Frequently Asked Questions

When is the right time to bring in a fractional sales strategist?

The ideal time is when you're:

• Spending 40%+ of your time on sales activities
• Ready to transition from founder-led to repeatable sales
• Planning to hire your first salesperson in 3-6 months
• Secured funding & need to ramp sales quickly
• Struggling to scale what's working or document your process

How is this different from hiring a sales consultant?

Most sales consultants:

• Deliver slide decks with recommendations, not implementation
• Focus on strategy without doing the work
• Work across industries without deep go-to-market specialization

BHL Strategy Group:

• Builds and implements solutions with you
• Brings deep B2B go-to-market expertise
• Operates as an extension of your team
• Delivers working systems, not just documents

What types of companies do you work with?

We work with B2B technology and services companies in two primary scenarios:

• Pre-revenue to $1M ARR: Transitioning from founder-led sales to your first repeatable process and hire
• $1M–$5M ARR: Scaling beyond your first sales hire, building teams, and systematizing what's working

Do you work with companies outside of B2B technology?

• Our expertise is deeply rooted in B2B go-to-market strategy across technology and services companies
• Our frameworks apply broadly, but we focus on B2B organizations because that's where we deliver the most value
• If your business falls outside that scope, we're happy to refer you to specialists in your industry

Are you based in DC, or do you work remotely?

• Based in Washington, DC
• Work with clients both locally and remotely across the US
• Most engagements are virtual with periodic in-person strategy sessions when valuable

How long do engagements typically last?

Most engagements run 3-6 months:

• Months 1-2: Intensive foundation building (15-20 hrs/week)
• Months 3-4: Implementation & optimization (15-20 hrs/week)
• Months 5-6: Talent & scaling (8-12 hrs/week)
• Optional: Ongoing advisory support (4-8 hrs/month)

We scale involvement based on your needs and stage.

What does a typical engagement cost?

• Engagements are customized based on scope
• Most clients invest $10K–$25K/month for 3–6 months
• Covers strategy development, implementation, hiring support, and ongoing optimization

We discuss pricing transparently after understanding your specific needs and timeline

Do you offer one-time workshops or shorter engagements?

• Yes — we offer focused workshops on topics like sales hiring, building your first playbook, or GTM strategy audits
• Workshops typically run 2–4 weeks and range from $5K–$10K depending on scope
• Most transformation work requires 3–6 months to implement properly

Can you just help us hire, not build everything?

Yes, but we strongly recommend building the foundation first. Without a documented sales process and clear expectations, you can't:

• Accurately define the role
• Evaluate whether candidates can succeed
• Onboard them effectively
• Hold them accountable to meaningful metrics

What if I've already made a bad sales hire?

This is exactly when a fractional strategist adds immediate value. We:

• Objectively assess whether the hire can be salvaged
• Identify gaps in process, onboarding, or support
• Design a turnaround plan or exit strategy
• Reset your foundation before the next hire

Should I hire a VP of Sales or start with an Account Executive?

Hire a VP/Head of Sales when you have:

• Proven product-market fit
• Repeatable sales process documented
• $500K+ in revenue
• Need to focus on other areas & can't directly manage sales

Start with an AE if:

• Your sales motion is simple and well-defined
• Ticket size is under $25K
• You'll manage them directly in the near term

Most founders hire AEs too early—before the process is ready—then blame the rep when they fail.

How do you reduce the risk of a bad sales hire?

We help you:

• Build the sales foundation first (playbook, process, compensation model)
• Create a sales-specific scorecard with clear success metrics at 30/60/90 days
• Design structured interviews with role plays and objective scoring
• Define the exact sales profile you need (startup DNA vs. enterprise pedigree)
• Partner with specialized B2B sales recruiters when appropriate

According to industry data, companies utilizing fractional sales strategists before hiring report 24% higher revenue, 31% productivity improvement, and dramatically reduced failure rates for first sales hires.

What's included in a sales playbook, and how long does it take to build one?

A comprehensive sales playbook includes:

• ICP definition and qualification criteria (BANT/MEDDIC)
• Discovery framework and demo flow
• Objection handling scripts
• Competitive positioning
• Pricing and negotiation guidelines
• Handoff processes
• Timeline: typically complete in 4–6 weeks, with continuous refinement as you learn what converts

We're too early-stage for a playbook. Shouldn't we just figure it out as we go?

That's exactly the trap most founders fall into. A lightweight playbook (even 10–15 pages):

• Captures what's working now before it becomes tribal knowledge
• Prevents knowledge loss when you hire
• Gives new reps a fighting chance from day one
• You don't need perfection — you need documentation

What if we already have a sales process but it's not working?

That's a common scenario. We:

• Audit what you have and identify gaps between documentation and reality
• Test what's actually working in live deals
• Rebuild a process your team will actually use

How does a playbook help with onboarding new sales reps?

Teams with structured playbooks ramp new reps 40% faster. New hires get clear frameworks for:

• Discovery and qualification
• Objection handling
• Competitive positioning
• Closing — dramatically reducing the trial-and-error period

What tools do we actually need before hiring our first sales rep?

At minimum:

• CRM: HubSpot, Salesforce, Attio (Starter tier is fine)
• Email sequencing/Sales Engagement: Outreach, SalesLoft, Apollo, or Instantly
• Meeting scheduler: Calendly or basic CRM scheduler

Don't overbuy—your first rep needs simplicity, not complexity. We help you choose tools that match your stage and budget.

We're using spreadsheets for everything. Is that really a problem?

• For founder-led sales? No — spreadsheets are fine early on
• For scaling with reps? Absolutely — spreadsheets hide activity, lose deals in the cracks, and make it impossible to forecast or coach effectively
• When you're ready to hire, a CRM becomes non-negotiable — but it should be simple, not enterprise-grade

How much should we budget for our tech stack?

• Phase 1 (0–$1M ARR): $250–$1,500/month — CRM (free/starter), basic email sequencing, lead capture, scheduling
• Phase 2 ($1M–$5M ARR): $1,500–$8,000/month — Sales engagement platform, enrichment tools, call intelligence, advanced CRM features
• Phase 3 ($5M+ ARR): $15,000+/month — Revenue intelligence, predictive analytics, ABM platforms, enterprise features

We help you build a phased approach so you invest at the right time without over-engineering early

What's the ROI of investing in sales technology?

Based on industry research:

• High-performing sales teams are 1.5x more likely to automate key processes
• Companies deploying RevOps grew revenue 3x faster
• Aligned sales and marketing teams achieve 36% more revenue growth
• Reps spend 21% of their time on data entry without automation—that's time not spent selling

The hidden cost of underinvestment: 30-40% of leads fall through the cracks, forecasting accuracy drops below 60%, and teams burn out 2x faster doing manual work

Can you help negotiate better pricing with vendors?

Yes. Common tactics we use:

• Leveraging end-of-quarter/month timing for maximum negotiation leverage
• Accessing startup-friendly programs (HubSpot for Startups, AWS Activate, etc.)
• Negotiating usage-based vs. seat-based pricing
• Bundling tools for package discounts
• Securing 15-25% discounts with annual commitments

We've helped clients save $10K-$50K annually on their tech stacks.

What does a typical engagement look like?

Phase 1: Discovery & Assessment (Weeks 1-4)

• Current state assessment of sales process, tech stack, and team structure
• Market & TAM analysis
• ICP review and documentation
• GTM framework review and gap analysis
• Strategic roadmap and recommendations

Milestone: Assessment complete by Week 4

Phase 2: Foundation Documentation (Weeks 5-12)

• Sales playbook development
• Value proposition and messaging frameworks
• Sales deck, one-pager, and positioning materials
• Pricing and package structure
• Compensation and commission plans
• Sales motion and process mapping
• Battle cards, use cases, and case studies
• CRM review and tech stack assessment

Milestone: Foundation ready by Week 8

Phase 3: Talent & Scaling (Weeks 13-16)

• VP Sales/Head of Sales/AE job description
• Interview frameworks, scorecards, and reference questions
• Detailed 15/30/45/60-day onboarding program
• Ramp program with clear success metrics
• AE and SDR job descriptions (if needed)
• Recruitment support with external partners

Milestone: First hire onboarded by Week 16

Phase 4: Configuration & Optimization (Weeks 17-24)

• Email cadences and CRM sequence development
• CRM configuration and testing
• KPI dashboards and automated reporting
• New hire onboarding and coaching support
• Process refinement and continuous optimization
• Ongoing advisory (monthly check-ins)

How much time commitment is required from me as a founder?

We do the heavy lifting - most founders invest:

• Months 1-2: 1-2 hours/week (strategy sessions & process review)
• Months 3-4: 1-2 hours/week (feedback on deliverables & refinement)
• Months 5-6: 1 hour/week (hiring support & check-ins)

• The goal is to build systems that reduce your sales workload, not increase it
• We handle the documentation, framework building, and implementation — you provide context and feedback

What makes BHL Strategy Group different from other consultants?

• B2B Specialization: 15+ years in B2B go-to-market strategy across technology and services companies
• Hands-On Implementation: We build with you, not just advise from the sidelines
• Fractional Model: You get senior-level expertise at a fraction of the full-time cost
• Execution Focus: We deliver working systems (CRM workflows, playbooks, hiring scorecards), not PowerPoint decks
• Stage-Appropriate Guidance: We know exactly what works at $500K ARR vs. $5M ARR

How do I know if we're ready to work together?

You're ready if you can answer "yes" to 2+ of these:

• We're closing 2-4 deals per month but struggling to scale
• We're planning to hire our first sales rep in the next 3-6 months
• Our sales process is tribal knowledge, not documented
• We recently raised funding and need to scale quickly
• Our tech stack is disorganized or underutilized
• We made a bad sales hire and need to reset

Still not sure? Schedule a 30-minute consultation and let's talk through it