How to Hire and Manage Your First Sales Team

Hiring your first sales team is terrifying.

You're investing lakhs in salaries. You need results. But you've never managed salespeople before.

Most founders make the same mistakes:

Here's how to do it right.

Step 1: Define the Role BEFORE You Hire

Most founders hire a "salesperson" without clarity.

Without this clarity, you'll hire the wrong person.

Step 2: Look for These Qualities

Must-Have Traits

Nice-to-Have

Pro tip: Attitude > Experience for your first hires.

Step 3: Test Before You Hire

Don't just interview. TEST.

"Sell me this pen" is useless.

Instead: "You're calling a prospect who said they're happy with their current provider. What do you say?"

Give them a real scenario:

This shows you how they think.

Step 4: Onboard with a Playbook

Your new hire has no idea what to do.

Without a playbook, they're guessing.

Step 5: Set Clear Expectations

Quota

"Close ₹10 lakh in revenue per month"

Activity Targets

Ramp-Up Timeline

If they're not hitting these, course-correct fast.

Step 6: Coach Weekly

Sales coaching is NOT a performance review.

1. Review numbers (10 min)

2. Listen to a call or review email (20 min)

3. Identify 1 thing to improve (10 min)

4. Role-play the fix (20 min)

Consistency wins.

Step 7: When to Let Go

You need to fire faster than you think.

If they're not improving by Month 2 → let them go.

Keeping a bad hire kills team morale.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Hiring Too Senior Too Soon

You don't need a "VP of Sales" when you have 2 customers.

Mistake 2: No Compensation Plan

Design a clear comp plan:

Mistake 3: Hiring Without a Process

If YOU don't know how to sell your product, your team can't either.

Build the process first. Then hire.

The Bottom Line

Hiring sales is expensive. But with the right process, it's one of the best investments you'll make.

Ready to build a high-performing sales team? Book a call.