Common Sales Interview Questions and Best Answers

Common ausverkauf Interview Questions and Best AnswersCommon Sales Interview Questions and Best AnswersWhen yourebewerbungsgesprching for a sales position, your goal is to sell yourself to the hiring manager. Asales job interviewis one of the most challenging interviews there is, since interviewers will have high expectations foryour persuasive powers. During the interview, youll need to do mora than simply respond to questions. Hiring managers will expect you to show that yourean effective salesperson, too. Youll need to sell yourselfand your qualifications for the job, aswellastoshow the interviewer that you have the ability to close a deal. Ace your sales interview with these helpful strategies for responding to interview questions, along with examples of common sales interview questions and sample answers. Review them to help frame your responses based on your own qualifications, skills, product knowledge, achievements, and sales experiences. Inaddition, review a list of question s to ask your interviewer. Typical Questions Asked in a Sales Interview 1. Are you comfortable making cold calls? What They Want to KnowCold calls are an essential aspect of sales, so interviewers want to know about yourexperience. This question also speaks to your personality Are you outgoing? Can you start a conversation? While this may seem like a yes-or-no question (with the ideal answer being yes), share examples to provide back up. I am- yes. The results can be unpredictable when you pick up the phone, but I find that doing research on the person and the company can help make this type of call successful. I had great success with this tactic during my time at ABC Company. Expand2. Have you consistently met your sales goals? What They Want to KnowThe past can predict the future, and interviewers ask this question to get a sense of how youll perform at their company in terms of meeting sales goals. Be honest in your answer, but focus on the positive. At XY Tech, Ive been one of the top salespeople in the department for the past six quarters. Prior to that, I had one really rough quarter. I was discouraged, but then realized it was an opportunity to re-think my strategy, and its been really exciting to see those adjustments have such a positive payoff. Expand3. What motivates you? What They Want to KnowInterviewers want to know what makes you tick. Its a smart idea to connect your response to the companys goals. Financial matters (like a compensation bonus) may be a big motivator, but try to go beyond that in your answer. Every quarter, I strive to go beyond my quota and compete with my personal best results from previous periods. My goal is always to see growth in my sales records with each new quarter. Expand4. How did you land your most successful sale? What They Want to KnowInterviewers want to see that you have a strategy when it comes to closing deals. Share a step-by-step scenarioand keep in mind that your answer should showcase your best qualiti es as a salesperson. (While you want to use this answer to show yourself as a strong sales candidate, avoid bragging) My biggest sale (so far) involves selling a five-year contract for XYZs enterprise software to ABC Automotives. Believe it or not, this deal started with a cold call in that initial conversation, the customer shared a problem that the enterprise software could solve, and so I was able to target subsequent presentations and interactions in a solution-oriented way. Relationship building was key to closing this deal, as well as toproviding targeted demos of the software that spoke to saving the client time and increasing productivity. Expand5. How would your colleagues describe you? What They Want to KnowAs well as revealing your self-perception, this question allows interviewers to get a sense of how you would fit in with the office culture. My peers at work always mention my persistence. So often, I think sales are lost because of a lack of follow-through. So Im alway s determined to have a strategy with scheduled benchmarks when it comes to interacting with prospects- that way, I never miss a profil powerful touch-point moment. Expand6. Sell me this pen. What They Want to KnowThis is a classic interview question Interviewers are looking for a demonstration of your selling tactics. Dont be shy, and take this question seriously. Even in our tech-focused world, a pen is still essential. What I like about this one is that it has a secure cap so it wont stain pocket interiors or a bag. Plus, its refined-looking yet still budgetfriendly. Expand7. What are your long-term career goals? What They Want to KnowEmployers want to get a sense of your ambitions.Theyalsowantto know if yourelikely to stick around or whetheryoumight belookingfor a new position in a hurry. Im eager to work in sales in a mission-driven company such as yours. Long term, Im always looking to improve my selling skills and, in particular, Im eager to grow my leadership skills,eventuall y takingon managerial responsibilities. Expand8. What do you know about this company? What They Want to KnowWith this question, interviewers are checking tofindoutifyou did someprep workand whetheryouhave a basic knowledge about the company. ABC Company is a family-owned business that recently expanded its brick-and-mortar outpost to go online. I think elektronischer geschftsverkehr is a strong fit