Hiring qualified sales personnel is not an easy task. Often-quoted statistics indicate that at least 50% of the reps on most sales teams are below target performance levels. Furthermore, salesperson turnover hovers around 30% annually at many companies. Finding salespeople who are capable of consistently hitting or surpassing their sales targets can be the difference between success and failure for a print/marketing service provider.

When Arnold Printing (Cincinnati, OH) was faced with the challenge of finding and putting the right sales in talent in place, Owner Tim Arnold and Marketing Director Andy Cranmer took action and changed the hiring process. Established in 1910, the company has grown from its origins as a one-man print shop operating a hand-fed press out of a one-car garage to a 30,000-square-foot commercial printing plant that features state-of-the-art equipment in its prepress, pressroom, and bindery divisions. Arnold Printing’s capabilities also include digital imaging, WTP storefronts, and integrated marketing.

Although Arnold and Cranmer were successful in their attempt to change their hiring process, they faced a number of challenges along the way. They identified the following obstacles when attempting to get the right sales staff in place: