“Life would be grand if we could sprinkle a few seeds in the ground, fertilize, add water…and a great sales person would sprout.” So writes Lee B. Salz in a post at The Customer Collective, an online community for sales and marketing professionals. But, says Salz, a sales coach, when small businesses “attempt to steal the crops from their competitors” as a way to acquire sales talent, what they’re pursuing is a “pipedream.” It’s no secret that printing companies have been known to lure sales representatives away from each other. Salz says that when they do so, they risk being deluded by one or more of the following “myths” about recruiting from rivals: "Hiring from the competitor means the sales person will hit the ground running with no training." "Our industry is so complex that we must hire a sales person from within it." "They're going to bring a book of business with them." "We're a little firm and we could really use a sales person that comes from one of our large competitors." "Since they have been in the industry, they are passionate about it and passion sells." Salz punctures these myths with some unforgiving observations about peripatetic sales reps. Those who can be hired away probably come from “the bottom 20% that, truth be told, the company is glad to see leave.” Their loyalty will be questionable, and it’s much more difficult for them to bring clients along than their new employers may realize. What’s more, says Salz, “Sales people who bounce from company to company in an industry become ‘vanilla,'” i.e., drained of passion. His advice to small firms: grow your own sales talent by training the reps you have and by interviewing prospects against the profile of your “ideal” candidate whether they worked for the competition or not. In these ultra-competitive times, what is your printing company doing to attract and keep the sales talent it needs?
Commentary & Analysis
“Beware of Hiring Your Competitor's Sales People”
“Life would be grand if we could sprinkle a few seeds in the ground,
About Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry is a journalist and an educator who has covered the graphic communications industry since 1984. The author of many hundreds of articles on business trends and technological developments in graphic communications, he has been published in most of the leading trade media in the field. He also has taught graphic communications as an adjunct lecturer for New York University and New York City College of Technology. The holder of numerous awards for industry service and education, Henry is currently the managing director of Liberty or Death Communications, a content consultancy.
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Discussion
By Jim Taylor on Jul 29, 2009
Some of the smarter companies are equipping their sales reps with the right software to make them effective and efficient. Not to mention, manage them, manage territories and market their services intelligently.
By Louise Watson, Recruiter on Jul 29, 2009
While Mr. Henry's comments shed some light on several long-held myths within the printing industry regarding the hiring of salespeople away from competitors, they are not all accurate. As a recruiter to the printing industry for many years, I know first-hand that hiring salespeople from competition can often be one of the fastest and most efficient methods of establishing a company solidly, and with credibility, within their target market(s). Further, there are thousands of loyal salespeople within the printing industry who have been recruited from previous companies, who have proven to be solid top producers for their current companies. I take particular exception to Mr. Henry's statement about those being lured away are typically among the bottom 20% of sales producers - this is highly inaccurate. Good recruiters only seek out the top talent, and provide compelling reasons for that talent to leave for a better opportunity. Were they not top talent, why would we see so many counter-offers from current employers? Mr. Henry's depiction of salespeople who "bounce from one company to another" as "vanilla", is rarely true in my xperience. I can't begin to count the number of times we have heard from print salespeople that "ink is in my veins". That's passion! While Mr. Henry is right about the unrealistic mythical expectation of a salesperson to "bring a book of business" with him/her; I firmly believe from personal observation, that if a company will invest some time and effort in the hiring and training of it's salespeople, and provide them with the tools needed to succeed, nearly all past successful salespeople have the core competencies required to succeed again - repeating stellar sales performances from one company to another. Lastly, my own advice to printers seeking sales talent would be to go ahead seek experienced people, and make the investment in them to ensure that they can perform for you as they have for others. Give them a reason to be passionate. Their employment, after all, is a partnership...give and take. Be sure you are not just "taking".
By Nathan Bauman on Jul 29, 2009
Louise hits the nail right on the head. I've specialized in print for some time and although Mr. Salz's comments may have a degree of truth, they do not apply to the dynamic and strategic search organizations that source top tier candidates. In fact, very interesting to note; the majority of the candidates I source are outperforming their current employers capabilities and capacities, motivating them to make a move into a position where they have the ability to print the work they've been brokering or turning away. The takeaway? ..Louise sums it up nicely.
By Dr Joe Webb on Jul 30, 2009
Please be careful in commenting on Patrick's story. Many of the items disagreed with were not uttered by him, but are clearly set aside by quotes and were comments from Lee Salz. I don't see anywhere how the role of recruiter was undermined. Recruiters can do great jobs locating people of extraordinary capability who would otherwise be reluctant to move to a more challenging position where they can have greater influence with their skills and experience on others. Much of what Mr. Salz states I have seen in action. There are too many struggling print businesses who think that someone else's sales rep with a hot book of business can cure their ills. They kid themselves. All sales people require an investment in time to transition them to your company. The idea of "hitting the ground running" and starting up with no cost is an illusion. One of the best ways to get good sales people is to run a company that attracts them to you. But most of all, growing good sales people on your own and running an interesting and dynamic place to work is the best strategy of all.
By Patrick Henry on Jul 30, 2009
Thanks to Ms. Watson for her thoughtful comment, and thanks to Dr. Joe for clarifying the attribution in the original post.
By Brian Regan on Jul 31, 2009
What I see most often are companies that are not looking for sales people, but looking for sales. Thus what you find are firms looking for people with a book of business they can bring with them since the printing firm feels it my fail without the additional sales. What happens is that the desperation of the owner overshadows the need to hire a team member and nurture them. We receive this type of client inquiry many times a day here at Semper and usually after careful evaluation determine we are not in fact able to help them as it is likely very unlikely situation to navigate successfully. My $.02
By Brian Regan on Jul 31, 2009
Opps... Should have read all the replies. The Good Doctor has already explained the very point I was talking about when he posted... "Much of what Mr. Salz states I have seen in action. There are too many struggling print businesses who think that someone else’s sales rep with a hot book of business can cure their ills. They kid themselves. All sales people require an investment in time to transition them to your company. The idea of “hitting the ground running” and starting up with no cost is an illusion. "