How to Know If You Are Hiring A Don Draper Salesperson

by Chris Young

Love him or hate him, Don Draper cHow_to_know_if_you_are_wired_like_Don_Draperan sell like few others. His character represents selling excellence - the embodiment of true freak-level selling ability.  and while Don Draper is a fictional character, my experience suggests that the potential he represents is very, very real.  

When a top-performing outside salesperson is needed, artisan CEOs, sales managers, and companies should only hire outside salespeople "wired" like Don Draper.  

 

Our pursuit of the Don Draper holy grail.

For over a decade, my team has been dedicated to consistently identifying outside sales freaks - the "Don Drapers" of the world.  We have developed a "Moneyball Algorithm" resourcing psychometric data elements from Target Training International's TriMetrix® HD's Behaviors, Motivators, Acumen, and Skills.  Whether an individual resourced from outside sales, inside sales, account management or some hybrid, we can accurately identify the best "Don Draper" salesperson.   

Why do I choose TTI's assessments over all the others?  For five powerful reasons.  

  1. Accuracy - Their assessments are scary accurate.
  2. Validity - Their assessments are backed by brain research.  
  3. Legally sound - Their assessments do not discriminate against protected classes.
  4. Research-driven - TTI's researchers are never satisfied with the status quo.  
  5. Artisan - These people are passionate artisans in their craft.

We are aware of the assessments used by "experts" who love to blog about how amazing their tools are and brag about their Client List.  We have completed countless sales assessments in search of data-driven, artisan tools and assessments.  Frankly, while a few have been good, none touch TTI's assessments in the areas listed above.  

 

Losers kill your reputation and bottom line.

If you are a CEO or in sales management, you cannot afford to have anyone but those wired like Don Draper representing your product, service, brand or baby.  Not only is your reputation directly influenced by the quality of the salespeople you have representing you; your bottom line will reflect the quality of your salespeople.

And the sad fact is that very few sales teams have more than one Don Draper, if they are lucky.  

 

There is a price for sacrificing Job Fit.

Only stupid Sales Managers sacrifice quality to meet a short-term hiring need.  We hear it all the time...

"We need more salespeople yesterday!"

No.  You need the right salespeople as quickly as you can find them.  

Never settle for a reduced Job Fit when a "Don Draper" is a week or two or three away.  When you sacrifice Job Fit, particularly in the optimal Behaviors, Motivators, Acumen, and Skills combination of an outside salesperson, you sacrifice future sales performance and are wasting your company's reputation, time, and money training someone who is only as good as their immediate availability.  

Short-term gain for long-term mediocrity.  The trade off is never worth it. 

 

Are you "wired" like Don Draper?

If you are a salesperson who thinks, sleeps and breathes like Don Draper, you deserve to sell for an artisan company with a CEO and Sales Manager who appreciates what an artisan salesperson like you can deliver.  

There is only one way to know.  Complete our sample sales personality test to find out.  

 

Dissecting Don Draper's selling excellence into our Moneyball Algorithm.

There are four critical elements that we consider when identifying the Don Drapers of the world.  The next four posts will highlight each element in detail.  

  1. Behavioral Hierarchy
  2. Motivators Hierarchy
  3. Acumen Indicators
  4. Competency Hierarchy

To ensure you do not miss the series, sign up for our blog at www.therainmakergroupinc.com/blog.