Interview Help: Sales People and Sales Managers

[wagner]

I will be interviewing for an Account Manager style job next week internally with my company have some questions for the sales people of CR.

 

Now, I do have some sales and account management experience in the past, my current job also has some of this as well. This is not all foreign to me, I’m just trying to come up with the best way to prove my skills.

 

This job will be mostly account retention, sales, and upselling of our services/products over the phone. There will be some travel to meet clients in person, but that will only be about 10-20% of the time.

 

For this interview, do any of you have suggestions on what to prepare for, questions to ask, tips, ect?

 

What kind of probing types of sales questions do some of you ask?

 

What are the qualities of a good phone salesperson that I need to remind myself I have?

 

Good points to drive home in the interview about my diverse background and how it rolls into a sales position?

 

This would be a pretty positive step up for me, so I want to just crush this interview. The last time I was up for one of these I made it to the finals but got beat out because of my location here in Columbus.

 

I have done my pre-interview research and have some questions I will ask about the position so I'm covered there.

[Tshensley]

IMO most sales hiring want fresh sales hiring so they will easily learn the process of that particular company rather than trying to teach "old dog new tricks". They don't want to deal with other company's habits, unless it falls in line with the current process.

 

When being hired for a sales position, try to take the excitement of the money capabilities out because they are also "selling" you on the position as well. Which this leads to make sure you understand how everything "pays" you. I find it funny to meet new salesmen and ask them how they are getting paid...It always leads too "I'm not really sure"

 

As a phone salesperson, I would think getting the phone script down that they have put into the process. Make sure you have it down word for word that they want, but when it comes time for you to make calls. Make it your own, without sounding like a scripted robot.

 

Be willing to role play through these events with coworkers to perfect your style. If you can't sell your coworker, how do you plan to sell a random person?

[zeitgeist57]

Good points above.

 

I think a successful candidate understands to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Face time is not wasted time; every client interaction (even service-related) is a chance to get things right and plan for a client's future...which should translate to another opportunity to deliver a solution.

 

Also, I would show how you work well in a team environment: you are there to make money, but also align YOUR goals with the MANAGER/TEAM goals. Plus, you're great with service and support; everyone is a valuable member of the team.

[wagner]

IMO most sales hiring want fresh sales hiring so they will easily learn the process of that particular company rather than trying to teach "old dog new tricks". They don't want to deal with other company's habits, unless it falls in line with the current process.

 

When being hired for a sales position, try to take the excitement of the money capabilities out because they are also "selling" you on the position as well. Which this leads to make sure you understand how everything "pays" you. I find it funny to meet new salesmen and ask them how they are getting paid...It always leads too "I'm not really sure"

 

As a phone salesperson, I would think getting the phone script down that they have put into the process. Make sure you have it down word for word that they want, but when it comes time for you to make calls. Make it your own, without sounding like a scripted robot.

 

Be willing to role play through these events with coworkers to perfect your style. If you can't sell your coworker, how do you plan to sell a random person?

 

Here's the thing, there really is no "scrpit" for this role, you are dealing with current customers trying to get them to invest into our other product offerings, or keep the account going as is.

 

The job is really robust and will help get me ready for a bigger job later on, that's why I want this so bad.

 

I don't have any bad sales habits to break, and I come from the more complex side of our operations so I know how that works and won't need to be "trained" on what goes on product wise.

 

Good points above.

 

I think a successful candidate understands to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Face time is not wasted time; every client interaction (even service-related) is a chance to get things right and plan for a client's future...which should translate to another opportunity to deliver a solution.

 

Also, I would show how you work well in a team environment: you are there to make money, but also align YOUR goals with the MANAGER/TEAM goals. Plus, you're great with service and support; everyone is a valuable member of the team.

 

This is how my current role is, I do a certain job on my team that helps drive towards team goals, while also hitting my own. At this point I've crushed my numbers goals for the year and actually am starting to pass other people on the team.

[TTQ B4U]

Now, I do have some sales and account management experience in the past, my current job also has some of this as well. This is not all foreign to me, I’m just trying to come up with the best way to prove my skills.

 

Key for the above is showing your transferrable skills and documenation of success in the past and measurable achievements. Apply both to the new role in order to show you can accomplish what it is they are looking for from this new role. ie. been there done that, here's the results, what I did and how based on what you're looking for with what I know as of today as a candidate how you would meet their needs. Even if you're not 100% spot-on as you are still learning the role and they of your capabilities, that on-the-spot creative solution sale during the interview will play in your favor.

 

This job will be mostly account retention, sales, and upselling of our services/products over the phone. There will be some travel to meet clients in person, but that will only be about 10-20% of the time.

 

Great. It's a "farmer" role. Strong relationships play into this as does building trust. Show how you have both and brought it to fruition before. Time management and planning and creative thinking will play into the travel piece. Again, always show past successes but don't forget to apply them to the current need. They need to be able to actually "see you" in the role being successful.

 

 

For this interview, do any of you have suggestions on what to prepare for, questions to ask, tips, ect?

 

Ask questions about what they are looking for and what success looks like. Say 90-120 to full year down the road. What attributes do they see being key to a successful person in this role. What are the biggest challenges others in this role face and how have they overcome them., etc.

 

What are the qualities of a good phone salesperson that I need to remind myself I have?

 

2 ears, one mouth. Listen and ask questions. Good sales people listen, repeat back what they've heard and clarify, clarify, clarify. You should only be doing about 20% of the talking and mostly at the end of the meeting to do what I stayed above.

