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- Hunting strategies: What the best hunters do and why it makes them top producers
In sales we often refer to hunters and farmers to represent the two polar opposites in salespeople, and while that may never have been strictly true, it does highlight something critical: some people are literally driven by the quest for new business, and some are far more comfortable maintaining and expanding the business they already have. The news however is that companies are becoming increasingly less interested in pure farmers and are leaning far more heavily towards hunter / farmer hybrids. Whether the brief is to hunt brand new customers or to hunt within exisitng accounts, the ultimate command is the same: go hunting, and bring back something exciting. Here’s how to do that.
Hunters are relentiess go-getters
The best thing about hunters is that they bring in business, consistently, for their company, says Veronica Haupt, Head of eBilling Sales, Striata. “Closing deals. That’s what it is all about.” That comes at a price however, she says. “By nature, hunters are out-the-box thinkers and can be disruptive, rule-breakers, or the odd ones out. A big mistake companies make is to try to squeeze their hunters into the company mould or culture which can cramp ( a hunter’s) style and lead to poor performance.”
Hunters set high standards for themselves
Hunters aren’t satisifed with ‘good’. They want ‘great’. They want the whole order, every time, and they are willing to work for it. "Hunters have as passion for selling – and being successful at it. A successful negotiation is one where all parties concerned are satisfied with the outcome 100% and hunters know that, " says Tian Liebenberg, National Sales Manager of Finweek. “Hunters are not people that close deals at any expense – they appreciate the value of long-tem relationships and have the drive to determine what keeps their clients / prospects up at night. The motivation for a hunter is not ncessarily the money. Willing hunters earn good money regardless of where they find themselves. If a hunter has a choice of industries that offer the same earning potential, they will choose the one where the values and ideals of the company resonate with their own.”
Article courtesy of SALESGURU Publishing
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