Sales in 2010 –– It’s About You
Most of these articles begin with a story to grab your attention or help you relate to the material. This article is different. If you read no further, read the next three lines.
- Hire Slowly
- Hire Based on Behavioral Tendencies
- Fire Quickly
As a leader in your organization, if you don’t have the right team in place; it’s your fault, not your predecessor, not the market, not the fact that you can’t afford the right talent. The wrong front-line Business Development/Sales Team will do irreparable harm to your company – more so than having the wrong Operations Manager, CFO, or Human Resources Manager.
Hire Slowly: Many companies will rush to replace personnel because they are worried about shifting of responsibilities or tasks “falling through the cracks.” How to handle it: Suck it up. One constant in business is that things will change. People will leave. People will lose interest. It’s your job to be prepared for this. It may be painful, but you will have to shift responsibility and accountability during transition periods. Take your time and Hire Slowly.
Hire based on Behavioral Tendencies: “He doesn’t have enough experience in our industry.” This quote is the first step in hiring the wrong Sales person. Stop looking for the perfect mix of Personal Traits and 20 year industry experience. It’s a lot easier to teach somebody about your product or service than to change who they are as a person. Here are the traits to look for, and these are universal, regardless of your industry:
- Desire and Drive - to learn and earn
- Ability to LISTEN, worth repeating – ability to LISTEN
- Capability to work effectively internally with your team
All other aspects of a good Sales Person are learned/acquired skills: Technical knowledge, negotiation skills, network circles, etc.
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Fire Quickly: It may sound harsh, but you need to make a call on your Sales hire in the first 90 days of employment. Don’t expect your new Sales person to close a lot of business in the first 90 days. If they do, consider yourself lucky, not good. But in those first 90 days you will get a great read on the three key traits (Desire, Listening, and Working Internally). These are the things you must focus on reviewing and evaluating in the first 90 days, not how quickly they pick up your product catalog.
In 1984, the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan. They did not draft the most well-rounded player in the country. They drafted a young man with raw talent who had the strongest DESIRE to be the best basketball player ever. They could teach the hard skills, the jump shot, the defense etc.
Nobody is saying your job is easy, but it is YOUR job to put the right team in place. Good Luck!!!!
AMEND is a business improvement firm that drives change in your people and your processes, leading to lasting transformations and true marketplace advantages. Visit AMEND’s website at Amend Consulting. Contact the author, Joe Rozier by email at rozier@amendllc.com.
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