If you’ve ever asked that question when hiring for your Online Sales role, you’re not alone. Many builders wonder, “Do I need a tech-savvy person? Someone with real estate experience? A salesperson with grit and charisma?”
Here’s the truth: You need a unicorn—the right kind of performer. The Online Sales role is a unique blend of communication, organization, and digital savvy - and is the love child between marketing and sales. The best hire isn’t always the most experienced person. It’s the one who brings energy, follow-through, and has a process-driven mindset that converts more prospects into appointments.
At Do You Convert, we’ve helped builders across the country hire and train hundreds of top-performing Online Sales Specialists. The secret? A proven 10-step process that attracts talent, filters out the wrong fits, and reveals true potential from the start.
But before we dive in, let’s set the stage.
Post the job opening on online job sites such as Indeed.com. Of course, word of mouth from current employees will likely provide referrals, but make sure you follow this same process with every candidate, no matter where they come from.
Encourage candidates to email their resumes; no calls initially.
When you receive a resume and inquiry from a qualified candidate, reply with an email questionnaire. Half of the applicants will not even fill this out, so it helps to narrow the candidate field.
Once the applicant responds with the completed questionnaire and you are satisfied with the results (pay attention to writing skills), respond with an email requesting a phone interview and ask the person to both email and call/text to confirm a time.
Conduct the phone interview using similar questions as the questionnaire. You will gauge verbal communication and cross-check previous answers.
Once the phone interview is complete, advise the applicant that you will be in touch. Allow one day for any email response or thank you from the candidate. Evaluate the candidate’s follow-up process to determine if they have the essential skills and drive. Remember, if they don’t follow up with you, they likely won’t with your prospects.
Send a request to your final candidates to take a brief profile test. We leverage the DISC profile – you can get a free version here. The test results will give insight into their work habits and personality. Ask each person to complete the test and email you the results. This step provides another opportunity to assess email communication and response time.
Conduct the final phone interview with upper management. Get down to the specifics and, as one of the final steps, role play a call. Give the candidate a simple scenario of finishing a prospect call and asking for an appointment. Listen to how they handle a simple objection. After they finish, give them some pointers and feedback. You aren’t looking for the right answer (they rarely get it) but how coachable they are.
As the final step, ask each candidate to visit http://bombbomb.com/bb/ , register, and then send you a video message with a one-minute description of why he/she will be the best person for the position (offer no further instructions; determine if they can figure it out).
When you feel really good about one or two candidates, bring them in. Have them meet the team and spend some time in the field touring communities and interacting. This will help you identify anything you might have missed in the “virtual” process and see how they interact in a team environment in real life.
When you conduct the hiring process in this manner, you will quickly and efficiently drill down to only the most driven and qualified candidates. We jokingly refer to this as the gauntlet. You might be wondering if all these steps are necessary. The short answer is YES. Remember what you are trying to identify in a future superstar:
This process helps you identify candidates who are:
Responsive and organized
Strong communicators
Tech-comfortable
Process-oriented
Coachable and enthusiastic
In short, you find people who make you excited to work with them.
We call it “the gauntlet” for a reason. It’s designed to reveal the truly committed ones.
This isn’t about luck - it’s about process. Follow the steps, stay consistent, and you’ll uncover the kind of Online Sales talent that transforms your customer experience and drives real results.
Commit to the process. Your next Online Sales Superstar is out there, and the right person is worth every step.
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