The Myth of the Natural Born Sales Wonder

When I researched the field of using personality inventories to determine future sales success potential, I found the following flaws in their application and interpretation:

1. Personality researchers assume that people are predisposed to sales and that there exists an 'ideal' sales personality. From experience alone you will know people of widely different personalities in sales who are both successful and unsuccessful. Indeed many unsuccessful salespeople join other companies and become successful, whilst successful salespeople leave to further their careers elsewhere only to subsequently become unsuccessful.

In many of the sales forces I examined I continually came across inconsistencies in personality amongst the top 20% of performers. In particular, most of the personality profiles would lead you to believe that successful salespeople are confident and goal orientated. My own findings showed that top salespeople are generally less confident internally and certainly more insecure that their lower performing colleagues. This is borne out by top performers in other fields. Insecurity appears to come with the territory of high performance. Perhaps it's the uncertainty of not knowing how long this high performance level can last? Yet, when I attempted to apply this factor into a personality inventory I found the same low correlations as exist in all other inventories.

In addition my own research clearly established that each company has its own 'personality'. In some cases, getting on with the boss's assistant and his/her favoured henchmen is a greater contributory factor to longevity of employment than a supposed sales personality. This leads me to the next point.

2. Hardly any company buying personality inventories conducts sufficient internal research in order to validate the instrument they are using. When I conducted my own research I applied an instrument to a) all existing salespeople in the company b) all applicants, and c) all new joiners, over a 24-month period. I also attempted to keep in touch with applicants who were unsuccessful in their application.

I drew up a profile of unsuccessful and successful internal salespeople and divided these between new starters and existing staff. I examined the profiles of applicants who were offered a job and those that were rejected. I monitored the sales results of all salespeople against these profiles over a two-year period. Lastly I compared these results with demographic data to look for significant correlations. After two years the profiles of successful and unsuccessful salespeople were close enough to be identical. I also examined in detail all of the inventories on the market and found the same low correlations.

One of the biggest problems is that companies have no way of knowing whether those they have rejected would have been successful or not

3. All purveyors of personality inventories warn against using the results in isolation, stressing that they must be seen as part of a total process. In all cases where personality inventories were being used as part of a selection process I observed a disproportionate credence being placed on the results of the inventory. Sales managers have a tendency to believe in instruments which are seen to be academically accredited, and which absolve them from making incorrect selection decisions. It should be said however, that in processes where the only mechanism for deciding future potential is an interview, managers were generally wrong in 50% of cases. Even so, despite the guidance to avoid 'gut-feeling' on interviews, I found that 'gut-feeling' proved more intuitive at pre-guessing success than any inventory.

4. The greatest problem with personality inventories is that the candidate completes them themselves. I recall a quote from John Hillier (Chair of NCVQ) who said ? 'I can convince myself that I am in control of my weight provided I do not go anywhere near the scales'. The tendency to either lie or exaggerate is strong in salespeople wishing to make their biggest sale ? employment. Most inventories contain a few questions, which they say are 'lie detectors'. Once again, I found that many salespeople know which these questions are and therefore learn to avoid making exaggerated claims about their ability in the questionnaire, only to save that exaggeration for the interview. Many managers when interviewing, lack the skills to explore these exaggerated claims.

5. A question - if these inventories work, why have they not reduced labour turnover and failure, and increased success? They haven't.

6. An observation ? some of the best salespeople I have ever met are those selling personality inventories!

Frank Salisbury is a highly experience motivational speaker, and inspiring business coach, particularly to the sales profession. Frank is recognised as a leading authority in the field of sales - including sales process design, sales performance, and sales coaching.

He strongly believes that whether we work in the public or private sector; whether our organisation is commercial or non-commercial; that we are all in sales. His favourite quote, which has become his maxim, is from Robert Louis Stevenson ? 'Everything in live is selling'. He has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars where his style has received popular acclaim for a speaker with a passion for life, and achievement.

He is Managing Director of Business & Training Solutions Ltd ? a sales consultancy based in Ireland and the UK. He can be contacted at frank@btsolutions.ie. 28 Rye Close, Banbury, Oxfordshire. 0044 (0)1295250247

---

The Myth of the Natural Born Sales Wonder

When I researched the field of using personality inventories to... Read More

Emotions That Sell, Part 2

In the last article, we looked at three emotions (besides... Read More

Secrets to Getting in Front of Your Best Prospects

As a salesperson, your ultimate goal, of course, is to... Read More

Objections Are Buying Signals? Usually!

How well do you handle objections?The fact is, most people... Read More

In Sales, Words Just Don?t Compute

In studies conducted by Motivational Systems of West Orange, New... Read More

Why Sales People Are Creating Their Own Objections

I'm about to reveal the biggest secret to growing any... Read More

Increase Sales - Overcoming Barriers

Ever thought to yourself, "If only my team members would... Read More

Value Add Negotiating for Sales Professionals

Imagine this scenario. You are a sales representative for Baker... Read More

9 TIPS: Dont Sell Me - Persuade Me

We all have something in our past we believe someone... Read More

Want to Make More Money? Fish in a Bigger Pond!

Setting prices is a dilemma most service business owners encounter... Read More

Close More Sales With This Very Simple 3 Step Sales Process.

As Financial Services Sales Professional you need to build trust... Read More

Six Simple Steps to Increase Sales and Decrease Stress

Have you ever found a lead on a scrap of... Read More

A Sale in 30 Seconds? Its all in the Greeting

It has been said that a customer makes a decision... Read More

Maximize Sales and Minimize Returns with Learning Styles

In the day-to-day operation of an online business we can... Read More

Less is More: Quick Tips to Improve Your Sales

I'll be brief. If not ? I'll negate my own... Read More

5 Steps to Selling Anything Technical

One of the most difficult things we deal with as... Read More

Stop Selling! for the Million Dollar Contract

During the introduction of the "Stop Selling!" philosophy, we typically... Read More

Have You Prepared for Success in Sales?

My wife and I watched the movie Ray a couple... Read More

How to Sell to the Devils Advocate

There is a car commercial running were a husband is... Read More

When Youre In sales Always Aim Higher

Yesterday I did a sales training program for a great... Read More

3 Tips to Get Clients Now

"I need more clients!" wails Steve, a 32 year old... Read More

Sales Closing: Dont Close Sales - Open Relationships to Achieve Multiple Sales

A lot is written and talked about in regard to... Read More

Closing the Sale - It Doesnt Have To Be Uncomfortable

"The Close" is sales jargon for the bit where you... Read More

A Simple Sales Strategy: Talk to Yourself!

You are about to speak to a potential client, go... Read More

Four Ways To Increase Your Sales Fast... In 2-4 Weeks?

You built a very good web site...You have a great... Read More

10 High Powered Ways To Magnify Your Sales

1. Give your prospects a f~ree trial of your software... Read More

Customers Do Not Know How To Ask Good Questions ? That Is Your Job

Customers will ask you a question and you'll proceed to... Read More

Knowing Your Customers; Closing the Sale

Just because your business is based in your home that... Read More

The Canned Sales Pitch Myth

Canned or scripted sales approaches are rarely successful, because one... Read More

Sales Skills are Life Skills

I love the art of selling. LOVE IT. When I... Read More

The Dos and Donts of an Elevator Pitch

The dreaded question: "What exactly does your company do?" It's... Read More

The Art Of Persuasion: 7 Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone

The saying "No man is an island" is an undeniable... Read More

Focus On The Customer: The Only Secret To Closing

People are always looking for ways to close the sale.... Read More