As companies move out of survival mode into recovery some more forward thinking company executives are realising that they need to invest quickly in sales again to stem competition and get ahead of the recovery curve. How many salespeople are pointing to the recession and blaming this for lack of sales, and more importantly how long after the downturn will it take them to move out of this mental state?
There is a current upsurge in companies looking down the Interim Sales Director route as a quick and flexible way to rapidly grow sales and increase existing sales team performance. An Interim Sales Director can join the team almost immediately, is adept at jumping in at the deep end, learning the ropes quickly and using their skills and experience at gaining significant sales results.
The Interim Sales Director can work in your business full or part-time based upon budgets and needs and brings with them a KPI tool kit to increase sales activity, effectiveness and results at a time when the existing sales team is suffering from “sales decision inertia” from prospects and clients alike. Many an Interim Sales Director brings an executive network of groomed contacts and decision makers that will prove invaluable in gaining new sales.
Recent Projects:
Interim Sales Director Hertfordshire Software Development Company
Interim Sales Director London Leadership Development Consultancy
For an understanding of how an Interim Sales Director could have a positive impact on your business right now please contact Jefferson Sales on 020 7096 2005!
Business Link Hertfordshire News Item
4 Tec Security Ltd was established in 1992 by Managing Director, Ralph Sherriff, to provide bespoke, high-tech security systems. They have become one of Britain’s leading independent high quality security installation companies and now employ 20 staff.
The problem
Ralph explains “Despite having a small sales team, I had been the top salesman in the company and knew this situation had to change. I wanted simultaneously to grow sales, develop the sales department and to step away from managing the sales team so that I could focus my efforts on the overall management of the business – the bigger picture.
“I tried several approaches with varying degrees of success, but in February 2006 my general manager suggested bringing in someone to ‘interim-manage’ the sales team and develop their skills and capability. I decided to approach Business Link because I knew that I would get impartial, appropriate and objective advice.
The solution
Gill Targett-Adams, Business Adviser at Business Link, worked with Ralph to identify where he needed help and to develop a solution which would take his business forward. She helped Ralph to re-benchmark 4 Tec Security’s business performance using the Business Performance Diagnostic, which confirmed Ralph’s belief that sales growth was lagging behind that of their competitors.
Ralph and Gill discussed the type of support which Ralph wanted, especially the outcomes which he wanted the project to generate. Using Business Link’s Supplier Matching Service, which uses a database of approved consultants and suppliers of business services, Gill sourced three potential suppliers who could take on the interim sales management role. Ralph met two of the potential suppliers and selected Matt Jefferson of Jefferson Sales, the supplier he believed would be the best ‘fit’ for his project.
The outcome
Matt worked with 4 Tec Security’s sales team over three months and significant increases in the sales capacity of the sales team members were achieved during that period. As Ralph says “It was important to make sure that the project was on-track and evaluate performance as it progressed. I am very pleased with the way that the department has developed and continues to do so. The project was completed on budget and within the planned timescale.”
