Next Generation Sales Will Benefit from Marketing’s Support
Treeline, being a sales recruiting firm known for building best in class sales organizations, is a leading indicator in today’s market and is quickly becoming a benchmark on the market. Therefore, we have a window to the new world and over the past 12 months we have indicated that traditional sales methodologies are quickly becoming obsolete. Thus, in order for your sales organization to be successful in today’s selling environment you need to adapt to the new landscape and change your selling techniques from the classic model.
One of the major changes in today’s market is that the line between sales and marketing is now more blurred than ever. The classic business model that companies have used for decades typically separates sales and marketing as two independent entities. The marketing team is usually tasked with understanding the company’s consumer and how/why they behave the way they do. From there they throw any leads over the wall to the sales team, who is then tasked with utilizing that information and evangelizing the company’s message to the market place, one cold call/email at a time. Not only does this model promote inefficiency, it also leads to the age old battle over recognized revenue. Not only does this dichotomy cause a divide in the corporate structure, it wastes a company’s efficiency and the ability to qualify and act on leads. The most effective sales organizations have already taken down the barrier between sales and marketing and the trend will soon sweep the nation.
First we must realize that in today’s market, brand and name recognition impacts the consumer market and increases the likelihood of a sale. It is also recognized that a solid reputation and credibility as an industry expert makes it significantly easier to close a sale. Therefore, despite the size of your company, you are at a huge advantage in the market if you have both. So what is the most effective way to build brand equity? The internet.
As we have already noted, consumers are more educated than ever due to the fact that there is a plethora of information at their fingertips. In an age where search technology is common place, consumers are taking to the web to research a potential purchase of a product or service. Therefore, your company needs to take to the internet and build an internet presence that acts as the first sales call. Why? Because after gathering information and data about your company on the internet, a consumer’s mind is typically made up as to whether they will inquire further about your services or move on to others. Thus, for your company to find true success, you need to further understand how to initially drive traffic to your company’s site. From there, you need to provide enough data to engage your prospect, which then leads your prospect to a landing page that is created to capture their contact information. The contact information captures the qualified lead and passes the leads to the sales team who is then tasked with tracking and identifying the KPI which should be consistently analyzed in order to create a more effective and efficient sales process.
In the new business model, all hands should be on deck with the same goal in mind: maximizing revenue. Thus, it’s the marketing team’s responsibility to drive leads and activity in a world that is so dependent on finding information via the web. They will be tasked with getting the company’s information on the internet and maximizing visibility as soon as possible. In today’s market, they too have KPI, metrics and benchmarks that they will be held to. They must understand how to build brand, maximize SEO and leverage the social networking tools to drive traffic and create brand equity.
The sales team will also have a hand in building the companies brand and reputation but the days of delivering that message one email/phone call at a time has become an inefficient and disruptive method. Therefore, the utilization of the marketing teams efforts will become extremely important, if not an all out necessity, to maximizing efficiency in the sales force. If we know that a prospect first takes to the web in search of education on a product or service, we then know how incredibly important it is to entice that prospect to the point of capturing their information. Obtaining that information acts as the first sales call, therefore you already know that they are an interested and engaged buyer, which thus enables the sales team to close deals more often and efficiently.
In a down economy, you need to adapt your selling techniques to the consumer’s behavior. Now, more than ever, it is not about the sales itself, but the selling process. Consumers have the ability to research companies more effectively than before, therefore it is no longer about coercing your customer to buy, but rather being an advocate for them in the buying process. Hence, if you are pushing your team to drive more activity in the traditional method of cold calling consumers who may or may not have heard of your product or services before, you are doing your team a massive disservice and encouraging them to dig themselves into a never ending trench. You will quickly find that an increase in this type of activity will not equate to an increase of revenue. Rather, it will condition your team with poor selling habits, leading to down revenues and poor morale.
This is precisely why sales and marketing must come together and break down the wall that has been built to divide the two. Marketing must be held accountable for creating brand equity and consumer awareness. They must be the ones to create qualified leads and therefore judged on the conversion rate of those leads. The sales team’s function will then be to create value as thought leaders and become advisors in a buying decision. Building partnerships between you and your consumer will lead to more success in your sales process and lead to a more satisfied customer base. Therein turn, you create a stronger reputation in the marketplace which then leads to the creation of a better brand equity. Thus, the sales process is no longer about a race to the finish, instead it is a cultivation of your companies ability to add value to the industry.
