For many businesses they don’t have the need, the budget, or the desire to take the risk of hiring a full-time Sales Director or Manager to manage the Sales team. The reality is that your best Sales person is not necessarily the best person to move into this role as the Sales team gets bigger or more geographically dispersed. After all inevitably he or she will be spending less time “selling” and more time “managing”. This is not good news when Sales are harder.

What we have been doing over the last three years is providing interim and part time Sales Directors to performance manage the Sales teams in client companies and we really believe this is a long term solution for companies not able to hire full time Sales Management. The benefits are numerous:

• - More cost effective paying for 1-2 days per week rather than 5 days
• - Less intrusive for the Sales team so they become more independent
• - Reduce the need for management to get involved in Sales performance
• - Real experience of managing, developing, building and motivating successful sales people
• - Flexible resource that can be turned on or off as needed
• - Sales team learn new skills from experienced Sales Directors
• - Consolidate and streamline Sales reporting and pipeline management
• - Meeting and call shadowing to improve presentation, communication, and negotiation skills
• - Proper coaching and mentoring of Sales team
• - Assistance in identifying poor performers and Sales people in the wrong job
• - Making sure that motivation and incentives reflect the Sales market-place
• - Helping with strategic direction of company and growth objectives
• - Using executive Global 500 network to assist with Sales

We have helped all sorts of Business to Business companies; some on a project basis getting them in better shape for sale or merger; some to assist the Managing Director start a new business or reorganise a function; some with start up funding but no Sales management structure, and many others to improve Sales systems, Sales processes and the performance of their Sales People.

There is a current upsurge in companies looking down the Interim Sales Director route as a quick and flexible way to rapidly grow sales and increase existing sales team performance. An Interim Sales Director can join the team almost immediately, is adept at jumping in at the deep end, learning the ropes quickly and using their skills and experience at gaining significant sales results.

The Interim Sales Director can work in your business full or part-time based upon budgets and needs and brings with them a KPI tool kit to increase sales activity, effectiveness and results at a time when the existing sales team is suffering from “sales decision inertia” from prospects and clients alike. Many an Interim Sales Director brings an executive network of groomed contacts and decision makers that will prove invaluable in gaining new sales.

Recent Projects:

• Interim Sales Director Software Development Company
• Interim Sales Manager Leadership Development Consultancy
• Interim Sales Director Manned Security Company
• Interim Sales Director Logistics Company

For an understanding of how an Interim Sales Director could have a positive impact on your business right now please contact Interim Sales People on 020 7096 2005!

• 1. Does the candidate have experience of interim roles and the requirements of this type of work?
• 2. Is the candidate simply a redundant senior manager – RSM?
• 3. Is the candidate committed to an interim career, do they have a limited company that is clearly for interim sales work, are they marketing themselves as an Interim, are they registered for VAT, and do they have the necessary insurances in place?
• 4. Does the candidate have varied experience or has it all been in one industry, fine if this is your industry, not so good if it is outside their experience and they have never had to adapt to a different market or industry?
• 5. Does the candidate have leadership experience, sales experience is one thing but they need to take people with them and demonstrate gravitas and leadership at all levels?
• 6. Does the agency specialise in Interim Sales Directors or is this just an add-on to their main business? Jack of all trades, Master of none.
• 7. Do any of the agency’s people actually have experience of sales roles or specifically Interim Sales roles?
• 8. Will the agency still market other roles to them, through untargeted emails and database, such as other interim roles and even permanent roles endangering completion of the project and focus?
• 9. How will the agency be remunerated? Upfront or as the project unfolds, i.e. what is their interest in longevity and continuing success?
• 10. Has the agency suggested 3 or 4 days per week as an alternative to 5 days per week or was this never suggested (where appropriate to your needs of course)?

Interim Sales People is made up of experienced Interim Sales Directors who specialise only in Interim Sales roles, do not target interims on assignment, advise on the full nature of the project through real-life experience of being Sales Interims themselves, and only charge a small percentage of day rate. Our interest is in a Win-Win-Win for client, sales interim, and ourselves.

To learn more about our service please contact us on 020 7096 2005 or fill out or client enquiry form.

We provide Interim Sales Managers and Interim Sales Directors for global corporations, privately owned SMEs or public and not for profit sectors that need to be more commercial. Our network of interim managers covers the whole of the UK. One of us will be very happy to listen to your requirements and explain more about how our approach has proved successful over the years. We pride ourselves on being proactive and delivering a personal service.

If you are a professional sales interim or thinking of a professional interim career and want to know more about working with us please visit our For Interims page. We are always keen to add to our UK wide network. Click on Register as a Sales Interim to register your interest and CV.