How to Hire a Superstar Salesperson for 2007

By Steve Martinez

Everyone hiring a salesperson wants a superstar.  If you are hiring a salesperson for 2007, you should have a list of superstar qualities your candidate must match. If we were talking, I might ask you; do you really need to hire a salesperson to get the results you want? In some cases a superstar employee could already be working for you. The employee might have the qualities you are looking for; you just need to make him or her a superstar.

If you insisted on hiring a salesperson, I would want to know what sales attributes are on your list. Frankly, I would advise you to look at this investment like purchasing a new car or vehicle for the business. The questions are very similar since whatever you invest in; you will be riding and driving for awhile.

Buying a vehicle and hiring a salesperson can become emotional decisions. You will make better decisions when you take the emotion out of it. I recommend you create a salesperson check list to help you make the right decision. Ben Franklin used the comparison check list to make his decisions, he was a smart man. If you don’t have a list of preferred characteristics and quality features, you might be making the wrong choice.

My Vehicle/Salesperson Checklist

This short checklist will take some of the emotion out of your important salesperson decision. These are factors that will impact your decision.

• Automatic or manual - are you looking for someone who will do the job automatically or someone who will need a lot of direction and attention from you? If you don’t have the time or a selling system in place, it will eat up valuable time you might not enjoy spending.
• On board navigation system – If your business doesn’t have a great selling system with a built in navigational system, you better hire a strong salesperson who can find his or her way around the sales process. Unfortunately, 80% of salespeople don’t come with this feature.
• Off road or city – will the salesperson you hire be following your route for business or will they be going off road to find new clients for you? When you build a business with a salesperson, you must hire them to match the business development area you have in mind.
• Long haul or short routes – are the prospects and customers you want long sales cycle with high volume sales or short sales cycle with low volumes? Salary and gas is expensive, make the right choice. It is better for everyone when you are on the same page.
• Maintenance – did the previous employer take good care of the salesperson and does the record history equate to a well maintained employee? It is important to know if you can match the expectations your candidates have and vice versa.
• Previous ownership – how many previous employers are there? If there are more jobs than expected, what are the reasons for leaving? You don’t want a lemon, they cost more.
• Condition of exterior and interior – does the sales person’s appearance match the expectations of your operation? Does the salesperson’s personality match well with the values of your organization? Building a good team is important and sales are just one facet of business.
• Test Drive – role playing with a prospective salesperson reveals a lot about their skills. If they don’t ask good questions or follow sales processes don’t hire them. The best attribute of a salesperson is good listening skills and the ability to uncover opportunities for business.

Get Expert Advice

When you are buying a car, a good mechanics evaluation will reveal valuable insight on the suitability of your investment. The same is true when hiring a salesperson. Unless you are a strong sales manager, you should consult with a trusted sales management expert to evaluate your final candidates. Additionally, there are many sales and personality tests which can provide you with good information.

On a final note, in some cases, a salesperson isn’t needed to increase sales. Sometimes, a tune-up of the existing team or automation of best practices will deliver better results. If you want to make the right choice, seek the wisdom of someone who understands your market and will give you good business development council.

Steve Martinez President of Selling Magic 9319 Robinson Lane Corona, CA 92883 (951) 277-0080 www.sellingmagic.com

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For more information contact Steve Martinez, Your Business Development Sales Magician
You can reach him at (951) 277-0080 or by emailing steve@impactivator.com
Impactivator is a Business Development Creation of Selling Magic, LLC