Elevating Your Hiring Process - Part 3 · The Cowboy Sales Process

You've defined your targets and built the initial framework for your sales army. Now, we install the command-and-control systems that separate the contenders from the multi-million-dollar conquerors. This final briefing covers the elite tactics for sourcing talent through referrals, managing performance with ruthless meritocracy, and maximizing the value of every single lead through a non-negotiable contact protocol. This is the master class on operational discipline.

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1. The Referral Engine: Savages Recruit Savages

Once your operation is running, your single best source for new elite talent is the elite talent you already have. Stop relying solely on job boards and start leveraging your internal network.

The Core Principle:

"Elite people attract elite people." Your top performers have a high standard for themselves and those they associate with. They will not risk their reputation by referring weak candidates.

The Execution:

When a position opens, your first stop is not Indeed—it's the desk of your #1 salesperson.

The ask is direct: "Who do you know that can perform at your level?"

Nine times out of ten, these referrals work out because they have been pre-vetted by someone who knows exactly what it takes to succeed in your system.

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ACTION STATION: Build Your Internal Referral Program 🤝

Don't leave this to chance. Formalize it.

Identify Your Ambassador: Who is my single most savage, top-performing salesperson right now?

Name: ___________________________

Define the Incentive: What will I offer for a successful referral (i.e., a new hire who stays 90+ days)? A cash bonus is good; make it significant enough to be exciting.

My Referral Bonus: $_______________

The Ask: How will you approach your top performer?

Draft your script here: "______, you're crushing it. We're looking to bring on one more person with your level of drive. Who is the hungriest person you know that we should be talking to? There's a $____ bonus in it for you if they're a fit."

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2. The "Fair but not Equal" Doctrine

This is the central management philosophy that drives their high-performance culture. It's a true meritocracy. It's not about treating everyone the same; it's about giving everyone a fair shot to prove they are exceptional.

The Pillars of the Doctrine:

Fairness

Everyone is treated with respect and given the tools to succeed. The rules are transparent and apply to everyone.

Inequality

Performance is not equal, and therefore, rewards and opportunities are not equal. This philosophy is the enemy of complacency.

Application in Lead Distribution

This is where the doctrine comes to life.

Top performers get first pick of the day's best leads.

Underperformers get the remaining leads.

Team members who violate protocol (e.g., show up late) get no new leads for the day.

There are no rows in this table

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This system creates a powerful, non-monetary incentive. The desire for the best opportunities and the respect of being the "go-to" operator often outweighs a small monetary bonus.

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INTEL DEBRIEF: Implement a True Meritocracy ⚔️

Assess your current system and identify how you can inject this philosophy into your team's DNA.

Culture Audit: On a scale of 1-10 (1 = everyone gets a trophy; 10 = only wolves eat), how much of a meritocracy is my current sales floor?

My Rating: _____

Identify Your "First Pick" Perk: What is one valuable opportunity (best leads, first shot at a new market, etc.) that you can reserve exclusively for your top performer?

The Perk: ___________________________

Communicating the Doctrine: How will you explain "Fair but not Equal" to your team?

Key Talking Point: "We are all on the same team, but this is not a democracy. Your performance, measured by the numbers, will directly determine the quality of the opportunities you receive. The top spot is open to anyone who wants to earn it."

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3. The "7 Layers of Hell" Lead Protocol

A lead is worthless if it's not worked with relentless discipline. This is their non-negotiable minimum standard for contacting a new lead on Day 1. Anything less is unacceptable.

The Protocol, Codified:

This is the minimum expectation to justify an employee's salary.

Total Contacts (Day 1): A minimum of 8 touches.

Call Sessions: 3 distinct sessions (e.g., Morning, Afternoon, Evening).

Calling Cadence: Double-Tap (two calls back-to-back) in each session, for a total of 6 calls.

Voicemail: 1 voicemail left on the final call attempt of the day.

Text Message: 1 text message.

The Consequence:

Failure to execute this protocol on every lead results in an immediate consequence: the salesperson receives NO new leads the following day. They are forced to work their existing pipeline until they adhere to the minimum standard.

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FIELD EXERCISE: Define Your Minimum Contact Standard 📞

If you don't have a minimum standard, you have no standard at all. Use this to build yours.

My Day 1 Minimums:

Minimum Calls: ____

Minimum Voicemails: ____

Minimum Texts: ____

Minimum Emails: ____

The Consequence: What is the clear, immediate, and non-negotiable consequence for an employee who fails to meet this standard in my business?

The Consequence: __________________________________________________

The Framing: How will you frame this to your team? Remember the language: "This is the bare minimum we expect for your salary. Your commission is earned by what you do beyond this."

My Framing Statement: __________________________________________________

Hiring a team is just the first step—giving them quality leads is what makes them win. Prexium makes it happen. Power your team here 👉

The Cowboy Marketer⁠

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