The Problem: Why Your First Salesperson Might Be Struggling
Last week, I talked about escaping the trap of director-led selling. This week, I want to address the next step in your sales journey: Making your first sales hire actually work.
A managing director recently asked me: “Nicola, how do I get my one salesperson to be more productive?”
They were working hard, chasing leads, having conversations, but conversions were low. The instinct is to question their capability. But before you go there, let’s look at two critical areas that often get overlooked.
Your Customer Journey Is Missing a Middle
In today’s world, the way people buy has changed. It’s no longer just “marketing → sales.” There’s a vital middle layer I call S'Marketing.
This is where leads that aren’t ready to buy are nurtured through content, education, and value. They self-select in or out, and when they’re ready, they either reach out or show clear buying signals.
If your salesperson is converting 2 out of every 100 leads, the real question is: What are you doing with the other 98?
If the answer is “nothing,” you’re missing a huge opportunity. You need a system that captures, nurtures, and tracks engagement so you can convert more leads over time.
Your Salesperson Is Drowning in Admin
According to McKinsey, only 30% of a salesperson’s time is spent selling. The other 70%? Scheduling, writing proposals, updating CRMs, answering queries, what I call sales grunt work.
This is where an Insight Salesperson (also known as SDR - Sales Development Rep) comes in. Not to be confused with an Inside Salesperson (the name used for a client-facing rep working from a desk and only meeting clients remotely), this role supports your client-facing rep by handling admin, managing data, and keeping the process flowing.
Even a part-time hire (12–16 hours/week) can dramatically increase your client-facing rep’s productivity and your conversion rate.
When to Reassess Capability
Only after you’ve fixed the customer journey and delegated the grunt work should you ask: Is this person truly capable of the role?
If not, it may be time for coaching, training, or a respectful transition. But often, the issue isn’t the person—it’s the system around them.
Ready to boost your sales team?
I dive into all of this in my latest video: “How Do I Increase the Effectiveness of My One Salesperson?”
Let’s turn effort into outcomes and build a sales engine that converts.