| Seeking the Best Sales Professionals | | | | hour. Since we only do senior to executive level |
| Because I staff sales and marketing professionals for | | | | staffing, we don't place hourly paid sales professionals, |
| a living, this is going to be one list of many in which I will | | | | but we know that one good business account |
| discuss the traits of a good salesperson. | | | | manager can do a lot more business than 10 |
| 1. Hunter Mentality - Our clients come to us because | | | | cold-callers. Good sales people are able to adapt to |
| they want to increase both their client numbers and | | | | the changing landscape of sales and they do it very |
| subsequent revenue. As sales recruiters this is our job | | | | well. |
| and what we do every day. There is a big difference | | | | 6. Intelligence - Top sales representatives, in the opinion |
| between an account manager and a sales | | | | of our recruiters, are able to have meaningful |
| representative. Sales representatives are the ones | | | | conversations with C-level executives and are able to |
| who go out and hunt for business while the account | | | | convey the benefits of their product or service in a |
| managers are the ones who make those clients | | | | clear, well thought out manner. Doing such makes the |
| happy via solid customer service. | | | | buyers feel more confident in their purchase as there |
| 2. Job Stability - Our sales and marketing recruiters like | | | | are intelligent people backing it. |
| to see job applicants who have stayed at their jobs | | | | 7. Honesty - If I had every dollar which has been taken |
| for extended periods of time. Recruiting fees are not | | | | from me by a quasi honest vendor, I'd be a lot more |
| cheap and, if at all avoidable, we try to not have our | | | | well off these days. If a sales person is not honest, |
| clients pay the same fee to fill the same position 2x. | | | | they are not going to get too far in their career and |
| 3. Contacts - Let's face it, these days nobody is going | | | | this is not to mention that they are not going to have |
| to get into a C-level executive via cold-calling a | | | | too many contacts. You can something is wrong in a |
| company with no contacts. Most companies, when | | | | resume where every six months there is a job |
| you call into them, are not even on the continent. This | | | | change. Now, this is not to say these people are |
| does not mean that cold-calling is completely dead, but | | | | dishonest, though they had to do something to not be |
| if you don't have contacts who can introduce you to | | | | able to stay at a job for an extended period of time. |
| people whom you can use to get into a company, | | | | 8. Good Writing Skills - I know somewhere in the bulk |
| you're not going to meet your numbers. A very good | | | | of articles in which we have written there are some |
| salesperson whom I know has an Excel sheet full of | | | | grammatical mistakes. Though, a salesperson should |
| his contacts, keeps track of where they met and the | | | | be able to express his ideas via good writing. This is |
| last time they spoke (including the subject). He currently | | | | especially true if he or she is selling to a very highly |
| has thousands of contacts, and when they call, he | | | | educated bunch. |
| makes them feel as if they are remembered. This is a | | | | 9. Constant Learning - The best sales people keep up |
| great trick by a great salesman. | | | | with industry trends and do the proper research so the |
| 4. Ambition - I know I beat this one to death, but | | | | competition does not get a leg-up on them. |
| without ambition, talent means nothing. | | | | 10. Reliability - The best sales people don't need to be |
| 5. Fresh Ideas - These days, the most creative | | | | told twice. Once they are given a task, they |
| companies win. Often, we get calls from firms who | | | | execute...end of story. |
| want 15 cold-callers whom they want to pay by the | | | | |