David Wensloff, PE
Integrated Engineers, Inc.
http://wecleanwater.com/
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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The First Step to Landing Your Dream Job
From Laura Lake,
Your Guide to Marketing.
In the past two weeks I've been reviewing numerous resumes for an open position in the company that I work for. I've found this review process long and boring. Very few of the resumes have grabbed my attention. This does not mean that the applicants are not qualified. They have just not taken to the time to create their resumes to grab a
potential employer's attention. Are you making that same mistake?
If you are in the job market it is important to realize that your resume is your personal marketing tool. Unfortunately very few job seekers treat it as such. Do not fall into the trap of grabbing a resume book and copying your information into a familiar format or just pasting your information into a commonly used Microsoft template.
Take some time and single out the unique qualities and experiences that will make you stand out of the crowd.
Remember in today's market an employer is inundated with resumes on a daily basis. However, do not let this be discouraging. You can use common marketing techniques and strategies to get that potential employers attention and land your dream job.
In the next 10 minutes I will walk you through the process of creating a roadmap that will assist you in effectively marketing yourself in today's job market. Take a few moments to grab a pen and notepad before you continue reading, so that you can answer each question below as you read it. Don't over analyze the question simply write down the first thought that comes to your mind. YOu can always review later and tweak as necessary.
• Step 1. What is your career goal? What type of job are you looking for?
• Step 2. What qualities have prepared you for this job? Do you possess more education or experience?
• Step 3. Who is your audience? Who are you targeting?
Make a list of your targeted employers. Keep in mind your message must be designed for your audience. If you are applying for a technical job they are more than likely not interested in a conversational novel regarding your personality, rather they are more interested in your technical expertise. However if you are applying for a marketing position you will spark their interest with a creative and conversational pitch.
• Step 4. Create your personal sales campaign.
Now that you've listed your specific goal, qualities, and your target it's time to develop your sales campaign. You do this by embedding these components into the writing of your cover letter, resume, and the development of your two-minute pitch.
For more information on career resources visit these About resources:
Career Planning by Dawn Rosenberg McKay
Job Searching by Alison Doyle.
Your Guide to Marketing.
In the past two weeks I've been reviewing numerous resumes for an open position in the company that I work for. I've found this review process long and boring. Very few of the resumes have grabbed my attention. This does not mean that the applicants are not qualified. They have just not taken to the time to create their resumes to grab a
potential employer's attention. Are you making that same mistake?
If you are in the job market it is important to realize that your resume is your personal marketing tool. Unfortunately very few job seekers treat it as such. Do not fall into the trap of grabbing a resume book and copying your information into a familiar format or just pasting your information into a commonly used Microsoft template.
Take some time and single out the unique qualities and experiences that will make you stand out of the crowd.
Remember in today's market an employer is inundated with resumes on a daily basis. However, do not let this be discouraging. You can use common marketing techniques and strategies to get that potential employers attention and land your dream job.
In the next 10 minutes I will walk you through the process of creating a roadmap that will assist you in effectively marketing yourself in today's job market. Take a few moments to grab a pen and notepad before you continue reading, so that you can answer each question below as you read it. Don't over analyze the question simply write down the first thought that comes to your mind. YOu can always review later and tweak as necessary.
• Step 1. What is your career goal? What type of job are you looking for?
• Step 2. What qualities have prepared you for this job? Do you possess more education or experience?
• Step 3. Who is your audience? Who are you targeting?
Make a list of your targeted employers. Keep in mind your message must be designed for your audience. If you are applying for a technical job they are more than likely not interested in a conversational novel regarding your personality, rather they are more interested in your technical expertise. However if you are applying for a marketing position you will spark their interest with a creative and conversational pitch.
• Step 4. Create your personal sales campaign.
Now that you've listed your specific goal, qualities, and your target it's time to develop your sales campaign. You do this by embedding these components into the writing of your cover letter, resume, and the development of your two-minute pitch.
For more information on career resources visit these About resources:
Career Planning by Dawn Rosenberg McKay
Job Searching by Alison Doyle.
Success-Stories-New-Layout-Christiane.
