Avoid these 5 Common Mistakes when hiring a Sales Manager – Mistake 5
NOTES: To start reading this series from the beginning, please go here.
Mistake #5: Not understanding the role of on-boarding metrics
Another mistake that companies often make when hiring a Sales Manager is overlooking or not understanding the role of the on-
boarding process. Companies usually have clearly defined metrics for the sales people, but it’s almost like a black hole when it comes to the Sales Management function. Due to the lack of concrete expectations, you then don’t have the insight to know if your Sales Manager is indeed on track or off track.
On-boarding metrics for the Sales Manager play an important role. The on-boarding process goes well beyond the orientation process, which is typically a one day event that focuses on the organization’s structure, mission and policies and deals with the administrative part of completing the appointment. However, the Sales Manager’s on-boarding should be a systematic process which can last up to 18 months, depending on the position. This process includes the cultivation of a long term relationship.
INTERVIEWING TIPS:
Establishing very specific guidelines about your expectations for the Sales Manager will make future judgment of his performance a very clear and measurable process. Another advantage of setting these standards beforehand and discussing it with a candidate during the interviewing phase is that the presentation of the metrics will result in some candidates disqualifying themselves before they could be appointed. Imagine the saving in time and revenue!
Keep your metrics clear and measurable with activities and goals linked to specific dates. Some examples of what your Sales Manager On-boarding metrics could look like are:
- Raise the activity level of the team from 35 per day to 40 per day by ____ (set a date)
- Increase the Sales pipeline from $1 million level to 1.3 million by ____ (set a date)
- Increase the year-to-year comparison of monthly sales with at least 5% by _____ (set a date)
- Meet with each salesperson 1/2 hour per week at a regularly scheduled time.
- Meet with 2 key accounts weekly for the first 3 months.
- Have a weekly sales meeting with the entire sales team.
- Travel with 2 members of the sales team 1/2 day per week for first 3 months.
You don’t want to play guessing games when you measure your sales manager’s performance. When you set up metrics in such specific detail as we have shown in our examples above, it will make your future communication with your Sales Manager that much easier and effective. Determining his or her performance will not be linked to emotions or feelings, but to a specific number that can be measured.
Sales Growth Question: What processes are you using to determine how closely the Sales Manager is fulfilling his role in your business?
Sales Growth Lesson: When you appoint a Sales Manager without proper processes in place to measure his or her performance, you might as well be throwing darts with a blindfold on.
For the full webinar that I did for EcSell Institute, go to 5 Mistakes Webinar.
PPT Slides can be viewed at 5 Mistakes Presentation.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Avoid these 5 Common Mistakes when hiring a Sales Manager – Mistake 3
To start reading this series from the beginning, please go here.
Mistake #3: Hiring someone who can’t execute your sales strategy
From our previous postings you have learned the importance of understanding the role of the sales manager position and finding the
exact right fit for your selling environment. But if your best candidate isn’t able to execute your sales strategy, he or she is still not the right person for the position.
Again, it is important that you know exactly what it is that you require, before you can find the person who will be able to meet those needs.
So the next mistake to avoid is not being clear on your sales strategy. As a sales leader, you know that your product or service requires a unique sales strategy. Here are some examples of the areas you that you could consider:
- Are you volume or profit focused? A volume driven sales person focuses on high growth whereas a profit driven salesperson will be focusing on a different metric.
- Is your recruiting strategy to hire ‘A Players’, ‘first available’ or ‘best available’ candidates?
Different thought processes are applied in the search for ‘A Players’ than when you are going to compare three ‘first available’ candidates against each other.
- When you define your requirements very specifically beforehand you avoid conflict at a later stage.
- Is your key growth strategy to find or grow new business?
INTERVIEWING TIPS:
During an interview, remember that sales people are usually very good talkers, so don’t just accept everything they say at face value. Drill down deep and ask for specifics, steps taken during stages and metrics, where applicable.
Remember that a shift in your sales strategy, will require a different set of metrics, and would therefore require a different type of Sales Manager. Your sales strategies shouldn’t remain stagnant so search for coachable candidates. Look for signs that they will be able to grow and change with your business, as the new market conditions may call for these shifts on a regular basis.
Ask your prospective new Sales Manager these questions:
- How did you manage the volume vs. margins of your sales team?
- How do you determine whether to hire an A player, the best available candidate or the first available candidate?
- What strategies did you execute to grow sales?
- Which of your roles were focused on growing, defending or maintaining your margin?
Sales Growth Question: How will a shift in your sales strategy influence your decision to hire a specific type of candidate?
Sales Growth Lesson: We need to continue to learn and rise above the pack. Status quo is the kiss of death for any company.
