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9 Qualities of a Great Cloud Sales Leader

I have talked with hundreds of cloud computing executives about challenges they face when hiring Sales leaders. There is a huge difference between being a leader and being a manager. I have compiled a list of important qualities to look for when bringing a new leader on board. These are characteristics that great leaders possess – and things that managers often overlook. While this is not an exhaustive list, it is a solid start.

Great Cloud Computing leaders:

Help others become leaders –Our industry is changing so rapidly that many times cloud sales managers forget that they should be grooming others to be leaders. A true leader will invest in helping others learn how to lead.

Create an atmosphere of excellence – Managers are sometimes so busy micromanaging the cloud sales team that they overlook the fact that it is up to them to establish an environment of integrity for the sales team. True leaders set the bar high in such a way that others will follow suit even when their leader is not present.

Encourage others – Due to the nature of the beast, cloud computing sales can be a negative environment do to the constantly changing forces and moving targets. A true leader recognizes that a real cloud computing revolution is underway and will provide constructive criticism, but at the same time build others up so everyone is motivated to focus and contribute to reap the rewards in this cloud industry that will be growing from $55 billion to $200 billion in the next four years.

Listen and seek input – I have seen some cloud sales managers who are so busy trying to prove themselves that they forget to take into account the resources right in front of them. A true leader keeps an open door and seeks input from others both within – and outside of – their organization.

Invest time developing people – A common mistake cloud sales managers make is to be so focused on numbers that they forget the importance of sharpening the skills of their cloud sales team. A leader recognizes that people are the heartbeat of their organization, and they demonstrate this by investing in the development of their people. The Oxford Group is very close to the street in this rapidly evolving cloud industry and can provide seminars and reverse engineering techniques to hiring the top cloud sales performers to help you in this area.

Know their employees’ strengths – Some cloud sales managers fail to realize that by properly utilizing the strengths – and encouraging growth in areas of weakness – of individuals on their cloud sales team, they can create a more successful team. True leaders show an interest in helping their sales guys utilize their strengths, and improve on weaknesses, to increase their value to the organization.

Plan, act on that plan, and focus on the goal – This is simple, but sometimes overlooked by cloud sales managers who are considering short-term, but not long-term goals due to the speed in which the cloud industry is changing. Leaders keep their eye on the goal and don’t allow anything to divert their attention.

Live a life of integrity and are genuine people – Inconsistency in words and actions can damage the trust and cohesiveness of a good cloud computing sales team, while leading by example sets a tone that others are likely to follow. Leaders understand the importance of being consistent in both words and actions, both at work and in their personal lives.

Continue to learn – I cannot emphasize this point enough. I spoke last week on the education in the cloud industry both to the cloud sales force and to the customers and potential customers. Education of the customer to make decisions to purchase is the biggest challenge facing our industry. Cloud Sales Managers sometimes forget that they need to constantly stay up on the latest in the cloud computing industry. Great leaders look for opportunities to learn something new every day and know when to share relevant knowledge with their team.

If you are looking to hire an C level executive or sales manager who is also a great leader, The Oxford Group can help. Our expert knowledge and experience in the industry has led to the creation of our unique Reverse Engineering and Hypergrowth programs to procure you the top sales guns to avoid misfires.

The Oxford Group is here to assist you in hiring exemplary employees for your organization. Contact us at: TheOxfordGroup@att.net, 214 360 4000 or schedule an appointment at https://theoxfordgroup.youcanbook.me/ to discuss your challenges and several ways we can assist you to solve them.

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The number one challenge that came up In a survey that I did from talking with several hundred Cloud Computing Vice President of Sales was how to implement a strategy that would educate the customer on Cloud Computing. Lack of knowledge on the part of the customer on cloud computing led to inaction and a decision to put the purchase decision on hold or to not purchase. CIO’s would feel it would be better to do nothing than to make a perceived wrong decision that could jeopardize the CIO’s or other decision maker’s position. Ultimately traditional sales processes do not work in this cloud era. The paradigm has now shifted to education and other strategies.

I have spoken with many Cloud organizations about various topics such as prospecting, referrals, relationship building, handling objections, presentations, communication, closing, service after the sale, loyalty, and retention as covered in typical sales training. Of course, these must be covered through the organization’s sales training to have a successful sales team. There is one topic in particular that the top companies teach their reps and that is… education strategy for the potential customers. I have another name for it – Value Content Marketing. It is necessary to provide much educational value content to the CIO’s, Directors of Information Technology, CFO’s and all the other individuals that are involved in the purchasing process. Once the customer sees that you know what you are talking about than the business will follow.

Successful Cloud companies know that it isn’t the number of hours their sales force spends in training that matters – it’s the focus of that training that makes all the difference. It is not enough to simply possess product and market knowledge and be able to close a deal. If a sales force is going to be highly successful, they are going to need extensive training on Cloud strategy: strategic markets, strategic products, marketing strategies, and the strategies unique to their organization.

What to do is important…BUT how to think is a vital part of the equation.

When I recruit CEO’s Presidents, VP Sales, and sales reps, I always ask probing questions to get a feel for how they have been trained to think. I know that those who have been trained to think strategically are going to be successful.

In my 25+ years of recruiting and managing, I have come across all types of sales trainings. Your organization will need to be sure that the sales training you are seeking will cover the overall outlook for the cloud industry. It will need to cover strategies on how to educate your customer into the rapidly growing cloud industry. This industry is going to quadruple in the next four years so it is critical that your sales reps are resident experts cloud computing and can convey this image and confidence through well thought out value content marketing strategies much like this article that you are reading. You will also have to consider other alternative training methods and the impact that will have on your reps’ sales cloud educational strategies. Your cloud sales team must be kept abreast of trends in the industry as well as which of your company’s products are at risk v. which are well positioned for growth and how to educate the customer so that the sale can be made.

I feel it’s important to emphasize that it is equally crucial that your cloud reps understand where you are going as a company. When I speak at sales functions, I am always shocked when I hear sales reps complain that they are unclear about where their cloud organization is headed. How can you have a successful sales team if they don’t know where the company is headed? Top Cloud computing companies know that their reps must be able to anticipate an expansion into new cloud markets, defending the #1 spot, or pushing hard to move from #2 to #1, is vital if your cloud sales force is going to work together toward achieving the growth the company is seeking.

Wait – there’s one more: Educating your cloud sales teams on your company’s cloud marketing and educational strategy to your customers is vital. Without this piece of the puzzle, your cloud sales guys will waste valuable time and could lose potential customers. Successful cloud companies know that their cloud sales force must know the positioning of the company if they are going to know what type of customers to pursue and how to educate them to get the sale. This has a direct impact on what they will say and how they will sell. There must be consistency between the sales message and your company’s marketing and educational messages.

How do you know if your salespeople are thinking strategically? When asked, can they provide the right answers to the topics mentioned above? I spoke to a top sales producer in the IBM SoftLayer division the other day and he could articulate five succinct points including their education strategy on why IBM was moving to a strong position in the cloud computing marketplace. Your cloud sales force needs to be able to do the same.

David Jackson, CEO of The Oxford Group, is available for speaking engagements in a variety of industries and topics that range from Sales, Growing Startups, Turnarounds, M & A, Executive Recruitment, Hiring, International Growth, Technology Growth, The Cloud, Telecommunications, Offshore Outsourcing, and Training. Contact us for booking information at TheOxfordGroup@att.net, by phone at 214.360.4000, or schedule an appointment at https://theoxfordgroup.youcanbook.me/.

Category: Blog

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