Is lack of sales results, more sales training costs, months of unearned salary and damage to your company's image or reputation your company's method of NOT finding good salespeople? For most companies it is!
The "trial and error" method of hiring salespeople is very costly to a business. Without a viable way to hire quality sales people everyone in the same organization is negatively affected. Without revenues there often are not adequate human and financial resources to best service customers or grow the business.
"Sales" Pays the Bills
If you're a seasoned business owner or a manager of a business, you learn that sales fixes most business problems ? in other words, when sales revenues are strong, you can more afford to make business mistakes or throw more money at any number of business problems. However, when sales are down you cannot afford any level of unnecessary incremental cost.
Zig Ziglar, the famous sales trainer, once said, "Sales people are really the only people in business who pay the bills!" For vital, revenue generating positions like sales, businesses cannot afford a trial and error method of finding quality sales personnel.
Show Me the Way!
Hiring quality employees has always been a major challenge for any business owner or manager. Hiring mistakes are common no matter the business function and most are directly attributed to six fundamental hiring mistakes:
1) Assuming the hiring manager knows how to qualify people
Being able to effectively interview and qualify people, like any other skill is not an innate talent. Some people are better than others at assessing hire candidate's potential. As a hiring manager you must seek others perspectives of candidates and establish an interview team for each open position, than collectively discuss each candidate for optimum results.
2) Not defining EXACTLY what you are looking for in a new hire
The adage: "If you don't know what you want you'll never get it" applies in hiring salespeople. When you establish an interview team, document a comprehensive job description with duties and responsibilities clearly defined for each interview team member. Be sure to list desirable talents, skills and areas of knowledge. If you want multiple perspectives on candidate traits or experiences, have each person focus on a limited number of desired skill sets.
3) Assuming specific business functions know how to hire "like"
talent
Do sales people best know how to hire other sales people? Not necessarily! Just because someone is capable in a specific job function does not mean they know how to hire people with the same level of talent.
4) Over emphasizing a hire candidate's personality or "looks"
This one is obvious, but, one of the most common hiring mistakes.
5) Not effectively checking previous employment references
If you consistently miss critical insights into a salesperson's capabilities, motivations or character prior to hire, it is generally because you chose not to or did not effectively investigate a candidate's previous employment history. Given the potential cost of a poor hiring mistake, it makes financial sense to spend a nominal amount of money and have a professional check out a candidate's references.
6) Hiring in your own likeness
Everyone likes to hire people who either have their same; background, education, philosophies, interests, motivations or friends, but, more often than not, this is a major mistake. Sales team diversity is critical to long term sales success.
If your organization can establish an effective program to evaluate potential new sales personnel on a probationary basis you can also significantly reduce your hire risks. Establish a legal document whereby the candidate and your company mutually agree to a 4 to 6 month "mutual evaluation period". Define upfront all position performance metrics for the candidate and a clear financial remuneration to be paid if they do not meet the performance thresholds. Be sure this agreement is written by a qualified attorney. If the "honeymoon" is wonderful, there is a good chance the marriage is going to be a success!
Organizations have a shared responsibility to hire the best selling talent possible. Whether you seek experienced sales people or "rookies" with just energy and attitude, a disciplined approach to PRE-qualifying tomorrow's sales superstar is paramount. If you cannot find quality sales people, don't compromise!
About the Author:
Mark Smock is President of http://www.business-buyer-directory.com, the FIRST International business buyer directory of its kind. Business Buyer Directory provides a non-traditional means for proactive business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide that meet their exact registered purchase criteria.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Imagine you run a pizza parlour. You have all these... Read More
While heading home at day's end, you begin reflecting on... Read More
Many sales meetings are boring and a waste of salespeople's... Read More
I don't know about your business but in my experience... Read More
One of the major issues that arises in managing a... Read More
There are several types and sub types of people in... Read More
Help your organization grow by assessing the right indicators in... Read More
Seeing the results of advertising your business can be like... Read More
Be clear about where you are now. Audit your strengths... Read More
As a previous owner of a Franchise I know the... Read More
Budget Guidelines for Trade Show MarketingB'techa didn't know - Trade... Read More
Performance and behaviour management is by far the most difficult... Read More
"We're in the relationship business?...airplanes are what we use to... Read More
The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Three of SeriesWe're sprinting... Read More
Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's... Read More
Do you want to make more money?Yes, I guess that... Read More
Sales managers frequently approach me for advice on how to... Read More
I don't even like saying the word d---------g. I have... Read More
Targeting is the process of selecting high potential customer accounts... Read More
In the past, if you said the word "plan" to... Read More
Good sales people can close, but few "step up" for... Read More
Q. What's the single, biggest change exhibitors can make to... Read More
Sex, Drugs & Rock-n-RollHere's the Scenario...You're at a trade show.... Read More
So you have a boss who dumps all over you... Read More
Does the competition drive you crazy? Are they relentless about... Read More
Bill Borders stepped up onto the podium. He had just... Read More
These 4 marketing myths can cause you to lose sales... Read More
Where is our success? Although there have been improvements, over... Read More
The way we do business has changed dramatically over the... Read More
Help buyers discover the answers they need to understand and... Read More
Recently, I was asked to spend some time on the... Read More
Design and Implementation of a new Sales & Marketing campaign... Read More
Of the many mistakes small business owners make, a big... Read More
Many sales meetings are boring and a waste of salespeople's... Read More
I don't even like saying the word d---------g. I have... Read More
Increasing Sales by using Coupons. Will it help your business?... Read More
What does it mean to be an "effective executive"? Well... Read More
In a small midwestern town, the local high school of... Read More
The way we do business has changed dramatically over the... Read More
In the last issue I shared with you a technique... Read More
You're a small company with a good product. You are... Read More
Standard metrics and KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) are created usually... Read More
Seminars and events have always been implemented as a holistic... Read More
So everyone thought you were crazy when you announced 6... Read More
Of the many mistakes small business owners make, a big... Read More
Performance and behaviour management is by far the most difficult... Read More
Sex, Drugs & Rock-n-RollHere's the Scenario...You're at a trade show.... Read More
One of the major issues that arises in managing a... Read More
Recently, I was asked to spend some time on the... Read More
As spring moves to summer, the forecast should be for... Read More
Are you dog tired because of the way you manage... Read More
The objective of an incentive is to incite action within... Read More
Here's the scene. You're at the trade show, having a... Read More
Snowflakes are beautiful!For the Winter Holiday sales season handcrafted snowflakes... Read More
There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in... Read More
Last week I got a call from Jose, who was... Read More
Recently I stumbled across some notes that I had kept... Read More
As you are reading this sales article, read very carefully.... Read More
You've probably heard of focus groups. It's a tool that... Read More
In the 30-plus years I spent working in advertising and... Read More
I don't know about your business but in my experience... Read More
I just got off the phone with Susan. She is... Read More
Here's the Scenario...You're at a trade show. Out of town.... Read More
One marketing technique may work wonders for someone, but that... Read More
I have searched for a new way to increase the... Read More
Q. What's the single, biggest change exhibitors can make to... Read More
Sales Management |