The Art of the Hire: Recruiting & Onboarding Superstar Sellers

  Want to know how to attract and retain top sales talent? I've got the solution to help you build a killer sales team. It's time to reveal the unexpected! What if I told you that the key to attracting top sales talent lies in creating a welcome box for their family? Imagine the impact of a virtual welcome receiving line or a 30-minute presentation where new hires get to teach you something they're passionate about. But here's the twist: the onboarding starts before they're even hired. Intrigued? Stay tuned to find out how these creative onboarding strategies can transform your hiring process and keep those top salespeople engaged. Conquer Sales Challenges To conquer sales challenges, leaders must adopt a disruptive mindset when hiring sales talent. Challenging candidates during the interview process and thinking critically can help in identifying top performers. Avoiding common hiring mistakes, such as not showcasing value or focusing solely on industry experience, is crucial in overcoming sales challenges and attracting the right talent. This is Walter Crosby' story, this week's special guest: Walter Crosby's journey into the world of sales began with a pivotal encounter in high school, where his guidance counselor doubted his ability to apply to the University of Michigan. This moment ignited a fierce determination within him, propelling him to defy expectations and pursue his aspirations. With over four decades of experience in sales, Walter's passion for elevating sales professionals stems from his own journey of resilience and growth. His unique perspective on hiring salespeople emphasizes the significance of assessing a candidate's selling prowess over their industry experience. Walter's story serves as a powerful reminder that motivation and tenacity are crucial in both sales and the hiring process, and that the art of selling transcends specific industries and markets. "Hiring salespeople is similar to how we go out and sell, go sell to our customers. We need to qualify these people. We need to make sure they're the right people that we should be talking to." - Walter Crosby Walter Crosby, the CEO of Helix Sales Development, boasts an extensive four-decade career in sales leadership and management. With a background deeply rooted in hands-on sales roles and leading sales teams, Walter's expertise is honed in elevating the performance of sales professionals, managers, and leaders. His significant decision to venture into entrepreneurship with Helix Sales Development underscores his strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit. Hosting the Sales and Cigars Podcast, Walter's insights and industry acumen make him a compelling guest, offering a fresh perspective on the essential strategies for sourcing top-tier sales talent. In this episode, you will be able to: Master the Art of Hiring Top Sales Talent: Learn Winning Strategies. Revolutionize Your Sales Team Onboarding for Unprecedented Results. Conquer Sales Challenges with Proven Tactics and Expert Guidance. Cultivate a Phenomenal Sales Culture and Watch Your Team Flourish. Ignite Your Sales Team's Motivation for Unparalleled Performance.   The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:00 - The Drive to Succeed 00:01:28 - Background and Passion 00:09:29 - Challenges in Sales Hiring 00:13:10 - The Trap of Industry Experience 00:13:49 - Hiring for Industry Experience 00:14:44 - Buyer Level Experience 00:16:54 - Industry Experience Trap 00:19:04 - Selling Skills Over Product Knowledge 00:22:27 - Mistakes in Hiring Salespeople 00:27:38 - Dealing with Employee Feedback 00:28:13 - The Hiring Process 00:30:44 - Social Media Presence 00:31:30 - Panel Interview Process 00:37:54 - Mindset Shift in Hiring 00:41:12 - Importance of Onboarding Process 00:43:17 - Pre-Onboarding and Engagement 00:44:48 - Retention through Onboarding 00:46:39 - Virtual Onboarding Creativity 00:50:18 - Personal Favorite Movie Timestamped summary of this episode: 00:00:00 - The Drive to Succeed Walter Crosby shares his passion for helping sales professionals elevate their game and talks about his motivation to start his own business. 00:01:28 - Background and Passion Mario Martinez Jr. and Walter Crosby discuss their backgrounds in sales and the passion they have for helping salespeople succeed. 00:09:29 - Challenges in Sales Hiring Walter Crosby talks about the unique challenges of hiring salespeople and how they are wired differently, requiring a different approach to hiring. 00:13:10 - The Trap of Industry Experience Walter Crosby and Mario Martinez Jr. discuss the trap of hiring based solely on industry experience and emphasize the importance of focusing on other qualities when hiring salespeople. 00:13:49 - Hiring for Industry Experience Walter discusses the common mistake of hiring based on industry experience. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the buyer and their problems rather than just industry knowledge. 00:14:44 - Buyer Level Experience The conversation shifts to the significance of buyer level experience. It's highlighted that having a Rolodex full of relevant contacts and understanding the buyer's mindset is more critical than industry experience. 00:16:54 - Industry Experience Trap Walter warns about the industry experience trap, noting that top performers with industry experience are usually expensive and hard to recruit. He suggests looking for individuals with buyer level experience and a drive to prove themselves. 00:19:04 - Selling Skills Over Product Knowledge The focus shifts to the importance of selling skills over product knowledge. It's emphasized that the ability to sell and understand the sales process is essential, and product knowledge can be taught. 00:22:27 - Mistakes in Hiring Salespeople Mario asks Walter about common hiring mistakes. Walter points out the lack of clarity in job descriptions, poor job postings, and the premature selling of the company and job role as key errors. He also emphasizes the importance of online reputation on platforms like Glassdoor. 00:27:38 - Dealing with Employee Feedback Walter discusses the importance of correcting, dealing with, or removing feedback from disgruntled employees. He emphasizes the need to address this issue in the workplace. 00:28:13 - The Hiring Process Walter highlights the importance of understanding that candidates are also evaluating the company during the hiring process. He emphasizes the need to showcase value, promotional opportunities, and focus on candidates in the hiring process. 00:30:44 - Social Media Presence The discussion focuses on the significance of a sales leader's social media presence, including LinkedIn profile, in showcasing their ability to help their team grow and progress. The importance of recognizing the two-way street in the hiring process is emphasized. 00:31:30 - Panel Interview Process The panel interview process is introduced as a way to allow candidates to present themselves and demonstrate their skills in a simulated sales scenario. The process includes a 30-minute presentation and allows candidates to showcase their abilities. 00:37:54 - Mindset Shift in Hiring The conversation shifts to the mindset of hiring managers, emphasizing the need to challenge and push back on candidates to truly evaluate their fit for the role. The focus is on digging into candidates' achievements and quantifiable outcomes in sales. 00:41:12 - Importance of Onboarding Process Walter discusses the challenges of onboarding new salespeople and shares his experience of a lackluster onboarding process at a previous company. He emphasizes the need for a well-planned onboarding process that focuses on messaging, differentiation, and techniques for success. 00:43:17 - Pre-Onboarding and Engagement Walter emphasizes the importance of pre-onboarding engagement, such as sending a welcome package to the new hire and involving their family. He stresses the need for a structured onboarding plan that maps out the first two weeks and helps the new hire understand the company's expectations. 00:44:48 - Retention through Onboarding Walter discusses the critical role of onboarding in retaining top sales talent. He shares his personal experience of almost leaving a company due to a poor onboarding process. He emphasizes the need for ongoing career development and mentorship to support the new hire's growth. 00:46:39 - Virtual Onboarding Creativity The conversation shifts to creative onboarding strategies in a virtual environment. Walter shares the idea of a virtual welcome receiving line and emphasizes the importance of creating a positive culture through innovative onboarding practices. 00:50:18 - Personal Favorite Movie The conversation ends with a lighthearted question about Walter's all-time favorite movie, "A Bronx Tale." Walter shares his enthusiasm for the film and highlights its compelling storyline set in the 1950s with a mob influence. Maximize Sales Team Success In order to maximize sales team success, it is vital to focus on hiring the right salespeople with the necessary skills and mindset for the role. Creating clear job descriptions and conducting thorough qualifications can help in attracting top sales talent. By emphasizing value, growth opportunities, and showcasing a positive company culture, leaders can ensure long-term success for their sales teams. Elevate Sales Performance Elevating sales performance begins with a strategic onboarding process that goes beyond just product knowledge. Providing new salespeople with messaging, differentiation, and questioning techniques can help improve their performance from day one. Additionally, creating a welcoming and supportive environment, whether in person or virtually, can boost morale and drive sales success. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Walter Crosby on LinkedIn to learn more about his expertise and insights in sales and leadership. Visit Walter Crosby's website to explore more resources and connect with him directly for personalized advice and guidance. Download FlyMSG for free to save time and increase productivity with a text expander and writing assistant. Watch A Bronx Tale to experience a coming-of-age movie set in the 50s with a compelling mob influence and a great storyline. Subscribe to the Modern Selling Podcast and leave a 5-star rating and review on iTunes to support the show and stay updated on the latest episodes.