM8K3TYVmKW9m53x-42VTsbW87LbHq7RYdhNW2wrJXT4Gm0_zW15NNMf1T6D5rW4zWW-V6ryJqFW3kYjVR5KHt9zW6llq1-4s6MrPVqRy1m4TS783W3wkz8x50GZLyN3VY06X5YZ6_W2lHVdw3GyPTdW3kPkv956s7jPN29YRlL3Tl2HW3_4TG393R4b8W3SsGr52QH1zbVFY8mw4ZzP1DW4NCP7v4VrVZ7W3Yjn0b8Q135XW8pf6X74VT-7-W3rHB5B21kg02MDTg_1wjtCpW3BNS9m1_-vjrW1GCF193VKDzGW3tJltN5Dn685f5YTJn404) 74% of employees who kept their jobs after a layoff report a decline in their personal productivity and 64% observed a decline in their colleagues’ productivity. 2. [**Voluntary turnover:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w0_M5nR32W6N1X8z6lZ3mWW2P8q_V1FR1m1W15kngx5wj_QGW8JlzZM37Y4fbW8jDKtr88wt17W40qd0l2dBYjlW1gjT9-37xM_mW8TPyMt3Q_ntmN5fCt6Mm1CQvW7N69z31QCNk0V_l09r28DJCKW76X7g31j8-PwW87xv7W7gKHRVW6qBxvb4_QV1TW8-Rgzt32MbkPVV4n2P3wGjmwVJWf-K5_7pYZW1hb_9-1TTMd-N7QCFdkr_s0FW95r8Vm7T9PsSW3PQG5P6PphbDW8T1jG15NlD1BVWjPD63y-wwwW8JVGTp3y00kpW5JLLJK2J4z-TN2z4fZwnsgDVW3F0rWC1l11C0W9j8pHf2x-hVBW3WYlcx2pZNx-N61CdCYL9KR9W8QYmGn2JtbjmW1nsYBB2ZMY81W8bs0qQ8fBgqmW1Y-FnK8WNqT8W6XJllH7vZXshN2hblLn1vbGnW8-NRY48Txr9sW3cvSjy5yvcFCN3k_rPvX6h7Zf64vhF804) Layoffs can lead to a 31% increase in voluntary turnover 12 months after the layoff, partly because 54.4% of employees report a negative business outlook post layoff and 70% feel a lack of motivation. 3. [**Lack of belonging:**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w10l3qgyTW7Y8-PT6lZ3mXMbMbyP5SQMcW2mvzLg1tz4KLMlr-Z4js6wdW1P0Mxs4DYbcTW29Pqt61FCJQmW3KrD7g5md1n-W6dg3pY6xxXcYW6v7zKJ1f06nZV3bv_y7F7d1lN31mP5S3HRPvV1s83b94Cg7WVCNKGq67B8JzW5MFv5x4lxr_BW31cKBD7Zs6kqN3-p9LCQVcGNW7HZpxp8yfGC5N3xXwrmzYy3WN36VvZWcxZcTW1Jgq7G2JRwl0W6L_4k04JB7L9W4SMlkB2tGSFTW3-yT273YTByKW4f3VxW2FMcK_W7cwc_C6Xkg1VW6cZF-J3fGGQHW3s309J3tDbGZdr0yL204) Layoffs can decrease the sense of belonging for the employees who survive it, leading to 59% of them considering quitting for this reason and 61% saying they are less likely to recommend their employer to others. The mass layoffs we have experienced in 2022-2023 have left tech workers feeling vulnerable, even if they held onto their jobs. Trust has been eroded and there is a lack of confidence in the ecosystem. Great work can’t be done with these overarching issues, and without great work being done by everyone in our organizations, achieving full potential is impossible. The Opportunity: The shift from [**Growth At All Costs (GAAC) to Profitable Efficient Growth (PEG)**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w10Y3dh8MW95jsWP6lZ3mxW2l4D-q5HZ567W6nmyGT7fKrJZW3MR7HP8ZKM0LW464XLN66-jkyN3mD3JVqyRc-W5N6lKN19yKDKW92P-BT7sSB73W2L9bh97m3g55W8KK61J4WC6ykW6vmtn04xQh_0W5Tf7T-48MqvlW3CYFtT6lJLySW2RP4l072pDG9V-1CGF8FQKGrW90J17C4j86NwW8mz34T5kR-r6VGBZLS3NrmdGW1lWQYC16skkSW2Yl88H3DbMDyN5Bkyw1WwlSHW7Csvht7RGJL3W5L_hnK91ND1JW9c1mgw5_WCz_W5jqcjq3zclB9W524l_G2FNWcdW8Tq1YH32LB8WW7P2srv6_L42PW8JGGRN5fCwS2W5NFVcL2D4pvGW9llt9G8kpqg9f16QzS204) over the last few years has pushed many people from a state of joy and exuberance to a state of fear and anxiety. [**The ecosystem had to ‘get fit’**](https://email.joinpavilion.com/e3t/Ctc/5C+113/cDhTw04/VWFW604GRHnNW4SPSqY6pFjhQW6WXg815ggxwkN22w0_85nR32W5BWr2F6lZ3lKVTQd_S491LHsW8rDGNF759j-WW7t0ZZ37BnW6kW79-mfC6Bm5HrW4vNSSV5p04hQW6W9y-L1Fry51W49S7t957mbCqW8WCDQC2K1GKJW2ylMK56lds0QW1YG9P86J2M7VW66C0Kl7W0gmQW1jTgT81kf3qvW8Jq-qt6Kp1kNW5y3C-b8gCFyXW70Wyy13DB3vjW70QdbN66DYMGMVyBKklN4C-W14nWz76X9n31W4QXZns60k33xW8XQLl15K_7kBW6lhxhf7ZvD-5W4Wh_3n43rqQNW3nBrPR8mmx7JV-Ysdr18xqhQW5Wy2Rb1b-GyqW6F-B_S4rrnhrW2C265q4wRCRMW7l1kBW6D7gffW4G4Vpc73rQ1fN14XYLM3LqQTW2dNWMV69kxQnW1yXjdS9bDY-fW972Dt57_bl0VVs_pNd7JJvNkf2q2DZb04) – our survival was dependent on it. Now that we have a little more clarity on the economy, we can actually focus on problems we can (and have to) solve. The best GTM leaders are excited by problems, not daunted. Time to get to work. --- ## MIT, Klarna, and Cursor: Three Stories That Reveal AI's True Impact - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/mit-klarna-and-cursor-three-stories-that-reveal-ais-true-impact Last year, Klarna bragged about their AI customer service tool saving them from 700 human hires and cutting response times by 82%. Now founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski has had an “epiphany,” declaring that in an AI world, “nothing will be as valuable as humans.” Has the pioneer of AI operationalization – the company that ditched Salesforce and Workday for DIY AI and celebrated shrinking their workforce by 1,200 people because of AI – had a genuine change of heart? Or have they uncovered something far more interesting?There is a fundamental question at the heart of this: Does AI lift the floor or raise the roof in organizations? Is it the great equalizer that democratizes excellence, or is it the great divider that turns the gap between the best and the rest into a chasm? Early evidence pointed to AI as the great equalizer. Customer service was the perfect poster child: MIT researchers found AI boosted new rep productivity by 34% while barely moving the needle for veterans. The technology was bridging the experience gap, just as promised. But that was only part of the story. Perfect Isn’t Always The Point Shift to more complex domains, and a different picture emerges. When MIT gave AI tools to materials researchers, it doubled the productivity of top performers while leaving the bottom third unchanged – The Economist found this pattern repeating across many sophisticated use cases. AI wasn’t closing gaps – it was widening them. Why? Because AI isn’t infallible – it’s a powerful but imperfect tool that requires skilled hands to yield results. Take Deep Research, which recently caught Benedict Evans’s attention. In analyzing an OpenAI showcase report, he found glaring errors: iOS’s Japanese market share was reported as 69% when the source showed 36% (the real number is closer to 47%). To Evans, an analyst whose reputation depends on accuracy, such errors make the tool unusable. But, perfect isn’t always the point. There are countless scenarios where getting to 85% accuracy quickly, with human judgment filtering the output, creates massive value. This is what Klarna’s CEO has finally grasped, and it has profound implications. Imperfect AI: Your Perfect Advantage In the last year, Klarna increased revenue and profit while their headcount dropped from 5,000 to 3,800 through attrition. Cursor hit $100M in ARR with just 20 employees. AI is enabling smaller, more capable teams to drive unprecedented results – but only when those teams excel at wielding it. This convergence – of AI amplifying skill gaps while enabling leaner operations – points to an inescapable conclusion: success in the AI era hinges on attracting and retaining high-caliber individuals who possess the judgment, taste, and intuition to harness AI effectively. The challenge is that these traits are far harder to assess in an interview than years of experience or technical skills. Companies must now fundamentally rethink how they identify and retain talent. The traditional playbook of screening for experience and technical skill still matters – domain expertise helps tame AI’s wilder tendencies – but it’s no longer enough. We need new frameworks to evaluate judgment, taste, and intuition, qualities that increasingly separate exceptional performance from mere competence in an AI world. The good news is that we are still early in this phase shift. Organizations that focus now on building these talent identification and retention capabilities will create lasting advantages. The race isn’t just about implementing AI – it’s about building teams that can turn AI from a commodity tool into a genuine competitive weapon. For those looking to build world-class organizations, the mandate is quite clear: get extraordinarily good at finding, attracting, and retaining high-caliber individuals who can harness AI’s potential. The technology might be available to everyone, but the talent that maximizes its impact? That’s anything but a commodity. --- ## OpenAI’s o3 Outranks 99.8% of Coders - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/openais-o3-outranks-99-8-of-coders In 2022, ChatGPT might have struggled to tell you what day December 26, 1987, fell on. Fast forward two years, and OpenAI’s latest o3 model isn’t just answering trivia—it’s a Grandmaster in competitive coding. Outperforming 99.8% of humans, it now ranks among the 175 best coders on Earth. For perspective, that kind of mastery would land a human engineer a $500K+ comp package at a top-tier tech firm—along with serious bragging rights. And o3’s dominance doesn’t stop there. It obliterated the GPQA benchmark, a test designed for PhD-level problem-solving. While the average PhD scores 70% and GPT-4o managed 78%, o3 soared to 87.7%. On math? It crushed 96.7% of the AIME, a notoriously tough competition even elite human contenders struggle with. By comparison, GPT-4o scored 56.7%, and humans average 85%. These milestones come as OpenAI navigates internal upheaval and relentless competition from Anthropic, Google, and xAI. Yet, every Q4, they unveil breakthroughs that not only silence skeptics but leave their competitors in the dust, cementing their dominance in the AI wars. So, what does this mean? Beyond the benchmarks and milestones, these achievements demand a shift in how we think about AI’s potential and its trajectory. Let’s dive into what’s driving these advancements—and where it all might lead. Objectively Verifiable Large Language Models (LLMs) are dazzling prediction engines. Give them a prompt, and they calculate the most probable answer based on patterns in the data they’ve absorbed. But like all geniuses, they come with limits—bound by three key factors: model size, compute power, and, most critically, the data they’re trained on. Earlier this year, we hit the inevitable: the data wall. The internet holds roughly 20 trillion words—149 zettabytes—and today’s leading models have consumed nearly all of it. What’s left to fuel the next big leap? Enter synthetic data. When the web runs dry, we generate our own. But here’s the twist—not all data is created equal. The future hinges on producing synthetic data that’s objectively verifiable. The square root of 51? Checkable. A Picasso-esque painting? Not so much. “Good art” isn’t objective, making it useless for functional verification. This clarity shows us where AI will thrive: domains with black-and-white correctness like math, physics, and coding. But OpenAI didn’t just wait for the bottleneck to solve itself. This year, they delivered another seismic shift: advanced reasoning. No longer just matching patterns, their models now deconstruct problems, weigh options, and apply context. Think of it as moving from rote memorization to critical thinking. The results speak volumes. OpenAI’s o1 model dipped its toes into reasoning. The o3 model mastered it, delivering performance leaps that feel almost unfair. Interestingly, reasoning shines brightest in domains with clear rules and verifiable answers—the same places synthetic data excels. Where does this leave us? AI will dominate in precision and logic, transforming fields like coding, math, and science. But when it comes to the abstract, the nuanced, and the human, AI still has miles to go. The Future of Work I think a lot about the future of work, especially through the lens of AI. Which jobs will be transformed beyond recognition? Which will still demand human ingenuity? And how quickly will this shift unfold? The easiest prediction? Administrative roles. These jobs are built on structured, repetitive, rules-based tasks—exactly where AI thrives. As costs continue to drop, widespread disruption is inevitable. Next are roles requiring basic analysis and reporting. Think junior financial analysts. These positions combine rudimentary analysis with administrative work—both areas where today’s AI excels. For now, humans remain in the loop, but it’s easy to see these roles being phased out entirely in the near future. Then there’s the realm of knowledge-intensive fields like programming, math, and science. AI is turbocharging productivity here, excelling in tasks with clear, verifiable answers. But the greatest minds in these fields do much more—they invent, theorize, and push boundaries. AI may accelerate innovation, but true breakthroughs will require human ingenuity. The most secure jobs today, ironically, are those rooted in judgment, intuition, taste, and emotional nuance. Roles in UI/UX, copywriting, and product marketing, or those requiring leadership, coaching, strategy, and negotiation, stand apart. Two years into the AI revolution, the initial chaos is giving way to clarity. While uncertainties remain, we now have a stronger grasp of AI’s strengths, its limitations, and the opportunities it unlocks. Clearly, the winners of tomorrow will be those who master the delicate balance of leveraging AI’s capabilities while amplifying human ingenuity. At least until we reach AGI. Then, we’ll be asking these questions all over again. --- ## Product & GTM Need Couples Therapy: Fixing Growth from the Inside Out - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/product-gtm-need-couples-therapy-fixing-growth-from-the-inside-out The alarm bells have been ringing for a year straight. GTM is broken, the experts say, and point to a damning metric: GTM Efficiency – which looks at the sales & marketing costs required to generate $1 of Net New ARR – has plummeted by 58% since 2019. This is pricey growth, and hard to bear for too much longer. The GTM experts frame this as a GTM problem, and there’s some merit to that – most GTM teams can indeed be staffed, structured, and run far better than they are today. But do these fixes actually fix the core problem? Or are we treating a flesh wound while bleeding out elsewhere? See, some problems are multi-causal, and I think that’s the case here. Worsening GTM metrics clearly tell us something about GTM, but they could also be telling us something about how the market is vibing with our product. We can test this hypothesis by looking at companies that have “Extreme Product-Market Fit,” and what you’ll find there is that they have a much easier time with GTM metrics. That’s why Nikesh Arora’s big GTM takeaway (he led that department for Google from $3B-$60B) was “it’s all about the product.” Very few companies ever build the type of product that makes a customer go “wow.” But if you believe that distribution will continue to get harder, then aligning your GTM chops with Product teams that can build such stuff is critical. Break the current siloed structure, and the “wow” surface area expands. **A burning platform** In 2007, Nokia owned half of the smartphone market, generated $67B in revenue and boasted a $150B market cap. Then a guy in a black turtleneck strode onto the stage and introduced the iPhone. In 2011, Nokia’s CEO warned that they were “standing on a burning platform,” crediting the lack of internal alignment as the reason for their pain. By 2012, Nokia’s market share dropped to 3.5%, and its market cap to $8B. Two years later, Nokia’s phone division was sold to Microsoft for $7.2B. In contrast, Tony Fadell (co-creator of the iPhone and then founder of Nest) credited the fact that at Apple everybody worked together, as the reason for them creating a world-changing product. **Better together** Products that wow are not built in a vacuum. People bump and bounce and play off each other in a process of relentless iteration, and customer feedback plays into every step of the process. Product teams have historically relied on tools like surveys, customer interviews and focus groups to develop customer empathy. Occasionally, they got some feature requests sheepishly passed along by a GTM leader, and perhaps a more forward-thinking GTM leader might have stack-ranked these requests. While this rarely led to wow products, the reality is that some companies got by doing this. That era is now behind us and our new reality includes increasingly competitive markets and customers with much higher expectations. To thrive, we need to change the interplay between Product and GTM. If GTM leaders think of solutions for this problem without the shackles of the past, and with their commercial skills in mind, they will be able to help Product teams in ways that will feel magical for them. Bi-weekly syncs between the two leaders, shared customer feedback portals, rapid hypothesis validation and constant competitor awareness will become the norm. New ideas that my brain isn’t advanced enough to conceive will show up. The result will be two of the most important teams in a tech company – the one that builds the thing and the one that sells the thing – working together to achieve a common goal: winning the market. --- ## The $450B Problem Nobody’s Talking About - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-450b-problem-nobodys-talking-about At its core, every B2B tech value prop boils down to this: we’ll make you money or save you money. Most of us have seen the results: moving from spreadsheets to a CRM helped my business make money. AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have helped millions of businesses save billions. Along the way we’ve also bought tools that didn’t live up to the hype, but for the most part, our lives are infinitely better because of technology. That’s why, even in 2023’s tech recession, net software spend hit $880 billion. By next year, we’re projected to dish out $1.24 trillion on software. And that’s all well and good—as long as more software equals better results. Sadly, that’s not what we’re getting. In fact, our tech obsession is costing us $450 billion annually in lost productivity. Yes, the tech designed to make us productive is doing the opposite. The culprit? Context switching. **Toggle Tax** The human brain is a powerful machine, capable of storing around 2.5 million gigabytes of digital memory. That’s the equivalent of 2,500 4K movies or 1.25 billion photos. Our brains have made us the world-builders we are, but they come with preferences, and one is monotasking—focusing on one thing at a time. Every time we switch contexts, it takes 23 minutes for the brain to regain full focus. Unless you’re part of the 2.5% who can multitask effectively, your best work will happen when you focus on one task. But monotasking is nearly impossible in today’s landscape, where each department uses an average of 73 SaaS applications. Operations alone is running on 81 apps. And even if you’re in a smaller company, you’re still lugging around a heavy tech stack. In a recent Fortune 500 CPG study, every person involved in a single supply-chain transaction switched about 350 times between 22 applications. Each employee toggled around 3,600 times per day, spending 9% of their work time just toggling. What’s the toll? Reduced working memory, making it harder to retain and process information. Attention residue, making it tough to focus on a new task. And decision fatigue, leading to poorer decision-making and ultimately worse outcomes. This isn’t an isolated issue. A recent Gong report highlighted that sales reps’ biggest challenge is switching between multiple systems to complete their activities. **Back to the beginning** Ask any founder or exec what keeps them up at night, and you’ll hear “growth” and “retention.” And the data isn’t encouraging—both are trending downward. Sure, the macro environment isn’t helping, but look deeper, and you’ll find companies realizing that more tech doesn’t mean more value. In fact, they’re facing diminishing returns on tech investments. Part of the problem is the toggle tax; another part is the overwhelming vendor management. Take a small ops team running on 30 tools: they’re constantly learning, configuring, and managing renewals for each one. That’s a heavy cognitive load, which is why 40% of SaaS licenses go unused. So, companies are cutting the “nice-to-haves” and moving away from point solutions. The promise of point solutions was always in deeper functionality for a specific task. But now, that benefit doesn’t outweigh the cost. Where are companies going? To platforms, or what some call “compound startups.” Companies like Rippling have built powerful, multi-product businesses by offering customers less complexity, fewer headaches, and a smaller price tag. Until now, the compound startup approach has been the territory of the well-funded, often led by seasoned founders like Parker Conrad. But with AI driving down the cost of building software, more companies can now adopt this approach. Maybe this takes us back to where it all began: a world where software finally does what it was always meant to—make work easier, not harder. --- ## The $600B AI Gamble: Is Sales Tech the Answer? - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-600b-ai-gamble-is-sales-tech-the-answer If companies want the kind of returns that minstrels sing about, they have to be prepared to bet big on a future that isn’t quite visible to us. Take AI infrastructure: Microsoft, Google and Meta together spent $40B+ on the space in Q2 – and there’s another $15B or so to add to the kitty when Amazon announces earnings Thursday. “When will those bets pay off?” is what investors are asking. Based on current capex, Sequoia estimates a $600B “revenue hole.” Analysts are echoing this concern, asking Microsoft CFO Amy Hood for a timeline during the firm’s July 30 earnings call. Her response: 15 years “and beyond” – a bit of candor that the markets didn’t love, with the stock plunging 7% in after-hours trading. It took Satya, with his futurecasting panache, to calm things down. If the “revenue hole” is going to be plugged, Sales Tech will play a big part, which is a thesis that a16z has strong conviction around, shared through an article titled ‘the death of a Salesforce.” **For the record** The folks at a16z believe that the system of record – a $35B/Y cash cow for Salesforce alone – is up for the taking. Platform shifts require a gut renovation of core architecture, they argue, and the AI revolution will require architecture that can thrive on unstructured data. Salesforce and HubSpot are supertankers that can only slowly change direction, while upstarts like Day.ai can build natively for this new reality. “No incumbent is safe,” the firm proclaimed. Those keeping faith in the incumbents, however, believe that their clients – the Toyotas and Walmarts of the world in Salesforce’s case – aren’t going to switch that easily, which will give Salesforce time to adjust. HubSpot, however, is in more immediate danger, because their core customers are SMBs, which move faster than Fortune 500s – that’s the low-hanging fruit for firms like Day.Ai, which was founded by HubSpot’s former Chief Product Officer. a16z also highlighted how tools like Clay – (check out Topline E67 w/ the Clay Founders) – will enable intelligent pipeline development. They