One of the first things an owner will ask me when scaling their business is: “Should I hire a triple-threat sales star to try to grow sales?”
My answer is, “Sure. If you can.”

What do I mean by “triple threat?” Roberto Clemente, the first Latino Hall of Famer in baseball, was a triple threat. He hit consistently and powerfully. He ran like the wind and had a cannon for an arm.

Sports stars with that kind of versatility elevate competitive teams and thrill adoring fans. Hiring a triple-threat salesperson can do the same for a business.

A triple threat in sales can mean different things, but it always means the salesperson can magnify and compound their effectiveness.

A triple-threat salesperson often is:

• A top performer with high self-standards.
• Adaptable, creative, and a calculated risk-taker.
• Great at building rapport face-to-face and during cold calls.
• Adept at uncovering needs and selling more to existing customers.
• Regularly invited to meet people in the customer’s inner circle.
• On good terms with former coworkers and owners.
• Able to draw customers in through their personality and extreme competence.

Is it possible to find all that in one salesperson? It is – but first, you have to  win that person over. Great salespeople don’t leave a satisfactory situation for a lesser one. A superstar isn’t out looking for you, so you have a big job ahead if you want to attract them.

It boils down to this: You must turn your company into the type of organization a superstar would want to “play” for.

Before you tell me you already have that type of company, think about these factors:

1. Do you have the budget to recruit, attract, and hire the best, as well as pay a competitive salary and commission?
2. Do you have a strong sales team that will support  your star?
3. Do you have a timeline to exit far enough out that the new hire can make an impact across two or more fiscal years?
4. Are you comfortable with the possibility (probability) that your star will want to leave in 18 to 24 months?
5. Are you prepared to go all in so you can back your star with high-quality work, prompt shipping and delivery, and accurate billing?

Setting the stage to attract a triple-threat takes commitment and investment. I’ve helped my clients build their companies to attract the best talent. I’ve also helped top salespeople position themselves and move to better situations.

Having seen both sides, here are some tips:

As you build into a company that’s prepared (and worthy) to hire a triple-threat star, you’ll want to be in regular communication with your top candidates. You can’t just spring the idea and hope the timing is right. The  best salespeople want a safe landing, and they don’t want to leave their previous employer in the lurch or exit on bad terms.

A six-month lead-in is not unusual. It will take a few months to lay the foundation and show the candidate you have everything they need to be successful. Once convinced, they’ll want a few months to prepare for their exit properly.

Once your candidate is identified and warmed up, be prepared for third parties to enter the negotiation. Triple-threat sales stars usually have representation – an employment agency, headhunter, or advisor. You, the employer, will pay that fee. Your star is unlikely to cut their agency out of the deal to save you some money. 

I know that sounds terrible, paying a fee to  an agent looking for your star’s next opportunity. But that’s how the system works. If you want your star to stay, help them succeed and build an organization that feeds them as much as they feed you, and make it financially worthwhile for them.

If you’ve tried to hire top talent and extended serious offers – but haven’t made headway – ask the agency or matchmaker for an honest assessment. It’s humbling to find out the truth, but that’s how you
make progress.

Hiring a versatile salesperson who’s a triple threat is a growth strategy that can catapult your company into the majors. Are you up to it?

What if we can’t afford to hire a superstar?

Whether you own a major league team or a label converting business, you start by deciding how to allocate your funds. Should you invest in a first-rounder or opt for a utility player who can serve many roles and integrate with the rest of the team?

It’s not an easy answer. If it were, watching the draft and following trades wouldn’t be as entertaining (and frustrating). One factor to consider is whether your company does team selling.

Companies in our industry have historically relied on some variation of this setup: a selling owner, a few sales leaders, and a team of individual players. Individuals are assigned territories or verticals, with a handful of lucrative accounts held back as rewards. Otherwise, it’s everyone for themselves.

Recently, I’ve met with more companies using teamwork to land whale accounts. They leverage that relationship to sell deeper and wider into the account and the buyer’s network. Sales superstars can thrive in either scenario as individual performers or as part of a strategic team. In the second case, the superstar is ostensibly the lead while working with the team to do research, develop the strategy, execute the tactical work, and then move in as a concerted group to lock up the account and keep competitors out.

This approach also works well with a solid utility player as the lead. Provided the rest of the team is strong, unified, and right-sized, this option can save the organization money and result in a more cohesive team that can grow and improve over time.

There’s another consideration. Superstars sometimes come with baggage. Risks include the possibility they will leave sooner than expected. Or your investment in them may not pay off soon enough, leaving you financially precarious. They may have accounts they bring over that don’t want to do business with you. There may be resentment from the rest of the sales team. Overachievers aren’t always welcomed by sales teams that have gotten comfortable with the status quo.

Hiring a utility player can hedge that risk. I’ve found that a solid utility hire is especially effective as part of a team. They usually bring a playbook of successes, are consistent performers who can be relied on, can power through on skills when they face challenges, and can stay optimistic and even keeled.

You can see why hiring a utility player can be an affordable and strategic way to get more bang for your buck. I have sales trainers I recommend who specialize in helping printers elevate utility players and sell using the team approach. You can read their books, watch their videos, and bring them in for hands-on training to set up your war room.

Your growth strategy should touch every part of your organization, with particular emphasis on sales competency, effectiveness, and keen strategy. Whether you hire a talented utility player or invest in a superstar, team selling can help you win new accounts and enter profitable new territory.


Sandy Hubbard is a chief marketing advisor who helps position businesses strategically and powerfully. She advises specialty print manufacturers, converters, and finishers – helping them improve, grow, and position powerfully in a world of rising competition.  Her tenure in the industry has fostered business growth and success, allowing clients to make a difference in the world.