How to Hire a Good Salesperson

Hiring the right salesperson is vital to growing your business, bringing in more customers, and ultimately earning enough money to keep your employees in a job. But what makes a great salesperson, and more importantly, what steps can you take to ensure you hire the best salesperson around?  

In this article, we’ll look into the top qualities of a salesperson, what skills to look out for and how to interview a salesperson who will take your company to new heights.

What are the top qualities of a good salesperson?

High levels of motivation

A person without intrinsic motivation won’t go very far in sales. Even the best salespeople deal with rejection every day. But it’s their internal motivation that keeps them focused and performing at their best.  

Money, of course, is a big motivator in sales. The more clients they win, the bigger their paycheck will be. But money is only half of the story. A good salesperson also gets highly motivated by the opportunity to train others, by meeting and forming relationships with new clients and by having the flexibility to apply their individual strengths and strategies to their role.  

A positive attitude

The science of positive psychology has proven that the right attitude can improve most aspects of our lives, especially in the workplace. So it’s no surprise that happy and positive workers are at least 13% more productive than their negative counterparts. Plus, people find positivity attractive, which helps win new clients, motivates entire teams and gives your brand the right image. 

Great listening skills

 “Sell me this pen” is an old sales interview question asked by a hiring manager to get a sense of a potential new employee. A common mistake many people make is instantly listing the benefits of the pen and telling someone why they absolutely need it. 

But a good salesperson will ask if their potential client’s current pens enhance their performance, how they might benefit from using the new pen, and even if they are in the market for a set of new pens at all. A good salesperson will consider whether they can offer a potential customer the best service by understanding what they need to be more efficient and successful.  

An ability to build a solid work routine 

It’s easy to stay focused on stimulating tasks like closing a deal. But when it comes to sales and most jobs, for that matter, people get ahead by building a solid routine and sticking with it. The average B2B salesperson makes about 35 calls a day, and 82% of buyers accept meetings when salespeople reach out to them. So, when an employee does not deviate from their routine of reaching out to potential clients, they increase their chances of winning new business and earning you more money.   

Excellent knowledge of your company and offering  

Convincing a high-level decision-maker who is responsible for company money to buy your product is no easy task. If they invest in a dud, their reputation takes a hit. So an excellent salesperson must know how to answer some challenging questions.

Before a salesperson writes their first pitch or makes their first phone call, they should know your company website backwards and forwards, go through your white paper with a fine tooth comb, check out financial predictions and even read up on press releases and news coverage. At some point, a salesperson will be asked some surprising questions… “Ummm, I don’t know,” is not a convincing answer. 

How hiring salespeople is different from recruiting for other roles

Hiring a salesperson is different from recruiting for other roles because you’re ultimately looking for a perfect mix of personality and ability. Ironically, good salespeople are excellent at selling themselves, even if they are not necessarily the best fit for your company, which can make the recruitment process more of a challenge. But, with Clevry’s Sales Report, you can more easily find the right salesperson to fit your company.   

Find your perfect salesperson with Clevry 

The Clevry Sales Report has been specifically designed to help recruiters easily find and hire people with the most sales potential and the perfect personality for their team. Over 30 years of research has shown us that the ideal salesperson has a common set of skills, including: