Frequently Asked Regional Sales Manager Interview Questions

Q – 1 What motivates you in your job?

Ans- The biggest motivation is hitting new sales targets and being the best salesperson on the team. Say that selling is what drives you; it is your passion as well as your profession. You love the challenge of selling to new customers and thrive on team competition.

Q – 2 Explain me what Do You Dislike About Sales?

Ans- Any time you are asked to provide a negative trait about the position you are applying for, you should tread carefully. An example of an answer that effectively resolves the question is, “Walking away from a sale when I know the prospect could benefit from our solution.”

This answer shows you know that there are times where you need to walk away and show that you understand that sales is about solutions.

Q – 3 Tell me what is your previous record in sales?

Ans- Be honest and talk briefly about your experience. Highlight any major deals you made and be very positive about the companies you have worked for. Talk about how your career has progressed to date and mention any responsibilities you had.

Q – 4 Explain me what is it about sales you enjoy?

Ans- Say that you enjoy the challenge of speaking to new customers and closing a deal. For you, the best thing about sales is the knowledge that you can turn people who are interested in a product into buyers.

Q – 5 Explain what do you think of your previous boss?

Ans- My last boss taught me the importance of time management – he didn’t pull any punches, and was extremely deadline-driven. His no-nonsense attitude pushed me to work harder, and to meet deadlines I never even thought were possible.

Q – 6 Teach me something I do not already know?

Ans- A good friend of mine informed me of a brilliant question that is asked by Google hiring managers. The candidate is asked some iteration of, “teach me something I don’t already know.” The candidate then has to quickly think of something unique on the spot to teach that will effectively portray how well they can sell.

Q – 7 Why are you leaving your current role as Regional Sales Manager?

Ans- I’ve learned a lot from my current role, but now I’m looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons and to gain a new skill-set – all of which, I see the potential for in this job.

Q – 8 What is your ideal outcome from a sales call?

Ans- The ideal outcome of a sales call is always to make a sale. Failing that, it is for the customer to agree to a meeting or follow up call.

Q – 9 How would you create a competitive but positive atmosphere in your sales team?

Ans- Say that you would set up some internal competitions with prizes based on sales targets. The prizes would be given at group events, such as a monthly team meal.

Q – 10 Tell us what brought you here?

Ans- Without a purpose behind the pitch, it’s impossible to lead and inspire a sales team. This question helps identify the journey and their sense of the situation from the get go. The gems are usually the ones that answer with a desire to be a part of what you’re doing.

Q – 11 Tell me how would you motivate a struggling salesperson in your team?

Ans- Say that you would provide them with some closer mentoring and provide them with encouragement, and tell them that they are a capable salesperson. Also you would ensure that they had the tools needed to do their job well.

Q – 12 Tell us do you enjoy target-based work?

Ans- Say that you thrive on target-based work and explain how it helps to motivate you and build healthy team competition.

Q – 13 Please explain me how Do You Move On From a Rejection?

Ans- Rejections are common within sales jobs, and one of the primary reasons that most personalities could not handle sales roles. Try to downplay how hard you take rejections, but feel free and be honest about a technique you use to handle rejection or answer with something like,

“I simply move on to the next prospect, because a rejection is simply a sign that the individual was not yet ready for our solution.”

Q – 14 Explain what are your communication skills like?

Ans- Asking a question about communication skills is a must. If someone’s going to lead the sales efforts or my organization, they’ll have to effectively communicate with customers, their colleagues, and direct reports.

Q – 15 Explain me have you any previous management experience?

Ans- Say that although you have not worked as a manager you have had the opportunity to stand in when managers are absent to run a team. You always enjoyed these opportunities and from this realised that management is the course you wish to take.

Q – 16 Tell me what skills do you think are required to be a successful salesperson?

Ans- Say that being good at sales requires a broad set of skills, but the most important skills are an understanding of the product you are selling, and knowing the market and customers. Confidence and excellent communication skills are vital.

