I don’t think this is a big surprise, but in-person networking is the most important. From the Career News newsletter (sorry, no link): While the execs expected the importance of online networking to grow from 24% now to 38% in two years’ time, that’s still less important than developing personal contacts (81%), contacting recruiters (63%) or using job boards (51%). Some 93% of the senior executives surveyed said putting time into developing their ‘personal brand’ was a wise career move. While some three-quarters said this was best done offline, two-thirds said they do use social networking sites to look good. Commenting on the findings, Carol Rosati, director at Harvey Nash,… Read More
Continue ReadingLook, It Sounds Like It Hurts
I’m not well-versed in the rapport-building technique (my phrase) known as Neuro-Linguistic Programming. In fact, I’m not certain that is the correct definition of the acronym NLP. But it is fascinating information. Geoffrey James discusses this topic in his blog post Ten Seconds to Better Rapport: This method based upon the scientific observation that people have what are sometimes called “thought modalities” or, more colloquially, “have their brain wired different ways.” Research has shown that most people favor one of the three different modalities: Visual. The person values and responds to what he or she SEES. A visual person will tend to dress flashy, talk quickly, and use plenty of… Read More
Continue ReadingWho’s Hiring Whom?
This excerpt is from a cover letter: If you think there might be a fit. Please send me a brief overview of your project or company. Let me know how I could help you if there’s a fit. If there’s any interest or a fit on my side I’ll drop you a note. Fair enough? You know, some times you do not need an assessment. I am quite certain this individual has a strong sense of self. His overuse of “fit” is only eclipsed by his cocky closing. I’m all for confidence, but I would have serious concerns about this approach.
Continue ReadingCasualness – The Candidacy Killer
I remember having a sales job (pre-computer days) where I was expected to wear a suit every day. One day I showed up with a navy sportcoat, tie and khakis and I actually was a bit nervous about what my boss might say. I didn’t get in trouble, but I didn’t wear a sportcoat again. Suffice to say, the average office has become extremely casual over the past 20 years. We get the opportunity to see many different office environments and I am beginning to think that they are evolving into even more casualness. Jeans are becoming more common in the middle of the week, not just on Fridays. I… Read More
Continue ReadingSales 2.0
I read often about web 2.0, recruiting 2.0 and sales 2.0. Math was never my forte so numbers scare me. But I did come across a very informative article in Sales & Marketing Management article titled A Step-By-Step Overview of Sales 2.0. The first pull quote: With instant access to corporate Web sites, search and social networks, your customers have company and product information at their fingertips, which give them much more control over the sales process than they had in the day when brochures and pricing were only available from a sales rep. Many prospective customers postpone talking with a sales rep, believing that they’ll get a better deal… Read More
Continue ReadingA Fundamental Lack Of Communication
The more companies we work with, the more we see communication breakdowns being the root of most problems. Our work with our clients spans more than just recruiting. We assist them in onramping their new salesperson. This function places us in the unique position of working with both the salesperson and the sales manager. One of the more dysfunctional situations we encounter is a communication breakdown between the manager and salesperson. One manager complained that the salesperson wasn’t doing what he asked, but he never confronted the salesperson. Another time we had a salesperson who would not submit his weekly call report. Ever. Yes, he was let go (even we… Read More
Continue ReadingClient Or Customer?
This has been a topic of discussion here at Select Metrix several times. So how do you refer to the companies with whom you do business? Kendra Lee, guest author for Jonathan Farrington has this to say. From my perspective a client is a person whose business you have a vested interest in, and for whom you perform as a partner within their business. Not everything you provide is billable. And not every opportunity you are awarded was shopped with the competition for the best price. In contrast, customers are people who you help meet a need. They have a problem. You address the problem. You may invest long hours… Read More
Continue Reading7 Sales De-Motivators
This list comes from Brian Tracy via the SellingPower.com Incentives newsletter. If you have ever managed salespeople, you know how important proper motivation is. Some days salespeople just don’t have it so you have to step in as their manager and give them that push they need. The problems start when you find yourself stepping in daily. At this point, you clearly have a de-motivated salesperson. If you are at this point, here are some topics to consider: 1. Where am I going? Salespeople lose their sense of direction when they are unclear on precisely what is expected of them on a daily basis, what their goals and quotas are,… Read More
Continue ReadingMarketing Buzzwords Exposed
LOVE this article from SalesHQ – Marketing Buzzword Bingo. The author shares my disdain for marketing buzzwords. The article is simply a list of buzzwords with his definition for each one. Some examples: Reputation management – controlling information flow to that which I want known Lifelong value – guess at how much money we would make out of a fictitious customer who stays with us for life, however long that is. Lifetime value – same guess Out-sourcing – stuff we have given up doing because we thought it was too hard In-sourcing – stuff we outsourced that we lost control over and had to do ourselves again to save costs… Read More
Continue Reading12 Strategies For Asking Questions
This article from Selling Power offers suggestions for salespeople when questioning prospects. The author makes some excellent points with one that stands out – number 9. I have edited the content for length. 1. Qualify prospects You can quickly establish if this “suspect” is a qualified prospect with a few questions. Many salespeople waste valuable sales time chasing the wrong company or talking to someone without decision-making power. Develop a profile of your ideal prospect. What criteria must a “suspect” meet to qualify as a bona fide prospect for your product or service? 2. Uncover needs By asking questions and understanding the client’s needs you can determine which benefits the… Read More
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