Company: Sales Partnerships, Inc., Broomfield, CO
Company Description: Sales Partnerships, Inc. is the premier direct sales outsourcing company in the world, offering branded representation that delivers rapid revenue lift for the most influential B2B firms in the world. Whether it's brand activation, customer acquisition, or retention, SPI is the leader in providing scalable and proven solutions to the Fortune 500.
Nomination Category: Sales Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Management Team of the Year
 Nomination Title: Sales Partnerships Sales Management Team of the Year
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2020 of the nominated team, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- Briefly describe the nominated team: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 170 words used.
2022 marked Sales Partnerships' 25th year. We are a 9-time prior Stevie winner in the Sales Outsourcing Provider category and 8-time overall winner in the top Field Sales Categories. We represent the brands of some of the largest and most respected companies in the world ranging from Google to Dow Chemical to work in finance and healthcare. Our core focus is field based b2b and b2c direct sales.
Our hallmark is using and inventing systems and processes that optimize all the important areas impacting sales: recruiting, diversity, technology, training, management, analytics, and strategy. These drive the dedicated teams we build and manage for each client.
Our team of 10 Managers, 2 Directors, VP of Sales, and Chief Sales Officer comprise SPI's Sales Management Team. They are aided by more than 40 lead reps plus dedicated training, recruiting, quality assurance, IS, and operations staff. This team has led SPI to industry honors as well as contributing to the constant innovation necessary to keep SPI in a leadership position in our field.
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below.
This nomination is a written submission including attachments.
Our nomination for Sales Management Team of the Year focuses on our field sales managers and directors responsible for approximately 200 field sales professionals in more than 40 states. Their results in 2022 were remarkable especially considering the headwinds they faced.
The two case studies attached highlights our work representing clients over the past year in telecommunications and finance. The two industries detailed represent where we competed directly with client internal sales teams, external client sales channels, client competitors, and client competitor external sales channels. This broad environment provides a good opportunity to contrast the performance of our sales management team to competing management teams.
With this preface, we appreciate being considered for this award and appreciate your time in judging us. Thank you.
- Outline the team's achievements since July 1 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 234 words used.
SPI re-entered the field after Covid closures and rapidly build up successful field sales teams in both telecommunications and financial services. This had to be done during the most challenging field sales recruiting environment since the 1940’s. At the same time, speed to market was critical – we had to be fully staffed quickly and ramp to target quotas at least as fast as pre-Covid.
Telecommunications Sales
Representing Ting Internet, we were asked to go into two strategically important markets (Greater Raleigh and South Denver) and increase market share from 5% to more than 30%. This was to be done against the industry’s largest ISPs: Centurylink, Xfinity, AT&T/Spectrum, and Verizon.
Head-to-head, we outperformed competing channels by more than 50% and grew our client from 5% market share to 55% (and below the target cost of acquisition.)
Finance Sales
We achieved 105% of annual merchant activation/revenue goals despite not being approved to launch until after Q1 (still using 12-month 2022 targets.) This was the highest result of any channel in North America. By comparison, through the hundreds of internal sales teams that client fields – the average team missed goal by more than 30% in the understandably difficult environment. Only 15% of sales teams came within 20% of target overall.
Importantly, we did it while leveraging a creative strategy working rejection lists where 60% of our target merchants had recently rejected the client multiple times.
- achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 244 words used.
Our field management team had unusual challenges for 2022 but still delivered strong results.
We hired 200 additional field sales reps in 2022. Because of the weaker recruiting market, it became even more important to hire individuals newer to sales and manage them up to success.
The less experienced reps had to be developed and up to quota matching or exceeding 2019 pre-Covid targets in the same amount of time. Our team focused on using metrics to better identify coaching opportunities, adjusting ride-alongs to target just areas of improvement for reps, and benchmarking reps adjusting for unavoidable territory impacts (such as NYC average customer spend being higher then Florida, etc.). By focusing on accurate measurements of performance and challenges - our managers were able to better develop our teams to repeat for being the top selling in their verticals.
Merchant processing/finance sales - We had an additional challenge of only being green lit to start in April to meet 12 month goals. This required fast recruiting and no margin of error in managing them up to speed. Of the hundreds of US channels that processor has, the SPI team repeated as the top performing US channel partner.
Developing sales skill and driving activity is important. Our managers went beyond that to inspire the teams and celebrate our diversity. Our manager led community volunteering helped inspire our teams and remind everyone that understanding your community makes you better at your job and as a person.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 126 words used.
The following attachments and links are included to support our nomination:
● Two case studies detailing the field work performed for the nomination (finance/residential Internet)
● “SPI Gives” summary document describing the volunteering efforts referenced in the nomination
● Documentation on SPI’s Territory Management Suite referenced in the nomination helping to benchmark territories and track performance against various opportunity groups in each territory
● Documentation on SPI’s Flipped Classroom training environment used for new hires as well as for training specified by managers to supplement field coaching
● Documentation on SPI’s Diversity and Inclusion Work
● Link to the SPI homepage for more information about our organization
Thank you again for your time and consideration for Sales Partnerships for the Top Field Sales Team in America.
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