Blog Entry Sponsored by Minto Roy (donation to MSMF foundation) of Careers Today Canada .com.
Dear Shane,
What advice could you give to employers that are seeking to hire top sales performers in what is still an employees’ job market (especially when we refer to top sales producers)?
Dear Minto: There are several factors that we need to look at when recruiting top performing sales people. The first step in my opinion is to:
Write up a complete description of the type of sales job it is, including the following:
- Amount of phone selling, cold calling, proposal writing, group presentations.
- Geographical area
- Amount of travel
- Amount of time away from home
- Level of independence
- Hours expected to work
- Work culture of the company
- Reporting and paper work expected
- Client entertainment factor
- Type of customers or potential customers
- Level of acceptance by the customer in reference to
- the company
- the products and service
- the industry
- Level of selling
- Product/service focused
- Relationship marketing focused
- Customer and solution focused.
- Size of average sale
- Length of the selling cycle and any other important factors you can think of.
- Trade show selling and seminar selling etc.
With the above job description in mind, carefully describe the characteristics, behaviors, values, skills, experience and abilities you require in this person.
Secondly realize that top producers are rarely ever unemployed. Being in the recruiting business you know that top producers are constantly being courted for other job positions. My suggestion is hire in advance, network where these producers work and play, and even offer finders fees to your own internal sales team if they find you a winner.
My last thought is winners like to win, and they like to win quick. If you’re recruiting top performers you better have a sales opportunity and a process that enables them to hit home runs early. Showing up to a disorganized sales environment with no sales process or culture is something that will quickly repel most top producers.
Thanks again Minto for your contribution to the MSMF Blogathon!
This is blogathon entry number 28 for the MSMF Blogathon. Visit this page to learn how you can support this cause.