This article originally appeared in The Leaders Edge, Jim's coaching program for managers. For more details, on The Leaders Edge, go to: jimdoyle.com/MediaSalesManager/The-Leaders-Edge
From Tom Ray, Executive Vice President of Jim Doyle and Associates
Here are some of the things I think you should hire for since you can't teach them easily: -Positive Personality. I want upbeat, energetic, glass-is-half-full people on my team, not Debbie and Donnie Downers. -Strong understanding of how business works. I want team members who "get" business and are able to determine the win for a client and work towards it. -Competitive and like to win. I like former athletes and individuals who have excelled in competitions because they are driven to win. -Naturally curious. Hire people who want to know how things work, how a client's business operates, and who enjoy learning from others. -Learners. Readers. Self-Improvers. The best AE's I encounter always want to know more. -Ideal AE's have a firm grasp on technology. They use the tools available to them, they don't fear the computer or smart phone, but embrace it and end up teaching everyone else the tips and tricks they learn. -Finally, closers. When the work is done and done well, they aren't afraid to ask for the business. Not "closers" who start with the close, but professionals who expect to be rewarded for their efforts, and who know the only way they will be is when the client says, "Let's do it." Jim weighs in on what he looks for when hiring an AE: -Are they driven? What Caliper calls Ego drive, which is the deep desire to win. In selling, winning is defined as closing the sale. Ego drive causes sellers to work harder, come in earlier, come back one more time, make cold calls even when they aren't comfortable, work hard to overcome objections. -Do they have great EMPATHY? That's the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Empathy without drive can become sympathy. With drive, empathy is powerful. "I'm so sorry that business is bad, what do you think we could do about it?" -Resiliency. Especially for new-to-the-business AE's. Do they have the ability to bounce back from rejection and not take it personally? New AE's face more rejection than I've faced since my 7th grade dance. (Trust me, it was ugly!) -Are they smart? This is becoming more and more important. AE's today need to analyze both the client situations and the AE's arsenal of products to determine what is the RIGHT solution for a client. We need smarter, more analytical people. I'm told that IQ testing is okay for applicants as long as it's gender/race neutral. I think it's time to do that. -Are they students and learners? I agree with Tom here. The desire to learn is critical to continuing to be relevant. It also suggest whether they're a curious person. I think curious, interested people do well in sales (if they have strong Ego drive!). -Are they likeable? I am more and more focused on this. A good AE has to get the client engaged quickly. Do I want to hang out with them? -What about follow through? We require more attention to detail than ever. -Do they love the business?
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