Your employees are the ones who will influence your future business success. Your business will not grow as much without the right team. There is always a risk involved in hiring. Hiring a sales representative is a high-stakes endeavor. Your sales team plays a crucial role in the success of your company. Hiring good salespeople is therefore a priority.
Hiring Challenges
Hiring the right employees can be a challenge, particularly when it comes to hiring good salespeople. The Small Business Administration states that they account for more than 99.5% of all employers in the U.S. Small businesses have less layers of management and therefore all employees must be capable of carrying their own weight.
A strong sales team is needed and beneficial in many industries, such as real-estate broker agencies and advertising agencies, or manufacturing companies. Salespeople are hired by businesses to increase their sales and revenues. Hiring good employees has become increasingly difficult. CareerBuilder’s survey of business owners found that the average job remained open for 12 weeks or more in 2017. What is the reason? They couldn’t locate the right person.
It’s not a guarantee that high-performing salespeople will remain with a company. A recent ADP Research Institute report shows that on average, 5 percent of employees leave their job within a month.
How can you find the best salespeople to hire and keep? Here are some tips to help you.
Find Must-Have Characteristics
Hire salespeople who possess the right skills to reduce turnover and boost productivity. Employees in sales departments must have good communication skills, both verbally and in writing. They will be able to effectively manage meetings, emails, and phone calls with current and prospective customers. Salespeople who are the best at their job believe passionately in their products and services, and they are persistent and passionate. Great salespeople can relate to a variety of personalities, and are aware of the needs and goals of their customers. Try to emulate the qualities of your successful salespeople and look for ways you can do this with your new hires.
Do Your Research
Focus on the candidate’s previous sales performance, unless you are hiring someone who has no sales experience. You should look for signs that the candidate is truly good at what they do. Awards, certificates or honorary titles can prove this. Don’t hesitate to ask for more details during the interview. Although previous experience is often a requirement for a role, it is important to determine the type of experience that is most relevant. It is important to hire good salespeople who can meet the demands of the sales role. In a Harris Poll survey from 2017, 75 percent of hiring managers said they had found a lie in a resume at least once.
Determine if candidates will ‘fit in’
You have a unique way to do business and operate. You have a significant influence on the culture of your business as a business owner. The people you hire also have a significant impact on the culture of your company. It’s difficult to know with certainty if a new hire will fit in your company culture. You can make the right decision by relying on what you know about your employees, such as their strengths and weaknesses, and utilizing your own judgment. You want to hire people who thrive in a collaborative work environment, and can help cultivate a positive workplace culture.
Keep Your Employees Motivated
After you’ve established your strategy to hire good salespeople plan to motivate new employees in order to increase retention. People leave jobs for many reasons, whether it’s a higher salary, a shorter commute or more flexibility. Lack of motivation is one of the main reasons for employee turnover. A Robert Half poll found that full-time employees disengage for about two hours in a typical day. How can you motivate your sales staff? Benefits are important. Nearly 40% of respondents cited perks, such as on-site fitness facilities or food, as motivating factors. Positive reinforcement and financial incentives are also ways to motivate staff.
Understanding Their Goals
Your salespeople will be motivated to achieve their goals when they have clear and measurable goals. Set goals that are based on productivity, revenue generation and personal and professional growth. As an added incentive, offer your salespeople incentives and support. Remember that your perception of progress may be different from your employee’s. Consider what your employees are good at, what they’ve accomplished, and what the end goal is. It could be that they want to keep their current position. If they are happy in their current role and performing well, do not assume that they would like to pursue a more responsible position, such as management.
The first step is to hire good salespeople. It is equally important to retain your employees, so make sure you have enough cash flow to pay on time and offer the benefits that they want. QuickBridge provides a solution for working capital to make generous employee incentives a real possibility.
