1. Absolute integrity in everything.
2. There is no satisfactory substitute for excellence.
3. Moderation in everything, including moderation.
4. Hire the best people, and then get out of their way.
5. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes; if you’re not making mistakes, you’re probably not doing very much.
6. Acquire new knowledge and always ask “why?”.
7. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
FINDING THE BEST SALES HIRESI t’s a rarity that I meet a CEO/Sales Manager and not hear of their challenges in finding solid sales performers. There are many components that go into finding and landing the superstars, some of which we’ve discussed in previous issues of THE DALY NEWS and in our Sales Management Summits, of which our next is in DC November 2-3. One of the requests I do hear is “What are some suggested questions that can be asked in the interview?” So, here are some possible questions for the interview-with a caution. Be sure you tailor the questions to your business and type of sales position, as well as be diligent at going deeper into the candidate’s responses with good follow-up questions. Here are some good questions to get things underway.
- -When did you first get into sales?
-Why did you choose selling as a career?
-Describe for me your ideal job.
-Describe for me the ideal company to work with.
-What are you most proud of?
-What would your boss say about you?
-Talk to me about your goals and planning processes.
-Explain your selling approach-your selling style.
-Tell me about one of the harder accounts you encountered-and won over.
-Tell me about a prized account you lost.
-Tell me about your top 3 frustrations as a sales professional.
-Describe the environment you need to succeed.
-How much more business could you have booked last year, if things were in good order? What % was on your plate and what % other? On that other plate, what were the things that got in the way? And on yours?
-How many hours does a top producer need to work? Break those hours down for me into specific activities. Where do you struggle or fall short on that list?
-How important is training to you? How much do you do? Tell me what you do?
-If we were to break your prior sales teams down into performance quartiles based on results, which quartile are you in? If not the first, Why not? Regardless, can you provide me a report showing me that?
-Talk to me about your financial aspirations. Let’s discuss compensation in terms of % base and % commission/incentive/bonus. What has been your best year ever in terms of earnings?
-Describe a typical week of work, in terms of office and field time, etc.
-Tell me about a couple life heroes of yours. Why are they special to you? How about heroes in the sales arena, of which you have personal knowledge of? What makes them special to you?
-When do you feel pressure? What do you do to relieve it?
-Tell me about some of your experiences with sales support teams/members. Any winners? Any disappointments? Tell me about both.
-What are your expectations of me, as a Sales Manager? When is “too much” too much?
-When did you know you were good at this “selling thing”? What was the telling thing?
-What question today surprised you the most? Why?
-What interview question are you used to hearing that you didn’t from me?
A gain, my big warning here is to be sure you dig deep into the initial responses that any candidate provides you. Look for patterns in the responses. Be sure to measure up what you find against the profile of a winning sales professional for your company. Don’t try to get it all done in one interview! In fact, the hiring manager should conduct at least 3 interviews to better enable you to get the real person. Having time after the initial interview to think about the answers provided, and prepare good follow-up questions is key. Once each interview is completed, immediately capture and summarize your notes. Don’t let urgencies of the day get in the way of gleaning what you’ve learned from each interview. The process of hiring good people is just that-a process. Don’t rush the process, find the right people and your business and time will be rewarded.
Los Angeles Workshop JUST ADDED!!
Los Angeles-Smart Selling Workshop, Friday, August 25, 2006 at the Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your sales staff spend a day with Jack. These full day, sales based sessions are designed to teach you what you need to know to get to the top of your game. Jack will show your team how to apply street tested techniques that make the difference as well as reinforce and provide accountability to ensure that things are getting done! The day is fast paced, content rich and filled with take-away value. Take the pulse of your business today and make the adjustments that will change your business tomorrow! Additional Workshops:
October 10, 2006-Atlanta, GA. October 26, 2006-Montreal, QB. October 27, 2006-Lancaster, PA. December 12, 2006- Toronto, ON. For additional information visit our website at www.jackdaly.net.
CONTINUOUS SELF DEVELOPMENT
Two books for you this month, one on CUSTOMER SERVICE and the other on the right ATTITUDE.
The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence by Robert Spector and Patrick McCarthy not only shares an insiders look at how Nordstroms consistently delivers such legendary service (which translates to increased sales and lifelong clients), but also provides training activities to bring it to our companies. Here are some gems to chew on:
– Nordstrom has never run an advertisement boasting about its customer service. They’ve never issued a press release about a great act of customer service performed by one of their employees. Everything you’ve heard or read about Nordstrom’s customer service has been through word-of-mouth.
-The qualities that Nordstrom looks for in its employees couldn’t be more basic. First of all, the company wants its salespeople to be nice. In other words, “hire the smile, train the skill.”
-Nordstrom gives its people on the sales floor the freedom to make entrepreneurial decisions, and management backs them on those decisions. That’s called empowerment.
-”The minute you come up with a rule you give an employee a reason to say no to a customer. That’s the reason we hate rules.” James F. Nordstrom
Karen Salmansohn has written Ballsy, a collection of bite-sized winners on how each of us can go out there and produce greater results, in business and life. Witness:
-If you want to reach extreme heights in your career, get over your fear of falling.
-Develop a unique one-to-three sentence tagline that is worded in a convincing and attention-getting manner…and own it as yours and yours alone.
-It doesn’t matter how good your beef tenderloin is. Don’t try to sell it to a vegan store.
-Out of sight=Out of mind= Out of Work!
-Perceived value is value.
