Membership Overview
Learn what being a member does for you
The Seller Styles
NASP Programs
Catalog
See a summary of all our programs and certifications
Online Certifications
Certified Professional Sales Person(CPSP®)
Develop your potential as a certified sales professional
Certified Professional Sales Leader(CPSL®)
Grow your impact as a certified sales leader
Certified Master Sales Professional (CMSP®)
Join the elite group of sales professionals and leaders
Certified Master Sales Trainer (CMST®)
Online Programs
Advanced Sales Influence (ASI)
Take your influence and leadership to the next level.
Certified Professional Sales Associate (CPSA®)
Learn foundational sales behaviors, strategies, and skills
Power of Contact Marketing
Learn from marketing expert and author Stu Heinecke
ProSeries Programs
Join the top 1% of sales professionals in the world.
Next Level Virtual Coaching
Sales Mastery
Join our ongoing dynamic virtual coaching community
Career Center
Explore job postings from some of the best companies in the country looking for sales professionals
Training Resources
Daily Dose of Influence!
Enjoy our video series of influence tips and strategies
Leads To Growth
Dig into our podcast featuring industry leaders and experts
Coaches Corner
Learn from our high-level sales coaching video series
Women of Sales & Influence – Facebook Live Series
Be inspired by our Facebook Live series spotlighting top women influencers
Women of Sales & Influence – Video Blog
Enjoy valuable, high-level sales strategies to empower your sales goals
Sales Resources
The Growth Quotient
You’ve heard about IQ, but what is your GQ?
Our Commitment to You
We are here to help your approach to sales, how you interact with others, and how you perform and execute
Articles
NASP Sales Blog
Learn from our member-submitted articles for sales professionals
About Our CEO
Standards of Conduct
Testimonials
Common Questions and Answers
Contact
by Deborah Walker
For small business owners, a good sales team is essential to continued sales and revenue growth. Unfortunately, sales positions are the most difficult to recruit, hire and retain. Relying on industry experience as the key hiring factor is one of the most common errors in filling sales positions. If the candidate left your competitor, how do you know he’ll succeed at your company?
Many hiring mistakes could be avoided by observing the candidate’s selling skills during the job interview. Since an interview is basically a sales presentation, it’s easy to test the candidate’s selling skills if you know what to look for.
During the interview a good sales candidate will ask you qualifying questions, like:
What are the greatest challenges your salespeople face? What do you see as the most important qualities in sales staff?
If he doesn’t ask these types of questions, he is probably the type of salesperson who wastes a lot of time with unqualified buyers.
Just as a good salesperson knows his prospect’s business before making a sales call, an excellent candidate will come to the interview prepared by knowing about your business. If he doesn’t, then that’s a big red flag against his selling skills. You’ll know if he did his homework by the quality of questions he asks you about your business. He should be prepared with at least one question that is specific to your business.
A good question would sound like:
I read from your website that you service most of the tri-county hospitals. Do your future plans include extending your market statewide?
A canned question would sound like:
How do you see your company growing in the next five years?
If he can’t ask questions that impress you with his intelligence and curiosity, he won’t impress your prospective clients either.
A great sales candidate will ask closing questions to move you toward a hiring decision. In the interview listen for closing questions like:
When would you like me to come back for the next interview?
When do you expect to make a hiring decision?
What concerns do you have that would prevent you from extending me the job offer?
The hallmark of a great salesperson is his ability to close the sale. If the candidate doesn’t try to close you on hiring him, he’ll lose a lot of your business as well.
No matter the current size of your company, the sales function has the biggest impact on your revenue growth. Your company’s revenue will increase steadily over time with a reliable sales team. You owe it to your company’s future to choose your sales team with great care. In your next sales interview, ask the right questions and watch for the right skills and you’ll be on your way to building a sales force that outsells your competition.
About the author