As you start preparing for 2025, it's time to take a hard look at sales hiring - you definitely don't want your revenue team and growth to be sidelined by vacant territories or under-performers. In this blog we'll review some of the challenges that leaders will face in coming years and what you can do about it.
Sales Quotas Are Missed More Often Than You Think
Here’s an anxiety-inducing stat to ponder: according to Anthony Iannarino’s sales blog, only 42% of salespeople will hit their quotas in 2024. That means more than half of sales teams won't deliver the expected results. That's just new logo revenue coming in the door, an alarming enough thought on its own. But what about the effect over years to come, unless you can dramatically improve your client retention, you run the risk of missing revenue targets for years to come. (And most small businesses I know of already have solid client retention numbers.)
There are many reasons that most sales pros are missing quota, but today we're going to focus on a relatively easy thing you can control: hiring. Too often, businesses hire the wrong people or fail to set them up for success. Add internal friction and misalignment between teams, and you’ve got a recipe for unmet goals and frustrated leaders.
Alignment is everything. According to a report by the Revenue Marketing Alliance, 56% of companies with aligned sales and marketing functions meet their revenue targets, and an additional 19% exceed them. If you're seeing finger-pointing between sales and marketing or frustrated customer success teams dealing with unrealistic client expectations, you’re not alone. But you are at risk of not meeting your goals.
The good news? 2025 is your chance to reset. Let’s explore what it takes to build a sales team that hits its numbers and drives sustainable growth.
The Talent Gap might be your biggest challenge
The numbers are staggering. According to McKinsey, 87% of companies are either facing skill gaps right now or anticipate them within a few years. This isn’t just about entry-level roles or niche skills—it’s a systemic challenge impacting growth-stage businesses in financial services and SaaS alike. For smaller organizations, this is particularly challenging. They don’t have the resources to compete with enterprise-level recruiters and scoop up properly-skilled talent that's ready to start producing on day 1.
Here’s where it hits home for my clients. If your team is already lean, every hire carries significant weight. A misstep doesn’t just affect short-term productivity—it can derail progress for months, leaving your existing team stretched thin. The solution isn’t simply hiring more people; it’s finding the right people and equipping them to adapt to an evolving market.
The Cost of Inaction
PwC’s recent Talent in Financial Services report offers another sobering insight: 70% of financial services CEOs view the limited availability of skills as a direct threat to growth. That’s a bigger concern than changing consumer behavior or even competition from new market entrants. It makes sense. Without the right team in place, your sales goals—and your ability to deliver on client expectations—are in jeopardy.
For my clients, this challenge goes beyond filling seats. It’s about creating a sales team that doesn’t just understand your ideal client but also has the tools and mindset to align with marketing, customer success, and even operations. Because in 2025, the companies that win won’t just have the best product—they’ll have the most cohesive teams delivering consistent, customer-focused experiences.
What you can do: Foster a culture of continuous learning. And don't ignore the power of peer learning, and invaluable resource that taps into the power of the folks already on your team. Lead with empathy and let your workers know that the learning programs aren't there to "fix" them. The purpose of the learning is to invest in your teams and help them be the best they can be. Look for ways to make learning fun and don't forget to give people time in their schedules to participate in learning programs. You might not have the budget to attract talent that's already skilled up on the latest and greatest, but you can curate your own top talent!
The Hidden Costs of a Bad Hire
Hiring the wrong salesperson is expensive—exponentially so. According to SHRM, the cost of a bad hire can be up to five times their annual salary. Why?
Think about it: the expense of recruiting, training, and onboarding someone who doesn’t stick around. There's also lost productivity while the role is vacant (again). There's always an emotional toll on the rest of you team as they pick up the slack.
There’s the damage to customer relationships. No client wants their account handed off to yet another rep. It disrupts the journey, erodes trust, and risks lost deals and customer churn that you can't afford.
But wait there's more, let’s not forget opportunity cost. While that seat is empty, the pipeline cools, outbound activity slows, and your next hire has to work twice as hard to recover momentum. It’s a vicious cycle—but one you can break.
Common Sales Hiring Mistakes to Avoid
It’s tempting to chase the flashy résumé—the industry hotshot with the iPhone full of connections. But let me warn you: the hotshot might not be your best bet. I did a deeper dive on this topic in this week's podcast, check it out here.
Cultural alignment matters just as much as skills and connections. A misaligned hire can cause as much disruption internally as they do externally. They might bring their old company’s habits, processes, and even biases into your business, clashing with how your team operates. And often the hotshot mentality is more of a lone wolf and not as likely to participate in team selling activities.
In today’s B2B world, buying has changed dramatically. According to Gartner research, 75% of B2B buyers favor a sales experience without direct interaction with sales representatives and B2B buyers typically complete over 60% of their purchasing process before engaging with a vendor. Additionally, there's what I like to call the "amazon effect"; clients expect seamless and personalized experiences across sales, marketing, and customer success. If your new hire can’t collaborate across departments—or worse, refuses to—your dream of aligned teams working together to win deals evaporates.
What you can do: Address alignment now, especially between sales and marketing. This way, new hires come into an environment where cross-departmental collaboration is the norm.
The Traits to Prioritize in Top Sales Talent for 2025
So, what does top sales talent look like in 2025? Hint: it’s not just about closing skills anymore.
Adaptability: Buyer preferences and technology are changing at lightning speed. You need people who are curious, willing to learn, and eager to adapt. The injection of AI into sales means your team will need to embrace new tools, not resist them.
