Where to Find Amazing Salespeople

Welcome to Sales Manager Success Tips. “It’s so hard to find good salespeople”. I have been hearing this for decades in dealerships all across Canada and the U.S. Amazing salespeople are everywhere. However, if you’re waiting for them to come to you by responding to your latest, generic, sometimes uninspired online ad, you may be waiting for a very, very long time. Great organizations don’t wait for people to appear on their doorstep; they actively recruit on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. Professional sports teams have full time scouts that search high and low; cities, towns, villages and even other countries to find their next phenom. Become your dealership’s talent scout. Create other scouts amongst your fellow managers. Spend a ½ day or a full day a month outside of your dealership searching for potential salespeople. At the very least, be on alert when you’re shopping, running errands, etc., during your off time. Remember, the best time to recruit, is when you don’t actually need someone – then you can more relaxed and more selective. If you hire in the spring and fall during peak selling seasons, you are competing with all other dealerships that are looking for salespeople at the same time. Many of today’s high performing salespeople have come from retail and hospitality backgrounds. Prime sources include big box stores such as Best Buy and Staples. Their store associates tend to be tech savvy and easily adapt to automotive technology. Mall stores such as The Source, Apple Stores and cell phone outlets such as Telus, Fido, etc. offer similar, tech savvy and customer service focused associates. Many of them make $36,000 - $48,000 per year and will substantially increase their paycheck in their first year of automotive sales. Also consider the hospitality industry. Restaurant chains such as The Keg, Cactus Club, Earls, Milestones, Joeys and more provide young, smart, personable and likeable people that are customer-service oriented and trained. 4 and 5-Star Hotel restaurants and front desk reception also employ people with smiles. outgoing personalities and positive attitudes. When you’re spending your money at a store or restaurant and the person serving you impresses you, compliment them, catch their interest, give them your card and ask them to have a coffee with you at your dealership; “Hey Sara, I am really impressed with your knowledge and customer service. Have you ever considered a career in professional automotive sales? I am the Sales Manager at Performance Toyota. Someone like you has real potential to earn over $100,000 in just 2 or 3 years. There’s also so much opportunity for recognition and advancement into management positions. I would love to tell you more about our industry – no strings attached. If you have interest, call me on my cell and we can have a casual coffee at the dealership.” Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it – the same can be said with finding AMAZING salespeople. Join us for our next 3-day Sales Manager Academy and 1-day SUPERdesking Workshop – both LIVE and ONLINE. I’m Chris Schulthies. Chris Schulthies is a National Sales Trainer & Consultant with Toronto-based Wye Management. Wye Management provides sales and management training (showroom and digital) for dealerships, dealer groups, OEMs and industry suppliers in Canada and the U.S. E-mail: cschulthies@wyemanagement.com Cell : 416.908.6346 #training#programs#workshops#cardealership#autodealers#autodeals#salestip#nationwide#tools#automotive#industry#salesmen#saleslife#learn#salestraining#businessoffice#automobile#salestraining#cardealership#UCDA#MDA