went on to paint a picture of AI agents managing the soup to nuts of sales, from prospecting to closing. I have a hard time with such predictions – especially from folks who have never sold a thing. **Sales is dead. Long live sales** The future of sales is closely tied to the future of Sales Tech, and we need time to get clarity on what that looks like – at least the colorful proclamations will provide some entertainment in the meantime. In the near term, we still need to use today’s tools and our skills to drive revenue. For many, this looks like automated data enrichment leading to AI-written emails (barf) sent to folks who show this new thing called a buying signal (eye roll again). It also includes AI telling sellers what to do. For a select few, it might work. See, those with Extreme Product Market Fit, low competition and a large TAM can drive momentum this way, just like in the past they could drive momentum with a sales team full of B players. The product and TAM plugged the sales talent gap. (Pre-Slootman Snowflake is proof of this.) But for most of us, our reality is different. We’re trying to make a dent in crowded categories in which plenty of product substitutes exist. While many will still lean into maximum automation, others will put their chips on humans. They will recognize that it’s the harder strategy to get right, but in the struggle often lies the reward. What does that look like? A focus on building a team of elite sellers and empowering them with great lead lists, top-tier research and easy-to-customize marketing collateral. Any tools will be just that – tools, to give the seller more time to use their drive, creativity and relationship-building to get results. If you want to keep the conversation going, join me and 350+ other readers and Topline podcast listeners in the free Topline Slack channel. --- ## The AI Agent will see you now - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-ai-agent-will-see-you-now Live by the cloud, die by the cloud. Salesforce entered the year on a high, with a rising stock and heaps of positive sentiment about what was around the corner. But Q2 brought a rough earnings call, which led to the stock plummeting 20% and whispers about the beginning of the end. A pioneer of the cloud era that became one of its biggest winners, Salesforce is now grappling with the beginning of a new era – the era of AI – and questions about its ability to maintain its dominant perch. How does a company growing just 8% YoY – akin to running backward in tech – compete with the radical startups promising a whole different future? Salesforce was already dealing with all that as execs prepared for this week’s Dreamforce. And then came the Klarna bombshell: the Swedish fintech let the world know it no longer needed Salesforce; instead, it was going the DIY AI route. It felt like an “Emperor’s New Clothes” moment: how many firms would follow suit, and reconsider what was considered a sacrosanct part of the tech stack? **Enter Agentforce** Salesforce needed its leader to do something big, and Marc Benioff answered the call. He announced that the company was doing a “hard pivot” and betting the farm on Agentforce, its suite of autonomous AI agents. HubSpot did the same at their Inbound conference this week. The two largest GTM tech companies in the world are betting on AI Agents. They are encouraged by the fact that we now have larger multi-modal AI models with PHD level reasoning, allowing us to create AI agents – pieces of software that can achieve complex, multi-step goals requiring various tools. The types of things that humans have traditionally outperformed machines in. Both companies have broad platforms that their customers use to enable and track multiple customer touchpoints, and this gives them valuable context with which to equip these AI agents. This also minimizes the hallucinations that currently make AI adoption difficult for the enterprise. The demos were definitely interesting, but it’s time to dream a bit. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s leather-jacketed luminary, claims that AI is moving at “Moore’s law squared.” So what could this mean for AI Agents in 12-24 months? **“Hi, my name is…”** Until recently, I assumed all my future colleagues would be human. Now, I’m pretty confident that the most successful companies in the future will be a blend of humans and AI Agents. Daunting, yet exciting. The top expense for a tech company is human capital. It’s also one of its chief limiting factors, as attracting, hiring, and retaining elite talent is a hard problem that gets harder at scale. Every founder I know is always deciding which projects to prioritize and which tradeoffs to live with, and the limiting factor is generally the stable of elite individuals available to them. AI Agents will mean far fewer tradeoffs. They will still have to make tradeoffs but of a different sort. Maybe the CAC a company can tolerate is very different when the technical support department is run by AI Agents. Or when a company can provide personalized customer success to every single customer, even those paying only $100 a month. Now, it’s not certain that Salesforce and HubSpot will be winners here. They have the advantage of being broad platforms, with data across various customer touch points. They also have the advantage of having a large customer base and expertise in distribution. However, our ecosystem is built on the back of companies we don’t know today, who are going to shape the future. A platform shift is a great birthing ground for these startups. They have the advantage of baggage-free first-principles thinking. They don’t have the customers or their data today, but they will have AI Agents to help bridge any gap. It actually doesn’t matter who wins the AI arms race – Salesforce, HubSpot, or a company we’ve never heard of. What matters is for us to understand how to use AI Agents to do more and figure out how best to deploy capital in this new world. All while holding on to the humanity in our organizations. --- ## The ChatGPT Effect: Why The Titans Are Back - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-chatgpt-effect-why-the-titans-are-back If you’d changed the world, pocketed $100B+, and earned the title of titan—what could possibly drag you back into the trenches? For the founders of Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, the answer is AI. But the real question isn’t what brought them back—it’s why. Was it the thrill of AI’s limitless potential pulling them in, or the gnawing fear of being left behind pushing them back? The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced: it’s fear. See, getting to the top is hard—the kind of hard that is impossible for most. But staying there? That’s the real blood sport. In 1950, an S&P 500 company could expect to stay on the list for 60 years. Today? Just 20. Why? Because innovation doesn’t just build—it also destroys. Every so often, a seismic platform shift rewrites the rules, forcing everyone—giants included—to tear up the playbook or face irrelevance. ChatGPT’s release was one of those moments. A line in the sand. Now, the race is on. All of us must figure out how to adapt and rise—or end up just another headstone in the graveyard of irrelevance. Blockbusted Today’s kids won’t recognize Blockbuster, but in 2004 they were kings of the analog world: 9,000 stores, 65M customers, $5.9B in revenue. Then the internet arrived—bringing new opportunities and even bigger threats. In 1997, Netflix launched with a simple idea: save on stores, mail DVDs, and use a subscription model. Blockbuster didn’t take the threat seriously. When Netflix offered to sell for $50M, they literally laughed them out of the room. By 2007, streaming was viable, and Netflix jumped in. Blockbuster stalled. In 2008, their CEO dismissed Netflix as “not even on the radar.” By 2010, Blockbuster entered streaming, but it was too late. By 2014, they were bankrupt, while Netflix cemented its dominance with 282.7M subscribers watching 94B hours of content in 2024, generating $31B in revenue. The internet was the seismic shift that toppled Blockbuster and crowned Netflix. Google (Yahoo), Microsoft (IBM), Amazon (Barnes & Noble)—each seized their moment during similar platform shifts. Maybe that’s why their founders grasp the gravity of today. They know ChatGPT wasn’t just a product launch—it was the starting gun of a new platform race, packed with immense opportunities and existential risks for everyone. Future Shock Making the right strategic calls and rallying our organizations to execute with excellence is the challenge we all face, no matter the stage or size. Interestingly, the barriers holding us back are strikingly similar across the board. In 1970, Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock described a state of disorientation caused by too much change, too quickly. He argued that in a world where nothing stays permanent—driven by relentless innovation—this “future shock” would only grow. He was right. Adapting to change in this state is hard. But, without the ability to “learn, unlearn, and relearn,” we risk irrelevance. Peter Drucker captured it best: the biggest danger in turbulent times is acting “with yesterday’s logic.” This resistance to change—cultural inertia—keeps organizations stuck, clinging to what once worked. It’s the root of the Innovator’s Dilemma and the quiet force that topples giants. The solution isn’t flashy, but it’s vital: leadership. It’s the ability to make hard calls, galvanize teams, and push forward without letting the past weigh you down. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible either. Microsoft missed social and mobile—but nailed the cloud and got ahead in AI. The difference? Leadership. This platform shift will demand the same. The only question is: which side will you be on? --- ## The Day After: Navigating the Post-Election Workforce Psychology - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-day-after-navigating-the-post-election-workforce-psychology “The ballot is stronger than the bullet,” Lincoln famously said. Where I grew up, the opposite was true. Elections were mostly theater, with results decided behind closed doors, a stark reminder of how little the average person’s voice mattered. In America, it’s different. Elections here are the real deal, and because they matter, people take them seriously. Anxiety and excitement build, pulsing through each campaign season until the big day, when millions of Americans cast their votes and collectively decide the country’s course for the next four years. For some, the outcome is a dream come true; for others, it’s the worst-case scenario. Validation for one side, despair for the other. This isn’t a flaw in the system; it’s a feature. People here take voting seriously because their vote matters. In America, the ballot is indeed stronger than the bullet. Now, with the election behind us, life needs to go on. We have companies to build, people to lead, and work to do. To do those things well in the days following an election, we need to understand the post-election psychology of a workforce. **The Winners** After losing a hundred games of backgammon, I finally beat my partner. For the next 24 hours, I had a bit of a spring in my step. It’s amazing what a little win can do—confidence, motivation, maybe even a bit of charm. With a big win those effects get supercharged. But