Do you want to increase revenue and company morale, energize your sales team, and improve your company’s reputation? You can do all of these things in one strategic move: hire the top sales people in your area. 

When you hire top sales people, you do all of these things. Your revenue increases as these top sales people find new prospects, close more sales, and re-invigorate your existing customer base. Company morale improves with this new energy, and as your company enjoys more success, your brand enjoys resurgence.

But how do you hire top sales people in your area? What specific actions can you take to build a sales team that will truly make a difference to your company? 

1. Look For the Traits of Top Sales People

Before you can hire top sales people, you have to know what you’re looking for. Here’s a great starter list:

• Accountability & responsibility
• Above-average ambition
• Self-discipline
• High level of customer empathy
• Impeccable honesty
• Commitment to goals

In addition to these general character traits, think about the traits your company needs in particular. If your work involves a lot of compassion, look for people with plenty of compassion. Make a list of the traits you’re looking for. This list will help you further along in the hiring process.

2. Start Networking

Go where the high achievers hang out. The regular resume-and-interview routine is time consuming and doesn’t always lead you to hire top sales people. If your local Chamber of Commerce holds monthly business meetings, start attending once in a while. If you have a local trade organization that fits your industry, start showing up at their events. Public seminars on sales topics, LinkedIn groups for your local area, and social media leads can all help you to find and hire top sales people. As you network, keep your preferred traits in mind, and when you find a match, make an attractive offer.

3. Ask For Client Referrals

Your clients have personal, intimate experience with buying the kinds of products or services you sell. Since you’re ultimately looking for excellent customer satisfaction, they’re the people with the information you need. If you really want to hire top sales people, ask your regular clients if they’ve met any sales people who stand out from the crowd due to their professionalism and attention to detail. 

4. Make a Great Offer

If you want to hire top sales people, you’ll have to compensate them well. They’ll have other attractive offers, and if you want them to work for you (and you do), you’ll have to make it worth their while. Often, top performers like commission-based compensation structures because they’re good at selling and they appreciate the motivation for improvement. Find out what other companies in your area are offering and see if you can offer a little more.

If you want to hire top sales people in your area, figure out which traits are most important in your sales people, start networking, ask for client referrals, and make a great offer. As you fill your sales team with top sales people, your company will thrive like never before.