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Chapter 8

Personal Characteristics and Sales Aptitude: Criteria for

Selecting Salespeople

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the answer to the question, "Are good salespeople born or made?"

• Define the characteristics of successful salespeople

• Explain the role of sales aptitude in sales performance

• Understand the different success characteristics for different sales positions

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Salespeople Born or Made?

• Training and development represent critical determinants of future success.

• A strong ego, self-confidence, decisiveness, and a need for achievement must also be extant in sales force candidates.

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Continued on next slide

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Variables That Cause Differences in Performance

• Factors controlled or influenced by sales mangers account for the largest variance in sales performance.– role perception– Skills– motivation

• Research suggests successful salespeople are both born and made.

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Costs of Inappropriate Selection

• Odds a salesperson will quit or be terminated in first five years of employment = 50/50.

• People lacking the necessary personal traits/abilities tend to leave the company before training and experience can turn them into productive sales performers.

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Characteristics of Successful Salespeople

• Aptitude and personal characteristics may place an upper limit on an individual's ability to perform in a sales job.

• Enthusiasm consistently ranks among the most important personal attributes in selling.

• General sales experience typically means more than specific product or industry experience.

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Research into Personal Characteristics

• Personal factors influencing variance in sales performance fall into: – physical and behavioral characteristics– psychological traits and abilities

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Summary of the Effect of Variables on Salesperson Performance

Variable Percentage of Variance in Performance Explained

Demographic and physical characteristics—physical traits

Age* < 5%

Gender* < 5%

Physical appearance < 5%

Background and experience—developmental education and work experience

Personal history and family background* Almost 21%

Level of educational attainment < 5%

Educational content < 5%

Sales experience < 5%

Nonsales work experience < 5%

*Inappropriate or illegal in selecting a job candidate.

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Summary of the Effect of Variables on Salesperson Performance

Variable Percentage of Variance in Performance Explained

Current status and lifestyle—present marital, family, and financial status

Marital/family status* Almost 12%

Financial status Approximately 6%

Activities/lifestyle* < 5%

Aptitude—enduring personal characteristics that determine an individual’s overall

ability to perform a sales job

Intelligence < 5%

Cognitive ability Almost 7%

Verbal intelligence < 5%

Math ability < 5%

Sales aptitude < 5%

*Inappropriate or illegal in selecting a job candidate.

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Summary of the Effect of Variables on Salesperson Performance

Variable Percentage of Variance in Performance Explained

Personality—enduring personal traits that reflect an individual’s consistent

reactions to situations encountered in the environment

Responsibility <5%

Dominance <5%

Sociability < 5%

Self-esteem < 5%

Creativity/flexibility <5%

Need for achievement/intrinsic reward <5%

Need for power/extrinsic reward < 5%

*Inappropriate or illegal in selecting a job candidate.

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Summary of the Effect of Variables on Salesperson Performance

Variable Percentage of Variance in Performance Explained

Skills—learned proficiencies and attitudes necessary for effective performance of

specific job tasks (these can change with training and experience)

Vocational skills Almost 9.5%

Sales presentation Almost 5%

Interpersonal < 5%

General management A little over 9%

Vocational esteem <5%

*Inappropriate or illegal in selecting a job candidate.

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The Importance of ImageWhat type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?

A sloppily dressed sales rep 94%

An unstylish sales rep (haircut, out of style outfit) 75

A physically unattractive sales rep 59

An overweight sales rep 54

A sales rep with a heavy accent 54

A very young looking sales rep 32

An older looking sales rep 8Source: Melinda Ligos, “Does Image Matter?” Sales & Marketing Management, March 2001, pp. 52–56.

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The Importance of ImageWhat type of sales representative would you avoid hiring?A sloppy dresser 80%A rep who used salty language 78A rep with visible body piercing or tattoos 77An unstylish look 51Male overweight 37Female overweight 23A heavy regional foreign accent 20An unattractive female 20An unattractive male 13A very youthful appearance 12Any older look 2Source: Melinda Ligos, “Does Image Matter?” Sales & Marketing Management, March 2001, pp. 52–56.

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The Educated Sales ForcePercent with College Degree by Industry

Health service 100 Electronic components 67

Pharmaceuticals 100 Communications 56

Air transportation 100 Banking 46

Printing/Publishing 84 Construction 40

Rubber/Plastics 83 Trucking/Warehousing 33

Manufacturing 78 Real estate 33

Electronics 77 Retail 29

Chemicals 73 Transportation equipment 28

Business services 72

Source: Christen P. Heide, Dartnell’s 30th Sales Force Compensation Survey(Chicago: The Dartnell Corporation, 1999), p. 173.

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Key Terms

• Selection Criteria• Physical Characteristics• Behavioral Variables• Psychological Traits • Skills Variables

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Mark W. JohnstonRollins College

Greg W. MarshallRollins College