Let’s examine these issues:

1. Why are we thinking about adding a salesperson anyway?

• What business/personal issues and challenges are driving this decision?
• Are some of our sales/business goals are coming up short?
• Have we done a thorough analysis to determine why this is?
• Are we experiencing sales force turnover? Do we know why?
• Are we certain that adding a sales person now is the right thing to do – rather than product/process/organizational improvements, new/different marketing efforts, etc.?

If we are confident that we know the answers to these and similar questions, then we should next ask ourselves:

2. What are our expectations for the salesperson? What are our customers’ expectations?

• Do we have clear-cut, measurable goals for the salesperson – if so, based upon what premises?
• What have customers told us they like/dislike about current/previous salespeople?
• Do we really understand the role of a salesperson in our company/our industry?
  (See: http://www.salestraininginc.com/role-salesperson.htm)

Once we’re sure of why we’re bringing on a salesperson and what are our/our customers’ expectations, we should next consider:

3. What is the “profile” of a salesperson who might be successful in our business?

• What kind of experience? Sales/Industry/Geography?
• Are we looking for a “hunter” or a “farmer” – or a combination of both?
• Do we want someone who will be very aggressive – at the risk of customers’ sensibilities?
• Are we looking for someone who will primarily open new accounts and/or service existing clients?
• Do we have an existing profile of successful salespeople in our company that we’d like to replicate?
• Can we “test” for that?
• But, please, not just “Someone with a Rolodex” (sic)

So now we presumably know why we’re adding a salesperson, what our expectations are, and what one should “look like.” Next:

4. Where do we go to find such a person? Where are the BEST places to look? Surprise! Here are the top answers:

Besides these resources, we may, indeed, turn to: search firms, postings, etc. Responses from these should be carefully screened to avoid wasting time and making mistakes. See: http://www.salespartnersinc.com/job-seekers.htm for what their submissions to us might look like.

The above assumes that the person also meets our “profile.” See below.

Note: It can be risky hiring someone from a competitor, ex. how does he/she explain that our offering is “suddenly” better than the previous one?

If we now have several candidates, what’s our selection process?

5. How do we select the “right” candidate?

• A good place to start is our “profile.” If we’re wise, we’ve created a “profile for success” and we’re using a personal analysis “instrument.” Together, these identify the key experiences and traits that we’re looking for. Now, nothing in life is ever guaranteed, but if there’s a total mismatch with these, it should be a real “red flag.”
• Next is the telephone (or in-person, depending upon geography, timing, etc.) interview. It should be conducted in 2-3 parts:
  1) General Qualifications Interview – to gain an impression and to see if we can disqualify this candidate for any reason.
  2) Have the candidates describe how they handle the activities described in “Mini Sales Classes” #’s 3-8 at: http://www.salespartnersinc.com/newsletters.htm
  3) Specific Sales Interviewing Questions – see Interviewing Tools below
• If the candidate is still qualified, it’s advisable to arrange meetings with other members of the company’s team – to see if they think he/she will really fit in and will “play nice in the sandbox.”

We found our “perfect fit.” Now what?

6. How do we ensure that we’ve created the “environment for success?” Clearly, we must provide the tools necessary for this person to do the job as we intended. Therefore, we need to make sure that there is:

• A suitable place to work – even if this person is to be “virtual”, they still need someplace to sit, back there at “the ranch.”
• A Sales Plan (with clear expectations) that complements the Business Plan (as well as the Marketing and Product Plans, if applicable)
• A properly-configured and sized computer, with up-to-date and easy-to-use Customer Relationship Management (or Contact Management) software
  ”Having and using a Contact Management System is the foundation of sales success.” - - Joyce’s Law #9
• Necessary Management and Administrative support

Need to know what Specific Questions to ask (Sales) Candidates?

We can provide you with an interviewing “Tool Kit” comprised of 40 detailed questions and their corresponding analyses that examine: