Evolving Enterprise 2022 - Scaling the Go-To-Market Team

TL;DR

Learn the key considerations and strategies for scaling go-to-market teams, including hiring, onboarding, metrics, and partnerships.

Transcript

okay fabulous hi all i'm bailey dickey i lead networks here at ggv and i'm excited to welcome everyone to our sixth annual evolving enterprise um this year we're hosting a series of seven master classes on different top of mind topics for ceos and functional leaders and the series has been running every wednesday from 1 pm to 2 p.m pacific and we'l... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏛️ Hiring sales leaders who can evangelize the company's vision and build relationships with customers is crucial.
• 😤 Sales operations and enablement roles should be hired early to ensure data accuracy, effective training, and support for sales teams.
• 😤 Metrics such as forecast accuracy, deal progression, and net dollar retention should be tracked to evaluate sales team performance.
• ⚾ Partnerships should be approached with caution and assessed based on their relevance to target customers and potential impact.
• 😤 Providing feedback to engineering on the impact of product developments can foster collaboration and align sales and product teams.
• 😤 Early-stage sales teams should focus on finding product-market fit before scaling the sales organization.
• 🧑 Building relationships with customers through in-person meetings and events can enhance trust and rapport.

Questions & Answers

Q: When is the best time to hire for sales operations and enablement roles?

It is important to hire for these roles early, ideally before you think you need them. They play a crucial role in ensuring data accuracy, facilitating training, and supporting sales teams' success.

Q: What metrics should be tracked for early-stage sales teams?

Forecast accuracy, deal progression through stages, net dollar retention, new pipeline creation, and conversion rates are important metrics to track.

Q: How do you ensure effective onboarding and training in a remote work environment?

Utilize tools like call recordings, set up coaching conversations about deal calls, and create an online learning management system (LMS) for self-paced training. Smaller group forums and role plays can also enhance engagement and learning.

Q: When should a company invest in partnerships and channel sales?

It is generally advised to be cautious about partnerships, unless they are crucial for your target customers or fall into an ecosystem play. Partnerships with larger organizations may require significant resources and may not provide immediate value.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Hiring the right sales leader is crucial; someone who can evangelize the company's vision and translate it into value for the business.

• As the business grows, different skill sets are needed, and you may need to hire separate individuals for leadership and scaling the organization.

• Early metrics to track include forecast accuracy, progression of deals from stage to stage, and net dollar retention.

• Invest in sales operations and enablement early on to ensure data accuracy and effective training.

• Think carefully about partnerships; they can be time-consuming and may not add significant value unless they are essential for your target customers.

• Train your sales team early and provide feedback to engineering to foster collaboration and show the impact of their work.