What makes a good sales rep?
I’m often asked what makes a good sales rep or what I look for in a candidate. For many managers, it’s based entirely on past success. For some, it’s tenure at previous gigs. For others, it’s something more subjective – the right logo on the resume, the right backchannel, or even right place at the right time.
The first thing I look for is DNA
Some people are born to be sales people. From their earliest memories, they were always selling. Selling in the traditional sense? Not necessarily, but they were always involved in moving people – through sports, through theater, through something in their lives where they drove people to see something the way they wanted it seen. This cannot be manufactured or trained. This is who they are.
Next up? A good old chip on the shoulder
Like DNA, this isn’t something that can be manufactured. This is the personal fire in the belly. This is the reason that someone does what they do. What are they trying to prove? What keeps them working even after they’ve ‘made it?’ It’s that desire to prove someone wrong, prove something to themselves, or provide a better life for their family.
Attention to Detail
Many sales reps, by nature, are averse to administrative tasks. This isn’t always a bad thing. This “laziness” can lead to developing faster, more efficient ways to do things. However, when this leads to a lack of attention to detail, things go off the rails. Being on top of the little details is what separates the good from the great. It’s a measure of how they handle one of the few areas they can control.
Do they have a process they follow?
This is an interesting one. What’s the process or methodology they follow? What do they use as their guide? Here’s the interesting thing: I’m not looking for them to tell me it’s the same one I use – I just want to know they have structure in doing what they do.
Does this mean I don’t care about any of the other more traditional criteria? Of course not – tenure, past success, and coming from within a network are always critical. However, past success or a good backchannel doesn’t dictate ongoing performance. To me, having the right DNA, attention to detail and ability to follow a process are much better indicators of how successful someone will be.
