Different salespeople have different strengths and areas in which they shine. For this reason, an effective sales recruitment process is designed to identify strengths and qualities that are unique to individual candidates. This is because by taking a blanket approach when recruiting salespeople, the company is likely to miss out on great candidates who would be invaluable to their team. Nevertheless, there are certain universal qualities that the sales candidate is expected to possess.
To begin with, for the professional to effectively represent any product or service, they need to be organized and project a put-together image to their clients. This enables clients to recognize that they can trust the salesperson with their business and their money. Another essential element among salespeople is an enthusiastic attitude. If the salesperson is able to communicate positivity towards the product or service that they are representing, they are able to inspire the same enthusiasm to prospective clients. There is however, a thin line between enthusiasm and aggression; and the ideal sales candidate is able to walk that line with grace.
While there are numerous qualities that are inherent in every salesperson, some other qualities are more specific and may relate to certain types of salespeople and not others.
The Opener
In sales, the opener is the professional who gets the company’s foot in the door. Their main responsibility is to perk the client’s interest in the business and the product and/ or service that they are offering. Ideal candidates are therefore highly skilled at making people feel comfortable around them. They are able to get prospective clients talking about themselves and their needs, which in turn opens up an opportunity for the salesperson to introduce their product and explain how it can provide solutions to the client’s needs.
Moreover, these candidates are able to generate interest in the things that they talk about, without seeming to ramble on and on. Openers are also generally outgoing and able to engage clients without caving in when they face opposition. For these professionals, building relationships is not only important for business; it is usually a way of life.
The Closer
The closer is responsible for getting clients to make a commitment to buy. In as much as building relationships is an important element in the sales industry, a sale is not a sale unless money changes hands and the product or service is delivered. It is these commitments that constitute the company’s financial bottom line and make it profitable. Among sales professionals, closers are generally highly focused. They have to be, because they need clients to mirror that quality and focus on their product and how it would benefit them. However, closers also recognize the thin line between closing a sale effectively, and making a hard sell that will turn the client off.
Whereas some candidates for sales positions may possess qualities that make them effective both as openers and closers, there are others who are strong openers and not as strong in closing, and vice versa. However, this does not mean that they are any less valuable to the business. By understanding every candidate’s strengths, it is possible to balance the team during the recruitment process and integrate a formidable sales force for the company.