Do You Make Sales Recruiting Decisions Based on What You Think You Know?

Do You Make Sales Recruiting Decisions Based on What You Think You Know?: by lcooper@salesmanage.com (Lance Cooper Steve Suggs)

 

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Video Script

Hello, I am Steve Suggs, sales recruiting expert and author of the book, Can They Sell. Welcome to my sales recruitment video blog. 5 minutes of learning to hire the best salespeople.
Before we get started, I want to warn you. I’m going to challenge you today. I’m going to challenge you to think about sales recruitment in a way that you may not have thought about it before. You may not want to keep watching this video, unless you’re ready to start getting different results in your sales recruiting. Before I challenge you, I’ll give you some encouragement. If you take me up on this challenge, many things in your life will be dramatically different.

You will begin to realize success in some areas where you are currently failing. You’ll stop making mistakes that cost you money. 

Are you ready? Are you still watching? Ok, here’s the challenge.
I’m an American Idol fan. I love to see talented people who work hard finally to get a break to make it big. Every year when it gets down to the finalist, they always have something in common. They have natural talent, and they‘ve worked hard for many years perfecting their skill. Every season there are many people who tryout who can actually sing, but they haven’t put in the work to perfect the skill of singing and performing in front of a live audience. They think that just because they can sing in front of the mirror, sing at church, or in a group or in front of family members, that they have what it takes to become a pop superstar. And I’m always in amazement at how many people are shocked when they don’t make it.
Well, here’s why they’re shocked. They haven’t done the research on what it takes to be a pop singer. They try out for American Idol and expect to win based on what they think they know about being a music star, not based on researching what it takes to be a super star. They haven’t sought out the advice of someone who has been there and done it. They haven’t gone and performed in nightclubs or on the street, and they haven’t taken voice lessons or practiced hours before the audition. They simply show up and throw up, hoping to win the American Idol lottery. Then, they have the audacity to blame the judges for not knowing talent when they see it.

This unrealistic thinking is the equivalent of gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps training for the Olympics by riding a bike.

So, here’s my challenge to you. Get ready. And, please don’t get mad me. We laugh at the people who show up totally unprepared to win American Idol, and it makes for some very entertaining television. But what have you done to master the most important part of your job? What have you done to master the skill of recruiting and building a sales team? When you hire sales people, do you make your decisions based on training you have received on recruiting the best? Do you make your decision after having researched and studied the traits and skills of top salespeople, or do you make hiring decisions based on what you think you know.
Do you think that just because you are a good salesperson, you know how to hire good salespeople?
I’m going to continue to challenge you with these questions:

• What are the top 4 Character Traits of the best salespeople in your company?
• What are the top 4 Personality Traits of the best salespeople in your company?
• What are the top attitudes and motivations of the best salespeople in your company?
• What are the sales skills needed to be a top salesperson at your company?
• What interview questions for sales do you use to measure these traits and skills during the sales interview?

If you know the answers to these questions, congratulations, because you are hiring salespeople based on what you know, and based on wisdom and understanding of high performing salespeople. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you’re making decisions based on what you think you know. We call these kinds of decisions, “emotional decisions” or “gut decisions”.  And, in my experience,

...emotional decisions lead to mistakes. Decisions based on research and knowledge, lead to success.

Thank you for allowing me to challenge you today because I want you to be your best everyday for the benefit of those you lead. So, discover those areas where you need more recruiting training and go get it.
Thank you for joining me. See you next time on the Can They Sell video blog for more sales job recruitment training. As always, please leave your comments below and forward this video to anyone who will benefit. If you haven't already, please register for this recruiting sales blog. Now go enjoy recruiting the best, and have fun in the sales interview.

Learn more about the following:

• Where to find sales people, where to find sale reps
• What to look for while recruiting salespeople - 5 Dimensions of the Best Salesperson Profile Hiring sales, hire salespeople, hire sales people, hiring sales people, hiring sales reps, IT sales recruitment, recruiting sales people, sales job recruitment
• How to look for the 5 Dimensions - get questionnaires - interview questions for sales, interview questions for salespeople, sales interview, interview questions for sales people

    o   Sales test, sales assessment, sales profile CPQ, Craft Personality Questionnaire
    o   Sales interview tips
    o   Sales job description – page 79, Can They Sell book
    o   Tips for screening resumes – Chapter 13, Can They Sell book