In the ever-changing business landscape, hiring strategies are evolving. One such strategy that’s gaining momentum in many sectors is employing high-level, experienced professionals on a part-time or fractional basis. This strategy is particularly beneficial when hiring a sales manager. Here’s why hiring a high-powered fractional sales manager can be more advantageous than a full-time one.
Bringing in an Outside Perspective
One of the significant benefits of hiring a fractional sales manager is the fresh perspective they bring to your organization. Being engrossed in the day-to-day operations of a company can often blind one to potential problems or missed opportunities. A fractional sales manager, armed with their wealth of experience and knowledge of sales strategy and systems, can provide an outsider’s perspective that can illuminate unseen issues and identify hidden solutions.
Quick Strategy and Tactics Implementation
A fractional sales manager often comes backed by a support team, allowing for swift and efficient development and implementation of sales strategies. While a full-time sales manager might get bogged down with strategic planning and execution, a fractional one can leverage their varied experiences and the support team to quickly enact change within the organization. This allows the organization to respond more effectively to the ever-changing sales environment.
High Return on Investment
The cost of hiring a full-time sales manager—considering salary, commissions, bonuses, benefits, and recruitment costs—can be very high. On the other hand, a fractional sales manager can offer substantial savings, typically around 20% – 30% overall. This is due to the “rent instead of hire” model, which eliminates many of the associated costs of full-time employment. What’s more, a fractional sales manager often comes with a support team and a variety of system integrators, giving you more value for your investment.
Driving Sales Initiatives
The primary role of a fractional sales manager is to drive the company’s sales initiatives, whether that involves top-line growth, bottom-line increases, or raising average deal size. They focus on the right activities that will drive the business forward. Additionally, a fractional sales manager can provide services like hiring, onboarding, and even acting as a full-time interim executive during a search for a new sales leader or Vice President of Sales.
Clear Contract Duration
When you hire a fractional sales manager, you get to determine the length of the contract. This flexibility allows for better financial planning and minimizes surprises. If you’ve never had a sales leader before, hiring a fractional sales manager gives you a chance to “test drive” the role without a significant time commitment. For companies trying to bounce back and get into “growth mode”, a fractional sales manager can help create and execute a sales plan, then assist in hiring and onboarding a new permanent sales leader, protecting your investment in long-term growth.
Smooth Transition
Once the contract period ends, the transition from a fractional sales manager to a new full-time sales leader should be seamless, given that the fractional sales leader has set up the sales team for success. They should always be building towards the future, implementing processes and methodologies that the new sales leader can easily adopt and continue.
In conclusion, most companies can benefit from a fractional sales manager at some point in their evolution. A fractional sales manager can save you money, provide a higher return on investment, bring an outside perspective, and implement proven strategies and tactics. It allows you to “rent” a sales leader while looking for a permanent one, all the while building for your future.
Reach out to us to find out more about how we can help grow your organization without the costs of hiring a full-time sales manager.