Predictive Success Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In business, there are two different types of salespeople that both play vital roles in the success of your company. The first is the “hunter” type, who is driven to seek out and acquire new clients for the business. They respond to goals or commissions, as challenges are key motivators for action-oriented hunters. The other is the “farmer” type, who prefer to care for their already existing clients by actively recognizing issues or problems they may be experiencing. These salespeople respond to opportunities to foster personal relationships, and ensure the happiness of the client. Depending on the needs of your company, these different types are needed at different times.

When expanding, hunters can adeptly pursue new clients to grow the business. When it is profitable to contain your current clients, farmers will provide the proper care and effort that clients respect and appreciate. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to recognize or determine which type of salesperson a candidate will be through the traditional hiring process. Luckily, Predictive Success, certified partner of the Predictive Index, has the tools to quickly and easily determine the drives and behaviors that each salesperson comes equipped with.

When hiring with Predictive Success , hunters and farmers can be easily differentiated:

Hunter: 

The hunter-type sales person will have an authoritative pattern. They are someone driven to keep the process moving quickly and willing to take risks. They’re flexible when working with the customers to close the deal. They outwardly focused on their audience, intuitively reading them and adjusting their style as they see fit.

Farmer: 

The farmer-type sales person will have an altruistic pattern. They are someone who is collaborative, cooperative and aim to please.They are enthusiastic sellers, fast, intense and low risk. They are empathetic and respond well to pressure. This is their PI Pattern:

 

 

 

The Cognitive Assessment

To hire with certainty the Predictive Index as delivered by founding partner Predictive Success has included a cognitive assessment. It is a 12-minute assessment that provides insight into a person’s capacity to learn, adapt, and grasp new concepts. This assessment measures a person’s general mental ability and capacity for critical thinking.

When hiring for a sales position, companies need to consider how well a prospective candidate would learn new skills and adapt to the role.

Closing Thoughts

In short, the Predictive Index administered by certified partner Predictive Success can serve as an effective tool to differentiate between types of sales people when looking to hire. If you’d like to learn more about how Predictive Success can help with your talent acquisition needs, click here or request a demo.

Authors:

Steven Saucier

Ian Nichols