How do you make sure you recruit the best sales people?

Friends who are passionate about sales,

We present to you the Newsletter Sales Acceleration - for B2B sales professionals.

This first episode is a big hit. On the agenda: gray matter, but also resources to download (e.g.: Akimbo Sales Scorecard).

Sales Acceleration, it is theMore advanced alter ego of our newsletter Sales Education.

Hiring excellent Sales is essential for the development of your business, whether you are a young manager or an experienced manager.

On sale more than elsewhere, talent is king. Hence the choice of this theme of recruitment for part #1 of Sales Acceleration. The next episodes will deal with different topics.

In addition, we have collected statistics on Sales & Business Development jobs in 2023, to help you make informed decisions.

So the shortage of salespeople shows no sign of slowing down. According to the annual study on executive recruitment and compensation of Robert Walters, the number of job opportunities increased by 32% in 2022.

The monthly tech employment barometer by Numeum (Syndicate of the digital ecosystem in France) indicates an increase in 8% of the number of jobs in Tech since the start of the year.

So, how do you make sure you recruit the Best Sales ? Together we are going to cover:

⚡️ The criteria for a good salesperson;

⚡️ The right recruitment methodology;

⚡️ The strategy and tools of Sourcing in recruitment;

⚡️ Excellent Sales according to our Akimbo team.

Explore this Sales Acceleration issue #1 and take it to the next level thanks to all the shared know-how.

The criteria for a good salesperson

To excel, a salesperson must meet specific criteria. Let's look at these criteria and their statistics:

Results-oriented profile

The importance of a profile” results-oriented ” is key. More than for other professions, Only the results count for a salesperson. Between two salespeople, one can work 12 hours a day and get poor results, the other 2X less and reach his goals. This is often what differentiates junior profiles who need support from more experienced profiles. But for us, it is the main criterion for success: to think every second of results of its actions, do not lock yourself up in actions that do not create value.

The program Performance allows ambitious sales teams to be even more oriented upshot, thanks to animation and commercial coaching.

Our support has a measurable and lasting impact on your performance, and your team, regardless of size.

Understanding Customer Needs

Understanding the specific needs of the customer is another key factor in the tech sector. According to TechRepublic (2020), 15% of decision makers consider that understanding the needs of the customer is crucial when choosing a supplier. A good salesperson must be able to identify the customer's needs and offer adapted solutions.

Negotiation Skills

The ability to negotiate successfully is an important criterion for a salesperson. According to an analysis of Statista in 2021, The majority of tech companies are looking for salespeople with solid negotiation skills. These skills are crucial for concluding beneficial agreements and for maximizing sales opportunities.

Communication Skills

Communication skills are also essential. A survey conducted by LinkedIn in 2021 shows that 25% of professionals in the sector believe that communication skills are crucial to succeed as a salesperson. One clear communication and effective is needed to build strong relationships with customers and partners.

Let's look at these qualities and their stats in the tech market:

Adaptability

Adaptability is particularly important in fast-changing sectors. According to data from Dice Insights of 2021, the profiles of salespeople capable of adapt quickly to technological changes are highly sought after. New technologies are emerging rapidly, and a salesperson must be able to stay up to date and adapt to market changes.

Product Knowledge

In-depth product knowledge remains a fundamental criterion for a salesperson. According to a Gartner study published in 2022, 32% of buyers from the Tech sector believe that in-depth product knowledge is the most important criterion for a salesperson. This competence allows the salesperson to provide accurate information to customers and to respond effectively to their needs.

In the current economic climate and using these criteria, you need to attract more than ever best salespeople available on the market. Our offer talent makes it possible to recruit profiles with proven skills and results.

Now that we've reviewed the essential criteria to assess for your future salespeople, let's look at the methodology.

The right recruitment methodology

The first sales know-how of a salesperson is to convince an interlocutor. So salespeople are often very good at interviews. They adapt according to their interlocutor. During the interview, take them out of their comfort zone.

Ask questions to assess their performance. Ask them various questions to get to know them better:

⚡️ “What was your percentage of achievement of goals in the last company you worked for? ”

⚡️ “What are your qualities and areas for improvement? I'm going to call your former manager, will he say the same thing, and if not what will his response be? ”

⚡️ “Tell me about a deal that didn't go well, and how you tried to resolve the situation, etc.”

Sales are the lifeblood of any business, and the impact of a great salesperson on growth and profitability cannot be underestimated.

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“How do you recruit the rare pearl that will boost your sales and your business? ”

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Identify critical skills

‍Before starting the recruitment process, define in the first place the skills and qualities required for the Sales position in your company. This includes understanding the product or service, excellent communication skills, the ability to build strong relationships, and of course, persistence in prospecting.

Develop a perfect job description‍

A job description that Stands out is essential for attracting quality candidates. Include information about the business, role, responsibilities, performance expectations, competencies required, and benefits offered. This will help filter out candidates who best fit your needs.

Use your professional networks‍

Don't underestimate the power of your network. Let it be known that you are looking for talented Sales and ask for recommendations. People you know can connect you with candidates you can trust.

Conduct in-depth interviews‍

During interviews, focus on sales skills, market understanding, problem solving, and the ability to adapt to changing customer needs. Put down behavioral questions to assess the management of difficult situations in the past.

Test their skills in real life

It is imperative to test candidates In situation, for example, by asking them to give a sales presentation or by simulating calls with fake customers. This will help you assess their skills in a practical way.

Check their references‍

Don't forget to check the referrals candidates to get a perspective on their past experience and performance.

Evaluate company culture‍

Make sure the candidate also fits your company culture. Beware of Lone wolves : efficient, but toxic as a team.

Offer continuing education‍

Once you've hired a great Sales person, be sure to provide them with ongoing training to stay up to date on products and sales best practices. Internally with a career plan, as with service providers.

If you are having difficulty recruiting your future salesperson, know that +250 customers called on Akimbo to accelerate their business development through coaching, recruitment, consulting or outsourcing.

Now let's talk about the importance of sourcing in recruitment, and the statistical data that characterize the French market.

Sourcing strategy and tools

Sourcing is a key step in a recruitment strategy.

Here is an overview of the French market and best practices in Sourcing of salespeople, accompanied by some statistics:

⚡️ The main recruitment challenge :

• Finding qualified candidates: 62%
• Reducing recruitment time: 45%
• Increase retention: 38%

⚡️ Growth of the sector :

• The French sales and commercial market is constantly evolving. According to the data in the report”Job market in France“published in 2021, the sales and commercial sector recorded a growth of 3.5% per year on average over the last five years.

⚡️ Talent demand :

• Demand for professional salespeople remains strong in France, especially in the technology, finance, health and industrial sectors. According to INSEE, the number of jobs in these sectors increased by 8% in 2020.

⚡️ Increased competition :

• Competition for top sales talent is intensifying. According to a study by the Cegos Observatory, 63% of French businesses say they have difficulty recruiting qualified salespeople.

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🧐 “But what is the most effective sourcing strategy? ”

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Our team has been looking for the right answer for you:

Define an ideal profile : Start by clearly identifying the skills and qualities you are looking for in a sales or sales professional. This will help you focus your recruiting efforts effectively. You have to think” Scorecard ” (example to be downloaded below).

Create multi-channel sourcing: job sites, internal referral policy with bonuses, recruitment agencies (who ideally only work on performance - like Akimbo), social networks such as LinkedIn via ads, but also through proactive hunting, etc.

The most effective recruitment sources in 2023

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🧐 “What are the sourcing tools in recruitment? ”

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ARTS (Applicant Tracking System) : ATS is software that facilitates the management of applications and the follow-up of candidates. They save time and optimize the selection process.

Talent database : Build a database of potential candidates for sales positions. This includes former candidates, candidates who have applied previously, and candidates recommended by current employees.

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Skills assessment : Use skills assessment tools to objectively assess the skills of sales candidates. This ensures that you are selecting the best candidates for your organization.

Most used sourcing tools in 2023

To recruit an excellent Sales, many tools exist:

Once this data is analyzed, let's see Akimbo's recommendations for finding the best talent:

An excellent sales according to Akimbo

At Akimbo, our recruitment processes follow 6 steps: job description, candidate sourcing, a scorecard, screening call, immersion and evaluations.

Let's focus on the last three!

We have prepared for you an example of Scorecard. This Scorecard is THE vital resource for any recruitment. Here's when and how to build it. Download now and optimize the way you hire top sales talent.

‍Screening Call

👉🏻 The Screening call is used to eliminate/filter candidates who do not meet the mandatory criteria. This first exchange must respect the following instructions:

Part #1 - Introduce the company & the position

• Duration: 3 mins
• Introduce yourself: role, missions, why;
• No, don't repeat the job description (because you will be asking the candidate about it), but its challenges and benefits;
• Say it with desire and dynamism to “sell” the opportunity;
• Give the precise schedule of the interview.

Part #2 - Get the candidate to react

• Duration: 3 mins
• Open questions:” To what extent does this information influence your motivation for the position? ”

Part #3 - Check the mandatory criteria

• Duration: 5 mins
• Take it back Scorecard of the position, in particular the 1-3 mandatory criteria;
• Ask questions associated with these criteria.

Part #4 - Dig it Track record And the candidate's drive

• Duration: 6 mins
• Dig:
  1 - the business scope for which the candidate is responsible (team size, functions, etc.);
  2 - the position in the organization chart;
  3 - its performances and the speed of its evolution;
• Question the candidate's long-term project - his ambition and his particular desire for achievement.

