Danny Crane

Sales Interview Pro Tip: It's the little things that matter. Those little things add up over time. Good and bad (ask me how I know)... Little things you should do if you want an interview/job: - Reach out before interviews with a quick message to say you're excited to learn more about the role - Connect on LinkedIn (if you haven't already) - Send thank you and follow up notes within 24 hours And here's a new one... - Accept the calendar invite if you're sent one What % of candidates do you think I talk to that don't do any of the above? The number would astonish you. And that's not to say that every candidate who doesn't follow up is bad. But it's not a great look. Treat interviewing like a sales cycle. Win the deal! #salesinterviewprotip

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Finding the right salespeople can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here’s what I’ve picked up about keeping it simple and finding the people you actually want on your team... 1️⃣ Be clear on who you need. Not just the “sales experience” part. Think about their vibe, their network, their drive. Who fits your team’s energy? 2️⃣ Find them where they are. The best sales pros aren’t all hanging out on job boards. Check out networking events, LinkedIn groups, even those niche industry meetups. Some of the best hires come from places you don’t expect. 3️⃣ Sell your opportunity. Good candidates have options. Show them why your company’s where they should be. Growth potential, team culture, unique projects, etc. Give them a reason to get excited. 4️⃣ Speed it up. Great talent won’t wait forever. Keep things smooth and efficient so they know you’re serious. A slow process can be a dealbreaker. Great sales talent can completely level up your team, but you’ve got to be smart about how you bring them on board. Catch ya later, Brad #SalesHiring #RightPeople #HiringTips #BuildYourTeam #MakeItCount

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Modern Sellers DON'T: ❌ Spend their day making hundreds of calls. ❌ Abandon accounts after a single attempt. ❌ Chase high activity without strategy. ❌ Focus on quantity over impact. ❌ Grumble about their manager's expectations. ❌ Blame the lack of leads on marketing. ❌ Skip dedicated time for prospecting. ❌ Blast out mass, impersonal emails. ❌ Agree with every objection just to please. ❌ Use cookie-cutter emails with zero personalization. WHAT THEY DO: 🗸 Follow up consistently (at least 3 times before moving on). 🗸 Craft personalized messages that speak to the prospect's needs. 🗸 Research thoroughly to understand their target's challenges. 🗸 Send 15-30 meaningful, targeted emails each day. 🗸 Focus on quality of outreach, not sheer volume. 🗸 Manage fewer accounts but with more intention. 🗸 Master discovery calls and demos with confidence. 🗸 Make 25-30 well-thought-out calls daily. 🗸 Build genuine relationships that last. 🗸 Hone their negotiation skills for better outcomes. REMEMBER: → It’s not about just doing "more" because you need to! → Sending more emails, making more calls, or rushing through deals doesn’t guarantee success. That’s the biggest misconception in sales! → More doesn’t mean better → Working smart beats working more. In the end, less really is more! ------------------------------- P.S. When else can you add to this? Let’s make it happen! #resourcinHub #rposervices #talentsourcing #cvsourcing #resourcer #marketmapping #headhunting #leadgeneration #rpo #applicanttrackingsystem #crm #cvformatting

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I often ask AE's about their prospecting strategies and usually hear the typical responses.. use LinkedIn, cold call, email outreach. Then I dive deeper to understand how they target their prospects. This is the type of strategy I'm looking for (see below). An outreach like this could be the difference between good and GREAT.

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I think sales leaderboards are genius for so many reasons. But I also don’t want to get hung up on the numbers. I think it’s easy to feel the urgency to up your numbers. But I feel like that’s how you get commission breath. I think about this a lot. And I just gotta trust that the urgency should be on the activities and not the numbers. The numbers are just a result of the activities. If I continue to: -Connect with more people through outreach -Ask inquisitive and purposeful questions -Seek to understand the person -Prioritize the relationship -Provide great service I see no other option but to believe that if I continue to do all of those things… ...everything will take care of itself. And I feel like this is true for everything and for every goal. Winners and losers have the same goals. It’s their habits and actions that differentiate them. It’s mastering the basics.