For the full webinar that I did for EcSell Institute, go to 5 Mistakes Webinar.
PPT Slides can be viewed at 5 Mistakes Presentation.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved
Avoid these 5 Common Mistakes when hiring a Sales Manager – Mistake 4
To start reading this series from the beginning, please go here.
Mistake #4: Hiring someone who is not a right fit for your values (cultural clash)
In the previous postings we have identified four critical and all too common mistakes that companies make when hiring a Sales 
Manager. Another piece of the puzzle that will help you to complete the picture of the ideal candidate is that of your company culture.
Each company has their own set of traits and attitudes that they regard as non-negotiable values necessary to perform the required tasks within the organizational structures.
Using a values grid can be critical in establishing your deal breakers which will help you set up interviewing questions to point out character or personality traits that will not fit in with your organization’s values and cause a cultural clash.
Here is the values grid for Sales Growth Specialists:
- A can-do attitude
- Commitment to excellence
- Being a continuous learner
- Openness and Honesty
- Accountability
INTERVIEWING TIPS:
During this part of the Interviewing process you want to find out if your candidate has the backbone and tenacity to overcome obstacles – which you are guaranteed to encounter in the world of sales wherever you operate.
Here are some examples of questions that we ask prospective Sales Managers to see if there is a cultural match:
With regards to a “can-do attitude”
Tell me about a time that you failed.
Tell me about a time when your best shot wasn’t enough?
Interviewer’s Note: If your candidate can’t think of any situation where he was less than perfect, he is probably not being honest. So look past his confidence and drill down to the heart of the matter.
Excellence in learning
What have you done in the last 3-6 months to improve your skills as a manager?
Interviewer’s Note: This will indicate your candidate’s willingness to be a continuous learner or lack thereof.
Honesty
Tell me about a time when you were confronted by someone.
In the new market conditions we are experiencing, you need to continually improve and update your skills otherwise you will quickly be left in the dust. If your sales manager does not show the potential to fit in with your company culture and commitment to excellence, failure is almost guaranteed. Use an efficiency tool like the SGS Values grid to establish which candidates will fit in with your culture best, it will save you valuable time and money.
Sales Growth Question: How can you make sure that you really get the full picture when you are conducting an interview?
Sales Growth Lesson: Don’t just accept first answers but drill down deeper when conducting an interview.
For the full webinar that I did for EcSell Institute, go to 5 Mistakes Webinar.
PPT Slides can be viewed at 5 Mistakes Presentation.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Avoid these 5 Common Mistakes when hiring a Sales Manager – Mistake 2
To start reading this series from the beginning, please go here.
Hiring Mistake #2: Hiring someone who isn’t the right fit for your selling environment
Hiring the Right Sales Manager
In our previous postings, you’ve discovered how important it is to understand the role of your Sales Manager in your growth strategy. This standard is then matched up against the information that you gather during your screening process.
However, this is the beginning. Your selling environment is vastly different from that of your competitors or from any other business where your prospective candidates come from. Therefore, it is extremely important that you find the sales manager that is right for your specific sales environment.
Here are a few examples of your strategic sales initiative that you need to consider:
- List the type of companies that you are selling to. Ask yourself if you are selling to specific company types exclusively or a combination of companies. Examples of the company types can include corporate, industrial, residential, professional or small business.
- Find out at what level buying decisions are made, eg. management, owner or even consumers. With this knowledge you can make informed decisions of what type of sales management acumen will fit.
- Ask how much competition your sales team will face. If your product or service is unique, pressure will be very different than selling a commodity where there’s severe competitive pressure.
- Know your stand regarding your pricing. Comparative studies should clearly indicate whether your pricing is in line with or higher than that of your competitors. It’s critical that you have a sales manager who has had successful experience executing your pricing strategy.
If your prospective candidate does not have the specific experience that you require for your selling environment, they are bound to struggle. Plus, we have 15 other critical areas to ensure alignment.
INTERVIEWING TIPS:
Ask your prospective new Sales Manager these questions:
- Tell me about the typical companies that your teams have sold into.
- Describe your experience with a specific sale from the beginning to the end. Ask for detail about how they put the sale together – you don’t only want to hear about the sale result.
- Tell me about the typical order and account size that you have previously handled.
In our next posting we’ll look at another common mistake made when hiring a sales manager – hiring someone who can’t execute your sales strategy.
Sales Growth Question: What makes your selling environment different from that of your competitors?
Sales Growth Lesson: Understanding the unique challenges of your selling environment can help you to appoint the right sales manager.
For the full webinar that I did for EcSell Institute, go to 5 Mistakes Webinar.
PPT Slides can be viewed at 5 Mistakes Presentation.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
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