The Key to Optimizing Sales Roles 

In the competitive world of commercial roofing, defining clear roles for your team is crucial for sustainable growth. Two vital positions—sales representatives and account managers—serve distinct yet complementary purposes. Understanding these roles can help you align your team structure with your business goals effectively.

Sales Representatives: Cultivating New Business Opportunities

Sales representatives are the driving force behind acquiring new customers and expanding your client base. Their primary focus is on securing “new blood” for the business—this could mean targeting entirely new verticals or penetrating new markets. A well-defined sales strategy ensures your reps know their goals, such as:

• Activity Metrics: Set clear expectations, like making a specific number of calls or completing a set number of roof inspections each week.
• Conversion Goals: Calculate the number of leads needed to achieve your revenue targets based on close rates. For instance, if the average job generates $5,000 in revenue, and you need $40,000 monthly, your team must close eight deals monthly.

Hiring the right sales reps involves understanding your business cycles. For seasonal industries like roofing, onboarding in spring aligns with peak activity, while fall hiring supports budget planning for clients.

Account Managers: Building Long-Term Client Relationships

Account managers focus on nurturing and expanding relationships with existing clients. This role is crucial for creating repeat business and maximizing the value of your current customer base. Key responsibilities include:

• Relationship Management: Regularly interacting with clients to ensure satisfaction and identify new opportunities within their organizations.
• Revenue Growth: Developing strategies to “scale” existing accounts, such as securing additional properties within a portfolio or offering supplementary services.

A critical success factor for account managers is measurable outcomes. Clear goals—like increasing account revenue by 10% annually or managing a specific number of properties—ensure accountability and drive growth.

Choosing the Right Role for Your Business Needs

Deciding between hiring a sales rep or an account manager depends on your business’s stage and goals. Consider these questions:

1. Do you need more customers or better management of existing accounts?
   • If you lack accounts, prioritize a sales rep.
   • If you’re overwhelmed with managing current clients, invest in an account manager.
2. What’s your business’s primary focus?
   • Service-oriented businesses often require account managers to handle frequent client interactions.
   • Product-focused businesses benefit from sales reps generating new leads.
3. What are your measurable goals?
   Define clear success metrics before hiring. Whether it’s the number of client touchpoints or the percentage of closed deals, measurable goals are essential.

Start with the End in Mind

A strategic approach to defining roles and expectations ensures alignment with your business goals. Provide new hires with clarity on their responsibilities and confidence in their ability to achieve them. Whether you aim to grow wide with new customers or deep with existing ones, tailoring your team structure will set the foundation for long-term success.

With clear roles and a robust strategy, your commercial roofing business can thrive, leveraging both the power of sales reps and the expertise of account managers.