31 Jul Outsource a Chief Sales Officer

Outsource a Chief Sales Officer

It is human nature for people to hire individuals that are local and familiar. This has been standard practice in most industries, including the sales industry. As companies seek new approaches in hiring, however, outsourcing has begun to gain favor. As this practice has increased, so has the comfort in the ability of companies to outsource a chief sales officer. There are still some companies that are leery of this practice, but there are many advantages to taking this risk.

Although not yet common in the sales industry, more companies are warming to the idea of outsourcing a chief sales officer, because it is likely that this person has an established career with a work record that proves his or her success in sales. There is also the obvious advantage of a fraction of a full time salary with no benefits, as bonuses can be negotiated with what this chief sales officer produces. If there is insufficient production and benefit is not seen with the sales team, it can be agreed that no bonus will be made. This gives the company a measure of assurance that the person being outsourced will most likely be productive. Most people at this sales level are more interested in the upside then any salary.

With a strong record of achieving high sales and managing salespeople through encouragement and feedback, an individual at the chief sales level is capable of working on his or her own without the need for direct supervision. This saves the company time and money, not to mention the headache of constant monitoring.  Business leaders know that meetings take up a lot of time—time that could be used in other, more productive ways. In addition to saving on the obvious salary and benefits, there is no need for office space and equipment, which will save the company even more money. Better yet, there are no reimbursements for mileage and office supplies, as the contractor pays for that from his or her own pocket, so there is less paperwork for the company to process.

To get the best results in outsourcing a Chief Sales Officer

To achieve the best results in outsourcing a chief sales officer, the company needs to be diligent in searching for a person that can provide a positive and successful sales track record. A company also needs to get references from companies that this independent contractor has worked for previously. What you are really looking for is evidence that this person has in motivating salespeople; you will need to know how this person made a positive difference in sales for other companies, and whether this person, no matter where he or she lives, is a great communicator. Communication is key with outsourcing, because there is no face-to-face contact, except possibly through video conferencing.

This candidate that is being considered for outsourcing as a chief sales officer also needs to be accessible by management and other salespeople during regular business hours whenever possible, and to respond to e-mail within a reasonable time. In sales, timing is everything, so reliability is essential. To outsource a chief sales officer, the company needs to know that the person is not only experienced, driven, and able to communicate effectively, but that the person is able to work quickly in developing the tools that will take the company to success month after month, while at the same time keeping the company’s mission in mind, including setting short- and long-term goals. When this can be proven to a company’s leader, greater trust will be put in the outsourcing process.

Outsourcing is available through the Internet, as well as through word-of-mouth from other companies. A company leader should do research:  Go over the person’s resume completely, conduct several interviews, view examples of his or her work—anything that will provide assurance that the person being considered as an outsourced chief sales officer is committed to the company’s mission and will set goals based on that mission. With the right preparation and effort, company leaders can soon see the benefits of outsourcing a chief sales officer.