Learn how to hire a sales team that puts more money back in your company’s pocket and grows your business.
You can hire a wonderful sales manager, but that’s nothing without hiring a sales team to back them up. Business leaders definitely keep the structure of the company intact. But great salespeople and teams are what keep them afloat and growing.
As of 2017, a sales position was the #1 priority for growing organizations.
Think of your sales team like the cheerleaders and advocates for your product or service. We all know that the best cheerleaders can work a crowd like magic. So, your sales reps should be no different!
However, navigating talent acquisition is a big process that requires thoughtful planning. And if you know how to vet the best performers effectively, then you’ll know how to grow your business.
Let’s talk about how to hire a sales team- the right way.
When to Hire a Sales Team
Before you go and hire a full team of ten, make sure it’s actually the right moment to onboard that team. The salesperson should be brought on when they can help you grow your business the most. Additionally, they should be hired when your existing team is ready to take on that process and allow time for in-depth training.
Consult Your Growth Plans
A strategic way to determine when to hire a sales team is to consult your yearly plans for growth. Perhaps your company has forecasted the year ahead, and you project you’ll need extra help than usual.
Many businesses use their business strategy to guide sales hiring- or just hiring in general. Sales should always be intertwined with business growth and scalability.
Time for Product Rollouts
Another indicator for sales team expansion is product rollouts. Are you planning on bringing a new product to market this year? If you assign your current sales reps to the new product launch, their time and efforts might be spread too thin.
You never want your existing products to suffer when you could simply expand your team. Also, onboarding a few new faces could be useful if you’re trying to expand into a new market segment.
Test It Out
Even if you’re not sure when to start acquiring new sales talent, sometimes you just have to start somewhere. This applies to forming a new team and building an existing B2B team. The best way to learn is to test, analyze, and try again.
How to Hire a Sales Team Effectively
Hiring a sales team should always be for the long-term and not just a short-term Band-Aid to a problem. Above all else, the hiring process should go beyond simple questions and settling on your choice. It’s ok to turn someone down if they don’t show the right qualities to propel your company toward success.
Use Top Performers as Benchmarks
If you want to hire exceptional salespeople, you must know what creates an exceptional candidate. Do you have an employee assessment process in place?
If not, you should. Employee profiles that track performance and skillset will create a standard that you can track and measure.
Use the data gathered from your top performers and set that as a benchmark for all new hires. The candidate might not reach that benchmark perfectly, but it’s a great way to compare data and ability.
Look for Helpers and Closers
Sales is not a one-step process. You can’t just make a cold call and then move on, focused only on the close. Before the close even happens, the client expects to be informed and educated on all aspects of your product or service.
So, when hiring a sales team, look for talent who consider themselves helpers and teachers. Amazing sales reps will help clients understand your company, establish trust, and build an ongoing rapport to keep them in the loop before, during, and after the close.
Get Your Current Sales Team Involved
You want to get your current team involved in the vetting process. Why? The potential hire will be working with them every day.
It’s important to introduce the team to their potential co-worker so they can get to know their personality type- and vice versa!
Your current team can also shine a light on what traits and skills are needed the most.
Sales Recruiters Chicago Works with Recruiters & Job Seekers
Are you looking for a job in the sales industry in Chicago? Our team can help you find the perfect sales position that aligns with your objective, future goals, and current skill set.
If you are trying to fill a sales-based role within your Chicago company, Sales Recruiters Chicago can also help you hire the perfect candidate. We also have a Dallas location if you live in Texas.
Learn more about us to hire talent or get hired sooner rather than later.
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