Resilience: Let’s face it: sales is hard. And it’s not getting any easier. Research shows it now takes 20–25 touches to capture a prospect’s attention—up from just 2–3 touches two decades ago. Resilient sellers will push past the silence and rejection to keep moving forward.
Collaboration: Customers expect a seamless journey from first touch to onboarding. That means your salespeople must work hand-in-hand with marketing and customer success. Collaboration isn’t optional anymore; it’s a competitive advantage.
Customer-Centric Mindset: Today’s buyers don’t want to hear about your features. They want to know how you’ll solve their problem. Sellers who prioritize the client’s challenges and focus on delivering value will stand out in a crowded marketplace.
AI: The Future Partner for Top Sales Talent
There are multiple thought leaders who have told us that the AI hype is over, but what does that mean? Basically industry leaders are done playing around with a shiny new tool and are getting serious about implementing solid AI-enabled strategies. 2025 is the year in which sellers who partner closely with AI will distance themselves from those who can't. Or won't. . Let’s get one thing straight before we continue: AI won’t replace salespeople, it will non AI-savvy salespeople. AI + HI (human intelligence) is your winning combo.
According to AIMultiple, companies that have integrated AI into their sales processes report impressive results: over 50% more leads, 60-70% shorter call times, and up to 60% reductions in costs. Think about that for a moment—more productivity, better efficiency, and lower costs, all from using AI as a partner.
Now, let’s get back to the skills gap. Salesforce’s Generative AI Snapshot Research Series found that fewer than half of employees feel prepared to maximize the value of generative AI tools. That’s a staggering figure and a clear signal that companies must invest in upskilling their teams if they want to remain competitive. Salespeople who thrive in 2025 will be those who not only embrace AI but use it to enhance their consultative, relationship-driven approach.
Other than the fact that I've spent most of my career in SaaS, there's a reason I'm so excited about the transformative powers of AI. For small and mid-sized businesses, AI can level the playing field and help them compete with their larger and better-funded competitors. By strategically implementing AI tools and automations, these companies can achieve more without adding costly headcount. It’s about automating mundane, repetitive or manual processes so your teams can concentrate on strategic projects that only humans can do.
Imagine equipping your sales team with AI tools that automate repetitive tasks, analyze data in real-time, and even personalize outreach based on buyer behaviors. Now imagine the competitive edge that comes from a sales team that can focus on what they do best: building relationships, solving problems, and closing deals.
What you can do: Incorporate AI learning and AI tools into your learning programs now so that new hires will step into a future-focused organization. While you're hiring, look for salespeople who are already using AI or are at least AI curious and willing to learn.
Rethinking Interview Questions for Sales Talent
Your interview process is just as important as the job itself. If you’re still asking generic questions like "Sell me this pen," it’s time for a refresh.
Ask questions specific to your business and the kinds of conversations your team has with prospects. Test how candidates handle objections or navigate tricky scenarios. How do they use marketing content? What’s their follow-up process after closing a deal?
One of my favorites? Ask what they do after they win. Are they the type to move on to the next deal, or will they stay engaged with the client to build a relationship? (Hint: buyers prefer the latter, according to Gartner.)
Salespeople are experts at looking polished in interviews—they’ve rehearsed their answers to the common questions. Throw them a curveball and see how they respond under pressure. That’s how you separate the performers from the sellers with the power to help you achieve your goals. Afterall, what do prospects do best? They throw out questions that your salespeople aren't always expecting. You need to find someone who is aligned with your way of thinking and who can think on their feet.
What you can do: Think about your most challenging sales hurdles, the excuses prospects give you, the reasons you lose deals. Craft questions designed to uncover how the candidate would respond in a real sales situation in your business.
Building the Dream Team: Hiring for Alignment
Here’s the thing: hiring the right salesperson isn’t just about hitting today’s numbers. It’s about setting your entire organization up for long-term success.
Top sales talent understands the importance of alignment. They see the value in collaborating with marketing to create content that speaks directly to buyers’ challenges. They work with customer success to ensure smooth onboarding and consistent messaging. They know that aligned teams win more business. They know that sales is a team sport and that it doesn't matter who helps as long as you win.
Creating a System for Success
Want to attract top talent? Build a company they’ll want to work for. That means:
Showcasing your company values and team culture.
Offering competitive, flexible packages (think beyond salary). Get creative, what can you offer that a large company can't? This will help you find your people.
Highlighting growth opportunities and a culture of continuous learning.
Here's a collaboration you don't see often - marketing and HR. But those two teams need to be on the same page here as well. Your candidate will see the job ad and then instantly look your company up and LinkedIn and visit your website. Messaging needs to be clear and consistent across these channels too. Your buyers aren't the only ones who are accustomed to the Amazon experience.
A Final Word
The intentional hiring decisions you make today will shape your business’s trajectory in 2025 and beyond. The right sales talent doesn’t just fill a seat—they become an integral part of a unified team driving sustainable growth.
Ready to build your dream team? Let’s chat about crafting a hiring plan that aligns with your goals and sets you up for success.
Rise of Us is a practice run by Summer Poletti, specializing in revenue growth: sales, strategic partnerships, customer success, marketing alignment. We generally work with financial services and SaaS companies from $3MM - $20MM ARR and help them plan and execute for their next stage of revenue growth. We concentrate on strategy, coaching, and organizational alignment.
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