The Leader's Dilemma: Hunters and Farmers or an All-in-One Sales Team?

Building a successful sales team is one of the most significant challenges for any leader. Among the many decisions to make, one of the most crucial is choosing between creating specialized teams of hunters and farmers or developing a single, versatile sales team that handles everything from start to finish. Each approach has its merits and challenges, and the right choice depends on various factors, including organizational goals, market conditions, and the team's strengths.

The Hunters and Farmers Model: Specialization at Its Best

The hunters and farmers model is a classic approach to structuring sales teams, with clearly defined roles that play to the strengths of individual team members.

• Hunters are the dynamic salespeople who thrive on winning new business. They are driven by the thrill of the hunt, focusing on identifying opportunities, pursuing leads, and closing deals. Hunters are often highly competitive, motivated by targets and commissions. They excel in fast-paced environments where quick wins are celebrated.
• Farmers are the steady, relationship-focused members of the team. Their primary role is to nurture and grow existing accounts, ensuring customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty. Farmers work to deepen relationships, identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling, and make sure that clients are happy and well-served. They are essential for building sustainable revenue streams and maintaining the company’s reputation.

This specialization can lead to higher efficiency as each team member focuses on what they do best. However, it also introduces a range of challenges, particularly at the point of handover between the two teams.

Challenges of Managing Two Different Sales Teams

One of the most significant challenges in the hunters and farmers model is managing the transition of responsibilities from one team to the other. This handover is a critical point in the sales process, and if not managed properly, it can lead to friction, finger-pointing, and ultimately, lost deals.

1. Transfer of Ownership: Where Does the Buck Stop?

When a hunter closes a deal, the responsibility for the account typically shifts to a farmer. However, the transfer point is often a gray area, leading to confusion about when the handoff should occur and what constitutes a "closed" deal. Miscommunication at this stage can cause issues such as clients feeling neglected, unclear expectations about follow-up, or a lack of continuity in the relationship.

To mitigate these challenges, it’s essential to have clear protocols in place. A well-defined process for transitioning accounts should include:

• Documentation: Thorough documentation of the sales process, including all communication with the client, their needs, and any promises made during the sales pitch.
• Handover Meetings: Regular meetings between hunters and farmers to discuss the status of each account and ensure a smooth transition.
• Joint Responsibility Period: An overlapping period where both the hunter and farmer share responsibility for the account, ensuring no details are lost during the transition.

2. Preventing Friction and Blame

Another common issue in the hunters and farmers model is the potential for friction between the two teams. If a deal doesn’t progress as expected, it can be easy for hunters to blame farmers for not managing the relationship effectively, while farmers may argue that hunters overpromised or didn’t fully qualify the lead.

To prevent these conflicts, it’s crucial to foster a culture of collaboration and shared success. Leaders can encourage this by:

• Aligning Incentives: Ensuring that both hunters and farmers are incentivized based on the overall success of the account, not just their individual roles.
• Promoting Teamwork: Encouraging regular communication and collaboration between the teams, perhaps even involving farmers earlier in the sales process or having hunters stay involved during the initial phases of account management.
• Conflict Resolution Protocols: Establishing clear protocols for resolving disputes, with a focus on constructive feedback and continuous improvement.

The All-in-One Sales Team Approach: Versatility and Ownership

On the other end of the spectrum is the all-in-one sales team model. Here, a single team is responsible for the entire sales cycle, from lead generation to closing deals and maintaining client relationships. This approach emphasizes versatility, requiring salespeople to be skilled in every aspect of the sales process.

1. Benefits of a Unified Team

A unified sales team offers several advantages. With everyone working together throughout the entire sales cycle, there’s a greater sense of ownership and accountability. Salespeople are more likely to develop deep relationships with clients, leading to better customer satisfaction and higher retention rates.

This model can also eliminate many of the friction points found in the hunters and farmers approach. With no need for handovers, the risks of miscommunication and blame are significantly reduced. Additionally, having a single point of contact for clients can lead to a more consistent and seamless experience.

2. Challenges of the All-in-One Model

However, this approach is not without its challenges. The demands of handling every stage of the sales process can be overwhelming for some team members, leading to burnout or subpar performance in certain areas. Not every salesperson excels in both hunting and farming, and the risk is that they become "jack-of-all-trades, master of none."

Leaders who choose this model must invest heavily in training and support to ensure their team members are well-equipped to handle all aspects of the job. This might include:

• Comprehensive Training: Regular training sessions to help team members develop skills in areas where they may be weaker, whether that’s in prospecting, closing, or relationship management.
• Support Systems: Implementing support systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) tools, to help manage the workload and ensure that no tasks slip through the cracks.
• Balanced Workloads: Monitoring workloads closely to prevent burnout, ensuring that no one team member is spread too thin.

What’s Best for Your Organization?

Deciding between a hunters and farmers model or an all-in-one sales team isn’t just a question of preference—it's about finding the right fit for your organization’s specific needs, stage of growth, and market environment.

Startups vs. Established Companies

For startup companies, where agility, speed, and rapid customer acquisition are often critical, an all-in-one sales team can be particularly effective. In the early stages of a company, resources are typically limited, and having a versatile sales team that can adapt to various roles can be invaluable. This approach allows startups to remain flexible and responsive to the market while building deep relationships with early clients.

However, as startups grow and scale, the complexity of managing diverse customer needs increases. At this point, transitioning to a hunters and farmers model can provide more focus and efficiency. Specialized teams can hone in on specific tasks—hunters driving new business and farmers nurturing relationships—allowing the organization to manage growth sustainably.

On the other hand, established companies with a mature market presence and a large customer base may find the hunters and farmers model more beneficial from the start. These organizations often need to maintain and grow existing relationships while continuously seeking new opportunities. Specialization allows for greater efficiency and focus, which can be critical in maintaining a competitive edge.

When to Make the Change?

The right time to consider shifting from one model to another, or even to blend elements of both, depends on several factors:

• Growth Phase: As a company matures and its customer base diversifies, the need for specialization often becomes more apparent. Transitioning to a hunters and farmers model may be necessary to sustain long-term growth.
• Market Conditions: If the market becomes more competitive, and the focus shifts to either acquiring new customers rapidly or deepening existing relationships, adjusting the sales structure accordingly can provide a strategic advantage.
• Organizational Strategy: Changes in the company’s overall strategy, such as a focus on customer retention, entering new markets, or launching new products, can also dictate the need to re-evaluate the sales team structure.

Conclusion

The leader’s dilemma in building a sales team is not just about choosing a structure but about aligning that structure with the company’s broader goals and ensuring that it is supported by clear processes, strong communication, and a culture of collaboration. Whether you’re leading a startup looking for agility or an established company focusing on sustainable growth, understanding the strengths and challenges of both models is crucial. The key to success lies in thoughtful planning, ongoing support, and a commitment to continuous improvement. The right choice will empower your sales team to excel, drive growth, and create lasting value for your organization.