Q – 17 Tell me how do you deal with rejection as Regional Sales Manager?

Ans- I worked for four years as a door-to-door salemen selling pest control contracts in Atlanta, Georgia. Rejection was the name of the game in that industry. Salesmen that let the rejection get to them were ineffective, and often quit. Successful door-to-door salesmen recognized that rejection was just the nature of the job–it was nothing personal.

Loosing a sale isn’t fun. But I look at rejection as an opportunity to learn and improve my sales technique.

Q – 18 Ask me questions that determine cultural fit?

Ans- Assess your company culture and the perceptions of your organization. Then, ask questions that tell you whether or not the employee is aligned with your culture. There are plenty of talented people out there, however; the key to success is finding the best cultural fits.

Q – 19 Explain me do you consistently meet sales quotas?

Ans- Over my career I’ve not only met all minimum quotas but I’ve set several sales records. Between 2007 and 2008, when many sales professionals in my industry were seeking non-sales related jobs due to the recession,

I was able to increase my production by 10% over the previous year. Even though market conditions weren’t ideal, I was able to find new sales strategies and techniques to help me maintain my momentum.

Q – 20 How would you attempt to sell an unpopular idea to an individual?

Ans- The best approach is to work on softening them up. Extend the small talk before talking about the product. Be subtle while always steering the conversation to the product and why the customer needs it. There always comes a time, however, when you have to admit defeat and move on.

Q – 21 Tell us the rationale behind each of your career moves?

Ans- When hiring someone for a sales manager role, I always ask them to start with their graduation from college and explain the rationale behind each of their career moves. Their answer to this question helps me determine if they are a strategic thinker who executes effectively on well-planned goals.

Q – 22 Explain me what are the Most Important Sales Skills?

Ans- Not everyone can handle sales. You need to have the right attitude and abilities. At your job interview, the interviewer will be looking for your sales skills, and the aspects of the process that help close deals. An example of a good answer includes “The ability to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues to adapt the sales strategies you implement to impress the prospective buyer.”

Q – 23 Why do you want to work in this industry as Regional Sales Manager?

Ans- I’ve always loved shopping, but my interest in retail marketing really started when I worked at a neighborhood boutique. I knew our clothes were amazing, but that we weren’t marketing them properly.

So I worked with management to come up with a marketing strategy that increased our sales by 25% in a year. It was great to be able to contribute positively to an industry I feel so passionate about, and to help promote a product I really believed in.

Q – 24 Why do you think listening skills are so important in a sales role?

Ans- You have to listen to the customer to be able to sell to them. The first part of the conversation sets a mood and introduces the customer to the company and product, then you ask some questions and the answers will give clues to their needs and desires. Only by listening can you know if it is possible to close a deal.

Q – 25 Tell me what books and blogs are you currently reading?

Ans- Another quality of a sales manager is someone who relentless learns. Learning what someone reads provides you with great insight into their personality, passions, and dreams – and whether they are growing their skill sets to stay up to date on industry trends and sales tactics.

Q – 26 Explain me why do you think you’d be a good fit for our company?

Ans- To answer this you need to do some research on the company, read its mission statement and values and understand its products and services. Fit your answer around these facts so that you come across as being ideally suited for the role and the company.

Q – 27 Tell me how did you measure success in your last job?

Ans- The obvious answer is the bottom line – sales – but this simple question will let me know if they think deeply about what they do.

Q – 28 Explain me what Do You See Are the Key Skills In…?

Ans- Common sales interview questions and answers revolve around how you view the skills involved in a specific sales technique or aspect of the sales process. For example, “What do you see are the key skills in closing a sale?” Answers to these types of questions should always focus on responding to the buyer’s concerns and on how the product or service will benefit the recipient.

Q – 29 Tell me why do you feel now is the right time to move to a sales manager position?

Ans- Answer that during your career in sales you have had many opportunities to train and guide others and have come to learn that you can add more value to a team by sharing your experience and techniques than by working alone. Say that you feel now is the right time to make a move to managing a sales team.

