Vincent Haarhoff’s Post

Sales job candidates: you will get asked, “why do you want to be in sales?” Here’s how I’d answer. (applies to first-time or existing salespeople – many interviewers ask “why sales?”) 🗣 Interviewer: “So, why sales?” 👨💻 Me: Yeah, I’ve actually tried to think pretty deeply about this. I’ve really boiled it down to three main reasons… 1, the culture of development and performance; 2, it lets me capitalize on my strength of connecting and working with people; and 3, candidly, the economics are super appealing. Is it helpful if I go into detail a bit on each of these? 🗣 Interviewer: “Please. That would be great.” 👨💻 Me: So, on the first one, the culture of development and performance, I’m the kind of person who loves to learn new things and be surrounded by other driven people who love it too. And it seems pretty clear to me that sales teams both prioritize and reward exactly this type of development. Then add in the focus on measurable performance and it’s the perfect setup for me to be successful and super engaged. And then on the second one, I’ve always been someone who can connect with other people. I’m good at forming relationships with strangers (for example, I worked at restaurants in college and my first job after school was collecting petition signatures on the streets in NYC) and I’m super curious and love to ask lots of questions. So again, it feels like a sales job will play perfectly to my strengths. And finally, I want to make a great life for myself and my family and I’m the kind of person who will work around the clock when I’m engaged. So given I really believe I’ll love the work based on the first two parts of my answer, I want to be able to earn more if I’m willing to put in extra work, develop a ton, and perform. And then maybe the only thing I’ll add is I’m very resilient, I’ve faced tons of rejection like in my petition gathering work and I think my management consulting experience will set me up really well to be able to serve as an advisor to the executives I’d be selling to. So yeah, to summarize, I’m attracted to the sales culture, I think the work plays really well to my natural strengths, and the financial incentives are very motivating to me. Anything else here that it’d be helpful to hear more detail on? 🗣 Interviewer: “No, that’s great.” Notes: ▶ “Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em. Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em what ya told ‘em.” Repetition is persuasive. ▶ I’ve hired 50+ salespeople. These are the types of reasons I liked, but others can work too. ▶ What do you want the interviewer to THINK? Something like: “wow, he’s clearly thought a lot about this, wants it, has compelling reasons, AND is an organized communicator”. ▶ “Your answer is too long!” Meh. It’s fine to go a bit longer if you’re engaging and purposeful with your words. It would take about 2 min to say the detailed portion above. And “asking for permission” disarms it. Helpful? What would you do differently?

My top piece of advice to sales people who are looking for new roles: (I don't know why more people don't do this) Cold call the hiring manager. That's it. If you do it correctly, it's the quickest and easiest way to stand out and almost guarantee an interview. Before the excuses roll in: ❌ "But I don't even know who the hiring manager is" ✅ If you can't be resourceful and figure it out, maybe sales isn't for you... ❌ "But I don't have their contact details" ✅ Use Apollo - it's basically the same price as LinkedIn premium ❌ "What if they don't answer?" ✅ Treat it like a sales process, go multi-channel and multiple touchpoints ❌ "What if they don't appreciate getting a cold call?" ✅ They're sales leaders, if they don't appreciate the proactivity, then you've dodged a bullet ❌ "What if they just say apply on the portal?" ✅ What a brilliant opportunity to push back on an objection and get commitment! ❌ "I don't feel comfortable cold calling" ✅ No comment Personally, I love it when I get cold-called about sales roles, although, it hardly ever happens. But when it does, it stands out far more than you think. P.S. - Do you think cold calling the hiring manager is too forward, or should it be the expectation?

Why is a "crazy great" Inside Sales Agent essential for Real Estate growth? When you’re hiring an Inside Sales Agent, you are hiring a focused phone professional whose sole job is to reach out to prospects. When you m͟a͟k͟e͟ ͟t͟h͟e͟ ͟r͟i͟g͟h͟t͟ ͟h͟i͟r͟e͟, you stand to triple or potentially quadruple your business! If you are ready to bring on an ISA, you’ll want as much information on your candidates as possible. Here's 3 key steps: 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 – Since they’ll spend the bulk of their time on the phone securing appointments, you’ll want to hear how they sound. Do they project confidence, sound enthusiastic, and speak professionally? 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 – You’re seeking specific behavioral and motivational characteristics in this person. Adding a DISC, or better yet, a DISC+ assessment into your hiring flow is a key benefit. 𝗜𝗻-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 – See how your candidates will fit into your company culture and determine if they can put their money where their mouth is by asking targeted, impactful questions. The time is now to make sure your new hires are top-notch! What challenges are you finding when hiring positions for your Real Estate team? https://lnkd.in/ewkK5Dq5 #discassessment #hradministration #realestate #realestateadvice #realestateteam #realestateteams

