February 15th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
You are 37% better at sales when you . . .
By Dan Fantasia CEO and Founder of Treeline Inc.
According to psychologist Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and founder of Good Think Inc., having a Positive Mental Attitude makes you 37% better at sales. Therefore, the foundation for building a successful sales organization starts with having a positive mental attitude.
At a Ted Conference that took place in May 2011, Achor argues that happiness inspires productivity. He presents a very interesting case around the brain, the power of positive thinking, and the results of achieving happiness. He believes that we need to reverse the formula for happiness and train our brain to become more positive.
Achor examines the Happiness Advantageand asserts the power it has to create: Better Secure Jobs, Better Keeping Jobs, Superior Productivity, More Resiliency, Less Burnout, Less Turnover, Greater Sales!
According to research done on the power of a Positive Mental Attitude:
Only 25% of job success is predicted by IQ.
75% of job success is predicted by your optimism level, your social support, your ability to view stress as a challenge instead of as a threat.
If you can raise somebody’s level of positivism in the present then their brain experiences what we now call a happiness advantage, which is your brain at positive, performs significantly better than it does at negative, neutral or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises and your energy levels rise.
Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain is at negative, neutral or stressed. You’re 37% better at sales.
A culture that can thrive and grow with positive reinforcement is one that is built for the future and that can sustain itself over time.
I attribute much of Treeline’s success to the positive mental attitude of the employees that work here. As an organization that was voted Boston Best Places to Work we have fostered a culture that achieves success because of the positive attitude of the team. The Treeline team embraces a positive attitude every day we walk through the front door and I believe it is a key contributor to our success.
We meet with hundreds of Sales Managers and Executives throughout the year. In most instances, we have the opportunity to pull back the curtain and see the sales environments that exist in today’s market. We have found that the most dynamic and positively charged sales environments are the most successful. These environments are contagious in nature and they grow quickly. The team is motivated to sell, recruit and grow and when all players row in the same direction companies experience significant growth. These companies build momentum and find their wind at their backs and find much success when recruiting talent.
February 7th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
6 Tips to for a Successful Skype Interview
By Kathleen Mauriot Division Manager at Treeline Inc.
If you are an active job seeker you most likely have been asked to interview via Skype. This is becoming a new trend in the interview process with many companies. So if you are not familiar with this technology and are a job seeker, you may want to invest some time in getting familiar with Skype.
Among a variety of reasons, hiring managers are utilizing Skype to cut down on time and costs invested in interviewing. These days, employers are interviewing three times as many candidates for one role as they have in the past. There are just not enough hours in the day to keep up with the high demands of a thorough interview process. Remember time is money and the last thing a hiring manager wants to do is waste an hour of time interviewing an applicant after figuring out after 15 minutes they are not the right fit for the role. It’s easier to whisk a candidate off the Skype call than it is to shove them out the door after they drove an hour and a half to get to the interview. So to avoid an abruptly ended call, below are some tips that you can follow when preparing for your Skype interview to make it a success:
If you have never used Skype, create an account. It’s quick and simple. Start playing around with it until you are comfortable. Don’t wait to do this an hour before your call. You know technology – there’s bound to be a snag, especially if you are in a time crunch! You don’t want to miss the call with a “Skype excuse.” You may not get a second chance at it.
Be conscious of the environment in which you will be making the call in. Make sure there is no clutter, inappropriate posters or junk hanging in the background. Tidy things up. A plain, clean background is best. Also, make sure there is sufficient lighting.
99% of the time we are looking at someone when we are speaking. With Skype your visual audience is yourself. With that being said, most people have a natural tendency to look at themselves on the computer screen while they are talking. Don’t do this. You want to maintain eye contact with the interviewer by looking at the camera, not the computer screen. So practice, practice, practice.
Dress as if you were in a face to face interview. Wear professional attire including suit jackets, ties and the like.
Make sure there are no distractions. This includes but not limited to: kids, spouses, pets, alarm clocks, cell phones, music, and anything else you can think of. Also, make sure you mute your email alerts. You want to eliminate any and all interruptions that could disturb your interview.
Have a dress rehearsal with a trusted friend. How do you come across on the computer? How is the lighting? Are you looking straight into the camera? Are there any visual or audio distractions? Now is the time to perfect your skype call. Take it seriously.
