Which type of salesperson are you?
Sales roles are sometimes the hardest to fill. When hiring a new salesperson, you need to find the right candidate. Someone that is talented enough, and persistent enough, to close deals for your company. Getting the right person for your organization is no easy feat. Depending on your culture and your sales goals, you might be looking for a variety of sales styles.
Here are three types of people that can really push the envelope when it comes to generating profit and revenue for your business.
1. The Hunter: This person is constantly out on the prowl. He knows how to network and loves calling cold leads to warm them up. She can walk over to anyone and start up a friendly conversation.
People say that The Hunter has charm or charisma because he knows how to look someone in the eye and connect with them on a personal level. He can understand how to listen and can create rapport without even saying a word. Talk about stealthy hunting.
Is The Hunter always looking for the largest prey? No.
There are times that The Hunter goes after ducks so that he can have a quick meal. There are times that The Hunter goes deep into the woods to ensnare the buffalo, which can feed her and her network for a month. The Hunter can hunt anywhere and can make use of the tools given to him or her. This hunter does not believe in luck; he believes in hard work.
The problem that The Hunter faces is that he loves to “spray and pray”. He is quick, but he doesn't like to wait a long time to make a catch. He will not wait overnight to make a kill. He will move on to new game if the prey is running too fast.
Somehow, The Hunter has endless renewed energy and can keep motivating him or herself each day to start anew. The skilled Hunter can also motivate others to hunt as well. His enthusiasm for his game is admirable, and, more than that, contagious.
2. The Fisher: This sales professional is a real pro. She loves to get the right intel and then works strategically to find out where her prey is. Once she has that information, she knows exactly the type of bait needed to reel in her catch. It is important that The Fisher has all the right tools at her disposal to make the proper catch.
The Fisher is sharp. He understands what his prey likes, studies what type of fish are in the nearby waters, and stealthily prepares the tools necessary to make a successful catch. He believes that you need to be in the right place at the right time and feels that luck has to be on his your side. He is patient, never rushing the process.
The Fisher does not like to cold-call; instead, he loves to take a cold introduction and warm it up quickly. He is friendly and asks a lot of smart questions. He wants to learn the best angle to pitch his product or service and then deciphers a solid plan to make a big catch.
Small wins are OK, but The Fisher will still be hungry if she catches some sardines. She needs an Albacore tuna to be happy, and the tuna needs to be high quality for her to earn a comfortable living. She has the time to reel that big fish in, especially because she knows how to manipulate the fish with more line and reel it in just the right time.
Every time The Fisher catches a shark, he throws it back in. He does not need to deal with hard-to-handle fish. He goes for the finer things in life and has the time to wait for his big break: the big catch. Somehow, his patience pays off and he gets a big win often enough to still be successful.
3. The Farmer: The Farmer needs well-nourished land, strong animals and communal support. He cannot do everything himself. With the right team in place, The Farmer can produce wonders. He can plant seeds and grow enough produce to not only feed himself, but also to feed the entire community.
The Farmer’s numbers are very predictable, based on the weather and other external factors. She can tell you exactly what will be produced this season. The Farmer is extremely passionate and well-versed in her area of expertise, understanding her job very well.
The Farmer cannot make something from nothing; rather, she is skilled enough to work with what she has and produce wonders on the farm. She is creative and dedicated to the success of her field.
Farmers don't like to go out and find brand new opportunities; they are not cold-callers or prospectors. They love to gather and collect from the environment that they are comfortable with. If you have The Farmer persona on your team, you need to create a place for them to be able to produce and they will make miracles for your business every day.
Conclusion: We all need some hunters to open to door and win new business. We need fishers to wait out the big catch and reel it in. We need farmers to make sure that what we catch lasts us for many years to come. If you have one of each type of salesperson on your team, your business will flourish.
What type of salesperson are you?
