Farmers vs. Hunters
Are all sales people created equal? If you break it down to a very basic level, sales people fall into two groups: farmers and hunters. Both groups can be extremely successful and in general, both are critical roles for an organization. The one issue with these 2 groups is that it is really difficult to turn one type into the other.
Depending on the product you are selling and lifecycle stage (of product or business) you are in, make sure your sales team skill sets align with what you are trying to accomplish in your strategy. Looking to get more share of wallet at existing customers? Look for a farmer. Looking to grow into new areas with new (or existing) products? Look for a hunter! Two fairly basic strategies but with very different execution profiles and very different skills needed from the sales team. Take the time to do a detailed skills assessment and understand what types of sales profiles you have on your team before you commit to a strategy – a great plan needs great people with the right skill set to achieve desired results. With the wrong profile on your team, results just won’t meet expectations.
This is very true and can be proved beyond doubt. I worked with a company that had a two man sales team who were not performing well. One a HUNTER the other a FARMER. I profiled both plus a few follow up questions and showed the business owner that he was employing each of them in the other’s job role. He immediately offered them the chance to swap which they did – and the whole business went from strength to strength.