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Success Story: Charlie
We tell stories every week about the candidates that we are working with. Here is a story about one named Charlie that I recently spoke with about his experience in the job search.
“I worked at UPS for over 6 years and did incredibly well while I was there.”
At Treeline we have a huge network of sales professionals. Many of these sales professionals choose to join our network to stay in the know. Our network of sales professionals want to be constantly educated on new opportunities and new sales strategies. Whether you are hiring a sales person or selectively considering new opportunities the network is invaluable.
In this case we were on an exclusive search with a cutting edge software company focused on transportation spend management systems. I contacted Charlie directly in an outbound recruitment campaign and was mainly interested in his background because he had worked with UPS for a considerable amount of time and held several different roles within the company. I spoke in depth with Charlie about our organization and our sales community, as he had never heard of Treeline before. After a brief conversation about who Treeline was and what our network entailed, Charlie was eager to join our network and start working on his career search and hear more about the potential opportunity we had.
Charlie and I had invested about an hour of time together and in that conversation I had discovered that he had left UPS about a year ago and was currently working as a Financial Representative. He was very unhappy with his current role that he had been in for over a year and he found himself struggling both financially as well as professionally.
I consulted with Charlie to clearly define his strengths and helped to educate him on present market conditions. We discussed the industries that are succeeding and those that are struggling and spoke about several opportunities I had identified as a potential fit. One of those opportunities happened to be with our software client. After researching the firm’s website, Charlie was interested in an interview. So I was off to the races to introduce Charlie to our client. With a strong understanding of Charlie’s personality, his story and his career successes, I was successful in getting Charlie that interview.
Charlie and I spoke in great length before the interview, not so much about my client, but about Charlie’s background. Because of our years of success, Treeline understands better than anyone that it is important to be able to define and articulate your strengths and more important to make sure that you can speak to them. I consulted with Charlie about his strengths and helped him see what they were. In many cases it is refreshing to see yourself through a different set of eyes. It helps to truly understand your own strengths. Charlie took the bull by the horns and continued to find success in each of his interviews. He went through a very difficult interview process which lasted just over 60 days. He met with the sales director to the lead representative in his region and was then chosen to move forward and met with the CEO. The interview process had gone smoothly up until that pivotal interview with the CEO. Needless to say that last interview did not go so well. The CEO chose to pass on Charlie.
Charlie was down, but certainly not out. “[After I was bounced from the interview process], I turned to Treeline recognizing my pitfalls in the interview. I am driven and very hungry and I was not ready to give up. Sean supported my cause. He believed in my background and with that support and my own conviction to win, I turned it around and got my foot back into the door. I emphasized why I was the right fit and the CEO later told me he was impressed at how aggressive and thoughtful I was with my follow up.”
Charlie reconnected with the CEO and managed to schedule an interview with the VP. With Charlie’s determination and my direction, Charlie’s interviews went extraordinarily well. So well that the client hired Charlie. Charlie is now in an incredible new career with a great company and even managed to get a raise in pay. This opportunity has changed his life both professionally and financially. The opportunity has enabled him to love his career and enjoy his life once again.
These are the stories that I like to hear. Join our network and experience it for yourself.
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Meet the Team: Kimberly Collins
As many of you may have seen, Kimberly Collins, one of our top producing Division Manager’s, was featured on Animal Planet’s new show, SuperFetch. In SuperFetch Zak George shows pet parents how to train their dog to do unbelievable tricks. With Zak’s help, Kimberly trained her Bernese mountain dog, Bear Collins, how to put down the toilet seat and flush the toilet. Watch Kimberly and Bear at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvb4ECgW-YU.
Learn more about Kimberly Collins:
1. How did you come to work at Treeline?
Four and a half years ago I was looking to leave an organizational consulting firm, after having watched three layoffs dismantle the sales team as I had known it. Honestly, I had no idea what I wanted to do next. I thought maybe software sales, maybe something in finance? I was working with a few recruiters and after hearing about several lack luster opportunities, I was finally introduced to Treeline. I accepted the job offer after a whirlwind of interviews and I felt like I was completely stepping into the dark. But I was sure about my belief that this company was going somewhere and I had to be a part of it.
