Ugh, there’s an open position on your sales team.
Hiring a super hero is important. Or at least someone who can become a super hero, because you want a top producing sales team.
So, do you buy or build for the open position?
When you buy the new rep from a competitor you probably think the new rep:
- Can bring lots of customers from their current client /prospect list.
- Needs less time learning about the business, and
- Will have a quick-time-to-performance.
You see dollar signs even before they’re hired.
Sorry to disappoint you, this isn’t always the case.
Look at some of the downsides to this method of hiring:
Why is a top performer leaving their current company? As the saying goes you really don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Are they truly the top performer you think they are? What does your company offer besides a new location than the current company? Money? Sure, money is great, but it isn’t the sole motivator for a driven sales professional.
The rep-buyer relationship is important in sales. Yet today’s buyers do not necessarily switch their current provider because of the sales person – no matter how much they like and trust them. This was more prevalent years ago. Today’s economy and buying process is different and with all of the internal changes that often come with a switch – the buyer needs a greater compelling reason to switch other than the sales rep.
Is there a match between your core competencies of a top performer and the competitors? There are companies whose top performers are mavericks – close a deal any way at any cost. If your go to market strategy includes a long-term relationship and high customer satisfaction – those two top performer competencies may not match.
You think your job is over and you can set the new rep free to go do their thing. Wrong. Until you observe the new rep selling to your customers, you don’t have a clue as to how they are repenting you – no matter how much experience. Are they selling the way you want your reps to sell?
As you seek to ‘buy’ your team by selecting top performers from other companies or hire talent with less sales experience and ‘build’ your top performing team, it’s what you do once they are on the team that truly makes the difference.
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