There’s a reason why Jason Kerbel believes sales professionals must love what they do.
“Ultimately, regardless of the sales job you hold, it is a challenging profession,” the mid-market sales director at AlertMedia told Built In Austin. “It’s stressful, demanding, full of surprises and filled with pressure.”
Having passion for the field is important in sales — but without the right practices and guidance, it’s harder for this passion to take hold. Thankfully, at AlertMedia, sales team members have everything they need to foster their dedication to the field.
In a culture defined by “growth,” the company’s sales pros get to continuously develop new skills, supported by traditions and long-standing processes that make it easy for them to learn from each other and broaden their knowledge. According to Kerbel, career development is a key component of AlertMedia’s sales culture, noting that the mid-market team has promoted 42 percent of its reps into the company’s enterprise sales team over the past two years.
As AlertMedia’s sales team members evolve, they become more adept at navigating the highs and lows of their field. And for Kerbel, fostering this ability comes down to the right opportunities — and the right people.
“Facing adversity is inevitable in sales, but it’s much easier when surrounded by the support of your peers and executives,” he said.
Read on to see what else Kerbel had to say about the impact of AlertMedia’s growth-focused sales culture and how it helps him feel more connected to his day-to-day work.
About AlertMedia
AlertMedia’s threat intelligence, emergency communication and travel risk management solutions are designed to help organizations identify, respond to and recover from critical events more quickly and confidently.
Describe your sales team culture in one word. Why did you choose that word?
Growth. The sellers at AlertMedia build and grow their careers here. We are always in motion, evolving and finding ways to help reps develop new skills.
The Pillars of AlertMedia’s Sales Culture
- “Growth Mindset: Our sales team is composed of energetic and passionate sellers who are hyper-focused on building their careers. Quarter over quarter, we continue to win larger opportunities, sell new products, and overachieve on revenue targets. As a sales leader, I’m proud of our track record of 30 percent promotion from within. That has allowed us to showcase a concrete roadmap to reps for growing their career here with 100 percent buy-in and support from leadership.”
- “Hunger for Learning: Our sellers, many of whom are early in their careers, are eager to learn and grow. This isn’t a static team; they’re actively absorbing new strategies, overcoming challenges and developing their skills.”
- “Collaborative and Supportive: A growth-oriented team isn’t just a collection of individuals; it’s a cohesive unit where everyone supports one another. Yes, we have healthy competition, but we celebrate wins as a unit.”
What are your team’s traditions, and how do these traditions help team members connect, evolve and stay motivated?
We have plenty of traditions and long-standing processes that contribute to our culture and help reinforce the unique identity of our sales team. A few of my favorites include:
Role-playing and deal review. This isn’t just about practicing pitches; it’s about dissecting a deal, from initial outreach to closing strategies. We challenge each other, explore pattern-interrupting approaches, and identify potential roadblocks early. We conduct deal reviews in a group environment, which ensures that every team member benefits from the collective experience and wisdom of the group, accelerating individual learning and success.
Face-to-face connection. Most of our Austin-based sales team works in the office three to four days a week. Our face-to-face connection has purpose — we practice together, solve problems together, and win together. Facing adversity is inevitable in sales, but it’s much easier when surrounded by the support of your peers and executives.
“Roll-up-your-sleeves” leadership. This is a cornerstone of our culture. As leaders, we never ask a seller to do something we aren’t willing to do ourselves. This tradition builds immense trust and empowerment within the team.
“As leaders, we never ask a seller to do something we aren’t willing to do ourselves.”
How does a strong team culture make you feel more connected to your day-to-day work?
Ultimately, regardless of the sales job you hold, it is a challenging profession. It’s stressful, demanding, full of surprises and filled with pressure. You must enjoy the work you do and the people you are surrounded by on a daily basis. Additionally, you need to grow and expand your skill set continuously.
Stagnation is a career killer in sales. It helps if you love the product, which enables you to sell with conviction, as well as the outcomes it delivers to your customers. We are fortunate here at AlertMedia that our products help organizations keep their people safe and happen to be the best in the market, according to all major review sites.
Every seller at AlertMedia has an opportunity for advancement. In the last 24 months alone, mid-market has promoted 42 percent of our reps into our enterprise sales team, which speaks volumes about how rapidly people are able to grow their careers here and take on new challenges.
Lastly, the proof is in the pudding. AlertMedia continues to be recognized as a best place to work. We are hiring! If you’re considering a career change, don’t hesitate to connect with me on LinkedIn.
