I was driving with the radio on when the Shania Twain song from the 90’s, Don’t Impress Me Much, began to play. I hadn’t heard that song in at least a decade and as I listened to the words, I was reminded that Shania is not impressed with:
- Rocket Scientists
- Brad Pitt
- Guys Who Kiss Their Expensive Shiny Cars
- Elvis
Most women would probably be impressed with that group of men but Shania is much more discerning. She wants a guy who will keep her warm in the middle of the night.
Sales Leaders who want to hire stronger salespeople could learn a lot from Shania Twain.
Most Sales Leader seek out sales candidates with experience in their industry and a dressed-up resume to highlight that experience.
That Don’t Impress Me Much!
Industry experience is irrelevant unless there is a guarantee that the new salesperson’s book of business is coming along too. If that’s the case, and it usually isn’t, it truly doesn’t matter if the salesperson is strong. Customers moving in a caravan to a new company happen so rarely, that even when promised, it’s not something you should factor in your sales hiring decisions.
What’s more important than industry experience? Sales excellence.
The average score from the 2.5 million salespeople who have been assessed across 21 Sales Core Competencies by Objective Management Group (OMG) is only 57 (out of 100) and the percentage of salespeople that are considered strong is just 9%!
Who would you prefer to hire: A salesperson with industry experience, but only average or worse selling capabilities, or the salesperson without experience in your industry who has exceptional selling capabilities? You could look for the salesperson who has both but you will be looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack.
Most sales leaders don’t believe the salesperson with industry experience needs to be exceptional but I don’t understand that thinking. If that salesperson is prohibited from bringing his existing customers to your company for two years, or the more likely scenario where his customers don’t want to move to your company, then your new salesperson must find and close new customers. That’s a “start from scratch” hunting job and average to worse selling capabilities just won’t help a new salesperson get that hunting job accomplished! Is it any wonder why so many new salespeople fail to meet or exceed quota?
If you agree with the premise, then you will understand why I believe the entire sales-specific recruiting process must change. Instead of seeking industry experience, a degree, and related characteristics, sales leaders must vet for the ability to succeed at selling to your specific target company, the specific audience by title, at your price point, and against your competition. That takes the entire sourcing, screening, vetting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and on-boarding process and turns it upside down. Different tools. Different process. Different sourcing. Different questions. Different answers. Different results.
You don’t have to accept that only 25% of your salespeople will hit quota.
You don’t have to accept that most of your new salespeople will fail.
You don’t have to accept any of what you have accepted in the past.
You must only accept that you need to change how you’ve hired salespeople in the past and you will drastically change your sales hiring and performance results.
On May 6, at 3pm ET, I am hosting a 30-minute walkthrough for CEOs on What Your Expectations of a Sales Leader Should Be. Learn More/Register
Reach out if you want some help.
Request sample of OMG Sales Candidate Assessment.
Request my legendary White Paper on The Science of Salesperson Selection.
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