| LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY... The success or failure of | | | | or herself in a situation similar to one they will face on |
| your sales team can make or break an organization. | | | | the job, e.g. approaching a prospect. |
| That places an even greater emphasis on hiring high | | | | • Forget your instincts during the |
| quality sales professionals. Yet that's a skill very few | | | | interview - Do not go by "gut" feelings or instincts |
| managers, executives and even fellow sales | | | | during the interview process. Go by what you hear |
| professionals possess. With his sales coaching | | | | and see. You're not only looking for the qualities you |
| franchise, Dr. Keith Winfree, founder of Winfree | | | | wrote down earlier, but also potential weaknesses that |
| Business Growth Advisors, covers some basic steps | | | | might impact their selling skills. |
| hiring managers can follow to make better selections | | | | • Make your sales staff part of |
| with sales hires. | | | | your recruiting efforts - offer generous incentives to |
| "A bad hire can cost nearly $27,000 in initial hiring | | | | your employees for referrals who become part of |
| expenses and just a few months of a modest salary | | | | your sales force for six months or more. |
| commission ($4000 per month) and benefits. That's not | | | | "Probably the biggest reason for bad hires comes |
| including the costs you can't measure like the damage | | | | from hiring out of need," said Winfree. "While it's |
| a mediocre or bad hire can do to your firm's reputation | | | | important to replace staff that leaves your company, |
| with existing clients or prospective ones," said Winfree. | | | | you never want to hire out of necessity because you'll |
| "Making a good hire, like anything else, means putting | | | | literally pay for it in the long run. By only filling openings |
| systems in place to make that happen." | | | | with people who meet your standards, you're raising |
| Some of the processes Winfree recommends: | | | | the bar for your company and keeping it there for the |
| • Identifying your ideal sales rep - | | | | people currently on your sales staff." |
| write down all the qualities and characteristics you're | | | | In addition to coaching advice on how to recruit and |
| looking for and set up benchmarks. Look to either the | | | | hire sales people, Winfree Business Growth Advisors |
| best sales reps in your industry or the best one in your | | | | sales coaching franchises offer: sales training, sales |
| company as a model. Make sure you include those | | | | management training, sales coaching, business |
| qualities and characteristics in any classified ads or job | | | | development coaching, owner coaching, seminars, |
| descriptions you post. | | | | advice to owners on growth issues for their |
| • Tailor your interview process for | | | | businesses and exit strategies and succession planning |
| the sales rep -Most people interviewing for a sales | | | | for their companies. Yet it's Winfree's five-phase, |
| position can dance around typical interview questions. | | | | 12-element Black Belt System-with Results |
| Set up a portion of your interview process for | | | | Guaranteed!Â(R)--that converts Winfree clients |
| role-playing to see how a candidate conducts himself | | | | into advocates and franchise owners. |