What to look for in effective sales reps?

Over the years I've seen sales reps from very different industries succeed.  It's usually about the individual not what they were selling.  To start we're looking for good character, entrepreneurial zeal, business accumen, a sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic.

The best reps don't necessarily like to cold call.  I chuckle when it's suggested to me I should hire someone because "they love to cold call".  I don't know many well adjusted people who like to cold call.  However, successful people do the things others don't like to do.  That means having the gumption and discipline to do what they need to do despite not liking it.  Those are the people I find succeed in sales.  Money motivation is also important.  Whether it's family obligations or a lifestyle to protect, the need to earn a healthy income is a strong motivator for top sales producers. 

Sales reps need to demonstrate an eye for detail and possess very strong follow up and organizational skills.  Using third party endorsements and staying in the prospects mind is paramount.  The ability to remember the prospect and her business and providing interesting information in the form of email links, etc. as they become available, provides mind share and builds relationships between reps and prospects.  Intelligence is necessary to understand prospects' answers and connect dots to help build sense of urgency to solve problems. Urgency is the greatest influencer of a decision on the part of the prospect.  Understanding alternatives to the solution offered, speaking in terms of ROI, finding indirect costs and how the prospect's internal purchasing process works are important skills for reps to have developed. 

Sales reps need a strong set of values and ethics as guiding principles.  These will keep the rep professional and with integrity on sales calls regardless if they are having a tough sales month and feeling under pressure.  The prospect must never sense desperation.  Reps with solid values will always do what's right for the prospect/customer and the rep's employer.  This state of mind actually aids in building the confidence in prospects to buy from the rep.  Over the years I've worked with many successful reps I could respect. 

When hiring and bringing reps on board, it's crucial to treat them like your partners and as valuable assets to your team. The best way to test is to ask specific scenareo questions that focus on each of the above characteristics and skills.  If the rep seems to completely understand where you are going with your questions and is easily able to articulate how they would handle the situation to your satisfaction, you have a potential candidate.  If you get the deer in headlights look or some type of "dancing" answer, you likely don't have a match. The hiring process is not simple but testing for these traits, characteristics and skills is worth the effort.