What No One Talks About... Key to More Revenue

Starting out I can say... I’ve been on both sides and there is a definite difference. 

1) I’ve been required to hire sales reps to have enough “quota” that equals the goal. It was an absolute disaster.

2) This go round, I made the call that we didn’t need more hires, we needed to do more with fewer reps.

The Myth of More = More

Some folks think if you need X dollars, you just divide that by each rep’s quota, and bam, you’ve got your magic number of salespeople. But here’s the kicker: what if I told you it’s not about how many seats you fill but how much you feed those in the seat?

From 4 to 2: A Tightrope Walk Over the Revenue Gap

Imagine walking into a scenario where a team of four sales reps suddenly becomes two. Panic mode, right? Not quite.

At the end of 2023 and geared up for 2024 Budget and sales targets. We started having conversations about what was needed to hit our numbers.

Response: “Not possible… you are saying we are going to do more with 2 than we did with 4 sales reps. I would love it but it’s just not possible”

Now this response is pretty typical. Why? Because most think more reps automatically mean hitting bigger numbers. But here's the twist: It was never about the headcount.

The Math Behind the Magic

The math was clear as day. Each rep was used to aiming for $20k ARR. The challenge? Amping that up to $37,500 ARR. Sounds like a stretch, but here's the kicker: they had the pipeline. The firepower was there; we just needed to light the match.

Pushing Past the "Impossible"

As an outsider stepping in, I saw what they couldn't: they had what they needed. It wasn't about filling seats; it was about fueling the fire with what we already had. With a bit of a nudge (okay, a big push) and the promise of a hefty bonus, we set our sights on what seemed "impossible".

And then? They nailed it. Not just once, but two months back-to-back. It was a wake-up call, not just for them but for everyone watching from the sidelines.

Building Beyond the Win

What's next... well we are hiring another sales rep BUT it isn't without the bigger focus. PIPELINE!!! We're expanding our focus to drive more top of funnel... outbound strategies, marketing initiatives, and new partnerships.

The Real Secret Sauce

Here’s the takeaway: It’s not the size of the team that matters, but the size of the pipeline and the drive to tap into it. We showed that with the right top of funnel and pipeline, limits are just numbers on a page. Now, we’re not just aiming to hit numbers; we’re redefining what’s possible.

As we gear up for the next chapter, remember this: Success isn’t about filling chairs. It’s about finding ways to fill the funnel and firing up the team to leap beyond those old quotas.

Here's to turning "not possible" into "what’s next?"

P.S. My first conversation with the 2 sales reps was telling them my goal was to help them make a lot more money. Not a fake OTE, but real path to do more sales that drives more commissions. Then… following through with those promises that went right into their bank account.

(On the flip side...hiring too many without the pipeline to support, you have reps running to the doors and fighting over who leaves first)