What is Sales - Select?
SalesSelect is an easy-to-use assessment tool that provides Sales Managers a very accurate read on sales applicants’ potential for performance before they hire them.
Does it matter? In today’s market, sales force performance is a bigger piece of the competitive advantage puzzle than ever before. Today, it is difficult to sustain a competitive advantage by product alone. Even if you have a winning product, the competition is likely to get one on the market that is just as good, at half the price, in half the time it took several years ago. Although a superior sales force is difficult to hire and train, once you have one, it is one the few sustainable advantages left.
Not only is superior sales performance more important than ever; it’s harder to get there. Now, a top performer has to know more and know it at a higher level of competency than in times past. So, better up-front selection is a significant performance multiplier.
What does SalesSelect look like? Sales-Select is an on-line administered assessment tool composed of five tests which takes about an hour to complete. It is available 24/7 and because the Sales Manager’s time demands are greater than ever, you receive feedback within 24 hours or less.
What does SalesSelect actually measure? Yesterday’s selection challenge was somewhat less demanding because the skill base for success was less. Today, the breath and depth of that skill base is wide and substantial. SalesSelect was developed to meet that new benchmark. SalesSelect provides the Sales Manger feedback on the applicant’s competency (Master, Very High, Average, Low, Very Low, and Novice) on each of the “Big 6” sales competencies:
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Business Acumen
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Building and Maintaining Relationships
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Sales Motivation and Persistence
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Problem Identification and Analysis
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Sales Time Management
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Conversational Fluency
Does SalesSelect replace the other things I’m doing in selection? The short answer is: No. Getting selection right is too important to leave to any one method. SalesSelect is best used in conjunction with other information gathered about a sales applicant such as resumes, reference checks, and interviews. To assist in this effort, the SalesSelect process includes a large pool of vetted interview questions that can be used for designing your own customized structured interview. The interview questions are categorized by the “Big 6” sales competencies to provide you an opportunity to explore any of the six competencies from another perspective.
What’s the payoff? The payoff is substantial. From a strategic investment perspective, you are more likely to hire a sales person who:
- Can get off to a faster start towards achieving their performance targets
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Is more likely to leverage your investment in their training, and
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Will be less likely to increase to your turnover rate
If you answer the payoff question from a “What does this person look like” perspective, then you are going to maximize your chances of hiring a salesperson who:
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has the intellectual horsepower to understand how a customer’s business works.
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is adept at developing credibility and trust with your customers.
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is self-motivated and persistent.
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helps their customers to see the connection between the customers’ problems and you resolution.
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is able to manage their time efficiently and effectively.
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possess the great gift to have a compelling and engaging conversation with customers.
Can SalesSelect make a difference? Those people who are most knowledgeable and experienced in sales excellence know that selection is worthwhile and needs to be a priority. Sales leaders agree that better selection is a necessity if you want to build a world-class sales team. Although most sales leaders agree about the importance, most would also agree “the job isn’t getting the done.” Sales-Select is one answer to this challenge.
