New hires look for leadership. Their initial results will be potentially meager, so lead by example. Success is what they’ll attract…by the salesperson they become. Teach them accountability and discipline, because lack of discipline in the first 90 days causes disasters.

Here’s a brief checklist for those first 90 days:

• Establish clear STANDARDS of performance
  • Define and review the expected results of the job
• Define & Track Behavior and Activities
  • What get’s measured, what gets done…put it in your CRM
• Require activity/call reports
  • Have them track details of appointments and calls within your CRM
• Review Progress: Coaching & Couseling
  • Ask: “What did you do right?” and “What would you do differently next time?”
• Product Technical Training
  • Use to create confidence, competence and credibility, not necessarily expertise in the beginning.
• Sales Training
  • Prospecting, Skills, Development, System/Reinforcement, Role Playing
• Hands on Training IN THE FIELD

Finally, you need to measure progress every 30 days. Formally review their progress. Discuss learning, improvements, tracking, results, sales pipeline, strategies and next steps.

Now for the difficult part: At each 30 day interval be prepared to make a decision: Go or “No Go” with the new person. Why? You, as a sales manager, are measured for the results of your people. The longer a poor performer is with you…the more difficult it is for most managers to replace them. Expect success…plan for it, hold everyone accountable and the results will come. Start the off correctly: 90 day plans.

“I hold it more important to have the players’ confidence than their affection.” – Vince Lombardi

The post Sales Manager’s Corner: Start Off Right – The First 90 Days appeared first on KASH Development Corp - kashdev.com.

Here are the major problems:

1. Sales leaders start recruiting when someone leaves & there is a vacancy. This creates tremendous pressure to “fill” a territory or market niche. The result…they resort to “SATISFICING” …They “sacrifice” what they want to “satisfy” a need.”
2. The current labor shortages…creates internal panic and this forces hiring managers to “ditch or lower” their selection criteria.
3. They cut corners…they overlook…what they really want…. they rush and have not Identified the actual PROFILE of the position. They don’t develop a profile that states what it takes to succeed in the position…skills, strengths, Sales DNA, length of sales cycle, prospecting skills, qualifying, and closing skills, etc. They just rush and hire a candidate (a warm body) they kind of liked. They choose the “least worst” candidate.
4. Sales leaders hang in too long with a bad hire. WHY? Two reasons: 1. They don’t want to admit the mistake. 2. They don’t want to go through this “Wild West” time consuming & frustrating crazy process again.

What Should They Do INSTEAD- to hire the Best Salespeople?

1. Define your Candidate Profile. What does this position specifically call for to achieve success? What MUST be improved to meet current requirements? It is like creating a “bullseye” for the MUST HAVE’S and SHOULD HAVES’s of the position…that that candidate possess. THIS IS THE MOST CRITICAL STEP IN THE PROCESS!
2. Identify the Recruitment method for the sales position. Will you do it “internally?” If so, will you prepare want ads that fully describe the position? Will you outsource Recruitment to a Recruiting Specialist or Headhunter? Which method will attract a quality pool of candidates?
3. How will you evaluate them? Do you use an objective tool that is predictable? (Click here for a free trial of the #1 Sales Assessment in the world).
4. Are the candidates qualified by telephone interview?
5. Do you meet candidates in person (or virtually) for interviews? Are interviewers trained and know what questions to ask?
6. Making an offer and “Selling the Position” to the finalists
7. On board & integrate the new hire in your culture, processes, and position. Coach & establish metrics, track activities, work through challenges so your new hire achieves the required targets & results

Check out The #1 Sales Candidate Assessment in the World – for free!

Have a specific recruiting challenge? Call us for an initial no charge consultation.

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So, you’re ready to extend an offer to a sales candidate that has passed thru your hiring “gauntlet.” They closely match what is needed in the role that you are filling; you’ve tested them and they are viable and “passed” the assessment. You conducted good, well planned interviews, and the candidate has demonstrated competency. You’ve explained the job, the requirements; the goals & activity required; and what it takes to get hired …and fired (if things don’t work out.) And they understand the position & the commitment needed to be successful.

May be you do a background check and other housekeeping details (driving record, medical, etc.)So you’re almost done—now you want to check references. In fact the candidate may have gladly supplied you with references-WOW- how convenient (who is going to tell you anything you need to know from these “prepared” endorsers?) Let’s take it a step further-call the supplied references and also ask for a couple of former supervisors. Be prepared and ask GOOD questions to get a complete picture of the candidate’s sales aptitude, habits, and past results…and if they are as good as they say they are and… as good as you hope they are!

Here’s a list of questions to help in your reference checking:

Sales Candidate Reference Check List

Candidate __________________________________________________

Date ______________________

Reference name _________________________________________

Phone ________________________

What is your relationship to the candidate? ______________________________________________________________

1. Confirmed employment dates: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

2. Confirmed that the candidate was employed in a sales role: _____Y _____ ____Unknown

3. Candidate was effective finding new opportunities: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

4. Candidate was effective closing business: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

5. Candidate got along well with other employees: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

6. Candidate built quality relationships with clients/customers: _____Y _____N ____Unknown

7. Candidate was a self-starter: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

8. Mgmt. had an effective strategy for holding candidate accountable: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

9. Candidate helped the company grow its business: _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

10. Candidate ramped up to speed in an acceptable time frame: _____Y   _____N     ____Unknown

11. If you were responsible for hiring, would s/he be eligible for rehire? _____Y _____N ____Unknown

12. Would you recommend candidate for a similar position? _____Y _____N     ____Unknown

13. Are there any additional comments you would like to add concerning –the candidate’s employment with your company (OR your experience with the candidate)?

-Provided by Kash Development and OMG

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Here are 3 quick tips to continually improving your organization:

How to really improve hiring: Raise your expectations!

What you do with what you know is critical. Do not settle for a mediocre sales force. It takes time, effort, commitment and a little investment to upgrade. But it is worth it.

Replace your underperformers and gradually improve your business and margins! On your very next hire make it a rule that you will only hire someone who is as good as your best sales person!

Continually Recruit

Recruiting is on-going! What is the worst thing that can happen? You create a “bench” of good candidates or hire one!

Recruiting Bottom Line:

In today’s marketplace, good sales candidates don’t last long. Therefore, you must act quickly. We believe in a two interview process.

We’ll want to learn about:  their work history, previous jobs, what they were responsible for, what they accomplished, what previous supervisors said about their performance, why they left each job, what they believe they are “good” at, what they don’t like or are “not good” at, how were they accountable, what are their career goals, money motivation and a few more “gems.”

If you have had issues in the past, in regards to hiring and recruiting and would like direction, let us teach you the best practices of sales recruiting.

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