-Delegate what you suck at.
-If you cold call at the usual hours you’re more likely to get the usual response. But if you cold call at high-work-ethic hours, you’re more likely to catch the big boss guy with the big boss high work ethic.
-Know thy competition as much as thy customer.
Take any of the two thoughts above and put them to work in your business.
Washington D.C.
Sales Management and Sales Summit
November 2 & 3, 2006
We have had many requests from the East Coast for a Summit on their coast. Well, we have heard you loud and clear and are happy to announce that Jack will offer a second Summit November 2 & 3 in the Washington D.C. area.Please call Jennifer at 888-298-6868 for more information or email her atjennifer@jackdaly.net for a flyer full of details.
Day One, Thursday, November 2, 2006 will focus on Sales Management. The key ingredient to increasing sales is more effective Sales Management. Here’s how Jack captures it: “A Sales Manager’s job is NOT to grow sales, it’s to grow salespeople.” Improve your bottom-line results with profitable sales. This day is specifically designed for CEO’s and Sales Managers.
Day Two, Friday, November 3, 2006 will focus on the art of Sales.We encourage the Sales Management to join us on Day Two along with the members of their Sales teams. Here is where we key in on the actions that will build the individual sales professional into a more effective producer. We’re talking about money-making ideas centered about both new account and existing account development.
INVESTMENT: Prices good until July 31, 2006
Both Days: $1095
Management only: $645
Sales only:$595
Jack Daly Sales Academy
Build Your Way to a Successful 2006
DALLAS,TEXAS
This 3 part Sales Academy, featuring Jack Daly, is coming to Dallas, Texas. You do not want to miss this one of a kind opportunity. Pay for all three, 2-hour sessions today and the total cost is only $199.
Mark these important dates now:
- Wednesday, October 11th,
- Wednesday, November 8th,
- Wednesday, December 6th.
Please email rsapio@mcapalliance.com to reserve your seat and/or to learn about special discounts and sponsorship opportunities. We also have available large group discounts, so you can give passes to your employees, vendors, and clients in Dallas. We hope to see you there.
Session 1 Sample Content:
9-11am: Sales Management
A Winning Culture– this session will help company leaders to design a proactive sales and service culture, with bottom-line effects on performance, and provides innumerable tactics that can make an immediate, positive improvement to a company’s culture. Included here are specific actions in the areas of communication, empowerment and recognition.
Measuring Sales Performance – this session will key on the age old principle of “things that get measured, get done”. Learn the what and how to get this important metric and communication process underway…and how to secure the all important buy-in to make it effective.
12-2pm, 3-5pm, 6-8pm: Sales
Goal Setting, territory planning, time management, selling professionally, getting your head “straight”. Here are the beginning foundations of being more effective in the field of sales. Before knocking on someone’s door and asking for business, the successful sales professional goes about the process with a plan. This session will get such a plan underway, to enable the sales professional to be properly focused, efficient, and increasing their batting averages when calling for business.
OLDIES but GOODIES
For the past 6 years we have historically produced a newsletter from Professional Sales Coach, Inc. With this Daly News newsletter as replacement, we wanted to remind our readers of a feature each month pulled from the archives which continues to be content rich. Professionalism requires life long learning.
Pre-Market Yourself It’s Not Who You Know…It’s Who Knows You!
You Need New “Clients” Every sales person, no matter how successful, should develop at least one new client per quarter. It is essential that we continually upgrade our clientele in order to increase our production. Since we can work with only a limited number of clients, they must be the best available.. Prospects are open to a new salesperson who will help them to be more successful. Despite this fact, most prospects are reluctant to change, and the more successful they are, the more this is true.
I t is not cavalier to say “Find out what someone wants and then deliver.” Doing this is far more effective than pitching your products in the hope that your prospect will respond. Top-producing prospects are too sophisticated for this selling style. Before “The Meeting” with your target list organized, you are ready to set up an approach campaign. The key to a successful approach lies in creating a favorable image BEFORE calling for an appointment.
Today’s prospects are too busy or cynical to respond to cold calls. We want to build an image which will cause the prospect to be willing, if not eager, to see us. Building a relationship starts by overcoming their indifference toward you even before your first meeting together. You shouldn’t call on a probable prospect unless you have “pre-marketed” yourself. A good approach campaign, in which you pre-market yourself, changes the acceptance rating considerably. The greater the positive image, the greater the success.
A pre-approach marketing campaign consists of mailing helpful information to your prospect about every four working days for up to six weeks before making an appointment. Systematically delivering useful business development ideas encourages your prospect to perceive you as a potential business associate, and thus someone who is worth seeing. These mailings do not need to be fancy or professionally prepared, but they should be legible, informative and confined to one page. Attach your card with a handwritten note. Send at least five mailings over a month, followed by a personal pre-approach letter with your resume or bio attached. If you have a testimonial letter from someone whom your prospect respects, mail that. Then call for an appointment. He or she will be excited about meeting you.
Every business source is looking for business relationships that are more beneficial to them. Every prospect is looking for the ideal professional sales partner. This is hard to believe when we find Doberman Pinschers guarding the doors of our prospects, but it is true! No matter how committed customers say they are to another supplier, you can win them over with your professionalism. Our job as professionals is to help our clients make more money. A continuing research effort should focus on what very successful clients are doing. Then share those concepts with others.
If any article in this newsletter would be of interest to your co-workers, customers or clients we would
appreciate having you forward it along. Thank you!
