Step-by-step instructions for selecting a candidate for the position of Sales Director
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:45 am
There are a lot of vacancies for a sales director. However, from the huge flow of people, you need to choose a real professional in their field. Company managers often think about what is better: to find a person from outside for this position or to appoint someone from the staff?
At the initial stage of business development, it is worth spending money to hire a real specialist with extensive experience and many connections. If the company is already well-known, then you can choose someone from the company's specialists. If a person strives for promotion, then he is able to grow to the position of department head.
There is an opinion that the top benefits of using fusion database appointment of the best manager to the position of commercial director will inevitably lead to a decline in sales for both him and the people under his command. In narrow circles, this phenomenon is called the Michael Jordan paradox. Although the popular basketball player was the best player of the best, the team's very first game (with him as a coach) led the leaders to defeat.
How to choose a sales director
Key Steps to Selecting a Sales Director
Step 1: Create an accurate profile of the ideal candidate for the role
You need to clearly and distinctly answer what kind of specialist you imagine for this position in your company. If this does not cause any difficulties, then finding a good manager will be easy. You will quickly be able to select the right one from all the resumes. It is better to write a list of mandatory and optional qualities. Involve a manager-organizer who understands the intricacies of the department's work in drawing up a portrait.
You need to look for a person with experience, the ability to organize coordinated, productive activities, and who has oratorical skills. This is important, because he will need to convey the meaning of the task to his subordinates and demand that it be completed. It is advisable to find an employee who has similar views on life to yours.
Step 2: Screen and evaluate the candidate
The criteria for this can be very different. It is better to give the candidate the opportunity to solve several cases, as well as conduct an in-depth interview with him. Very often, employers resort to the well-known technique "Sell me". During it, the applicant must offer his options for selling some item (for example, a pen), successfully working through various objections.
Step 3: Prepare the company's employees to work with the new sales director
The first thing to do is to assess the situation that has developed in the company. Decide whether the appointed director will assemble a team of new performers or will begin to integrate into the work process with those who are already working in the team. Of course, the first scenario is simpler. There is always a chance that the team will not accept a new person, much less a manager. This can negatively affect the work of the entire company.
In order to determine the level of compliance of the candidate for the position of sales director, you can ask him 5 most important questions and listen to him. If he cannot answer even one, then you need to think about his competence. The questions are as follows:
"Do you know what a sales funnel is and have you used it in your work?" If a person cannot name the 5 main stages of sales, then he is not suitable for the position of manager. The sales funnel is a universal method that is actively used both in product sales and in marketing. Any director must be able to work with it.
"What do you think about the conversion of transactions?" If a person does not understand what is being discussed, he will not be able to conduct an elementary analysis in his department. Such a director is not ready to organize competent work of employees or increase the company's profit.
"How do you feel about building a sales plan?" If a person answers that there is no point in this, then it is not worth approving him for the position of manager. Only with an accurate plan for a certain period can you correctly set sales goals.
"Do you work with your subordinates' calls?" If a person says that he does not record his employees' telephone conversations, then the company will lose a lot by cooperating with him. Recording calls, and then working with them, analyzing them, looking for strengths and weaknesses - this is what competent managers do.
"How often will you hold planning meetings?" If a person says that he plans general meetings once a month, then such an employee simply lets the entire company's activities slide. It is necessary to hold several planning meetings a week. High efficiency is observed in those companies that make it a rule to start each working day with a five-minute meeting. This is necessary to verify daily plans, to determine the goals of the activity and to discuss the expected results.
At the initial stage of business development, it is worth spending money to hire a real specialist with extensive experience and many connections. If the company is already well-known, then you can choose someone from the company's specialists. If a person strives for promotion, then he is able to grow to the position of department head.
There is an opinion that the top benefits of using fusion database appointment of the best manager to the position of commercial director will inevitably lead to a decline in sales for both him and the people under his command. In narrow circles, this phenomenon is called the Michael Jordan paradox. Although the popular basketball player was the best player of the best, the team's very first game (with him as a coach) led the leaders to defeat.
How to choose a sales director
Key Steps to Selecting a Sales Director
Step 1: Create an accurate profile of the ideal candidate for the role
You need to clearly and distinctly answer what kind of specialist you imagine for this position in your company. If this does not cause any difficulties, then finding a good manager will be easy. You will quickly be able to select the right one from all the resumes. It is better to write a list of mandatory and optional qualities. Involve a manager-organizer who understands the intricacies of the department's work in drawing up a portrait.
You need to look for a person with experience, the ability to organize coordinated, productive activities, and who has oratorical skills. This is important, because he will need to convey the meaning of the task to his subordinates and demand that it be completed. It is advisable to find an employee who has similar views on life to yours.
Step 2: Screen and evaluate the candidate
The criteria for this can be very different. It is better to give the candidate the opportunity to solve several cases, as well as conduct an in-depth interview with him. Very often, employers resort to the well-known technique "Sell me". During it, the applicant must offer his options for selling some item (for example, a pen), successfully working through various objections.
Step 3: Prepare the company's employees to work with the new sales director
The first thing to do is to assess the situation that has developed in the company. Decide whether the appointed director will assemble a team of new performers or will begin to integrate into the work process with those who are already working in the team. Of course, the first scenario is simpler. There is always a chance that the team will not accept a new person, much less a manager. This can negatively affect the work of the entire company.
In order to determine the level of compliance of the candidate for the position of sales director, you can ask him 5 most important questions and listen to him. If he cannot answer even one, then you need to think about his competence. The questions are as follows:
"Do you know what a sales funnel is and have you used it in your work?" If a person cannot name the 5 main stages of sales, then he is not suitable for the position of manager. The sales funnel is a universal method that is actively used both in product sales and in marketing. Any director must be able to work with it.
"What do you think about the conversion of transactions?" If a person does not understand what is being discussed, he will not be able to conduct an elementary analysis in his department. Such a director is not ready to organize competent work of employees or increase the company's profit.
"How do you feel about building a sales plan?" If a person answers that there is no point in this, then it is not worth approving him for the position of manager. Only with an accurate plan for a certain period can you correctly set sales goals.
"Do you work with your subordinates' calls?" If a person says that he does not record his employees' telephone conversations, then the company will lose a lot by cooperating with him. Recording calls, and then working with them, analyzing them, looking for strengths and weaknesses - this is what competent managers do.
"How often will you hold planning meetings?" If a person says that he plans general meetings once a month, then such an employee simply lets the entire company's activities slide. It is necessary to hold several planning meetings a week. High efficiency is observed in those companies that make it a rule to start each working day with a five-minute meeting. This is necessary to verify daily plans, to determine the goals of the activity and to discuss the expected results.