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On Advertising: Failure succeeds for London 2012 logo
LONDON: Has any marketer ever gotten more for its money than the London Olympics organizers when they introduced a new logo for the 2012 Games?
All right, some of the descriptions in the British tabloids - a "toileting monkey," a
ee advertising is not all that the organizers got for the new logo, a cartoon-like depiction of the number "2012." The design also prompted strong reactions from the
public, a measure of its ability to "engage" it, to use a bit of trendy marketing-speak.
Like other marketers that have tried to get consumers involved, the Olympic
organizers created a design template on their Web site for people to download and create their own logos; these have been posted on the site.
But the London 2012 Committee's user-generated-content plans got an unexpected lift when several newspapers embraced the idea, too, asking readers to send in their own Olympic logos, which they printed.
An anti-logo group drew 35,000 signatures to a petition seeking to have the design changed - that's 35,000 people who probably never thought they would feel passionately about an Olympic emblem.
Marketing experts said the outcry might be exactly what the organizers needed as they sought to raise interest among Britons, especially the young, who seem somewhat blasé about the London Games, at least compared with the Chinese and their excitement over the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
"From my perspective it was probably good for them because it got people talking about London and the Games," said Paul Kemp-Robertson, the editor of Contagious magazine, which tracks marketing trends in new media.
The London organizers need to generate awareness because they have set a goal of raising about one-third of the £2 billion-plus operating budget from sponsorships.
In attracting sponsorship money, the Olympics organizers have to compete against other sporting events with an international profile, including Formula One auto racing, the World Cup soccer tournament and the America's Cup.
So far, the London organizers have announced one major local sponsor, the British banking company Lloyds TSB, a deal worth a reported £80 million.
Joanna Manning-Cooper, a spokeswoman for the London committee, declined to comment on reports that EDF Energy, the British unit of the French utility Électricité de France, was poised to announce a similar deal.
For that kind of money, any marketer would want a bit of flexibility, and Manning-Cooper said the London 2012 logo is the first Olympics emblem that can be modified by marketers. In newspaper ads that appeared last week, Lloyd's TSB used a giant image of the logo, but in its own brand colors - blue fading to green - rather than one of the four colors provided by the Games organizers.
Manning-Cooper declined to comment on talk that organizers would eventually allow sponsors to rearrange the individual shapes that make up the design, but said the logo would "evolve over time."
With five years left till the 2012 Games, there's plenty of time for the fuss over the logo to die down - or for it, too, to evolve.
All right, some of the descriptions in the British tabloids - a "toileting monkey," a
ee advertising is not all that the organizers got for the new logo, a cartoon-like depiction of the number "2012." The design also prompted strong reactions from the
public, a measure of its ability to "engage" it, to use a bit of trendy marketing-speak.
Like other marketers that have tried to get consumers involved, the Olympic
organizers created a design template on their Web site for people to download and create their own logos; these have been posted on the site.
But the London 2012 Committee's user-generated-content plans got an unexpected lift when several newspapers embraced the idea, too, asking readers to send in their own Olympic logos, which they printed.
An anti-logo group drew 35,000 signatures to a petition seeking to have the design changed - that's 35,000 people who probably never thought they would feel passionately about an Olympic emblem.
Marketing experts said the outcry might be exactly what the organizers needed as they sought to raise interest among Britons, especially the young, who seem somewhat blasé about the London Games, at least compared with the Chinese and their excitement over the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
"From my perspective it was probably good for them because it got people talking about London and the Games," said Paul Kemp-Robertson, the editor of Contagious magazine, which tracks marketing trends in new media.
The London organizers need to generate awareness because they have set a goal of raising about one-third of the £2 billion-plus operating budget from sponsorships.
In attracting sponsorship money, the Olympics organizers have to compete against other sporting events with an international profile, including Formula One auto racing, the World Cup soccer tournament and the America's Cup.
So far, the London organizers have announced one major local sponsor, the British banking company Lloyds TSB, a deal worth a reported £80 million.
Joanna Manning-Cooper, a spokeswoman for the London committee, declined to comment on reports that EDF Energy, the British unit of the French utility Électricité de France, was poised to announce a similar deal.
