This year was my company’s WORST recruiting year! But here comes the silver lining. By summer’s end, we will have our BEST sales per rep average in my company’s 16-year history! In fact, we will have 3 sales reps on our all-time serviced accounts record board, 1 of which will set a new company record for serviced accounts!
So, for all that went wrong with recruiting numbers, it seems everything went right with recruiting talent.
Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be another “quality versus quantity” post. On the contrary, the purpose of this article is to help recruiters ensure they are looking for the right fits for their company, and for sales reps to know if the company recruiting them is the right fit.
Having been in the door-to-door sales industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen both sides of this equation fail. Recruiters are anxious to get bodies on the doors and hire anybody willing, only to find out half of their recruits, just 2 days into the summer, can’t stand rejection and pack their bags for home.
And, sales reps enthusiastically show up day 1 to training meeting, seeing 30 other reps in the office with the manager promising, “I’ll definitely get on the doors to train with each of you at some point.” Two weeks later, with a few sales and hardly any attention from his manager, this sales rep heads back home vowing to never knock another door.
It’s too bad really, because some reps thrive in big offices, while others need an environment where they receive more attention. So if you’re recruiting a big team of reps, how do you know which reps would fit best in a big-office environment? Conversely, if you’re a sales rep wanting more personal attention, how do you know what company would provide you with the best experience?
The good news for sales reps is that there is an overabundance of companies employing door-to-door sales teams. There is a perfect fit out there for you, you just need to keep looking until you find it. And fortunately for companies that employ door-to-door sales reps, there are thousands looking to strike gold in the industry. By finding the right fits for your company, and by reps finding the right fit for them, the overall door-to-door experience is enhanced as attrition decreases and positive experiences increase.
I have no issues with sales reps choosing another company over my own. Although I am confident in the experience and opportunity my company provides, there are sales reps who will have a better experience elsewhere. The door-to-door sales industry is made up of a wide variety of fascinating people, this is not a “one size fits all” industry, and I’m glad it isn’t. It’s satisfying to witness good people find the right fit for them.