So, your business is growing and it’s time for you to have someone else to wear a few of those many hats you’ve been wearing……..yes it’s time to hire your first sales person. But the question is how and where do you find a good one? After all, as a small-business owner, you can’t risk putting a dent in your reputation with a poor salesperson on the frontline.
Who you choose to bring on board to fill this role is such an incredibly important decision and I strongly suggest you start where you shop. Start paying attention to the good salespeople you encounter when you’re the customer. What is it they’re doing that makes you want to do buy from them, makes you feel like a valued customer or leaves you with the feeling that you have a had a positive experience and would buy from them again? Learning to recognize good salespeople will help you when it comes to making the right appointment for your own business.
How Soon Is Too Soon?
How far in advance should recruit your first salesperson? That’s determined by the complexity of your service or product. If it will require a significant amount of product training, it’s probably wiser to hire early – maybe 3 months in advance. Hiring sooner rather than later gives your new salesperson (Executive/Manager or whatever title you chose) the chance to familiarise themselves with the market, gauge interest, and build relationships with new and existing customers.
Sell The Product Yourself Before Hiring
I wouldn’t hire a sales person if you have not sold your product or service yourself. If you don’t feel like you fully understand the product and its market how can you expect somebody else to? It’s tempting to want to hire someone to figure it all out for you, but you should be wary of this approach. Sales people can’t tell you how to improve your product so that it’s sellable, they can only sell a product that is ready to be sold. You should know the pitch first so that you can tell them how to do it. After all, this initial training will form the basis of how your business sells as the company grows (plus it will be impossible for you to evaluate the new person if you haven’t done it yourself).
Finding The Perfect Fit
Your first salesperson will set the tone for the rest of your sales structure as your business grows. That’s why it’s important to hire thoughtfully and carefully. Be ready to ask the candidates questions that will give you the answers you’re seeking. If you don’t get the right answers, you don’t have the right candidate.
Here are a few characteristics and skills you should look for when searching for your first salesperson:
- Industry experience: In addition to solid selling experience, the successful candidate should also have experience working in your specific market.
- Startup experience: Working in a startup is very different from working at an established company. You should be looking for somebody who is used to the chaos and the fast pace that inevitably come with an SME.
- Self-reliance: Sales people selling at large companies are likely to have had a wealth of resources at their fingertips – insight, marketing material, trainers, coaches……the list goes on. A salesperson in your business may not have these luxuries and needs to feel comfortable wearing multiple hats and getting things done on their own.
- Ability to scale business: Does the candidate have a track record of growing business for a specific product or service? You will need to ensure that they have proven experience during the interview process.
- Familiarity with buyers: Look for someone who has sold to your target buyer in the past, not necessarily your clients but in terms of industry and company size.
- Culture fit: As an SME it’s vital to get the right cultural fit. If this person doesn’t gel with the company culture, it’s going to make working together more uncomfortable so make sure that they are the right ‘fit’ for your business.
Hire Someone Who Can Fill Your Current Needs
If you’re selling a £500 a month product, hire a sales person who loves selling in small increments. Don’t hire someone who loves big negotiations as in time this is likely to become an issue for them.
Get A Second Opinion
In addition to your own interviews, ask somebody else that you know who has experience of hiring sales people to meet with the candidates. Consider your business contacts, you could ask your business investors or somebody you know who has already hired and built up their own sales team from scratch.
Spread The Word
Don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth. There is still a lot to be said for finding good people (not only within Sales) through word-of-mouth recommendations. After all, people are unlikely to recommend friends/colleagues unless they truly feel that they are capable of performing the job at hand. Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a strong salesperson, including your Clients. If they’re fans of your product, one of them might even be interested in coming on board (although always be wary of non-compete clauses in people’s contracts as these are very common in the Sales world).
You’ll Never Feel “Ready”
It’s like starting a family; you will never feel ready to hire your first sales person, particularly if you don’t have a Sales background. The whole situation can feel incredibly daunting. Don’t fall victim to the “chicken or egg” mentality of “I know that if these activities and tasks are executed, I’ll be able to reach my target revenue and growth levels. But I can’t execute those activities without a sales person in place, and that’s going to cost me….”. At a certain point, you have to treat hiring as an investment. You’re unlikely to see any ROI for a few months after you have recruited your first salesperson but waiting is likely to hurt your business more.
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Photo Credit: Neil by Mat Simpson
