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We recently had the privilege of hearing from industry experts Todd Busler, (CEO, Champify) and Ben Fiechtner (CRO, Clari) who joined Pigment’s Head of Sales Sean Brophy at our webinar Revenue Unlocked: Secrets of Sales Leadership.
Below, we’ve summarized some of the key takeaways, but to view the session on demand click here.
Building and Nurturing Sales Teams
The best sales leaders excel in looking after their people, employing a nurturing approach to build a positive team dynamic and foster a culture of continuous growth.
“There's always a new sexy tool and another silver bullet and all these different strategies. I think at the end of the day, Some of the best sales leaders I've learned from and worked with, they're really just great at taking care of their people.”
Todd Busler
Attitude, aptitude, and authenticity as the key qualities to look for when hiring and retaining talent - they’re great qualities to measure your team against as indicators of potential for success.
Partnering with the Office of Finance
An open and honest dialogue is critical when working with finance. Understanding each other's goals and constraints is essential if you’re going to establish a successful partnership - find common ground, meet regularly, and use (the same) data to inform your decision-making.
Understanding the perspective of finance and involving RevOps early on in the decision-making process is essential for sales teams to succeed - aligning goals and sharing constraints upfront. By doing so, teams can work together better, leveraging each other's strengths and expertise.
Territory Planning and Sales Strategies
Honesty and strategic thinking are the name of the game when it comes to territory planning. Rushing into major transitions without adequate preparation is a recipe for disaster. Considering the value of wins in different industries and being comfortable with lower targets for strategic reasons is crucial for sustainable growth.
You should also aim for equitable territories: ones that meet the needs of the organization without creating unnecessary complexity. By minimizing disruption and considering factors such as subverticalization and geography, companies can optimize their territory plans for success.
Collaboration and Alignment in Go-to-Market Strategies
Our speakers touched on the growing importance of marketing in the revenue equation. Sales representatives should align closely with marketing, involving them in forecast calls and top-of-funnel reviews. Marketing success should be measured on ARR and marketing strategies should be aligned to overall sales goals.
Partner alignment is also important: focus on a small number of partners that make sense, build strong relationships, and align your behaviors and goals. Partnering with larger organizations can be challenging but incredibly rewarding if done correctly. Alignment and return on investment evaluation were stressed as critical factors in successful partnerships.
“The way you get into the biggest enterprises in the world is you gotta have GSI partners. You need people to help implement. You need people to help advise.”
Ben Fiechtner
Parting thoughts
As the webinar drew to a close, Todd, Ben, and Sean offered some nuggets of advice for future sales and revenue leaders:
- Todd highlighted the need for honesty, responsibility, and having a grounded "why" in the role of a CRO. Being a CRO is both demanding and rewarding, requiring passion and commitment to driving organizational change.
- Ben stressed the importance of being growth-minded and constantly learning as a leader. He advised future CROs to learn different parts of the business, including financial literacy, post-sales, and marketing. Having a holistic understanding of the revenue organization enables effective decision-making and strategic leadership.
- Sean reiterated the significance of collaboration, continuous learning, and growth-mindedness in the journey of a sales or revenue leader.
What next?
If you’d like to view the full webinar on demand, click here.
To sign up to the next in the Revenue Unlocked series, click here.
