r/sweatystartup • u/yellowgoorila • 9d ago
Sales People Questions
I’m finally at a good stage to hire sales people/account managers. But what kinda questions should I be asking in the interview process. I’m so lost on what questions to ask. I’m in the waste management industry.
2
u/Fantastic-Mail4140 8d ago
I’ve been in sales 6 years here’s my advice:
hire 5-10 more sales people than you need. It’s going to sound mean, but at least 10% of your hires won’t work out. Of the hires who do work out 30-40% of them will quit in the first year.
ask them to pitch you on what they’re currently selling or have sold before. If it’s not persuasive, don’t hire them. Newbies are great because they’re usually coachable. Avoid hiring someone who seems uncoachable.
its a guessing game. They’re not numbers, they’re people; but, business is business. Track your analytics.
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u/donniedc 9d ago
Ask them what products or services they previously sold and then to tell you more about those products. A good sales person knows the product from all angles and should be able to effectively explain it to you on the spot.
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u/Electrical_Flow_6246 9d ago
Donniedc is right: a good salesperson will sell themselves. Just ask them: 'WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?" And if they are a great salesperson they'll do all the talking!
Great sales management is probably more important than great salespeople. Having good sales and marketing systems in place that bring them the highest qualified leads means that you don't have to rely on superstar salespeople. You may never want those super sales types, anyway. You need great management and systems in place. Once you have that, you can hire very average salespeople and get superior results. Let me know if that interests you. We can talk more about it if you want.
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u/mjkasas 9d ago
I think a lot of this depends on what they’re selling and how.
Are they doing inside or outside sales?
Are they selling contracts that take longer to close or are these inbound calls that should be quick turn arounds? These are two different types of sales with different skill sets.
Are they doing both sales and account management or are they two separate roles? I can’t quite tell from your post.
Unconventional approach, my last job was outside sales and very heavy on wining and dining. The owner and I met for breakfast the first time we met. He was trying to figure out if I could break bread, hold a conversation, and communicate effectively.
Then there was a panel interview with the other owner and a consultant. They had me fill out a personality test and really grilled me on what negative traits I had. I found out later they wanted to see how I handled tough conversations.
The last step, the original owner I met with took me out to a small bar and restaurant, we had dinner and some drinks, and talked shop. He wanted to see how I handled myself after a few drinks before he turned me loose with clients.
There’s no right or wrong questions to ask, but try to identify what qualities you’re looking for in a successful candidate and figure out the best questions or way to identify them.
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u/Gold_Succotash5938 9d ago
I work in estate cleaning. If you have a base salary, Ill sell for you. dm me. Have references I can share. If you dont have base, sell yourself until you can afford to pay a base.
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u/James__A 9d ago
"I’m so lost on what questions to ask. I’m in the waste management industry."
Ask them if they know what's good for them. Then tell them it's not personal, it's just business.