Hiring the right sales professionals makes all the difference in driving business growth. The best candidates bring strong communication skills, a results-driven mindset, and the ability to build relationships. But finding those top performers requires more than just reviewing resumes and conducting standard interviews. A structured approach to hiring improves success rates and helps companies build high-performing sales teams.
Our CEO, Walter Crosby has spent the majority of his career as a salesman and was frequently promoted to sales manager. In these roles, he has sold a range of products with complex B2B sales cycles including LED luminaries, commercial signage, financial services, synchronized clock systems, and commercial fire alarm systems. He has sold to K-12 educators, colleges and universities, contractors, and manufacturing and commercial/retail firms.
In these experiences, he was often frustrated by the lack of training when he was promoted to sales management roles. This led him to create his own firm at Helix to hire, coach, and influence successful sales teams. Over the years, Helix-recommended hires rise to the top half of their sales organization within the first year over 90% of the time. To discuss how our Michigan sales development training services may be able to help you, contact Helix Sales Development today.
Defining The Qualities Of A Top Performer
Before starting the hiring process, we need to define what makes a candidate successful in our sales environment. Sales roles vary by industry, customer base, and sales cycle length, so the ideal traits will depend on the specific needs of the business.
Some key attributes of top-performing salespeople include:
- Resilience and persistence when facing rejection
- Strong listening and problem-solving abilities
- A proactive approach to prospecting and closing deals
- Adaptability to different customer needs and objections
- A history of exceeding sales goals
By clearly identifying these traits, we can focus on finding candidates who fit our specific sales environment rather than relying on general hiring criteria.
Using Behavioral Interviews To Assess Fit
Resumes provide insight into a candidate’s experience, but they do not reveal how someone approaches challenges or interacts with customers. Behavioral interviews help uncover these qualities by asking candidates to describe how they have handled real-world situations.
Some effective behavioral interview questions include:
- Tell us about a time you turned a difficult prospect into a customer. What steps did you take?
- Describe a situation where you missed a sales goal. How did you handle it, and what did you change afterward?
- Have you ever had to convince a hesitant customer to make a purchase? What was your strategy?
These questions give candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their problem-solving skills, resilience, and sales mindset. Strong candidates provide specific examples rather than vague responses.
Evaluating Sales Performance Through Assessments
Interviews provide valuable insights, but sales assessments add another layer of evaluation. By using assessments, we can measure a candidate’s selling style, motivation, and ability to handle rejection.
Some useful assessments for hiring sales professionals include:
- Sales aptitude tests that evaluate persuasion, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Personality assessments that measure traits like competitiveness, optimism, and adaptability
- Role-playing exercises where candidates demonstrate their ability to handle objections and close deals
These assessments help predict how a candidate will perform in real sales situations. While no single test determines success, combining assessments with interviews and experience reviews creates a more complete picture.
Checking References For Performance Insights
Reference checks offer valuable insights into a candidate’s past performance. Speaking with former managers and colleagues helps confirm strengths, work habits, and ability to meet sales goals.
When conducting reference checks, we ask specific questions, such as:
- How did the candidate perform against sales targets?
- What was their approach to prospecting and closing deals?
- How well did they handle rejection and customer objections?
- Would you rehire them? Why or why not?
These conversations often reveal details that are not apparent in interviews. A strong candidate’s references will reinforce the qualities they presented during the hiring process.
Assessing Cultural Fit For Long-Term Success
A top-performing salesperson may not always thrive in every company. Cultural fit is just as important as skill set when building a successful team. Candidates who align with company values and sales processes are more likely to succeed and stay long-term.
To assess cultural fit, we look for alignment in areas like:
- Work style and team collaboration
- Approach to customer relationships
- Motivation and career goals
- Willingness to adopt company sales strategies
Discussing these factors during interviews helps determine whether a candidate will integrate well into our sales environment.
Onboarding And Coaching For High Performance
Even the best sales hires need support to succeed. A strong onboarding process sets new hires up for success and accelerates their ability to contribute.
Key components of an effective onboarding program include:
- Clear sales goals and expectations
- Training on products, services, and sales processes
- Coaching sessions focused on refining techniques
- Shadowing top sales performers to learn best practices
Regular coaching after onboarding keeps salespeople engaged and continuously improving. Coaching sessions help reinforce best practices, address challenges, and provide guidance on closing more deals.
Retaining Top Talent For Continued Growth
Finding great salespeople is only the first step—keeping them engaged and motivated is just as important. High-performing sales professionals want opportunities for growth, recognition for their achievements, and a work environment that supports their success.
Strategies for retaining top talent include:
- Providing clear career progression opportunities
- Recognizing and rewarding strong performance
- Offering ongoing coaching and development
- Creating a positive team culture with open communication
Salespeople who feel valued and supported are more likely to stay and continue contributing to business success.
How We Help Companies Build Stronger Sales Teams
At Helix Sales Development, we help businesses improve their hiring process to attract and retain top-performing sales professionals. Our approach focuses on defining success, evaluating candidates effectively, and coaching new hires for long-term success.
For companies looking for sales development training, identifying and hiring the right salespeople is a critical step in improving overall performance. A structured hiring process leads to stronger teams, better sales results, and long-term business growth.
Contact Our Michigan Sales Development Training Team Today
Hiring the right sales people takes time, but the investment pays off in stronger sales results and improved team performance. If your company wants to build a more effective sales team, we can help. Contact Helix Sales Development today to discuss how we can support your hiring and coaching efforts.
