Hiring Your First Salesperson

Entrepreneur.com

The majority of small businesses fail in their first five years, not because of the product or service, not because of poor accounting practices, but from lack of sales. So, your business is growing and it's time for you to have someone else wear a few of those many hats you donned when you began; you've decided to hire someone else to handle sales.

How and where do you find a good salesperson? After all, as a small-business owner or start-up, you can't risk putting a dent in your reputation with a poor salesperson.

I strongly suggest you start where you shop. Start paying attention to the good salespeople you encounter when you're the consumer. What is it they're doing that makes you feel good about working with them? Learning to recognize good salespeople is the most important first step.

When you find someone who's especially good, compliment them. You might say, "You know, you have a really nice way with people." Salespeople love to be recognized.

Then, try to open the door to conversation about whether they're happy at their current place of business. "I'm curious -- are you reaching your goals with this company?" If they are, again, praise and congratulate them and thank them for their service.

If they show any hesitation at all, offer your card. "My company is in a growth mode and we're looking for a strong salesperson. If you think you might be interested to know more, here's my card. It wouldn't be right for us to talk now, while you're working. Just contact me at your convenience." Then smile and walk away.

This conversation shouldn't take any longer than it takes to complete a typical transaction in that store. Otherwise, you're being disrespectful to that merchant and unethical, and a good salesperson won't want to work with someone like that.

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