 

Good points to drive home in the interview about my diverse background and how it rolls into a sales position?

 

As noted above, SHOW your past successes through interesting but brief stories/examples. Key is brief. Stories are memorable, fun and should hit home. APPLY them to the role you're after. Goal is to get the interviewer to PICTURE you in the role being successful.

 

This would be a pretty positive step up for me, so I want to just crush this interview. The last time I was up for one of these I made it to the finals but got beat out because of my location here in Columbus.

 

I stand by our lunch conversation Brian. Gut tells me it wasn't location. Something else was there and I'm not picking on you or what you bring. There was an objection not overcome somewhere. THe location wasn't far away and you told me you'd have moved for it. I can talk with you about this again to cover it if you wish. I just hired a rep from out of the territory and that's okay. Distance a the cost to relocate, whether I pay it or the candidate will keep someone from hiring the right person. They wouldn't have interviewed you if it was.

 

I have done my pre-interview research and have some questions I will ask about the position so I'm covered there.

 

Cool. Happy to role-play if you wish. Good luck man!

[wagner]

Key for the above is showing your transferrable skills and documenation of success in the past and measurable achievements. Apply both to the new role in order to show you can accomplish what it is they are looking for from this new role. ie. been there done that, here's the results, what I did and how based on what you're looking for with what I know as of today as a candidate how you would meet their needs. Even if you're not 100% spot-on as you are still learning the role and they of your capabilities, that on-the-spot creative solution sale during the interview will play in your favor.

 

 

 

Great. It's a "farmer" role. Strong relationships play into this as does building trust. Show how you have both and brought it to fruition before. Time management and planning and creative thinking will play into the travel piece. Again, always show past successes but don't forget to apply them to the current need. They need to be able to actually "see you" in the role being successful.

 

 

 

 

Ask questions about what they are looking for and what success looks like. Say 90-120 to full year down the road. What attributes do they see being key to a successful person in this role. What are the biggest challenges others in this role face and how have they overcome them., etc.

 

 

 

2 ears, one mouth. Listen and ask questions. Good sales people listen, repeat back what they've heard and clarify, clarify, clarify. You should only be doing about 20% of the talking and mostly at the end of the meeting to do what I stayed above.

 

 

 

As noted above, SHOW your past successes through interesting but brief stories/examples. Key is brief. Stories are memorable, fun and should hit home. APPLY them to the role you're after. Goal is to get the interviewer to PICTURE you in the role being successful.

 

 

 

I stand by our lunch conversation Brian. Gut tells me it wasn't location. Something else was there and I'm not picking on you or what you bring. There was an objection not overcome somewhere. THe location wasn't far away and you told me you'd have moved for it. I can talk with you about this again to cover it if you wish. I just hired a rep from out of the territory and that's okay. Distance a the cost to relocate, whether I pay it or the candidate will keep someone from hiring the right person. They wouldn't have interviewed you if it was.

 

 

 

Cool. Happy to role-play if you wish. Good luck man!

 

Thanks for the info Tim. After the last interview, this time they passed me through directly to the 2nd round since I did so well.

 

If I am able to take a lunch between now and the interview I will hit you up for sure.

[TTQ B4U]

If I am able to take a lunch between now and the interview I will hit you up for sure.

 

Cool. I'll be in town next week with a few days at my Easton Office. We can meet up anywhere though.

[zeitgeist57]

Tim nailed it.

 

...though, that's his job anyway.

[El Karacho1647545492]

1) Active listening. Tim hit on it but didn't call it that. Make sure everything that comes out of your mouth provides value to your client and directly addresses a need, desire, or concern of theirs. They care about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. Make sure your interviewer knows you're capable of this by demonstrating it in the interview.

 

2) Product knowledge. This is a twofold thing. You need to know yourself, since you are a product that you are trying to sell to a potential employer. You need to know how to match your strengths and skills to their needs, and additionally point out things they may not be thinking of that you can provide further value with. This will give them the confidence that when you're actively listening that you'll be able to effectively match your products to your future clients' needs and open up revenue streams that no one has thought of before.

 

3) Be genuine. If you're gonna fit into the role, they'll hire you. If you won't, don't try to make it seem like you will because then all you'll be doing once you get hired is trying to get out since you don't fit.

 

4) End every interview with "Is there any reason you can think of that I'm not the leading candidate for this job?" If they have doubts, they'll express them and you'll have your one and only opportunity to strike down that objection and present your value one last time. It also shows you're unafraid to ask tough questions to earn the "sale", and it demonstrates that you are eager to do business with them.

[wagner]

I went on sales calls to DC last week and the salesperson I was out with set up a call with law firm that does not use us much.

 

They brought me in because of the area I handle and I was there to "balance" the sales call since the other sales person is stronger in our other products.

 

After we met with the paralegal she spent the first 5 min. talking about all her past issues with the company. I was able to address all of them, build trust, and even got her to relax.

 

She sent her first order to me directly yesterday, I beat her requested timeline by days, and she seems very happy.

 

These are the kinds of things I will bring up in the interview, my ability to build relationships through trust and being honest with customers.

[TTQ B4U]

 

These are the kinds of things I will bring up in the interview, my ability to build relationships through trust and being honest with customers.

 

Side note: The SPEED of Trust is a great book. The culture of our entire company is focused around the principles in the book. Great read.