Finding (and keeping) a good VP of Sales

Recruiting for the C-suite can sometimes be anything but sweet. Hiring for the VP of Sales role requires an extensive yet efficient process focused on finding the right person at the right time, and getting to them before your competition.

There isn’t room for error when it comes to finding someone to run what is arguably the most vital department in your business’ success.

Consider just how important this role is in an organization, “VP of Sales is the person responsible for your sales teams, strategies, promotion, and training. Their job has a direct impact on the success of your business as a whole. A good VP of Sales can be the difference between a successful venture and a failed startup.”

But did you know “…70% of first-time VPs of Sales don’t make it 1 year” this is where TZR can really help you by hiring right.

What TZR looks for when recruiting a VP of Sales

To have success in this role, a candidate will need to have the skills and experience necessary to work with nearly every department within your organization.

“A solid VP of Sales easily develops strong relationships within the sales department, with the marketing department, with the C-suite executives, and with customers. They know relationship-selling and relationship-marketing are key to retaining customers in the competitive B2B or B2C industries. Soft skills can make all the difference…”

Starting from the top, they must work with C-level executives to establish a vision for the company and determine goals that will help everyone get there.

Additionally, they will need strong analytical abilities and the finesse to communicate with teams throughout the organization to make sure they have the resources available to them to achieve the goals and objectives.

“The person in this role should be constantly monitoring, assessing, and upgrading investments in people, processes, and technologies.”

What we look for in our partner companies

When starting our search, we consider the needs and vision of your organization as well as your company culture and value proposition. Having a keen understanding of the channels served is critical to executing a concise strategy that reaches the customer effectively.

What are you offering as it relates to work/life balance, schedule, benefits, etc. Finding the right fit, especially in a role with such a far-reaching impact in the organization is important.

“…the bottom-line is that hiring the right sales leaders saves companies a fortune in potential lost revenue due to inadequate training and coaching for sales reps, damaged client relationships, and more.”

Be sure the job description you have prepared is thorough and relevant to your internal strategies and goals. Your first point of contact sets the tone for the entire candidate experience.
Making the wrong choice will impact everyone in the company.

“The loss of a sales VP can disrupt the entire company, from executive salaries to top accounts to customer retention. Many formerly successful companies struggle after VP turnover, and already-struggling companies can fold completely without strong, aligned leadership.”

1Up Potential

Don’t forget to look within your organization to see if the perfect fit is already on your payroll. In this role especially, “an internal employee already knows your culture and your sales team, so they have both the experience within your organization and the knowledge of your tools and processes, making onboarding much easier.”

Why work with TZR to recruit your next VP of Sales?

This is why:, “The VP of Sales is one of the most important roles within both a B2B or B2C company. They’re at the top of the sales totem pole… and are therefore the internal face of the organization’s success.”

The role is too important, the market is too competitive, and mistakes are too costly to get it wrong.
Filling this role requires a strong network of qualified, highly experienced individuals who can make an impact starting on day one.

At TZR, we’ve been building our network for decades. We know who is out there and we have the relationships necessary to locate your perfect match. With our proven recruitment process of Identify – Engage – Deliver, we only send the best candidates your way; those who fit your specific needs and understand the nuances of your industry as well as you do.

Together, we will work with your hiring team to get a full picture of who is out there and find the next VP of Sales to take your organization to the next level.