Q – 30 Explain do you enjoy working as part of a team, or are you more of a lone wolf?

Ans- To work in sales you have to be a team player. Say that when you are developing new sales strategies you do like the opportunity to work in peace and quiet, but the rest of the time you thrive in the team atmosphere that is common in sales.

Q – 31 Tell us what Are Your 3 Biggest Accomplishments?

Ans- I ask this because the answers are very telling. First, I can see if they consider all of their successes to be professional or if life experiences factor in. It’s also interesting to see what a person considers an accomplishment – is it a time when they set a big goal and reached it? Is it when they can contribute to a team? When they’ve made a certain amount of money?

Q – 32 Explain me are You Uncomfortable Making Cold Calls?

Ans- Any interview questions about your discomfort in sales should always be responded to with a “no” without any elaboration. If you are uncomfortable, reevaluate whether the position is right for you.

Q – 33 Tell me what motivates you as Regional Sales Manager?

Ans- I’m driven by competition–competition with others and competition with myself. Not only am I motivated to be the best at what I do, but I’m motivated to out do myself whenever I get the chance.

I’m also motivated by the thrill of the chase, challenge of the hunt and satisfaction of the kill. I enjoy prospecting for new clients, learning everything I can about a prospective client, developing the perfect pitch, and then closing the deal.

Q – 34 Fresh Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans-

☛ What are the most important skills of a salesperson?
☛ What motivates you to get new sales?
☛ Tell us why you are the best person for this sales role.
☛ What do you see as the biggest challenges in this role?
☛ How would you make a cold call?
☛ How do you handle a customer objection?
☛ How do you move on from rejections?
☛ What are your career goals?
☛ When you are going through a quiet patch how do you stay motivated to get new sales?
☛ What research do you do before you make contact with a customer?
☛ How do you generate interest and build a pipeline of prospects?
☛ Tell us about the biggest sale you ever made, how did you get the sale?
☛ What interested you in this particular role?
☛ Tell us how you go about building your network?
☛ We want you to sell us this pen!

Q – 35 First Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans- ☛ What are the KPIs in this role?
☛ How will my performance be judged in this role?
☛ What are the expectations within the role?
☛ What does the career path of a salesperson look like within the company?
☛ What is retention like within the department?
☛ What is the culture like in the sales team?
☛ How much travel will be required within the role?
☛ Does the company have a commission policy?
☛ What are the biggest challenges in the role?
☛ What is your personal experience of working for the company?
☛ What does the typical day for a salesperson entail?
☛ How do you maintain engagement and motivation in the team?
☛ Are bonuses paid for sales?
☛ How often do salespeople usually hit their bonus?
☛ What do you see as the future vision of the organisation?

Q – 36 Fresh Regional Sales Manager Interview Questions:

Ans-

☛ What qualities does a successful salesperson at your company possess?
☛ What direction do you see this company taking in the next five years?
☛ What is the quota for this position?
☛ What percentage of employees meet their quota?
☛ What percentage of employees exceed their quota?
☛ Is there a lot of travel associated with this position?
☛ How is the commission structured in this position?
☛ Do many people achieve bonuses for high levels of sales?
☛ How much flexibility does the salesperson have in negotiating price with the customer?
☛ What do you see as the most difficult challenges for the sales team at this company?
☛ How many people are on your sales staff?
☛ How do you motivate your sales staff?
☛ What does a typical work day/week look like at this company?

