January 31st, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Sales Manager
Sales Manager 734 – Boston – Technology – $150k
Our client is a rapidly growing technology company that is aggressively cornering an exciting emerging market. This is a cutting edge, privately held company that is about to explode.
Job Description: This is an inside sales management position that will oversee the internal sales team. You will be responsible for coaching and developing all members of your team while maintaining a environment that motivates.
Requirements:
7 – 10 years Inside Software Sales Experience.
Currently a manager
Highly transactional sales approach.
Strong teambuilding and Mentoring Skills
Successful track record of building and maintaining executive level relationships.
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Have the ability to market services via webinars etc.
Must be a hunter, have drive, passion and be hungry
Base Comp. $100,000
Total Comp. $150,000
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
January 31st, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
To bring in big business, you need two distinct types of personalities. Part of the trick is figuring out which one you are.
By John Warrillow, Jan 26, 2011
I’m guessing you generate the lion’s share of the revenue for your company. But have you ever stopped to think about your selling style? I have found that company owners tend to be either schmoozers or closers. Being a good schmoozer can undermine your closing ability, so knowing which one you are can reveal who your next hire should be.
The schmoozer
A schmoozer is a front person for a company. Usually thought leaders, schmoozers are good at glad-handing customers, making people feel loved. They remember customers by name and ask them about their lives. They are both door openers and door warmers.
The closer
To be effective, a schmoozer needs to hand opportunities to a closer. The closer, understanding a customer’s needs in detail, exposes a problem—often to the point of discomfort for the prospect—and proposes a solution. Closers may be friendly but rarely become friends with customers, keeping their distance to retain their bargaining position in a negotiation.
A good schmoozer needs to remain everybody’s friend—keeping things light and informal, smoothing over the rough edges of a commercial relationship. A good closer, on the other hand, needs to know how to ratchet up the pressure in a negotiation, applying just the right amount of leverage to get a customer to decide without turning them off. If a schmoozer is the grease, the closer is the crowbar.
I don’t think a founder can be—or should be—both a schmoozer and a closer. You have to decide your role and hire for the other. For example, Don Tapscott, co-author of Paradigm Shift, Wikinomics and the 2010 bestseller, Macrowikinomics, built his former company, New Paradigm, with the help of Joan Bigham, his second-in-command, who is a pure salesperson.
“(A salesperson) is an amazing kind of person actually,” he says. “They view ‘no’ as information, and they never take it personally. Someone says, ‘I have no interest in what you’re doing,’ and she says, ‘Great—now we’re engaged in a conversation.’ Most people are not really salespeople. They take stuff too personally. (They think), ‘You don’t like me, you don’t like my company, I’m a failure.’ A consummate salesperson thinks very dispassionately and strategically about the selling process.”
Tapscott, the schmoozer, explains the interplay between his role and that of his closer: “I make rain at a very high level. I need someone to use that to help the garden grow – to plant the seeds, to nourish them and fertilize them and get real value. It’s one thing for someone to say, ‘Gee, what Tapscott does is really interesting, and I think it could be important to our company,’ and it’s another thing for them to sign on the line to spend a few hundred thousand dollars per year to get some good insights.”
Tapscott was able to sell New Paradigm three years ago in part because he had segregated the role of schmoozer and closer so well. He agreed to continue to be a rainmaker for New Paradigm, now called Moxie Insight, for five years. Today, Tapscott’s books and speeches continue to unearth leads, but he’s not closing; he’s schmoozing.
So are you the schmoozer or the closer?
Warrillow, John. “Are You a Schmoozer or a Closer?” Small Business and Small Business Information for the Entrepreneur. 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. <http://www.inc.com/articles/201101/are-you-a-schmoozer-or-a-closer.html>.
Our client is has changed the way marketing and sales teams collaborate throughout the revenue cycle by automation and solutions. Their solutions are easy to use and most importantly very powerful by providing revenue growth through the revenue cycle from early stages, close and loyalty. Their breakthrough innovation and growth landed our client with the 2010 Award for Best Marketing Solution and Best Mass Email Solutions.
Job Description: You will be responsible for targeting and selling to enterprise accounts. You will be charged with prospecting, developing and closing IT and Marketing professionals within a Northeast territory. Being able to create and deliver forecasts, provide post-sales account management and utilize web tools to prospect customers.
Requirements: Candidates must have 7+ years of successful quota carrying SaaS experience Knowledge/experience selling CRM, SFA and marketing software and a huge plus. Four Year College degree is required and must live within the Northeast Territory.
Base Comp.
$100,000
Total Comp.
$260,000.00
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
January 24th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
The 5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Building a Sales Force
Companies are aggressively hiring and many are finding pitfalls along the way
By Daniel Fantasia, CEO and Founder of Treeline, Inc.
The sales job market is picking up aggressively and hiring managers are urgently trying to find the right sales professionals to attain this years revenue goals. Many of our clients are still mindful of the last couple of years and the volatility of the economy, but nonetheless they are ready to take 2011 by storm and get back into the game.
These companies are confident and looking to ramp up strong sales organizations in the first quarter. They have set the bar high for their revenue goals. Their belief in the market assures them that their goals are attainable.
Now it is all about human capital. The only way to achieve the revenue growth required is by having the right bodies in the right seats. Companies are aggressively on the move to hire and many are finding pitfalls along the way.
The 5 pitfalls to avoid when building a sales force:
1. Assumption: With the influx of sales professionals looking for a new job, many hiring managers assume that they will have the pick of the litter. Yes, there are plenty of people searching for a new opportunity, but the strongest sales representatives are not on the market for long. Never assume you have unlimited time when managing the interview process. If you qualify a candidate and know they are a strong fit for your company, do not play games, make the hire. If you do not make a hiring decision, realize that there is a very good chance you will lose the candidate. If you have a talented well qualified candidate in your pipeline, make sure you move the process quickly and close the deal. Don’t waste time. Push through all internal road blocks to get the hire. Imagine if one of your Sales Representative showed the same lack of urgency to close a prospect – you would likely explode. Do not treat hiring any differently. Your job is to hire talent so make sure you do it. If you need a hire, don’t assume candidates will pine for the opportunity to work at your company and never assume they have nothing else in their pipeline. If your plan is to hit your revenue targets this year, then make sure your headcount and hiring practice support those numbers.
2. Inconsistent Funnel: When hiring sales professionals remember one thing, a sales representative is not hired until the day they start. Keeping a consistent pipeline is the basics of sales. In Sales 101 you learn to drive activity and focus on a consistent pipeline of potential customers. It is easy when you have nothing in the funnel. It is easy because there is only one thing for you to do – fill it. Do not get distracted and do not be deceived. When you fill your pipeline, and find your perfect match, continue to search and keep your pipeline full. Do not emotionally connect with any one candidate. Strong sales professionals will sell you, they will close you, and they will ask for the job. However, that does not mean they will accept your offer. Realize that talented candidates have other companies vying for their employment. This means that you always have to keep a consistent pipeline regardless what a candidate tells you. Continue to interview and do not stop the flow of qualified candidates until your employee starts. There are many variables and no guarantees. Keep a consistent funnel and remember that a hire is only a hire if they start.
3. Over Processing: You have defined your process, identified what you are looking for, and know your time frame to hire. You fill the pipeline, but struggle to make a hire. You get distracted and lose your direction based on an emotional connection and intangible qualities that you like. As a result, you struggle to make a decision and your timeline pushes out. Thus, pushing out your candidates and ultimately losing them in the end. You’re surprised when your top two candidates decline to complete your interview process and find yourself scratching your head as to why. Know what you are looking for and be decisive. Don’t get distracted. Hone in on the skill set you need to build a strong sales organization. Time kills all deals so move swiftly. Any interview process that is extended will result in a no hire 95% of the time. The energy and momentum is lost and more competition has entered the playing field. The competitive landscape is aggressive right now and you cannot afford to over process. If you do, you will likely find yourself failing to hire the real talent and the top producers that can help you build a high output sales organization. Instead, you may find that the only ones interested in your job are the B players that can afford the time to make it through the process. Don’t be forced to settle.
4. Timing: The timing should almost never be off in the hiring process. If you are interested in hiring a candidate your first step is to qualify them. Ask them if they are interested in your opportunity, whether they are considering other opportunities and if so, where they are in the process with other companies. If a candidate is strong and pre-qualified, your job is to move along the hiring process and “make it happen.” The most successful hiring managers create urgency and hire great sales people. Hiring top talent is their first priority and those managers always hit their numbers. The point being, if you want to make a hire, find flexibility to get the job done. Do not make a candidate wait or pro-long the hiring process. Think about this, if a candidate makes you wait while you are in the midst of a search I guarantee you will get frustrated and most likely be turned off. Well, this is a two way street. Make a candidate wait and they will get frustrated. They will never tell you this, they will show up to every interview with a smile on their face, but believe me they are frustrated. Sales people have egos and although they may hope for the offer they will also keep their pipeline full and continue to look for the company that is the right fit for them financially, professionally and culturally.
5. Feedback: As you ramp up your sales team in 2011 look at your KPI. Analyze your metrics and look to see where your weaknesses are. Then ask for and listen to feedback. Review your 2010 metrics. How many people did you need to interview to make a hire? Rank those candidates. Now figure out of the top 10. How many did you hire? If the answer is 0 then rework your process. If you find that you made the hire and the rank was any greater than number 2 reconsider your hiring process. If you find that you are really not hiring the best, look at your process because it is broken. Ask for feedback. Talk to candidates and ask for an honest review of the hiring process. Once you get feedback do not disagree. I find that many managers disagree with the feedback from candidates. This is a critical mistake. If you can get honest feedback then listen to it, tweak your process and start hiring top performers.
If you avoid these 5 pitfalls you will successfully hire top performers. As a result, you will achieve the growth necessary to meet your company revenue goals. Have you recently hired a sales professional to join your team? What are some of the obstacles you encounter when hiring sales professionals?
January 24th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
5 secrets to climbing the ladder faster
CEOs and other top execs share tips for getting where you want to be
By Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder
Sometimes getting from where you are to where you’d like to be careerwise can seem like a daunting task. While time and experience help, other actions can speed the process along. Here, executives in a variety of fields share their tips on how to move up the ladder a bit faster.
Accumulate knowledge
“Knowledge is power,” says Linda Matzigkeit, senior vice president of strategic planning and human resources for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “You need to read about your industry, know what people are doing and keep your edge on innovation.”
Anthony Leone, founder of Energy Kitchen, a restaurantfranchise based in New York City, agrees. “Learn as much as you possibly can in your chosen field. Become such an asset to your company that the owners tell themselves, ‘We cannot live without this person.’” He further suggests asking your boss what skills would most benefit the company, then going out and learning them “to the point that they just roll off your tongue, like your phone number.”
Know how to ask questions
Armed with a solid understanding of their field, workers who gain attention are ones who know how to ask appropriate questions.
“Asking good questions is an art,” says Elizabeth Sobol,managing director of IMG Artists, North America, which offers management services to performing artists. “I will be much more impressed if you ask me good ones than if you talk over me, trying to show me how much you know.”
Employees should not worry that asking questions is a sign of ineptitude. “Do not be afraid to admit that you do not understand something,” says Robert Stack, president and CEO of Community Options Inc., a national nonprofit organization that develops homes and employment for people with disabilities. ”There is nothing wrong with not knowing; it is not asking or pretending to understand that always seems to have negative ramifications.”
Think outside yourself
People who move up quickly are often ones who are good at examining the needs and goals of the company as a whole, not just in their own particular niche. Matzigkeit says that because her field (health care) is very specialized, it is easy to get deep in your own area. “In order to advance and truly identify ways you can have continued impact in an organization, you need to get connected to the big picture. Only then can you develop your skills, broaden your exposure and find ways to apply your transferable skills.”
For managers looking to advance, Randy Murphy, president and CEO of the restaurant franchiseMama Fu’s Asian House, suggests wandering around. “Have a presence in your store, and always know what is going on with your guests, employees and overall operations.” He also notes that ambitious employees should always be looking for their own replacement. “Develop and train those under you so the team overall does better and so that you have a quality replacement to free you up for promotion to the next level.”
Give it your all
Of course, one of the best ways to gain notice is to be a solid performer. “If you execute flawlessly, you will have a solid reputation, which will allow you to network into the right circles,” says Brian Curin, president of the footwear chain Flip Flop Shops.
“Go beyond the job description,” Stack adds. If you feel you are a person who is supposed to help people with disabilities find jobs, Stark suggests you work extra hours and get creative. “If you are supposed to help with fundraising, go out of your way to ask someone you do not know for support. Always be a little early, and always ask you manager what you can do that means a little extra.”
Let your passion shine through
Doing all of these things, from learning as much as possible about a field to regularly giving 100 percent, can involve a great deal of time and effort. Some employees will look at these challenges as obstacles to overcome in order to get ahead. Others will view them with enthusiasm because they truly have a passion for their field. Guess who usually moves up faster?
Sobol says that she is impressed by people “who are fascinated by our business and are clearly always trying to learn and understand more about it. It is not hard to glean who is doing it out of genuine interest and who is not, so don’t try to fake it.”
For those who lack that passion, maybe it’s time to consider looking for a new ladder to climb. The rungs might not seem so hard to navigate when the journey upward is enjoyable.
Hering, Beth Braccia. “5 Secrets to Climbing the Ladder Faster – Career Advice Article.” MSN Careers. 28 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. <http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2482-Salaries-Promotions-5-Secrets-to-climbing-the-ladder-faster/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42482&sc_extcmp=JS_2482_home1>1=23000>.
January 18th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Sales Engineer
Sales Engineer 733 – East and West Coast – Technology – $140k
Our client is a 15 year old organization that has found explosive growth in SAAS marketplace. This company has a great history of raising money, bringing the company to market, playing first within the managed service space. During the years our client focused the majority of their efforts on managed services, they created their own help desk software. There are many companies that produce help desk software, however very few offer it delivered in a SAAS model. This rapidly growing company is looking for talented Sales Engineers to join their expanding team.
Job Description: In this role you will be responsible for delivering corporate positioning and technical presentations. The Sales Engineer must be proficient and comfortable in addressing objections, concerns, and reading a prospect’s buying signs. This opportunity requires RFI/RFP response, product trials, proof of concepts, industry research and competitive analysis. Strong communication skills and the ability to train team members, customers and partners.
Requirements: The SE must have a deep understanding of the ITSM and ITIL market spaces. The SE must be familiar with Data Centers and Managed Service Providers and feel comfortable giving presentations, demos, and has participated in key industry events. This person must act as a customer liaison and advocate – helping to identify, isolate, and resolve problems. Experience working remotely in a dynamic environment where extensive travel is required is a must.
Base Comp.
$100,000
Total Comp.
$140,000.00
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
January 14th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Economists Optimistic on Growth
By: Phil Izzo – Wall Street Journal – January 14, 2011
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal are increasingly optimistic about the pace of the recovery, predicting the U.S. will grow at better than a 3.2% annual rate in each quarter this year. “The U.S. economy appears to have successfully navigated the adjustment from a recovery driven primarily from economic stimulus and inventory rebuilding to one driven by private domestic demand and rising exports,” said economists at Wells Fargo & Co. “Three percent growth looks pretty good, particularly with housing stuck in low gear.”
Economists have steadily grown more upbeat about growth in recent months and boosted their estimates for the fourth quarter of 2010 in this survey. On average, respondents now estimate the U.S. grew 3.3% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in the fourth quarter—up from an estimate last month of 2.6% growth. The economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter.
These upbeat forecasts come despite a persistently bleak outlook for housing. On average, the economists now expect that home prices will post a decline in 2011, after more than 12 months of forecasting modest gains for the current year.
Meanwhile, 30 of the 56 surveyed economists, not all of whom answer every question, say home prices won’t outpace inflation for at least the next three years. The excess supply of homes also is seen keeping construction at moribund levels. On average, the economists expect 700,000 housing starts in 2011, above 2010 and 2009 levels, but well below the 1.5 million averaged from 1959 to 2007.
“The labor market weakness is suppressing a housing recovery,” said Sean M. Snaith of the University of Central Florida.
Amid the stronger growth forecasts, economists now expect the U.S. to generate nearly 180,000 jobs a month on average this year, significantly more than last year’s average of 94,000. But with continued population growth, that isn’t nearly enough to quickly bring down the unemployment rate, now at 9.4%. By the end of 2011, the economists, on average, expect the jobless rate to be 8.8%.
Persistent weakness in the job market also is expected to keep inflation in check over the course of 2011. On average, the economists expect consumer prices will rise 1.9% this year, within the Federal Reserve’s comfort zone of 1.5% to 2%.
The central bank has a dual mandate to promote full employment and maintain price stability. With little pressure on the inflation front and a slow recovery in the job market, most of the economists don’t expect the Fed to start raising interest rates until early 2012 at the earliest.
As the recovery moves forward, they expect the central bank to keep mostly to the sidelines. Fifty of 55 respondents predict policy makers will complete a previously announced $600 billion of bond purchases, and stop there. But the policy remains contentious, with just 27 economists supporting the full amount of the program.
The bond purchases “may not have been needed, but [Fed officials] shouldn’t give in to critics once they have started,” said Jim O’Sullivan of MF Global.
Despite the disagreements over Fed policy, 24 of 40 economists who answered the question gave Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke a grade of A or B, the highest marks among top central bankers. The European Central Bank’s Jean-Claude Trichet and the Bank of England’s Mervyn King received 22 and 19 grades above a C, respectively. Neither Masaaki Shirakawa of the Bank of Japan nor Zhou Xiaochuan of the People’s Bank of China got more than 13 A’s and B’s.
“All were dealt a tough hand, but Bernanke seems the most innovative,” said Bruce Kasman of J.P. Morgan Chase.
The economists also were generally encouraged by President Barack Obama’s selection of Bill Daley to succeed Rahm Emanuel as White House chief of staff and Gene Sperling to take over the National Economic Council now that Larry Summers has departed.
Twenty-three of 46 economists said the new team would be better for economic policy, while just one said it would be worse. The remainder expected no significant difference.
Izzo, Phil. “Economists Become More Upbeat – WSJ.com.” Business News & Financial News – The Wall Street Journal – WSJ.com. 14 Jan. 2011. Web. 14 Jan. 2011. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704307404576079870784741108.html?mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1&>.
January 10th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Kathleen Mauriot and Chris Simone Re-Join the Treeline Team
Kathleen Mauriot
With almost 20 years of experience in sales force recruitment, Kathleen Mauriot is a highly regarded and seasoned industry veteran. Kathleen has been recognized repeatedly for consistently surpassing hiring and revenue goals, and is widely admired by employers and peers alike for her instinctive ability to successfully bring candidates and clients together.
Kathleen has been instrumental in helping Treeline become one of the top staffing firms of its kind. She oversees the company’s growing consultant sales force across four operating divisions: technology, business-to-business, medical, and financial. She is also charged with driving revenue, providing leadership and training, building the Treeline brand, and growing the organization in both the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions and beyond.
Kathleen joined the firm as a senior consultant in 2002. After only a short time, she was promoted to Division Manager for Technology. In 2007, she was named Regional Director. During her tenure, she has received numerous awards including Sales Consultant of the Year (2005) and Sales Manager of the Year (2006).
Prior to her arrival at Treeline, Kathleen worked as a senior sales recruiter at other executive search firms in the area. Kathleen graduated from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. She lives north of Boston with her family.
Christopher Simone
A seasoned industry veteran, Christopher Simone has earned a reputation as a verified leader with a proven track record in sales, customer service, and customer retention. During the past 15 years, he has played a critical role in building successful customer-centric organizations, many from the ground up. As Vice President of Sales, Chris is responsible for developing client and partner relationships within Dado –which is Treeline’s world class Social Recruiting platform and emerging community– and driving growth and extending Treeline’s reach nationally.
Prior to joining Treeline, Chris served as Senior Vice President of Relationship Management at Integrity Interactive, a leading provider of corporate ethics and compliance programs. During his tenure there, he also held the role of Vice President of Sales for the Western U.S. Region. Integrity Interactive experienced exponetial growth during Chris’ tenure and is now part of SAI GLobal. Chris also served as Strategic Engagement and Enlisment Executive at LRN.
Earlier, Chris held senior level sales positions at several software companies including Sopheon Corporation, an enterprise software provider specializing in knowledge management and new product development; Boniva Software, a start-up company focused on enterprise learning management systems; and London-based Cedar Group, a global financial accounting software company. During Simone’s first year at Cedar Group, sales more than doubled.
Chris is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts. He lives northwest of Boston with his family.
Our client offers Software and Services that provide Legal Practice Management Services Management & Support that is comprised of a fully qualified team of Legal & Administration professionals, as well as IT & Outsourcing specialists.
Job Description
Autonomous Territory Manager Role
Target law firms
Target Corporate councils and provide services to expedite their legal billing
Software and Service takes away all non-lawyer duties and allows lawyers to focus on law
Build strategic partnerships to gain leads
Network within your community
Requirements
5-15 years of experience
Must have a Legal background
Heavily networked
Solution sales into Law firms (Litigation Services, Doc Services, etc)
Autonomous – self starter – Entrepreneurial
Base Comp.
$50,000
Total Comp.
$150,000.00
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
Our client is a rapidly growing Software Company that has grown at 46%. They have positioned themselves as an industry leader in the hottest technology space in the market today. Our company offers and energetic, competitive and driven environment. The executive team is dynamic and incredibly talented. If you work in the software industry and are looking for a fast growing, dynamic company this could be a great opportunity for you.
This opportunity is calling for a successful senior sales executive to call on C-Level Executives at Fortune 2000 organizations in several different verticals. This is a consultative sale where the representative will learn the needs of the client and be able to use their solutions in order to analyze the client’s needs. A strategic approach and driven personality is required to be successful in this role.
Requirements
7-10 Enterprise Software sales experience.
Strategic sales approach
Mature individual that can report to office or be virtual
Must be able to prospect for new business
Must have a minimum of seven years experience hitting a million dollar quota
Must be comfortable with 25% of travel
Experience selling to C-Level executives and board room presentations
Base Comp.
$100,000
Total Comp.
$220,000.00
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
