The Myth of the Million-Dollar Producer

How many times have you hired a salesperson and they didn’t perform to your expectations? You thought you were hiring a “Million-Dollar Producer” and what you actually hired was a non-performer who couldn’t meet their sales quota. This is a painful reality for many sales managers and business owners. Be aware that poor performers come in all shapes and sizes and typically look great during the interview phase. Here are a few “Million-Dollar Producers” to watch out for…

• The Golden Child – In this scenario, the sales candidate was actually a million-dollar producer in their previous sales job. They can verify that at the end of the year, they generated at least one million dollars. However, with closer investigation, you’ll find out that your sales candidate didn’t actually generate one million dollars in new business, but instead, was dropped into a “golden” territory”. They cultivated a million dollars in existing business by making “warm calls” to existing clients. They didn’t generate a million-dollars in new business.


• The Mathematician – Have you eve hired a salesperson who delivered a “fraction” of the business in a particular territory? That’s what The Mathematician does – a fraction of what they could. I’ve had numerous clients who complained that their million-dollar producer was actually in a ten million dollar territory. It may be because they were afraid or didn’t want to prospect for new business. Regardless, they probably look perfect in the interview, but beware of sales candidates that don’t have the capacity to consistently meet their quota.


• Lucky Charms – Remember the breakfast cereal Lucky Charms? It had a leprechaun on the front of the box showering the cereal with his sweet tasting marshmallows – one of which was a four-leaf clover. Perhaps you’ve had a sales candidate who showed up with an impressive, well-known client that generated a financial windfall for his last company. You get excited and assume that he or she will be able to land a big client for you too. In reality, the Luck Charms was just that… lucky. A big deal landed in their lap and they got to take credit for it. This is the worst thing that can happen to a non-performer, because they get a false sense of achievement not to be replicated at your company. Don’t fall for Lucky Charms – hold out for a true Sales Champion.


• The Assistant – Your sales candidate in their previous job stumbles onto leads that their sales manager has to close. The salesperson takes a secondary role, like a sales assistant, and the sales manager or business owner drives the sales process and finalizes the transactions. Then, they turn the account back over to the salesperson to manage. When the sales candidate arrives at your door for the interview, you both get excited as he or she explains their impressive client list from their previous employer. However, they can’t produce those same results without you driving and closing the sales for them. Avoid the Assistant.


• Brando – No, not Marlon Brando from “The Godfather”. This Brando is a salesperson from a large company with strong name recognition. The leads come easy to this salesperson and they walk into an account with high levels of credibility… not because they are an exceptional salesperson, but because of the size of the company and it’s branding in the marketplace.

Unfortunately, when they arrive at your door looking for a job, it’s easy to get misled with their false sense of achievement. Remember, you may not have the branding or the marketing dollars that their previous employer had. As a result, your sales candidate will have to work much harder, with more creativity and will probably experience a lot more rejection – something that they may not be able to handle. Their last job certainly didn’t prepare them for that, so be cautious as you proceed.

These are just a few of the “Million-Dollar Producers” you may interview during your hiring process for your next salesperson. Only by thorough questioning and in-depth analysis can you increase the probability that the so-called Million-Dollar Producer sitting across the desk from you will be able to deliver the sales results you expect.

1. “List your top seven clients and tell me which one’s you inherited and which one’s you acquired as new business.” (If most are inherited, you may have a Golden Child instead of a hunter.)


2. “How did you get the lead for each of these clients?” (If most of the leads come from referrals from existing clients or were company generated leads, you may have a “warm call only” salesperson.)


3. “Who else was involved in the sales process with you and how involved were they?” (If their sales manager went along on most of the calls and played a major role, then you may have a Sales Assistant instead of a Sales Champion.)

These are just a few questions you can ask. The important thing to remember is to not be lured in by a salespersons personality or their client list from previous employers. Remember, if they were that good, why did their former employer let them go in the first place?

Bottom line: Top sales performers can validate their success. The better job you do during the hiring process, the better quality salespeople you’ll acquire and the easier your job will be as a sales leader.

Barrett Riddleberger is the CEO of Resolution Systems, Inc., a sales recruiting, training and consulting firm. He is also the author of “Blueprint of a Sales Champion: How to Recruit, Refine and Retain Top Sales Performers”. You can download the first chapter of his book for free at www.BlueprintOfASalesChampion.com or call 336.665.0506.