Some people may argue that the best sales people are born, not made. I beg to differ, however. Yes, confidence is often an inherent trait, as is perseverance (80 percent of sales occur after at least five follow ups!), but there are few things you, the employer can do to turn your sales team into superstars. And considering that hiring the wrong sales person can cost you up anywhere from six to ten times their base salary, you would be best served to keep reading this article on how to hire sales reps before you hire your next mistake.
The following three items cover the basics of how to hire sales reps 101.
1. Put down the resume and talk to them.
Sales is all about communication (written, verbal, non verbal, etc.). So talk to your candidate. Do not ask them to regurgitate what is on their resume, and instead ask them why they do what they do. Ask them why they like sales. Ask them about risks they take to win new business. These questions will give you insight into how their minds work. Plus, you are looking for someone who can tell a story. Are you interested in them after listening to their story? If so, you have a good sales rep on your hands.
2. Give them tools to do their research.
If you are asking yourself how to hire sales reps who exude charm and confidence, consider this. Knowledge about what you are selling equates to a sales rep that people trust. If your sales team has a thorough understanding of your product, as well as of the businesses in their respective sales territory, they are going to be super stars.
3. How to hire sales reps if you do not have the time.
Last but not least, recruiting and retaining the best sales people is difficult and time consuming. As such, many firms throw up their hands when asking themselves how to hire sales reps. Subsequently, many turn to sales recruitment firms or executive recruitment firms for help. Recruiters make it their job to understand what you, the employer, need in a sales team, which is crucial when hand selecting a sales team for a highly specialized industry. Sales headhunters also can match you with sales reps who they deem a good fit with your company culture or industry.
17 responses to “How to Build a Stellar Sales Team”
I always ask my sales candidates to describe to me how they start each day. I find that the way they tell me their routine, structure, etc., not only gives me insight into their likability (as a story teller), but their drive.
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!
Sales is really about perseverance and not being afraid to be shot down. Heck, it is kind of like dating!