| Are you hiring top performers, or does your sales | | | | - Lacking in intelligence |
| force fall into the 80/20 rule? You know the rule. | | | | - Opportunistic |
| It says that 80 percent of a company's sales | | | | - Overpaid |
| comes from 20 percent of its sales force. There's | | | | - Unethical |
| little doubt that top performers outsell poor | | | | - Pushy (uses high pressure sales tactics) |
| producers. The question is, "by how much?" | | | | - Backslappers and "BSers" |
| Evidence shows a top producer will generate five | | | | - Interested only in money All these |
| to six times the sales of a bottom producer. In a | | | | misconceptions lead to mistake hires and |
| recent study of more than 100 businesses of | | | | consequently, poor performances. And they beg |
| various sizes and types, for example, the top | | | | the questions: What characteristics do great |
| producer outsold the same company's bottom | | | | salespeople share? What separates top producing |
| producer by an average of 5.7 to 1.(And to think | | | | salespeople from those languishing at the bottom? |
| the bottom producer still held his or her job!) | | | | Characteristics of great salespeople Experts say |
| Actually, the study revealed a 3:1 to 9:1 range. But | | | | that successful sales people share several |
| do the math using the lowly 3:1 differential as in | | | | characteristics: |
| the chart below, and you'll quickly realize how | | | | 1. They are listeners, not talkers. Successful selling |
| important successful salespeople are to any | | | | requires knowing a customer's needs. Great |
| business. And now think of businesses with only | | | | salespeople encourage customers to talk about |
| one or two salespeople. It's even more critical | | | | their needs. They then listen carefully so they can |
| that these positions be filled with top producers. | | | | connect their product's benefits to those needs. |
| Effects of top producers #1 produces $750,000 - | | | | 2. They possess a strong work ethic. Successful |
| #1 produces $750,000 #2 produces $525,000 - | | | | salespeople work hard and sales superstars know |
| #2 produces $525,000 #3 produces $330,000 - | | | | there is no substitute for this. They prospect |
| #3 produces $330,000 #4 produces $275,000 - | | | | more often, make more calls, talk to more people |
| #4 produces $275,000 #5 produces $250,000 #5 | | | | and make more sales presentations than their |
| produces $750,000 Total Sales = $2,130,000 Total | | | | coworkers. |
| Sales = $2,630,000 | | | | 3. They are exceptionally honest. Because many |
| An extra $500,000! | | | | customers think a sales person is a backslapper, |
| Whopping 75 percent of sales job candidates are | | | | even unethical, they look for dishonesty in every |
| unsuitable. Looking at the above table, wouldn't we | | | | sales situation. One whiff of it, and they dismiss |
| all like to have a sales force made up only of top | | | | the company and its products. Above all else, |
| producers? Unfortunately, few companies, if any, | | | | successful salespeople maintain their integrity. |
| do. Worse, for many, three out of four sales | | | | 4. They are self-confident. Rejection is more |
| hires fail to work out at all. A new salesperson | | | | common in sales than success. The best |
| has only a 25 percent chance of seeing his first | | | | salespeople are able to set rejection aside and |
| anniversary on the job. Of those who stay, only | | | | move on. They are persistent. They look for new |
| one in 10 becomes a true top producer within | | | | solutions. They refuse to give up. |
| three years. Sales managers tell many horror | | | | 5. They are enthusiastic and passionate. Always in |
| stories about costs related to unsuitable | | | | a positive mood, super sellers choose to focus on |
| salespeople: | | | | the positive rather than drag themselves down |
| - Connecting the salesperson with a potential | | | | with the negative. What's more, they are |
| buyer only to lose the opportunity. | | | | genuinely excited about their company and about |
| - Overcoming negative word of mouth. | | | | selling its products and services. Wow! You can |
| - Paying a person who just "takes up space." | | | | see why recruiting an effective sales force is so |
| - Training costs. | | | | challenging. Quite clearly, finding people with these |
| Unfortunately there are more, of course. Why | | | | characteristics--those that will become your top |
| poor sales performance? Many factors contribute | | | | performers--requires a lot of attention. |
| to poor sales performance, but traditional hiring | | | | Tips: How to hire successful salespeople Here are |
| methods and beliefs are at the root of the | | | | a few tips to increase your chances of hiring top |
| problem for most businesses. For example, many | | | | producers. |
| hiring managers believe that "if you can sell, you | | | | 1. Use hiring assessment tools to measure: o How |
| can sell anything." Truth is, research clearly | | | | candidates think, learn and act at work. o What |
| indicates this is not the case. Reporting on such | | | | careers truly interest candidates. o Other |
| research in their book, "How to Hire and Develop | | | | characteristics critical to sales performance. |
| Your Next Top Performer," Herb Greenberg, | | | | 2. Measure top performance job by job using |
| Harold Weinstein and Patrick Sweeney conclude | | | | assessments to determine what is top |
| that: | | | | performance in your workplace and in this job. |
| - More than half of those working in sales should | | | | 3. Hire for fit. The better your candidate matches |
| not be in sales at all because they lack the basic | | | | measured dimensions, the more likely he or she |
| characteristics of good sales people. | | | | will become a top performer. |
| - Of the remaining 45 percent, half are selling the | | | | 4. Build a pool of potential. Find top performers |
| wrong thing in the wrong place for the wrong | | | | now; don't wait until you need another |
| managers. This leaves about 20 percent to | | | | salesperson. Continuously improve your sales |
| produce most sales. Other managers think selling | | | | force by replacing bottom feeders with people |
| is easy, that anyone can do the job. | | | | who fit your jobs. The search for top performing |
| Unfortunately, with this perception sales people | | | | salespeople is seldom simple. It requires a lot of |
| are often seen, at best, as a necessary evil. And | | | | attention. But just imagine what your business will |
| finally, some hiring manager's misconceptions | | | | be like if each of your salespeople performs as |
| about sales people saddle them with inaccurate | | | | well as your current top performer. Better still, |
| and undesirable characteristics. They think of sales | | | | rather than imagine, take time to do the math |
| people as: | | | | and then follow the steps above. Before long, you |
| - Lazy | | | | should see your profits explode. |