Sales is Having a Talent Crisis: How Do I Recruit and Train Sales Teams?
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the status-quo in the business world – how do I recruit and train sales teams in a topsy-turvy economy? Although many companies have adjusted to their new day-to-day rhythm, businesses are still struggling with finding and hiring new talent in the middle of a pandemic.
Great salespeople are hard to come by. They are the central force driving your company’s development, and having capable, passionate salespeople on your team makes all the difference for long-term growth. But hiring top-notch salespeople is more challenging than ever due to employee demands and a competitive job market.
Looking to add new talent to your sales team? Here are our top tips on how to find and recruit top sales talent in 2022.
Why is Hiring Great Talent So Difficult?
Part of the talent crisis can be traced to the beginning of the pandemic. As companies shut their doors and adjusted to a remote work model, employees adapted to a new work-from-home schedule. This updated model allowed employees more flexibility, less time spent commuting, and more time spent with family and friends.
According to an article in Forbes exploring the sales talent crisis, “4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021 and 55% of people will likely be looking for a new job in the next 12 months. Most (56%) are leaving because they want flexibility more than they want pay and security.” This means that companies need to start adapting their business model to include flexible work hours, remote work options, and greater attention to employee wellbeing if they are to remain competitive in the recruitment marketplace.
How Do I Recruit and Train Great Sales Teams?
Creating an appealing employer brand and attracting the best talent takes time and energy. Break the process into actionable steps to simplify your tasks.
Define Your Ideal Salesperson
Defining your ideal salesperson is like defining your ideal customer profile. Instead of looking at the market you’re hoping to sell to, you’re looking at the pool of potential applicants suitable for your sales team. Create a salesperson profile that includes elements like previous experience, personality, values, and skills. Finding candidates that mesh with your existing sales team will be easier once you create a clear picture of the type of talent you’d like to hire.
Focus on Skills
Instead of focusing on a list of past job experiences, focus more on the skills that each candidate brings to the table. While an impressive resume certainly instills confidence in a candidate’s competence, it’s important to step back and ask yourself what skills this individual will add to your sales team. Try to look at your team holistically, keeping in mind that diversifying the skills in your salesforce is a vital part of fostering long-term success.
Prioritize Passion
Find talented salespeople who show genuine enthusiasm for your company. Don’t take passion for granted. Individuals who are passionate about their work inspire coworkers and offer compelling sales pitches to prospective clients. In Forbes’s article on recruitment Becca Apfelstadt underlines this point in her closing piece of advice: “You have to find people who genuinely love what they do and believe in your vision. If not, it’ll fall apart fast.”
Cultivate Professional Development
Once you’ve onboarded your salespeople, invest in their professional development. LinkedIn’s article on recruiting great salespeople calls this “selling the future.” Instead of only focusing on the short-term benefits of employment, talk with your new recruits about their potential to move upward within the company and the long-term benefits of their position. LinkedIn assures recruiters that “the number-one reason people take a new job isn’t money, but career opportunity”
Invest in Your Top Salespeople
Last but not least, don’t forget to invest in your current top salespeople. The most cost-effective way to improve your sales team is by prioritizing the talent you already have. Offer employee education opportunities like seminars, schedule routine check-ins with your team, and incentivize selling. Create a team-oriented culture where employees feel like their skills are valued.
How Do I Recruit and Train Sales Teams? Leave it to Acquirent!
Another fantastic way to hire and train top salespeople for your company is by partnering with an outsourced sales development company. Acquirent offers recruitment and training services so it’s easy for you to hire top-talent. Acquirent’s team is dedicated to finding passionate recruits who fit in with your company’s culture. Plus, with Acquirent’s sales training, you’ll ensure that all you salespeople are on the same page when it comes to strategies, techniques, and goals.