8 Personal Characteristics and Sales Aptitude: Criteria for

Selecting Salespeople

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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War for Talent

Source: HR Chally Group (2007).

Total cost of turnover Separation costs Replacement costs Training costs

Select candidates with natural capacity for key job requirements

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"Are good salespeople born or made?"

Define characteristics of successful salespeople

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Costs of Inappropriate Selection

Odds a salesperson will quit or be terminated in first five years of employment = 50/50

People lacking necessary personal traits/abilities tend to leave before training and experience can make them productive sales performers

Many firms may spend between $7000 and $100,000 annually training a new recruit

Three to twelve months before a new rep generates adequate sales to cover compensation and expenses

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Salespeople Born or Made?

Training and development are critical determinants of future success.

A strong ego, self-confidence, decisiveness, and a need for achievement must also be preexisting in sales force candidates.

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Variables That Cause Differences in Performance

Factors controlled or influenced by sales mangers account for the largest variance in sales performance. Role perception Skills Motivation

Research suggests successful salespeople are both born and made!

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Characteristics Managers Seek

Enthusiasm Organizational skills Ambition Persuasiveness Communication skills General sales experience

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8.1 German-American Cross Cultural Business Differences

German American

Deference for authority

High Lower

Leadership style Formal Casual

Respect for titles Important Less important

Relationships Formal Casual

Mix work and play

No Yes

Dress Formal Casual

Multilingual Yes Not always

Source: “Seven German–American Cross Cultural Business Differences,” SellingPower.com, October 2007.

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8.3 The Educated Sales Force

Source: Christen P. Heide, Dartnell’s 30th Sales Force Compensation Survey (Chicago: The Dartnell Corporation, 1999), p. 173.

28Transportation equipment73Chemicals

72Business services

29Retail77Electronics

33Real estate78Manufacturing

33Trucking/Warehousing83Rubber/Plastics

40Construction84Printing/Publishing

46Banking100Air transportation

56Communications100Pharmaceuticals

67Electronic components100Health service

28Transportation equipment73Chemicals

72Business services

29Retail77Electronics

33Real estate78Manufacturing

33Trucking/Warehousing83Rubber/Plastics

40Construction84Printing/Publishing

46Banking100Air transportation

56Communications100Pharmaceuticals

67Electronic components100Health service

Percent with College Degree by Industry

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8.3Women in sales andsales managementpositions:percentages byindustry

Source: Christen P. Heide, Dartnell’s 30th Sales Force Compensation Survey (Chicago: Dartnell Corporation, 1999), p. 171.

8-11Source: Erin Strout, “Tough Sell,” Sales & Marketing Management, July 2001, p. 52 and Laine Chroust Ehmann “Great Opportunities: How the Future Looks for Women in Sales and Management, SellingPower.com, October 2007.

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Compensation levels of men and women in sales and marketing careers

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8.5The aging sales force

Source: Katherine Kaplan, “Better with Age,” Sales & Marketing Management, July 2001, pp. 58–62.

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8.2a The Importance of Image

What type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?

8An older looking sales rep

32A very young looking sales rep

54A sales rep with a heavy accent

54An overweight sales rep

59A physically unattractive sales rep

75An unstylish sales rep (haircut, out of style outfit)

94%A sloppily dressed sales rep

What type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?

8An older looking sales rep

32A very young looking sales rep

54A sales rep with a heavy accent

54An overweight sales rep

59A physically unattractive sales rep

75An unstylish sales rep (haircut, out of style outfit)

94%A sloppily dressed sales rep

Source: Melinda Ligos, “Does Image Matter?” Sales & Marketing Management, March 2001, pp. 52–56.

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8.2b The Importance of Image

Source: Melinda Ligos, “Does Image Matter?” Sales & Marketing Management, March 2001, pp. 52–56.

20A heavy regional foreign accent

20An unattractive female

13An unattractive male

12A very youthful appearance

What type of sales representative would you avoid hiring?

2Any older look

23Female overweight37Male overweight51An unstylish look77A rep with visible body piercing or tattoos78A rep who used salty language

80%A sloppy dresser

20A heavy regional foreign accent

20An unattractive female

13An unattractive male

12A very youthful appearance

What type of sales representative would you avoid hiring?

2Any older look

23Female overweight37Male overweight51An unstylish look77A rep with visible body piercing or tattoos78A rep who used salty language

80%A sloppy dresser

8-15Source: Source: Sales & Marketing Management, February 2001, p. 90.

8.6 The characteristics of salespeople who win customer trust

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8.7Characteristics related to sales performance in different

types of sales jobs

Begin recruiting

and selection

Develop new recruit specifications

Evaluate characteristics to perform tasks and activities

Analyze/describe tasks and activities

Implications for Management

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