Geoff Cudd
You determined which marketer you need, posted a job description, and found a few potential candidates. The next step is an interview; navigating this crucial step requires a solid understanding of the role to ask the right questions.
Best for Growth Marketers
- Strength in brand marketing and growth marketing
- High-level U.S. resources as well as low-cost, overseas marketing assistants available
- 48-hour talent matching, with 75% of clients hiring their first match.
Best for Paid Ads & CMO's
- Strength in fractional CMO's, paid social and search ads, and affiliate programs.
- Specialties in SEO, content, and email marketing
- No minimum hours for contractors to help you start on a small budget
Best for eCommerce Marketing
- Strength in eCommerce, influencer marketing, and growth marketing
- Detailed marketing audits available
- Fixed price marketing packages and 48-hour talent matching
Table of Contents
What is a Fractional VP of Sales?
A Fractional VP of Sales is a part-time executive who oversees a company's sales strategy and team without being a full-time employee. When interviewing them, it's crucial to ask insightful questions to gauge their experience and ability to boost sales effectively.
General Interview Questions
1. What industries do you specialize in?
What You'll Learn: From their industry specialization, you can gauge whether their expertise aligns with your company's field, ensuring they can jump in with relevant strategies and connections.
2. How do you bill for your services?
What You'll Learn: Their billing methods will reveal if they're flexible and transparent with costs, which is crucial for budget planning and establishing a trustworthy working relationship.
3. What questions do you have about our company?
What You'll Learn: The questions they ask about your company can show their level of interest, understanding of your business, and how they might fit into your current setup, reflecting their strategic thinking and engagement.
Technical Skill-Based Interview Questions
4. How do you integrate CRM systems with other sales tools to streamline the sales process and ensure data accuracy?
What You'll Learn: By asking about CRM integration, you can gauge the candidate's technical expertise in using software to optimize sales processes and their ability to maintain accurate data, which is crucial for informed decision-making.
5. Can you describe your experience in designing and implementing a sales compensation plan that aligns with company objectives and motivates the sales team?
What You'll Learn: This question reveals the candidate's ability to design incentive structures that both support the company's goals and inspire the sales team, indicating their understanding of strategic compensation planning.
6. What strategies do you employ to analyze market trends and adjust sales tactics to maintain competitive advantage?
What You'll Learn: Understanding how the candidate stays on top of market changes demonstrates their analytical skills and ability to pivot strategies to keep the company competitive, showing their proactive approach to market challenges.
7. How do you utilize sales forecasting and pipeline management to make informed decisions about resource allocation and performance benchmarks?
What You'll Learn: Discussing sales forecasting and pipeline management will show the candidate's capability in planning and resource optimization, reflecting their strategic thinking in achieving sales targets.
8. Could you explain the key metrics you track to assess sales team productivity and how you use this data to drive sales improvement?
What You'll Learn: Hearing about the key metrics the candidate monitors offers insights into their approach to measuring productivity and how they leverage these insights to enhance sales performance, highlighting their data-driven decision-making skills.
Scenario and Experience-Based Interview Questions
9. Can you walk us through a time when you had to overhaul a sales process for a company and what the outcomes were?
What You'll Learn: From the candidate's recounting of a sales process overhaul, you'll get insights into their ability to analyze existing processes, identify inefficiencies, and effect change. Their approach to problem-solving and capacity to implement new strategies are reflected in the outcomes they share.
10. Describe a scenario where you had to step into a company with a demotivated sales team, how did you turn around the morale and what was the impact on sales results?
What You'll Learn: The candidate's response to rejuvenating a demotivated team reveals their leadership and motivational skills. You will understand how they can assess team dynamics, address morale issues, and the strategies they use to enhance performance, as well as the subsequent effect on sales outcomes.
11. Tell us about a specific situation where you identified a new market opportunity for a business and how you led the sales strategy to capitalize on it?
What You'll Learn: When a candidate discusses how they identified and pursued a new market opportunity, it demonstrates their strategic thinking, market analysis, and innovation in sales. Their ability to lead a team towards new ventures is also showcased, along with the success of their sales strategy.
12. Share an experience where you had to negotiate a high-stakes deal for a company and how you ensured a favorable outcome?
What You'll Learn: The candidate's experience with high-stakes negotiations will highlight their negotiation skills, ability to remain calm under pressure, and the techniques they use to secure a favorable deal for their company.
13. Can you discuss a time when you implemented a sales training program for a company that had an inexperienced sales team and how this affected their performance?
What You'll Learn: By describing the implementation of a sales training program, the candidate shows their commitment to team development, their approach to training, and their capacity to elevate the performance of an inexperienced team.
14. Describe a situation where you had to manage a conflict within a sales team or between sales and another department, and how you resolved it?
What You'll Learn: The candidate's approach to conflict resolution within a sales team or between departments will show their interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and how they maintain a collaborative work environment.
15. Recall an instance where you had to adapt the sales strategy of a company due to regulatory changes or shifts in the industry, and explain how you navigated this challenge?
What You'll Learn: Lastly, how the candidate adapts a sales strategy in response to regulatory changes or industry shifts will illustrate their agility, foresight, and strategic planning skills in ensuring the company's sales approach remains effective and compliant.
16. Can you give an example of how you built and maintained a successful relationship with a client as a Fractional VP of Sales, and what impact did this have on the business?
What You'll Learn: This response reveals the candidate's ability to establish and nurture key partnerships. It shows their interpersonal skills and strategic approach to fostering long-term business growth through client relationships.
17. Describe a time when you had to quickly adapt your sales strategy in a fractional role due to unexpected market changes; what was the situation and outcome?
What You'll Learn: This answer demonstrates the candidate's agility and problem-solving abilities. It highlights their capacity to recognize shifts in the market and adjust their sales tactics effectively to ensure continued success.
18. Tell me about a situation where you successfully mentored or coached an underperforming salesperson in a company where you served as a Fractional VP of Sales?
What You'll Learn: This explanation uncovers the candidate's leadership and mentoring skills. It indicates their proficiency in identifying talent gaps and providing guidance to enhance individual performance, positively affecting the sales team's overall success.
Explore further with our tailored interview questions for Fractional Sales Director, Fractional Sales Manager, and Fractional BDM to ensure you're equipped to select the best professionals across the board.
In choosing your next fractional VP of Sales, let these questions guide you to find a candidate who is not just skilled, but also a perfect fit for your team's ethos.
Happy hiring!
Claire Fountain
Stefan Schulz
