A top-performing sales team relies on its people. Once you have the right people on board, success becomes a lot easier. Attracting and recruiting top sales talent is a key, yet often overlooked component to sales effectiveness.
As a sales leader, you need to actively recruit for your team. Don’t delegate it to human resources. It’s too important to the success of your team to not have your ownership.
Participate In Your Own Rescue
Very often, you’ll find your best candidates are the “not-in-play players”– salespeople who aren’t currently looking for a job, but may be interested if they knew more details about your open position.
These candidates can make the best hires. Here are four things you can do right now to find these top performers, and convince them to join your team:
1. Ask Recent New Hires at Your Company
New hires are eager to please and excited about their new job opportunity. Reach out to them soon after they arrive and see if they know others who might want to join your team. They’ll appreciate the offer to give input, and may be willing to offer up potential new hires.
2. Contact Customers and Champions
Ask your customers and champions for feedback about your own sellers and other vendors. What sales teams impress them the most? Who stands out to them? This conversation is a good one to have with a customer because it demonstrates your growth and desire to bring on the best talent possible.
3. Rally Your Team
People want to be part of a winning team. If they feel they’re part of a successful operation, they’ll want their own network to join the team. This is also a great indicator for you as a sales leader. If someone isn’t willing to bring on his/her friends, it’s a red flag that they may not feel positively about the company.
4. Create Your Own Network
Think about the best additions to your teams over the years. They are likely the ones that you have courted over time. Be on the lookout wherever you go – trade conferences, alumni networks, even on the airplane. The best way to approach them is to use Command of the Message® techniques. How does your company map to the Positive Business Outcomes they’re trying to achieve in their career? How can you differentiate your company from others they may be considering? Make building your network an everyday activity. Build an operating rhythm and set up consistent calls. The more consistent you are, the more you will avoid a fire drill every time you have to find a sales person.
The ability to attract and recruit top sales talent is a critical component to building a high-performing sales team. Without it, your company will struggle with costly mis-hires and lose traction in the marketplace.