How Do You Identify the Top Sales Talent During the Hiring Process? The best ways to find the top sales talent or any form of talent during the hiring process are always steeped deeply in the communication you as the employer has with the applicant. With each communication with the applicant, you will learn more about who they are and what their skills are. Below are several tips on how to identify the top sales talent during the hiring process. Hold Preliminary Phone Calls Before you invite applicants in for interviews, make sure that you hold a short phone call with all the applicants individually. This is a great way to find the people who are a waste of your time, not a good fit for the company, or simply not qualified. Read them the job description, ask them about their salary expectations, and their expectations about the position. If their answers are all over the place or do not match your company's intentions or needs, they are not going to be the right fit for your company. As you talk in the interview, take note of how the applicant is communicating with you. Listen to the tone of their voice and how they are presenting information about themselves. Sales reps need to be able to make cold calls and communicate with clients over the phone all the time, so make sure that their skills are sharp in this sense. Ask Unique Questions As simple and easy as it is to simply say, “Why do you think you would do well here?” that is the bare minimum that can be done to find out more about the sales talent your applicant has. Ask them unique questions that make them think creatively and outside of the box. Depending on their answers, you will be able to understand if they: 1. Have sales talent 2. Can think critically and creatively on their feet 3. Will bring a new perspective to your company. Ask questions about their hobbies and life, like their favorite movies, songs, which state they would take off the map. Getting your applicant to think and be clear about their answers is a great way to spot unique talent and assess their communication skills. Understand How They Sell Products Ask your applicant deep questions about the nature of their sales technique. If their sales technique is bland and completely script reliant, they may not have the sales talent you are looking for. Have them try to sell a product to you. Pick any object in the room, say a stapler or a chair, and have them sell it to you through their sales process on the spot. LA Sales Recruiter Office: (310) 933-5809 / Toll-Free: (800) 505-0665 [email protected] 9350 Wilshire Blvd Ste. 203 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 LAsalesrecruiter.com #recruitment #salesrecruiters #funnel #humanresources #success #customerservice #remotesales #quality #culture #jobsearch #hr #job #sell #Sales #time #Sale #Recruiter #ExecutiveSearch #business #team #products #Jobs #work #hiring #Staffing #marketing #Teams #security #service #recruitingagency

Start your sales career on the right foot with five valuable tips for landing an entry-level sales job. Read the blog now https://bit.ly/3Pc6nzG

Tip for sales recruiters: Trying to sell an opportunity to a Sales Engineer is no different from trying to sell an opportunity to a customer. I live MEDDPICC, CotM, and value selling, every day. If all you have is a poorly constructed word salad, how seriously do you imagine I might take you? I've had two very different approaches this week (Colleagues: I'm not chasing either of them!). The first was via LinkedIn (good), cut straight to the point and gave me the company background and tangible benefits (compensation, product value, company direction) in a highly efficient word count. Spot on; this chap knows his market and knows what Sales Engineers likely care about. Compelling and convincing. The second... oh good grief. After an unanswered phone call to my mobile (clearly hasn't done any research such as checking my LinkedIn profile), he sent a text message. It started badly because he spelled my name wrong. Then he told me about himself, said he "loved the work" I was doing at "logicmonitor" (what no capitals?) and that he knew "a few of the guys over there really well" (news flash, we have a more diverse team than just "guys"). Then there's a list of VCs and companies he's working with and "a couple of others", before suggesting there might be something now or in 6 months time. Then he spelled my name wrong again. Clearly, there is no single defined opportunity; just a fishing trip. Even if there is a decent job in there somewhere, he's destroyed any credibility and chance of trust in either himself or, more crucially, the role(s), in a single message. There's a lot of waffle about how great he is, a tiny bit of unverifiable smoke getting blown up my backside, no evidence of value, clearly no time taken doing any research, and absolute evidence that he doesn't care about me. If I approached any of my prospects in this way, I would absolutely be in need of a new job, but I doubt anyone would give me one. No thanks.

