With the numerous integrations provided for businesses, the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry is growing dramatically. However, the fuel that allows a SaaS company to keep on thriving is its salesforce. They’re responsible for nurturing leads, sealing deals, and closing the client, bringing in the money needed for a business to thrive. Whether you manage an established SaaS company or are just getting started with the onboarding process, here’s all you need to know about SaaS sales hiring.
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Benefits of a good hiring process for SaaS
Finding and growing a strong SaaS sales team is a crucial part of your business’s development and success. After all, these people are at the forefront of revenue generation. However, there is no magic formula when it comes to hiring the best sales reps. You’ll need to undergo a process of trial and error until you find what works best for your specific business needs.
Why is hiring your first sales team crucial for your SaaS business?
Choosing strong candidates to form your first SaaS sales team will make your life a lot easier down the road. Using the right strategies will increase your chances of captivating and retaining new accounts to grow your business. Establishing a strong training process is also crucial to increase hiring efficiency and build your dream team faster.
Effectively training your sales team can significantly boost your sales in the long run. Companies with a dynamic sales coaching program have roughly 28% higher win rates than those without one. Quality sales training can give your business 17% annual revenue growth and increase your attained quota percentages by up to 19%.
Different roles and responsibilities in SaaS sales
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to hiring your first SaaS sales team. Every SaaS company has its own unique needs, and you should always strive to find candidates that can meet yours.
Pick a SaaS sales model that works for you and build your team around it. Set up hiring stages as your sales team grows, and start by filling the most important positions for each. The main roles your company might need include:
1. Sales Representatives
The first and most important role to fulfill in your sales team is a sales representative. They are in charge of reaching out to prospects and following the sales pipeline to encourage purchases. They should be individuals who know their technology and can effectively communicate the value of your product. Sales representatives make an average salary of $86,650.
2. Sales Manager
Your sales managers supervise your sales representatives and ensure that they are at peak productivity. You should hire them once your salesforce begins to grow, so you can provide proper guidance to every sales representative and boost their performance. A sales manager should know how to set goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for your sales representatives. Sales managers make an average salary of $119,801.
3. Sales Director
The sales director develops strategies and sales operations. They are in charge of keeping sales within targets, estimating profits, and drafting sales reports. You should look for someone with extensive experience in coordinating with sales managers and organizing meet-ups and networking outings with clients. A sales director makes $183,000 on average.
4. Account Executive
An account executive is in charge of focusing on your clients’ needs and communicating them to the company. They provide solutions and develop a deep understanding of what the client requires from your company through extensive research. They should be active listeners and excel in customer service. Hire them as your customer base begins to grow so that your sales representatives can focus on selling. Account executives make an average salary of $55,719.
5. Sales Engineer
This role works in platform sales where your product typically has a higher level of complexity. Sales engineers should be tech-savvy individuals with amazing mathematical and critical thinking skills. The sales engineer offers sales support before the client commits and normally continues to provide integrated software solutions once a client has made a purchase. Hire one if you need to customize your product to your clients’ needs. The average salary for sales engineers is $108,830.
6. Sales Operations Manager
A sales operations manager is a member of your team who automates and simplifies the sales process. They often manage the sales analysts or specialists as well. You should hire one when your salesforce needs help with issues on sales processes. The average salary for a sales operations manager is $93,859.
General criteria for hiring your SaaS sales team
Finding qualified individuals to perform your SaaS company’s sales is essential. However, don’t solely focus on your candidates’ experience during the hiring process. Articulate and confident individuals might be an excellent addition to your team regardless of the industry they have been in. Keep in mind that most universities are also producing sharp and driven professionals you can train and mold to your business’s needs.
Focus on hiring and training two sales reps at a time. Here are the top criteria you should consider in hiring your first SaaS sales team:
- Measurable achievements
- Previous sales experience and trainings
- Willingness to learn and grow
- Confidence and assertiveness
- Desirable work ethic
- Organizational skills
- Social and communication skills
- Leadership skills (for Sales Directors and Managers)
Parting tips on where to look for your SaaS sales hire
Keep an open mind when building your ideal sales team. Hiring experience-hungry young professionals might just be your best bet, especially if you’re a startup or a small SaaS business. Be patient and look for like-minded individuals who appreciate technology and are eager to learn as your company grows. After all, these early hires will become the foundation of your team and, with some luck, your most valued long-term employees.
Hiring a solid sales team and training them to boost your business’s revenue are extremely important steps in your company’s success. However, you’ll also need the right enablement tools for your organization to thrive. Contact Aloware today to get the best cloud communication tools set up for your SaaS sales team in no time.
