Section II

The Front Office: Driving Sales and Growth

Sales Management

Jana Carpenter

If there is no wind, row.

-Latin Proverb

This chapter introduces a totally unconventional concept: The formation of a separate sales organization within your professional services firm. While the direct salesforce model is a generally accepted practice in technology consulting, performance consulting, and product-driven companies, the formation of a separate sales organization does not have serious traction in the professional services industry. Buckle up. This chapter-through guiding philosophies, anecdotes, and case examples-demonstrates why going against the mainstream is good for your business. In fact, a professional salesforce is required for any professional services firm looking to grow with velocity. This chapter provides you with the steps, tools, and insight to build and manage an effective sales organization in your firm.

It is very easy for people to understand the need to hire salespeople to sell a product; however, professional services firms are typically not trained to put a structure around selling intellectual capital and the process of consulting, nor do they often want to. An Economist article notes that consultants professional skepticism teaches them to dig holes in constructive new ideas, 1 and to many practice leaders, a dedicated salesforce is a new idea. Reasons for the reluctance to hire and work with sales professionals are many and include the stigma associated with sales; the belief that sales is personality driven, thus a formal organization and sales professionals are not necessary; and, most importantly, sales conflicts with the rainmaker mentality of the expert industry. Traditionally, partner status, esteem, and big money in the professional services industry are associated with strong sales ability.