Client Story: Scaled past founder sales

Industry: SaaS
Target market: Hospitality
Funding: Series A, $5M

Catalyst for NFS's Involvement

The Founder & CEO of the startup, familiar with NFS’s reputation for "no fluff" selling methods, sought NFS's expertise to establish a robust outbound sales strategy and help him scale past founder selling. The client’s software was expertly designed to seamlessly integrate with existing financial and facility management systems, making it a vital tool for the hospitality industry.

Underlying needs

As the company moved beyond founder-led sales, there was a pressing need to professionalize and scale the sales operations. Areas that needed attention included:

  • Development of a comprehensive AE playbook outlining roles, responsibilities, and sales processes.
  • Implementation of a robust technology stack to manage and enhance the sales process.
  • Regular performance tracking and strategic coaching for the sales team.

Solutions provided

  • Account Executive Playbook: NFS crafted a detailed playbook that guided AEs from prospecting through to closing, ensuring clarity in roles and step-by-step procedures.
  • Technology Implementation: NFS recommended and implemented HubSpot to anchor the sales tech stack, configuring workflows for managing contacts, follow-ups, and essential sales reporting.
  • Performance Management: Developed a system of weekly activity reports aligned with key performance indicators (KPIs), allowing for ongoing assessment and improvement of AE performance.
  • Sales Training and Coaching: Conducted detailed time management training and introduced tools for prioritizing sales activities. Provided both individual and group coaching to address specific needs and enhance overall team proficiency.
  • Pipeline Management: NFS implemented rigorous pipeline management practices from day one, assisting in identifying bottlenecks and improving sales cycle efficiency.

Outcomes

The sales team grew from one to four account executives swiftly, each well-integrated and performing effectively thanks to NFS’s foundational training.

A review of the sales cycle identified and eliminated delays, particularly in the demo and proof of concept phases, ensuring a smooth transition to the closing stages. NFS further enhanced the reliability of the sales pipeline by introducing clear deal stages and training AEs on accurate forecasting, which significantly improved the quality of pipeline management.

Following the successful establishment of the AE team, NFS assisted in hiring and training the company’s sales development team and further expansion of the AE team.

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