Thursday, September 18, 1997

Finding the ideal salesperson

By PAUL TULENKO / Scripps Howard News Service

The salesperson you hire to expand your business can either be the star that puts you over the top or the fizzle that puts you in the Dumpster.

Here are some guidelines to locate the star and avoid the fizzle:

-- Achievement:

Ask your potential salesperson: "What's the most exciting thing you've ever done?" The answer you're looking for must contain a large measure of "excitement of achievement." The answer may reference "closing the biggest sale of the year," or it may be "making the highest salary out of 10 salespeople" or something similar.

The key is excitement. If there's no sense of accomplishment, no feeling of "I'm great!" or "Look what I did!" then you're talking with an individual who is not going anywhere and will take you along with them.

To be successful in sales, your applicant must exhibit a very high degree of excitement and be able to tie that excitement to an achievement.

-- Risk-taking:

Your best sales applicant will have had at least one major failure in his or her life; two is better. Look for someone who has met and conquered adversity. If your applicant started a business of their own and failed and they're back in there swinging for the home run once again, you have found a person who doesn't give up, someone who will bounce back to try again and again.

Look for the person who is willing to step outside of their comfort zone and take a risk. With that kind of history, you can be assured that minor (or major) setbacks won't discourage the person from getting up, brushing themselves off and starting all over again. You need that.

-- Motivation:

The best applicant is driven by a sense of achievement (and money, but we'll talk about that later). You are looking for someone who achieves first, then enjoys the money and other perks that come along with that achievement. You want a person that has a burning desire to win the top prize ... to whom second-best is not acceptable.

What you are listening for is a passion for winning, and winning big. Along with that you must listen for the satisfaction of how they spent the rewards for winning, and the telling should be accompanied by a sense of excitement.

For example, your applicant might tell you of winning the company's expenses-paid Florida trip along with the golf, shows and other perks of the win. He or she should be able to pass on that feeling of excitement of accomplishment and the sense of achievement of being a winner.

-- Rewards:

As we said earlier, look for a salesperson who is driven by money as well as achievement; and not promises of money in the future, but money right now! The best salespeople want instant recognition in the form of high commissions for high performance, and a bonus at the end of the month or every other month for outstanding sales.

These are the goals of the high achiever, what he or she is willing to work for. Promises of rewards in the future are fine if large enough (the Florida trip, for example), but the true achiever wants instant money for instant performance.

--Recognition:

Absolutely equal to money is recognition. Look for a salesperson who thrives on recognition of their efforts. Constant recognition for success is imperative if you expect constant success in sales, so search out the person whose ego is way up there. The best salespeople want to see their name up there in lights, to see themselves as the best.

-- Company help:

You need to assure yourself that the salesperson you hire will want you to help them close the major sales. You may actually end up doing most of the selling occasionally, but if you want to build that winning attitude, that sense of achievement and success in your salesperson, you will let them have the glory and the money that comes with it.

-- Personality:

The final thing to look for is a powerful presence. When that potential salesperson comes into your office, they should be the center of focus. The room should look brighter. They should sit on the front edge of the chair, radiating confidence and power. You should have a feeling that this person has the answer you've been looking for, that they can conquer the world -- and while they're doing that, make you a winner.

(Questions may be sent to Paul Tulenko through his Web site (www.tulenko.com) or by mail in care of The Albuquerque Tribune, PO Drawer T, Albuquerque, NM 87103.)