The sales interview – getting better results

Looking for a new sales role? Throughout 2011, the job market has become more and more competitive so as we prepare for 2012, it’s important that you present yourself correctly to stand out from the crowd. Often, the most confident of interviewees believe they can still simply ‘blag’ an interview by putting on a good performance, but fail to put in the legwork and preparation beforehand. The old adage definitely applies here – ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’! So first of all, give yourself plenty of time before your interview, if not your actual application, to research your target organisation.

Research in this context doesn’t simply mean a quick visit onto the employer’s website. It means something a little savvier that shows you’ve really put some thought in. You need to demonstrate that you know who their clients are and do some research into their competitors. Try to ascertain why their customers use the business and what are their strengths and conversely, what are their weaknesses. If it’s appropriate, why not put a call into their sales team as a customer and find out their current sales strategy.

This research gives you the same head start that you get with successful selling. The best salespeople tend to do the most research and for your interview, it demonstrates to the employer that you are willing to put the time in and use your brain. It will also give them an instant appraisal of your approach to sales meetings and customer visits, so it’s a chance to demonstrate your skills in action.

Also, identify the skills that the prospective employer is looking for. Read the job advert and person specification in real detail. Think around it and understand what you can bring to the role. Think of examples where you have demonstrated the required skills in previous situations and what the results were. Ideally, take evidence of these results with you, whether that’s previous sales stats, references, payslips or other forms of achievement evidence. By providing a tangible back up to your claim, you can establish a trustworthy rapport from the start, demonstrating that you can back up your claims, unlike salespeople who claim the earth but ultimately deliver no such thing!

Make an impact

When you attend the interview, make the right impact from the word go. This means looking the part and being confident and open, without coming across as arrogant. Keep an eye on your body language. Keep it open and receptive to build rapport without dominating space. Show that you are in control of the situation by keeping eye contact and building an engagement with the interview. Avoid showing your nerves, even if you do feel them.

Expect questions designed to test behaviours and key competencies that relate to the role, such as resilience, adaptability, persuasiveness, presentation skills and negotiation. Look up typical questions and prepare some answers before you go in. Also, research and prepare for questions that test how well you understand good customer service, which is a vital aspect of sales. Reference papers, industry publications, relevant experience, blogs, networking groups, recent sales you’ve closed and respected speakers and thinkers in the field, anything that shows your deeper interest in the profession and enthusiasm to learn and progress. This will show your potential to advance to more strategic positions.

Know your figures. You will be asked about your targets, average order values, achievements against objectives and average client spend. It’s amazing how many salespeople stumble when asked about the basic figures, so don’t be one of them. A strong awareness of your numbers shows competence and trustworthiness.

Your own questions

Don’t make it a one-way conversation; come armed with your own questions. Show that you want to know more about the role. Rather than homing straight in on the package and benefits, ask what has made predecessors successful in the role, what the company’s objectives are, what the challenges may be and the best and worst things about working for the company. Asking great questions is another way of demonstrating strong sales skills first hand. Also, make notes as you talk, to show that you’re genuinely listening and absorbing the information.

Of course, make sure you close! Any sales manager interviewing a potential recruit will expect the candidate to close the interview well. Overcome any given objections and close. Hopefully, they will see how resilient you are. If the objection comes, close. If another comes, work around it and close again. View it as a chance to demonstrate your abilities with the most important skill in sales.
These steps should help you feel more organised, prepared and ready to face your next sales interview head on and come out with the result you want, which is your next sales job!

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