The majority of small businesses fail in their first five years, not because of the product or service, not because of poor accounting practices, but from lack of sales. So, your business is growing and it’s time for you to have someone else wear a few of those many hats you donned when you began; you’ve decided to hire someone else to handle sales. How and where do you find a good salesperson? After all, as a small-business owner or start-up, you can’t risk putting a dent in your reputation with a poor salesperson.

A good starting point is where you shop. Start paying attention to the good salespeople you encounter when you’re the consumer. What is it they’re doing that makes you feel good about working with them? Learning to recognise good salespeople is the most important first step.

When you find someone who’s especially good, compliment them. You might say, “You know, you have a really nice way with people.” Salespeople love to be recognised, there is an old saying and I quote: ”Recognition-Babies cry for it and Grown Men die for it”.

Tips:

Word of mouth. The more typical ways of finding good salespeople revolve around word-of-mouth recommendations. Tell everyone you know that you’re seeking a strong salesperson:

• Tell your clients. If they’re fans of your product, one of them might even be interested in coming on board.
• Tell your suppliers. The people who call on your business are in sales and know many others. There could be someone good they know of who’s just burned out on the product line they currently represent and need a change. This is an especially wise method for finding good help because your suppliers won’t recommend a dud. Their reputation with you would be ruined and they might lose your business.
• Tell your banker. When your business succeeds, so does theirs.

Job Ads. If you resort to placing a Job ad on a Job website or an ad in the newspaper, be very clear about the person you’re seeking. Include the words “self starter” or “highly motivated.” Let them know what your product is. It’s a waste of time for you and them if you generalize. Your business might be a boutique, and without mentioning that in your ad, you might have salespeople from the automotive industry apply. Also, tell them what time of day to contact you. You don’t want them calling during your busiest time of the day.

Referrals If possible, have potential candidates drop by with a resume or to fill out an application. You want to see how they present themselves as soon in the process as possible.

If you’re having them call, pre-qualify them on the phone. Ask about their past experience. If they’re working in sales now, why are they considering a change? Ask what in your ad most appealed to them. Remember: You’re trying to find someone who’ll love your product enough to share their conviction with others. That’s a key element in sales.

Using a Recruiter There are many ways that recruiters might find matching candidates: They can look in their own data base of collected pre-qualified résumés; they can post your job (usually without identifying you as the client company) on the popular job boards, on Social Media sites, and on their own agency website and they can screen candidates to match your needs; specialist sales recruiters will also use their Linkedin contacts and Linkedin’s own resume bank but this comes at a high cost if you pay directly. The more professional and experienced sales recruiters will also utilise their Social Networking sites like, Facebook, Twitter, Bullhorn etc. and finally, they should be contacting other sales people within or aligned with your industry niche, asking if they know of anyone else that fits your job requirements, and ask for referrals. All of this is a very time-consuming process but that is what you are paying a fee for. All along the way they collect résumés for your final shortlist from people you probably may never have had the chance to attract yourself.

Let the candidate sell themselves. Remember the biggest mistake most employers make in hiring interviews is to talk about the business too much. When you’re talking, you’re covering a topic you already know. What you want to do is ask a lot of questions and get the candidates talking so you can find out if you can work with this person, if they have good experience, if they’re reliable, and if they can express themselves well.

Don’t Bore the Candidate or scare them off! Droning on about how hard the role is pointless! For them it may be far easier a challenge than it was for you. Remember you are trying to find someone than can sell not run the business. That may come later.

Hiring, as with any other aspect of business, isn’t something you want to do without putting some thought and preparation into it. Be ready to ask the questions that should give you the answers you’re seeking. If you don’t get the right answers, you don’t have the right candidate.

The post Trying to find Sales People? Some valuable tips appeared first on Sales Source.

The post What Recruiters Want To See On Your LinkedIn Profile! appeared first on Sales Source.

In fact, doing door-to-door cold-canvassing is one of the best ways to jumpstart a high-power career in corporate sales arena. This is especially so for someone with limited work experience, it’s an excellent opportunity to learn about the sales process and what it takes to become a highly successful salesperson. Those who prove successful will also have the opportunity to develop management and leadership skills.

Opportunities will also present themselves in team leader roles– many direct sales companies are crying out for people with this experience. A good field sales rep can expect to earn an excellent income stream by way of base wage and open ended commission structure – often offering a 6 figure income.

There are several types of door-to-door positions. There’s lead generation, this does not require selling, but promoting a product/service to the domestic or corporate sectors in support of the sales team. Other direct sales roles will require you to sell the product on the spot, thus you will introduce it and close the sale.

