One of the faster ways to enter a bankruptcy court is to hire a salesperson, turn them loose with a product brochure, and expect them to sell. You can't do that! The selling game doesn't work that way any more. Hiring the wrong person can cost you your firm!

On the other hand, finding good sales people is becoming more difficult as technology changes, products advance, customers become more sophisticated, and as competitors become more aggressive.

The Internet is here, and things are different. The new world of sales is a continual challenge to a sales persons ability. The task of finding someone to properly represent your firm are made still more difficult by the real lack of people willing to sell for a living.

So what do you do? Here are a few ideas you can use to aid you in selecting your next sales person.

UNDERSTAND YOUR FIRM
Begin with a strong mission statement understood by everyone (both within and without the company). If you don't have one, get busy! With a clear definition and a subsequent understanding of your firm's purpose, the sales person will know he or she has your complete backing when they talk with customers. Understanding your mission gives them a solidity of purpose and reduces the feeling that they are out there all alone. A strong mission statement is not easy to formulate, but once done, lends purpose and drive to any company. If you've been too busy to develop a clear mission statement, now is the time!

LOOK INWARD FIRST
You probably have a gold mine of talent in your present staff. They already know what's important, how things are done, and what needs doing in order to please the customer. Nearly every firm has someone who says, "I could do that!" meaning they could sell. Provide an opportunity for them to try, but also provide a safety net with a promise of their old job if things don't work out. You might even start them off on a part-time basis, say one or two days a week to start.

TESTING APPLICANTS
Check your telephone yellow pages. There are firms who will test your potential sales person's aptitude for selling your service or product, charging you from $25 to $800 for an analysis. You get what you pay for, but the cost is insignificant when you compare it with the enormous cost of a bad selection. Of course, tests are not clear-cut indicators of success, but using them in conjunction with your mission statement can dramatically improve your chances of hiring a winner.

AVOID THE BACKSLAPPER
The days of the back-slapping, hearty handshake, big grin, "I'll-do-it-all-for-you!" salesperson are gone and are not appreciated by anyone (except maybe ego-deficient politicians). Your customer wants results, and that means understanding their needs! Relationship selling is in. Your customer expects your firm to be concerned about their wants and needs as well as your own. Be concerned at the sales position applicant with a big mortgage, excessive car payments, and other pressing financial needs. Their needs might result in selling behaviors that could cost you not just your customer, but your business!

HOW ABOUT RECENT COLLEGE GRADS?
No one has more poise, moxie, general knowledge, fresh attitude, and willingness to learn than the recent college graduate does. Many are willing to start in sales with a small company to gain experience. With an eagerness-to-please attitude, they can add dollars to your net worth. A word of caution . . . these graduates may be looking at your firm as a stepping stone to bigger and better positions, so be prepared to either match their dreams or to let them go. You win either way, so go for it!

HIRING THE COMPETITION
Hiring your competitor's best salesperson can have a negative effect on your customer with a negative effect on your bottom line profit. Your customer will wonder whom else the salesperson has told about their firm's secrets, and may actually pull back from you. You also have the almost-impossible task of trying to 'un-learn' bad habits and change attitudes. It probably isn't worth the trouble; and besides, when a better offer comes along, he or she will leave you just as quickly as they left their last position.