What sorts of skills and talents does a great salesperson employ?
According to author Dorothy Sayers, a sense of enthusiasm and a keen eye. In 11 short stories, Sayers depicts her character Montague Egg, who is an amateur detective, as an upbeat salesperson first and sleuth second. Egg’s perspicacity can as easily be applied to pinning down a poisoner as it could to making a sale.
Using acumen in the wine sales trade and skills accrued in the course of his career, Egg solved a series of murders in these stories. And he did it all while jocularly quoting maxims like “to serve the public is the aim of every salesman worth the name” from “The Salesman’s Handbook.”
In the real world, though, sales professionals may not be stumbling on crimes that test their sales skills in a tight 20 word format. Cultivating a team culture that ensures that salespeople can perform at their best and grow skill sets and their careers is important.
This month, Built In San Francisco spoke to two recent hires to learn about the qualities they looked for in an employer and the opportunities these good eggs enjoy on two thriving — and hiring — sales teams. Read on to learn more about the values, visions and opportunities these sales teams engender.
CrowdStrike is a provider of cloud-delivered endpoint protection services including antivirus, endpoint detection and response and a 24/7 managed hunting service.
As a sales professional, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
When I started my job search, I was really looking for a collaborative and welcoming team environment that would allow me to build my skills and grow my career. Moving to a larger company from a smaller one was a bit intimidating at first, but everyone at CrowdStrike has been so welcoming; they made coming into the company an easy decision.
What initially stood out to you about CrowdStrike, and how has that perception changed since you've started?
I had previous industry experience and had even worked with CrowdStrike directly, so I was always intrigued by the glowing reviews I heard about CrowdStrike’s capabilities. That’s actually what drove me to apply for a role. And since joining, CrowdStrike has exceeded my expectations in every way. My manager and entire team have been nothing less than incredible to work with, and I feel lucky to have such a great group to collaborate with and learn from. Our motto, “one team, one fight,” is really true. There are resources available for just about anything you may need, and you can always count on someone to help with any questions you have.
Our executive leadership will always make themselves available to help if you need it.”
From a selling perspective, what sets CrowdStrike apart from others you've worked at in the past?
There are many aspects of our sales organization that set CrowdStrike apart. A couple of areas that I noticed early on were the clear and realistic expectations set by management and the exceptional training resources provided, which are set up to ensure CrowdStrikers have everything they need to be successful in their roles. Following a structured sales process has allowed me to expand my sales knowledge exponentially and show amazing value in a short period of time.
Our executive leadership will always make themselves available to help if you need it, too, and that makes for an awesome sales culture.
Formerly Freedom Financial Network, Achieve is a digital personal finance company that offers personal loans, home loans, debt relief options and other financial tools tailored to the needs of its customers.
As a sales professional, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
When I started my job search, I wanted to find a company that made me feel like I was part of something great. I wanted a company that truly cared for its people and had a great reputation. I knew I had a passion for mentoring and helping people.
Now, as a newly-promoted sales manager for Achieve, I get the chance to do both. I’m very happy with my career choice and wouldn’t change it.
What initially stood out to you about Achieve, and how has that perception changed since you've started?
The overall reputation of the company stood out to me the most. I've been in sales for more than 25 years, and the fact that Achieve has been around for more than 20 years and has always been an industry leader in innovation and client-friendly solutions impressed me. In reviews that I have read, people who have either worked here or with the business always rave about the level of professionalism at the company.
I’ve been here for over a year now, and the only thing that has changed is that it just keeps getting better. Achieve truly embodies its core values.
Achieve Core Values
- Care (for everyone)
- Get better (every day)
- Collaborate (with everybody)
- Act with integrity (every time)
From a selling perspective, what sets Achieve apart from others you've worked at in the past?
While the company has been in business for more than 20 years, Achieve has managed to maintain an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and a 4.6 out of 5 with Trustpilot. That’s pretty impressive considering that we have dealt with over a million clients and have already settled over 16 billion dollars in debt.
We truly care about changing our clients' lives. And let’s be honest, that’s the real win here.
