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Tips on Finding Salespeople?

by momo3
5 replies
Hello

Sorry for this naive question. I realize there are many ways to find sales people.

But I was wondering if anyone had any tips and tactics to doing it.

I am have a software (software as a service) that I want to sell to businesses... but I do not know how find quality sales people.

I tried posting an ad on Monster but its not doing that great...

Any tips or suggestions?
#finding #salespeople #tips
  • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayhew
    I hate to give a lame answer but Craigslist. I pick up people there consistently.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Finding competent salespeople is quite difficult.

    First, the wrong people constantly apply for these kinds of roles: appointment setter, commission salesperson, telemarketer. Stay-at-home moms, out-of-work psychiatrists, deadbeats and losers. People who simply Should Not Be In Sales. People who jump out at the first opportunity--usually after less than two hours(!) attempting to do the work.

    When I set up agencies for management consultants, the first couple of rounds of candidates we'd get would be awful. Not until the third round would we start attracting candidates with solid telemarketing experience.

    Check backgrounds. Test their skills. Call their previous employers. What the candidates say on their resumes isn't necessarily the truth. Are they what they say they are?


    Second, qualified and able salespeople are rarely out of work. Right this minute, they are probably employed at a higher rate then you can currently pay them. Sales is the most difficult and least-desirable work for most people...so don't expect to get a star salesperson/appointment setter for cheap. You get what you pay for.

    But check check check your candidates' backgrounds. Make them prove they are what their resumes say they are. Don't accept anyone except a person with proven sales skills. If you have a little dough to invest in the hiring process, you can get them assessed professionally to determine if they will actually sell.

    Sales force development Dave Kurlan and I talk about an assessment in this interview.
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    • Profile picture of the author bsiege
      This is just my experience, but I actually used elance to hire a freelance sales person (odd situation, but since my product is seasonal and I am a startup with limited resources, so this was necessary).

      Also, I never like hiring local as I live in NY and people are more expensive here. So by using a non location based website I can hire people lets say out West where cost of living and therefore wages are lower.

      A few things I do is usually create a low base pay, and make it mainly commission so the salespeople are motivated. Slackers and bad sales-people tend to be naturally weeded out since if they can't make the sale they make next to nothing.

      I put them through a series of tests, ultimate sales machine by chet holmes is an excellent book for this kind of stuff.

      Background check is important, as well as talking to previous employers.


      This was my experience with hiring a mid level quality sales person. It is very difficult to find high quality cheap sales people.
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  • Profile picture of the author gasman
    honestly I can tell you that athletes normally make the best salesman. Also if you know anyone who is really good at talking to people in general, picking up women, etc. These people transition into great salesman as well. However, just finding someone the great sales background should get you what you need.
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  • Profile picture of the author orssi
    op if you want to find sales people then i think you should go to linkedin and you will find more sales guys there
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