Listening skills are critical for all salespeople, whether they are focused on finding new customers, or searching for opportunities in existing accounts. A good salesperson knows how to give the floor to the prospect/customer and allow them to do most of the talking. On the other hand, we have all dealt with salespeople who focus on their own agenda, irrespective of the customer’s unique needs.  When we need consultative salespeople who know how to listen, we need to look for a few telltale signs . . . How Can I Tell if My Sales Candidate is a Good Listener? was

Sales managers looking for “hunter” salespeople, particularly among candidates who are inexperienced in sales or fresh out of school, often wonder how to determine whether their candidate will be comfortable with cold calling.  Most new account acquisition roles require this kind of outreach, either over the phone or in person.  However, not everyone is comfortable asserting themselves in this way.  So when hiring managers need someone who can hit the ground running, in addition to using a sales test, they need to ask their candidates a key question . . .  Will My Sales Candidate Be Comfortable With Cold Calling?

Sales leaders have occasionally expressed to us a preference for capping a salesperson’s earnings.  The reasoning for such a decision typically goes “My salespeople shouldn’t be making more than me.”  Although we are not a sales compensation firm, we do know quite a bit about personality and how high-drive salespeople react to such a policy.  Here is why that approach can be dangerous . . . Salespeople high in Drive, particularly need for achievement, are motivated by excellence . . . constantly raising the bar for themselves and their performance.  Although money is not their goal in and of itself,