Want to know what makes an ideal sales professional? Here are the top traits: 💰 Money Motivation 💪 Resilience ⚡ Urgency 🧠 Commercial Thinking 🎓 Maturity These qualities are essential for sales success. Embrace these traits to excel in your career! Read into these here: https://bit.ly/3XCYfNU #SalesProfessional #TopTraits #Recruitment #CareerAdvice

Step away from transactional sales - Build relationships!           I speak to a lot of salespeople who tell me that selling something you’re not enthusiastic/passionate about becomes mundane and boring over time.   You find the customer, you do the sell and you get the money, simple as.   No reservicing, no relationships, just a simple Hi, yes sure, here’s your money, off you go…   Where’s the fun in that?!     💖 The beauty of recruitment is the fact it’s purely built on building relationships + working with people 💖   If you love the process of sales, but want to be more engaged with the people you’re selling to and the businesses you work with,   Here’s what recruitment can offer:     💛 Maintaining + establishing new relationships (clients + candidates)   💛 Face to face client meetings! (These are my fave!)   💛 Constantly improving your communication + professional skills by speaking to new people every day.     Sales to recruitment can be an easy transition, you already know how to sell! It gives you the opportunity to develop your professional + interpersonal skills further.   Interested?   Drop me a call 07477 256 831 or message me direct 📲

Want to know what makes an ideal sales professional? Here are the top traits: 💰 Money Motivation 💪 Resilience ⚡ Urgency 🧠 Commercial Thinking 🎓 Maturity These qualities are essential for sales success. Embrace these traits to excel in your career! Read into these here: https://bit.ly/3XCYfNU #SalesProfessional #TopTraits #Recruitment #CareerAdvice

How Do You Identify the Top Sales Talent During the Hiring Process? The best ways to find the top sales talent or any form of talent during the hiring process are always steeped deeply in the communication you as the employer has with the applicant. Below are several tips on how to identify the top sales talent during the hiring process: Hold Preliminary Phone Calls Before you invite applicants in for interviews, make sure that you hold a short phone call with all the applicants individually. This is a great way to find the people who are a waste of your time, not a good fit for the company, or simply not qualified. Read them the job description, ask them about their salary expectations, and their expectations about the position. If their answers are all over the place or do not match your company's intentions or needs, they are not going to be the right fit for your company. As you talk in the interview, take note of how the applicant is communicating with you. Listen to the tone of their voice and how they are presenting information about themselves. Sales reps need to be able to make cold calls and communicate with clients over the phone all the time, so make sure that their skills are sharp in this sense. Ask Unique Questions As simple and easy as it is to simply say, “Why do you think you would do well here?” that is the bare minimum that can be done to find out more about the sales talent your applicant has. Ask them unique questions that make them think creatively and outside of the box. Depending on their answers, you will be able to understand if they: 1. Have sales talent 2. Can think critically and creatively on their feet 3. Will bring a new perspective to your company. Ask questions about their hobbies and life, like their favorite movies, songs, which state they would take off the map, or what they would want on a deserted island. Getting your applicant to think and be clear about their answers is a great way to spot unique talent and assess their communication skills. Understand How They Sell Products Ask your applicant deep questions about the nature of their sales technique. If their sales technique is bland and completely script reliant, they may not have the sales talent you are looking for. Have them try to sell a product to you. Pick any object in the room, say a stapler or a chair, and have them sell it to you through their sales process on the spot. Using these tips can help you find the best sales talent for your company! Call LA Sales Recruiter today for a quote. LA Sales Recruiter Office: (310) 933-5809 / Toll-Free: (800) 505-0665 [email protected] 9350 Wilshire Blvd Ste. 203 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 LAsalesrecruiter.com #recruitment #salesrecruiters #funnel #humanresources #success #customerservice #remotesales #culture #jobsearch #hr #job #sell #Sales #time #Sale #Recruiter #ExecutiveSearch #business #team #products #Jobs #work #hiring #Staffing #marketing #Teams #security #recruitingagency