Hiring a Sales Force –
A company needs to hire a sales force that can sell the journey, not the short-term need. They should be the most knowledgeable on both the product and the needs of your client. This is typically found with your business consultants who tend to be excellent listeners to client need, not your traditional elephant hunters looking to land a big score. Look in non-traditional places for these sales persons and hire based on characteristics rather than qualifications. By vetting candidates by their character and their attitude, you can avoid being held hostage later by high performing bad actors. Remember, the legal system is not designed for revenge, and it’s far too costly to go after those who have betrayed your business.
Maintaining your Sales Force –
Properly incentivizing your sales force and creating a team bond between your members will help create armor around your company. If sales members in your core division are excellent at selling to clients that fit your core description, then they should be properly incentivized to continue working at that level and not be aspiring to work at an enterprise level. Additionally, a sales retreat or a party is not a waste, but rather an event that creates a collegiality amongst colleagues. This cohesion will help prevent people from being bought out of your group, especially as you become the frontrunner in your market and have the bulls-eye on your back.