How Do You Approach Long Sales Cycles And Short Sales Cycles
First, an interviewer wants to see if you can tailor your sales approach to both scenarios. Depending on the company, you might have several different products, and each may have its own cycle.
Interviewers want to see if youre aware that long and short sales cycles require different strategies. If you dont know that theyre different, it may hurt your chances of employment in the long run.
A good answer:
- Explains the differences between short and long sales cycles
- Highlights how you would use your strongest skills in each scenario
- Ties it back to the way you might sell the companys products
What Experience Do You Have For Technical Sales Representative Position
Answer tips
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
If you are being asked this question from your employer then you can explain your experience. Tell the employer what responsibilities you were performing during your job. You can tell what programs you developed and what modules you worked on. What were your achievements regarding different programs.
I have been working with computers since 2001. I also have a degree in network support/computer repair. I have built my last 3 computers, have work with Dell as an employee. So I have around 15 years experience working with computers.
Can You Explain How You Handle Difficult Prospects And How You Eventually Won The Sale
Of all questions listed in this article, this question is by far the most critical. But it isnt easy to see it coming when its asked in the middle of the conversation.
At Uvaro, we show our graduates that its standard practice for a prospect to show skepticism. Your interviewer knows this too, and will want to see that you can handle difficult situations and difficult people without losing composure or taking things personally.
A good answer:
- Explains the situation clearly without letting emotions get in the way
- Outlines the steps you took to address the prospects pain points
- Builds toward a positive result that youve carried forward to other situations
*** A pro tip Try not to ask prospects yes or no questions, if possible. Its the perfect way to tilt the conversation where you want it to lead!
Weak Are you enjoying your SaaS implementation so far?
Strong What are you enjoying the most about your new system? Is it the ease of use or the amount of time youre saving?
Recommended Reading: System Design And Scalability Interview Questions
Start With The Best Candidates End With The Best Hires
Sales Assembly makes scaling fast and easy. With our membership platform, you get access to a pool of vetted, qualified sales talent. Participate in virtual hiring events, use our onboarding and ramping programs, and level up your entire team with trainings and certifications. Chat with us to get started or learn more.
__________
How Do You Establish Lasting Relationships With Clients
Sales isnt just about the short-term its also about cultivating relationships with clients, allowing you to secure repeat business and maintain a positive reputation. Hiring managers ask questions like this to see how you approach building those connections that turn into low-maintenance repeat sales.
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
In my last position, I found a particularly effective approach that allowed me to build lasting relationships with clients. Communication was ultimately the key. After an initial sale, I schedule follow-ups in my calendar. When I reach out again, its not about soliciting more business. Instead, I ask about their experience, see if theyre struggling with a learning curve, or offer tips to get the most out of the product or service. I position myself as an ally that goes the extra mile to ensure both their happiness and success. If theres an issue, I learn about it proactively, allowing me to solve it quickly. If theyre happy, Im still showing that I care about their views of the experience. In the end, that leads to a strong foundation, one where future follow-up continues to build goodwill and, ultimately, leads to more sales.
Also Check: How To Ace A Customer Service Interview
Have You Ever Asked A Prospect Why They Didnt Buy A Product If So How Did You Handle It
At the beginning of any career, youre going to make mistakes. In sales, prospects are going to walk away at times, and youre going to wonder what went wrong.
The natural thing to do is move on to the next client, but employers want to see that youre going to learn from your mishaps and dont repeat mistakes. Often, a simple question or two is all it takes to determine how to improve.
A good answer:
- Covers how you approached the prospect and what you said to them
- Shows how you listened to their perspective and probed deeper
- Spells out how you used that feedback to boost a future sale
TIP: If youre entering sales for the first time and havent had experience talking to prospects, you dont need to say no to this question. Think of another time youve approached a leader, colleague or customer for feedback on a difficult situation instead.
Questions To Ask In A Tech Sales Interview
The questions are in order.
The first three questions are about the interviewer. This is because youve likely just spent the first half of the interview talking about yourself. Asking the interviewer about themselves brings balance to the conversation.
The middle four questions are about the company and the position.
And the last two questions are designed to conclude the interview and set clear expectations for next steps.
1. Whats the biggest problem your team is currently working on?
This is a good question to start with because the answer is probably top-of-mind for the interviewer and theyll have plenty to talk about.
In fact, they were probably working on some facet of the problem right before they walked into your interview.
2. Can you tell me more about your career path from to ?
People like to talk about themselves. This is a universal rule.
Youve likely just spent the first half of the interview talking about yourself. This question brings balance to the conversation.
Always do your research on your interviewer before the interview. Search their name on LinkedIn and write down their alma mater, last three positions, and job titles. This will help you to come up with questions to ask your interviewer about themselves.
3. Whats your favorite part about working at the company?
This question turns the table and gives the interviewer an opportunity to sell you on working at the company.
4. How would you describe the company culture?
Follow-up questions:
Read Also: How To Approach System Design Interview
Sales Interview Questions And Answers
What Skills Should I Put On My Sales Engineer Resume
On your resume, you should include your presentation skills, communication skills, and capacity to foster healthy client relationships. A sales engineer is expected to have in-depth knowledge of company culture, the sales process, technical products, technical requirements, sales forecasts, sales quotas, client expectations, product development, and business language.
“Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!”
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Also Check: How To Interview Brokers For Real Estate
Give Me An Overview Of Your Career To Date
Why They’re Asking
A career retrospective highlights your ability to communicate while speaking to the logic and rationale of your career choices. It also allows you to tout some of your more impressive accomplishments.
How to Answer
Start with your first professional job not your first job ever. Nobody wants to hear about how you worked as a camp counselor as a teenager. From there, briefly about what you learned from each successive role.
Dont forget to touch on what attracted you to each new opportunity, culminating in the one you are currently interviewing for. Frame each job change in terms of striving for something greater, not in terms of running away from a crummy manager or company.
Sample Answer:
I got my foot in the door in sales at X company, that gave me the foundation I needed to develop Y skills. I then found the opportunity to progress with Z company, where I was able to build on what I had already learned and excel in
Technical Sales Executive Interview Questions
Technical sales executives are specialist sales personnel who drive sales by demonstrating the technical features of company products. Their job is to meet with customers and demonstrate the functional properties of a product, its uses, and its benefits.
When interviewing technical sales executives, suitable candidates will have strong knowledge of technical and scientific products, a passion for sales, and excellent interpersonal skills. Be wary of candidates who are not comfortable meeting sales targets and those who are unable to travel frequently.
- Completely free trial, no card required.
- Reach over 250 million candidates.
Read Also: How To Prepare For Microsoft Interview
What Field Experience Do You Have For A Sales Technician Position
Answer tips
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
If you are being asked this question from your employer then you can explain your experience. Tell the employer what responsibilities you were performing during your job. You can tell what programs you developed and what modules you worked on. What were your achievements regarding different programs.
I have been working with computers since 2001. I also have a degree in network support/computer repair. I have built my last 3 computers, have work with Dell as an employee. So I have around 15 years experience working with computers.
Can You Give Me Some More Information About Your Tech Stack
Like the fourth question listed here, this one shows that you’re interested in the more nuts-and-bolts, practical aspects of the job. By indicating that you want to know which tools you’ll be using, you’re demonstrating two key pluses for anyone interested in a sales role. First, you’re showing that you already know how to use some sales tools. Second, you’re revealing that you’re willing to learn how to use tools you might not be familiar with.
In addition to asking interesting questions yourself, you should be preparing for your sales interview in other ways. Below, you’ll find our top tips.
Read Also: How To Give A Technical Interview
Importance Of Sales Interview Questions
For an organization to build a resourceful sales team, theyll be looking for key attributes like the ability to hit targets, persuasion tactics, and the ability to handle rejection. The wrong person can keep the company from meeting its projected business goals, so an interview is a chance for both you and the company to assess whether you are right for each other.
Post Graduate Program In Project Management
How Do You Sell A Pen Or Apple
This is a common sales interview question that gives the interviewee a chance to flex their sales expertise and challenges them to sell something mundane, like a pen, to the interviewer.
Candidates should apply sales best practices to their answer and try to connect with the interviewer as they would any prospect. First, identify the benefits of the pen. Does it add value or solve a problem? How is it different from other pens?
Next, the interviewee should apply the pens benefits to the interviewer and their needs. The candidate can ask questions about their workflow or suggest a common problem, like ballpoint pen rollers sticking in the middle of notetaking.
Then the candidate can detail the benefits of the pen, how it improves the managers life or work and finish with an attempt to close. A quality salesperson should be able to showcase their experiences and customize the pitch based on the interviewer.
Recommended Reading: What To Ask When Conducting An Interview
Tell Me About A Time Working With Another Was Challenging
Interviewers ask this because:
They want to be sure they are bringing someone onto the team who knows how to resolve conflict productively. Drama slows a sales team down.
How to answer:
Be careful not to throw anyone under the busthats not a good look.
Example answer:
A colleague and I were working together on a challenging project and had frequent differing opinions about the direction of it. My colleague would go to others in the organization to get their input on the project, and would not include me in the conversations.
At first, I thought my coworker was trying to cut me out of the project. After giving it some thought, I decided I needed to talk to my colleague and explain my concerns as plainly as possible. I discovered that they were not, in fact, trying to exclude me from the project, but felt unqualified to be working on it and wanted to get advice from others on how to proceed.
I suggested that we go together to get advice. The advice we got from others helped us collaborate more effectively and finish the project.
How Do You Balance Work And Life
Sales jobs always require strong time management skills to balance work and life while still being successful.
Essentially, an employer wants to know that youll enjoy a life outside of the workplace and not turn into a work-a-holic who never leaves the office and demands promotions they feel theyve earned by working overtime.
A good answer:
- Gives an example of a typical day in your life
- Is honest about your willingness to work extra hours or take projects home
- Shows you know your limits and can avoid burnout
Don’t Miss: How To Interview A New Employee
Describe A Time When Your Technical Expertise Helped You Solve A Problem
Interviewers may ask questions like this to thoroughly understand your problem-solving approach and the depth of your technical knowledge. In questions like this that involve telling a specific story, you can use the STAR interview response technique: Describe the situation, task, your action and the result.
Example:”Most of my work at my previous job was coding in very isolated contexts, usually controlling a unique piece of custom-ordered equipment, but once we got an order for four pieces of equipment that needed to communicate. I used what I knew from my networking courses in school, and made sure my information was current by checking with some technical articles and forums. I was able to successfully connect the equipment so that it could manufacture a large number of items at the same time, with a very low failure rate and several systems to prevent redundant item production.”
Related:How To Use the STAR Interview Response Technique
Whats Something Youve Learned On Your Own Lately
During our sales boot camp, we stress the value of continuous education about products and customers.
Buying patterns change over time, new technologies arise, and theres no telling what information will be helpful when closing a contract. An interviewer wants to see how you approach self-learning and which methods you used to gain that knowledge.
A good answer:
- Keeps it short but goes into enough depth to demonstrate that youve thoroughly learned
- Talks about how youll use that learning in the future
- Touches on your learning strategies how do you learn best?
You May Like: Follow Up Questions For Second Interview
What Do You Know About Our Product
Hiring managers will use this question to assess your ability to sell. To show that the product motivates you to sell, your answer should be framed as a value proposition that would convince a prospect to purchase the product.
Focus on what the product provides, who the product is designed to serve, and the unique ways in which the product addresses buyer pain points . Use quantifiable metrics, and illustrate how the product embodies the values of the company.
Why Do You Want To Work For Us Instead Of Them
Hiring managers want to know if you have a passion for their product. Have you done your research? Do you understand the companys culture? Are you ready to make a move if a sales position is offered to you? If you dont love a companys service or product, then you shouldnt take the interview. Practice explaining the companys product to a friend. Are you excited to talk about it? Do you think its innovative and unique? If yes, then explain why to the hiring manager. Referencing competitors also allows hiring managers to see if youre familiar with the greater industry. If you can tie in how the product or service is situated in its market and use its positioning as an additional reason for choosing their company over another, you can show a hiring manager youre savvy to the scene, but want to work with the best product available.
You May Like: What To Write In Thank You Interview Email
