How to Vet a Sales Rep's Loom Video: What to Listen For

Before I get on a call with a setter or closer, I watch a short Loom of them introducing themselves. It takes them a few minutes to record and me a minute or two to watch, and it shows me things a résumé can't: how they sound, how clearly they explain things, and whether they followed simple instructions.

Every rep who applies to Ardenique records one, and I watch every one myself. This is what I ask for and what I listen for.

Keep it to one or two minutes

Ask for about a minute, and two minutes at most. That's enough time to hear how someone talks and what they've done. Longer videos don't tell you much more, and they make it harder to compare reps side by side.

The time limit also tells you something. Being clear and getting to the point matters on a sales call, so notice who can introduce themselves in a minute and who goes way over.

What to ask them to cover

Give everyone the same prompt so you can compare them fairly:

1. Who they are and where they're based.
2. What they've sold: the type of offer, the ticket size, and whether they set, closed or both.
3. Their results, with numbers if they have them, like cash collected, close rate or calls booked.
4. What they're looking for next, and why they're in sales.

Leave the pitch and objection handling out of the video. Those are better tested live in the interview.

How they sound

Listen to the delivery before the content:

• Pace. Calm and clear is better than fast. When someone rushes, prospects feel pushed.
• Tone. Do they sound like someone you'd trust with a big decision?
• Energy. Steady and confident. Too flat sounds uninterested, and too hyped can sound like a sales pitch.
• Clarity. After one watch, could you repeat back what they've sold and what they're good at?

It also helps to ask yourself whether you'd be comfortable on a 45-minute sales call with this person, since that's what your prospects will be doing.

What they say

• Specific numbers. "I closed about $40K last month on a $3K offer" tells you a lot more than "I did really well on my last offer."
• Context for the numbers. Big results without context, like how many calls or what kind of leads, are hard to judge. Write down your questions and ask them in the interview.
• Honesty. Reps who mention what they're still working on are usually easier to coach.
• Why sales. Their reason for being in sales often tells you whether they'll still be around in a few months.

Red flags

• Reading off a script the whole time.
• Big income claims with nothing to back them up.
• Going way over the time limit, or not covering what you asked for.
• Bad audio or a loud background. The setup doesn't need to be perfect, but it shows how much care they put in.

Good signs

• They covered what you asked, in the time you asked for.
• Their numbers are specific and believable.
• They sound like themselves, the way they would on a call.
• They checked their audio and camera before recording.

Score every Loom the same way

Rate each Loom from 1 to 5 on four things: how they sound, how clearly they communicate, how specific their experience is, and whether they followed the instructions. Move the reps who average 4 or higher to a live interview. Using the same four scores for everyone makes it much easier to compare reps fairly.

The interview is where you see how they sell, through roleplay. Here are the interview questions I use for closers.