The "80/20 Rule"
says that 80% of all products and services are sold by just
20 percent of the salespeople. You know from your own
experience that this presents a challenge to
sales executives who direct teams of salespeople.
A recent analysis of
several sales organizations reached the conclusion that
about half of the people in the study lacked the behavioral
characteristics required to effectively perform the duties
that sales jobs call for. They should never have been hired
for sales positions in the first place.
The study found that of the
remaining 50%, half had the potential for success in sales,
but were not hired to sell the right kind of product or
service. The study concluded that only about 25% of those
working in sales position have a good match with the work
they are doing. Thus, the "80/20 Rule" is only
"valid" because people lacking sales essentials
get hired and others are not matched with the right products
or services.
The Solution
The Profiles Sales
Indicator™ provides a means of selecting people who have
the five qualities that make salespeople successful:
Competitiveness, Self-reliance, Persistence, Energy, and
Sales Drive. It also predicts on-the-job performance in
seven critical sales behaviors: Prospecting, Closing Sales,
Call Reluctance, Self-starting, Teamwork, Building and
Maintaining Relationships, and Compensation Preference.
Client Comment:
"Since we started using
Profiles Sales Indicator for pre-employment screening for
sales employees, we've been very happy. Because the test is
online, we find it easy to use. We test all applicants and
make better hiring decisions, giving us a better workforce.
We are very happy with the service."
- Lisa Garnet, Swedith
Match North America
The Sales Indicator can be
customized by company, sales position, department, manager,
geography, or any combination of these factors. Empirical
data can be used to develop a pattern that will tell you not
only whether the candidate has the qualities of a successful
salesperson, but also how
well the candidate matches your existing successful salespeople.
The Profiles Sales
Indicator is easy to use. It can be taken in just 15-20
minutes and produces clear, readable reports that are direct
and to the point. These reports can be used for selecting,
managing, and training salespeople more effectively. This
tool provides objective data for developing a more effective
sales team, one person at a time.
