Sales performance is of utmost importance to Procter and Gamble. How do you plan to contribute to our profitability?

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Procter and Gamble are first and foremost a sales-focused organization, bringing world-renowned products to a variety of markets worldwide.

Prior to your interview, put some serious thought into how the role you are interviewing for at Procter and Gamble will have an influence on eventual product sales to consumers. Be creative in your thought process and your answer. Be sure to reiterate to your interviewer that you are aware of the importance that product sales have on the bottom line of the organization.

"I plan to increase profitability by first understanding what the KPIs, goals, and expectations are for me on the team. Knowing what I need to do to ensure the team and company are successful is an important foundation. From there, I would ensure I had all the training and tools I needed to be successful in achieving that goal. For example, if the company used a CRM that I was unfamiliar with, I would make sure that I attended all of the training necessary to be effective in using the tool. I would be committed to my individual contributions and supporting the team to ensure profitability."

"I plan to contribute to your profitability through hard work, strategy, tenacity, and paying close attention to the needs of my customers. I have solid results in my most recent position and look forward to bringing these same successes to Procter and Gamble. I'm encouraged by the fact that P&G says it hires based on the potential leadership sees in people - that easily leads to new ideas, entrepreneurial thinking, and disrupting the status quo. That's exactly the kind of approach I've taken in my career, and I look forward to continuing that mindset."

"My first step would be to examine current performance against KPIs and then develop a 30-, 60- and 90-day plan for how I can help Procter and Gamble achieve, and even exceed them. I have a solid history of identifying strong lead measures that help support overall organizational strategies, and then leading a team to achieve those measures."

Anonymous Answer

"Like I mentioned in my portfolio, I like to follow a certain work process; Learn & Plan, Assess & Test, Interpret & Solution, Adapt & Improve, Report & Implement and Suggest & Review. This general strategy allowed me to perform in many different environments. For example, when working at _________, I had a daily goal of 700$, but using this strategy allowed me to sell up to 10 000$. It allowed me to both become a better salesperson but also adapt to different clients."

Marcie's Feedback

Wow! The _________ sales statistic you include is very impressive. Your answer is very strong; however, you might want to explain your strategy a little differently just so it's easier to understand. Please see below.

"Sales performance is very important to me personally as well. When I worked at _______ as a sales associate, I had a daily goal of $700, but many times I surpassed it, even reaching up to $10,000. In order to do this, I followed a specific process that I have perfected and successfully used in many different environments. I begin by learning and planning, then I assess and test, and then I interpret those results and find solutions. I also use the test results to adapt and improve my methods, report and implement these changes, and then review everything and formulate suggestions. I have used this process many times to increase sales, and I look forward to doing the same at P&G."

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Anonymous Answer

"Thru hard work, dedication, and observation of the customer needs is how I play to contribute to increasing profitability. To be on the lookout for new opportunities and the demand in the market and to be ahead of it is of most importance. That can be seen in the previous projects I had. The fact that P&G hires people based on the potential they see in the leadership of their employees is something that leads to new ideas, entrepreneurial thinking. That's something I value and am keen to proceed to develop upon and put to use my skills and potential."

Cindy's Feedback

Very good. I think it's important to draw on past experience to demonstrate your ability to contribute to profitability. Showing your past success is as important as talking about it, so any specifics you can add would help the interviewer see what you've done and apply it to the needs of the position.