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War Dogs is a perfect movie to convey why commerical sales reps should never, and I say NEVER Sell to the Federal government. That goes to any other salesperson who does not understand all the nuances which go into selling into the Federal government. It's easy for any regular salesperson to get tempted into selling into the government given a myopic focus on publicly available government budgets or budget ranges shared in the procurement process for products and services. A million dollars here, a million dollars there. One billion dollars here, a billion dollars there. Closing one or two deals will help you blow out your quota alone, yet the shady practices in commercial sales won't get you far in government sales. You can't schmooze your way into your customers' hearts or buy them lavish dinners. You can't source non-compliant products and/or services and sell them to your customers for cheaper than your competitor either! Although these commercial tricks don't work in Federal government sales, there are other tricks to the trade which make working sales in Federal government sales a skillset worth pursuing. I have been doing it for 14+ years and can never imagine going back to anything else. On a side note- Oh do I miss the simplier days of FedBizOps

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Candidates:What questions do you always ask in a sales interview? Here are some common questions I always hear come up: How do you define success for this role? Understanding expectations is crucial. Whether it's quota, pipeline growth, or customer satisfaction, ask for clarity on what will make you a rockstar in this position. What are the top challenges the sales team is currently facing? It’s valuable to know what the obstacles are. Be it with the product, market positioning, or something else. This helps you prepare for the challenges ahead. What does the onboarding and training process look like? A solid onboarding process is essential for ramping up. This question shows you’re proactive about hitting the ground running. How is success celebrated and rewarded here? Sales can be demanding, so it's motivating to know how the company recognizes hard work, be it through bonuses, awards, or career advancement opportunities. What’s the company’s plan for growth in the next few years? Companies with a clear vision often inspire a sense of purpose. Understanding where they’re heading can also help you gauge job stability and growth potential. What tools or resources are provided to support sales efforts? Whether it’s CRM software, lead generation tools, or a dedicated marketing team, knowing what’s available to help you succeed is key. What other questions would you ask in a sales interview? #SalesInterviews #SalesRep #CareerTips #JobHunt #SalesHiring Talentfoot Executive Search and Staffing

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When you interview sales reps do you ask: "Where did you rank on your sales team?" When interviewing sales candidates, it's common to ask, "Where did you rank on your sales team?" But how often do we follow that up with, "What was the size of your sales team?" Ranking first on a team of three is quite different from being in the top 10% of a team of 100. The size of the team provides crucial context that can significantly impact the value of that ranking. It’s not just about being at the top—it’s about understanding the scale of the competition and the environment in which those results were achieved. Next time you’re interviewing, don’t forget to ask both questions. It will give you a much clearer picture of the candidate’s performance and the challenges they’ve faced. It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about the full story behind them. Talentfoot Executive Search and Staffing #salesrecruitment #hiring #sales

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What happens when you 🛑stop🛑 asking sales candidates to pitch your product/service and 🟢start🟢 asking them to pitch their passion instead? You unlock their mastery of a core sales skill: making unfamiliar topics relatable. That's what. Sales leaders often ask candidates to deliver a pitch about their company, their product/service, or a sales situation they dream up. While this might seem like a great way to gauge sales candidates' skills, it often does more harm than good. Why? Because it’s artificial. Instead of testing their ability to memorize a product they just learned about, why not focus on what really matters: their ability to connect, communicate, inspire and sell? It could be anything—a favorite hobby, a cause they care deeply about, or even the story of their career. When someone talks about what they love, you see their true communication style, enthusiasm, and ability to engage an audience. If they fall flat when talking about something familiar and something that genuinely excites them, how will they handle presenting your solutions to skeptical buyers? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: 1️⃣ 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴: You’ll see how they naturally build rapport, tell a story, and captivate their audience without forcing it. 2️⃣ 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺: Sales is all about energy. Seeing how they light up when discussing something they care about is a strong indicator of how they’ll connect with clients. 3️⃣ 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺: A personal topic forces them to structure their thoughts and communicate clearly without a sales script to lean on. 4️⃣ 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴: Candidates don’t need to research your product, memorize features, or develop a canned pitch. Instead, they can tap into their existing knowledge and enthusiasm, cutting down on pre-interview prep time. 5️⃣ 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵-𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴: Removing the product pitch avoids disqualifying candidates who might excel at selling but haven’t had time to deeply understand your offering yet. If a sales candidate can’t confidently present something they’re passionate about, isn’t that a much bigger red flag? And here’s the bonus: When you're not an expert on the topic they're presenting, it forces you as the hiring manager to step out of the scripted Q&A game and into a more curious and conversational space. Would this method change how you evaluate candidates? If you're ready to bring sales hiring out of the dark ages, let's have a chat!

