Recruiting is hard.

Long hours and valuable resources are dedicated to this all too important area of your organization because, at the end of the day – if you can’t secure talented sales professionals, you can’t grow.

But while recruiting can be challenging at times, recruiting top sales talent doesn’t have to be.

An established sales leader with a well-defined and well-executed strategy can turn what is a weakness for most into one of their top strengths.

In this article, we’ll discuss the 11 best strategies to build a world-class sales team so that you never have to settle for less than the best again.

Here they are in order:

• Define your ideal candidate
• Define your strategy and process
• Build Your Personal Brand
• Network
• Build a world-class culture
• Put together a winning offer package
• Focus on the future
• Make the process easy
• Keep them engaged
• Be prepared to negotiate
• Get ahead of the game

Follow these strategies to be among the best in the game in landing the top sales reps and set yourself, and your soon-to-be incredibly strong team, up for success.

Let’s dive in.

1.) Define your ideal candidate

You can’t land the best talent if you don’t know what the best talent is.

Often people go through life never reaching their goals for no other reason than they never actually took the time to define what their goals were.

The same is true with business.

Take the time to think through what you are looking for before you do anything else.

Only after you have a clearly defined candidate profile can you build a championship-level strategy to go after the sales candidates you want the most.

Finding talent isn’t enough; finding the right sales talent for your role matters.

In my experience, the most qualified candidates have profiles that contain, at minimum, these factors, in addition to the basic experience level you’re looking for:

• The ability to identify problems and articulate their impact
• Competitive drive
• High business acumen
• Problem-solving skills
• Comfortable with change and ambiguity
• Empathy
• Tenacity
• Demonstrated ability to overcome adversity
• Internal Drive and Motivators
• Discipline
• High Energy
• The ability to work autonomously
• Integrity
• Skills building trust and rapport

2.) Define your strategy and document your process

Next is where you’ll take the strategies outlined here and map out your action plan.

The best sales teams have a world-class recruiting process.

They aren’t just throwing a bunch of resumes at the wall and seeing what sticks. They have an actual plan that they execute flawlessly.

A few things to cover are:

• How much time will you spend each week in each area?
• What can you delegate, and what should you handle yourself?
• What resources do you need, and how will you obtain them?
• What are the metrics you’ll track?
• How will you keep yourself and your team accountable and ensure you stay on track?

How each area will play out will differ slightly by org, but the core fundamentals are always the same.

Whatever strategies and processes work best for you and your organization, you must document them thoroughly.

The guiding principle around how you approach documenting your processes should be to write so that whoever will eventually take your spot can easily understand and run the process from day 1.

3.) Build your personal brand

Once your ideal candidate profile is locked in, and your strategy is set, it’s time to execute.

And since you’ll have already read this, you’ll know that building your personal brand is at the top of the list !

Building your personal brand takes time and focused effort, but the best sales leaders know that it pays huge dividends down the road and is well worth it.

Often it is said that people follow leaders, not companies.

The same can be true with recruiting.

A well-established brand and an immaculate reputation as a top leader that people want to work for will have top performers coming to you, which will make landing the best candidates significantly easier.

Here are a few top strategies:

• Get active on social media – this is where most people go to research you before they ever reach out
• Speak at industry events – this helps get your name and face in front of the right people
• Write articles/blogs – this allows you to share your ideas and expertise with a broader audience
• Get involved in trade associations – this gives you access to exclusive networking events and information

4.) Network

A mentor of mine once said, “your network is your net worth.”

Remember, it’s not just about who you know; it’s about who knows you.

You need to be constantly meeting new people and growing your network. The more extensive your network, the more likely you’ll come across top talent.

There are many ways to grow your network. Here are a few of the best:

• Attend industry events
• Join trade associations
• Get involved in community organizations
• Volunteer
• Meet new people through mutual friends
• Get again social media (again )

Building an extensive professional network will work wonders for you – make it a priority.

5.) Build a world-class culture

To attract top talent, you need to have a world-class company culture.

Your company culture should be one that is attractive to the type of person you are trying to recruit. Just like your personal brand is a critical component of the recruiting puzzle, so is your company’s brand.

Some things to consider when building your culture:

• What values do you want your company to stand for?
• How can you make your company a great place to work?
• What benefits and perks can you offer that will attract top talent?
• What kind of development and growth opportunities can you provide?
• How can you create a culture of winning?

Building a world-class culture is not something that you can do overnight. It takes time, effort, and dedication.

But if you want to attract the best sales talent, it’s worth the investment.

6.) Put together a winning offer package

A winning package is more than just compensation.

Yes, compensation is essential. But it’s not the only thing that matters.

When putting together a package for a top sales performer, you need to consider all the different factors motivating them.

Some things to consider:

• What kind of commission structure can you offer?
• What kind of bonus opportunities are available?
• What type of equity options do you have?
• What kind of health and wellness benefits can you provide?
• What type of development and growth opportunities can you offer?
• What sort of work/life balance can you provide?