Should you become successful in a direct sales role, your experience will be highly regarded in a field face-to-face role within the corporate sector The skills and sales techniques that you have been taught in a direct door-to-door role will be transferable, you now have something of value to offer a prospective employer, it also indicates a person who is tenacious, driven and motivated.

We find that door-to-door roles are a stepping stone to business development/sales representative/key account manager positions. For those with a stellar record in meeting and exceeding KPIs, you will be given many more opportunities for career progression!

As unsexy as it may sound, there is much to be learnt from door-to-door sales. Due to the nature of the work, direct sales companies will offer training and supervision to help staff members kick start their sales career, you get to meet so many interesting people. The camaraderie is great. Direct selling approaches do work – like those selling makeup, telecommunications and utility discounts.

Those with a successful history of cold-canvassing typically have a higher level of confidence, presentation and communication skills, they are better versed in the sales process and tend to present better at interviews resulting in better career opportunities.

Direct sales is an excellent training ground, do the hard yards and you will almost be assured of success.

For further information on how we may help you with progressing your career in sales and marketing career aspirations please don’t hesitate to drop us a line today.

The post Want Sales Experience? – Here’s how to jumpstart your career and earn big bucks!! appeared first on Sales Source.

The post Want Sales Experience? – Here’s how to jumpstart your career and earn big bucks!! appeared first on Sales Source.

CASE STUDY 1- NAB Bank
Culture we can bank on
NAB has received several Employer of Choice awards for its diverse and flexible workplace.
They include being recognised as an Employer of Choice for Women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency for the fifth year in a row last year.
NAB People and Culture business partner Heather Webb says: “We offer a range of flexible options including part-time work, job sharing, compressed working weeks and working from home to give people choices that support them both at work and at home.”
Business Banking associate Nadia Noori moved from a rival bank 10 years ago because of NAB’s reputation as a good employer.
“Morale was really high … there were good opportunities to move up as well,” she says. She has since taken advantage of flexible working hours and enjoys her job-share role and being able to work from home.
“All these things enable me to still have a career and still look after my kids,” she says.
Fellow Business Banking associate Lucie Wall has been employed at NAB for almost a year. Flexibility to pursue study or raise a family was a key attraction. She was allowed to come in late on Fridays while finishing her degree to attend morning lectures.
Senior Business Banking manager Peter Branson has stayed at the bank for 12 years.
“There was a lot of guidance and training,” he says.”You are supported and trusted to do the work you need to do in whatever hours you need to do it and wherever.”

CASE STUDY 2-IKEA
Staff earn a lucky break
IKEA was one of the world’s 20 most attractive employers in 2011, global employer branding company Universum says. Ikea HR manager Elle Winter says the benefits package off ered to employees is one of the main attractions. It includes a discount on products and subsidised food and beverages in the employee restaurant, and free television, internet and computer access during break times.
Ikea off ers leave days for birthdays, for medical appointments, to take an extended unpaid career break, parental leave, blood donor’s leave and first-day-of school leave.
“We see kids as the most important people in the world.
We want benefits that reflect that policy,” Winter says.
“(Applicants say) ‘We want to work for Ikea because I love Ikea and want to work there’. People see us as an employer of choice.
“Once we’ve got good solid people in the business, we want to retain them.”

Defence Force winning hearts and minds
THE Defence Force was struggling to recruit staff before embarking on an internal makeover to its recruitment campaign, which led to it being nominated as a Dream Employer in the 2011 survey by InSync Surveys and RedBalloon.
Insync Surveys chief executive James Garriock says it was a surprise addition to the list, in 16th place, after a year of negative publicity.
‘‘The result indicates a shift (among workers) towards more stable industries,” he says. ‘‘Almost 60 per cent of people are attracted by the pay, benefits and conditions the armed forces offer.
‘‘Training and development attracted 56 per cent of the vote, which is the mainstay of their advertising campaigns, and only 38 per cent are driven by their personal interest.”

HIT LIST
Employers of choice:
• Employ people with a disability; from indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; mature age workers; gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex workers; women and youth.
• Include all workers in management and leadership opportunities.
• Report high levels of satisfaction and/or morale among staff.
• Have a good reputation in the business and wider community.
• Employers usually nominate for an Employer of Choice award, from which a written submission is judged against the selection criteria by an internal or external judging panel.
• Tools used by employers of choice include:
• Reward and recognition programs.
• Flexible work practices.
• Career development programs.
• Involving employees in decisions.
• Family-friendly policies.
Thanks Cara Jenkin, Great Article!

The post ARE YOU AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE? NO? – How to become One! appeared first on Sales Source.

Are you confused?

