What Characteristics Should I Be Looking For In Effective Salespeople?

Are you a small business owner hiring your first salesperson? A sales manager looking to add more staff to your existing sales department? Whatever the case may be, there are some key things you need to look for when recruiting and hiring salespeople. 

We’re experts in B2B sales – and there are five character key traits we look for whenever we’re growing our team. Throughout this blog we’ll give you the inside scoop on what you should be looking for when it’s time to add more sales members to your team.

1. Stellar Communication Skills

This may come as no surprise. A salesperson’s entire job is to communicate – to speak with leads and customers, express the benefits of your products and services, and be convincing enough to schedule a Zoom call, meeting, product demo, on-site visits, and so on.

You want to hire people who can express themselves clearly and speak with confidence in person, on the phone, and in video calls, too. And in today’s digital age, it’s also important that they can write clearly. They must be able to use accurate grammar and pronunciation, and communicate in a way that fits into your corporate/brand guidelines.

When recruiting a salesperson, take notes about how they express themselves during interviews and when communicating via email and SMS. How fast do they respond to emails? Are they confident when speaking? Can they understand and quickly respond to complex questions? If you’re interviewing someone who’s a strong communicator, chances are they’ll make a great salesperson.

2. Superior Time Management And Organizational Skills

In our book, this is the second most important trait for a highly effective salesperson. Working in sales is a constant juggling act. During any given day, sales could involve dozens of different tasks like:

• Cold-calling

• Writing emails or newsletters

• Setting up and attending online appointments 

• Entering customer info into CRMs

• Tracking customer/sales data

• Meeting with customers in person

• Hosting webinars or presentations

• Post-sales follow ups

• Collaborating with marketing teams

• Building prospecting list

• Conducting market/customer research

• Planning for conferences and trade shows

The list could go on and on. You need salespeople who are able to handle these tasks with ease, stay organized, meet deadlines, attend meetings on time, and generally stay organized. 

Asking potential recruits about their typical workday, project management apps they’ve used, and their personal approach to time management and organization is a good way to learn more about their skills.

3. Determination To Overcome Challenges

Leads don’t always want to talk. Sales fall through for no apparent reason. A salesperson may just barely miss a commission or bonus. When these things happen, you need employees who thrive – instead of folding in on themselves.

When recruiting, identify applicants who have shown the ability to thrive in goal-oriented environments and challenging circumstances. Whether they’ve got sales experience or not, asking a potential hire about the biggest challenges they’ve overcome at work is a good way to get a feel for how they respond to adversity. 

4. Dedicated To Honesty And Integrity

To run a great sales department, you need salespeople who are willing to be honest and open with prospects, leads, and customers. You definitely don’t need employees who are willing to mislead leads about pricing, lie about special offers, or use any “bait and switch” tactics to convert sales.

Dishonest salespeople will end up burning bridges for your company, damaging your reputation, and could even land you in legal trouble. So when recruiting, look for candidates who are willing to admit mistakes and who are willing to always tell the truth – even if it means missing out on a sale or commission.

5. Team Player And Excellent Collaborator

When building a sales team, you want to hire people who are willing and able to go the extra mile, work with a team, and collaborate as they work toward your organizational goals. This means working with other salespeople – as well as collaborating with other departments like marketing and customer service.

When recruiting and interviewing applicants, look for salespeople who have worked in a team-focused environment. Ask them about their experiences working with their sales team, as well as any experiences they may have with cross-departmental collaboration.

Need B2B Sales Support? Work With Our Highly-Effective Inside Sales Team!

Worried that you’ll hire the wrong salesperson? Not sure if you’re ready to start your own in-house sales department? Unsure about your budget? Incept Grows may be just the solution you need. We offer a full suite of B2B inside sales services to small businesses of all sizes and in just about every industry.

Our vetted, experienced, and highly skilled sales team is always here to help your business grow. But don’t just take our word for it. Learn more about our services by scheduling a no-commitment meeting. You can call us at 330-994-1349 or schedule your appointment online.