Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Haller.
Tim, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my career as a microwave engineer working for a company called M/A-COM where I soon discovered it wasn’t for me. I really hated my job – which is an awful way to go through life – so I decided to change my path.
I was very fortunate to have been working on a program with a consultant from Hewlett Packard who got me into sales and I had 18 awesome years with HP that culminated with my role at the spin-off company, Agilent Technologies. At Agilent, I became a regional manager, responsible for a team selling simulation software across Canada and the Eastern US.
Working in a highly technical company where the sales role required both technical and sales expertise, there were major challenges involved in the hiring process. A strong sales acumen was expected so the company brought in multiple sales training companies that would offer up the methodology of the day. There were a few folks in the organization who really understood how to qualify for business impact consistently, and a general lack of understanding that those who did showed better results, bringing in larger deals and consistently making quota.
During those 18 years, I discovered I had a passion for onboarding new sales people and working with the software development site in California to develop training programs for our field training events. I loved the training and skills development so much I decided to strike out on my own to found the Sales Gauge sales training and consulting firm. I have been training and running Sales Gauge ever since; this is our 10th year in business.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I coach first-time entrepreneurs, there’s one thing I always mention up front; launching a new business is not for the faint of heart; it’s tough and you’re pretty much on your own until you recognize revenue that leads to growth. Therefore, you must focus on what you do really well and put those skills to work for you.
Prior to founding my own company, I worked for individuals who sought to take initial success and scale/expand to much larger and broader businesses; they tried to tackle too much and ultimately lost focus, confusing customers and diluting value. I learned so much from these earlier experiences so when I founded Sales Gauge, I did so knowing I was going to focus on doing one thing really well: teaching people how to be great at sales in a very real-world way.
Of course another major challenge that all entrepreneurs face when establishing a business is financial stability. Learning to live with a 100% pay cut with no base salary when you first get started is really tough and you must keep your fixed costs very low. I was fortunate to find great consultants who helped me build a brand and an online presence along the way.
Working for yourself is the best but you must be motivated and drive yourself to secure new customers. So you’re working extremely hard to build a name for yourself, initially making no money, and the only thing that matters is to gain that first client and then the next one because they loved what you did and saw real results. That’s what it’s all about.
Now that the overall business is at an excellent run rate, we have to expand and innovate. Clients are doing fewer large kickoff events that used to include multiple days of training. To adapt, we have built a complete blended learning approach that relies on eLearning certifications, driving down delivery and travel costs while still delivering massive value. Most recently, we engineered a complete eLearning program for one of our customers that was customized for their sales force and translated into 8 languages on their learning management system that resulted in a 250% ROI on their investment within 8 months. We’re so excited that our program has been successful for them and other clients.
Please tell us about Sales Gauge.
Sales Gauge is a tactical sales training and consulting organization that specializes in blended learning where we combine eLearning and live training programs that demonstrate the “how” and not just the “why.” Our clients tell us regularly that what they love about our training is that it’s not about theory; it teaches sales professionals the tactics they need to make an immediate impact on pipeline. You can hire any number of companies who bring their methodologies (there are so many out there!) and teach the vocabulary of sales. But if you want a real-time, measurable program that puts sales people on the phones and/or conducting live negotiations to close a deal, Sales Gauge guarantees you an exceptional ROI. We take the time to understand your products and services, as well as your sales environment, prior to every live session and build real world examples for each client based on their target accounts.
Another product that we’re extremely proud of is the Sales Gauge eLearning platform. When we first embarked on developing an eLearning program, a request from one of our customers several years ago, we developed and delivered a comprehensive program on a shoestring budget that has truly changed the game for clients. It’s a way for sales teams to onboard new sales reps, to combine the live training with the eLearning component, and to ensure they can deliver training across the globe without spending a fortune on travel.
What I am most proud of is that I love what I do every day. I love working with clients and my team who really care about what we do – from our marketing group to our eLearning team, I couldn’t do it without them.
How do you personally define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc.?
Repeat business from our clients is the only true measure of success. When people like what we do they buy over and over again. I can’t begin to amplify the importance of connecting with customers on LinkedIn because when they change jobs and get promoted, they call me. I have some clients that started working with Sales Gauge from the very beginning and have been with us ever since. People who love what you do will buy from you and refer you to others, and when you get calls from referrals, I believe that says everything about the value you bring to your clients.
Contact Info:
- Address: 70 Constitution Road
Charlestown, MA 02129 - Website: http://www.sales-gauge.com/
- Phone: 781-910-0077
- Email: thaller@sales-gauge.com
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/salesgauge
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salesgauge/
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