Get to Know: Jillian MacDonald, Territory Manager
Joined Everbridge
March 2016
Location
Burlington
First, tell us a bit about what you do at Everbridge.
Everbridge provides software for critical communications — such as text alerts during a hurricane — and we serve three main verticals: healthcare, corporate, and state and local government. The Sales team is organized according to those verticals; within each of them, the account management side focuses on retaining business, and then there are business development representatives (BDRs), territory managers, and account executives (AEs), who are responsible for generating new business. I started as a BDR in the healthcare vertical, and moved up to territory manager a couple months ago.
I work with small- to medium-sized hospitals, which have a lot of regulations and rules to work within, but also have incredibly high expectations for efficiency. In healthcare, communication is critical because patients’ lives are often at stake. We’re providing communications for all things like an active shooter, and stroke codes, to on call scheduling, or a pipe burst. So, connecting people in healthcare with a product that can provide value no matter the situation is pretty awesome.
How did the BDR experience prepare you for this new role?
Everything we learn is like a building block to the next step. I still use the prospecting and cold-calling skills I learned as a BDR when I’m reaching out to hospitals, following up on leads, and demonstrating our product. However, there are differences between the roles: I think territory managers get to be more creative with how we prospect, and we get to travel to visit customers on-site. We’re also involved in a larger portion of the sales process, which means we’re learning more about how Everbridge works overall. We have more insight into Account Management, for example, and we collaborate with other departments, including Sales Engineering, and Implementations.
We’re providing communications for all things like an active shooter to on call scheduling. So, connecting people in healthcare with a product that can provide value no matter the situation is pretty awesome.
Is Everbridge a challenging product to sell?
It’s a complex platform with a lot of solutions, and that can be a bit overwhelming to a potential client who hasn’t heard of us before. What we do is actually quite straightforward: we work across many different industries and channels, but essentially, we’re helping organizations reach the right people at the right time when they need it most.
For example, better communication during a stroke can cut down the time it takes to triage a patient in the ER, which can preserve brain function and lead to a quicker recovery. In the government vertical, the same product can notify police officers about a bombing and help them prevent civilian casualties. Cities can also use it operationally to put out announcements when they’re hosting large events, like the Super Bowl or a Papal visit. It’s pretty amazing to work for a company that can do all that.
When you’re talking with potential clients about Everbridge, what’s that conversation like?
It’s a little different every time; no call or email is the same. Because we have so many products, we get to be creative in thinking about the right solutions for each client’s problems. Our team is growing too, so we’re continuing to look at our territories in different ways as we scale up.
We start out with training that gives us a really solid understanding of our products, and then our job is to build on that understanding with a story that’s specific to a client’s needs. You also need to recognize when a given approach isn’t working and adapt accordingly; so you have to be creative and analytical at the same time.
It’s exciting when clients start to understand exactly how much our product can help them. One of my favorite things is consulting with someone, getting my head around a problem they’re having, and helping them solve it. When you’re able to make that connection with someone who didn’t initially understand our product or what we do — when they have that “Aha!” moment — that’s the most rewarding part of the sales process.
When you’re able to make that connection with someone who didn’t initially understand our product or what we do — when they have that “Aha!” moment — that’s the most rewarding part of the sales process.
Why did you want to join Everbridge?
I always wanted to go into sales, and after my first job out of school, I knew specifically that I wanted to go into software sales. I initially learned about Everbridge through my brother, who’s an AE on the Corporate Sales team. I was a little hesitant at first to work at the same place he did, but he said such good things about the company I couldn’t say no!
During my interview, I could tell the team was strong and I saw there was a lot of opportunity for growth. My end goal was new business sales, and I felt confident I could build on the experience I already had to get there. In fact, I shared that goal during my first interview, and every meeting with my manager included a check-in on that goal. We talked about what else I could do to get closer to my goal, whether I was on track, or whether there was something else I should be working on, and within a year I had achieved my goal. So there’s not just opportunity for growth, there’s a lot of support for it, as well.
Tell us more about how Everbridge supports professional development. Is it different from your experience elsewhere?
Before Everbridge, I worked at a company with a small sales team. We didn’t have daily key performance indicators (KPIs); we didn’t have sales training; or any exposure to other departments. You showed up, did your part, and that was that. I found it difficult to measure myself and my progress. Here, we have so many tools to help us track performance so we can improve. For example, you can record and replay your calls and critique yourself. The goal isn’t to micromanage, but to help you get better before you try again. One of the best things I did as a BDR was to take advantage of those opportunities.
Our senior management is also on top of their game; they’re well-respected and organized, and I think that trickles down. I’ve worked in places where management was focused on so many other things besides the team’s professional development that it became challenging to grow. Here, there’s much more support for and focus on Sales in general.
What does training look like for the Sales team?
We start with a three-day orientation program called “Bridge to Everbridge,” which is run by several members of senior management. That taught me a lot about the company. The Sales team also offers ongoing training in addition to the initial onboarding. You learn from people in other departments too; our Sales Engineering and Product Development teams train us on Everbridge products, to make sure we understand how they work and how to explain them to potential clients. Just hearing how other departments talk about the products is so helpful. I’m learning from people every day here, whether they’re on my team or not.
Our senior management is on top of their game; they’re well-respected and organized, and I think that trickles down.
How does your team measure success?
We of course have quotas, which are annual, and we have check-ins every quarter to make sure we’re on target. We track our daily KPIs very carefully, so you can always find out how you’re doing and compare yourself to your past performance. We also do little contests-this month, we’re giving away Red Sox tickets to the salesperson who makes the most discovery calls.
What’s the culture like within Sales — is it collaborative? Competitive?
Sales is naturally a competitive environment, but this is a really fun and collaborative team. We support each other and truly want each other to succeed. The people in Account Management help us better understand how clients are using the product, and we work with Marketing for upcoming webinars and trade shows that are going on. The BDR team helps us find new business opportunities, and we work with the AEs a lot too. The mindset is: when the team is doing well, we’re all doing well.