The key is to tailor the package to the individual. Not all top sales performers will be motivated by the same things.

Find out what motivates them and create a package that meets their needs.

7.) Focus on the future

When recruiting top sales talent, you need to focus on the future.

You need to sell them on the idea of what they can accomplish at your company.

Yes, you need to pay them well. But you also need to show them how they can grow and develop in their career at your company.

Some things to consider when selling them on the future:

• What kind of growth opportunities are available?
• What kind of impact can they make?
• How can they advance in their career?
• What kind of professional development opportunities are available?
• How can they continue to grow and learn?

A top performer can make money just about anywhere, and they know that. For them, it’s about more than that when choosing their next sales job. Show them how your org will help them grow and contribute, and make sure they see the vision on how they fit into the bigger picture.

8.) Make the process easy

The recruiting process should be easy for both you and the candidate.

If it’s not, you will have difficulty attracting top talent.

Some things to consider when making the process easy:

• Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage your candidates
• Automate as much of the process as possible
• Use video interviewing to save time
• Provide clear instructions and expectations
• Have a dedicated team to handle recruiting
• Use an outside agency or headhunter to help with sales recruiting

The recruiting process doesn’t have to be complicated. Making a few simple changes can make it much easier for you and the candidate.

9.) Keep them engaged

Once you’ve identified a top sales performer, you need to keep them engaged.

The last thing you want is them to get cold feet and back out of the deal.

There are a few things you can do to keep them engaged:

• Make sure the interview process is top notch
• Stay in touch
• Send them updates on the company
• Invite them to events
• Send them articles that might be of interest
• Ask for their input on decisions
• Keep them updated on the progress of their application

The key is to keep the lines of communication open. You want them to feel like they are a part of the process and that you value their input.

10.) Be prepared to negotiate

You need to have a clear understanding of what you’re willing to offer and what you’re not willing to offer.

And you need to be prepared to walk away from the deal if it doesn’t meet your needs.

Some things to consider when negotiating:

• What is your bottom line?
• What are you willing to compromise on? Base salary? Variable?
• What are your non-negotiables?
• How can you be creative in the negotiation process?
• What are yourBATNAs (Best Alternatives To a Negotiated Agreement)?

The key is to prepare. Know what you want and be willing to walk away from the deal if you don’t get it.

Just remember, it’s not just about the money. You need to focus on all the different factors that will motivate them. If you do that, you’ll be in a much better position to land the best sales performers.

11.) Get ahead of the game

As the saying goes, the ABCs of selling are “always be closing.”

Well, in leadership, when running a world-class team comprised of great salespeople, it is “always be recruiting.”

That’s because recruiting is one of your most important jobs as a leader, and it is a job that is never done.

Whether you’re a Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, or among the many hiring managers, finding the best salespeople and nurturing relationships with top candidates should be a dedicated portion of your week for the long haul.

That means you should always look for top sales talent, even when you’re not actively recruiting.

Here are a few ways to get ahead of the game and make sure you’re always prepared:

• Stay up to date on the latest industry news and trends. This will help you identify potential candidates early on.
• Keep an up-to-date list of the best salespeople you know. This way, when you are ready to start recruiting, you already have a list of great potential candidates.
• Nurture relationships with top salespeople. Even if they’re not looking for a new job, stay in touch and keep them updated on what’s happening at your company.

By getting ahead of the game, you’ll be in a much better position to fill any openings that come up quickly. And you’ll be able to do it with the best sales talent available.

Bonus Tip: Common pitfalls to avoid

Now that you know how to recruit top sales talent let’s look at some of the most common pitfalls to avoid.

1.) Hiring too quickly

One of the most common mistakes made when recruiting is hiring too quickly.

You might be in a hurry to fill a position, but it’s essential to take the time to find the right candidate. Otherwise, you’ll have to go through the process again later down the road. Hiring the wrong people can be a killer, so take your time and do it right.

2.) Not doing your homework

Another mistake that’s often made is not taking the time to do your homework on potential candidates.

Getting to know them and their work style is essential before deciding.

You want to check on references and validate prior performance to the best of your abilities.

Many people can show up well in an interview but aren’t really what they claim to be once the curtains are pulled back.

Do your diligence and homework on your candidates, and make it a formal part of your hiring process.

4.) Not adjusting to the market

The market changes, and often it changes quickly.

Those cemented in yesterday’s strategies are destined to be tomorrow’s failures.

Stay in tune with what the current market dictates and ensure key stakeholders in your organization do as well.

Conclusion

The recruiting process is a crucial part of building a successful sales team. Following these tips can streamline the process and make finding and attracting top sales talent easier. It’s not just about the money, but about all the factors that will motivate them. If you do that, you’ll be better positioned to land the best sales performers.