winning’s a double-edged sword. Big wins can chip away at empathy, turn generosity into gloating, and breed complacency. High-stakes wins come with high-stakes risks. And electing a President? That’s about as high-stakes as it gets—a defining feature of American democracy. So, now you’ve got team members who feel like they’re on top of the world. You might not share their politics, but it’s time to put on the pro hat and help them channel the positives of winning without letting it get to their heads. It’s not easy, especially if you are not part of the winning crew. But, a few days have passed, and it’s time to get to work and lead your team. And if you’re on the “winning” side, make sure you and your fellow winners don’t alienate the teammates feeling the sting of loss. Achieving greatness will be much harder – maybe close to impossible – if you can only lead people you agree with. So if you are struggling with this, it’s time to level up. **The Losers** Managing the winners isn’t a walk in the park, but those on the losing side are the real lift. These are passionate citizens with strong opinions and a deep commitment to America. Their candidate lost—decisively—and they’re genuinely worried about what’s coming in the next four years. For leaders, that concern translates into real challenges. The biggest issue? Employee engagement and productivity. Gallup has shown that election outcomes that divide society can deeply distract employees, fueling anxiety and driving down both engagement and productivity. And it doesn’t stop there; these issues bleed into team dynamics. Organizational psychologists studying group cohesion have found that polarized environments can fracture teams, especially after contentious elections. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 45% of US employees have experienced political disagreements at work, and 25% have experienced political affiliation bias. While engagement and productivity dips may be short-lived, rifts within teams are hard to mend. The worst-case scenario? Colleagues who need to work together say things they can’t take back, making it impossible to collaborate effectively in the weeks and months to follow. As a leader, you might be feeling low yourself, or you might be having a tough time empathizing with this group because your man won. It doesn’t matter. You are a leader and your job is to help your team avoid these pitfalls. Where should you start? By coming across as calm, collected, and confident. It’s not easy, but it’s the job. Personally, I also think now is the time to put a pause on politics at work, and that only happens if you set the tone. I know some will disagree, insisting on “bringing their full selves to work,” but I just don’t see the upside in that right now. This isn’t the moment for a victory lap or a debate – **it’s Q4 and we need to focus.** --- ## The GTM Efficiency Crisis - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/the-gtm-efficiency-crisis “It’s like dragging a truck of dead bodies over the finish line.” Chamath’s sentiment on creating alpha for his LPs in 2023 perfectly encapsulates how GTM leaders feel today. GTM feels broken, and the metrics that GTM machines churn out validate this feeling. CAC is up, retention is down, and board meetings feel like chewing glass for most CXOs. GTM Efficiency, which looks at the sales and marketing costs required to generate $1 of Net New ARR, does a great job of highlighting this problem. David Spitz, the man behind the metric, has shown us that public tech companies are 57.86% less efficient today compared to 2019. (And it’s worse for private companies.) This is clearly a problem, but what should we do about it? The answers from within the GTM community involve reducing the slack and thrash within GTM teams. Focusing less on “Growth At All Cost strategies” and being “more aligned.” So far, I have been in violent agreement with my compatriots, but the more I think about it, the more I diverge from their point of view. It just feels too easy that the answers to all our problems are within GTM. **Hard to find and easy to lose** Aside from death and taxes, another certainty in our world is that distribution keeps getting harder. With the supply of tech companies increasing at 7% per quarter, competition and saturation are worsening daily. Inboxes are busier, cold calling is less effective, and GTM teams are spending most of their time screaming into the abyss. AI will only make this worse. As models get bigger, smarter, and cheaper, we’ll be able to use them to build transformative new products faster than ever before. That means more competition. But, with the pace of change we are seeing in AI right now, what feels transformative today might quickly feel obsolete. That means your technical competitive advantage might be a fleeting one. A lot of AI powered GTM tech is turning out to be spray and pray tech 2.0. Banal messages catapulted out to obscenely large lists of contacts, enriched with a few so-so insights. That means inboxes will be noisier, and capturing attention will be harder. Fine, we’ll have higher CAC, but at least we’ll have high switching costs to help hold onto customers. But, not so fast… AI Agents will help with customer onboarding, reducing switching costs dramatically. That means retention is going to become much harder. If you are an AI believer, then this is the world you need to prepare for. A world where customers are harder to find and easier to lose. You then have to ask yourself if these powerful headwinds can be negated through more operational excellence and better alignment within GTM. Are those problems big enough for the improvements to counter the massive AI headwinds GTM teams are going to be dealing with? Or is the overall problem more severe and the solution more holistic? **Burn Multiple > GTM Efficiency** Almost every GTM team in the tech world has room for improvement and should strive for it. But what happens when those efforts still fail to move the needle on GTM efficiency? What if conditions worsen because of AI? If GTM Efficiency continues to deteriorate and everything else stays the way it is today, then we are in trouble. But, if we can balance out the increased costs in GTM somewhere else, and maintain a healthy Burn Multiple, then we might be fine. For all the risks AI poses to GTM, it does provide a lot of opportunities to find efficiencies in other parts of our organizations. AI Agent startups are on a tear, with 156 deals in this space over the last 12 months (81.4% YoY increase). These companies are building AI Agents that could provide substantial cost savings in software development, customer service, finance, and legal. Additional cost savings are available through intelligent offshoring. I spoke to a founder last week who has a 25 person engineer team, of which 24 of them are in India. Risky right? “Not when done well” was his take. These cost savings are increasingly available, and understanding how to leverage them is becoming crucial. Those who do will be able to stomach the additional GTM costs. The math will math at the P&L level, which is what really matters. There will also be another group that will be fine, which is those who are able to find and hold onto extreme Product Market Fit. Those companies have always had great GTM metrics, irrespective of where the interest rate is. But being Wiz is hard, which is why we are all so enamored by them. On the other hand, I worry for those who believe that deteriorating GTM Efficiency is just a GTM problem. This group risks letting siloed thinking place them on a flimsy plank by a windy cliff – some might hold on for dear life, but most will be swept away into the unknown. --- ## When a mega M&A is DOA - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/newsletter/when-a-mega-ma-is-doa Wiz has left Google at the M&A altar, walking away from a $23 billion deal. While the company was “flattered by \[the\] offers we have received,” it decided to go it alone, Wiz’s CEO Assaf Rappaport said in a note to team members, teasing a path to the public markets. “Next milestones are $1 billion in ARR and an IPO,” he added. Implications for the ecosystem? Many of the lessons Topline highlighted last week still stand, but this about-face, which happened in the same week that Wiz rival Crowdstrike had its operatic glitch, begs a whole new set of questions. Why the snub? It would be irresponsible to not consider a $23B offer for a company that’s barely 4 years old, but the final decision requires a comprehensive risk-reward analysis, and some soul searching. **Khan touch this** When thinking of risk, the number one consideration here was the FTC. Big Tech has had a torrid time trying to get acquisitions done since Lina Khan took over at the watchdog, and the gutsy few who still attempt it are signing up for a long and painful process. By moving ahead, Wiz’s CEO would be signing the company up for a 1-2 year-old cavity check that has been known to wreck management teams. And if the deal were blocked, the distraction could have cost them their category-leading perch. Considering that Wiz thinks of cybersecurity as a “winner takes all” market, that’s a big risk to take. The Figma-Adobe case would have been top of mind. Figma plays in a space that at the time Adobe tried to acquire them was just a $30M/year business unit for Adobe, i.e. insignificant. It wouldn’t have made any difference to the competitive landscape, and yet the FTC blocked it. **Introspection** Important to note that the Wiz founders have had a $350M exit before. That company was acquired by Microsoft, and its product, today known as Microsoft Defender, does $20B in ARR. With that kind of track record, the founders likely think they have what it takes to now take a crack at building a world-class public company. Thirst for liquidity Jason Lemkin (check out our Topline episode with Jason) calls the situation in venture “a disaster” because we have now had “3 years of no liquidity.’ He considers the aborted Wiz deal ‘the end of big M&A,’ and I tend to agree unless there is a regime change at the FTC. Another source of liquidity is the public markets, but IPOs have been few and far between. The bar for a tech company to go public is extremely high at the moment – some analysts believe a firm needs to be at $500M+ in ARR with 30% YoY growth. There are companies who meet this criteria, such as OneStream, which IPO’d on July 24, popping 34% on the first day of trading. The pipeline of companies looking to go public has been building up, and with rate cuts on the horizon it could gain further momentum. Also, while big M&A might be dead, small and medium M&A is another story. In the last 4 quarters, 557 deals have taken place, per Carta. “M&A has not filled the gap in exits left by a lack of IPOs,” Carta added, but it might have been an unreasonable ask to begin with: with 140+ deals in BOTH Q1 and Q2, transaction volumes are the highest they’ve been since 2020, except for a spike between late 2021 and early 2022. So while the Wiz deal would have released some built up pressure, the liquidity situation is trending in a positive direction. I for one am energized by this trend, and by Wiz’s decision to try and go big, which is a decision every great tech company – from Google to Microsoft – had to make at some point. --- ## Our Experts - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/our-experts ### Our Experts ### Asad Zaman “Asad doesn’t just run a search — he sharpens the hiring strategy. No one’s better at aligning talent with outcomes.” **AJ Bruno** CEO & Founder, QuotaPath ### Kim Rellinger “A driving force behind our talent development and a trusted coach for the team.” **Sabrina Geremia** VP & Country Managing Director, Google Canada ### Jamie Scarborough “Jamie is one of the best GTM recruitment strategists in the business!” **Jayme Smithers** CRO, Traction Complete ### Kristin Condon “Kristin brings a level of strategic thinking to recruitment that goes beyond simply sourcing candidates.” **Leanne Lynch** Director of Sales & Marketing, Loadlink Technologies ### Lennart Von Hintzenstern “Lennart personifies competence and has a unique ability to convert that competence into high impact through collaboration, hard work, and diligence. One of the best additions to the STA team in the last two decades.” **Asad Zaman** CEO, STA ### Xander Ashton “He moves fast and thinks strategically, maintaining a high bar from start to finish.” **Ben Firman** Ex-VP of Sales, Conexiom ## 138,000 candidates engaged in 2025. On average, we evaluate 227 candidates per project to find the right fit. ### Samantha Robinson “Samantha is a relentless scale-up recruiter and trusted GTM partner who delivers results.” **Matt Braley** Ex-CRO, EliseAI ### Danielle Buchmayer “Our dependable, knowledgeable, go‑to recruiter — excellent guidance, successful hires, and delightful partnership always.” **Liz Guinn** Operations Manager, Roxtec Canada ### Alejandra Delgado “We were able to hire and onboard more top talent than ever before. She’s fast and thorough.” **Kevin McGinnis** Ex-Sales Director, Deel ### Sheldon Derton “I fully and unequivocally recommend Sheldon to any business who is looking to find top quality GTM talent.” **Vik Mitter** Global Talent Acquisiton Leader, Xero ### Nicole Diggins “Really appreciate the acumen, the commitment, and the service you provide.” **Berke Ugur** Head of Sales & Business Development, MCIT ### Daniela Dos Santos “Daniela’s expertise, professionalism, and dedication to delivering outstanding results exceeded our expectations and played an integral role in our hiring.” **Darrell Cudney** Ex-VP of Revenue Growth, R.O Writer ## Elite headhunters. 99.6% of candidates presented are actively employed. ### Tatiana Emberson “Tatiana is an elite problem solver. When she owns a project you’re in great hands.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Adriana Flores “A benchmark recruiting experience. The level of service and professionalism is beyond compare. Extremely attentive, very professional, and I really enjoyed the process and learned a lot.” **Daphna Cibulski-Cohen** VP of Operations, Pecan AI ### Max Folkins “It’s not often you find a partner that ‘just gets you’.” **Andrea Kuronen** Director, People Operations, PureFacts Financial Solutions ### Laura Hopkins “Laura has been instrumental in building our GTM team from the ground up. She is a great representation of our brand to the market.” **Jason Sarracini** CEO & Founder, Landsby ### Sammy Horowitz “Sammy is elite at outreach. If he needs to connect with a top candidate he will always find an ‘in’.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Netty Kim “Incredibly efficient, detail-oriented and responsive, with exceptional talent instincts. A great partner!” **Tripp Brockway** VP of Sales, Remarcable ## More than 425 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.9 stars. Top 10 ranked company on RepVue. ### Julie Leal “Julie placed our senior sales hire in weeks. Knew our industry, delivered A+ talent.” **David Starnino** Ex-VP of Sales, Project44 ### Georgia Masaki “Georgia was proactive, responsive and — most importantly — found an ideal candidate to fit our needs!” **Peter Lewis** President & CEO, CST ### Adreanna McKissock “Adreanna is so passionate about her client and candidate commitments.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Dean Mitchell “I would highly recommend any org looking to hire quality talent to leverage Dean.” **Faraz Gharbi** VP of Global GTM Sales, Tipalti ### Truzanne Perrin “Genuine strategic partner delivering elite candidates others can’t reach — absolutely unmatched instincts.” **Stephane Bowen** Executive VP, Sitewise Analytics ### Amanda Rootenberg “Working with Amanda is truly like having a business partner — she handles all aspects of the process and the only thing we have to do is interview and make an offer.” **Allan Hazzard** Managing Director, AT-PAC ## More than 52,000 people read our Topline newsletter each week. ### Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner “All of our hiring managers raved about Kaitlyn’s performance. We were so lucky to have her on our team.” **John Coffee** Talent Acquisition, North America, Docebo ### Haris Zeljkovic “Deep sales talent expertise, paired with a recruiter who’s a true partner.” **Cory Gosselin** VP of Sales, FacilityOS ### Lidia Aiello “Lidia’s incredible passion for our company and its people is felt and deeply appreciated company-wide.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Sarah Gowdy “Sarah is an incredible listener, will take on absolutely every challenge, and always finds a way to make something work.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Esther Lassignardie “An analytical mind who predicts project needs and constantly fine-tunes her efforts to great success.” **Lennart von Hintzenstern** Chief of Staff, STA ### Nicole Tolentino “A quick learner, new to the industry and already making an impact on STA’s biggest projects.” **Lennart von Hintzenstern** Chief of Staff, STA ### Nada Yates “An integral part of our team... with an incredible work ethic that shines through in everything she does.” **Lidia Aiello** Director of Operations, STA ### Ruth Zuchter “I wish we’d found Ruth earlier — she has completely leveled up our comms and media strategy from Day 1, and is wonderful to work with.” **Asad Zaman** CEO, STA --- ## DELETE - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/our-experts-archive # Our Experts Some of the companies that called on us in the moments that mattered. ### Asad Zaman ### Lidia Aiello ### Maria Alejandra Delgado ### Kaitlyn ### John doe ### John doe ### Headline goes here X team averages 14 years in the industry ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### 76% of x does y ### Headline goes here ### Headline goes here ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe ### John doe --- ## Our Experts - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/our-experts-archive-2 ### Our Experts ### Asad Zaman “Asad doesn’t just run a search — he sharpens the hiring strategy. No one’s better at aligning talent with outcomes.” **AJ Bruno** CEO & Founder, QuotaPath ### Kim Rellinger “A driving force behind our talent development and a trusted coach for the team.” **Sabrina Geremia** VP & Country Managing Director, Google Canada ### Jamie Scarborough “Jamie is one of the best GTM recruitment strategists in the business!” **Jayme Smithers** CRO, Traction Complete ### Kristin Condon “Kristin brings a level of strategic thinking to recruitment that goes beyond simply sourcing candidates.” **Leanne Lynch** Director of Sales & Marketing, Loadlink Technologies ### Lennart Von Hintzenstern “Lennart personifies competence and has a unique ability to convert that competence into high impact through collaboration, hard work, and diligence. One of the best additions to the STA team in the last two decades.” **Asad Zaman** CEO, STA ### Xander Ashton “He moves fast and thinks strategically, maintaining a high bar from start to finish.” **Ben Firman** Ex-VP of Sales, Conexiom ## 138,000 candidates engaged in 2025. On average, we evaluate 227 candidates per project to find the right fit. ### Samantha Boychuk “Samantha is a relentless scale-up recruiter and trusted GTM partner who delivers results.” **Matt Braley** CRO, EliseAI ### Danielle Buchmayer “Our dependable, knowledgeable, go‑to recruiter — excellent guidance, successful hires, and delightful partnership always.” **Liz Guinn** Operations Manager, Roxtec Canada ### Alejandra Delgado “We were able to hire and onboard more top talent than ever before. She’s fast and thorough.” **Kevin McGinnis** Ex-Sales Director, Deel ### Sheldon Derton “I fully and unequivocally recommend Sheldon to any business who is looking to find top quality GTM talent.” **Vik Mitter** Global Talent Acquisiton Leader, Xero ### Nicole Diggins “Really appreciate the acumen, the commitment, and the service you provide.” **Berke Ugur** Head of Sales & Business Development, MCIT ### Daniela Dos Santos “Daniela’s expertise, professionalism, and dedication to delivering outstanding results exceeded our expectations and played an integral role in our hiring.” **Darrell Cudney** Ex-VP of Revenue Growth, R.O Writer ## Elite headhunters. 99.6% of candidates presented are actively employed. ### Tatiana Emberson “Tatiana is an elite problem solver. When she owns a project you’re in great hands.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Adriana Flores “A benchmark recruiting experience. The level of service and professionalism is beyond compare. Extremely attentive, very professional, and I really enjoyed the process and learned a lot.” **Daphna Cibulski-Cohen** VP of Operations, Pecan AI ### Max Folkins “It’s not often you find a partner that ‘just gets you’.” **Andrea Kuronen** Director, People Operations, PureFacts Financial Solutions ### Bill Hadcock ".. determined and amazing. He was not only effective, but a joy to work with " ### Laura Hopkins “Laura has been instrumental in building our GTM team from the ground up. She is a great representation of our brand to the market.” **Jason Sarracini** CEO & Founder, Landsby ### Sammy Horowitz “Sammy is elite at outreach. If he needs to connect with a top candidate he will always find an ‘in’.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ## More than 52,000 people read our Topline newsletter each week. ### Netty Kim “Incredibly efficient, detail-oriented and responsive, with exceptional talent instincts. A great partner!” **Tripp Brockway** VP of Sales, Remarcable ### Julie Leal “Julie placed our senior sales hire in weeks. Knew our industry, delivered A+ talent.” **David Starnino** Ex-VP of Sales, Project44 ### Jen Linker ".. determined and amazing. He was not only effective, but a joy to work with " ### Georgia Masaki “Georgia was proactive, responsive and — most importantly — found an ideal candidate to fit our needs!” **Peter Lewis** President & CEO, CST ### Adreanna McKissock “Adreanna is so passionate about her client and candidate commitments.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Dean Mitchell “I would highly recommend any org looking to hire quality talent to leverage Dean.” **Faraz Gharbi** VP of Global GTM Sales, Tipalti ## More than 425 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.9 stars. Top 10 ranked company on RepVue. ### Truzanne Perrin “Genuine strategic partner delivering elite candidates others can’t reach — absolutely unmatched instincts.” **Stephane Bowen** Executive VP, Sitewise Analytics ### Amanda Rootenberg “Working with Amanda is truly like having a business partner — she handles all aspects of the process and the only thing we have to do is interview and make an offer.” **Allan Hazzard** Managing Director, AT-PAC ### Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner “All of our hiring managers raved about Kaitlyn’s performance. We were so lucky to have her on our team.” **John Coffee** Talent Acquisition, North America, Docebo ### Haris Zeljkovic “Deep sales talent expertise, paired with a recruiter who’s a true partner.” **Cory Gosselin** VP of Sales, FacilityOS ### Lidia Aiello “Lidia’s incredible passion for our company and its people is felt and deeply appreciated company-wide.