Hiring the Perfect Salesman (He (or She) Does Exist)

Imagine your recruiter calling to advise you that he (or she) has found the “perfect salesman” for your team. This candidate has prospects around the globe, rarely sleeps, and is continuously delivering your value proposition exactly as intended. This sales rep doesn’t require vacation days, travel expenses, and/or a hefty budget for entertaining clients. Furthermore, he (or she) promises to deliver sales reports real-time, while providing full transparency for all activities conducted. Is it possible that this salesperson does exist?

He does, because this perfect salesman is already on your team!

Just like your other top performing sales people, your company website is a living, breathing organism that can adapt and expand with the evolving sales environment. Most companies interact with their sales teams on a weekly or monthly basis. Your website requires the same type of attention. Having a website that resembles an online brochure for your company is the same as asking one of your salespeople to drop-off a catalog at a Fortune 500 company with the expectation of a $1M purchase order in return. All of the possibilities outlined in the beginning of this article for the perfect salesman are at your disposal. The following represent ways in which to activate your 24/7 salesman:

How does your website stack up against the attributes of the 'Perfect Salesman'?

The First Impression: Is the look and feel of your website representing the quality of the products and/or services that you are offering?

Storytelling Abilities: Does your website and/or blog effectively communicate your distinct value proposition, highlight differentiating capabilities, and showcase unique solutions that have been provided?

Experience: Does your website contain a section for case studies or success stories for potential customers who may be seeking a similar solution?

References: Does your website contain testimonials sharing positive outcomes others have experienced with your company?

Prospecting Skills: Is your website visible in the search engines when relevant customers are looking for potential suppliers?

Reputation and Networking Skills: Do you have profiles established? And, are you cross promoting content throughout Social Media channels?

Follow-up Skills: Are you utilizing email and marketing automation programs for messaging strategies to stay “top of mind” with parties who have expressed interest in the past?

Reporting: Are you leveraging website analytics to effectively measure visitor engagement and utilizing this data to enhance sales performance moving forward?

Why is this important? According to a recent study by Global Spec in the manufacturing sector:

• Forty-six percent of engineering, technical and industrial professionals visit 10 or more work-related websites in a week, while 23 percent visit 20 or more sites. Engineers go online to find components, equipment, and services; to compare products across suppliers; to search specifications, conduct research, and perform other work-related tasks. In fact, digital resources represent the top four information sources for industrial professionals
• Fifty-nine percent of industrial buyers don’t contact a vendor until they’ve already finished their research phase of the buying cycle; 19 percent wait until they are ready to make a purchase
• Research has shown that up to 80 percent of prospects are not ready to purchase when they first interact with a company, which makes lead (email) nurturing a vital part of the selling process. And, deals that closed on nurtured leads received a 47 percent higher order value than deals that closed on non-nurtured leads.

Website technology is readily available to support implementation of a “digital sales” strategy that aligns with transitioning trends relative to online purchasing behaviors. By leveraging effective branding and content messaging elements throughout the various internet channels, you have the ability to “hire” and develop your own “perfect salesman”.