| For many years as a sales manager, I would only hire | | | | personalities have less charisma than a ten, they have |
| the stereotypical sales representative. You know the | | | | a much greater ability to deal with the details of the |
| type--on a human relations continuum or scale of zero | | | | selling process. This helps them to consistently find |
| to ten, with the ten representing a candidate who is | | | | new prospects and to organize their day to get more |
| totally gregarious and outgoing and the zero, someone | | | | done than an eight ro ten personality. Their ability to |
| who is introverted with few people skills, I'd always | | | | produce leads, the effective use of time and their |
| recruit the ten. As an advisor to businesses and | | | | systematic approach to presentations, gives the six |
| professional service firms on how to build an effective | | | | personality a selling edge. Most sales professionals |
| sales team, I would also council my clients to hire | | | | with a ten personallity absolutly loath prospecting, |
| "tens." Big mistake! | | | | paperwork and organizing themselves, so they simply |
| Pareto's principle (the 80/20 Rule) is vividly illustrated in | | | | rely on their personality and charm to achieve their |
| most industries by the fact that 80 percent of the | | | | sales objectives. |
| sales are closed by only 20 percent of the sales | | | | You have to hire smart to develop a sales team that |
| professionals. After 24 years of working with literally | | | | are all "top producers." You don't have to live with an |
| thousands of sales representatives and service | | | | 80/20 rule sales team, if you truly understand the |
| industry professionals as an advisor, trainer and coach, | | | | personality of the sales or service industry |
| I have learned an important truth--that the ten | | | | professionals who make up the 20 percent and then |
| personality is rarely found in the ranks of the top 20 | | | | only hire candidates that fall into this demographic. |
| percent of the sales professionals who produce 80 | | | | However, there's one problem with this suggestion. |
| percent of the sales. For this reason alone, I now hire | | | | You rarely can find a candidate that is in the top 20 |
| candidates that fall about a six on the personality | | | | percent, who is actively looking for new employment. |
| continuum and I council my clients to do the same. | | | | And, a company or firm would be crazy to let their top |
| Why hire a six? Because the six personality makes up | | | | producers leave them. Most employers usually do |
| the vast majority of today's top sales producers. And | | | | everything in their power to retain their best |
| they are successful at selling, simply because they | | | | performers. Your only recourse then is to hire |
| have a six personality. They are a bit reserved and a | | | | someone from the 80 percent grouping with potential |
| lot less outgoing than the ten, but they still have the | | | | to be a top producer. And how to do this must be the |
| people skills to communicate well. They do less talking | | | | topic for another article |
| than a ten and they listen better, giving them a decided | | | | Best wishes for continued sales success. |
| edge in communicating effectively. Although six | | | | |