Why your next sales hire needs marketing skills

#DataHQIdeas

I’ve always respected the tenacity, ability to qualify, and resilience of a great salesperson.

The people in my team that come to me knowing whether their client has got budget, who’s championing the project, and who ultimately signs off are a delight to work with.

But in recent times, I’ve felt a shift. I’d like to say it’s been steady, but actually over the last couple of years it feels like it’s come at us pretty fast.

• More transactions are happening digitally, without my team needing to be in the room.
• Customers do more research independently, sometimes before we even know there’s an opportunity.
• And everyone is more socially connected. Their network keeps them informed, educated and dare I say it – entertained.

We used to rely on marketing to do it all

Two years ago, no-one in my team wrote content. We expected someone in marketing to do it all and we’d share it. When we do that now it has very little impact.

Two years ago we could take some product literature we’d been given by the expert inhouse team and pass it on to a client as a way of progressing a sales opportunity. No one reads that stuff anymore.

Now I look for these skills when I'm hiring new sales people

1. Do they communicate succinctly?
   Buyers often value how information is given more than the information itself. If you don’t believe me, read this https://www.linkedin.com/posts/catherinecoale_lessonlearned-knowyouraudience-storytelling-activity-6682276286582284288-O980
   
   
2. Do they talk in compelling stories instead of using sales scripts?
   Buyers don’t really want to hear about your product or service. You have to weave this into a larger story, that is more relatable. This might sound obvious, but a lot of people find it easier to share facts and figures (or features and benefits) especially when they’re busy and under pressure. So now I look for people that can connect with me on a personal level and I look at how I feel when they’re explaining something to me.
   
   
3. Can they demonstrate subject matter expertise (and curiosity)?
   I’m looking for a genuine interest in the buyer’s organisation, industry and what it’s like to do their role. Product knowledge can be taught, but industry knowledge will help them to personalise their approach and stand out from the crowd.
   
   
4. Are they socially active with their buyer?
   Gone are the days of knowing just one or two people in the organisation we want to sell to. Platforms like LinkedIn allow us to be connected to more influencers within an organisation and establish our personal authority.
   
   
5. Can they copywrite?
   This might feel like a weird one but given how much we use email, social media, and personalise proposals - the way we articulate and tailor our messages means we are all becoming mini marketers.

If you’re interested in reading more about how the sales role is changing then my colleague Dave has written a couple of longer pieces that might interest you.

How the best sales people are reinventing themselves for modern selling

Has selling got harder lately

Bec Burrows
Data HQ Sales Director
You can email me if you need some help
Connect with me on LinkedIN for more #DataHQIDEAS