Long Term Horizon

I had an interesting conversation recently with a colleague. It went something like this: "how do you know if a sales person is really good?" Of course you can do the normal things like reference checks, detailed interviews, presentations, etc... But there is always a risk when you take somebody from one industry and move them to another (i.e. hardware to software; database to erp, etc...). What if you hire a sales person who was 200% of goal in their previous company, but they never blow it open in their new role in your company? At the end of the day, I recommend you look at sales talent over a long horizon. What have they done at a few different companies? Have they consistenly achieved goals and do their references reflect a track record of success and high ethics? There is an old saying, "even a blind elephant can find a peanut sometimes." My advice - hire the best talent you can find; people that have success everywhere they have been. Talk to their references - people they have worked for, customers, etc... and make sure your instinct feels right about a hiring decision. By the way, if you feel strongly about your mentoring skills, don't be afraid to hire somebody on their way up and give them a chance. People that are motivated and hungry can achieve great things. Years ago I hired a colleague into his first software sales job. His most recent sales job? VP of Sales at a rapidly growing software company.

Initial Post

Greetings. This is my intial post to this *new* blog. This blog is devoted to the art of selling software and the trials and tribulations that go along with it. I know there are some people who feel like selling is easy and "anyone can do it." Hopefully this blog will shed a new light on the profession and provide useful information and strategies to those who rely on sales for a living. Many of my friends have been in this game for a long time, and most of them do very well at it. The work is not easy and the hours can be long, but successful sales professionals are well paid and selling can be a fun job! One work of advice - don't get too high about the highs ad don't get too low about the lows. If you maintain a long term horizon and keep everything in perspective, working in sales with the software industry can be a stimulating and rewarding way to earn a living. I welcome your feedback and please reach out to me when you want to add comments or ask questions for the benefit and enlightenment of this blog. Regards, Dan.