10 Signs Your Small Business is Ready for a Salesperson

Growing pains are usually pretty obvious in business, but sometimes they can be overshadowed. If you’re suddenly working twice as much or spending too much time returning calls to give face time to your in-house customers, it might be time to get some assistance. There is never a “right” time for every company to hire help—it’s about finding the time that is right for you. 

To help, we’ve gathered some of the top signs that you’re probably ready to hire a salesperson or to outsource to someone who can help you. Too often, companies wait too long to hire help and end up in over their heads faster than they realize, losing revenue and valuable customers along the way. By being prepared and knowing what to look for, you’ll be sure to add the right people to your team at the right time. 

We get a lot of people asking about the cost of hiring a salesperson, and yes, that is going to be part of your decision. However, you shouldn’t let it stop you from adding to your team or outsourcing as the case may be. After all, you can find a lot of options today to get the assistance that you need, including contracted sales reps and third-party services, and so much more. 

Think it might be time to expand? Here are 10 surefire signs to look for. 

1. Lead response times are slow

If you’ve noticed that you’re leaving leads to sit for a long time before you get back to them, or if they’re not getting back to you, it might be time to investigate. Perhaps they’re not getting enough dedicated attention and they feel like you don’t have the time to give them. If you have more salespeople, you’ll have more available resources and thus, shorter wait times for everyone. This will make leads more eager to work with you, too. 

2. You don’t have the time to handle the sales and run the business

You’re only one person and running a business is a lot of work. If you don’t have the time to manage it all, you might want to outsource or see what kind of help you can get. Some people choose to hire administrative help, but if you’re lacking in the sales department, it could be time for a dedicated sales rep so that you can handle the rest of the business details. 

3. You have too many leads and not enough people to handle them

Are you one of the fortunate businesses that are swimming in leads, only to watch them sit idly by as you run out of time to get to them in a day? Leads are great but only if you can get to them in a timely fashion. If not, someone else will. 

4. You are missing sales or deals

Have you been watching deals walk out the door because you don’t have the time to get to them? Nothing is worse than knowing you are losing business. Don’t miss another opportunity because you’re short-staffed. Get a sales team now, or at least a salesperson, so that you’re not trying to do it all on your own. 

5. There are new revenue streams you need to tap into

Perhaps you’ve identified some new pipelines or audiences that your business can reach out to—but your existing resources are tapped. This is where it can come in handy to choose a salesperson to assist your business with the new revenue streams. Or, you could train them on the existing accounts and take over the new revenues yourself. 

6. The quality of your products or services are suffering 

If your quality is suffering, you need to get help as soon as possible. Even if they haven’t yet, people will eventually notice and start complaining because they can’t get the level of service that they deserve. Make sure that you pay attention here. 

7. Customers or clients are complaining 

This one might seem obvious, but that’s the point. If people are complaining, it’s time to step up your game and get some help on board. Figure out what the complaints or pain points are and then go from there to hire the right people to assist with resolving the issues. 

8. Your existing team feels overwhelmed 

If your sales team is complaining of being overworked or having too much on their plate, it’s probably time to get more help. Business is good and that’s great, but that also means that you need more help to keep it going well. 

9. You’re wasting time on tedious tasks like scheduling and busywork

If you should be closing deals and not making appointments, it might be time to hire some help. The busy work is best left for other members of your team. Sales requires dedicated attention and when you’re stuck behind the desk, you’re not able to give that to your customers. 

10. Your business is growing in size 

If your business is growing in any capacity, you’re going to want a little help to make things easier as you grow. This could mean hiring a salesperson, outsourcing to a third-party service, or even hiring some virtual receptionists so that you can focus on the sales. Of course, if you’re seeing significant growth, you might want to add an in-house salesperson. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what’s going to be best for your needs. 

For growth, convenience, and more, partner with the team at Smith.ai

You already know us as your first choice for virtual receptionist services. Now find out how our 24/7 agents can assist you with inbound and outbound sales and support along with things like lead intake, scheduling, live website chat, and so much more. It’s all about making your business easier to run and we’ll help in every way that we can—which includes a dynamic strategy to manage it all. 

To learn more, schedule your consultation to discuss the outbound sales solutions from Smith.ai and the other ways we can help your business. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.