There is a storm brewing for the recruiter world.  Do you know that major global corporations are limiting contingency and retained search spend to under 5% of total spend? Less than ½ of previous spend.

Do you realize what starts with the Big Boys trickles down the food chain? I hope so, because we have seen that happen with VOP, Prime Vendor, Vendor Management, etc. 

Are you aware that some larger recruiting firms are now getting more than half heir revenue by providing services vs. earning placement fees?

 
Perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming freight train! YIKES
How do you plan to adjust to this new reality?

…..said Bob Dylan in 1964. They were changing then and they are changing again now. It seems as though we are coming out of this nasty recession. The bureau of labor statistics stated that Temporary Help Services added 40,000 jobs in March alone. The Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke stated that temporary jobs usually grow for about 4 months before we start adding permanent jobs.

Shall we jump for joy? Perhaps this time it will be different for the Temp Staffing Industry and for Direct Placement. Educated clients are squeezing their labor budgets. They want more services and want to pay less. They are consolidating suppliers to cut internal costs and they are outsourcing many non core functions.

Will you want to shave your margins to retain clients? Do you to fight pricing with the big public companies?  Or should you start right now looking at how you do business?  Can you cut costs by using technology or by outsourcing some functions? Should you merge or partner with another firm to shave overhead costs? Until the economy gets overheated again it is a bit of a buyers market for talent.

Stay alert in 2010 because this time, it is different for our industry.
 

Jim Volpe

Here are some “Cliffs Notes” to help you sharpen up your presentation skills 

Build Trust. Use testimonials and reference letters, bring in your management team and let the prospects meet your support team members.

Identify the pain. If you are not addressing the prospects pain points , you have  no sale.

Quantify and amplify the value that you bring. Let them know what you will do to to solve their problems. Monetize and articulate how much you will save them or cut their costs. You need to show them the payback otherwise, no deal for you

Outline your proposed solutions. Ask for feedback and get agreement.

Cover the pricing and terms of your offer. Price is not relevant until value is established. Double check with a list of prepared questions to get agreement that you have established the value to the prospect and that they want just that and  nothing less.

Ask for the business. If they have to “think about it”, tell them you will wait for an hour in need be.  Playback the benefits ,ask for agreement and say; if there is nothing else then the only thing you need to think about is whether you will go ahead with me or not.

There’s an old story that goes like this. You can take an unmotivated person, take him (or her) out to the middle of a lake, hold their head under water for a few seconds and an amazing thing happens. They suddenly become the most motivated, focused, and determined person in the world!  What caused this total transformation?

Well, they suddenly had a goal - to get another breath of air. But, behind that goal were three additional pieces. First, they had a very clear VISION of what both success and failure might look like. Second, they had a REASON for achieving their goal. And third, they developed a STRATEGY for reaching their goal - it may not have been elegant or graceful, but by screaming and thrashing and flailing away they hoped to get that next breath of air. That’s how we achieve most things in life.

Let’s talk about setting goals for 2010 - sales, time off, family time, etc.  Write them down, stick to them, and “be Ruthless and determined (like the guy in the lake) to achieve your goals”. Goals must be written to be powerful and compelling; they must be measurable and have a deadline. You also need to have action steps for each goal.  I read my goals daily; it helps me to stay focused or to get back on track if I’ve drifted off course. You must do that too.

Your challenge: Write at least 2 business goals and 2 personal goals. Add at least 2 action steps that you will take in the first quarter that will lead you toward achieving your goals.

In his book, “The Ultimate Sales Machine”, Chet Holmes outlines this sales process. It is important to note that Establishing Rapport and Qualifying the buyer are 45 percent of the sale!  Note that we don’t even start selling until we have completed Steps 1 and 2.

1.  Establish Rapport

• Knowledge of your industry
• Commonality
• Be interested in them as a person
• No selling here at all

2.  Qualify the Buyer - find the need

• Ask questions - “what is your criteria for making a decision”, “who else is involved in making the hiring decision”

3.  Build Value

• How do you or your company provide value for them?

4.  Create Desire

• Paint a picture of their future with your product or service

5.  Overcome Objections - agree with their objection

• Ask “is that the only thing holding you back from moving forward?”  Answer their questions.

6.  Close the Sale

• “You already know as much as you ever will about this_____You just need to make the decision”……silence!

7.  Follow-up

• Call, send a letter, email…put them on your mailing list

Many sales are made on the fifth or sixth follow-up attempt so don’t give up too soon.

They are 1 in 500, if you can find one! …BUT there are potentially 99 more of them out of that 500 figure.  That’s right; the 99 more need to have a good manager. A talented, dedicated, sales manager can improve the performance of a hard working sales rep. You only have to look at sports for examples that prove this statement.

So if you own the business or are a dedicated sales manager it is imperative to have a mentor or a coach involved in your development.

Are you on the field without a coach?

If the fear of rejection holds you back, then listen up!  People may reject your offer, but they are not rejecting you personally. When you can internalize that statement, you will less reticent to ask people for an opportunity to earn their business. The title of the book I once read says it all:

Feel the Fear and do it anyway
Zig Zigler a well-known motivator uses an acronym that you may find helpful when dealing with fear rejection.

False
      Evidence
                  Appearing
                                Real

Many Sales Professionals work hard for their clients. They position themselves, their company, and the candidate really well.  The mistake that a lot of Sales Reps make is that they don’t push for the close.

We often need to help people to make decisions. Reiterate all the benefits of moving forward NOW. Use the client’s own words that you jotted down during your meetings. Give them a few good reasons to move ahead NOW and then ASK for the placement. 

Referrals are extremely valuable.  Think back to a time when you were new in the area or to when you were starting your business.  How did you go about choosing service providers? When I moved to the Boston area from Chicago I asked neighbors and coworkers for the names of the contacts where they did business.  I wanted to do business with people who were already proven.  Here’s a partial list of the people that I found this way.  My Doctor, My Barber, C P A, Insurance Person, Auto Mechanic, Landscaper, Financial Advisor, Dry Cleaner, Chiropractor, Plumber, Electrician, and my favorite ethnic restaurant. These people have enjoyed over 20 years of business from me because I asked for and got a referral to them.

Ask 6 clients for a referral this week. DO IT!

Here is a tip for everyone in the Staffing Industry. I met David Searns about 7 years ago when we were both conducting workshops at a NAPS Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. Dave and his business, Haley Marketing are locked right on to the pulse of the Staffing Industry since that is their niche.

The first tip for you is that it pays to Network and stay in touch with people. David & I have done business together and have sent each other some business over the years.  He just quoted me on his “Ask Haley” website and in a few months I will conduct a webinar that Haley Marketing will promote.

The next tip is for you to sign up for the Haley Marketing Newsletter so you can get your hands on on the archives of great helpful tips for anyone in the Biz. Go to http://askhaley.haleymarketing.com/