From First Sales Hire to Revenue Powerhouse: Essential Strategies for Business Owners

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales

In this episode of “Two Tall Guys Talking Sales,” hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O'Shaughnessey dive into the unique challenges and opportunities of hiring your second salesperson. Many small business owners face a pivotal moment when they bring on a sales team member who may know the company but not the ins and outs of professional selling. Join Kevin and Sean as they explore how to make the first and second salespeople truly effective, how to ramp up revenue, and how to know when it's time to expand your sales team. Packed with actionable insights, this episode is a roadmap for business leaders looking to maximize their early sales hires and foster sustainable growth.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. The First Sales Hire: Opportunity or Risk? - Sean and Kevin discuss the challenges owners face when hiring a single salesperson who may lack deep sales expertise (00:00:17).

2. How to Make Your Second Sales Hire Successful - Kevin emphasizes the importance of a structured onboarding process focused on accountability, consistent communication, and setting measurable outcomes for new hires (00:02:24).

3. The Power of Accountability and Communication - Kevin and Sean lay out practical steps for holding a first salesperson accountable and how to provide actionable, regular feedback for improved performance (00:04:00).

4. Setting Success Metrics and Revenue Goals - Sean covers the critical role of defining success metrics and how to know when it's time to hire a second salesperson or replace your current one (00:06:31).

5. Shortening the Sales Ramp-Up Time - Kevin challenges the assumption that onboarding takes years, urging owners to implement processes that cut onboarding from years to months (00:10:00).

6. Revenue Abundance Mindset - Sean closes with a motivational segment about the abundance of revenue potential in every industry, stressing the importance of targeting the ideal client profile (00:12:23).

Key Quotes:

• Kevin: “The ‘how’ question is so important. How do we get someone into our organization in a way where they feel valued, are producing value, and we can all measure and feel the growth of that value throughout the organization?” (00:02:39)

• Sean: “If you're concerned that the salesperson is successful, but you’re not quite there, start by pushing two numbers—closing deals faster or bringing in more revenue per deal.” (00:07:55)

• Kevin: “We need you as an owner to set a goal for yourself that this year, this next 12 months, you’re going to reduce the ramp time to one year. And in three years, we’re going from a two-year ramp to a 90-day ramp.” (00:10:24)

• Sean: “There’s an abundance of people out there who want to buy your product and who have problems you can solve. Go after your ideal client profile, help them achieve their goals, and you will find more revenue than you ever imagined.” (00:14:23)

Additional Resources:

• Sean’s Book - Eliminate Your Competition - Referenced as a comprehensive guide for building sales plans. Available for purchase on major book retailers’ websites. https://amzn.to/2K37ugx

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast:

Set Regular Checkpoints for New Sales Hires - Create a structured, regular feedback and accountability process for any new salesperson. Schedule weekly check-ins to evaluate progress on specific metrics such as speed of closing deals and revenue per deal. Adjust goals as needed to encourage growth and provide timely support.

Summary: Whether you’re just starting to build your sales team or looking to improve your existing process, this episode of “Two Tall Guys Talking Sales” with Kevin Lawson and Sean O'Shaughnessey offers practical advice to drive real change. They dive deep into how to turn your first and second salesperson into a powerhouse by fostering accountability, clear communication, and a strategic growth mindset. Subscribe now and get ready to learn from the experts how to structure, support, and scale your sales efforts—taking your business to new heights.