Traditional sales hiring has a sobering failure rate: Most companies get it right less than a quarter of the time. That’s the reality Steve Heroux, founder and CEO of The Sales Collective, laid out during this Dscoop.com education session.
His message was clear: The way print companies evaluate and select sales talent must evolve if they want to avoid expensive missteps.
Steve explained that too many leaders are swayed by charisma in an interview or a résumé that looks impressive on paper. But those factors rarely reveal whether a candidate has the inner drive, habits and resilience to succeed in sales. Instead of guessing, he advocates for a process that measures what he calls the “invisible traits” of sales DNA. By applying assessments and structured evaluation, companies can uncover a candidate’s natural strengths and weaknesses before making a hiring decision.
The benefits of a data-driven approach go beyond better hiring accuracy. Companies can also use insights from assessments to coach existing team members, match people to the right roles, and create a culture where salespeople are more likely to thrive long term.
Steve urged leaders to stop chasing “rockstars” who may look the part but aren’t built for the daily grind of sales. Instead, focus on building a repeatable, stage-driven process that consistently identifies the right people and gives them the environment to succeed. Done well, it reduces turnover, accelerates ramp-up time and stabilizes revenue.
Ultimately, the session challenged Dscoop members to see hiring not as a gamble but as a discipline. By embracing data, assessments and structure, print leaders can triple their odds of success and create sales teams that drive growth.
