Ask any manager, V.P. or business owner what one of the biggest challenges they face in making their revenue numbers and they’ll tell you it’s identifying, hiring and retaining good sales reps.
All you have to do is look at your own company or industry to know that 80% of the sales and revenue is made by the top 20% of salespeople.
Second, determine what is really motivating your candidate. What we were whatsapp data exposing in the first real secret was your candidate’s comfort zone.
We all have comfort zones
Sales reps in particular will always live up to – and most likely down to – their comfort zone, especially in terms of income and opportunity.
So if your candidate is really looking to your company and this new role to better themselves and earn more money, find out what is driving this need and desire for more money. Have their life circumstances changed?
For example, have they recently gotten married, had a child, purchased a home? If so, then show us your best-selling products they may have a real motivation to work harder, make more money and enlarge their comfort zone.
In essence, they will continue to live down to their current comfort level and you may once again be hiring another 80% producer.
Assess Their Skills
Last, assess their sales skills and previous training. This is one of my favorites. During the interview, I ask my candidates how they think they would do selling my product. They all say, “I’d do great!” I then do two things:
- I ask them to sell me on the product. What I’m looking for is for them to ask me qualifying questions rather than just start pitching. Those who just dive right in and start pitching reveal themselves as middle to low 80% producers. Top 20% producers, on bulk data the other hand, start asking me questions and gathering information. They are the ones I’m interested in.