For that kind of money, any marketer would want a bit of flexibility, and Manning-Cooper said the London 2012 logo is the first Olympics emblem that can be modified by marketers. In newspaper ads that appeared last week, Lloyd's TSB used a giant image of the logo, but in its own brand colors - blue fading to green - rather than one of the four colors provided by the Games organizers.
Manning-Cooper declined to comment on talk that organizers would eventually allow sponsors to rearrange the individual shapes that make up the design, but said the logo would "evolve over time."
With five years left till the 2012 Games, there's plenty of time for the fuss over the logo to die down - or for it, too, to evolve.
The 4Ps and the marketing mix
The 4Ps are the ideas to consider when marketing a product. They form the basis of the marketing mix. Getting this mix right is critical in order to successfully market a product. The 4Ps are:
1. Product
2. Price
3. Promotion
4. Place
If market research is carried out effectively, a company can plan a promotion for the right product, at the right price, and to get it to their chosen market, in the right place.
Now look at the 4Ps in more detail.
Product
A product can be either a good or a service that is sold either to a commercial customer or an end consumer. A customer buys a product, and a consumer uses it. Sometimes these are one and the same, as an industrial firm can also be a customer and a consumer. For example, British Airways might buy aeroplanes from British Aerospace, so it is a customer. It won't sell on the planes to another buyer, as BA needs the planes to provide its service, so it is also a consumer. Sometimes a wide product range covers both (Mercedes produce lorries for haulage companies, and cars for domestic use).
More commonly, there will be a number of sellers forming a chain of distribution. For example, a gold mine may sell gold to a jewellery manufacturer, who in turn will sell on rings to wholesalers and retailers, before we get to buy them in the high street.
Each is a customer, but only the final user is the end consumer. A marketing manager will identify who his/her target market is, what they want, and sell it to them at each stage in the chain.
Price
No matter how good the product is, it is unlikely to succeed unless the price is right. This does not just mean being cheaper than competitors. Most people associate a higher price with quality, so you would expect to pay more for a Rolls Royce than for a Lada. On the other hand, is one cola worth more than another, and if so, how much?
As a rule, a producer of luxury or medical products will use skim pricing or premium pricing initially, in order to maximize its profits. This is useful, as it helps them to recover expensive research and development costs quickly.
For fast moving consumable goods (fmcg's) like colas, penetration pricing is usually used. The firm will want a large share of the market, so will settle for a small profit on each item. In the long term, they hope that the turnover, and therefore their profits, will be high.
The simplest method of all is cost-plus pricing , where a firm adds a profit mark-up to the unit cost.
Promotion
The main aims of promotion are to persuade, inform and make people more aware of a brand, as well as improving sales figures. Advertising is the most widely used form of promotion, and can be through the media of TV, radio, journals, cinema or outdoors (billboards, posters). The specific sections of society (market segments) being targeted will affect the types of media chosen, as will the cost. If you were a toy manufacturer, you might want an advertising spot during children's TV. If you ran a local restaurant, you might choose a local paper or radio.
A small or local business would not usually advertise on TV, because it is very expensive. Sales promotion is designed to encourage new and repeat sales. Loyalty cards, free gifts, competitions and voucher schemes are the most popular.
Companies use sponsorship and public relations to improve their image, notably through financing sports, the arts and public information services.
Place
Distribution channels are the key to this area. A firm has to find the most cost-effective way to get the product to the consumer. Direct marketing through catalogers, via a TV shopping channel and through the Internet have become popular, because the consumer can shop from home.
For the firm, they can cut out the middleman in the process, and can therefore make more profit. Going through wholesalers and high-street retailers, however, is the most popular form of distribution, as that is still where most people shop.
1. Product
2. Price
3. Promotion
4. Place
If market research is carried out effectively, a company can plan a promotion for the right product, at the right price, and to get it to their chosen market, in the right place.
Now look at the 4Ps in more detail.
Product
A product can be either a good or a service that is sold either to a commercial customer or an end consumer. A customer buys a product, and a consumer uses it. Sometimes these are one and the same, as an industrial firm can also be a customer and a consumer. For example, British Airways might buy aeroplanes from British Aerospace, so it is a customer. It won't sell on the planes to another buyer, as BA needs the planes to provide its service, so it is also a consumer. Sometimes a wide product range covers both (Mercedes produce lorries for haulage companies, and cars for domestic use).
