We are often asked, "Why do some salespeople seemingly have what it takes while others do not?" Usually, this is a question asked by an exasperated sales manager or CEO.
The "symptoms" are fairly obvious. Twenty percent of the sales team brings in eighty percent of the results. There is a very simple reason for this. Some salespeople are true "hunters" while others are true "farmers". Some salespeople are naturally able to identify and create new opportunities. Others are good at maintaining the relationship. There are also those that have no business being in sales.
We often will sample assess a sales team's high and low performers in order to show the "spread" between the top and bottom performers. We recently did this analysis for a sales team in the foodservice industry. The difference between the top and bottom performers was almost one million dollars in the last quarter reviewed.
A million dollars in one quarter!
What would you do if you could have each sales team member bring in an additional million dollars in sales in a quarter?
Fortunately, future sales performance is HIGHLY PREDICTABLE. There are three critical success factors that true "hunter" or "Rainmaker" salespeople must-have.
1. Behavioral Combination
The first most important success factor a Rainmaker salesperson will have is the right Behavioral Combination. The only way to know if a sales team member or candidate has the right Behavioral Combination is to assess it through a personality profile assessment.
Rainmaker sales professionals will have a "Behavioral Style" that has a strong propensity for Urgency, Versatility, and Frequent Change.
2. Value Combination
The second most important success factor a Rainmaker salesperson will have is the right Value Combination. The only way to know if a sales team member or candidate has the right Value combination necessary for successful sales is through a personality profile assessment that actually measures values. The problem is there are actually very few pre-employment personality profile tools out there that actually do measure values.
Rainmaker sales professionals will have "Value Patterns" that include the desire to make money, shape their destiny (and that of others), and the desire to seek the knowledge necessary to sell effectively.
3. Personal Attributes
The third, most important success factor a Rainmaker sales professional will have is the right Personal Attributes. Attributes such as Personal Accountability, High Empathetic Outlook, Results Orientation, Self Management, Interpersonal Skills, Goal Achievement, Customer Focus, Self Direction, Personal Drive, Persistence, and Initiative.
Can one interview candidates to identify Behaviors, Values, and Attributes? In a nutshell, the answer would be, "No, they cannot." The reason is human bias is conscious and subconscious.
There are those that believe they can interview candidates to identify Behaviors, Values, and Attributes. The reality is it is impossible to do so without bias. That is why we strongly recommend to those we serve that they use a highly-validated personality profile assessment to help cut through the human bias that we all naturally have.
Studies show that pre-employment personality assessments in combination with the interview, references, and appropriate education/experience yield the most beneficial talent selection results.
Contact us with your questions - 866-988-RAIN (7246)...