The bottom line is be prepared and have fun with it!
February 7th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Outside Sales Executive
Company Profile
Our client is an online publisher and has quickly become the largest source of news and commercial information in its segment. Their online publications are growing exponentially in 16 U.S. Markets. This is a truly unique company with a fresh content perspective and the ways in which it covers business news; as a result, our client has already attracted hundreds of thousands of subscribers and over a million engaged readers.
Job Description
This is not your typical digital media company and this is not your typical outside sales role. This is a role for a true hunter and rain maker who wants to establish his or her career within a company that is different from anything s/he has ever experienced. The ideal candidate will thrive in a senior and autonomous capacity building the company’s presence in the Boston market to equal or surpass its presence within its more established markets. You’ll have the opportunity to build the territory and close deals while also attending marque events and networking with market movers. This company grew by 400% in 2009 as a result of its mission, unique value add, and above all else, its smart and committed team. In time, this key individual will become an instrumental player in building out the company’s office and team in this market.
Requirements
Team members who are considered have a College degree, high GPA, impressive demonstrable work ethic, and a thirst to grow and learn from his/her mistakes. This is an environment that is innovative and rewards people who reach for success and who make mistakes, learn from mistakes, and push forward.
This role requires a thirst for rain-making and cold calling. This is not a role for a passive individual. This is a role for someone who thrives within hyper-fast entrepreneurial start-up environments.
Team members are required to travel throughout the greater Boston area and will have at least three solid years our outside B2B sales success aggressively pursuing significant results.
In short, our client is not the “average company” and the team is not comprised of “average sales people”. The right candidate is awesome. Are you awesome? Base Comp. $30,000.00
February 7th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
By Sean Cashman Senior Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
Are you unemployed? For how long? What happened with your last opportunity? Why are you no longer there?
Do you find it difficult to answer these questions in an interview setting? You are not alone – as the media reminds us on a daily basis, there are a lot of us that are not currently employed. That means that there is a huge percentage of Americans who face these challenging questions everyday in interviews and even worse, they do not know how to answer them with confidence.
Some people go the route of being vague – dance around the issue without bringing focus to it. Maybe the potential employer won’t notice – fat chance. If you are vague and skirt any direct questions about your current employment status- you will raise red flags. Your potential employer will think that you are hiding something. Now your plan has back fired and the conversation is now focused on a piece of your resume that does not even come close to representing what type of employee you are.
Some people take the diversion route. Essentially, people will avoid the answer all together. Here is my advice – be direct. Avoid using phrases like, ”It is a long story…” or “It’s kind of tricky…” It is never that long or that tricky. Respect the person sitting across from you and make your answer be as direct as the question. Even if your story is not perfect, it is the truth and you are taking accountability.
Some people shade the truth or lie about their story. Here is my professional advice – Don’t. If you need a detailed explanation of why not – this blog is not for you.
My real advice is this – know your story and own it. We focus on sales roles at Treeline, so the candidates I work with are at an advantage because they know about the power of positioning.
Before you can tell your story, answer these questions…truthfully:
Were you laid off or fired?
Were you the only one let go?
Were you given severance?
Did you leave on good terms?
Do you have a good reference(s) from your last company?
If you were laid off, your story sounds a little something like this:
“There was a major re-org in the company, my position was eliminated, I was given severance, I left on good terms and I have a good reference from there.”
If I am a hiring manager, I have zero concerns about the candidate after hearing that. If I still have concerns, I will make sure to check that reference.
If you were fired, your story is a little trickier, especially if you did not leave on good terms:
“I was with this company for a short period of time, I was hired to do this role and after 2 months on board , my role was changed. It did not sit well with me – the management and I decided that it would be better if I moved on. It is not ideal but it is the truth.”
I am not trying to give you canned responses here – don’t quote this verbatim. Instead, I want you to take a candid look at your resume and think about how you want to articulate you story. After all, you are the only one who is going to be asked to tell it.
January 30th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Treeline Sales Job of the Week
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Company Profile
This pharmaceutical company has been recognized by multiple publications including Fortune, Selling Power, and Business Week. They have a strong portfolio of products, and a deep pipeline of potential therapeutics. Professionally, they offer a tremendous opportunity for an aggressive sales person looking to grow in an exciting industry.
Job Description
As a pharmaceutical sales rep, you will promote three or four products within an assigned geographic territory. You will work with other reps in a pod-system, and will call mainly on primary care physicians, as well as hospitals and pharmacies. Occasionally, you will conduct evening programs, involving your physician targets and local health experts.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will have one plus year of successful business to business, preferably outside sales experience. This candidate will have a four year bachelor’s degree, and will have a clean driving record and background. In addition, this individual must be articulate, intelligent, and polished, both in presentation and communication skills
January 23rd, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
6 Career Tips from Your Future Self
By Alex Bender, Sales Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
Focus on what you want and work backwards from there
1. Quality of Life
Many people do not think about the effect a job will have on their quality of life. What will the opportunity cost you? Will you be able to spend the time you want with friends and family? Will you have the ability to take that vacation you have been waiting for? Is that hour and a half commute going to beat you up after 6 months…how about after a year?
2. Money isn’t Everything
Individuals are frequently sold on compensation and can be blinded by the salary. This will get you into trouble. Make sure to live below your means and put more emphasis on challenging yourself professionally within an environment you love and as a result, the money will come.
3. Avoid Impulsive Decisions
This is a tricky one. How often do you say “yes” or “no” without knowing or understanding the details of the question? Make sure you know exactly why the question is being asked and what you are being told. Also, make sure you qualify the sales opportunity by asking qualifying questions.
4. Admit your Mistakes and Learn from Them
In order to become a leader in any industry you have to learn how to push the boundaries. Often, pushing the boundaries leads to making mistakes. Successful people know how to learn from their mistakes and move on.
5. Ask for Help
This one is two sided. When was the last time you had to ask for help? Was it a while ago, if so, maybe you are not pushing yourself? One key attribute for your continued happiness is to avoid the mundane. If you are truly pushing yourself you will inevitably be in a situation where you need help. It may not be the easiest thing in the world for you to do, but learning and mastering this will make your life easier.
6. Don’t sweat the small things
The fact is that in today’s world we are all very busy. Our work and personal lives have blurred and our days can be quite hectic. It is easy to get consumed and get stressed by the small thing i.e. traffic, computer problems, kids, wife, husband, coworkers, etc. If you can keep your cool and not let the little things bother you it will pay dividends.
January 23rd, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Millennials: What is your long term plan?
By David Demelo, Division Manager at Treeline, Inc.
Millennials, often referred to as Generation Y or Generation Next, are entering the job market at full force. Traditional values deemed important such as, job stability, salary and a record of success are still relevant to this generation. However, more than previous generations they have a sense of self entitlement, competitiveness, and a desire to find the next “big thing.”
Living in a volatile and un-predictable market has molded a generation where change can occur at any moment. In the past ten years, the job market has changed so frequently that staying at one organization for an entire sales career is no longer a reality.
So, do Millennials have a long term plan? Previous generations put a lot of weight on the reputation of the company and job stability. The Millennial generation differs because they no longer have this luxury. Former well known and reputable organizations are closing their doors on a daily basis and are being replaced with start-ups.
How do Millennials create a long term plan?
First, Millennials have to be aware of disqualifiers when applying for their ideal jobs. Hiring managers are selective, but in this job market they are more selective than in previous years.
As a recruiter there are always objections that individuals face while looking for a new job in sales such as, having direct experience, their location, the companies culture and of course money.
Don’t make this mistake: Leaving a sales job because a new opportunity promises more money. Now, don’t get me wrong, the more money the better, but does it make sense to leave a firm after 3/6/12 months for a few thousand dollars? OF COURSE NOT! You may not realize it now, but in the long run you will be labeled as a job hopper. Hiring managers look for job consistency and a proven record of success at one or two companies. Therefore, Millennials need to find a company that will allow them to grow and learn within the organization.
Here are two questions to assist the millennial generation when making the right decision in a long term career plan:
What do you want to do with your career?
If you can not be a Manager, Director or VP right away, then what can you do to get there?
For an example, you want to break into software sales and you do not have any experience. Success follows this longer term journey and path: Business Development Rep à Inside Sales Repà Account Executiveà Enterprise Repà Manager etc.
Here is my advice for you: Times have changed and what you have done in the past and the decisions you make can and will have an impact on tomorrow. So before you leap for a few more bucks, make sure you have a plan and know where you want to go! Good luck!
January 16th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
2 Birds… and 7 Reasons Job Seekers Turn Down Job Offers
By Christopher Simone, Vice President
Unemployment remains stubbornly high, yet sales Hiring Managers are really struggling to find top sales people. The reality is that the actual sales-specific unemployment rate is lower than the 8.5% level recently reported.
One real sign of this is that sales Hiring Managers are experiencing a sudden spike in the number of candidates who receive and then reject their job offers. This adds pressure to the need to build deeper funnels of candidates who are the right fit; this is increasingly difficult and budget intensive given the tightening in the sales-specific job market.
We know that in sales, increasing the conversion rate of existing leads to deals is more cost effective than increasing new lead flow (although both are important). Likewise, increasing the conversion rate of job offers to new hires is also the cost effective strategy.
There are several variables that impact the hiring process. Some aspects such as location and compensation will always affect hiring strategy and outcomes.
Additionally, here are 7 Reasons that Job Seekers Turn Down Job Offers:
1) Counter Offer
Employers are more willing to bite the bullet and make a counter offer to retain a producer. This is the result of a tightening market. Sales Hiring Managers need to qualify the potential risk of acounter offer with candidates as they progress through the process. In many cases, the candidate is well served by having time to think through the intended and unintended consequences of accepting a counter offer.
2) Better Offer
Candidates are increasingly receiving more than one offer. Those sales Hiring Managers who are doing a good job of qualifying candidates on other opportunities that they are pursuing are better positioned to make appropriate offers and emerge with a win.
3) Process Efficiency
Naturally, if you are pursuing a sales person and a competing company reaches the finish line sooner, that company will probably win. My mother always uses the “bird in the hand is better than two in the bush” proverb (honestly, I didn’t even understand that one: who holds birds? My Mother would never have let me even if I wanted to). The point is that many sales people are unlikely to wait for another offer especially if the offer in hand is a good fit. Sales Hiring Managers are tightening their processes to ensure consistency. Consistent, tight, hiring processes are also better understood internally and lead to more effective candidate communication.
4) Expectation Setting
Failing to set expectations can also diminish the outcome, particularly regarding the steps and speed of the process, the specific role, and compensation. Sales Hiring Managers had more time to vet candidates, and make decisions about the path forward, with less competition for talent during the economic down turn. Redirecting a candidate towards a Business Development role, for instance, after initially interviewing for a hunter/closing role with higher comp, is likely to end badly in 2012.
5) Surprises and Inconsistencies
The other side of the expectation setting coin… Good candidates are qualifying sales Hiring Managers throughout the process regarding role and compensation, and also the steps within the hiring process. Delivering inconsistent information can quickly turn off candidates especially regarding these and other dimensions such as corporate culture and environment. Are the members of your interview team on the same page and delivering consistent information? Surprises, such as delivering an offer that reflects new compensation or manager/report structure information can trigger fear, uncertainty and doubt. And, once again, missteps of this nature are fatal if you are competing for the candidate.
6) Word on the Street
Your candidates are engaging with other people (including with your current and former employees) on social Channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Candidates are reading about the culture and reputation of prospective employers on GlassDoor. Your job posts will attract comments and social engagement. It is important to understand what is recorded on the internet and it also important to actively affect the narrative. You can appoint ambassadors who can help engage candidates on the social channels. Hiring Managers should be qualifying candidates to understand their thoughts and perceptions prior to making offers. Learning about concerns in this area after the offer is delivered is probably too late. Please follow www.DADOMATCH.COM/blog regarding Social Hiring.
7) Environment and Fit
Candidates, whether they mention it or not, consider working environment and culture when seeking a new sales job. Certain, key, deterministic characteristics are reflected on every DADO Social Resume. Click here to see a sample DADO Social Resume. For example, Value versus Volume is one of many characteristics reflected. In part, some candidates are comfortable with high contact volumes and making calls in a noisy bullpen or multi-tasking on the road. It is important for both candidate and sales Hiring Managers to find the right fit.
First, start the process with relevant candidates. Tools such as DADO provide a valuable lens through which to spot relevant candidates. Second, actively communicate with the candidate about these key dimensions and characteristics. It is possible that the candidate is well aligned with the role and environment but for some reason perceives a mismatch. Open communication before the job offer is delivered can make a difference. Delivering this positioning after the offer is made is likely to have less credibility and be perceived as just a pitch to get the candidate to say “yes”.
Treeline, Inc. (www.treeline-inc.com) is recognized as an award-winning sales-focused executive search firm. Treeline is also the developer of DADOMATCH.COM, a first of its kind Social Hiring platform that fuses 21st century social technologies and behaviors, and hiring best practices.
January 16th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
New Year – New Goals
By Dan Fantasia CEO and Founder of Treeline, Inc.
“Behind extraordinary achievement you will always discover extraordinary effort.”
The Greatness Guide, By Robin Sharma
It is a new year and there is no better time than right now to inspire your sales team. One way to get the year off to a great start is to set your sales goals for 2012. Use your optimism to motivate and inspire your sales team. If you can harness this positively charged energy you can create an aggressive, focused and contagious environment likely to achieve success in 2012.
Here are 3 easy tips when to inspire your team:
1. Use inspirational quotes to motivate your sales team to work hard, take chances, and strive to succeed. There are thousands of quotes that you have read in your life time that have inspired you and passing them along to your sales team will likely have an effect on their attitudes. Share your enthusiasm and leverage good quotes that relate to your sales team. Get them energized and excited about the day, month, quarter and year. A great book for this is “The Greatness Guide” by Robin Sharma.
“Leadership is shown when a salesperson makes extra calls at the end of an exhausting day – not because it’s the easy thing to do but because it’s the right thing to do. Leadership is shown by the manager who finishes a report that has taken the very best from him, then goes back to it a little later to polish and improve it even more. And leadership is shown by the human being who fights the urge to stay under the covers on a cold day and throw on her running shoes to pound the pavement. Not because running miles on a frosty morning is fun. But because it’s wise.” – Robin Sharma
2. Bring the sales team together and reinforce team unity with pictures and stories of great memories. Talk boldly and openly about the last year. Look back at sales records, closed deals and team experiences. Help your team remember every positive experience in 2011. Relive funny moments, pictures from corporate outings and fun times. Many forget all the simple positive experiences they have enjoyed over the last year and many of these times are taken for granted. If you want to have a successful sales culture, then create an engaging environment that people want to be part of.
Here is a picture of the 2011 Treeline 10th Anniversary:
3. Lastly, use movie clips and videos that your team relates to. Movies are an effective and dynamic way to encourage your team. They foster self reflection and allow sales professionals to fully engage and support the message being presented. Movie clips are incredibly effective at supporting a motivational message that you are conveying. It is absorbed and experienced in a completely different manner and can get a team excited to take on challenges. Help them to be the best they can be.
Here are some videos about taking risks, commitment, hard work and adrenaline:
Running a sales team is about metrics, closing and hard work. To motivate an aggressive sales force learn what excites them. Once you understand what motivates your team reinforce your commitment to support them. Help them get motivated and hungry for success.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. But the second best time is today.
January 12th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Treeline Sales Job of the Week
Regional Sales Representative
Company Profile:
Our client is an innovative full service provider of customizable and brandable webinar content by using web, audio, registration and on-demand technology across a broad set of industries, including legal, IT, Associations, HR, Publishing, healthcare, Leadership and Entrepreneurship. They partner with companies to build continuing education content. Their team works with clients on a step-by-step plan to produce your best events, webinars, video conferences and more.
Job Description:
100% New Business/Hunter type mentality and excel at developing relationships at multiple levels within an organization.
Calling multilevel decision makers out of SFDC DataBaseRemote
Marketing Department is dedicated to teeing up warm leads for the sales team to call on.
Must be open to selling on the phone and closing deals face to face.
Travel to Trade shows once/quarter
Requirements:
Hunter mentality who can work autonomously – Hungry
Remote Home Office
Webinar experience
SFDC experience
Ability to close deals over the phone as well as face to face