and an area where you have a lot of potential for growth. I read a recentForbespiece on how the board is eager to expandyet still keep the personal, warm atmosphere. Thats something I can really appreciate, having come from a family-owned company myself. Expand9. What interests you most about this sales position? What They Want to KnowThis is another question that tests whetheryouresearched the companyin advance of the interview. Your answer will also reveal what motivates you- whether its the company culture, the specific product, or other factors. Im most impressed by how much of a diff erence ABCs product can make in parents lives. I think its clear that parents will feel safer about their kids if they own this product.To me, its important to only sell items that I truly believe in myself, itemsIwould recommend to a friend. Expand10. What makes you a good salesperson? What They Want to KnowYour response will give interviewers a sense of the qualities you think are most important in a salesperson. Ideally, youranswer will match what the company looks forin a candidate. I enjoy the personal connections with prospects and customers, but I think where I really shine is in the details. Im hyper-organized my calendar is full of reminders to follow up withcustomers, and I never let an email linger without quickly responding. Plus, I always spend time with new products- lots of time. This allows me to be able to answer questions fluently, showing off features that arent always obvious. Expand More Sales Interview Questions See mora common questions you may get during a sales interview, along with recommended strategies for how to respond. Do you prefer a long or short sales cycle? -Best AnswersHow would your (former) supervisor describe you? -Best AnswersWhat are your strengths and weaknesses? -Best AnswersWhat do you find most rewarding about being in sales? -Best AnswersWhy are you the best person for the job? -Best Answers How to Answer Sales Interview Questions Every response you give to interview questions should include concrete examples of your sales achievements. Its important to be clear about how you can help the company and grow sales. Include numbers to back up statements. For example, you might say, At XYZ company, I was responsible for bringing on ABC account, signing a contract that resulted in XX profit over YY time. If youquantified your achievements on your resume, share some of those numbers and percentages in your responses. If you didnt include numbers on your resume, take a few minutes to make a list of your best achieve ments to share with your interviewer. Saying I increased annual sales by 50% year afteryear sounds much better than I increased sales last year. Interviewers will be looking for you to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills. Review thislist of sales skills, and look for ways to highlight your mastery of them in your answers.Be sure to tailor your responses to reflect the companys products, services, and goals. Spend time on the company website andresearch the companyonline so youreclear about the companys mission. The more you know about the company, the better equipped youll be to respond. How to Prepare for aSales Interview As a sales representative, youre uniquely situated to succeed at an interview. Just think of yourself as the product, and apply the same principles you would use in any sales meeting,demonstratingthat youre a good fit and selling yourself to the interviewer. Arrive at the interview with a sense of the companys sales strategy and some examples of how your previous sales experience has prepared you to contribute. Questions to Ask the Interviewer Remember, an interview is a two-way street. Its advantageous to ask the interviewer questions during the interview. Plus, you dont want to get caught flat-footed when the interviewer asks, Do you have any questions for me? Here are some ideas for questions you can ask at this moment What qualities does a successful salesperson at your company possess?What direction do you see this company taking in the next five years?What is the quota for this position?What percentage of employees meet their quotas?What percentage of employees exceed their quotas?Is there a lot of travel associated with this position?How is the commission structured in this position?Do many people achieve bonuses for high levels of sales?How much flexibility does the salesperson have in negotiating price with the customer? What do you see as the most difficult challenges for the sales team at this company?How many p eople are on your sales staff?How do you motivate your sales staff?What does a typical workday/workweek look like at this company? How to Make the Best Impression Dress to impress. Show updressed to impresswith a positive attitude. Know about the company. Interviewers will always appreciate itwhenyou have knowledge about the companyandknowledgeabout theproducts or services youd be selling. To that end, doresearch on the company, including reading recent news stories, browsing social media, and so on. Practice your interview skills. Practicing responses tofrequently-asked job interview questionsallows you to give strong answerstargeted to the position at hand. Interviewers expect you to be able to respond to questionsfluently, especially tocommon ones that shouldnt be a surprise. Get more details onhow to make a positive impression ininterviews.