Recruiting a sales rep is no easy task. Due to the importance of having a competent staff member or freelancer who can optimize your sales, it would be best to dedicate an appropriate amount of time to the hiring process.
When looking to hire a sales rep, it is also crucial that you think about the exact job description. Asking a new hire simply to “increase sales” is not enough. You need to be clear and explicit while also thinking about how to pay a sales rep commission, amongst many other vital factors.
With that in mind, we list our tips for recruiting sales reps to support you in your quest to add an efficient, influential individual to the team.
Research the Market
To attract the best of the best, you need to research your market for what sales reps should do in your line of work. Doing so can give you a better idea of not only what you want, but who you want. While exploring the market to determine the critical responsibilities for your sales rep role, it may be prudent to look through several sales reps’ CVs.
You know your products or services best at the moment, but to sell them to a broader market, you need an individual who can promote those products and services as a must-have. A sales rep should have the experience, or at least intrinsic potential, to help drive your business.
Think Short and Long Term
To ensure the most skilled talent applies for your vacant job, it can be beneficial to think about the role in the short and long term. The short term will keep a sales rep interested in their position day-to-day, like a good commission structure and an innovative product line or a close-knit team who are supportive and forward-thinking.
The long term is what will keep your sales rep working hard for the foreseeable future, including how the role will develop and how individuals can grow professionally at a firm. That can simply mean having a great brand name to put on their CV, as well as some impressive sales figures.
Structure Commission Appropriately
Setting sales targets for a sales rep to hit is one thing, but you need a well-structured commission rate in place to help motivate them to achieve those targets. That commission structure is something that can materially improve your chances of attracting the best talent to apply for your vacant position.
Paying a commission is so standard in a sales role that what you offer must be competitive. However, that doesn’t mean you have to pay above the market rate (which you should know thanks to your market research). You can provide other benefits to attract talent, but a good commission that is realistic for both you and your new hire is always a plus.
Have a Training Program
You could add to the long-term advantages of working for your business by offering potential sales rep training. It’s a way for employees to improve their skills and sometimes achieve professional accreditation. Those accreditations can go on their CV, making them more hireable in the future. If you offer training to your new hires regarding your product or service, you also improve your sales chances.
Promote Success
The ethos of a company can sway a freelancer or potential staff member to say yes to a position—especially if the base rate salary or commission structure is not as high as a competitor.
People increasingly emphasize enjoying their jobs and working within a supportive environment with minimal stress. Promoting that aspect of your company culture is key to emphasize during the hiring process, particularly if you mention it as a form of benefit.
Pertinent Interview Questions
The interview process is essential to guarantee you hire the right person for the job. It is crucial to remember that interviews are two-way streets. To help get it right on your side, you must ask pertinent interview questions that establish whether the interviewee is a good fit for your firm.
Additionally, a benefit of asking relevant questions is that the interviewee is more likely to rise to the occasion. Not only do you get the best out of them during the interview, but they are also more likely to consider the time spent with you as a positive experience. Again, that can be very helpful in the hiring process as it simply makes them more inclined to say yes to any job offer.
Recruiting Sales Reps
Recruiting a proficient sales rep can make all the difference to a firm—particularly one in its start-up phase. If you are unable or disinclined to take on a permanent staff member, hiring a freelancer is an excellent option as it does not lock either of you into an arrangement. It also allows you to take on more staff when you need it—perhaps if your products are seasonably based and require a dedicated team member when sales are higher.
Whether you take on a staff member or a freelancer, you need to know what skills you need and the type of person you want for your brand. Considering the above tips for your hiring process will start a healthy, long-lasting professional relationship off on the right foot.
