By Clare McNeeley

Finding a great salesperson is not an easy task today. Some people maintain great salespersons are born, not developed. The truth may lie somewhere in between. So how do you go about recruiting and hiring that one in a million salesperson?

Here are a few quick ideas to help you on your way.

Connecting with your customers is a critical piece of the puzzle.

You want to hire someone who can genuinely connect with your customers. People buy from people they like, respect, and trust to solve their pain points. A candidate may have an impressive sales background, but that doesn’t guarantee that they will be the perfect fit for your business.

Craft an engaging job description!

If you want to attract a plentiful amount of qualified salespeople for the job, you need to craft a positive, exciting and engaging job description. Make your ad stand apart from all others. Don’t forget to include all of the benefits and perks.

Don’t skimp on the job advertising.

If you want to attract a lot of good candidates, you need to reach them. You need to know where to find those people that you want. We suggest Facebook jobs with boosting, recruiting websites such as Indeed, Linked In, your local paper (if it’s a local position) classified, especially the online version, tv/radio job boards, job fairs, specialty sites for your industry and more. Make sure you have an employment tab on your website and post the job there as well.

Create an interview system that will give you the answers you want.

Make it easy for the potential candidates to get their information to you. Then separate the qualified candidates on paper from all other applicants. If a resume is a “jump ball,” – take the meeting. Also, make sure you have questions in place that will give you a deep understanding of your candidates – their experience, strengths and potential weaknesses.

Make sure the finalists are a true fit for your customers and your organization. Then do extensive reference checks, and don’t delegate those checks. Do them yourself.

Be aware of your competition.

The top interviewees have probably applied for other positions if they are actively searching for a new career. They will take the offer they deem the best fit for them, so be willing to be flexible and make some adjustments if it will get you your dream hire!

If you need assistance on sales compensation packages, sales planning or sales training, contact us at tlcmarketingconsultants.com.