More commonly, there will be a number of sellers forming a chain of distribution. For example, a gold mine may sell gold to a jewellery manufacturer, who in turn will sell on rings to wholesalers and retailers, before we get to buy them in the high street.
Each is a customer, but only the final user is the end consumer. A marketing manager will identify who his/her target market is, what they want, and sell it to them at each stage in the chain.
Price
No matter how good the product is, it is unlikely to succeed unless the price is right. This does not just mean being cheaper than competitors. Most people associate a higher price with quality, so you would expect to pay more for a Rolls Royce than for a Lada. On the other hand, is one cola worth more than another, and if so, how much?
As a rule, a producer of luxury or medical products will use skim pricing or premium pricing initially, in order to maximize its profits. This is useful, as it helps them to recover expensive research and development costs quickly.
For fast moving consumable goods (fmcg's) like colas, penetration pricing is usually used. The firm will want a large share of the market, so will settle for a small profit on each item. In the long term, they hope that the turnover, and therefore their profits, will be high.
The simplest method of all is cost-plus pricing , where a firm adds a profit mark-up to the unit cost.
Promotion
The main aims of promotion are to persuade, inform and make people more aware of a brand, as well as improving sales figures. Advertising is the most widely used form of promotion, and can be through the media of TV, radio, journals, cinema or outdoors (billboards, posters). The specific sections of society (market segments) being targeted will affect the types of media chosen, as will the cost. If you were a toy manufacturer, you might want an advertising spot during children's TV. If you ran a local restaurant, you might choose a local paper or radio.
A small or local business would not usually advertise on TV, because it is very expensive. Sales promotion is designed to encourage new and repeat sales. Loyalty cards, free gifts, competitions and voucher schemes are the most popular.
Companies use sponsorship and public relations to improve their image, notably through financing sports, the arts and public information services.
Place
Distribution channels are the key to this area. A firm has to find the most cost-effective way to get the product to the consumer. Direct marketing through catalogers, via a TV shopping channel and through the Internet have become popular, because the consumer can shop from home.
For the firm, they can cut out the middleman in the process, and can therefore make more profit. Going through wholesalers and high-street retailers, however, is the most popular form of distribution, as that is still where most people shop.
Bright Idea: Rewards for Good Health
A growing number of companies offer employees incentives to improve their health by exercising, quitting smoking or controlling chronic conditions. Now one legislator wants the state of Minnesota to jump on that bandwagon, the Associated Press reports. Sen. Linda Berglin (D-Minn.) has proposed giving out $20 gift cards from retailers like Target to citizens with public health insurance who lose weight, control diabetes and the like. The $1 million proposal is designed to complement a year-old state program, known as the QCare program, that offers bonuses to health care providers and insurance plans that do a good job of controlling high-cost chronic conditions such as heart disease.
Closing the Technical Sale
Rewarding your service specialists for their selling efforts
By Maggie Rauch
About five years ago, Ingersoll Rand, which manufactures Bobcat construction equipment and Club Car golf vehicles, had pretty good salespeople and competent, technically knowledgeable customer service employees. But the Montvale, N.J.–based machinery manufacturer wanted more. It wanted to turn those mechanical experts into advocates for the products who could help build customer relationships, up-sell and feel more responsible for the company's success. The company turned to incentives to make sales goals a part of the culture for its mechanical support team.
"They were fixing the problem and getting customers off the phone, doing a great job of what we'd asked them to do," says Julia Zelenock, program manager for Ingersoll Rand's stores. Three out of every five employees at the 31 company stores are tech specialists whose job is to help customers troubleshoot complex mechanical equipment. But the company felt those folks could prove to be effective sellers. "We wanted to bridge the gap between their technical knowledge and their ability to close business," she says.
With the help of Signature Worldwide, a training consultancy based in Dublin, Ohio, Ingersoll-Rand rolled out the incentive program in 2003. Employees can earn rewards points one of two ways: Either by participating in training or by scoring perfectly on a "mystery shop" call placed by Signature. (The mystery calls are for rewards and never used punitively.)
