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Alpha Schools Sales Team Opportunity

Date: May 20, 2025
Prepared by: Gary Sheng
Key Stakeholder: Doug Green
Next Steps Meeting: May 21, 2025

Current Situation

Alpha Schools currently lacks a dedicated sales function despite receiving significant inbound interest from parents and potential partners. Doug Green reports:

"I have three to four people a week reach out to be able to do it."

This represents a substantial opportunity cost as there is no systematic approach to converting this interest into enrollments or partnerships. The absence of a dedicated sales function means:

  1. Inconsistent follow-up with interested parents
  2. No defined process for qualifying and converting leads
  3. Missed revenue opportunities from potential partnerships
  4. Underutilization of Doug Green's sales expertise
  5. Absence of performance metrics for enrollment conversion

Proposed Solution

Establish a dedicated sales team led by Doug Green with commission-based compensation structure. This approach would:

  1. Create accountability through clear performance metrics
  2. Align incentives with Alpha's growth objectives
  3. Leverage Doug's proven sales capabilities
  4. Establish a systematic approach to parent/partner engagement
  5. Integrate AI-enhanced tools to maximize effectiveness

Technology Integration

The sales function would be enhanced with cutting-edge technology:

  1. AI-powered call routing and qualification system
  2. Conversation analytics using wearable devices

    "Right, and then so literally every parent that calls us, we have psychographed... Because we can hear their voice. We can hear how they're reacting."

  3. HubSpot CRM implementation for lead tracking
  4. Automated follow-up campaigns triggered by conversation analysis

Compensation Structure

A new compensation model would be developed with:

  1. Competitive base salary
  2. Commission structure tied to enrollment conversion
  3. Potential tuition benefits for team members with children
  4. Performance-based incentives aligned with organizational goals

Path Forward

  1. Meeting with Mackenzie (scheduled for May 22) to secure buy-in
  2. Doug to outline ideal sales process and team structure
  3. Identify potential candidate to take over Doug's current intern management responsibilities
  4. Develop technology requirements for engineering support
  5. Create formal proposal with specific metrics and compensation structure

Key Benefits

  1. Revenue Growth: Direct impact on enrollment and partnerships
  2. Enhanced Parent Experience: Professional and consistent engagement
  3. Data Collection: Systematic capture of market intelligence
  4. Team Satisfaction: Alignment of roles with skills and strengths
  5. Technological Innovation: Pioneering AI-enhanced sales approaches

Immediate Action Items

  • Gary to meet with Mackenzie (May 22)
  • Doug to draft initial sales process outline (May 21)
  • Explore HubSpot implementation requirements
  • Identify technology needs for engineering team
  • Develop performance metrics and compensation model