Comments on: Beware of Hiring Your Competitor’s Salespeople http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/ Recruiting News, Recruiting Events, Recruiting Community, Social Recruiting Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:03:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Raiding Your Competitor’s Salespeople in Missouri – What Are the Owner’s Key Questions? at Beyond The Fine Print http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-24382 Raiding Your Competitor’s Salespeople in Missouri – What Are the Owner’s Key Questions? at Beyond The Fine Print Wed, 19 May 2010 13:32:31 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-24382 [...] Your competition is hurt and bleeding and your industry is down. You own a business and you are in the enviable position of having extra cash. However, barriers to entry are low in your industry and buying your competition’s business may not be a good investment. An easier strategy, a bit predatory of course, is to hire the salesperson from the failing businesses. [...] [...] Your competition is hurt and bleeding and your industry is down. You own a business and you are in the enviable position of having extra cash. However, barriers to entry are low in your industry and buying your competition’s business may not be a good investment. An easier strategy, a bit predatory of course, is to hire the salesperson from the failing businesses. [...]

]]> By: Jeff Ogden http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-20080 Jeff Ogden Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:57:41 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-20080 Amen, Lee. I had an experience a few years ago that goes right to the heart of this article. We had three salespeople work the global GE account: 1) The experienced rep who handled GE in the past. 2) A brand new rep who never handled GE. 3) The GE rep from our #1 competitor. All three did the job, and one dramatically outperformed the other two. As you might guess, it was #2 -- the guy 99% would never hire. Why was #2 successful? He was the only one who devised an outside the box, customer centric approach. His fresh perspective worked. The other two used the tradition vendor-centric approach. Jeff Ogden, President Find New Customers http://www.findnewcustomers.net jogden@findnewcustomers.net Amen, Lee. I had an experience a few years ago that goes right to the heart of this article.

We had three salespeople work the global GE account:
1) The experienced rep who handled GE in the past.
2) A brand new rep who never handled GE.
3) The GE rep from our #1 competitor.

All three did the job, and one dramatically outperformed the other two. As you might guess, it was #2 — the guy 99% would never hire.

Why was #2 successful? He was the only one who devised an outside the box, customer centric approach. His fresh perspective worked. The other two used the tradition vendor-centric approach.

Jeff Ogden, President
Find New Customers
http://www.findnewcustomers.net
jogden@findnewcustomers.net

]]> By: Rashica Ward http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12562 Rashica Ward Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:02:30 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12562 Great article! As a recruiter I would certainly be interested in your 28 favorite interview questions for sales candidates. My email is rward@wardrecruitingconnections.com. Great article!

As a recruiter I would certainly be interested in your 28 favorite interview questions for sales candidates. My email is rward@wardrecruitingconnections.com.

]]> By: Robert John http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12556 Robert John Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:49:55 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12556 Outstanding article, Lee. Being a recruiter in a tight niche market, and in one that I personally spent over 19 years, I always get the 'find a person from within the industry'. Honestly, I have prided myself (and have been successful) on only recruiting from within my industry. However, I can see the benefits for hiring outside. Again, that being stated, trying to sell that to clients is very difficult. Also, right on with the 'bringing the book of business' with them. If I had a nickel... Outstanding article, Lee. Being a recruiter in a tight niche market, and in one that I personally spent over 19 years, I always get the ‘find a person from within the industry’. Honestly, I have prided myself (and have been successful) on only recruiting from within my industry.

However, I can see the benefits for hiring outside. Again, that being stated, trying to sell that to clients is very difficult.

Also, right on with the ‘bringing the book of business’ with them. If I had a nickel…

]]> By: Geoff Lawyer http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12540 Geoff Lawyer Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:18:59 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12540 A very good article by Lee, I have made many of these mistakes over the years, however I believe employing a "Sales Professional" from outside the industry will adapt and come into your business without any encumbrances, as such they are easier to train! A very good article by Lee, I have made many of these mistakes over the years, however I believe employing a “Sales Professional” from outside the industry will adapt and come into your business without any encumbrances, as such they are easier to train!

