The most effective way of finding super salespeople often revolves around word-of-mouth recommendations or introductions rather than looking at a stack of online resumes. Who should you talk to in order to get things rolling?
Ask your employees
Ask your clients
Ask your suppliers
Advertising
Tell everyone you know that you’re seeking a strong salesperson with great aptitude:
Ask your employees: Offer them a reward for referrals of super sales staff if you then take them on board
Your Clients: Who better to let you know who they think is doing a great job at landing sales in your vertical?
Suppliers: these are a great source of referrals because they do not want you to fail in the market!
Advertising: If your word of mouth search doesn’t pan out advertising is often your next step.
When you place your ad you want it to be where your target audience is looking. Placing an ad on LinkedIn, Zip Recruiter, Indeed, Glassdoor or any other requires you to be very clear about the person you’re seeking. Do your homework and place an ad that will not only garner the appropriate attention but also hone in on the skills, experience and potential aptitude your current sales teams exude.
Don’t forget rule #2 – don’t hire a new salesperson unless they lift the average of your entire team.
Always pre-qualify your candidates on the phone. If someone can’t sell you on giving them an interview on that phone call, then ignore all of their experience and background and “Just Say No.”
