Sales Hiring: Examining the Relationship Between Personal Warmth and Selling Ability

A.K.A. Why “Fuzzy Does It” Don’t

Danita Bye

Why being nice does not become sales results.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard a manager or CEO express puzzlement over a salesperson “who’s the nicest person you’d ever want to meet” yet “can’t sell her way out of a paper bag” (or words to that effect,) I’d probably have enough to spring for the cheese on any future Whoppers I might order.
I call it “fuzzy does it” syndrome, the pernicious – and very mistaken – idea that someone who presents well in an interview has what it takes to win over sales prospects. From where you’re sitting, as a manager or CEO, it makes sense. Cross the desk to where the prospect is, though, and you’ll see why it doesn’t work that way.

How to Get Salespeople Who Give Prospects What They Want

Your prospect doesn’t want that warm and fuzzy feeling – he wants a solution. When he has surgery, he wants House, M.D., who is a jerk but a smart jerk, rather than Dr. Nice, who keeps forgetting which kidney the pain is in. When your salesperson calls, he wants someone who knows your products and services inside and out. He wants someone who knows what he’s up against. He wants a salesperson who can get past he says he wants to what he really needs. He wants an answer, and he wants it fast. It doesn’t hurt if he likes your salesperson a lot, but it’s okay if he can only tolerate her, too, as long as he gets what he wants.

So how do you get the salespeople who give prospects what they want? Assess them using professional sales assessment tools, such as the Skills Index, DISC, and Workplace Motivators. Examine past prospects based on sales complexity, decision-maker characteristics, and competitive forces. Then, rather than basing a hire on a gut judgment during an interview, match a candidate’s real, measured strengths against what sells for you.

If you do that, I might have to forgo cheese on my sandwich, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Gain further insight into Sales Hiring – get Danita’s e-Book called: Measuring Sales DNA

Bio: Danita Bye

Nationally recognized sales management and leadership expert Danita Bye built her reputation on building and inspiring process-oriented, no excuse, high-performance sales teams that deliver bottom line results. With her unique Fortune-100-turned-entrepreneur perspective, Danita helps CEOs and company presidents take their businesses to the next level. Her practical, no-nonsense approach to sales management, combined with her leadership acumen, enables sales leadership to increase sales, creating predictable revenue streams.

As a 10-year veteran of the Xerox Corporation, Danita consistently achieved award winning sales performance before leaving to become an equity partner and national sales manager for a Minneapolis-based medical device company. In this capacity, she increased annual revenues from $300,000 to a run rate of $20 million in just ten years.

Danita has authored numerous articles on sales management and leadership. In addition, she was a featured as a sales development expert on the TV show, “The Ruthless Entrepreneur,” which is currently airing on the Oxygen Network. Leadership Shift, Management Acceleration and a library of eBooks on critical sales management issues are available on the Sales Growth Specialists’ website.

Danita can be reached at Danita@SalesGrowthSpecialists.com, 612-267-3320 or 800-256-2799.

For more insights on Sales Strategy and Sales Process, visit www.SalesGrowthSpecialists.com.