Recruitment Strategies For Sales Leaders (Part I)

It's not (or exactly is) what you think.

I have interviewed a lot of sales people. Finding top talent is a challenge that all sales organisations face. I developed a process and now consult with organisations on how to 'recruit' top sales talent more effectively.

Let me explain. Recruiting top talent or any talent takes time; and as a busy person I want to be able to find, attract, onboard and retain the right people. But that’s obvious – and I am sure it’s the same for you.

So here are some tips to make your recruitment efforts more effective and successful (and time saving!)

1. Create a culture in your sales organisation that is so attractive people never want to leave.
2. Grow and develop your people so well that they know that leaving your organisation will be a step backwards in their sales career.
3. Equip your sales staff so brilliantly that they deliver results and succeed.
4. Be an inspirational person to your staff.
5. Genuinely care about their success and their lives – be there for them.
6. Constantly build your people up.

That’s not a bad start.

Now, you are probably thinking what this has to do with recruiting… this is about retention. Let me be clear: Retention is your best recruitment strategy.

You don’t want people to leave. You also don’t want stale people to stay.

Recruiting takes time, it’s costly, it’s risky – minimise it. But if you are going to keep your talent, make sure they become top talent under your leadership.

I have hired people that on the surface did not look like top talent – but I knew they had the spark to become top talent. Fortunately, I created the right environment for them to thrive in a tough sales industry.

I don’t want to have to constantly interview to find the next hire – neither do you! So get world class at attracting, retaining and developing your people so that they are so good that they deliver, and that you are so good that they never want to leave.
Be that good!

Here are four strategies you must master:

1. Exceptional interviewing technique – you are “selling” as well as “buying”.
2. Industry leading sales onboard training – blow their minds in the first three days!
3. Get them successful fast.
4. Create a team that they don’t want to leave.

More on recruiting to follow. Check out Part 2 and Part 3 of the series.

Happy closing!
 
Reposted with permission.