Top talent is the key to growth for any organization, but that is never as apparent as it is in the sales ranks of ISOs and acquirers where top producers can make or break a company. I am often asked, "Where do I find the best closers, the top producers or the 'good' sales reps?" In fact, it is not about finding these gems as there is no recruiter, school or class that guarantees delivery of top reps. I advise most individuals who ask me about top sales talent to stop looking outward for the solution and instead look inward at their own organizations. What are you doing to create great reps and keep them for the long-haul?
Training is crucial for the initial and long-term success of a sales rep. Many organizations put together a very detailed sales book and then have reps hit the street after a single day in class. That is not a great way for new reps to learn about the payments business about your organization. Take your time with each rep. Make them feel important. Ensure that your sales manager devotes significant time and attention to each rep, especially early-on in the rep's career. Establish a process whereby salespeople are slowly entered into the organization instead of being rushed. Find a mentor or senior rep to help out the more junior salespeople. As a rep's tenure increases, create a process of continuing education so they can learn more and further improve their talents. Focus on sales techniques, new products, the industry and continually refresh their skills. Don't forget about the active learning process where salespeople can learn from each other. Training is not a one time event; it should be available and continually dispersed throughout the sales rep's tenure.
As you look to bring new people into your sales channels, remember to hire for attitude. You can always teach the nuances and products of the payments business, but you can't teach attitude. You want to develop a team of winners — individuals who will go the extra mile and make your organization look good. I know a lot of ISOs gravitate towards industry veterans who claim great success at previous acquirers. Don't buy the hype. Look for attitude first. Seek out reps who can learn to present your solutions your way. There are some great industry veterans out there, but there are also some that come with a lot of baggage. Make sure you can sort the gems from the rocks.
Compensation is a key driver of success and retention. Reward your top reps well and incent them to keep producing for the long-haul. Sales is not an area to skimp on compensation; top producers must get paid top money. Make sure your top producers are paid well— very well. However, compensation is not just about money; it is about recognition as well. Many organizations create a family environment and it becomes crucial to bring your top reps into the fold. Remember, many of these top producers are remote and anything you can do to make them feel like a part of the organization will only help.
Most importantly, you must look to create a sales-friendly environment, a culture that attracts and retains salespeople. Try and remove non-selling activities from their lives (installation, paperwork, etc). Create a service team that helps just the reps — a concierge service of sorts. Arrange your service organization in such a way that your sales rep becomes your core customer. In short, make it easy for them to succeed.
Many organizations look to hire the perfect rep, but the real solution is creating the right environment to create and retain perfect reps:
 Invest in training
Hire for attitude.
Compensate well.
Create a sales-friendly environment
Re-think the way you develop your sales team today. You may just find that the secret to getting them to the next level is not looking for new or better people, but changing the way in which you look at the sales process.  |
