“Sell me something.” Expect to hear those words from your interviewer when interviewing for a sales job. If you work in sales, hiring companies are going to want to see you in action before they make a job offer.

It’s common in sales for a job interviewer to ask you to sell them something. They may ask you to sell them a pen, an item in the room where the interview is being conducted, or ask you to sell them a product currently being offered by the organization.

Regardless of what they ask you to sell, you need to be ready to answer this question. In this blog, Toronto sales recruiters will provide you with some important tips to answer this common interview question. But first, we will discuss why sales companies like to ask this question of candidates.

Why Do Interviewers Ask You to Sell Them Something?

Hiring companies want to see you in action. They want to see how well you react when you are put on the spot. Most importantly, they want to see how you perform under pressure.

Many people often panic or seize up when they are put on the spot. But the reality is you will get asked all kinds of challenging questions from customers and prospects during the sales process. How you handle the situation will say a lot about your abilities as a sales professional.

Interviewers also ask this type of question to see your sales skills in action. They want to see how you sell, the techniques you use, how persuasive you are, and how you attempt to close the deal. Finally, they want to see how well you can communicate, especially when you are under pressure and have limited information to work with.

7 Tips to Sell a Product in a Sales Interview

The odds are strong you will be asked this question. Here are some actionable tips from Toronto sales headhunters that you can use to answer this challenging sales job interview question:

1. Be Ready to Answer the Question

One of the most important ways to successfully answer this question is to prepare for it prior to your interview. You know it’s coming. Formulate a strategy. Think about the possible products you could be asked to sell. Have a product in mind if the interviewer gives you the choice. Outline a series of steps and the sales process you will use to answer the question effectively.

Going into the interview without a plan for how to answer this question could cause you to draw a blank, struggle to answer the question, and buckle under the pressure.

2. Ask Qualifying Questions

Just like you would with a client, take a few minutes to ask qualifying questions of the interviewer. It’s important you fully understand what is expected of you. Ask them about the types of problems they are trying to solve. Ask them about pain points and the types of features they are looking for in a potential solution. Gather as much information as you can before you attempt to sell the product.

3. Take a Creative Approach

It’s important to make your answer stand out. Interviewers likely ask this question of all candidates. Your answer needs to be unique and memorable. Injecting a little creativity is an effective way to differentiate yourself from others.

4. Be Confident With Your Answer

It’s not always about the content of your response that matters. Do you have poise? Are you confident? Did you put your sales skills on display? Interviewers are looking for how you approach the question, and how you would look like as a representative of their organization. Maintain good body language and always smile.

5. Expect Objections

It’s likely the interviewer will have some objections to your pitch, even if it’s a good one. Why? They want to see how you will react to objections. Expect at least one.

6. Attempt a Close

Once you feel as though you have collected enough information and made your pitch, attempt to close. Companies want salespeople who are strong closers. Ask for the sale to close out your pitch.

7. Hit All the Points

Have a mental checklist of the points you need to get across with your pitch. Make sure to ask questions, ask about reservations, highlight product benefits, and make your pitch applicable to the interviewer’s (expressed) needs. Make sure you hit all the points of the sales process and end with a strong close.

More Sales Job Interview Question Tips From Toronto Sales Recruiters

There are many common questions you can expect to be asked in a sales job interview. Here are some blogs related to other commonly asked questions and advice to help you smash your next job interview. Check out these other blogs from Toronto sales headhunters:

3 Tips to Cultivate the Perfect Answer for “What Can You Bring to This Role?”

The 6 Trickiest Interview Questions and Tips to Ace Them

4 Tips to Mention Upcoming Vacation Time in a Sales Job Interview

5 Tips to Create a Strategic Answer to “Tell Me About Yourself” in a Sales Interview

6 Genius Ways to End Your Sales Interview and Leave a Lasting Impression

Get Stumped During Sales Interviews? Clever Ways to Answer “Teach Me Something.”

Clever Ways to Answer “Give Me an Example of When You Thought Outside the Box to Solve a Problem”

SalesForce Search is a Toronto sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.