Salespeople With Emotional Needs

One of the reasons we are so adamant about assessing sales candidates is to know what motivates and rewards the person.  Once identified, these factors can be explored during a face-to-face interview.  There is one reward that requires an in-depth discussion with any sales candidate who possesses it – Status & Recognition. This salesperson is rewarded by prestige, social acknowledgement and tangible trophies.  Let me be clear – this is a strong reward structure for a salesperson.  However, when it is over-amplified, it becomes a detriment. I have a friend in sales who has this issue.  He is incredibly knowledgeable about his complex product line.  He speaks about it on… Read More

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Results Orientation In Sales

One of the most important aptitudes in sales is a proper results orientation.  The key word is “results.”  Oftentimes we encounter sales managers who place their focus on activity orientation instead of results. An example would be a salesperson who has a furiousness to their work…almost like their hair is on fire.  But no significant deals seem to close despite their frantic pace. I used to work for a sales manager who would describe those salespeople as a horse-drawn wagon.  There would always be a cloud of dust around them, but at the end of the day, the wagon hadn’t moved. Salespeople who lack a strong results orientation are often… Read More

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