Outsourcing to professionals in their field is the wave of the present
Disclaimer: Yes, this is a self-serving promotional piece for my services. And yes, it's also 100% factual. Call it multitasking—I'm here to help you win at sales while subtly reminding you I'm available for hire.
What's This Post About?
Running a small business is hard enough without juggling the sales function. Outsourcing sales leadership can be that secret ingredient you've been searching for to scale effectively and compete in today's marketplace. It's great to know that you can focus on your core business while a professional handles your sales strategy.
DIY vs. Hire a Pro: When to Outsource?
Think of it like this—when do you DIY, and when do you hire a professional? It all comes down to risk and cost. It's easy to calculate for tangible projects. If I'm building a shed, I know the price of supplies and my weekend time versus hiring a carpenter. But with something as intangible as sales leadership, it's trickier. What's the opportunity cost if you mess up your DIY approach to sales? Spoiler: it's more than a lost weekend—lost customers, time, and growth.
Here's why outsourcing sales leadership could be the smartest move you can make:
Access to Expertise Without the Overhead
Most startups or small businesses are still waiting to hire a full-time sales leader. That's where outsourcing comes in. You're essentially leasing a sales leader with 30+ years of "been there, done that" experience without the full-time salary, benefits, or stress. I've worn that hat, and I can tell you—there's no substitute for battle-tested expertise. Outsourcing minimizes false starts and gives you flexible financing. I've learned lessons the hard way, so you don't have to.
Scalable Growth at Your Pace
Scaling your sales function can feel overwhelming. An outsourced sales leader helps you grow quickly without jumping into expensive hiring or training. Don't overextend by bringing on full-time staff too early—that's a cash-strapped nightmare waiting to happen. I've seen it firsthand: businesses spend on CRMs, salespeople, and marketing materials before knowing what to measure. Outsourcing allows you to bring in the expertise when needed and ramp up as you're ready. It's a low-risk way to scale smartly.
Save Time and Focus on What You Do Best
As a startup, time is your most precious commodity. Why waste hours figuring out sales strategies when you could be perfecting your product or wowing your customers? Outsourcing lets you stay in your zone of genius while an expert sales leader oversees the planning, implementation, and revenue growth. Think of it like hiring an all-star team—you get to pick their brains, test your theories, and learn from their experiences without making the same rookie mistakes. Trust me, I've been on both sides of this, and getting expert guidance is worth its weight in gold.
Immediate Integration of Sales Tools and Technology
I've seen so many businesses get overwhelmed with the latest CRMs, analytics platforms, and automation tools—only to realize they're not even using half of what they're paying for. In Canada, 69.4% of small business owners lean on technology to run their operations. But here's the thing—when you outsource sales leadership, you get someone who knows exactly which tools you need and how to integrate them without the hassle. You don't need to overbuy. I always tell my clients to get the right people selling with the right message to the right market. The rest—tools, tracking, and technology—should support that, not complicate it.
Risk Mitigation and Fresh Perspectives
We all get stuck in our ways sometimes. As business owners, we're often too close to see what needs changing. An outsourced sales leader brings fresh eyes and industry-spanning experience to spot inefficiencies, market shifts, and risks you might miss. Think of it like adding a seasoned veteran to your hockey team.
As Gretzky famously said, "I go where the puck is going to be." That's what a fractional sales leader does—they see where your business should be heading and help you get there. I've been in enough boardrooms to know the value of an outside perspective—it's often the difference between business-as-usual and explosive growth.
ACTIONABLE ADVICE:
Let’s break down how you can make the most of outsourcing sales leadership. You want action steps you can implement right away, right? Here’s how you can put these ideas into practice:
1. Access to Expertise Without the Overhead
Action Step 1: Identify areas where your sales process is weakest. Are you struggling with lead generation, closing deals, or building a pipeline? Create a list of your pain points before approaching an outsourced sales leader.
Action Step 2: Make sure your sales consultants offer flexible packages—project-based, hourly, or part-time—so you’re not locked into a long-term contract.
Action Step 3: Don’t just focus on credentials; ask how they would tackle your specific sales challenges. This way, you’re not paying for generic advice but for targeted solutions that meet your immediate needs.
2. Scalable Growth at Your Pace
Action Step 1: Map out a sales growth timeline. What will you achieve in the next 3, 6, or 12 months? Share this with your outsourced sales leader to help them build a sales strategy that fits your goals without overwhelming your resources.
Action Step 2: Use outsourced sales leadership to test new sales channels or strategies. Maybe you’ve been relying on inbound marketing, but it’s time to explore outbound sales or partnerships. Let your outsourced leader guide these experiments without hiring a whole new team.
Action Step 3: Monitor metrics closely. Set clear KPIs, like lead conversion rates or average deal size, and have your sales leader report on them weekly or monthly. This way, you can scale up or down based on actual performance, not gut feelings.
3. Save Time and Focus on What You Do Best
Action Step 1: List the sales tasks that take up too much of your time—things like follow-ups, prospecting, or proposal writing. Offload these to your outsourced sales leader or their team.
Action Step 2: Have your outsourced sales leader create a sales playbook for your business. This should include scripts, email templates, objection handling strategies—anything that standardizes the sales process so it runs like a well-oiled machine, even when you're not involved.
Action Step 3: Schedule regular, short meetings with your sales leader to review performance, discuss challenges, and get updates. Keep these meetings under 30 minutes to ensure you're still focused on your core tasks, but stay in the loop on sales progress.
4. Immediate Integration of Sales Tools and Technology
Action Step 1: Ask your outsourced sales leader to audit your current sales tech stack. Are you using the right CRM? Do you need sales automation tools? They should recommend tools that will optimize your sales process without adding complexity.
Action Step 2: Implement an automated follow-up system. Have your outsourced leader set up workflows for nurturing leads—whether through email drip campaigns, automated texts, or CRM reminders—so prospects never fall through the cracks.
Action Step 3: Leverage data analytics. Task your sales leader with setting up dashboards that track real-time sales performance so you’re always informed about how close you are to hitting targets. Data is your friend—use it to make smarter sales decisions.
5. Risk Mitigation and Fresh Perspectives
Action Step 1: Encourage your outsourced sales leader to conduct a competitive analysis. Have them review how your competitors are selling, what’s working for them, and where there’s an opportunity for you to stand out. Use this intel to sharpen your value proposition.
Action Step 2: Run a sales process audit. Let your outsourced leader evaluate your current funnel, from lead generation to closing deals, and highlight any bottlenecks. This fresh set of eyes will catch things you might miss. Including a sales velocity analysis measures how quickly your business earns money.
Action Step 3: Get feedback from your outsourced leader on pricing strategies, sales collateral, and overall sales approach. They’ve worked across industries, so take advantage of that breadth of experience to refine your strategy and reduce the risk of stagnation.
Final Thoughts
By outsourcing sales leadership, you're not just cutting costs but positioning your business for sustainable growth. It's about making smart, strategic moves that give you an edge in the competitive Canadian market.
And hey, by outsourcing sales leadership, you're not just making a strategic business move but also reclaiming your personal time. Imagine being less stressed, more creative, and having more time for what matters— spending time with your family or getting out on the golf course. Because, let's face it, nobody wants to buy from a stressed-out business owner, right?
Thanks for reading. If you like what you read, please share and spread the word. If you want to implement the strategies mentioned in this or any other blog post, reach out, and let's talk.
Bernard Kuhn
Sales Strategist
Are you tired of the same old sales talk? Me too. That's why I'm here to share what it's like to navigate the world of selling. Join me on a journey of self-discovery and lifelong learning as I confess my sales sins and share insights beyond the typical sales playbook.
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