Sales Auditor

Selling to everyone and anyone -- even if a salesperson knows it’s not in the prospect’s best interest -- is a recipe for disaster. Make sure your candidate is comfortable with turning business away if the potential customer isn’t a good fit.

Being thrown for a loop by this question is a sign that your candidate isn’t a life-long learner, which is becoming increasingly important in sales.

Again, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker if the salesperson doesn’t actively share and engage with content on their social media accounts, but they should at least want to start doing so.

While this technically isn’t a question, it’s important to assess whether the candidate has a helpful demeanor.

Following up on deals to learn how to do better next time -- win or lose -- boosts the odds of winning in the future. A salesperson who takes the time to learn from both their successes and their failures will likely be a valuable addition to your team.

Certain companies and roles call for people better at farming or hunting, but look out for a person who performs one of these tasks to the exclusion of the other. Both are vital to selling well.

Don’t cop out, because there’s always room for improvement. Take a look through the company’s product or service description on their website to get an idea of how it works. For SaaS companies, you can also go through a product tour

☛ What would you do if a client asked you a question about a product you didn’t know the answer to?

☛ Imagine a customer is upset because there is a shortage of a product they want to buy. How would you handle it?

☛ Have you used any retail software before?

☛ If a customer destroyed a piece of merchandise, what would you do?

☛ What would you do to let customers know of temporary discounts?

☛ How would you handle it if you saw a customer stealing an item?

☛ Imagine a customer told you they’re looking for a gift. Can you walk me through the process of closing a sale?

If their least favorite part is the most important part at your company, that’s probably a red flag. This question can also alert you to weak areas.

Appraise the person’s attitude towards rejection. Do they need time to shake off an unpleasant conversation? Or do they bounce back immediately?

The answer to this question doesn’t have to blow you away. However, the candidate should have some sort of action plan to get up and running. No matter how much training you provide, it’s still smart to hire a self-starter when you can.

A large part of a sales manager’s job is to hire a staff of high performing sales reps. What constitutes a high performing rep can vary from company to company based on the product they’re selling, as well as the mission and values of the organization.

This question can give you great insight into the candidate’s hiring abilities. You’ll get an idea of what they value in a sales rep, whether or not their management style is a fit for your company, and perhaps even a foreshadowing of what kind of sales team they’ll end up building.

A great sales manager is a natural leader and teacher, with genuine enthusiasm to help others succeed. If they’re only driven by meeting quota or closing deals, they may be better suited for a sales rep position. This question will help you see what kind of mentor the candidate will be, and how they will help your team grow and evolve.

Look for a candidate who has a desire to help others, not someone who gives you a generic answer. Look for personal stories––the candidate should be able to demonstrate her ability to connect with people on a personal level.

This is where you demonstrate your understanding of the entire structure of selling. Focus on your view of selling as a professional service directed at showing the customer how your product or service meets their needs and improves their lives.

Prepare a concise sales interview answer that highlights your knowledge of how to communicate and build rapport with a client, ask the right questions, identify and understanding the client's values, motives and needs, offer the appropriate solutions, handle objections and close the sale. Include adapting to different personality types and using persuasive communication skills.

Are you familiar with our products? Which one would you most enjoy selling and why?

Do you know how to operate a cash register?

How would you greet each customer when they enter the store?

What steps would you take to close the store?

How do you stay calm and motivated when there are too many customers in the store?

☛ Tell me about a time you managed to provide excellent customer service

☛ Have you ever had a conflict with a coworker? How did you resolve it?

☛ Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult or angry customer. How did you diffuse the tension? What solution did you provide?