Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

The “Hire Someone With Product Knowledge” Myth

The “Hire Someone With Product Knowledge” Myth

Hiring a candidate for your sales position who has “product knowledge” seems on the surface to be a smart move. Don’t believe it! Product knowledge is highly overrated by most sales manager and has little to do with a representative’s ability to close sales. Even though most of the sales training conducted today centers on learning the nuances of an organization’s products or services, the emphasis on products knowledge is nothing more than a waste of training time. If you want to hire “order takers” and not sales professionals, place an emphasis on finding candidates with industry experience and product knowledge

I was sitting in a meeting with a bank president and several vice presidents attempting to sell them on a sales training package for their customer service representatives; when, in answer to one of my questions, the the training manager said that the bank would not even consider my training program unless I had some way of measuring its effectiveness with their CSRs. The day before this sales meeting, The $elling Edge, Inc. had been awarded the distributorship for a unique bank tracking software package, that would effectively measure CSR cross-sales ratios. I knew what the software was supposed to do, but had no way to demonstrate its benefits, because all the sales literature and demo disks were in the mail. Nevertheless, before leaving the meeting that day, the controller of the bank cut a cashiers check for $8795 for the tracking software and the bank committed to one year’s training for their CSRs and tellers. Knowing how to sell gave my firm our first software package sale. Product Knowledge played no role in the process at all.

Two weeks after joining the sales staff of a large oil and gas tax shelter firm, I was asked to meet my boss at the Merrill Lynch office in Indianapolis to observe my first formal presentation of the tax shelter products. Twenty minutes before the presentation was to begin, I received a call from my boss whose plane had been delayed and was told I’de have to conduct the demonstration to 40 seasoned stock brokers alone. I knew nothing about the oil and gas industry and was scheduled for training about how hydrocarbons were produced the week after the Indiana meetings. I wasn’t quite sure how the “preference treatment” worked in the tax shelters, nor did I understand all the nuances of the products, yet when I finished my presentation, several of the brokers commented that it was the best demonstration they had ever had on the subject. I succeeded with the group because I knew how to sell--not because of a working knowledge of oil and gas tax shelters.

Hire candidates who can sell. It doesn’t matter if they know anything about your industry or your products or services. Product knowledge is overrated in the hiring process and selling skills seem to be underrated by many managers today. If your candidates can sell, learning what they need to know about what it is you sell can be accomplished in quickly.





The Hire Someone With Product Knowledge Myth - To learn more about this author, visit Virden Thornton's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Virden Thornton
(Visit Virden's Website) VIRDEN J. THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge®, Inc. a 23 year old firm specializing in sales, customer relations, personal coaching and management training and development. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Deloitte & Touché, Bank One, Jefferson Pilot, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success, Organizing For Sales Success, 101 Sales Management Myths, A Realtor's Success Formula, and two best sellers 101 Sales Myths and Building & Closing The Sale. He also has a video/audio tape training program entitled Close That Sale, published by Thompson Learning. He has also authored a Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching & team development, telemarketing and personal productivity training guides. To obtain a substantial discount on two of Virden's new manuals, 101 Sales Myths and Organizing For Sales Success, just go to http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/book1 .htm Note: You can contact Virden at virden@TheSellingEdge.com. You can also see an expanded biography at: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/bio.h tm

Virden Thornton is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Virden Thornton's

Complete
List Of
Sales
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Virden Thornton's Complete List of Sales Articles For FREE!

More Virden Thornton
Converting Sales Training Into Sales Success
The Use Seasoned Sales Professionals As Trainers Myth
Canned Sales Presentations Just Dont Work Today
A Womans Edge In Sales
The TwoHour Sales Presentation Vs A SevenMinute Attention Span
ClicheLadened Presentations
The Added Value Is YOU
Three Keys To Attracting And Retaining Customers Or Clients
When Selling Keep It Simple Stupid
Is Your Message Getting Through
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
Jay Kubassek  
David Acheson  
Cheryl Matthynssens  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Think Networking Icon Think Networking
Marketing ScoreCard Icon Marketing ScoreCard
Increase productivity Icon Increase productivity
Top Author Mistakes Icon Top Author Mistakes
Performance Improvement Plan Icon Performance Improvement Plan
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Write The Press Release
Write The PR
Press Release Builder
 
More PR Resources
More PR Resources
Press Release Builder
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Paulin AMETOKODO Aného, Togo,
Paulin AMETOKODO
Aného, Togo
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Travis Hartley, 426% Growth in 2 Years
Travis Hartley
426% Growth in 2 Years
Lee Segal, >1,800% Growth in 5 Years
Lee Segal
>1,800% Growth in 5 Years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Gerry Schwartz, Onex
Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Michael Gerber, The E Myth
Michael Gerber
The E Myth
Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone
Keith Ferrazzi
Never Eat Alone
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     The Lack of Basic SEO Components in Many Small Business Web sites
By James Wells
     A Business Owners Look at Online vs Offline Marketing
By James Wells
     SEO Basics - Keyword Research and Analysis
By James Wells

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information