Seven things to consider before making your first sales hire

So you’re thinking about making your first sales hire, but you’re not really sure what you’re looking for or what they’ll be doing – just that you need more leads and sales coming into the business.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

When you do finally take the leap and hire your first sales employee, it’s vital to figure out how they’re going to fit in and compliment your company best. Do you need someone who’ll be doing lots of cold calling, starting conversations and then passing leads on? Or do you want someone who has more responsibility and brings a strategic lens to the sales role, as well as initial prospecting?

Whatever your needs are, there are a number of things to consider when hiring your first sales talent, both in what you need as a business, and what attributes your new hire should bring. Make sure to keep these front of mind.

Sales experience

While many people just fall into sales with no background in it, for your first hire, some experience is required. Make sure the talent you hire knows how to source leads from scratch, can identify ideal customer profiles for your business and if needed, confidently close a deal.

Communication

Communication is key in sales. Sales talent need to be able to clearly articulate your company’s value proposition and build and manage relationships with a variety of both internal and external stakeholders. Displaying active listening skills, while asking questions that’ll get your business the information to land that sale is a plus too.

Cultural fit

Sales does not sit in a silo, they need to interact and work alongside all parts of the business. Make sure that whoever you hire will fit well with your team (invite them to a team lunch before you make an offer to see if everyone gels) and that they align with your company’s vision and values.

Resilience

This can be difficult to judge at the interview stage, but finding out how they react to being told ‘no’ or something far worse during their cold outreach, is key. If they don’t handle it well, it doesn’t bode well. In the interview, ask them whether they can recall how they overcame a rough patch or dealt with rude clients in a previous role – this will be telling.

Their mindset

What kind of mindset do they bring to the business? They could have a strategic mindset, thinking ahead and considering the long term, or alternatively they could bring a creative mindset and do things a little differently to help them (and your business) stand out from the pack. Think about what will compliment your business best.

How they perform

Results are the whole point of sales. Being able to sell is one thing, but being data focused and using this to achieve targets, will take your sales to a whole new level. Look for people who are comfortable working towards targets that you’ll set. If they’re iffy about targets, it’s a red flag that they may not perform to expectations.

Salary and bonuses

If you want to attract sales talent that’ll help take your business to the next level, what you’re offering has to be enticing. The base salary needs to be aligned with the market and the bonus structure and other benefits need to be rewarding. It sounds like a lot of money, but when you get the right talent, the sales they bring will outweigh these costs.

Phew, that’s a lot to consider! If you’ve thought it through and you’re ready to go ahead with your first sales hire, get in touch with our Sales recruitment consultant, Joe Nolan at joe@creativenatives.com.au today. He’ll help you find the perfect sales talent for your company’s needs.