5-6 years ago sourcing was a much different market for sales candidates. The economy had gone into recession and there were many talented salespeople looking for an opportunity. We used to run ads that required candidates to call in on a certain day between certain hours. We would then schedule them for a phone screen. We didn’t even offer an email response option though some would still respond that way. My how times have changed. We used to get 50 to 75 call-in responses to our ad. Today, we get 20 responses almost all via email. Job postings used to be all that was needed to find numerous candidates. Today,… Read More
Continue ReadingIt’s All About Talent
We beat our heads against the wall sometimes when we have to remind our customers that hiring experience is not a strong hiring strategy. More times than not, all you do is recycle mediocrity from within your industry. What truly matters is to hire talent and skills. Experience does not equal success. For instance, pro football returns this weekend so can you tell me what these players all have in common: Chad PenningtonGiovanni CarmazziChris RedmanTee MartinMarc BulgerSpergon Wynn Still wondering? All of these quarterbacks were selected in the 2000 draft ahead of Tom Brady. Tom Brady has won 3 Super Bowls, 2 Super Bowl MVPs, invited to 4 Pro Bowls… Read More
Continue ReadingCrashing On A Cold Call
Cold calling is a disappearing art, but still a needed component of any sales position. I have made my share of truly cold calls especially as a young salesperson. I was awful (and still am today). So any help in this area always catches my attention. ManageSmarter.com has a terrific article that dissects a poorly executed call – How not to Handle a Cold Call. I strongly recommend the article, but just to give you a taste of the tips: Mistake 1: Forgetting to PrepareThe person who called me did absolutely no preparation before she dialed my number. A quick Internet search would have shown her that I have a… Read More
Continue ReadingCandidates Should Qualify Money
I’ve been swamped phone screening sales candidates this week and have seen many levels of ability. One thing that has been clear is the candidate’s ability to qualify money. This is a big issue for some salespeople in that they are uncomfortable discussing money. One move I like to use is to provide a wide range on the salary to see what they do with it. If they ask me about compensation (surprising how many do not), I give them a range like $40K to $80K salary. That is a wide range so I expect them to qualify it further: -What will it take to be closer to the $80K… Read More
Continue ReadingTalk About Experience
Ok, bit of a laugh here from an ad I read this morning. The ad doesn’t mention the company name and lists 10 bullet points describing the position’s requirements. The last bullet (and line) in the ad caught my attention: Experience in sanitation or portable toilets business is a plus Do you think maybe the author was attempting to sneak that point through like a Phil Niekro fastball?
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Realistic Goal Setting For Others
As the unfortunate recipient of some heinously impossible sales quotas in my day, I am most intrigued by this week’s trait as it pertains to Sales Managers (and a few from my past that I would enjoy assessing on this topic). Realistic Goal Setting For OthersThe ability to set goals for others that can be achieved using available resources and operating within a projected timeframe. This trait includes the ability to utilize previous measurable performance in the establishing of goals and/or quotas. A sales manager with strength in this capacity is adept at understanding the potential of another individual, weighting the requirements of a job against their abilities and setting realistic/attainable goals for… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Best Customer Service
can be found at the supermarket according to the latest Harris Interactive poll (h/t JustSell.com). This year€™s annual Harris Poll ranking industries on how well they serve consumers finds that the supermarket industry does the best job according to U.S. adults. Fully 92 percent of adults think supermarkets generally do a good job, and only eight percent think they do a bad job, giving them a net positive score of 84 percentage points. Other industries that receive high net scores are: online search engines (77 points positive); computer hardware companies (64 points positive); computer software companies (61 points positive); hospitals (58 points positive); banks (56 points positive); and packaged food… Read More
Continue Reading2 Keys To Finding Sales Stars
ManageSmarter.com offers up an article I cannot resist – Find Your Next Sales Star. We’re going to start a 10 part series on this article. No, we’re not (though I would like to). I’ve written about this topic in the past (emphasis mine): Chet Bloom isn’t a big believer in tests and intellectual assessments. The president of HFBC Ltd., a staff and recruiting firm based in New York, goes with his instinct. “A test will never show a person’s eagerness and motivation,” he says. For him, it’s all about impression, such as how an interviewee dresses, if he shows up on time, and his confidence level. Education is meaningless to… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Is Not A Game
From the JustSell.com newsletter: Sales is not a game. Nothing about it should be left to chance. An effective process that ensures progress toward the goal of bringing in new customers and retaining current customers is what you and your team should strive for. Your process should be methodical, predictable and hold you and/ or your team accountable. Excellent. Unfortunately, we encounter many sales departments that have no process. We are strong proponents of a selling system. The last thing a sales manager needs is a team of lone wolf salespeople attacking the market with different processes. Good luck with the forecast in that scenario. The system should be flexible… Read More
Continue ReadingHow Many Calls Does It Take To Close?
That is a pertinent question in successful selling and one we always ask when profiling a sale. Many sales managers that we talk to would like to have a one-call close sale no matter what the sales cycle. That misalignment always leads to a unique discussion. Selling Power offers a good article on this topic in What€™s the Purpose of this Call? I found this excerpt to be quite revealing: Consider this example. Fournies was recently speaking at a national meeting to salespeople whose product was a $25,000 chemical analysis machine sold to hospitals. He asked his audience how many calls it took to sell their product to a hospital… Read More
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