Common Sales Interview Questions

Posted: 10.20.2021
If you’re in sales, there are certain specific interview questions an employer may ask you.

Questions like what your targets are, closing sales, and how you react when you don’t convince a client – these are all important questions that can give the interviewer a taste of what kind of salesperson you are.

Below are some tips on how you can answer some of the most common sales interview questions in order to highlight your best characteristics.
 
1. “Tell me about a time you closed a sale.”
To answer this question, tell a story about a time you were able to close a complex sale – this way the interviewer is able to see your persuasion and problem-solving problems during challenging times. Ensure you walk the interviewer through your entire process and be sure to include others that helped you along the way to achieve the closing.
 
2. “Discuss some of your targets.”
Have some numbers in your back pocket, the interview may want to see what your targets are like, and it could help you set apart from others, especially if the targets sound good. Talk about what your sales goals are, how do your sales goals compare to the overall team, do you meet your sales goals, if not by how much, etc.

3. “Tell me about a sale you lost.”
Answering this question can show the interviewer what you learned from losing a sale and how you’ve changed your processes since. If you’re someone who doesn’t get worked up over losing a sale (because it’s inevitable that sometimes this will happen) and you remain optimistic about your next client – you’re sure to be an ideal candidate who makes problems into opportunities.

4. “How do you organize your day?”
Sales is exciting, but it can also be tedious when selling to current clients and looking for new ones. There’s a lot of calling/emailing, follow-up, sometimes rejection, and if you’re lucky a lot of sales. How do you organize your day to ensure you meet your current clients’ needs and build a relationship with new ones?

Written with references from:
The Muse

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