Blair shares steps for creative agency leaders to turn their team into a sales force. They discuss expanding roles, creating a culture of excellence, and navigating the transition from a delivery to sales team.
Transforming delivery team into sales team fosters organic growth in client relationships.
Training and supporting team members crucial for successful cultural shift towards sales-oriented mindset.
Deep dives
Changing from Delivery Team to Sales Team
The podcast explores the concept of transitioning a delivery team into a sales team, focusing on growing existing accounts rather than solely attracting new clients. This shift involves expanding the role of not just account managers but the entire delivery team, encompassing various experts and practitioners who interact with clients.
Importance of Training and Culture Change
The episode emphasizes the significance of training and support for team members who may not naturally excel in client management or sales. It underscores the need for a gradual cultural shift within the organization, acknowledging that changing the mindset and behaviors of employees requires time and ongoing training.
Balancing Performance and Expectations
The discussion delves into the balance between supporting team members who embrace the sales-oriented culture and not overly focusing on those who may struggle with the transition. It highlights the importance of recognizing and rewarding individuals who show enthusiasm and aptitude for selling, rather than penalizing those who may not fully align with the new expectations.
Cultural Shift and Long-Term Vision
The podcast presents a five-step approach to create a sales-oriented culture, emphasizing the need to align hiring practices with the organization's new requirements. It also addresses the potential trade-offs of moving towards a more sales-driven culture, like shifting from a tolerant to an intolerant environment, and stresses the need for patience and commitment in effecting long-term change.
Blair has five steps creative agency leaders can take to turn their account managers, project managers, developers, engineers, and advisors into a source of instant scale to their sales efforts.