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA ### Sarah Gowdy “Sarah is an incredible listener, will take on absolutely every challenge, and always finds a way to make something work.” **Jamie Scarborough** Founding Partner, STA --- ## Privacy Policy - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/privacy-policy **Last updated: Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024.** Sales Talent Agency Inc. operates the webpage www.stagtm.com This is page is to inform you of our policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Information we receive from users of the site and LinkedIn forms. 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Your continued use of the Service after we post any modifications to the Privacy Policy on this page will constitute your acknowledgment of the modifications and your consent to abide and be bound by the modified Privacy Policy. If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you either through the email address you have provided us or by placing a prominent notice on our website. **Contact Us** If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please [contact us](https://www.stagtm.com/contact). --- ## Professional Services Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/professional-services We started Sales Talent Agency in 2007 and now – over 15+ years later – we have built a company we are really proud of. Our amazing recruiters work hard to help every client across North America, Europe, and Australia – from the big guys to the start-ups – make great sales hires that ramp up quickly, last a long time, and make a positive revenue and cultural contribution along the way. With every project (13,000+ and counting), we learn more about candidate selection and employer branding, and we share that information through innovations like DNA/PRO™, FACE™, The Live Sales Salary Tool, and The Great Canadian Sales Competition. If you’re looking to connect with professional services headhunting experts or your next professional services sales job, we’d love to hear from you. --- ## Technology Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/software-technology Sales Talent Agency is North America, Europe, and Australia’s largest B2B sales recruitment firm specializing in software & technology sales recruitment. To date, we have worked with 1,600+ clients on 13,000 recruitment projects with an emphasis on software sales jobs and technology sales jobs. With the largest and most qualified sales candidate pool in the market, we have an estimated 50% of salespeople at our fingertips. Our roster of clients includes tech start-ups as well as many of the largest brands across all industries; including software, industrial, media, and online companies. For some, we have exclusive outsourced contracts. We are respected as sales experts by the people we place, the companies we help, and the sales community as a whole. If you are looking to hire your next top-performing technology sales professional, we’d love to hear from you. For the love of sales! --- ## STA NEXT - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/sta-next Most companies struggle with building an elite BDR or SDR team. Talented candidates are hard to find and retain, as top performers are quickly promoted or poached by other organizations. So, to consistently have elite BDRs and SDRs on your team, you need a continuous pipeline of great candidates at your disposal. That’s why we developed the STA NEXT™ program. From small start-ups to large global organizations, STA NEXT™ has helped 60+ clients across multiple industries in two years, and has placed 180+ elite junior sales candidates with one of the lowest replacement rates in the industry at 2%. --- ## Technical Sales Recruitment - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/technical-sales-recruitment **Why is technical sales talent hard to hire?** It’s challenging to find talent that has both the technical requirements, like knowing particular programming languages, and the sales acumen needed to be successful. Because of the specialized skills required, this talent pool is characterized by low supply and high demand, making these candidates among the most challenging for organizations to attract and retain. **Why work with our technical sales division?** Our team has vast technical sales knowledge and knows exactly what goes into making a great hire. We’ll take care of the challenging parts of the recruitment process, so you can spend your time focusing on other areas of your business instead of tasks like sourcing candidates and developing a talent pool. For proof of our success, check out our [100+ references](https://www.salestalentagency.com/references/), [20+ case studies from clients](https://www.salestalentagency.com/case-studies/), and dozens of [5-star reviews](https://www.google.com/search?q=Sales+Talent+Agency&sxsrf=AJOqlzWZXowDErmSpjFg0jG1Isrx4r6gxg%3A1678388339960&source=hp&ei=cywKZOexOL2B0PEP96eNwAI&iflsig=AK50M_UAAAAAZAo6g1muzk9HM2FP_gYpq5oVw7Dpmdje&ved=0ahUKEwint6_mw8_9AhW9ADQIHfdTAygQ4dUDCAo&uact=5&oq=Sales+Talent+Agency&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBAgjECcyBQgAEIAEMgsILhCABBDHARCvATIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQ6BQgAEJECOgsILhDHARCvARCRAjoICC4QsQMQgwE6DgguEIAEELEDEMcBENEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToRCC4QgAQQsQMQxwEQ0QMQ1AI6EQguEIAEELEDEIMBEMcBENEDOg4ILhCxAxCDARDHARDRAzoICC4QgwEQsQM6BQguEJECOggIABCABBCxAzoOCAAQgAQQsQMQgwEQyQNQAFjSD2CAEWgAcAB4AIABXYgBmwuSAQIxOZgBAKABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz#lrd=0x548671715bdeacb5:0xb0091971d658c7ee,1,,,,) from candidates. **How quickly can you find candidates?** In 12 business days or less! Our dedicated technical sales team will build an initial talent pool and deliver 3 – 5 detailed candidate profiles that include career history, deal experience, and compensation expectations. Every 7 business days, new profiles are shared, and weekly status calls are set to discuss progress updates, candidate feedback, interviews, and offers. **How much does it cost?** We have a variety of pricing models available to fit your specific hiring needs. For our contingency service, there is no upfront cost. You’ll only pay for the hires you make – fees are based on a percentage of your hire’s guaranteed income, and every hire comes with a replacement guarantee! This model costs: 20% of the new hire’s base salary (for a 3 month guarantee), 25% (for a 6 month guarantee), or 30% (for a 12 month guarantee). Please see our full pricing structure [here](https://www.salestalentagency.com/fees-and-offerings/) for more details. **What is technical sales?** Technical sales professionals leverage business acumen and technical expertise to build credibility with a wide variety of stakeholders and sell complex technical products or services. It involves thoroughly understanding the technical aspects of a company’s solution and effectively communicating its value to potential customers. **What does a technical sales representative do, and how is it different from a typical account executive?** Technical sales representatives typically enter the sales process during the discovery phase, pre-sale but post connection. They’re experts at connecting the dots between the technical aspects of a solution and showcasing how it will impact and benefit the client’s organization. Where a technical sales representative is more focused on educating clients about complex company offerings, general account executives take a more broad approach and are more focused on other phases of the sales process. **What are typical technical sales titles?** There’s a wide range of role titles and responsibilities, but each will reflect the unique blend of sales expertise and technical knowledge required to excel in this field. Typical titles of pre and post technical sales roles include: sales engineer, implementation manager, solutions consultant, technical account manager, technical sales executive, and more. **What are the main responsibilities of a technical sales representative?** Generally speaking, the main responsibilities of a technical sales representative include prospecting and generating leads, understanding customer needs, demonstrating product capabilities, providing technical expertise, negotiating contracts, and building long-term relationships with clients. --- ## A Proven Method for Identifying Early-Career Talent - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/a-proven-method-for-identifying-early-career-talent Resumes are historical documents; they tell you where a candidate has been, not how far they can go. For 6-figure hires proof is essential. But when you are hiring for junior or early-career roles, over-indexing on a “perfect” resume can be a tactical error. At STA, we prioritize DNA over PRO for <$100k hires. While our DNA/PRO assessment system (developed in 2014 and used in thousands of successful searches) looks at both, the weight shifts for junior talent: ### **The DNA vs. PRO Framework** - **DNA (Drive, Nature, Acumen):** These are the innate traits that indicate a high ceiling. We look for a relentless internal engine, a personality wired for GTM pressure, and the mental agility to solve complex problems on the fly. - **PRO (Performance, Relevancy, Opportunity Management):** These are “nice-to-haves” at this stage. Our data shows that top-tier early-career hires often come from highly varied backgrounds (good PRO should not be discarded, just not over prioritized). The best performers may not have the “perfect” background, but they have the raw materials to out-earn and out-perform their more “experienced” peers within six months. ### **How to Identify DNA in an Interview** #### **1\. Drive (The Internal Engine)** Drive is about the “why” behind the work. You are looking for a candidate who is self-propelled. - **The “Origin Story” Probe:** Ask them to describe a period of their life where they had to achieve a goal with zero external support. Listen for ownership. Do they credit their own persistence, or do they credit “luck” and “help”? - **The “Post-Peak” Question:** Ask: _“You’ve just had the best quarter of your life and hit 150% of your target. What does your Monday morning look like?”_ The elite candidate is already analyzing how to make that 150% the new baseline. #### **2\. Nature (The GTM Wiring)** Nature is about how a person is “wired.” In GTM roles, you need a blend of competitiveness and coachability. - **The Instant Feedback Loop:** Mid-interview, give them a piece of direct, slightly “sharp” feedback on an answer they just gave. Then, ask them to try again. Does their energy drop, or do they immediately pivot and improve the answer? - **The Curiosity Quotient:** Allow them to ask questions early. Elite “Nature” manifests as deep curiosity about your business model, investor exit strategies, or churn metrics—not the office culture or vacation policy. #### **3\. Acumen (Strategic Mental Agility)** Acumen is the “human edge” that interprets what data actually means. - **The “Business Owner” Scenario:** Give them a 2-minute brief on a complex challenge you are facing. Ask: _“If you were the CEO, what three levers would you pull to fix this?”