Underperforming salespeople are perhaps the greatest cause of frustration to sales executives and financial loss to business owners. The cost of hiring and keeping a bad salesperson can range from six to seven figures annually. To make matters worse, many companies waste money by trying to train sales skills in people who will never improve.
Research shows that the most important factor for success in sales is a person’s Drive – the inner fire that ultimately determines if they will thrive or fail. This critical trait is hardwired by adulthood, and cannot be improved with sales training. The job interview process must accurately evaluate Drive to identify those with this core personality trait.
Research also shows that Drive is one of the toughest traits for interviewers to rate and one of the easiest traits for candidates to fake. Unfortunately, many sales managers hire based heavily on gut instinct. Thus, they are severely disappointed later. This new, second edition of Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again, provides:
- Updated psychological research behind the three elements of Drive: Need for Achievement, Competitiveness and Optimism
- A comprehensive and valid hiring process for selecting top performers from recruiting to onboarding
- And powerful, new hiring tools and worksheets including:
- A guide for writing job ads that attract producers
- A Behavioral Interview Planning Form and more than 50 behavioral interview questions
- Salesperson Onboarding Guide . . . and much more!
Dr. Christopher Croner is a Principal with SalesDrive, LLC, a firm that specializes in equipping companies with the right tools to identify and hire high-performing salespeople. Dr. Croner is co-author of the book, Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again, detailing his research and practice in identifying the non-teachable personality traits common to top producers. Dr. Croner developed the proprietary DriveTest® sales assessment and the Drive Interview, both used for hiring “Hunter” salespeople. Using this methodology, he has helped more than 1,400 companies worldwide to hire and develop top-performing salespeople.
Dr. Croner has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, teaching personnel selection in the Industrial Psychology Master of Arts program. Dr. Croner is a member of the Consulting Section of the Illinois Psychological Association and former Co-Program Chair of Chicago Industrial/Organizational Psychologists (CIOP).
Dr. Croner received his BA in Psychology from DePaul University, and his Masters and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Richard Abraham is a consultant, speaker and writer widely sought after by large and small companies alike. When not providing deep consulting or writing his syndicated column, Mr. Abraham conducts workshops and seminars and speaks on the topics of relationship selling and maximizing the sales encounter.
Mr. Abraham supplements these speaking engagements with his publications, including the highly acclaimed books, Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again and Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships, in which Mr. Abraham presents a composite character of the most successful and gregarious salespeople in America. The essence of the book, like the essence of Mr. Abraham himself, is a quality message presented in a fun and familiar style.
Mr. Abraham brings tremendous credentials and experience to his work. Before dedicating his time to all things sales, he served as President of Prime Group Realty Services, was President and Co-Founder of The John Buck Management Group, as well as President of CB Commercial/Koll Management Services―where he had oversight responsibility for a 300 million-square-foot portfolio of office, retail and industrial properties throughout the United States.
Mr. Abraham now delivers the combination of sensible street smarts and serious strategies he employed at these firms through consulting and the seminars and speeches he gives regularly―while always conveying his message in an enjoyable, lighthearted way. "Selling is like breathing," he believes "When done well, it is easy and natural, and no one even notices it is happening."