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Do you rely on subjective terms fro sales hiring decisions? The most common one I hear is: "I want someone who is DRIVEN" Although every hiring manager's interpretation is different(to some degree obviously), consider asking this question to uncover a candidate's DRIVE and its alignment with your company: "What motivates you as a salesperson?" This straightforward question can provide insights into the following: 1️⃣ Alignment with Company Values: Evaluate whether their motivations align with your organization's core values and objectives. A salesperson motivated by your company's mission is more likely to thrive and contribute meaningfully. 2️⃣ Performance Boost: Understanding a candidate's motivation enables you to tailor your management approach. Whether driven by financial incentives, professional growth, or client satisfaction, aligning their motivation with your management style can enhance performance. 3️⃣ Cultural Fit: Uncover what inspires candidates to gain insights into their fit within your team. Are they excited about collaborative environments or thriving in competitive settings? This knowledge aids in creating a cohesive and productive sales team. 4️⃣ Long-Term Engagement: Insight into a candidate's intrinsic motivators equips you to ensure long-term engagement. Motivated salespeople tend to stay committed, navigate challenges, and contribute to a positive workplace culture. Pro Tip: Ask for specific examples where motivation led to exceptional sales achievements. Share your thoughts and strategies for identifying and leveraging motivation in the comments. Talentfoot Executive Search and Staffing #sales #salesrecruitment #hiring

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Startups building sales teams in Utah... I’ve talked to >5 founders in the last 30 days that want to build GTM teams here. Makes sense to me... If you're on the fence, here's a handful of reasons to lean in: Note: the culture is uniquely different than most anywhere else. All of these reasons are based on this culture. → Everyone knows everyone. For the most part, it's an extremely small community. Everyone seems to be 1 or maybe 2 degrees removed from someone else. This is deeply rooted in the fact that a good majority spend their Sunday's at church → It's an extremely competitive environment. In a community where a lot of people believe the same thing, drive similar cars, buy similar homes, have the same looking kids... it breeds an extremely competitive environment to stand out. Many attempt to do this with their careers. → Since everyone knows everyone, college grads come with an immediate network. Not just college friends, but people they've networked with their entire lives. This makes recruiting a hell of a lot easier → Since there's an extremely high bar to 'stand out' amongst the crowd, many of the high performers are coming from even higher performer families. This means broader networks and an expectation of their lineage to keep performing high → Many are married young, with kids and a mortgage. I was one of them. 22, married, mortgage and 1st kid on the way. 25, married, two mortgages, 2 kids and a 3rd on the way. This is kinda normal here. You gotta perform early in your career to make it work. What else am I missing? What companies do you know of building GTM teams here? If you're considering building a GTM team in Utah, shoot me a note. Always happy to chat.

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Sales Interview Pro Tip: Proactive reach outs. Prospecting. Whatever you wanna call it, is the new way to land interviews and jobs. Here's how to go about it... First - make a list of 10-20 companies you want to work for. Treat this list like your "tier 1" prospects if you were selling (you are selling, btw.) Second - research the companies. Learn as much as you can about what they do, what they sell, how they sell it, problems they solve for their clients, etc. etc. Third - Research the hiring managers and recruiters you come across at those companies. What are they posting about? What seems to be important to them? How are they engaging on LinkedIn? What are their backgrounds? When reaching out to a recruiter or hiring manger, approach it just like you would when going after a prospect in a sales cycle. Be RELEVANT. I get this message alot... "Hey. I saw the job posting you shared. Can you refer me to the hiring manager?" Why in the world would I do that? That would be like messaging a prospect you were selling to and saying, "Hey I think you could use my product. Can you refer me to your CEO?" I bet the return on a message like that is very close to 0% It's the same for messaging recruiters like that, as well. Zero. Use the information you gathered in your research and send targeted, personalized messages. You can even engage with their posts if they are posting here on LinkedIn. This process is an opportunity to show a recruiter/hiring manager how you would actually go about selling. So go show off. Do your thing you super seller. #salesinterviewprotip

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Sales Leaders: Here is a tip for hiring sellers: Consider hiring more GenX salespeople. Why? 👉 GenX sellers crushed it before the internet and before cell phones. They had to make it happen anyway. Think about the grit and determination they needed to do that. 👉 Zero fear of cold calling and outbound. That was the only option! 👉 Machine work ethic. GenX invented 10 calls per hour X 10 hours and "5 after 5 PM." 👉 Master face to face connectors and networkers. 👉 The goal of every cold call was to book a face to face meeting. 👉 Multi-decade track record of quota attainment. 👉 Experience to know what works decade after decade. 👉 They witnessed the 90s and the evolution of Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, Amazon, Facebook and the acceleration of tech. They get it. They built it. 👉 Actual C level relationships. ( They went to college together!) 👉 Many C level Execs, Financiers, PE and VC leaders are GenX. 👉 They wont be cruising LinkedIn trying to prove cold calling is dead. They know it isn't if done properly! 👉 They will be fearlessly smiling, dialing, meeting and closing. 🤘 Just a thought!

