Using APQ for Coaching – 3 Great Tips
There’s no doubt the APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment stacks the odds in your favor when selecting qualified sales candidates. It checks the candidate’s scores against the ideal ranges for a wide range of job roles, thus determining suitability for positions such as outside sales hunter, farmer, CSR, or sales manager. This reduces bias in the hiring process and is the recommended scientific approach to sales recruitment.
However, the APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment can do even more. Take, for instance, existing salespeople. At ASHER, we recommend testing all your existing sales people and managers in order to paint an accurate picture of the team’s current potential. In addition, now you have an excellent coaching tool which can help your salespeople and increase your revenue without a single added hire.
Here are some coaching tips using the APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment.
Debrief past failures
The APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment informs test takers of their personality strengths and weaknesses. It is eye-opening, and for some people, it is the first time they truly get a picture of their personality and how it affects their lives.
One useful coaching exercise is to go over the reports with the test taker, and debrief some deals he or she might have lost. With the newfound knowledge of their personality, help them answer these questions:
- How did my personality traits contribute to moving the deal forward?
- How did they hinder or prevent it from closing?
- Knowing what I know now about my personality profile, what could I have done differently to better my chances of success?
You might even find the salesperson willing to give these deals another shot when you are done!
Role play selling to other personality types
Dominant drivers tend to get very impatient with thoughtful analytical types. And emotional/empathetic types might have trouble with fast-paced, aggressive buyers. The APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment reveals to test takers their dominant personality style, and this opens the door to being better communicators to differing personality types.
Coaches can take on the role of the difficult persona and have the salesperson practice effective communication. The coach can try to push the salesperson’s buttons until the salesperson feels better and more confident.
Self-instructions
Affirmations are not New-Age pie in sky stuff – they can change behavior. Many people give themselves negative instructions constantly and then wonder why they fail in life. Thoughts like “I hate this type of buyer,” “I am just bad with people,” can reduce performance if repeated often enough. Even manic phrases such as “I am always ‘on’” or “Other salespeople are not as good as me” can lead to attitudes which rub people the wrong way – poor emotional intelligence indeed.
The APQ Sales Aptitude Assessment provides ideas as to which self-instructions should be used for each individual based on their scores. So an aggressive person might repeat to him or herself “I show others that I care,” or “I don’t lose my temper,” especially after they have a negative interaction. This makes failures teaching moments and builds good habits.
Every salesperson can improve their emotional intelligence. The first step is self-knowledge, which the APQ provides. The second step is self-work, and personal coaches can help accomplish lasting results faster.
Video Link: http://video.asherstrategies.com/apq-selection-hiring/how-to-use-apq-for-coaching-and-development