Don’t be mislead by a title!
Being a specialist sales and marketing recruitment agency, we recruit nationally for roles such as Sales Executive, Sales Representative, Business Development Manager, Territory Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Account Executive, Account Manager, Major Account Manager, Account Executive, Inside Sales Representative, Telephone Sales Representative, Telemarketer and so on.
What do these job titles mean in real terms?! For the uninitiated they can seem vague and confusing.
These are all titles denoting “sales” and terms often peculiar to a given organisation.
For instance, a Business Development Manager in one organisation is the same as Sales Executive in another; a telemarketer in one organisation will be a telesales person in another.
There is a need to look beyond the title when making a career move in sales. It is imperative to go beneath the title, dig deep and go into detail about the peculiarities of the role.
When looking at a job description, ask yourself these questions:
• Is this a new business generation role or an account management role?
• Are leads self-generated or is there back-up from a telemarketing team?
• Is the role territory based or is it product based?
• Is the role targeting the SME market or the top end of town?
• What is the value of the product or service and what is the typical lead time from cold call to close?
There are many more questions like these that need answering before accepting a new role.
If we can help you and you have questions please do not hesitate to call us; we will be more than pleased to assist you with making the next step in your career.

The post Behind the meaning of Sales job titles appeared first on Sales Source.

We over the next 11 weeks will be doing a series on how to adopt habits that will Exude Success thus making you all the more attractive to prospective employers (discreetly, of course).
Just watch how people react to you.
This story was originally published by AskMen.

Week 1 Habits That Exude Success
Brag Discreetly
I cannot emphasize the word discreetly enough.
If you trumpet all your achievements and pricey possessions, you will lose everyone’s respect. You want people to know that you’re making it without coming off as a boaster; slip things into conversation casually. State your accomplishments as matter-of-factly as possible without the detailed trimmings, or slip them into stories.
For instance, say: “I went to New Zealand on vacation. I had some extra money from the bonus I got for increasing our sales one year.” This presentation allows you to stick to the facts and incorporate an achievement into a pertinent story.
But don’t make it all about you. Give credit where credit is due. By recognizing success in your peers, you invite praise to be reciprocated in the future.

The post 11 Habits That Exude Success appeared first on Sales Source.

The post Time for a Talent Check Up!!! appeared first on Sales Source.

Being online can help your business find new clients, generate leads, make more sales and build your brand and client base, therefore simply put Should I? Shouldn’t? Its vital to have an online presence if you want your business to thrive!

Get More Sales Leads for your Sales team by optimising your Website

The first element to consider in a digital strategy aiming to move customers through the sales funnel – whether online or offline – is the company website.
Whenever customers need to purchase something, most of them turn to the internet for initial research. A recent survey by the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) showed that 56 per cent of Australians turn to the internet for overall purchase research. TV comes a far second at 24 per cent.
Because of the ease with which information can be found online, customers are now looking for more information than ever – and more detailed information at that.
As such, businesses have to find an appealing way to present all the pricing, product, and purchase information that customers need. With the right online marketing strategy, your business can position itself at the top of a customer’s consideration set even in the earliest stages of product research.
The best way to do this is through search engine optimisation (SEO). Simply put, SEO is a strategy which helps your website appear among the top results of Google, Bing, Yahoo, or other search engines whenever a customer enters keywords that are relevant to your business.
Here are some of the benefits you can expect to get from a well-executed search ranking strategy:
• Easily generate high-quality leads: A good SEO campaign brings you targeted leads who are looking for the exact products or services you offer. By selecting the right keywords, you can focus your efforts on people who are ready to buy, rather than simply doing virtual “window shopping”.
• Brand recognition: As your search ranking campaign matures, your brand will be associated with the common keywords that your target customers are looking for. It’s harder – and more expensive – to create this kind of credibility and recognition through TV, newspapers, and other traditional means.
• Your website performs better: Google wants to provide searchers with websites that they want to use. So a website that ranks well on Google is one that that loads quickly and is easy to navigate. This means that being strategic will not only bring in more targeted leads, but your customers will have a more pleasant online experience as well.

A Good Website: Visual Appeal or Detailed Information?
When most businesses first consider developing or redeveloping their websites, they often focus on the visual elements. They’re thinking about the colours, graphics and layout. After all, they just want to make the right first impression.
However, this may not be the best use of time. Visual design elements are best left to designers. What businesses need to focus on is delivering the information that customers want.
The AIMIA survey showed that when customers are conducting research, they are primarily looking for pricing (71 per cent) and product information (54 per cent). Customers are also checking the credibility of your business, looking for reviews by peers and experts to make sure that they’re making the right choice.
This means that your product and service information shouldn’t just be an overview, or worse, puffery. More information is better and allowing others to leave reviews, or perhaps having a testimonials page, will really boost your credibility.
That’s not to say that you should just ignore design completely. The design shouldn’t be seen as a venue for self-expression or creativity. Its purpose is to lead customers to the right information, at the right time, and then use graphic elements to drive a higher conversion rate.

