Navigating tough times: 6 Essential Strategies for Founder-Led Sales Teams

I read a pretty staggering stat recently. Just 43% of sales organizations will have built plans for this recession well in advance of it.

As a founder or co-founder leading a sales team, this could well be your first rodeo. At the very least you're highly likely to have a good few in your sales team who will be doing this for the first time.

This got me reflecting on my first proper recession as a leader in 2007. I was leading a small sales team selling online advertising in the construction and engineering industry when construction ground to a halt.?

It was brutal.?

Lots has changed since then. But here are some things I wish I’d known the first time around as a sales leader:

Help your teams make the buying process easier

Buyers don’t need to be sold to. They need empathetic, consultative, trusted partners who understand their pain points and who can guide them to the right solution. This is far from straightforward in today’s world: a recent Gartner report suggested the median B2B buying group involves between 6-10 decision makers! Encourage creating an open feedback loop between sales, marketing and product to ensure buyers have everything they need to make the buying process easier.?

Embrace automation

Automating admin-heavy, manual processes will free up your teams' time so they can focus on what they do best. There are a plethora of cost-effective AI powered tools that automate previously manual and admin heavy tasks (like meeting note takers and CRM software). Invest in automation.

When everyone else zigs, zag.?

Originally a quote by copywriter Barbara Noakes in the early 80s, it’s never been more relevant today. In a world where inboxes are ruined with automated sales emails, it amazes me how so few sales people actually bother picking up the phone. The “predictable revenue” model of mass email outbound sales has left buyers jaded. Hearing a human voice, or sending a personal video will stand your team out from the crowd.

Hire for attitude over capability

It’s easy to be wowed by a great interviewer, only to reflect a few months later on why the numbers just aren’t there. Great sales people are not necessarily the best closers, they demonstrate consistency in their habits. Taking a “show not tell” approach, incorporating situational questions, assessments and case studies are all a good way to uncover how prospective employees operate.?

Reward activity, not just outcomes

In a tough climate, consistent activity is everything. Those in your team willing to go the extra mile, irrespective of outcome, deserve recognition. The one thing that your sales team have 100% control over is their activity. Rewarding activity will galvanise your team and develop trust when morale could otherwise be low.?

Invest in your people

Everyone likes to call themselves a coach these days. But few leaders actually coach effectively. If you’re leading a sales team, you are accountable for coaching both the person and the process. A lot of founder-led sales organisations fall down here, usually due to a lack of bandwidth and/or a lack of coaching experience. Consider bringing someone in. Your sales team will thank you, and your numbers will go up.?

There’s no getting around it, sales has never been harder in 2024. But setting up a well organised, feedback-driven, execution-focused sales team may well represent your best chances of not just surviving, but thriving through the tough months to come.

Stephen helps founder - led sales organisations & early stage startups accelerate their G-T-M and scale. If you are looking to unlock growth within your sales function, transition away from a founder-led sales approach or simply want to chat ideas, let's talk.