Where do you find a good sales person? Three options
Good sales people are hard to find
One of the most frequent requests from my readers is if I know of a good sales person looking for a job. And I am inundated with stories about companies that hired a sales rep with a supposedly good order book who didn’t work out.
However, in my experience, many of the best sales people are not necessarily from within the printing industry. Here are three ideas for recruiting sales people:
Hire relationship builders
One of the most successful print sales people I have heard of used to be a journalist. They were great at finding out more about a situation and that made them excellent at sales. They persuaded prospects to open up to them.
Hire school or college leavers
Young, enthusiastic people can be guided. They are often pleased to be given an opportunity to prove themselves, are quick learners and have the communication skills to relate to younger buyers.
Make your entire staff sales people
You may be surprised at the networks that some people have. The warehouse despatcher may well know someone who could be your ideal customer. Let your staff know that you are looking for new business. Tell them if you are looking for a certain type of customer. Better still, incentivise them!
Don’t sales people need to know about print
Sales people who know too much about print can put buyers off. Someone who is too technical can often confuse a customer. They just want someone to run with their idea and make it work in the most effective way.
Where will your next sales person come from?
Maybe it is best to avoid the traditional sales rep who isn’t pulling in the business like they used to.