Employees can redeem their points for various prizes from a catalog. They also earn entries in an annual raffle, where one person wins a big prize. In past years, Ingersoll Rand has awarded family trips to Disney World and Cancun, Mexico. Second and third place winners get a merchandise award, such as a Bose Wave Radio.
The program not only rewards workers, it also keeps the dispersed store managers in contact with their peers, Zelenock says. "Signature created an online portal for our group, where managers can go and communicate with each other about what's working in their store," she says. The Web site posts a running tally of stores' performance metrics, fostering accountability and competition. The program also encourages collaboration and best practices exchanges among stores. "Managers will call another store that's a top performer and learn how they earned the award," Zelenock adds.
"[The program] sends the right message to employees—when that phone rings, we try to do what we can," Zelenock says. And, she adds, "what gets measured gets done."
By Maggie Rauch
About five years ago, Ingersoll Rand, which manufactures Bobcat construction equipment and Club Car golf vehicles, had pretty good salespeople and competent, technically knowledgeable customer service employees. But the Montvale, N.J.–based machinery manufacturer wanted more. It wanted to turn those mechanical experts into advocates for the products who could help build customer relationships, up-sell and feel more responsible for the company's success. The company turned to incentives to make sales goals a part of the culture for its mechanical support team.
"They were fixing the problem and getting customers off the phone, doing a great job of what we'd asked them to do," says Julia Zelenock, program manager for Ingersoll Rand's stores. Three out of every five employees at the 31 company stores are tech specialists whose job is to help customers troubleshoot complex mechanical equipment. But the company felt those folks could prove to be effective sellers. "We wanted to bridge the gap between their technical knowledge and their ability to close business," she says.
With the help of Signature Worldwide, a training consultancy based in Dublin, Ohio, Ingersoll-Rand rolled out the incentive program in 2003. Employees can earn rewards points one of two ways: Either by participating in training or by scoring perfectly on a "mystery shop" call placed by Signature. (The mystery calls are for rewards and never used punitively.)
Employees can redeem their points for various prizes from a catalog. They also earn entries in an annual raffle, where one person wins a big prize. In past years, Ingersoll Rand has awarded family trips to Disney World and Cancun, Mexico. Second and third place winners get a merchandise award, such as a Bose Wave Radio.
The program not only rewards workers, it also keeps the dispersed store managers in contact with their peers, Zelenock says. "Signature created an online portal for our group, where managers can go and communicate with each other about what's working in their store," she says. The Web site posts a running tally of stores' performance metrics, fostering accountability and competition. The program also encourages collaboration and best practices exchanges among stores. "Managers will call another store that's a top performer and learn how they earned the award," Zelenock adds.
"[The program] sends the right message to employees—when that phone rings, we try to do what we can," Zelenock says. And, she adds, "what gets measured gets done."
The Science of Motivation
New recognition tool puts focus on manager training, employee choice
By A.E. Smith
In a classic incentive program, a company dangles a big reward, such as a trip or a television, to drive up sales figures. The objective is clear, the reward is universal, the results are easily measured. The problem is that fewer programs today fit that classic model. Instead, more companies want to drive murky concepts, such as brand awareness or better health, and employees want award options that aren't listed in a catalogue. "Our studies have shown that only one in ten people in America are recognized in ways that are meaningful to them," says Melissa Van Dyke, employee engagement consultant for Fenton, Mo.–based rewards company Maritz. "We started thinking that there was a side of the story that was missing."
To fill this perceived gap, Maritz has partnered with recognition guru Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, to develop its new Recognition Studio. The set of tools helps companies centralize their incentive objectives and functions by integrating formal and informal rewards as well as communications, marketing, measurement and tracking into one reward solution.
The process begins with robust assessments that poll employees about their reward preferences and managers about their views on recognition. The second step involves training managers to use recognition to meet strategic goals. Clients can choose to have Maritz consultants either train individual managers or their own trainers for a two-day session that teaches the philosophy behind using rewards, incorporating market data and research, as well as hands-on tactics.
Maritz also has changed its approach toward award categories. Rather than the usual dichotomy between travel and merchandise options, clients of the Recognition Studio can incorporate untraditional rewards—such as extra time off, cultural events, educational opportunities or even a better parking space—into typical points programs. Maritz uses the results of the assessments to determine which awards will be most effective for the type of initiative planned. "Motivation is more than merchandise or travel," Van Dyke says. "The workforce has moved right past that. The trend is moving more to individual preferences."
Maritz also wanted to respond to clients who needed a program that could better integrate all their reward programs with marketing and human resource objectives. The challenge was to find a way to formally organize awards without losing the spontaneity and personal touch of the most effective reward systems. By incorporating managerial training, the program ensures that managers are empowered to implement programs and are knowledgeable about getting the results the company needs. "We talk about centralizing the effort, but decentralizing the ownership," Van Dyke says. "You don't want to diminish the creativity of the program." —A.E. Smith
Bright Idea: Faith at Work
By Maya Dollarhide
A recent Gallup Poll showed that 45 percent of Americans talk about their faith at work, so employers shouldn't dismiss its motivating power. Rabbi Yitzchak Goldman, author of The Soul Diet: Ten Steps Towards Metaphysical Health, says that people who bring an element of spirituality to the workplace often are healthier and happier employees. "They think the work they do is important to their overall purpose, not just a job. And people with this outlook are less subject to the distractions that cause delays and time-wasting," he says.
Companies are still figuring out how to fully incorporate religion into the workplace. A report by The Conference Board, a New York–based research group, advises companies to recognize the value of allowing workers to take care of their spiritual health. Some companies offer rooms for daily prayers, observe multi-religious holiday calendars and provide awareness about the religions represented in their companies. "Religion is playing a larger role, especially because people spend more time at the office," says Gil Stricklin, a former army chaplain and CEO of Marketplace Chaplains, a nonprofit organization that provides chaplains to U.S. companies. "The benefit for the companies that allow religion in the workplace is clear: They have fewer people calling in sick and a lower turnover rate of employees."
A recent Gallup Poll showed that 45 percent of Americans talk about their faith at work, so employers shouldn't dismiss its motivating power. Rabbi Yitzchak Goldman, author of The Soul Diet: Ten Steps Towards Metaphysical Health, says that people who bring an element of spirituality to the workplace often are healthier and happier employees. "They think the work they do is important to their overall purpose, not just a job. And people with this outlook are less subject to the distractions that cause delays and time-wasting," he says.
Companies are still figuring out how to fully incorporate religion into the workplace. A report by The Conference Board, a New York–based research group, advises companies to recognize the value of allowing workers to take care of their spiritual health. Some companies offer rooms for daily prayers, observe multi-religious holiday calendars and provide awareness about the religions represented in their companies. "Religion is playing a larger role, especially because people spend more time at the office," says Gil Stricklin, a former army chaplain and CEO of Marketplace Chaplains, a nonprofit organization that provides chaplains to U.S. companies. "The benefit for the companies that allow religion in the workplace is clear: They have fewer people calling in sick and a lower turnover rate of employees."
Get Reps to Hit the Ground Running
Be strategic about getting reps up to speed in their first month
By Ellen Neuborne
Troy Harrison has three clients for whom the clock is ticking. They are all sales managers working with new sales reps, and they are laboring under the old assumption that they have 90 days to decide whether the new hire is working out. But that time frame is outdated, says Harrison, founder of SalesForce Solutions, a sales consulting and training firm based in Mission, Kan.
The first month is the new first quarter. Competition and technology have created a shorter sales cycle in many industries, which means companies demand more from sales reps much earlier in the process. In the past, a new salesperson might have spent time shadowing a more experienced team member, but today a newbie is expected to begin producing right off the bat.
That short-term outlook is a two-way street. As much as managers are judging a new rep, that rep is also evaluating his new position. "What managers fail to realize is that the salesperson is also making a decision as to whether this is the right fit for him," says Harrison. "If you don't demonstrate that in the first thirty days, the salesperson is going to be back out on the market."
Reducing sales personnel turnover is a priority for many companies, but turnover is rarely the result of bad hires. "It's more often a case of failure to launch. I tell managers all the time: It's not bad hires, it's bad on-boarding," Harrison says.
