When it comes to recruiting in sales, there is no “one size fits
all”. People who you expect to succeed may disappoint you, while others who
seem less promising manage to exceed. What works for one industry will not work
for another, and salespeople also need to fit into the company culture.
However, with this in mind, there are three qualities that will generally be
valuable in any sales role.
Enthusiasm is contagious. Salespeople need to be enthusiastic,
about the product, about the company and about selling. They should love
selling and get their motivation from the feeling of success they get when they
win a sale. When selecting a salesperson, you should be able to see their
enthusiasm both in their CV and at interview.
2. Honesty
While there is often a temptation for salespeople to hide the
negative points of their company or over-promise, it is honest salespeople who
succeed in the long term. To build up a relationship with a client, you need
them to trust you and this cannot happen without honesty. If a customer feels
betrayed, they are likely to leave. If a salesperson is upfront and honest
about all aspects of their company, including what can go wrong and how they
resolve issues when this happens, this creates a more positive image of the
company.
3. Confidence
Confidence can manifest itself in a number of different ways. Some
people will be very outwardly confident, whereas others will have a sense of
quiet calm about them, but both types can be successful. Salespeople need to
have confidence in their product and need to be able to instil this in their
clients. This should not be confused with arrogance, which can quickly turn a
potential client against a salesperson.
Do you have all of these qualities?
Hays
Sales UK are experts in all areas of sales recruitment. To find out more about
how our expert consultants can help you find your next role, please visit our website.
This is a really valid point as it focuses on the ideal 'traits' rather a psychological profile. There's a great HBR article called 'What Makes A Good Sales Person' well worth a read. It based on a seven year research programm an explores two basic qualities that any good salesperson must have: EMPATHY and EGO DRIVE. Empathy, in this context, is the central ability to feel as other people do to sell them a product or service; a buyer who senses a salesperson's empathy will provide him with valuable feedback, which will in turn facilitate the sale. The second of the two qualities, ego drive, has the personal desire and need to make the sale--not because of the money to be gained but because the salesperson feels he has to.
ReplyDeleteSelling is all about communication. Good salespeople tend to be good communications. Qualities of successful salespeople are - active listening, questioning, non-verbal skills, conversation skills. Thanks.
ReplyDeletesales recruitment melbourne