Ask any of New York City’s top sales teams, and they’ll tell you that defining “success” and celebrating it are both key elements of a high-functioning business. It’s also true that those definitions and celebrations may look wildly different from company to company — which is why Built In NYC reached out to three local sales divisions to learn exactly how they see success, and what they do to celebrate it.
Since it was founded in 2009, The Trade Desk has been on a mission to change the way advertising is bought and sold. The company’s sales division has played a critical role in this success, building meaningful partnerships with hundreds of leaders in advertising and media. Leading the business development side of the house is General Manager Josh Golbert, who gave Built In NYC a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his team’s culture of support and celebration.
Let's start with the basics: What constitutes a “sales success” at your company?
Success for us is not about securing a sale in a particular moment; it's about building a partnership over the long term and becoming trusted advisers to our clients. That's why we are the “business development” team, not the “sales” team. I'm proud that through those long-term partnerships and the collaboration we have with our clients, we're changing the way digital advertising is bought and sold.
What are some of the best ways your team celebrates big wins? Do any memorable examples come to mind?
I'm lucky that since joining The Trade Desk we've had a number of big wins for our team, including partnerships with several of the world’s largest agencies and advertisers. One thing that I love about the culture is that we take pride in each other's victories. Our compensation structure helps to create an environment where we all succeed together, and there is a great sense of collective achievement. [The company realizes] that my team's success is dependent on the hard work of colleagues all across the company, from client services to marketing, legal to finance. We all win together, and of course we like to mark the big moments appropriately. Personally, I like the quote “Life is too short to not drink champagne,” and try to make sure that my team and I honor that quote when special occasions arise.
Bluecore helps some of the world’s leading retailers build stronger relationships with their customers through its suite of personalization tools. Bluecore aims to cut through the noise and help companies reach customers where it counts. Director of Sales George Kunkel shared how Bluecore’s sales team helps make these goals a reality, and never passes up an opportunity to celebrate achieving them.
Let's start with the basics: What constitutes a “sales success” at your company?
Sales success at Bluecore is all about collaboration, product fluency, retail and e-commerce industry expertise and ownership. Bluecore is a fast-paced company that's continuously improving upon and building out products at a high rate and innovating in a space that has many legacy platforms. Because of that, sales success requires someone who is genuinely excited about the technology and our mission.
We have a very supportive culture: The ability to collaborate cross-functionally with product, solutions consulting, product marketing, onboarding and even our executive team, presents a powerful offering to prospective clients. Success ultimately comes down to a commitment across all team members to put our best foot forward, which is even more rewarding when we can celebrate together.
What are some of the best ways your team celebrates big wins? Do any memorable examples come to mind?
Bluecore loves to celebrate big wins. For sales, when one of our reps crushes a competitor, we literally bang a gong. Other deals get recognized with our “Bluecore Cowbell ritual.” We know the deals are coming in when the gong and cowbells are ringing across the office. We also have theme songs that play for each rep when they close a deal. Being in the heart of downtown NYC, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate our team wins outside of the office, too. We host many fun happy hours and dinners, but even better are the random karaoke evenings and the cross-team outings.
In the nearly 20 years since its founding, HomeAdvisor has risen the ranks to become the largest marketplace for home services in the world. Members of the company’s sales team take real pride in building relationships that contribute to this far-reaching and impactful network. Sales Manager Will Klein shared how teamwork, a healthy dose of bragging rights and inspirational leadership all play a major role in his team’s success.
Let's start with the basics: What constitutes a “sales success” at your company?
Sales success at HomeAdvisor is reflected by hitting consistent numbers and leading by example. The best sales reps at our company have built a brand of success and established a reputation that motivates everyone in the office.
What are some of the best ways your team celebrates big wins? Do any memorable examples come to mind?
The winning sales team of the month at HomeAdvisor New York comes with a lot of rewards and bragging rights. The most memorable example that comes to my mind is when my team, “The Puppy Squad,” won sales team of the month 17 months in a row. This streak not only came with a ton of fun outings, but it also allowed our entire team to buy into the idea of being the best and performing at a high level at all times.