_ Look for an understanding of resource allocation and market psychology over generic buzzwords. - **The Tool Logic Check:** Ask them to explain the _logic_ behind an AI prompt they used to solve a problem. You want to see if they understand the strategy behind the tool, or if they are just pushing buttons. ### **The AI Factor** In this new landscape, effort is no longer measured by how much someone can write or research. We look for **early technology adopters**. The elite candidate doesn’t use AI to find a shortcut or bypass the work; they use it to amplify the quality of their insights and the speed of their execution. Hiring someone who ignores these tools is a liability; hiring someone who uses them to hide a lack of effort is a mistake. You want the person who uses AI to turn a good output into an elite one. ## **The STA DNA Scorecard** **Candidate Name:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Role:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Evaluate the candidate on a scale of 1–5 for each trait. Elite hires should score 4 or 5 in all DNA categories, even if their PRO scores are lower. **Trait** **Category** **Evaluation Criteria** **Score (1-5)** **D** **Drive** High internal locus of control; views obstacles as puzzles. Evidence of “out-working” the problem. **N** **Nature** Resilient under pressure; takes “sharp” feedback and pivots instantly. Naturally curious about business. **A** **Acumen** Connects disparate dots. High technological fluency (uses AI to amplify, not shortcut). **P** **Performance** Past track record of success relative to career stage. **R** **Relevancy** Alignment of past experience with this specific role/industry. **O** **Opportunity** Is this role a clear “step up”? Are they managing their career trajectory? --- ## Constructing a Pre-Hire Assignment in an AI World - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/constructing-a-pre-hire-assignment-in-an-ai-world Traditional pre-hire assignments are no longer effective. If a candidate can go home and use AI to draft a flawless pitch deck, territory plan or 30/60/90 strategy, you aren’t testing their skill—you’re testing their ability to use a prompt. To find an elite hire, you need to be in the room where it happens. The best assignments are now “Live Action.” They should be the final gate before an offer because they require a serious commitment. Top candidates have choices and won’t jump through hoops until they are fully “bought in” to your mission. **The STA “Pressure Cooker” Model** We’ve evolved our own hiring process five times over 20 years. Our current assignment is designed to see how a person thrives under real-time pressure: 1. **The Window:** We give the candidate a strict two-hour window in our office. 2. **The Scenario:** Three days prior, we tell them they will be briefing our senior partners for a high-stakes call with a CEO and an Investor regarding a critical GTM search. 3. **The Live Reveal:** We only provide the specific company details at the start of that two-hour window. 4. **The Execution:** They must research the company, the competitors, and the talent pool in real-time, then brief us on the strategy. This reveals everything: How they prepare, how they use tools like AI to gain an edge, and most importantly, how they think on their feet. If you want to see if a candidate can actually do the job, stop looking at their homework and start looking at their “work-in-progress.” --- ## How to Prepare and Enable STA to Get You Elite Hires - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/how-to-prepare-and-enable-sta-to-get-you-elite-hires If you want the best people, you have to be the best employer. STA acts as an extension of your team, but our ability to “sell” your role depends on the quality of the ammunition you give us. Elite talent doesn’t just want a job; they want a trajectory. To get the most out of our partnership, we use a structured, collaborative process. Use this checklist to ensure we are positioned to win: - **The “Employer of Choice” Pitch:** Beyond the JD, what is the story? We need to articulate the investor pedigree, the product’s “why,” and the specific “win” for the candidate. - **Day 1 Alignment:** We must hit kickoff, intake, and compensation confirmation immediately to launch the search strategy. - **The 48-Hour Rule:** Feedback is the heartbeat of a search. We expect candidate feedback within 24-48 hours of every interaction. Slow feedback is the number one reason top-tier candidates drop out—they interpret a delay as a lack of interest or an inefficient culture. - **Calendar Readiness:** Align your interview panels and set availability at the kickoff. If we have to wait a week to schedule a round, we’ve already lost the momentum. - **The First Slate:** Our goal is to deliver your first qualified shortlist within 10 business days. The faster we align in those first 7 days, the more predictable the outcome becomes. The employer sets the pace; the recruiter maintains the momentum. When we move fast, the market notices. --- ## State of the GTM Talent Market - 2026 - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/state-of-the-gtm-talent-market-2026 While it felt anything but in the moment, the SaaS era was a simpler time. We knew how things worked — and many of those things had worked the same way for decades. Take the talent market: Talent fueled growth. When the market was hot, companies needed people. Demand rose, and it got easier to find a job. Talent gained leverage and used it to get better comp, better benefits, better roles. When the market cooled, the opposite happened. In the AI era, it’s not that simple. By most measures, tech had a great 2025: Market caps up. Revenue up. VC, PE, and exits — all up. Yet, many of us have friends in tech who are having a tough time finding a new job. I’ve personally heard the words “this is the toughest job market,” many times. Then again, I’ve heard the words “this is the hottest job market ever” many times, too. Usually one is right, but today both are! Like I said, this isn’t a simple talent market. Since this is my bread and butter at STA, I spend a lot of time trying to understand what’s happening. And while I can’t take us back to a simpler time, I can share what I’m seeing. Let’s go! #### The Human Variable We’ve read a lot about the various raw materials that AI needs to work. Data. Compute. Electricity. But we overlook the most important variable — the person using it. The intelligence, expertise, and judgment of the person using AI carry a lot of weight, and to discount that influence is a mistake. Every day I learn this lesson when my partner Sherry shows me a new and better way to use AI. She isn’t in tech, but she’s smart as a whip and she uses it a lot — a magic combo. If the Zaman household is too small a sample for your liking, Zuck just announced this week that AI makes Meta’s average engineer 30% more productive and their best engineers 80% more productive. Anyone who has tried to implement AI at a company has learned a similar lesson. The better the person using it, the better the results. This is having a significant effect on the talent market: AI-driven companies demand the very best people. Those who can help you get the most out of these new, powerful, and less than perfect tools. #### The Demand Paradox The promise of AI is that it makes people and hence, companies, more productive. We have proof of this: - Zuck in Meta’s Q4 Earnings call: “We’re beginning to see projects that used to require big teams, now being accomplished by a single, very talented person.” - Arvind in IBM’s Q4 Earnings call: “Productivity savings of $4.5B at 2025 exit run rate.” - Cursor got to $100M in ARR with <100 employees. Unheard-of before. In our world of GTM, Kyle Norton’s Owner.com team has reps averaging 3x productivity of the best teams he previously managed, and Matt Braley’s EliseAI team has 80% of MM and Enterprise reps hitting quotas that are 2x the norm for those roles. So, yes, AI does make people more productive, which means companies need fewer people per $1M in ARR. But that automatically means that the value of each person goes up. Even more so when you take into account that to get the benefits of AI, you need the best people. “Doesn’t that just mean there are far fewer open jobs out there?” Not really! Firstly, AI companies are growing revenues faster than ever before. So, while they need fewer people per stage of growth, they’re moving through stages faster than before. Secondly, in 2024, there were 585K tech companies in the U.S. In 2025, it was 702K. AI is driving more company formation, which is driving demand for talent. Lastly, there’s a belief that Big Tech isn’t hiring. That head count is steady. On the contrary, in 2025, NVIDIA grew headcount by 21.6%, Meta grew 6.5%, and Alphabet grew 3.7%. They’re hiring and firing at the same time, as they remove bloat, benefit from AI, and readjust to the new world. Our research at STA shows that currently there are 428K open tech jobs in the U.S. Demand is there. Lots of it, actually. But it’s concentrated at the very top. That’s why the talent market is both hot and not at the same time. #### The Way to Win Hiring the very best was never easy, but in the SaaS era I saw a lot of tech companies give up on the idea of always hiring the best, and instead, figure out how to make it work with B-Players. Many of those companies never made it. Some did, though. The belief in the Valley and in NY is that now you’ll certainly not make it with B-Players. So everyone is trying to hire the best. Making it much harder than before. How does one win in this world? It’s hard! But there is a way. These days, people tend to look at competing firms to try to find the best person in the same job to join them. If you’re a category leader like OpenAI, Cursor or Harvey, you can probably do that and win. But, many non–category leading firms are trying this approach, too. The problem with this strategy for the latter group is this: Why would the best person at your competitor leave to do the same job for you? Usually, there isn’t a good reason. And usually, you end up with the person who wasn’t the best. The GTM version of this hiring strategy is over-optimizing for things like: The stage of company that the rep worked at The deal sizes that the rep managed, and The quota the rep is currently on. These are the wrong things to focus on, and have been the source of many B-Player hires in GTM. Instead, you need to get more creative. Spend some time thinking about what these attributes are supposed to tell us. Let’s pick one: Deal size. It’s a way of figuring out if the rep can manage the same complexity that they’ll be dealing with at your firm. Ask yourself: Can some $50K deals be more complex than $100K deals? Yes, they can. If that’s the case, then using deal size as a filter is flawed. An alternative: Think about which attributes enable a person to manage complexity. You’ll come up with things like intellectual curiosity, strategic thinking, composure, and resourcefulness. And, guess what? Now, you can use AI to help you in this process! Just ask