Decide what needs doing before deciding who should do it.
If finding new clients still depends on the owner, bringing in sales help can make sense. The choice is whether you need an ongoing employee, experienced outsourced delivery or a method that your existing team can operate. Start by defining the work and the support available to the person doing it.
A salesperson needs a suitable audience, an understandable offer, credible evidence, access to the right information and a way to move opportunities forward. Hiring before these foundations exist can leave a new employee trying to solve strategy and prospecting at the same time. Outsourcing also needs those foundations; it does not remove the owner's responsibility for delivery, pricing and commercial decisions.
For an SME in Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk or Kent, decide whether local coverage is essential or whether your buyers can be reached further afield. The market and buying process should shape the sales role, including the balance between prospecting, meetings, account management and follow-up.
Write a short brief before comparing proposals or candidates. Include the service you want to sell, the best-fit buyer, current enquiries, available capacity, responsibilities and how you will judge progress. Ask each provider or candidate how they would approach the same brief.
Consider a permanent hire when the role is established
An employee can build continuity and deep product knowledge when you have enough ongoing work, a defined market and the capacity to manage and support them. Budget for the whole role, including tools, training and supervision. Agree what the person owns and what the business must supply.
Consider outsourced delivery when you need experienced resource
Outsourced support may suit an owner who needs prospect research, approaches, qualification and follow-up without immediately creating a full-time role. Specify the time commitment, handover process, reporting, data ownership and boundaries. Ask how replies and opportunities are managed.
Consider building a system for your existing team
If suitable staff already understand the business and can protect time for sales activity, a defined method and practical training may be appropriate. Give someone ownership. Templates and software alone will not keep prospecting moving when delivery becomes busy.
Compare on a common scope
Clarify whether the proposal covers research, calling, email, LinkedIn, handling replies, meetings, proposals and closing. A contact list, a booked conversation and a won client are different deliverables. Agree which responsibilities stay with you before comparing fees.
Ask for evidence you can evaluate
Request relevant examples and a clear explanation of how outcomes were measured. Distinguish documented customer results from illustrative scenarios. Ask what the client contributed and whether the conditions resemble your own business.
Agree the review before starting
Track qualified conversations, next actions, proposals and clients won alongside activity. Review objections and fit. A short pilot can help test a market and a working arrangement, but its length and measures should reflect your buying cycle; it cannot guarantee revenue.
The Green Agents offers outsourced selling or a sales system built and transferred to your team. Start with the work your business needs, then choose a delivery model you can support and measure. Discuss your offer, target buyers and current sales process with John.
John Wicks
Founder of The Green Agents, with commercial experience since 1996, more than 20 years focused on SMEs and hands-on use of AI and agents.
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