Want to maximize your sales efforts, grow your business, and do it affordably?  If you’re reading this then the answer is probably, “yes.”  I promise that as you read on you will learn what a Fractional VP of Sales is and why you would/should consider hiring one.

A Fractional VP of Sales is an executive leader with many years of experience in the field of sales and sales leadership with successful results.  They work in your business on a part-time basis and usually for a finite engagement.  They work with you and your team to lead the sales efforts you need such as:  partnering with other company executives, strategizing a strong sales plan, implementing the processes and methodology to execute the plan, hiring the sales team if needed, managing daily sales, and more. The benefits of hiring a Fractional VP of Sales allows you to accomplish your strategy with all expertise necessary, while spending less of your resources, i.e. time, money, and energy than would be required with a fulltime executive.  

As you read on you will learn about the many benefits of hiring a VP of Sales.  They are an important part of your team and some would argue the most important part because they lead the revenue generation of your business.  

A Fractional VP of Sales is just one of many types of fractional executives.  All C-Suite roles come as fractional executives as well, i.e., CIO, CMO, CFO, etc.  A Fractional VP of Sales brings their skills and expertise on a for-hire basis.  They stay onboard an organization for a short project or longer, up to a year is average.  They aren’t consultants in the conventional way we think about getting help.  They bring the expertise and abilities that you might hire a consultant for, but your Fractional VP of sales will be an active leader for you.  You will give them the authority to design, execute, and lead with the accountability that you would give a permanent hire. A Fractional VP of Sales will work with small (1-99 employees) to medium (100-999) sized businesses also known as SMBs.  They are hired by companies who don’t need a full-time sales executive or can’t yet afford to have one.  Sometimes companies will grow with only fractional executives never having the need for a full-time hire.  There are many benefits that come with hiring a Fractional VP of Sales.  For example:

They bring an outside perspective

Bringing in someone from the outside with sales leadership expertise can deliver a fresh and engaged perspective different from those who have been engrossed in the daily operations for years.  Albert Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”  Having someone come into your company with a different perspective can inspire new sales strategies with a new world view.  This world view can lead to new methods of approaching situations and generating better results aligned with your strategy for growth.

They establish a sales culture that supports and maximizes sales results

By hiring a Fractional VP of Sales you have the opportunity to bring in the outside perspective and establish a culture needed to meet your business needs. With the right character fit and the proper communication you can have someone who encourages growth, learning, and development of the team, understands, because of their expertise, the needs of the business and can build a team that is diverse, a team that celebrates each other’s contributions, and a team that is strong enough for the growth you want.

They give you and your team to time needed to focus on other priority tasks without worrying about sales generation

Hiring a Fractional VP of Sales gives you and your team the time and capacity to keep focused on the priorities that must be attended to because your Fractional VP will take care of sales so you don’t have to. They will take on the daily sales operations to make sure tactics are aligned with strategy. You can count on this leader to be hands-on and fully accountable to do what is needed to move sales forward.  They will be able to oversee all, but not limited to:  

• Designing and executing a sales process and methodology
• Hiring the right sales team for the job
• Sales mentoring and coaching
• Working directly with marketing to make sure there is consistent messaging
• Developing the right sales plan
• Leveraging relationships to add the needed resources to your team

So, what are some of the other benefits of a Fractional VP of Sales?

• They more than likely will work remotely so finding extra office space isn’t required
• Their purpose is to do so well that they work themselves out of a job.  While they’re “watching the sales store” for you, you can be building your company so you can afford to hire a full-time sales leader.
• They are easier to let go if they’re not working out for you.  A full-time executive can be difficult to fire and can be fraught with legal and costly pitfalls.
• They are less costly because they don’t require the bonuses, benefits, and perks that come with full-time executive:

Overall, considering hiring a Fractional VP of Sales is a good move.  Ask yourself whether what I’ve offered fits your company scenario.  As a recap, do you need sales leadership help?  Are your current finances such that you can’t consider hiring a full-time person?  Do you need strategy, processes, and a methodology to build your sales plan?  Are you missing that leadership necessary to coach and mentor the team you have?  If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then interviewing for a Fractional VP of Sales is the right move for you.

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How much does a Fractional VP of Sales Make?

Depending on the project, most engagements are between $6,000 - $10,000/month and can last up to one year.  There are no long-term contracts and no employee benefits.

Why does someone want to be a Fractional VP of Sales?

People who make this offer are usually experiences sales leaders looking to be entrepreneurial.  Their criteria for taking on a client can include choosing their clients because they like them, feeling they can make a real difference, and feeling that they will enjoy the project their hired to work on.

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