14-16 September 2009 | Cancun, Mexico

The Remote Office: How to Cultivate a Performance-

Driven Sales Team from AfarPresented by:

Jenny Grajpel, text & form Jessica Rathke, Localisation

Sales & Marketing

Agenda

• How to recruit and interview

• Factors determining whether candidate is a good fit for your organization

• Managing a remote sales person

Top Attributes1. No (or managed) fear of cold calling/handles rejection well2. Competitive – wants to win3. Self image of success4. Sense of urgency/works well under pressure5. Self-starter/sets personal goals6. Organized/disciplined7. Able to work with minimal supervision8. Problem solver – know what is need to get the job done and how to get

it9. Exceptional listening skills (empathy with client)10. Persistent (hard work)11. Takes responsibility for results12. Focus VALUE not features – helping prospects achieve their goals

Interview Questions to Discover Attributes

• What motivates you, why are you in sales?

• What do you consider your strengths and weakness to be?

• Explain your greatest career win. When?

• Explain how you will fill your pipeline in the first 90 days.

• Explain what you know about our company.

• How do you think you can add value to our company & how would you sell our services?

Questions for Remote Working

• What experience do you have working remotely?

• What do you like best/least about it?

• How do you structure your day?

• How do you build relationships with co-workers from a remote location?

• Do you mind after hours commitments to accommodate time zone differences?

More Questions

• How much support / interaction do you need form your manager?

• Have you ever worked for someone from another culture that has not done a significant amount of business in your home country?– How will you handle these differences?

• Are you comfortable performing non-sales functions?

Is the Candidate a Good Fit?

Alignment Between Candidate and LSP– Seasoned vs. new

– Start-up vs. established

– Hire locally vs. transfer

Alignment Between LSP and Candidate

• Job expectations in alignment

• Compensation reflects any non-sales duties

• Benefit scheme is in synch with market standards

• Compensation reflects how and what is sold – Hunter vs. farmer

• Long-term career objectives are in alignment– Does remote employee expect a career path?

– Does LSP expect a sales person in perpetuity?

Seasoned vs. NewSeasoned: Pros Seasoned: Cons

Existing contacts Contractual obligations with former employer

Shorter ramp-up time Preconceptions (unlearning)

Remote sales experience Compensation may be higher

Industry profile

New : Pros New: Cons

Previous sales training Longer ramp-up time

Fewer preconceptionsExpectations from previous industry not applicable to ours

No "baggage" from previous employer(s) Lack of existing contacts

Can train to your specific needs

Start-up vs. EstablishedStart-up Established

Less structured environment Highly structured environment (hierarchical)

Chaotic Process oriented

Uncertainty Stability

Jack-of-all-trades Specific job description

Flexibility Structure

Broader career opportunities Advancement more structured

Informal (if any) lead generation program

Established marketing functions & lead generation program

Hire Locally vs. TransferHiring Locally Transfer from HQ

Pros: Pros:

Market knowledge Knows the company inside out

Established contacts Understands company expectations

Knows established business practices Little to no company training

Understands infrastructure Trust already established

Shorter ramp-up

Cons Cons

Lack of company knowledge Underestimate infrastructure issues

Company training required Lack of market knowledge

Trust takes time to develop Lack of established contacts

Company expectations may be unclear Business practices don’t suit the market

Before You Turn them Loose

• Sales Training

• Integration into company

• Infrastructure & support

Sales Training

• What is the history of the company?

• What makes the company unique?

• What are the goals of the company?

• Where does certain expertise lie within LSP?

• What tools and technology are used?

• What sales and marketing tools are available?

Integration into LSP• Formal induction

• Meet/speak with key personnel

• Business processes– Expenses

– Travel

– Intranet

IT & Infrastructure

• Equipment

• IT support

• Company-specific

Sales Management

• Productivity

• Motivation

• Cultural differences recognized

Productivity

• Establish specific, measurable goals

• Establish formal means of communication– Formal 1x1/sales team calls

– Reporting mechanisms

– Joint sales calls

• Informal communication

• Monitor goals– Quarterly business reviews

Motivation

• Recognize all contributions, not just revenue

• Ongoing training – product, technology, sales

• Keep remote sales informed of company developments

• Communicate often with relevant information

• Be available

Cultural DifferencesAmerican Managers “generally” European Sales People “generally”

Delegate frequently Less accustomed stepping outside tasks in specific role.

Praise you for doing your job Perceive frequent praise as patronizing

Not be as expert in subordinate’s job. Expect manager to be more expert

Expect subordinates to make decisions for themselves

Expect management to make most decisions

Wear authority very lightly Expect a more authoritative approach

Overestimate the uniformity of team members

Are different from country to country

“Live to work” “Work to live”Underestimate complexity of market Have very different laws, infrastructure, etc.

Cultural DifferencesEuropean Sales Manager “generally” American Sales People “generally”

Delegate less frequently Expect freedom in how they work and decision making.

Don’t give frequent praise for doing job. Expect ongoing praise/encouragement.

Come through the ranks rather than management expertise.

Expect managers to be good managers, not necessarily experts at their job.

Expect employee to stay within defined role.

Expect to take on tasks outside specific role for career development.

Is more authoritative Expect a less authoritative approach.

Underestimate regional differences in North America.

Have varying business practices according to region (NYC vs. LA)

Or “may” expect respect to be ascribed. Assume respect is earned.

Be more cautious making decisions. Perceive cautious manager as indecisive.

14-16 September 2009 | Cancun, Mexico

Questions?

Presented by: Jenny Grajpel, Text&Form

Jessica Rathke, Jonckers