Q – 37 Sales competencies based Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans- ☛ Describe how you have leveraged your creativity to be successful in winning new customers.
☛ Describe a tough customer that you won over. How did you do it?
☛ If I worked with you in the past, would I have considered you competitive? Why?
☛ If I were to speak with your last sales manager how would they describe you?
☛ What kinds of sacrifices have you made to be successful? Please explain.
☛ Describe a typical day and week for you?
☛ How many cold calls do you make in a typical day?
☛ What is your ratio of calls to closes?
☛ How do you close tough customers? Please walk me through some examples.
☛ How do you develop relationships with tough customers?
☛ Can you please share an example of a time when you had a (challenging customer OR under performing team member – [depending on the role])? How did you approach the situation and what was the end result?
☛ Are you given leads or do you develop your own leads?
☛ What tactics have you employed in the past to build your pipeline? What were the results?
☛ How have you kept your spirits up in the face of rejection?
☛ Describe some of your biggest prospecting successes?
☛ Why have you been successful?
☛ Tell me about a time when your persistence paid rewards?
☛ Do you follow a sales system? Please describe.
☛ Describe your past 3 managers. What did you like or dislike about them?
☛ If your colleagues were to describe you in one word – what would that be? Why?
☛ How do you recover from making mistakes in front of customers? Provide examples?

Q – 38 Professional Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans- ☛ What are the last five books you read and why?
☛ What excites you outside of work?
☛ What are your personal values?
☛ What are your medium and long term goals?
☛ What is your plan to achieve your goals?
☛ What kind of sales environment do you thrive in? Why?
☛ What would you bring to company X? Why should they hire you over other great candidates?
☛ What questions do you have for us? (critical to see that they are engaged and selective about the employers for which they choose to work)

Q – 39 Warm-up Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans-

☛ Tell me about yourself.
☛ Where are you currently working?
☛ What are some of your largest accomplishments?
☛ What do you bring to the companies you have worked for?
☛ How many times in the last eight years have you met or exceeded quota?

Q – 40 Basic Common Regional Sales Manager Job Interview Questions:

Ans-

☛ Please tell us briefly about yourself ( To make him comfortable)
☛ Why did you chose sales (profession for which the interview is being conducted) as your profession. ( Answer to this question will give an idea about his motivations,his personality traits )
☛ What aspects of your job you like the most?
☛ (Answer to this question will highlight his areas of concern as these aspects of job can act as de-motivators for him)
☛ What aspects of your job you do not like?
☛ (Answer to this question will highlight his areas of liking as these aspects of job can act as motivators for him)
☛ Which habits of your previous Boss you liked.?
☛ Which habits of your previous Boss you did not like.?
☛ Please tell us about the three mistakes that you have made in your career so far.?
☛ ( Everyone makes mistakes, and only those people do mistakes who act )
☛ What have been your learning from these mistakes?
☛ How do you motivate your team members?
☛ Please explain your working day in detail.
☛ What do you think are expectations of your boss from you?
☛ What are your expectations from your subordinates?
☛ What are expectations of your team members from you?
☛ How do you supervise your team.
☛ What is your way of achieving month targets.?
☛ (Answer to this question will give an inkling about his job knowledge and his planning and supervision skills. Answers to question no. 14 and 15 should match)
☛ How do you motivate your distributors?
☛ (Again it will test his job knowledge )
☛ How many of your team members achieve targets? ( This will show his team handling, team supervision and team motivation abilities )
☛ How you deal with those team members who achieve targets.?
☛ (It will showcase his motivational skills )
☛ How you deal with those team members who do not achieve targets.?
☛ (It will showcase his problem identification skills, people skills and problem solving skills.
☛ How you deal with those Distributors who achieve targets.?
☛ (It will showcase his relationship skills)
☛ How you deal with those Distributors who do not achieve targets.?
☛ ( It will showcase his problem identification skills, analytical skills, & decision making skills)
☛ Strong points of your personality. ( will showcase his self-awareness)
☛ Weak points of your personality. (will showcase his self-awareness)
☛ Why you decide to leave an organization. ( This will give an idea about his deep rooted reasons and his motivations)

Q – 41 Explain me how do you keep up-to-date and abreast of your customers’ changing wants and needs?

Ans- This is done by monitoring buying habits and carrying out market research. Say that every new sales strategy must start with some market research and analysis to ensure that it is a relevant strategy.

