One of the main focuses of any printing service is to find new clients and expand their business. It might be the time to refresh your sales department, and get a new type of sales person. If you want to grow your business you’ll need sales people who can bring in a stream of clients and projects that keep the company profitable.
When you’re in a B2B industry, such as the printing business, you need a sales person that is prepared to listen rather than speak for hours.
This kind of sales person stands a better chance to close a deal with the prospect, as they display empathy that catches the client’s mood and perspective to come up with an offer that is likely to be accepted.
A great sales person needs to be a master of networking, honest, with exceptional communications skills and personal charm. What other features should you look for? Here are a few questions that will help you find the best sales person for your print business:
How do you stay updated with your current industry?
This question can reveal a lot about the candidate. It will help you figure out if this person will just carry out their basic responsibilities or if they are resourceful and be the first to pick up the latest trends. This is a candidate who is eager to learn, who you can send to trade forums, and who can provide a competitive edge to your business.
What would you do if you were asked to perform a task beyond your scope of responsibilities?
With this question you can evaluate if candidates can adapt when pushed beyond their comfort zone. Sales representatives often need to adapt to ever-changing situations. You are looking for a candidate who can wear different hats if that’s what it takes to win a deal.
Ask the candidate to teach you something
You can learn a lot about the candidate when they explain something to you. Ask them to show you an app or a product they are familiar with and explain how it works or how to use it. You’ll get a sense of whether this person is a good match by how the instructions are delivered.
In which situations would you stop pursuing a prospect?
The reasoning behind this answer is very important. Naturally, you can’t be the right fit for every single customer and relentlessly pursuing clients might not always be the best course of action. The candidate’s answer will reflect their understanding of the sales process and what constitutes as the criteria for a matching client. After all, there’s no point selling to someone who can’t afford or does not need the service.
Why did you choose our company?
This simple question can reveal a lot about the candidate’s personality. You’ll want to recruit people who are not only serious about their job but also shows a high level of passion for the company. If the candidate researched the background of your company, it indicates that they are truly interested in the history and culture of the company.
Making the decision
All in all, you’ll want to make every interview question count, and also validate with the candidate’s references. Making a bad hire could cost highly, so make sure you choose someone who increases the profit of your business.