Do You Have a Mobile Presence?
The next thing to look at is your mobile website. A recent report by Price Waterhouse Cooper showed that 57 per cent of Australian internet shoppers plan to increase their online spending by buying through their mobile devices.
This means that your website needs to be easy to view and use on mobile devices – namely smartphones and tablets.
There are two approaches to this. One approach is to create a for-mobile-only version of your website. This means that your website would have two versions: one for desktop viewing, and another for mobile viewing. The second option is to make sure that your website will look good regardless of the display size by using a “responsive website design”. This means that the website can detect the device that an individual customer is using, and adapt to their layout and graphics to suit the device.
No approach is necessarily better than the other – it all depends on who your customers are and what their buying behaviors and preferences are.

SEO and Online Marketing is No longer an Option its Critical
It’s easy to see that online marketing is no longer just an option – it’s now a requirement if you want your business to thrive.
With a website that has been developed with a search ranking or SEO or SEM strategy, contains detailed information and is mobile-friendly, you can take full advantage of the growth in internet online and mobile use for making purchasing decisions.

The post SEO – Online Sales and Marketing Should I? Shouldn’t I? appeared first on Sales Source.

Interviewing candidates can be tough, especially because some candidates are a lot better at interviewing than they are at working.

To get the core info you need about the candidates you interview, here’s a simple but incredibly effective interview technique.

Here’s how it works. Just start from the beginning of the candidate’s work history and work your way through each subsequent job. Move quickly, and don’t ask for detail. And don’t ask follow-up questions, at least not yet.

Go through each job and ask the same three questions:

1. How did you find out about the job?

2. What did you like about the job before you started?

3. Why did you leave?

“What’s amazing,” Younger says, “is that after a few minutes, you will always have learned something about the candidate–whether positive or negative–that you would never have learned otherwise.”

Here’s why:

How did you find out about the job?

Job boards, general postings, online listings, job fairs–most people find their first few jobs that way, so that’s certainly not a red flag.

But a candidate who continues to find each successive job from general postings probably hasn’t figured out what he or she wants to do–and where he or she would like to do it.

He or she is just looking for a job; often, any job.

And that probably means he or she isn’t particularly eager to work for you. He or she just wants a job. Yours will do–until something else comes along.

“Plus, by the time you get to Job Three, Four, or Five in your career, and you haven’t been pulled into a job by someone you previously worked for, that’s a red flag,” Younger says. “That shows you didn’t build relationships, develop trust, and show a level of competence that made someone go out of their way to bring you into their organization.”

On the flip side, being pulled in is like a great reference–without the letter.

What did you like about the job before you started?

In time, interviewees should describe the reason they took a particular job for more specific reasons than “great opportunity,” “chance to learn about the industry,” or “next step in my career.”

Great employees don’t work hard because of lofty titles or huge salaries. They work hard because they appreciate their work environment and enjoy what they do. (Titles and salary are just icing on the fulfillment cake.)

That means they know the kind of environment they will thrive in, and they know the type of work that motivates and challenges them–and not only can they describe it, they actively seek it.

Why did you leave?

Sometimes people leave for a better opportunity. Sometimes they leave for more money.

Often, though, they leave because an employer is too demanding. Or the employee doesn’t get along with his or her boss. Or the employee doesn’t get along with co-workers.

When that is the case, don’t be judgmental. Resist the temptation to ask for detail. Hang on to follow-ups. Stick to the rhythm of the three questions. That makes it natural for candidates to be more open and candid.

In the process, many candidates will describe issues with management or disagreements with other employees or with taking responsibility–issues they otherwise would not have shared.

Then follow up on patterns that concern you.

“It’s a quick way to get to get to the heart of a candidate’s sense of teamwork and responsibility,” Younger says. “Some people never take ownership and always see problems as someone else’s problem. And some candidates have consistently had problems with their bosses–which means they’ll also have issues with you.”

And a bonus question:

How many people have you hired, and where did you find them?

Say you’re interviewing candidates for a leadership position. Want to know how their direct reports feel about them?

Don’t look only for candidates who were brought into an organization by someone else; look for candidates who brought employees into their organization.

“Great employees go out of their way to work with great leaders,” Younger says. “If you’re tough but fair, and you treat people well, they will go out of their way to work with you. The fact that employees changed jobs just so they could work for you speaks volumes to your leadership and people skills.”

The post 3 Interview Questions That Reveal Everything! appeared first on Sales Source.