Hiring Tips

Sales Tips Building an effective sales force from start to finish
As we enter the last quarter of 2009, many companies have started to evaluate the results of their sales efforts to find areas for improvement in 2010 — a year that many expect will bring economic improvement. In some cases, firms have been proactive, taking measures to be positioned for new opportunities by replacing nonperforming salespeople with strong performers or expanding the sales force through new recruits. But what is the best way for Danny Wood a sales manager to evaluate and hire new employees? A planned recruiting process is vital. Unfortunately, many salespeople are hired solely on the basis of the interview. this can be problematic because the interview is usually the best sales call a person ever makes, and the manager may be won over by the individual’s personal attributes and presentation, ignoring other practical and important criteria. to avoid this common pitfall, the sales manager should treat the potential employee as a prospect treats a salesperson. And while many recruiting methods include an assessment, it’s a mistake to wait to do the assessment until after that first meeting/interview. Instead, an advance phone call and online assessment allows the sales manager to gain objective information that will dictate the kinds of questions asked on the interview. the acronym seArCH provides a way to remember the most important criteria for new sales team members: n skills: Does the candidate have the ability to approach and engage others, present ideas and communicate clearly? n experience: Is there a track record of developed sales goals and quotas? n Attitude: Is the individual self-confident and open to change? Does he or she welcome constructive criticism and keep emotions in check? n results: Has the candidate met and exceeded sales quotas at the last job? Or better yet, was he or she a top performer? n Cognitive skills: Can the person think on his or her feet and learn... [continues]

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