Sales Managers Fall in Love Too

Haven’t you done it once or twice in your career? You meet someone. You hit it off. You know this is “The One.” The one you’ve waited your whole life for. The one you know will fulfill all your hopes and dreams. And he or she knows it too. You can see it. The chemistry is there, and you go for it.

The rock band Nazareth popularized a familiar theme among the misguided and forlorn entitled “Love Hurts.” The lead singer wails in agony as he sings “Love hurts, love scars, love wounds and mars, any heart…”

The initial thrill of meeting someone, seeing his or her best side can be deceiving. But then falling in love can be devastating. You end up with a difficult situation on your hands.

When you invest time, energy, and money into a relationship, you believe it will turn out to be good for both parties. Wasn’t it great at the beginning? Wasn’t the relationship going to prove to be the best decision you ever made? Yet, many times that fire and enthusiasm burns out quickly, and you’re left with frustration and emptiness that leads to a break up.

As a sales manager, you follow a similar pattern to a couple really not suited for each other. After sifting through endless stacks of resumes, you find a promising solution for the territory that’s lagging behind the others. You interview the candidate, and he or she is everything you’ve ever dreamed of—high energy, strong personality, excellent prospecting and closing skills. You fall in love.

All the energy and ideal behavior characteristics don’t mean much when your salesperson doesn’t perform the way you thought he would. He could have gone through all the company training, made sales calls with other top performers, and even been coached directly by you. Still, he doesn’t seem to be the person you interviewed six months before.

• Interview candidates multiple times. A one-shot interview can never tell you enough about a person’s ability to do the job you want him to do. For the candidates you feel strongly about, ask them back for a second and third interview. Have other staff members conduct the interviews. Getting multiple opinions will give you a better perspective.
• Hire good salespeople when you don’t need them. Your job is to hire and retain the best people possible. Don’t wait until you lose a salesperson to look for a replacement. Always watch for a candidate who might be an even stronger fit for a particular territory. Letting a good salesperson slip by because you aren’t looking for one could be your biggest hiring mistake.
• Take your time. Give yourself adequate time to fill a position. Desperation can cloud your judgment. Even if you need a salesperson immediately, stay objective. Hiring the wrong person quickly will only lead to more wasted time and money in the long run. By allowing yourself ample time to evaluate the top candidates more carefully, you will save yourself headaches down the road.

Hiring salespeople shouldn’t be an emotional decision. Make sure you are making the best choice possible by following these simple tips. Otherwise, you could end up singing the blues.