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 Distinction Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Distinction of the Year - Telecommunications
 Nomination Title: Unseating large ISPs, SPI delivering industry leading residential Internet sales
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the sales achievements since July 1, 2020 of the nominated organization, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- Outline the organization's sales achievements since July 1 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 184 words used.
Sales Partnerships’ was asked to re-enter the field after Covid closures and rapidly build up successful field sales teams against much larger ISP competitors. We had to build teams to reach hundreds of thousands of customers face to face in the field. This had to be done during the most challenging field sales recruiting environment that has existed since WW2. 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.
The two target markets were Greater Raleigh and South Denver markets. We competed with both the internal sales forces for the larger ISPs but also with their partner channels (including past Stevie nominees.)
By the end of the year, we went from 5% market share to 55% market share and did so below the target cost of acquisition. Head to head, we outperformed competing channels by more than 50% measured on a per rep production basis.
The 2022 success opened up more than a dozen additional markets for us to repeat gaining market leadership in 2023.
- 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 91 words used.
The following attachments and links are included to support our nomination:
● Case study detailing the field work performed for the nomination
● “SPI Gives” summary document describing the volunteering efforts referenced in the nomination (helped both with retention and deepening community engagement)
● Documentation on SPI’s Territory Management Suite referenced in the nomination
● 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 Sales Distinction - Telecommunications.
- 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.
Sales Partnerships’ nomination for sales distinction of the year focuses on our work as the field sales channel for a mid-tier Residential Internet Service Provider, Ting Internet.
2022 SPI was asked to represent Ting going head to head against Xfinity, AT&T, and Verizon in markets where they were either the largest player or a historic incumbent. Despite being outspent in marketing by more than 10:1 against the much larger ISPs, our field sales teams built Ting up to more than 55% market share in Residential ISP for the two large Metro markets where we were focused.
SPI combined proprietary systems and technology while taking advantage of the benefits of having built one of the most diverse national field sales forces in the US.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this nomination.
- Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 195 words used.
Sales Partnerships (SPI) is an 8-time prior Stevie winner in the top Field Sales Category and prior Sales Distinction winner, specializing in difficult selling environments while representing the brands of some of the largest and most respected companies in the world through turnkey sales outsourcing. Our client roster includes notables such as Google, IBM, US Bank, Verizon, and Dow Chemical.
Sales Outsourcing means providing cradle-to-grave sales services under the brand of each of the clients represented. Our teams are recruited for and dedicated to just an individual client based on that client program’s requirements.
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. We’ve won dozens of global awards (including Field Sales Team of the Year eight times), been recognized in national media (Selling Power, Sales and Marketing Management Magazine, Inc. Magazine, CNNMoney, etc.), and helped establish the standard for providing field based sales outsourcing services. Since 1997, we have generated more than $10B in gross profits for our clients. SPI historically has operated in every significant MSA in the United States as well as in select markets globally.
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 244 words used.
Head to head against ISP’s with marketing spends more than 10x higher than our client, we outperformed them by more than 50%. We did this in an industry with customer complaint rates exceeding 3%, SPI not only outperformed our peers in total sales but did so with a 0.0004% complaint rate (with zero complaints unresolved to the customer’s satisfaction.) The keys to our success were:
Recruiting
SPI’s AI-based recruiting model allowing us to go to market in less than 60 days compared to industry averages closer to 120 days. As markets were re-opening after Covid lock-downs, speed to market was critical.
Training
We leveraged our flipped classroom model to speed ramp time for new hires. We not only hit pre-Covid ramp times, we improved them by 20%.
Technology
Our integrated territory management solution improved rep contact rate with prospects by more than 20% compared to other commercial solutions.
Field Management
Data identifying trends and likely challenges gathered from AI-based field tools better equipped our managers to deliver better field training results.
Diversity
In a profession where 79.8% of all field sales representatives are white (2021 Department of Labor stats), SPI benefits from our DE&I work to have our teams better mirror the areas they work. At 52% white representatives, that makes SPI an almost exact mirror of the US populace and twice as diverse as the industry averages. The more diverse workforce engages better with their territories and delivers better overall results.
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