Rackham on recruiting successful sales people

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Professor Neil Rackham
Neil Rackham: sales recruitment insights.

At a recent masterclass held at Portsmouth Business School Professor Neil Rackham offered a number of insights into the sales recruitment process. Modernselling.com was on hand to discover how to recruit a successful salesperson.

(This article was originally published in 2007 - and Brian MacIver comments below that it is still (mostly) good advice.)

1 If in doubt leave position vacant

No salesperson is often better than the wrong salesperson. World-class sales forces would rather leave a position vacant than recruit the wrong person.

2 No reliable tests

Despite the plethora of psychometric and other tests available, Professor Rackham suggests that there are no ‘really good, reliable indicators to tell you how someone will do’, unless they have an existing track-record. The ideal is to pick a rising-star but there are no reliable ways to differentiate them, according to Professor Rackham.

3 Never recruit from an industry leader

Recruit somebody who has been successful in a struggling company.

4 Can money buy performance?

In terms of remuneration, remember that money doesn’t bring performance; management brings performance.

5 How valid are assessment days?

Assessment days can miss the real superstars, and high performers can see through the assessment process.

6 Do I need persuasive people?

You don’t need ‘persuasive’ people, you actually need people who are curious – interested in finding out about the customer.

Professor Rackham is a highly influential writer and speaker, who advises blue-chip companies throughout the world, on sales and sales management. He originally led the largest-ever research study into successful selling, involving a team of 30 researchers in more than 20 countries. More than half the Fortune 500 companies train their sales people using sales models based on his research, which was originally conducted in the 1970s.

    Questions & Comments

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    Insightful comments

    Neil Rackham, as usual offers both insight and sense. Careful with
    Number 1, a 'mediocre' Salesperson can revenue 80% off an 'empty' territory.
    Number 2, don't be a mug the 'tests' don't work! Number 3, Do it carefully, know WHY you are doing it.
    Number 4, 100% agree.
    Number 5, Use a valid Simulation exercise,
    and let the high performers in!!
    Number 6 you will find out during a simulation exercise!
    Brian MacIver
    BMAC Sales Consultants
    Posted by Brian MacIver on

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    No reliable tests? Point 2 above

    I have to admit to writing the above article as part of an extensive interview with Neil Rackham in the early days of ModernSelling.com. Whilst, he was probably right about assessments back then, things have moved on dramatically in the intervening years and, although there are plenty of tests not worth a second glance, a whole new generation of more robust assessments are creating a genuine buzz at the moment.

    I do also have to declare an interest here as I now work in a marketing capacity on a freelance basis for what I consider to be the best of them - SalesAssessment.com. I would urge you to spend ten minutes looking at their website if you are interested in hiring, developing or retaining sales High-Performers: www.salesassessment.com
    Posted by Nick de Cent on

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    Rackham on "The Challenger Sale"...

    Hello chaps (and all passing readers). I've got a preview copy of "The Challenger Sale", which I have to say looks like a bit of a game changer, across the board of who we are going to assess and employ and train and motivate, in selling and sales management, to do what, how, when, and why.

    A one minute snippet of Neil (Rackham variety) expanding on his foreword to the book...

    http://www.executiveboard.com/challenger/

    ...is there.
    Posted by Neil Warren on

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    Evidence Based is the way for Sales

    It doesn't matter if it's a recruitment, or a promotion evidence based is the way.
    It doesn't matter if it's Sales People or Managers
    evidence based is the way
    It doesnt matter if it's Training Content or Coaching
    evidence based is the way.

    Show me the proof!

    Selling is coming of age finally ;-)

    "The Challenger Sale" I am being told is research based, we shall see.......
    Posted by Brian MacIver on

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    Seth Godin knows it's not easy...

    If you're reading The Challenger Sale (above - and I'm looking forward to talking to the author Matthew Dixon this afternoon) - at the same time as trying to get your wife's fine art career launched (I am), you'll find this kind of input from mentor / tribe / thought leader very insightful and motivating (I did)...
    ______________________

    Adversity and the route to success

    Resource-rich regions often fall behind in developing significant industrial and cultural capabilities. Japan does well despite having very few resources at all.

    Well-rounded and popular people rarely change the world. The one voted most likely to succeed probably won't.

    Genuine success is scarce, and the scarcity comes from the barriers that keep everyone from having it. If it weren't for the scarcity, it wouldn't be valuable, after all.

    It's difficult to change an industry, set a world record, land big clients, or do art that influences others.

    When faced with this difficulty, those with other, seemingly better options see the barrier and walk away.

    Why bother? The thinking is that we can just pump some more oil or smile and gladhand our way to an acceptably happy outcome.

    On the other hand, people who believe they have fewer options take a look at the barrier and realize that even though it will be difficult to cross, it's the single best option they've got.

    This is one of the dangers of over-funded / under-tested startup companies. Without an astute CEO in charge, they begin to worry more about not losing what they've already got than the real reason they started the project in the first place.

    Posted by Neil Warren on

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    Customer-Centric-Selling & Sales Benchmark Index recommend SPIN tattoo and stir another Brian...

    CustomerCentricSelling brought us the top video on this page...

    http://www.modernselling.com/news-and-events/sales-editorial-comment/modern-selling-hypothesis-thesis-theory-or-fact-discussion-Neil-Warren-20114055.aspx

    ...and have now linked out of their "e-Newz" email to this...

    http://www.salesbenchmarkindex.com/bid/77807/4-signs-a-sales-manager-can-recognize-an-a-player-in-an-interview

    ...bedecked with all the right Big Co jewel-logos anyone could want, as well as having irked a Cisco-Brian.

    Lots of "Challenging" talk too, now also updated by Matt Dixon on the link in the panel above. So I mean what more could anyone possibly want!?
    Posted by Neil Warren on

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