2. What is the best thing about your job/company?
The culture. I love my job and can say that I look forward to going into work every day. Our culture is unlike any other company I’ve worked for or witnessed. We are competitive and we work hard but we truly all like each other. Robust dialog, healthy competition, collaboration are all things that are encouraged and practiced on a daily basis. Treeline is far more than just a job to me…it’s a passion, a family. It’s exactly what I should be doing.
3. What advice would you give job seekers in this market?
Don’t underestimate the impact of going to an interview well prepared. Treat your interview like a sales call. Research your prospect, ask questions to understand the problem they are trying to solve. Explain your features and benefits as a candidate and demonstrate how that “experience” is a solution to their problem. Be likable and finally, ask for the job.
4. What is your favorite hobby?
Exercise. I love to set goals and challenge myself physically. A group of my friends and I are all training for a sprint triathlon. The benefits of exercise physically and psychologically are endless.
5. What is your favorite quote?
“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” Mary Anne Radmacher
6. What is your favorite book?
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Join Our Network! Treeline, Inc. has created one of the largest sales communities on the internet.
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A New Sales Career?
How many times have you been faced with a task that seems impossible to finish or given a goal that appears unachievable or been in a situation that you just plain don’t like and start to think that the grass may be greener on the other side? If you let your mind wander you could think of a million reasons why being somewhere else, being with someone else or doing something different would solve all your problems. “I’d be happier. I’d be richer. I’d be less stressed,” etc. Quickly you convince yourself that you need to make a change and you need to make it fast.
I recently read a story entitled “Acres of Diamonds” by Russell Conwell*. In short, the story describes Russell’s journey down the Tigress River and a Turkish tour guide who entertained the group with non-stop stories. One night, the tour guide told the story of a wealthy farmer named Al Hafed . Al Hafed was visited by a Buddhist priest who explained to Al Hafed how diamonds were made, “and the old priest told Al Hafed that if he had a handful of diamonds he could purchase a whole country, and with a mine of diamonds he could place his children upon thrones through the influence of their great wealth.” Naturally, Al Hafed began to get excited about what his life could be when he found diamonds. So he sold his possessions, left his family behind and set off. Al Hafed travelled far and wide in search of these diamonds that would make everything perfect. But as he continued to wander, he became poor and despaired to the point of taking his life. Al Hafed never found his diamonds by searching the world. In his own garden, Al Hafed’s successor incidentally uncovered many diamonds: “had Al Hafed remained at home and dug in his own cellar or in his own garden, instead of wretchedness, starvation, poverty and death — a strange land, he would have had ‘acres of diamonds’ — for every acre, yes, every shovelful of that old farm afterwards revealed the gems which since have decorated the crowns of monarchs.”
After reading this story, I could not help but draw similarities to Al Hafed’s desire for diamonds and a sales professional’s desire for maximum compensation. Sales is a tough job – point blank! Not everyone can handle getting their teeth kicked in on a daily basis and wake up the next morning, willing to get beat up all over again. We are all gluttons for punishment to a certain degree. Sales people are held to the utmost accountability and if we don’t produce we don’t get paid. If we don’t get paid we don’t eat. Pressure? Yes, tons of it! Quotas are going up and compensation plans are going down. I hear it everyday. So is it easy to think – the grass will be greener if I get a different sales job? Of course. But the reality is that many times what you have in front of you is the opportunity that will continue to make you happy, keep money in your pocket and food on your table. Will it be as abundant as when the economy was soaring? Of course not. So before you decide to bail ship in search of a better life elsewhere take a deep breath, step back and reflect on the present. You most likely will conclude that you are standing in your own Acre of Diamonds.
*Acres of Diamonds, A Self-Improvement Classic by Russell Conwell.
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How Non-competes Can Affect Your Sales Career
By Kenneth J. Rossetti, Esq.
Many readers of this blog are either sales professionals bound by non-competition agreements (“noncompetes”), or employers of sales professionals who require their personnel to execute and comply with noncompetes both as a requirement of employment and as a post-employment condition intended to protect the business’ confidential information, trade secrets, and good will (for a discussion of noncompetes in Massachusetts, please see this author’s 6/9/09 article on this blog, entitled, “The ABCs of Noncompetes in Massachusetts”).
While sales professionals and their employers in Massachusetts routinely deal with the conditions and enforcement of noncompetes, not all states enforce noncompetes; for example, California bars noncompetes.
This fact begs a question recently addressed by the Massachusetts Superior Court – what happens if an employee bound by a Massachusetts noncompete takes a position with a competitor in California, where noncompetes are unenforceable? Is the Massachusetts noncompete enforceable?
The Massachusetts Superior Court recently answered that question in the affirmative, in a case where the Court granted an injunction barring the departing employee, bound by a Massachusetts noncompete, from taking a position with a particular competitor in California, despite that state’s bar on the enforcement of noncompetes. The departing employee, who had not yet moved to California to start the position he accepted with his prior employer’s competitor, argued that California’s bar on noncompetes trumped both the Massachusetts noncompete with his prior employer, and Massachusetts law upholding the enforcement of noncompetes.
The Superior Court disagreed. The Court noted that the noncompete at issue contained a provision expressly stipulating that the agreement was to be governed and construed under Massachusetts law, and ruled that enforcement of the noncompete’s choice of law provision was proper because (i) that choice did not violate a fundamental public policy of a state with a materially greater interest in the dispute and (ii) Massachusetts law would have applied even if the noncompete failed to contain this choice of law provision. The Court recognized that Massachusetts has a significant interest in the relationship of Massachusetts employers and employees, which outweighed California’s interest in barring noncompetes, particularly since the departing employee was not a resident of California.
Further, even though the departing employee expressed an imminent intention to move to California and work for a competitor, the Court did not hesitate to issue an injunction preventing the departing employee from taking the new position, given Massachusetts’ greater connection to the dispute.
The Court also noted that enforcement of the noncompete was proper because the parties intended to be bound by the noncompete when the parties entered into it. Issuing the injunction, therefore, advanced the parties’ justified expectations at the time the contract was formed, particularly since the parties did not intend at the time for the agreement to be governed by the law of any state other than Massachusetts.
The ruling described in this article illustrates several important points for employers and employees alike in Massachusetts. For employers, your noncompetes must be carefully drafted and reviewed by experienced legal counsel, as the choice of law provision that was in the noncompete at issue was an important factor in the Court’s decision. Further, employers should not hesitate to take action to protect their rights under their noncompetes, as Massachusetts courts will enforce noncompetes that meet the legal parameters of such agreements.
For employees, you may not escape enforcement of a Massachusetts noncompete, even if you intend to work in a different state that bars noncompetes. You should expect to abide by the terms and conditions of any noncompete you execute, keeping in mind that the protection of your employer’s confidential information, trade secrets, and good will simultaneously protects your bottom line and that of your company.
Attorney Ken Rossetti has been a licensed attorney in Massachusetts since 1997, and his practice covers various employment-related matters, including representing employers and employees regarding the review, drafting, and litigation of noncompetes. Ken welcomes your telephone calls at 781-944-4200, ext. 203, and e-mails at krossetti@BartonRossetti.com, to discuss how he may help you. Ken is not affiliated with Treeline, Inc., and this article, furnished for informational purposes only, does not constitute legal advice. Please seek legal counsel if you have questions about noncompetes, or any other legal matter.
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Sales Motivation in a Down Economy
I was recently invited to attend the annual President’s Forum by The Entrepreneurship Institute in Boston. Although originally skeptical, I found the one day event to be extremely informative and enjoyable. Attending the event were roughly 100 CEO’s from many successful organizations throughout New England and three guest lecturers that have experienced a significant amount of accomplishment in their careers. The format of the event was open forum and allowed the attendees to discuss challenges and seek advice amongst peers from all industries.
During one of the forums, a very common and concerning question was brought in front of the panel, “How do I motivate my sales team when their compensation will decrease by at least 25% this year?”
Although discouraging, I am sorry to say that this is a typical concern for CEO’s in today’s economic hardship. When profit margins are low and in some cases nonexistent, how do you respond to the consistent salesman mantra and famous Jerry Maguire quote “Show me the money”?? In many cases there is no money due to increased taxes, cobra benefits and skyrocketing healthcare costs. This recession is wide, deep and indeed long. Each CEO in the forum could relate to this concern because they too are facing the reality that their sales people are beat up and burnt out. Everyone is fighting hard to close business and increase cash flow but the constant fight seems to be taking its toll. Every CEO fears that their employees may be conducting salary comparisons and searches for new employment opportunities.
This topic of discussion proved to be a hot topic for the CEOs in attendance and the question fielded a plethora of responses, many of which we’ve already heard before. The most common suggestion was to find additional cut backs to support the sales team, however the problem is that there really is no financial solution to line the pockets of sales professionals unless they sell more. It’s that simple.
In this market, almost every industry has seen a decline in new business. Less new business means less revenue and less revenue means less compensation which then in turn leads to less employees. You can drop quota, you can create flexible spending accounts or other incentive awards, but at the end of the year a sales person’s income will still be significantly lower than it was the year before. Therefore, in some cases, sales professionals may be seeking alternative opportunities that will afford them more money. Unfortunately, the majority of companies cannot afford to give candidates additional compensation, thus leaving them with no choice. So if there is no choice in the matter, how do you motivate a sales team?
In life as well as in sales, time is money. So if you can’t give your sales team the money, then give them the time they need. Sales people are hungry for the sale and are addicted to the close. They are motivated by commission and money and tend to focus all their time on exceeding their quota and strive to be #1. In a good economy that means sacrifice. It’s all about 80 hour work weeks, hustling to get as much business in the door as possible. Typically speaking, there is no time for sleep and they get the job done at all cost. Therefore, in a strong economy there is no time. No time for your family, your spouse, your kids, your significant other, your co-workers or yourself; it is incredibly difficult to peel yourself away from your job. So in bad times, (and in this recession in particular) when there is no money, why not give more time? Right now, deals are fewer and farther between. Why not promote time off with your sales representatives’ family. Promote time with co-workers and even yourself, the CEO. By allowing your employees to take time, it also allows an opportunity for the entire company to rally together and to reinvest emotionally in the company. Now is the time to rise above the ashes to win. And there is no excuse not to – this is a time to bond and reconnect with your company and each other. A team that collaborates together stays together.
In conclusion, if you want to motivate your team you can hang motivational pictures on the wall or email motivational quotes and motivational stories till you’re blue in the face, but my recommendation is try to motivate with time. Create spiffs that are awarded with time off based on key performance indicators. For example, a spiff we are doing this month will be awarded to the sales person with the most outbound calls. The winner will receive lunch at the Capital Grille for them and one of their co-worker. The spiff is incentivizing them to make more calls while awarding them with time.
In these tumultuous times, people need a break more than ever. Try a spiff that gives days off or a long weekend. Help your team recharge their batteries. Most people have made less money this year, but now your employees will find themselves happier and more well rounded because they have become reintroduced to their family, their friends, their co-workers, themselves, the company and you. Employees will realize how sweet life really is and how important it is to keep a balanced lifestyle. At the end of the day, things can always be worse. Time helps people redefine what is most important in life.
Someday in the near future you and your team will be incredibly busy and will look back on these challenging times and say we all made less money but found a way to be happier and more content with our lives. There will be plenty of time to make back the money lost in this recession, but what you can never get back is time. Allow your team the time they need to become reoriented and one day soon, you’ll be able to respond to “show me the money” with an accurate sales model of success. For now, consider giving your team some time.
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How to conduct a successful sales meeting
One of the challenges for any sales manager, especially a fairly new manager, is conducting an effective sales meeting while consistently engaging your team. It can be extremely difficult to supply your team with valuable information without erring on the side of boring lectures and mundane sales tips. The purpose of a sales meeting is to engage your team, have the team participate and be able to share positive and constructive feedback.
When I was first promoted to a sales manager, I inherited a team whose manager was recently promoted to a Director role. He had a well oiled sales team in place and ran solid sales meetings. I figured that since I already had the personal rapport with the members on the team, it would be easy for me to follow his template for the sales meeting and have it be a success. Step 1: Run through the forecast. Step 2: Talk about what’s going on in the market. Step 3: Work in a little role playing if there is time. Step 4: Make an enthusiastic wrap up that pumps up the team. It seemed easy enough.
My assumption had proven to be wrong when I looked out at the team during the meeting and realized that I wasn’t keeping their attention, nor was I adding any value to them. I could sense from the team that the meetings were a complete waste of their time and I needed to change my approach if these meetings were going to be saved.
It took me a little time to find a groove but I realized that solid sales meetings take ongoing preparation. The meetings should be able to accomplish several things during a short amount of time. One of the first challenges that I faced was, “What do I talk about after we finish forecast?” What I settled on was on a weekly basis was to keep a running list of potential subjects and broke them down to Must Talk About and Could Talk About. Must Talk About were the issues that I had to cover from either a corporate side or something that I felt we needed to focus on. Could Talk About might be an interesting industry article or trend that could be brought up either this week or next. Now when I prepped for my meeting the night before I could organize what I wanted to cover. Taking time to prep is the key to running a successful sales meeting. You must block out this time!
Have an agenda and I set a timeline. Write out a meeting outline and bring copies for your team. You must keep your team engaged throughout the meeting but always remember, these are salespeople you’re talking to. Salespeople are notorious for having short attention spans and your salespeople are probably thinking about a number of different things while you’re blabbing away. Your outline lets your salespeople see what you want to accomplish and they can see when the meeting is going to end. This also keeps your salespeople focused until the end of the meeting and mitigates the time they spend fidgeting in their chair thinking about when they can get that cup of coffee they are dying for.
Lastly, take control and stick to what you want to accomplish. Make sure that you keep your meeting on track and relevant to the tasks you’re hoping to accomplish. Do not let your sales people hijack your meeting into the direction that they choose. If the subject they begin to discuss is not relevant to the tasks at hand, address the concern as valid and offer them time to speak with you about the subject once the meeting is over. Keep things positive and wrap up the meeting in a way that makes everyone feel accomplished.
Just remember, the best sales meetings are properly planned, concise and relevant. Every once in a while you can throw in an activity for team building or brainstorming, but always make sure you are engaging your team. With a little organization, your sales meetings will seem like a walk in the park.
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What does the market rebound mean for sales positions?
As a recruiter for sales positions I’m often asked what I’m seeing out there in the market place. Both candidates and clients are extremely interested in finding out what other companies are doing and what the new landscape is turning out to look like.
Despite the fact that economists are indicating that the recession is over, it is still apparent that the job market is extremely competitive. As for any industry, there are tons of candidates on the market who have been displaced from their recent jobs and there are also a number of candidates who are currently working but are in search of something more stable or lucrative. Because of the influx of candidates on the market, companies have had the luxury of picking and choosing who they’ll interview, let alone hire. More often than not, we are getting feedback from hiring organizations that they will only look at candidates who have immediate experience in the role that they are trying to fill. Unfortunately, even if a candidate has that type of experience a few years back, the companies would not consider those candidates relevant.
This recent behavior of hiring organizations has been frustrating for candidates and agencies alike due to the narrowness of the scope. However, companies have been selective not only because they can be, but because they feel that they have to be. Many organizations have experienced decreases in revenue quarter after quarter in 2009 and now they are looking to continue the growth that they have recently seen. They are looking to accomplish this by hiring and hiring correctly. Many organizations feel the way to ensure a successful hire is to mitigate as much risk as possible by hiring only candidates who have a proven track record in selling their type of solution to the specific audience that they are looking to sell to.
Today, there are more jobs on the market and companies are finally starting to hire more regularly. This is an extremely positive behavior that indicates a turn around in the market. However, the selectiveness of organizations has still persisted and will potentially be a continuing behavior of many companies over the next few quarters. Therefore, this scenario may prove to be the hardest sale of your career. Take a strategic approach to how you introduce yourself to companies and how you interview. Make sure that you draw similarities from your background to the open position to ensure the relevancy of your candidacy. Be it the sales size, sales cycle, complexity of a deal or the scope of the product, you have to make the similarities obvious for the hiring manager. Look at positions that you are interested in, be it outside your immediate experience or not, but also diversify your opportunities by applying for similar roles to what you’ve been in. It has not yet been indicated whether or not companies will loosen their spec in the near future, so set your expectations. However, there are more jobs out there than we have seen in months so your next dream job may be out there waiting for you. Go get it!
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Green and Renewable Energy Sales
In this market, many of us are looking for the next great and growing industry that will launch our careers and help pull this country out of this recession. We all have our own ideas of what the industry will be and if you are currently out of work or looking for a new position, chances are you have the desire to reinvent yourself to excel in the hottest industry. Most likely, you have thought about targeting Green/Renewable Energy as that next step in your career. Solar power, wind power, hydro-power, bio-diesel, e-waste, and the list goes on – these types of organizations combined make up an industry that is growing exponentially. In this day and age, these things are no longer a ‘nice to have’, but are quickly becoming a ‘must have.’ Targeting these types of organizations is a smart move, however, there is a down side- your smart idea is also the idea of everyone else….
I speak to sales people every day and I will be honest when I say that 90% of them are targeting these types of organizations. That makes it an extremely competitive market. But the good news is that there are very few people out there with direct experience in the space. Therefore, there is the opportunity to come to the table on an even playing field.
One way to gain a competitive edge is in the way that you position your background. Do your research and find out what kinds of target markets the company is going after – do you have experience in successfully penetrating a similar market? Who is in your network? – Are they companies that a green company would be interested in partnering with? Maybe the products or services you sold in the past have a similar sales cycle or sales model as the green products /services. Even better, maybe what you have sold is a similar technology – like printable electronics or flat panel displays. This type of experience is typically a good fit for solar opportunities.
If you want to be considered a player in the green space, dig deeper and look at green/renewable energy companies that offer peripherals. For example, inverters that sell into solar or software/hardware that is geared towards wind power.
My point is that if you are trying to get into this exciting and growing industry – do not think you are alone. It is very competitive and you have to be creative. If you are looking for ideas on how you can better position yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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I need a job…
In this type of marketplace, it is becoming more and more common to hear the phrase, “I need a job.” A large number of those professionals are in need of a position for financial reasons, however there are plenty of sales professionals who are financially secure but are in desperate need for a job due to the lack of challenge and the insatiable hunger for something new. As sales professionals, we are addicted to the win and are driven by the ability to drive our own destiny. Therefore, when some of these talented individuals find themselves with out a professional purpose, they start to go a little stir crazy. I recently placed a senior executive and before landing his new position, he told me that he had worked without a break in jobs since 1975. He thought he would love the freedom of not working but he discovered that he missed the action of the sale and working in a fast paced environment. He did not necessarily need the financial currency but he certainly craved the intellectual currency. After all, when you are out of work there is only so much “Regis and Kelly” to watch.
As a job seeker that is desperately seeking for a job, it is important that your interview style and answers don’t scream, “I NEED A JOB!!” at an interviewer. The reason this neediness is a huge turnoff to prospective employers is because it leads them to believe that you will only take the job due to the need, not due to your want. This will lead them to believe that you will not perform to the highest standards in the role in addition to the fact that they assume you will leave their job as soon as you find something better. Think about it: as a salesperson we have been in situations where we have a deal in our pipeline that is so huge, it will literally make our year. You’re at the end of the process and the name is all but signed on the bottom line when you start to get emotionally attached. Your desire for this deal is so apparent that not only can your whole team tell, so can your client. At the end of the process, you are so desperate for the deal to close. Unfortunately, when that happens, you typically lose the sale due to the fact that you were so focused on closing the deal that you weren’t focused on the subtleties that would have kept the deal moving forward. It is very similar to the interview process of a job. Sometimes your desperation can translate to the hiring manager and create a sense of need for the position and negate the sense of desire you may have for performing the job to the best of your abilities.
Therefore, no matter what the nature of your need for a job is (be it for financial, professional or mental reasons) you need to focus on the interview process and the things you need to do to ensure that things progress. Any sign of desperation will turn your interviewer off and may cause you to lose an opportunity. Focus on your answers and the questions you need to ask. You are a professional salesperson who knows how to fight through ups and downs. So breathe and believe: you are going to get that job!
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