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What sets the most successful sales reps apart? 💡 One key difference is BOOKS! Here are a few recommendations... ➡️ "The Challenger Sale" by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson - Teach, tailor, and take control of customer conversations. ➡️ "SPIN Selling" by Neil Rackham - Master the art of asking the right questions. ➡️ "Sell with a Story" by Paul Smith - Harness storytelling to connect with clients. ➡️ "Fanatical Prospecting" by Jeb Blount - Fill your pipeline and avoid sales slumps. ➡️ "To Sell is Human" by Daniel H. Pink - Understand the psychology behind selling. Have you read some of these? 📖 What books have impacted your success? #SalesTips #ProfessionalDevelopment

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Do you ask the interview question: "Describe a time when you lost a deal?" It reveals so much more than just a missed opportunity. It gives insight into how a candidate handles failure, their problem-solving skills, and their ability to learn and adapt. In sales, losing deals is part of the game—it’s how they respond that matters. I encourage hiring managers to pay close attention to: Ownership: Does the candidate take responsibility, or do they blame external factors? Reflection: Can they clearly explain why the deal was lost, and how they could have approached it differently? Growth: Most importantly, what changes did they make to prevent the same mistake in the future? Sales is about perseverance and continual improvement. By asking this question, you can gauge who’s ready to handle the ups and downs of a complex sales cycle. Are you asking the right questions to get a true sense of your candidates? #HiringTips #SalesRecruiting #Leadership #SalesInterviews #GrowthMindset Talentfoot Executive Search and Staffing

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Looking for an Account Executive to sell into SMBs for you? Lets set up a call with this candidate!! 🔹 FlanStaff Candidate - Account Executive SMB/Mid Sized - Utah 🔹 🔹 Consistently Exceeded Sales Targets 🔹 Achieved 150% of quota on average at Uber New Verticals, earning recognition as a top SMB sales representative multiple times. 🔹 Proven Success in SaaS Sales 🔹 Surpassed team average by achieving 75% of quota at his past company in challenging market conditions, demonstrating resilience and effectiveness. 🔹 Strategic Revenue Growth 🔹 Expanded branch sales by 20% YoY at a past employer through improved prospecting and a commercial sales program. 🔹 High-Performing Team Leadership 🔹 Mentored and developed sales teams across multiple roles, leading to the highest outbound activity metrics and significant self-generated sales. 🔹 Innovative Sales Process Optimization 🔹 Spearheaded the refinement of outbound sales strategies at a past employer, including rewriting cold email campaigns and cold calling scripts, resulting in the highest outbound prospecting activity in the company. 🔹 Expert in Full Sales Cycle Management 🔹 Managed end-to-end sales processes across various industries, including SaaS, resulting in the generation of 60%+ of total branch revenue at a Tech Company during the DFW market launch. #SalesLeadership #SMBSales #AccountExecutive #SalesSuccess #RevenueGrowth #SaaSSales #SalesStrategy #SalesOptimization #SalesMentorship #SalesCycle #SalesTalent #QuotaCrushing #SalesRecruiting #TopSalesPerformer #SalesJobs

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It's always fascinating how my posts with zero value get the most engagement but the posts that can change your life/business get zero traction. For example in this video I map out every aspect of a $1M/mo sales team for an hour and its totally free. check it out here:

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Onboarding a new sales rep shouldn’t take forever! The problem? Most sales teams take too long to ramp up reps.  When reps can’t start closing quickly it wastes time, money, and energy. So, how can you speed up onboarding? 🤷🏻‍♀️ The answer is using a solution like MeetRecord! Here’s how: → Listening to how top reps handle objections in actual customer calls. → Getting tailored call snippets based on their specific strengths and weaknesses. → Learning the pitch without sitting through a million training sessions. ✨ Less time in training = more time selling. Onboarding doesn’t have to be painful. You just need the right tools! Curious about how it works?  Check it out in the comments 👇 #Onboarding ----- Follow Paty Araiza💡 for more insights on how to build a high-performing sales team.

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Landing a new sales role is no different than closing a deal with a new prospect. Here’s what I mean… In a consultative sales role, where deals can take 3-6 months, top performers in some roles will close 7-10 deals a year. It’s less than that at some orgs. Those top reps have a prospect list of maybe 100-150 accounts. So they’re closing less than 10% of those on a GREAT year. Getting a new job is going to look the same… You should have a “prospect list” of companies you want to work for. It should be tiered the same as a real prospect list, based on things that are important to YOU. And you should have an outbound prospecting strategy… Reaching out to: 🔸Recruiters 🔸 Hiring Managers 🔸Reps that are in the role you’re targeting Multithreaded approach, just like your sales processes. And if your expectations are in line, you know not all of those recruiters, hiring managers, AE’s, etc, are going to respond to your outreach. But SOME of them will. Close those opportunities and land the new gig. Treat your job search like the sales cycles you’ve proven to be good at. Have the right expectations when it comes to real opportunities. Did I miss anything? #salesinterviewprotip

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