When you're recruiting to your sales team, there are five key skills you need to look out for. Find someone with the full set and you're on to a winner.
Sales is fast-paced and often difficult. Whatever it is you're trying to sell, salespeople have to be confident public speakers and people pleasers. If you're recruiting to your sales team, there are five key skills which all top salespeople possess.
Communication. This one goes without saying. The best salespeople know how to read a room, knowing when to talk and when to listen. They don't need to be wordsmiths, but they do need to understand the nuances of tone and emphasis.
Listening. It's as important to listen to the customer's views as it is to express their own. In a lot of ways, listening is more important than talking. By listening, a strong salesperson finds out the customer's needs and what they need to say and do to deliver them.
Adaptability. As I've said, this is a fast-paced field and good salespeople have to think on their feet. If a customer throws a curveball question, they need to be able to handle the situation without missing a beat.
Persuasiveness. The most successful salespeople can figure out exactly what the customer wants to hear. Strong sellers don't need to 'trick' people into buying things. Instead they are experts at putting a positive spin on everything, persuading people to buy in to their enthusiasm.
Resilience. It's important to have a thick skin and be able to take rejection and move on with the same high levels of enthusiasm. If they can't do that, they will never succeed as a top-class salesperson.
If the candidate in front of you has these five skills, they have the potential to be your star salesperson.
Communication
Listening
Adaptability
Persuasiveness
Resilience
