As a startup, you will get to the point where it’s time to start building a team around you. One important part of this is building a sales team. You’ve likely had some success running the company and managing the sales yourself. Or maybe you had some help from family, friends, and other trusted individuals. But if you really want to take that next step, you need to hire salespeople.

The challenge is that startup companies often only have enough money for 1-2 salespeople. So, you need to make those initial hires good ones. You can’t afford to make a hiring mistake, or it could put your company in peril.

Finding the right person is imperative. You need someone who can operate lean. You need someone who can maximize success with limited resources and a limited sales staff. This is a challenge, but it can be done.

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How Do I Hire Salespeople for a Startup?

There are a number of ways you can go about hiring salespeople for your startup. Here are some important things to consider:

• Establish sales goals: You need to understand the role a new sales hire will play in the company. Do you have revenue goals? Are products ready to sell? How much prospecting is involved?

• Understand how sales works in your industry: Your understanding of how sales work in your industry will determine how you shape your team. It will determine the type of sales talent you need to be successful.

• Establish a compensation plan: Do you plan to offer a commission-based role? Is there a base salary? What type of compensation package fits your business model but will still attract the right type of talent?

• Recruit the right type of salesperson: Does a more expensive experienced sales professional make more sense for your company? Or should you opt for 2 or 3 more junior sales professionals?

• Work arrangements: Will the sales team work in a physical location? Will they be remote? How will you integrate them into operations? How much will you oversee the sales process? Will one of the salespeople be assigned a management role?

These are some of the many decisions you will have to make before you are in a position to hire a salesperson for your startup. The key is to be thorough and know the type of person you need to help your company take the next step in its development.

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