The Bottom Line
Topgrading for Sales is a most excellent hiring tool for how to conduct an interview for hiring top producing sales people using a unique and scientific method of hiring. Even someone new to the hiring and interviewing process can move through the book step by step and no doubt increase their ability to hire more successful sales people by at least 40-50%, if not more. An added plus; half of the book is full of forms and worksheets that streamline what interview questions to ask. It is a brief and easy read. The costs involved in hiring the wrong sales people is reason enough to further investigate this book.
Pros
- Every chapter is a bountiful reference of information for hiring the best sales reps.
- Learn how to avoid mis-hires with a hiring process that does not depend on intuition.
- Author is "to the point" on every topic and leaves out the fluff; a concise and easy read.
- Contains priceless forms and worksheets for conducting a successful interview.
- Well organized interview process for anyone looking to build a strong sales team.
Cons
- The hiring forms and tools could be more easily used if the page size of the book were larger.
Description
- Approximately 105 pages of fact filled reading that can be put to action immediately.
- Hardbound edition is excellent for gift giving with a clean professional look and appeal.
- A full 50 pages of straightforward forms, questions and other hiring tools and resources to use in conducting interviews.
- Authored by Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D, and Greg Alexander. Published by the Penguin Group.
Guide Review - Topgrading for Sales by Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D, and Greg Alexander
Learn how to conduct an interview to hire the most productive sales people. Topgrading for Sales by Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D, and Greg Alexander shows you in a very concise and scientific manner, how to weed out mis-hires in the hiring process which will yield only the top producers for your selection. As a result, it enables you to confidently hire only the most successful sales people. With this little book, a sales manager or owner no longer needs to depend on their gut instinct of who to hire. Topgrading for Sales takes you step by step through the process of how to conduct an interview without even having to think about what questions to ask.
Although this method of conducting an interview and hiring sales people removes nearly all of the guesswork, it is in my opinion that it is designed for a more established business. However, if you are a new small business owner, this book is still a gold mine. Many of the interview tips and techniques can be easily simplified to suit your particular business and the results will still be increased sales due to your new expertise in conducting an interview.
Topgrading for Sales also includes forms and guides to analyze your current sales force with advice and tips on how to improve and coach those sales reps that are already top producers. You'll also learn how to give a nudge to those that are hitting below the mark. Excellent information and advice for any business owner or sales manager and in the long run it will make your job easier and more profitable. You will not walk away wanting from this book.
