Sales Behavioral Interview Questions May 7, 2021
Are you in the process of looking for a sales manager or sales team member position? This may seem easy. However, unless you know how a person will interact with clients and team members, you may discover you have hired the wrong person. Thankfully, there is an simple way to see how a person will interact with others. All you need to do is ask them different sales behavioral interviews questions. There are quite a few different sales interview questions to ask candidates, so feel free to mix them up for any scenario.
Sales Behavioral Interview Questions
What is Your Process for Closing Sales?
This is an important sales behavioral interview question to ask, because it will allow you to determine if a person struggles with closing the deal. Every salesperson should have a strategy when it comes to closing sales. The people who have strong answers to this question will always have excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Have You Ever Lost a Sale or a Client? What Did You Do?
Everyone has lost a sale or client over the years. Anyone who tells you they haven’t are not being truthful, so you may want to think twice about a person who says they have closed every sale. A lost sale or client is always a learning tool and the way a person handles the loss is very important. The best answer to this question is always going to be how a person changed their tactics and improved on their skills to avoid potential losses in the future.
What is Your Daily Routine? What Organizational Skills Do You Use to Reach Your Goals?
Completing specific tasks each day normally requires a routine, as well as certain organizational skills. Ideal candidates will always be able to share their best skills and how they use them to submit their work by the deadline. If you are searching for a team member who can reach the goals you put in place, you must consider this sales interview question to ask candidates.
How Do You Prioritize All Your Clients?
Balancing clients is very tricky and new team members may struggle with this at first. If a person you are interviewing does not have excellent time management skills, they may not be the best person for the job. During the interview, a person must be able to tell you how they can juggle all their clients, while making each one feel as if they are the most important one.
What is One Sales Goal You Have Set for Yourself?
Every salesperson has goals that are above and beyond what their supervisors set. When you ask this sales interview question, you are going to expect to hear a personal goal and how that person worked hard to achieve their goal on time.
In the Past, Have You Ever Been Asked to Do Something You Have Never Done Before? If Yes, How Did You React and What Did You Learn from the Experience?
There are so many times when people need to step out of their comfort zones, especially when it comes to sales. If you have a candidate that cannot answer this question, it could mean they have done everything possible to not be put in this situation. This may not be a good thing for your business, because you never know when you will need an employee to think out of the box for the current situation.
Have You Ever Expanded Your Knowledge for Work Without Being Directed to Do So?
This is an extremely important sales behavioral interview question to ask, especially if you are looking to hire a sales manager. After all, you are going to want a strong leader who does not need to be told what to do every step of the way. Team members that expand their knowledge without being told are also excellent examples of who you may want to promote in the future.
Can You Tell Me About a Time When a Contact Person Changed for a Key Account You Were Working On? How Did You Handle the Change?
Change is always difficult. However, how a person handles that change is indicative of how they will handle future changes. The best candidate for the job will have an answer that includes how they maintained their performance and adjusted their approach to the needs of the new contact.
Can You Tell Me About an Approach You Took to Gain the Sale of a New Client?
One of the best sales behavioral interview questions to ask is how a person approached a new client and gained the sale. If this person comes to work with you, they will be working with a lot of new clients. You must know how they will interact with new clients now and in the future. Their answer to this sales interview question should also show you how persuasive they can be.
What Was the Most Time-Consuming Sale You Have Ever Made?
It can be difficult for a person to maintain a higher energy level when they are dealing with a time-consuming sale. Only a few people will be able to answer this sales behavioral interview question in a satisfactory way. The best candidates will be able to show you how their personal goals keep them going, so they can reach these results-driven goals.
Do You Currently Have Experience with Structuring Commission Plans?
The end goal of being hired as a sales team member is going to be the payment at the end. Not every salesperson is going to have experience with structuring commission plans. However, a sales manager should be able to answer this sales behavioral interview question easily. The people best suited for the job will be able to share the commission plan that worked best for them and their team in the past.
What is Your Process of Negotiating Terms with Clients?
Negotiating skills are a must for sales employees, so this must be one of the top sales interview questions to ask candidates. The best answers will include sharing the true value of products and why the client should be willing to pay the amount being asked.
What is a Presentation You Have Done that You are Proud of?
Presentations are done continuously by salespeople, so a person must be skilled at presentations to excel at their job. Every candidate should have one presentation that stands out the most in their mind. If a person cannot tell you about a presentation that they are proud of, they may not be very good at presentations or the job you have available.
These are the main sales behavioral interview questions you should ask when you are interviewing candidates for an open sales position. There are many others though, so you will want to consider what information you want to learn about each person you are interviewing. It is best to have a strategic plan when it comes to sales interview questions to ask candidates. We recommend having basic questions and then alternative questions to ask if you are having a difficult time deciding if a person is the right fit for your needs.
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