In today’s fast-paced business environment, top-notch sales professionals are being inundated with emails and calls from recruiters. We respond to most of these emails with one click: “delete.” While answering machines have become the enemy of all recruiters, more companies are competing for all-star sales talent than ever before. And they are all asking the same question – “How can we get these top notch sales people to work for us?"
Here are some key tips to consider when you’re looking to hire top sales pros:
1. Sales pros respect sales pros. Somewhere along the way to becoming a master seller, we started respecting sales tactics. It might have been in one of the many sales training sessions we’ve gone through, or maybe when we started to see great results from the application of those sales tactics. Either way, we appreciate when someone uses a tactic that we have studied. Think of an artist who appreciates a painting done by one of their peers using a familiar technique. If you plan on recruiting top sales talent, do yourself a favor and read a sales book or two. Understand how these professionals work, how they think and how they want to be recruited.
2. We do our homework, so do yours. Besides calls, sales professionals spend a majority of their day doing research. We have to know about the people and businesses that we sell to. If you aren’t taking the time to learn about us and our experiences before hitting “send” on a message, you probably shouldn’t reach out in the first place. We live in the most technologically advanced society to date. Take advantage of that fact and do your homework. Spending 10 minutes researching to fill a hard-to-fill position pays off when it results in a killer salesperson.
3. A little rapport goes a long way. Have you ever walked into a car lot or show room and been hounded by a sales representative trying to close their next deal? As salespeople, we’ve been there, too – and trust me, no one likes it. Don’t be a pesky sales recruiter trying to close your next deal; we can spot your tactics a mile away. Take time to actually get to know us. Make the conversation fun by talking about hobbies or future plans. Don’t waste our time chatting us up, a little rapport will go a long way.
Did you know that 68% of sales professionals will be looking for a job in the next year? To recruit the best, be aware of what these sales professionals need and what motivates them. Sixty-two percent would likely accept less work at a company selling a compelling product or service and 71% would take less to join an organization with a great culture.
Learn the best ways to use transparency, social media outreach and online job sites when promoting your available sales positions. Learn which influencers you need on your side to recruit sales professionals successfully, and note the key differences between male and female sales professionals’ compensation and healthcare preferences. Download our How to Recruit Sales Professionals guide now and gain strategic insights into recruiting these hard-to-fill positions.
