The work before the work
I am increasingly convinced there is a unique mindset that makes great early-stage startup Sales Leaders and Execs.
I call it focusing on “the work before the work.”
Building something new is messy, and progress doesn’t move in a straight line.
When something isn’t working, and when we want to make something better, the natural tendency is to dig in and “fix it”
And for most Sales Leaders, that is the job, and it’s hard work.
Close rate isn’t where it needs to be?
Listen to calls, coach your team and turn it around.
Meetings are low?
Dig into outbound activity, messaging, and your team’s confidence. Coach, set incremental goals, and make progress.
But if you work at an early-stage company or are an Exec— remember to be mindful of where you spend your time.
Are you spending time on “the work” or “the work before the work” (WBTW)
The work:
Writing great email copy that increases your team’s response rate.
The WBTW:
Building a go-to-market motion that generates organic interest and makes your ICP want to talk to you.
The work:
Teaching your new hires an air-tight 6-step B2B sales process and sales methodology.
The WBTW:
Recruiting and building a team of people with high rep/market fit who are naturally motivated and committed to making the company successful.
Don’t get me wrong - the work matters…write good emails, follow a clean sales process, etc.
But don't waste time on that stuff when you should be focused on the WBTW.
Don’t run around optimizing stuff that isn’t a clear success or winning strategy.
Remember to do the stuff that takes time and trial and error (you can’t steal it from a post or borrow it from another company).
It must be forged.
This type of work isn’t for everyone. But if you are at an early-stage company, bringing a new product to market, or building a new market from scratch… it is the job.