]]> By: Howard Adamsky http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12539 Howard Adamsky Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:48:35 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12539 This is such a good article. Lee is a very smart guy. His style is so engaging and his content is right on the money. I need to get some writing lessons from Lee. This is such a good article.

Lee is a very smart guy. His style is so engaging and his content is right on the money. I need to get some writing lessons from Lee.

]]> By: John Smith http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12538 John Smith Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:03:43 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12538 Spot on! There is also the credibility issue, if you have been selling your client a product or service because it "is the best", and then come back to them representing the leading competitor because "it is the best", what message is that sending to the client? It's a lot easier to train a new employee than it is to re-program someone that came from a leading competitor. Spot on! There is also the credibility issue, if you have been selling your client a product or service because it “is the best”, and then come back to them representing the leading competitor because “it is the best”, what message is that sending to the client?

It’s a lot easier to train a new employee than it is to re-program someone that came from a leading competitor.

]]> By: Ross Clennett http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12537 Ross Clennett Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:50:29 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12537 Spot on, Lee. You articulate accurately what I hear consistently from recruitment agencies with respect to hiring a recruiter from a competitor. Mostly it ends in tears because at least one of the myths you outline does not translate into fact after the hire has been made. Even thought you didn't state this I believe you have listed the myths in their order of 'most commonly stated and believed by hiring sales managers'. Great stuff. Spot on, Lee. You articulate accurately what I hear consistently from recruitment agencies with respect to hiring a recruiter from a competitor. Mostly it ends in tears because at least one of the myths you outline does not translate into fact after the hire has been made.

Even thought you didn’t state this I believe you have listed the myths in their order of ‘most commonly stated and believed by hiring sales managers’. Great stuff.

]]> By: Lee Salz http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12532 Lee Salz Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:46:42 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12532 Thanks for the question, Todd While I can appreciate the scope/size issue, it doesn't supersede the importance of ensuring the candidate meets the key criteria of your ideal candidate profile. All of the aforementioned ramifications can result if you hire strictly because they worked for a competitor. Thanks for the question, Todd

While I can appreciate the scope/size issue, it doesn’t supersede the importance of ensuring the candidate meets the key criteria of your ideal candidate profile. All of the aforementioned ramifications can result if you hire strictly because they worked for a competitor.

]]> By: Todd Raphael http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12531 Todd Raphael Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:41:18 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12531 Lee - does it ever depend on the scope/size of the industry? If you have a field that's relatively small and very niche, where everyone knows everyone ... can it be more advantageous to hire an insider, not because an outsider can't understand the technology and industry, but because tighter-knit communities are harder to break into? Lee – does it ever depend on the scope/size of the industry? If you have a field that’s relatively small and very niche, where everyone knows everyone … can it be more advantageous to hire an insider, not because an outsider can’t understand the technology and industry, but because tighter-knit communities are harder to break into?

]]> By: Kevin Morris http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12530 Kevin Morris Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:39:04 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12530 I love this article Lee. Excellent article. I love this article Lee. Excellent article.

]]> By: Lisa Barrera-Vaporis http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12529 Lisa Barrera-Vaporis Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:37:42 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12529 Thank you so much for posting this! This has been our current strategy and I don't think it is working. Hopefully, this article helps me plead my case. Thank you so much for posting this! This has been our current strategy and I don’t think it is working. Hopefully, this article helps me plead my case.

]]> By: Nick Fishman http://www.ere.net/2009/06/03/beware-of-hiring-your-competitors-sales-people/comment-page-1/#comment-12528 Nick Fishman Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:33:28 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8187#comment-12528 Brilliant article Lee. I think you nailed every aspect of this issue. Hiring "experienced" sales people from within the industry always appears to be "The Holy Grail". We find that more often than not, it doesn't bring as much success. Brilliant article Lee. I think you nailed every aspect of this issue. Hiring “experienced” sales people from within the industry always appears to be “The Holy Grail”. We find that more often than not, it doesn’t bring as much success.

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