Help Wanted: Where Are the Next Salespeople Coming From, Part 2
Jason Bader
In Part 1, Jason spoke about his concern for the future of outside sales: ”every client I speak with is searching for new sales talent. The problem we all face is this: sales careers are not in vogue.” He laments a lack of competitiveness among the generation of young people joining the workforce today. “Isn’t sales supposed to be about crushing the competition,” he wrote. Jason also commented on this generation’s lack of communication skills. “Knowing how to actively listen, formulate probing questions, cultivate relationships and show empathy are all necessary arrows in the salesperson’s quiver.” In Part 2, Jason offers two suggestions on where to find these qualities in prospective employees. Also, read the full article and find a special offer from Jason for CEW readers.
Where to find sales-minded individuals
Before I am accused of writing a whining piece, I would like to offer some solutions to this impending crisis:
• college students who are amateur athletes. Several manufacturers I used to be involved with have found reasonable success recruiting these young competitors. Several years ago, a sales manager mentioned that he goes after collegiate athletes when looking to fill a sales job, but he goes one step further. He believed that individual timed competitors, such as swimmers or track athletes, make the best sales candidates. It probably had something to do with being a swimmer at LSU in his college days, but he has a valid point. Those who excel in individual sports have several of the same characteristics as those who excel in selling positions. Introduce yourself to coaches at a local school. There may be some diamonds in the rough.
• veterans recently retired from the armed services. While teamwork is stressed, individual accountability is a core concept in the training. A couple of clients who focus on hiring vets claim that the work ethic, maturity and discipline of service people have been a welcome addition to their team. A few years under the belt don’t hurt either. Once client has announced that he won’t hire anyone under 40 anymore. Don’t overlook those who are looking for the last stop on their career.
Before I leave you, I would be remiss in not suggesting that sales is not for everyone. Some have the right basic temperament, and others will find it extremely challenging to excel in the profession. Do yourself a favour and try to figure this out before you invest a ton of money in training. A client of mine has invested considerable time and money in a testing program designed to draw out the basic characteristics necessary to predict sales success. Based on their work with the analytics group, this client has been able to successfully reduce the number of “wash outs” in their sales organization. Furthermore, they have been able to pinpoint specific weaknesses in individuals and offer specific training designed to overcome the challenge.
If the education systems are not going to produce sales people, employers must take on the responsibility. Fortunately, there are several options out there. Beyond the Carnegies and Toastmasters of the world, several of my cohorts offer training seminars and coaching for the sales profession. Good sales people are not the product of trial by fire methods. Professional development and investment are the best way to take good raw materials and make them great. Good luck. I am always here to help.
Jason Bader is the managing partner of The Distribution Team, a firm that specializes in helping distributors become more profitable through strategic planning and operating efficiencies. The first 20 years of his career were spent working as a distribution executive. Today, he is a regular speaker at industry events and spends much of his time coaching individual distribution companies. For more information, call (503) 282-2333 or contact him by e-mail at Jason@Distributionteam.com. Also visit The Distribution Team’s website at www.thedistributionteam.com.
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