Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with BHL Strategy Group

Why Hire a Fractional Strategist?

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, focus on strategy without implementation, and work across industries without SaaS specialization.

BHL Strategy Group builds and implements solutions with you, brings deep SaaS go-to-market expertise, operates as an extension of your team, and delivers working systems, not just documents.

What types of companies do you work with?

We work with B2B SaaS 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 SaaS?

Our expertise is deeply rooted in B2B SaaS go-to-market strategy. While the frameworks can apply broadly, we focus exclusively on SaaS companies ($100K–$5M ARR) because that's where we deliver the most value. If you're outside SaaS, we're happy to refer you to specialists in your industry.

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

We're based in Washington, DC, and work with clients both locally and remotely across the US. Most engagements are virtual with periodic in-person strategy sessions when valuable.

Engagement & Pricing

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, but most clients invest $10K–$25K/month for 3–6 months. This 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 specific topics like sales hiring, building your first playbook, or GTM strategy audits. These typically run 2–4 weeks and range from $5K–$10K depending on scope. However, 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, or hold them accountable to meaningful metrics.

Sales Hiring

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, and 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 ARR
  • Need to focus on other areas & can't directly manage sales

Start with an AE if: Your sales motion is simple, ticket size is under $25K, & you'll manage them directly.

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 SaaS 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.

Sales Playbooks & Process

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

A comprehensive sales playbook includes your ICP definition, qualification criteria (BANT/MEDDIC), discovery framework, demo flow, objection handling scripts, competitive positioning, pricing/negotiation guidelines, and handoff processes.

Working together, we typically complete a functional playbook 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—repeating what works inconsistently and losing deals to preventable mistakes. A lightweight playbook (even 10–15 pages) captures what's working now, prevents knowledge loss when you hire, and gives new reps a fighting chance.

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—you have something documented, but reps aren't following it, or it's not converting. We audit what you have, identify gaps between documentation and reality, test what's actually working in live deals, and 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 (from ~3 months down to 6 weeks in our case studies). New hires get clear frameworks for discovery, objection handling, competitive positioning, and closing—dramatically reducing the trial-and-error period.

Technology & RevOps

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. 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): $50–$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.

Working Together

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)

What's Included:

  • Current state assessment and gap analysis documentation
  • Hands-on implementation, not just consulting
  • Working sessions with your team throughout the engagement
  • All templates, frameworks, and documentation (20+ deliverables)
  • Ongoing coaching and optimization support

Recent Client Outcomes:

  • Reduced VP hiring timeline from 4+ months to 8 weeks
  • Onboarded new VP in 4 weeks (vs. 2-3 months typical)
  • Built CRM with automated reporting and forecasting
  • 35% tech stack cost savings through strategic vendor selection
  • Delivered 20+ reports, process documents, and templates

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?

  • SaaS Specialization: 15+ years exclusively in B2B SaaS go-to-market
  • 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? Let's talk. Schedule a 30-minute consultation.

Have More Questions?

Let's discuss your specific situation and how we can help you build a scalable sales engine.

Schedule a Strategy Call