“Fantastic Salesperson or Just a Really Good Interviewer”

One of the toughest and most frustrating parts of growing a business can occur in the hiring of a “Salesperson”. Whether it is your first hire or it is your twentieth hire the task can be both daunting and aggravating.

How many times have you hired an individual that interviewed with you and they had all the right answers. They were polished and professional, they carried themselves with confidence, and they were able to handle people effectively (or so it seemed).

Fast forward, two, four, even six months down the road, meeting after meeting they have excuses of why they aren’t meeting their numbers. You the owner or the manager are working with them aimlessly to help them. After a few months of struggling, they either leave your organization or you are forced to let them go.

Why? They interviewed so well, they seemed to have all the skills of a successful salesperson. I wonder what the issue was that resulted in their failure. The answer is simple, it was yours. The individual, was a “Good Interviewer” but a “Fantastic Salesperson” they were not.

There is a solution to this hiring issue. Systematize your hiring process. Don’t simply interview the person, but figure out the individuals beliefs. Do they like to prospect, are they a true hunter? What skills does the individual have in regards to Sales?

If you are struggling to find the perfect salesperson for your organization, give Sales Concepts a call at 440-575-7000.

"Are You on Track with Your Goals?"

As we move into the halfway point of the second quarter are you on track with the goals that you have set for yourself for 2009? The plan that you have created to obtain these goals, is it working?

One of the issues we have as business owners and salespeople, we are not holding ourselves or our salespeople accountable to the goals that have been set. The first question you have to ask yourself, where am I now in terms of revenue, opportunities with prospects, and my forecast of future sales?

The second question you need to be asking yourself, is my plan working? The time that you spend either with groups and associations, is it yielding any business for yourself and your company? The behaviors that you have implemented, are they effective in getting your message out to the market place?

In reviewing all of your goals what you should start to see is a trend. Some groups and associations will yield you more results than others. Behaviors such as cold calling, networking events, and referrals will produce other outcomes. The key here is to be sure that you are spending your time wisely and if you aren’t getting results from a certain activity or behavior change it NOW!

If you need help with your goals or the implementation of your plan give Sales Concepts a call 440-575-7000