5 things to keep in mind when hiring your sales team

Rebecca O. Bageley, President and CEO of NorTech and a contributor to Forbes, says, “It is critical to get the right leaders in place – and by leaders I mean employees at all levels taking ownership of their work.”

Some people are naturally people's people, and some are not. A job at the sales department calls for those who are the people's people – those who can talk without wearing out the listener, those who can listen without getting bored, and those who have the knack of making even strangers feel comfortable in their presence. Here are five must-dos to attract such people into your team.

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Pay right

If you want top quality sales team, you need to be able to afford it. Make sure that the key members of your sales tem – those who will lead and mentor – are highly experienced. They will be the brain of the team, who will train the juniors doing all the leg work.

‘Inventives’ – Invent interesting incentives

This article on The Voucher Shop blog doesn't mince words in saying how incentives boost productivity. It harpoons on the following insight: “You can also use incentives to encourage staff to educate themselves about new products or services, build long-standing relationships with customers, demonstrate brand values or develop new skills that will make it easier for them to perform in their role. By thinking about what your organisation needs and aligning the scheme to those goals and vision, you can improve employees’ morale, thereby increasing productivity.”

Salespeople have a high threshold for facing rejections and pressure. But that does not shield them from the repercussions of stress completely. A balanced schedule of work and play would do a sales person a lot of good. An overseas trip or an exotic experience would help them retool, recharge, and get themselves energised to face market challenges. Attractive incentives will also attract fine talent into the team.

Hire those with multiple language proficiency

The world is getting smaller, more connected, and homogenous by the day. But a salesperson of a foreign ethnicity greeting you in your language is sure to make a lasting impression and bond. You could be proactive and provide free language courses for your sales team.

Build and maintain the team from inside

Among the many perks of hiring right is the one that's perhaps not given its due, at least not consciously. Trust is, in fact, the most vital effect of building a team from the inside. And trust is built when all team members are sure of themselves and of their position in the team.

Remember – persuasion, not pressure

Nurture and lead your team with persuasion and not by turning on the heat at every sales report meeting. It's important for your sales team to believe in your vision, idea, product, or brand. Give them a free hand to share the same passion you have for your ideas. A happy, motivated sales team will result in happy and satisfied customers.

The sales team is the backbone of an enterprise. It needs to have the right leadership, vision, energy, and force to create the desired impact in the market. While the team would provide the energy and force, it is up to you to provide the leadership, and vision.