We previously wrote about Hiring Your Competitor’s Sales Reps and whether this is a good or bad idea. We have several reservations about this as a hiring strategy owing to the limits it places on getting exposed to right reps and/or the best, and can require the disclosure of confidential information to engage the person, but for those cases where it does makes sense to hire your competitors reps, here are some ways to reach those reps.
- Direct Calling – This is the tactic that makes employers most uncomfortable because if discovered it could start a poaching war, but it is the fastest and most direct way to find out which of your competitor’s employees may be interested in joining your team.
- Ask for a Referral – You may be able to get an introduction to a competitor’s reps via a business partner or customer. The upside of this is that a loyal relationship broker may be able to save you some time and effort by telling you which competitive sales reps are actually any good.
- Use a Recruiter – An executive search firm can discretely pick through the sales team of a competitor and determine who is the right person for you to engage in recruiting discussions, without triggering a hiring war, and in some cases being able to garner more competitive information than an employer making direct inquires.
If you opt for the latter, Peak would be happy to help you recruit someone who will contribute to your long term sales success.
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Eliot Burdett
Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.
He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.
Latest posts by Eliot Burdett (see all)
- 20 Of Our Favorite Books About Sales Management and Sales Leadership – October 20, 2023
- How To Make Progress On Your Sales Goal Without A Sales Leader – September 15, 2021
- Augment Your Recruiting Strategy During “The Great Resignation” – July 26, 2021