Q – 42 Explain me what is it about territorial sales that particularly interest you?

Ans- Say that you enjoy the challenge of learning about new territories and enjoy the opportunity to travel on business.

Q – 43 Tell me what are your goals?

Ans- I find this question helps me understand what motivates a potential hire and sheds light as to whether they would be a good fit. I am a big believer in ‘fit’ and this question goes a long way. People draw motivation from different sources, and understanding that from the outset is very helpful in building a successful relationship.

Q – 44 Can you tell me about a time you had to devise a successful strategy and implement it?

Ans- Ideally you will be able to answer this honestly based on experience. If not, say that you kept a log of questions, answers and success rates in one of your first roles and streamlined the questions asked to increase success rates.

Q – 45 Explain me what is the best advice you’ve given to a sales rep on his or her first day on the job?

Ans- A great sales manager is a natural leader and teacher, with genuine enthusiasm to help others succeed. If they’re only driven by meeting quota or closing deals, they may be better suited for a sales rep position. This question will help you see what kind of mentor the candidate will be, and how they will help your team grow and evolve.

Look for a candidate who has a desire to help others, not someone who gives you a generic answer. Look for personal stories–the candidate should be able to demonstrate her ability to connect with people on a personal level.

Q – 46 Tell me what has been the highlight of your sales career so far?

Ans- An honest answer is required here; if you are going for a sales manager role it is expected that you have an outstanding track record in sales. Mention a couple of highlights as this makes you appear even more experienced.

Q – 47 Explain me with an example of a time you have had to address a sales rep that is consistently failing to meet their quota. How did you handle this situation and what was the outcome?

Ans- Questions like this (i.e. ones that require a candidate to provide a real world example of how they dealt with a challenging situation) are some of the most powerful questions you can ask in a hiring interview. Rather than asking them a leading question that “coaches” them into saying what they think you want to hear, these questions require a concrete answer.

Ultimately, you want to learn how the candidate deals with a team or a rep that isn’t meeting company standards. A great answer to this question will be one that demonstrates how the candidate indentified the specific reason the rep was failing to meet their quota, how s/he addressed that issue, and whether or not it was ultimately rectified.

A good follow-up to this question is, “Have you ever terminated a sales rep for any reason? Under what circumstances?”

Q – 48 Tell me who is the smartest person you know?

Ans- This may seem like an odd question, but it can give you great insight into what traits the candidate values. By asking them to describe someone they know personally, you’ll be more likely to get a genuine answer. Ask for specificity. Answers to this will vary, but you are looking for a candidate who values the same traits you and your company value.

Q – 49 Explain how do you feel you would handle the extra demands placed upon you as a manager?

Ans- Say that you are confident that given the opportunity you will thrive in this environment. You are eager to show what you can bring to the team and to pass on your experience and knowledge to the younger members of the sales team.

Q – 50 Explain me what do you know about our target audiences? How would you sell to them?

Ans- Here you need to do some research on the company before the interview. Read their annual reports, their website and advertising material. This should provide details of who they are targeting. Make it clear that you have done your research and suggest a brief sales strategy.

Q – 51 Tell me what is the one thing you would change about the company’s sales approach if you could today?

Ans- I love to ask this question to find out how much they’ve thought about our sales process. The answer isn’t that important. What is important is that they’ve done the research on our process.

Q – 52 Tell me how do you predict the company will be different in two years, and how do you see yourself shaping that change?

Ans- We ask candidates interviewing for sales manager positions how they predict the company will be different in two years, and how they see themselves shaping that change. We want to hire a sales manager who is thinking about ways to help our company grow and evolve every day, not candidates who are comfortable with the status quo.

Q – 53 Tell me what do you think it is that separates a good salesperson from a great one?

Ans- A great salesperson has the ability to sooner identify when a conversation is most likely to lead to a success deal and when it will fall on deaf ears. A good salesperson may be great at closing deals but they often waste time chasing customers that will never buy.

