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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.

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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.

Catch the video version for this episode, here:

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
how-should-you-dress-for-a-sales-job-interview

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.
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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.

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