Part #5 - Take Candidate Feedback and Questions

• Duration: 3 mins

Conclusion

” A big thank you for your time, it was a pleasure to talk. We will get back to you within 5 days to let you know if we are making progress in the process. Very eager to receive an email to confirm that you want to continue the process. ”

If you want to know more about this topic, know that you can always make an appointment with one of our founders. Choose the time slot that's right for you.

Immersion

👉🏻 Immersion maintenance is central. This is the time for you to have a perfect understanding of the candidate's career, performance, and Track record in general.

• Duration: 60 minutes max
• Format: video on Google Meet or face-to-face
• Objective: check that the candidate meets the scorecard criteria + assess the track record;
• Facilitator: Talent Manager/Principal Recruiter;
• Note taking: in the scorecard, “Criteria & Evaluations” tab

Part #1 - Introduce yourself, the company & the position

• Duration: 3 mins
• Come back in more detail on a particular point in relation to the Screening call ;
• Give the precise schedule of the interview.

ℹ️ Make it clear right now that conciseness is a strong quality for this position. So the candidate will have to give concise answers to stick to the schedule.

Part #2 - Review each meaningful experience

• Duration: 45 mins

ℹ️ Focus on meaningful experiences and ask for as much detail as possible about the goals/results/achievements part.

For each experience, go over: role, evaluation, logic.
Role ⇒ role and results obtained for each experiment

Questions:

“What was the scope (team, functions, resources) that you were in charge of? ”
“How was your team organized and the distribution of responsibilities organized? ”
“Who was your line manager? ”
“What were the goals for this position? ”

“Have you reached them? ”
“What were your main achievements? ”
“What were your main successes? And your main failures? ”
“Overall, how do you assess your performance in this position? ”
“What made you leave? ”

Evaluation ⇒ evaluation of ex-superiors, colleagues

Questions:

“I am interested to know what, in your opinion, are your main improvement points and qualities ? By default, I mean real areas for improvement and not “I am too demanding”, “I am too impatient”, “I am too perfectionist” or “I do not like to do internal politics”.

“What was the name of your former manager already? Oh yeah. If we ask for a reference To [former manager], what would he say about you? ”

Logic ⇒ logic of transition between experiences

” Why did you move on to another experience? ”
” If you left because of a failure, what did you get out of it? ”

” How did you find your new position (job boards, hunter, relationships)? ”

Part #3 (end of interview) - Question the candidate's vision of his future

• Duration: 5 mins
• Questions:
  “What is your long-term project? ”
  “What is your particular ambition or desire for achievement? ”
  “Have you thought about the different stages of your career when thinking about this long-term project? ”
  “How do you relate this opportunity to your personal vision? ”‍

Part #5 - Take Candidate Feedback and Questions

• Duration: 7 mins

Assessments

ℹ️ The evaluation interviews are specific to each position. The advice below should therefore be adapted.

• Duration: 60 to 90 minutes max/evaluation
• Format: face-to-face
• Objective: verify that the candidate has the hard skills for the position
• Facilitator: Evaluators
• Taking notes: in the scorecard, with a “Criteria & Evaluations” tab

Before the interview

• Review the LinkedIn profile or resume and reread the Scorecard ;
• List the objectives of the interview (cf. criteria of the Scorecard);
• Read notes from previous interviews;
• Prepare/adapt your interview based on these notes.

ℹ️ Example: consider exploring a point that the previous interview did not clarify.

Part #0 - Cases to prepare

• Two options: case to be prepared or case live during the interview.
• Recommendation: do 1 evaluation with case to be prepared and the rest of the evaluations with live cases;
• Make sure that the case to be prepared does not take more than 1 hour of work when done well;
• Instructions for the case to be prepared;
• Guidelines for the live case.

Part #1 - Introduce yourself

Game #2 - Debrief The practical case

• Duration: 45-60 mins

” If you had to give yourself a score of 1 to 10 on the rendering of your case, What would it be and why? ”

[if the grade is not good]” How could you have done better? ”

Resume your questioning plan for Debrief the practical case.

Part #3 - Complete your assessment

• Duration: 15-20 mins
• Complete with the questions from the Scorecard ;
• Make the connection to the candidate's past experiences.

Part #4 - Take Candidate Feedback and Questions

• Duration: 3 mins

Conclusion

We hope that this first newsletter was very informative for you and we look forward to seeing you for the #2 edition!

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Your opinion is very important, do not hesitate to share your feedback with us. It was a pleasure for us to launch this adventure, and to count on you to create a real community. Sales Acceleration.

For all your questions about Akimbo, the team agenda is available below.

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