Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1537616
JULY 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 51 half-baked marketing plan. Remember, they're cer- tainly not your punching bag when sales are down and you haven't picked up the phone to check in or offer help in months. Don't Outsource Accountability Too many companies treat reps like vendors instead of partners and then wonder when they don't perform. They outsource accountability and call it "strategy." It's not difficult to work with reps: Show up, train them, pay them fairly, and don't change the rules (or comp plans) midstream. Give them the tools to make your product easy to sell. Check in, ask questions, field challenges, and solve problems with them. Becoming a real partner with your rep will lead to positive sales results. When Direct Makes Sense If your product requires deep technical expertise that you just can't teach fast enough, your mar- ket is consolidated and strategic (with a few big accounts that need handholding and quarterly business reviews), or maybe the reps are tapped out with too many lines, you aren't likely to be a priority. That's when it's smart to bring in a full- time, dedicated sales team that is soley focused on your business. Still, don't assume direct means "better." It may be a better organizational decision for your needs, but it is also typically more expensive than a rep model, requiring more infrastructure, overhead, and management. Getting clarity on the how, what, and why of it is essential for business success. The Hybrid Approach Most great companies do both. They think like a coach building a team: Who covers what, and why? Where do we need offense and coverage, who's our closer, and who sets the play? They build a core direct team for strategic accounts, product launches, or new verticals, and partner with reps to cover the rest of the field. They use inside sales to support both. They seg- ment accounts by value, complexity, and stage, not by dated territory maps. Your model must be flexi- ble and forward looking. Metrics Over Models If you're still not sure which direction to go, start with the numbers by tracking: • Revenue per rep vs. direct salesperson • Cost of sale per model • Customer acquisition time • Close rates by sales channel • Customer retention by sales model Before you change your sales model, fix your measurement system. Let the data guide you. If you're not tracking this information, stop. Changing models without measuring outcomes is like switch- ing seats on the Titanic: You're still sinking, but you're just doing it with a different view. Common Mistakes That Kill Sales Models If your sales model—rep, direct, or hybrid—isn't working, chances are you're making one of these mistakes: 1. No clear expectations: Reps and direct teams alike need scorecards, territories, goals, and KPIs. If you're not providing that with clarity, you're losing. 2. Lack of training: "Just go sell" is not a strategy. Whether they're W-2 or 1099, your salespeople need playbooks, messaging, and support. 3. Territory cannibalization: Nothing kills morale faster than fighting over who owns the deal. Define lines, respect them, and compensate fairly. 4. Poor follow-up: Whether it's a lead from a show or a rep's hot account, if you don't fol- low up with urgency, you deserve to lose. 5. No accountability: Everyone needs feed- back, so check in with your reps and coach your direct teams. Set clear expectations and demonstrate consistent accountability across your team. Conclusion You can win with reps, a direct sales team, or both. However, you cannot win with confusion, com- placency, or politics. Strategy trumps all. The best sales model is the one that brings in revenue pre- dictably, profitably, and repeatedly.