How to build a high-performing sales team for FinTech & Enterprise Software

Last month, Alex Gasson, founder of Delta-v, ran a live session on LinkedIn on how to build high-performing sales teams for FinTech and enterprise software companies.

With 15+ years of experience building and running sales teams in EMEA, Alex shared his formula, based on real mistakes and learnings, to get it right.

Here’s a breakdown of the key moments from the session:

My mistakes building sales teams

3:43

Alex started by sharing some of the big mistakes he made early in his career:

• Expecting salespeople to sell like a founder can
• Believing salespeople should do everything (all aspects of the sales process)
• Talking to anyone instead of defining the right customer
• Hiring people without giving them the tools for success
• Making up metrics instead of using real data

Before you build your (high performance) team

6:29

Before hiring a sales team, you need to have a few things in place:

• Product-market fit – multiple sales to similar-looking customers
• Sales-ready product – clear pricing and packaging
• Clear revenue targets – so your team knows what they’re aiming for
• Sales strategy – how the business plans to hit those targets
• Sales leadership – not just a title, but a strong pro-sales culture
• Defined ICPs and buyer personas – who you are selling to and why
• Sales playbook – take what’s in your head and turn it into training
• Qualification framework – BANT, ANUM, MEDDIC, or your own version
• Clear metrics – know what goes into your funnel and what should come out
• Sales collateral – slide decks, brochures, case studies, etc.

Building a team – specialise for high performance

13:11

Alex explained why splitting roles is better than expecting one person to do everything:

• Openers (SDRs/BDRs) – book meetings with the right people
• Closers (AEs) – take those meetings through to close
• Farmers (CSMs/AMs) – manage and grow current customers

Don’t ask new business reps to look after existing accounts – people will always default to what’s easier.

Base scorecard for sales hiring (SDRs & AEs)

18:35

Delta-v uses a simple scorecard to hire for potential and traits – not just experience:

• Great verbal and written communication
• Intelligence – can explain complex things simply
• Curiosity – asks great questions about the role, the business, and the customer
• Track record of performance – has done hard things and stuck with them
• Competitiveness – hates losing
• Motivation to make money – wants to outperform and out-earn others
• Commitment to a career in sales – not just trying it out

Sales compensation & targets

27:09

Alex shared how to keep comp plans simple and motivating:

• Reps should be able to calculate their earnings easily
• Use OTE (on-target earnings) models:
  • SDRs = 70/30
  • AEs = 50/50 or 60/40
• Uncapped commission is key – let people earn as much as possible
• Don’t overcomplicate the commission structure
• Set reasonable targets so people feel like they’re winning
• Build clear KPIs as a roadmap for success, not as a stick

How to ramp your team fast

37:36

You only get so much time with a salesperson, so get them productive fast:

• Break training into 4 parts: domain knowledge, process, sales craft, and tools
• Keep training short and focused (nothing longer than 45 minutes)
• Train on what they need to know only
• Get them making calls within 7 days
• Use call reviews to give feedback and help them improve
• Stick to a clear process and coach every week
• Let them make mistakes early, just not with your most important prospects

Building a high-performing sales team comes down to clear goals, defined roles, the right hires, and effective training. Get the basics right, and the results will follow.