AI to help you understand the attribute and give you ideas on how to qualify those attributes in an interview process. Trust me, it’s really powerful. But very few are doing this. They’re trying to hire A-Players with the strategies that built B-Player teams in the SaaS era. This is an opportunity for you to be different. To become the leader who spots excellence where no one else is looking. --- ## To Negotiate or Not to Negotiate? - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/to-negotiate-or-not-to-negotiate The offer stage shouldn’t just be a formality. It’s the final interview. There are two conflicting philosophies on this at the senior partner level here at STA: - **The “Stress Test” Approach:** Asad argues that offers should be designed for negotiation. If a candidate is being hired to lead sales or negotiate high-value contracts and they simply accept a “first offer” without a strategic pushback, have you really hired a closer? He views the negotiation as a way to see how they handle a high-stakes, “tricky” situation. - **The “Rapport” Approach:** Our recruiters often believe there is more nuance. Recruiting is a long-term game with 6-12 month guarantees. Low-balling a candidate to “test” them can leave a “memory of slight” that poisons their loyalty before they even start. You want them to feel valued, not exploited. **The STA Recommendation: The Pre-Offer Alignment Call**. We recommend a middle ground that prioritizes human connection. Never just email a PDF. Before a formal letter is sent, the hiring manager (or a C-level leader) should hold a “Value Alignment” call. Discuss the components of the offer live. This allows you to: 1. **Read the Room:** Gauge their genuine reaction to the numbers. 2. **Allow for Strategic Give-and-Take:** Find small areas for negotiation that allow the candidate to feel they’ve “won” without compromising your budget. 3. **Build Rapport:** It turns a clinical transaction into a partnership. If a candidate navigates this call with professional, data-backed negotiation, it solidifies the hire. If they handle it poorly, it’s a red flag you can’t ignore. --- ## What Great GTM Leaders Do Differently - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/the-edge/what-great-gtm-leaders-do-differently Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do. October 6, 2025 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tellus fusce pulvinar tortor eget egestas volutpat nunc facilisi. Lacus sagittis eu malesuada magna porttitor dignissim. Dolor mi in vestibulum proin neque consequat sollicitudin. Quisque suspendisse egestas semper scelerisque varius lorem consectetur. In erat ipsum elementum leo rutrum congue. Volutpat vitae massa pellentesque at pretium tortor sem pharetra massa. Adipiscing odio id pulvinar sapien nam egestas mauris et. Integer tortor pellentesque ultrices viverra tempus a. Scelerisque leo sodales sed leo turpis venenatis habitasse purus. Ac diam mi vitae et. Mi duis diam id iaculis purus. Nullam aenean eu in mi enim volutpat sapien. Mauris enim felis neque quis nunc nulla tincidunt gravida non. Tincidunt tortor hac sollicitudin sed. Enim sed consequat sed in nibh eget egestas gravida. Nascetur sit mattis nibh elementum. Bibendum porttitor enim lobortis donec ut non fermentum. Leo augue nibh ante sed lacus. Condimentum phasellus pretium turpis odio sed aliquam a cursus. Malesuada egestas euismod gravida sapien aliquam tincidunt aenean nibh. At nam egestas consequat adipiscing sed duis ultricies accumsan ipsum. Ultrices lorem egestas posuere massa aliquet augue ultricies mi. Blandit tellus quam quam ac. Sapien odio adipiscing volutpat ullamcorper sit. Semper malesuada erat eget nunc egestas consequat velit tempus amet. Amet ultrices sodales sagittis porttitor feugiat nunc viverra. Vel porttitor sed egestas quis convallis. Et feugiat velit adipiscing etiam. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tellus fusce pulvinar tortor eget egestas volutpat nunc facilisi. Lacus sagittis eu malesuada magna porttitor dignissim. Dolor mi in vestibulum proin neque consequat sollicitudin. Quisque suspendisse egestas semper scelerisque varius lorem consectetur. In erat ipsum elementum leo rutrum congue. Volutpat vitae massa pellentesque at pretium tortor sem pharetra massa. Adipiscing odio id pulvinar sapien nam egestas mauris et. Integer tortor pellentesque ultrices viverra tempus a. Scelerisque leo sodales sed leo turpis venenatis habitasse purus. Ac diam mi vitae et. Mi duis diam id iaculis purus. Nullam aenean eu in mi enim volutpat sapien. Mauris enim felis neque quis nunc nulla tincidunt gravida non. Tincidunt tortor hac sollicitudin sed. Enim sed consequat sed in nibh eget egestas gravida. Nascetur sit mattis nibh elementum. Bibendum porttitor enim lobortis donec ut non fermentum. Leo augue nibh ante sed lacus. Condimentum phasellus pretium turpis odio sed aliquam a cursus. Malesuada egestas euismod gravida sapien aliquam tincidunt aenean nibh. At nam egestas consequat adipiscing sed duis ultricies accumsan ipsum. Ultrices lorem egestas posuere massa aliquet augue ultricies mi. Blandit tellus quam quam ac. Sapien odio adipiscing volutpat ullamcorper sit. Semper malesuada erat eget nunc egestas consequat velit tempus amet. Amet ultrices sodales sagittis porttitor feugiat nunc viverra. Vel porttitor sed egestas quis convallis. Et feugiat velit adipiscing etiam. > Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. A ac a hendrerit viverra sodales. Vitae convallis. > > Byline, CEO company Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tellus fusce pulvinar tortor eget egestas volutpat nunc facilisi. Lacus sagittis eu malesuada magna porttitor dignissim. Dolor mi in vestibulum proin neque consequat sollicitudin. Quisque suspendisse egestas semper scelerisque varius lorem consectetur. ## **Get** the _edge_ Get the edge in your inbox people. Do it now. ### RELATED ARTICLES --- ## Transportation & Logistics Sales Recruiters - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/transportation-logistics Sales Talent Agency is a dedicated sales recruitment firm that has spent over 975,000 hours in sales recruitment. We’ve garnered insight from thousands of recruitment projects and clients across North America, Europe, and Australia. With 15+ years in operation, Sales Talent Agency is recognized as an expert in transportation sales recruitment and has a team of real people leading the way in sales. Sales Talent Agency works on more than 1,600 recruitment projects every year, and each and every project is led by a well-trained Account Manager. This critical role ensures that the client gets a strong pool of quality sales candidates for every one of their open roles quickly and efficiently. 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Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## HR Talks Episode 3 | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/how-to-navigate-the-changing-competitive-hiring-landscape ### The Competition for Talent: How to Navigate the Changing & Competitive Hiring Landscape June 23, 2021 --- ## How to set quotas and design effective incentive plans in an economic downturn - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/how-to-set-quotas-and-design-effective-incentive-plans-in-an-economic-downturn ### How to set quotas and design effective incentive plans in an economic downturn December 15, 2022 --- ## How to uncover opportunities and mitigate risk through rapid sales experimentation - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/how-to-uncover-opportunities-and-mitigate-risk-through-rapid-sales-experimentation ### How to uncover opportunities and mitigate risk through rapid sales experimentation April 11, 2023 --- ## How to use Digital Solutions to Support Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/how-to-use-digital-solutions-to-support-mental-wellbeing-in-the-workplace #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## How Women in Leadership Have been Affected by the Global Pandemic | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/how-women-in-leadership-have-been-affected-by-the-global-pandemic #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## Expert Advice on Hiring and Selling Remotely | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/mastering-the-virtual-expert-advice-on-hiring-and-selling-in-this-remote-world ### Mastering the Virtual: Expert Advice on Hiring and Selling in This Remote World May 20, 2021 --- ## Overcoming The Experience Gap: How New Sellers Can Convert Senior Buyers | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/overcoming-the-experience-gap-how-new-sellers-can-convert-senior-buyers #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## Sales & Customer Success Alignment: Creating a Winning Partnership | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/sales-customer-success-alignment-creating-a-winning-partnership #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## The Best Practices to Build & Maintain a Diverse Workforce | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/the-best-practices-to-build-maintain-a-diverse-workforce #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## Human Resources in 2022 | Sales Talent Agency | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/the-future-of-hr ### The Future of HR: Where Organizations Should Focus Their Strategy for 2022 and Beyond December 15, 2021 --- ## The Future Of: Sales As A Service | STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/the-future-of-sales-as-a-service #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## The History, Current State & Future of Diversity in PreSales Engineering | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/the-history-current-state-future-of-diversity-in-presales-engineering #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## Top 5 Trends Changing Sales - Forever! | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/top-5-trends-changing-sales-forever #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## Turning Data Into Actionable Insights to Supercharge Sales | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/webinars/turning-data-into-actionable-insights-to-supercharge-sales #### When the role is critical, we’re ready. Tell us what’s at stake for you, and we’ll solve it. --- ## DNA/PRO - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/what-is-dna-pro DNA/PRO™ is not a style of interviewing or an online assessment. It is the six critical things an employer should be assessing in order to make a great sales hire at any career level. DNA refers to the talent a person has that ensures sales success; PRO digs into the job-readiness of a candidate based on past work experience. Every candidate represented by Sales Talent Agency has been assessed with DNA/PRO™ top of mind, and we encourage our clients to continue to explore these important areas throughout their candidate assessment process, no matter what interviewing tools and techniques they use. --- ## F.A.C.E. - STA | STA Source: https://www.stagtm.com/what-is-f-a-c-e You don’t make a sales hire to fill a seat. You want a long-term top performer who will make a positive revenue and cultural impact. As the leaders in sales recruitment, Sales Talent Agency has identified the four critical components to consistently making great hires. We refer to it as F.A.C.E.™ ### How to make great hires consistently