I started laughing out loud when I read this title for an article in Sales Vault’s weekly newsletter. I just got off the phone with a persistent telemarketer who did it to me. So what is this “Barf Factor?” The author, Kelly Roberston, describes it as: Too many sales people mistakenly believe that they should open their conversation with a background and history of their company. Or, a complete description of their products, services, or solutions. It’s seems like they can’t control what comes out of their mouth once they open it. They puke. They barf. They spew all over themselves. Exactly what the telemarketer had just done to me.… Read More
Continue ReadingWhen a Raise is De-Motivating
We are asked from time to time about the best way to conduct an employee compensation review. I have to relay a story to you regarding a friend’s annual review. Here’s how it played out. She sat down with her manager and recieved a very positive review. She was told she was one of their better employees – recieving 3’s and 4’s out of 5 in all performance areas. In fact, my friend is the top person in her territory and the territory is ranked 2nd out of 8 in a large corporation. Everything was going well and she received a lot of verbal praise about her performance. Then the… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Day Your New Employee Will Leave
In a recent article from Workforce Management on new employee retention, 7 months seems to be the magic number when it comes to retaining newly hired employees. Office Angels interviewed 1,400 new recruits on this subject. Here are some of their findings. In the first seven months the workplace is viewed as a trial period for: The boss – is he or she ‘lackluster?’ Are there mentoring opportunities available for them? Does the new job accommodate their lifestyle? Another important opportunity new employees look for is the camaraderie between the team. 77% of the respondents find it essential for the team to make a trip to the local pub. No,… Read More
Continue ReadingDoes Your Website Help Your Salespeople?
Our website is a constant topic of discussion for us – one of the subjects is how much information should we be publishing. I came across a post relating to this topic on the B2B Lead Generation Blog. There are a number of very good points made in this entry, but a couple really stand out. People use the web for research; they are looking for fresh ideas, insight and actionable information. Intellectual property is difficult to protect and is quickly commoditized by the market. Why not leverage some of your IP to your advantage? Leverage it and demonstrate your thought leadership. I have read numerous articles in the past… Read More
Continue ReadingAnecdote – What Not To Do When Prospecting
We are presently running multiple processes and I received an email in response to one of our ads. The respondent listed the job title in the subject line and this in the body: Good morning: If I could show you the following: How to generate more leads How to increase company revenue and referral business How to be one step up on your competition A marketing program that will separate you from your competition Would you be open to look at information? John Doe 123-456-7890 I admire him for trying to create interest in his services, but this approach is insulting. Who wouldn’t want to increase company revenue? The implication… Read More
Continue ReadingTattoos and Piercings – Part 2
I posted on this subject last December, but a recent article in SHRM’s newsletter touched on this subject and got my attention. Here are a few interesting stats: Dr. Anne E. Laumann, associate professor of dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, and co-researcher Dr. Amy Derick, of the University of Chicago, found that tattoos were more common among younger individuals: 36 percent of people aged 18 to 29 had tattoos, while only 24 percent of those aged 30 to 40 and 15 percent of those aged 40 to 50 reported body art. Tattoos were seen in all ethnic groups studied but were more common among those with Hispanic ancestry… Read More
Continue ReadingWork Commute Or Telecommute
This is a timely topic considering we are in the midst of a blizzard up here in the Twin Cities. I personally have a short commute, but this topic is a big deal for the thousands on the road this morning stuck in stop and go traffic. The 2006 Commuter Impact Survey from the TransitCenter, Inc. looks at commuting issues from both an employer and employee viewpoint. We have touched on this topic in previous posts (Energy Prices And Recruitment, Telecommuting Town?). There were some interesting findings in this survey that I wanted to pass along form this 18 page white paper. First, 76% of the employers who responded think… Read More
Continue ReadingTime-Outs At Work
Yes, you read that correctly. This is the topic covered in SHRM’s February issue of HR Magazine. The article titled “Days of Contemplation” (membership required) has the tagline “Have a problem employee? Give him a time-out to decide whether to come back fully committed or to move on.” The article discusses the use of paid decision-making leaves or “days of contemplation.” Here is the premise behind it’s use: Adult learning theory will tell you that when you treat people like adults, they will respond in kind. Unlike formal discipline, which tends to punish workers formally for substandard job performance or inappropriate workplace conduct, decision-making leaves are much more subtle. More… Read More
Continue ReadingTop 10 Selling Mistakes
“Don’t Make These Top 10 Selling Mistakes!” Bet that got your attention. I found it on the Business Buyer Directory which provides a non-traditional means for business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide. The article is a couple of years old, but makes some excellent points, in fact ones that applicable to a hiring process. 4. NOT Looking the Part – Selling involves approaching strangers, people who have never met you before. People naturally base purchase decisions on first impressions. Look the part you are playing, or better yet, exceed the common image expectation in your industry. Always dress and groom one level above your targeted audience. It portrays… Read More
Continue ReadingHow Many Jobs Is Too Many?
This week I have been reading a lot of different posts and articles that try to answer the question how many jobs is too much on an applicant’s resume? I run into this topic all the time with our clients. Some clients will even try to disqualify a candidate if they feel they have held too many jobs based on their resume. Let me be clear, I am not saying that you should ignore their work history, but don’t use it as the sole means for disqualifying. That statement usually leads me to answering this question from our clients — How many jobs is too many? I never really had… Read More
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