Q – 54 Explain me what do you think I could do better as the CEO of my company?

Ans- There is no better way to test the guts, authenticity and smarts of a potential sales manager for your company than to ask them to look you in the eye and tell you what they think you- the CEO- should or could be doing better. If they falter and have no answer- it is a deal breaker for me. If they come right back at me with feedback and ideas- they get big points!

Q – 55 Tell us why do you enjoy sales?

Ans- You need a well-prepared answer for this. An interview is the ultimate sales test. Some interviewers believe that if you cannot sell yourself you cannot sell a product. Be very positive about sales; say it is your passion and that you love the challenge of closing deals.

Q – 56 Please tell me in your own words what we do?

Ans- This question quickly separates individuals who are committed and passionate to our vision from those who are simply looking for a job. We find that our best hires have thoroughly researched us, determined the general and specific impact(s) they could have on the organization, and expressed this to us confidently in their first interview.

Q – 57 Tell me would you prefer to be out on the frontline selling rather than in an office devising strategies?

Ans- This is for a management role, so you must say that developing new strategies to improve the sales funnel is your passion, but you will monitor the progress that your sales team makes and this will provide you with exposure to frontline activities. Explain that you will always be willing to step in and provide assistance if required.

Q – 58 Tell us 3 Likes and 3 Dislikes you have at a current or past job?

Ans- Do they start their answer with their likes or dislikes? One of the important sales manager qualities is to be positive. You can tell a great deal about someone’s workplace personality if they immediately start answering with all of their dislikes and the list goes way beyond three! If their dislikes seem petty or personal it’s a red flag that they may not gel with company culture.

Q – 59 Tell me what do you find rewarding about working with people?

Ans- Say that you enjoy being part of a team working towards a unified goal and you love to see team members develop and flourish. Talk about how you enjoy the camaraderie and banter of working with others in a sales team.

Q – 60 Tell me why are you interested in this position as Regional Sales Manager?

Ans- The first thing hiring managers and interviewers want to know is that you’re really interested in a position in sales. While this isn’t the hardest question to answer, it’s important you can provide a compelling answer that demonstrates you’re interested in the position and good at selling.

Not only do you want to demonstrate to the interviewer that you’re interested in selling, you also want to let the interviewer know that that you’re very interested in selling the company’s specific products and/or services.

Communicating that you like selling tells an interviewer you may be a good fit for the position. Demonstrating to the interviewer that you’reinterested in selling the company’s products, and that you’ve done your research, tells the interviewer that you’re ready to hit the ground running if you’re hired.

Make sure you come to the interview having thoroughly researched the company’s products, services, and sales strategies. Explain how your sales ability and past experience make you the best candidate for the position.

Q – 61 Tell me what made you a good sales representative? What makes you a good manager?

Ans- Most sales managers have worked their way up from a sales rep position, and this question gets at the heart of a very important truth: many great sales reps turn out to be terrible managers.

While a sales rep turned manager can certainly put themselves in a sales rep’s shoes and therefore understand their motivations, an ideal candidate will know that the skills of a sales rep are very different from the skills of a great manager.

While sales reps are often responsible solely for their own goals and accounts, a manager must think about his or her team as a collective entity. Rather than being competitive and hands-on, they must be able to step back from the limelight and concentrate on helping others succeed.

An ideal candidate will be able to give specific examples of their motivations and skills as a sales rep, and understand that those skills and motivations will have changed when they became a manager.

Q – 62 Why do you think you’d be the best person to work in this territory?

Ans- Do some research and say that you understand the territory well and feel that it is a great opportunity to make an effective contribution to the business by operating in a new territory.

Q – 63 Tell me how do you remain motivated when things aren’t going your way?

Ans- Say that you remember that it is always about the overall score. If on average you are hitting your sales targets, then it does not matter if you have a bad patch. Understanding that this is normal helps to prevent you becoming despondent; staying positive always results in success.