How can managers avoid that scenario? For starters, create a process for integration and training rather than leaving it up to individual managers. Mark Landiak, president of Corporate Dynamics, a sales and customer service consulting firm based in Naperville, Ill., recommends making a detailed calendar of the rep's first weeks that outlines precise daily activities.
Managers should also combine inside and outside training. When a new rep schedules meetings with customers to make his first introduction, be sure that it is more than just a meet-and-greet. "Remember that every meeting has to have something in it for the customer," says Damon Jones, who leads international growth initiatives for sales performance firm Miller Heiman, based in Reno, Nev. "Don't let a new rep take up a customer's valuable time."
Finally, use tools to reduce the ramp-up process. For example, consider personality assessments that allow both reps and managers to get to know one another's communication preferences right from the start. This reduces the getting-to-know-you period and allows the team to work more effectively from day one.
By Ellen Neuborne
Troy Harrison has three clients for whom the clock is ticking. They are all sales managers working with new sales reps, and they are laboring under the old assumption that they have 90 days to decide whether the new hire is working out. But that time frame is outdated, says Harrison, founder of SalesForce Solutions, a sales consulting and training firm based in Mission, Kan.
The first month is the new first quarter. Competition and technology have created a shorter sales cycle in many industries, which means companies demand more from sales reps much earlier in the process. In the past, a new salesperson might have spent time shadowing a more experienced team member, but today a newbie is expected to begin producing right off the bat.
That short-term outlook is a two-way street. As much as managers are judging a new rep, that rep is also evaluating his new position. "What managers fail to realize is that the salesperson is also making a decision as to whether this is the right fit for him," says Harrison. "If you don't demonstrate that in the first thirty days, the salesperson is going to be back out on the market."
Reducing sales personnel turnover is a priority for many companies, but turnover is rarely the result of bad hires. "It's more often a case of failure to launch. I tell managers all the time: It's not bad hires, it's bad on-boarding," Harrison says.
How can managers avoid that scenario? For starters, create a process for integration and training rather than leaving it up to individual managers. Mark Landiak, president of Corporate Dynamics, a sales and customer service consulting firm based in Naperville, Ill., recommends making a detailed calendar of the rep's first weeks that outlines precise daily activities.
Managers should also combine inside and outside training. When a new rep schedules meetings with customers to make his first introduction, be sure that it is more than just a meet-and-greet. "Remember that every meeting has to have something in it for the customer," says Damon Jones, who leads international growth initiatives for sales performance firm Miller Heiman, based in Reno, Nev. "Don't let a new rep take up a customer's valuable time."
Finally, use tools to reduce the ramp-up process. For example, consider personality assessments that allow both reps and managers to get to know one another's communication preferences right from the start. This reduces the getting-to-know-you period and allows the team to work more effectively from day one.
Office vs. the Field: Setting Hours
One manager and one salesperson square off on issues facing sales organizations today
At Issue: Should salespeople be given the freedom to set their own hours?
Manager: "Salespeople have to have some outline of structured hours that can be flexible within the timeframe, as long as the work is getting done and sales goals are being exceeded. If a salesperson is not exceeding his goals, he must be required to work assigned work hours. Flexibility is a benefit that comes with trust and accomplishment. In addition, salespeople are on duty for the clients and must cover the hours and days the clients work and need them to work. For example, if a salesperson chooses to work Saturdays instead of Mondays, that doesn’t make them available to most of their clients. Hours must be built around the client’s needs."
—Laura Kreutzer, regional sales and marketing manager in Orlando, Fla., for Hard Rock International, operator of cafes, hotels and casinos
Salesperson: "A salesperson's hours are defined by clients' needs, so ultimately our clients dictate our schedules. I believe the nature of a great salesperson is to have a strong commitment to customer service, to be stellar at customer responsiveness, and to work in a culture of excellence. I work in an industry that operates twenty-four hours a day; customers expect flexibility and accessibility from their sales representative. Today's technology, such as BlackBerries, allows a great salesperson to meet her customers' needs and manage her time effectively. Excelling in meeting those needs builds strong ustomer relationships. That's at the heart of eSpeed's fundamental pledge to its customers, and it’s my personal credo, which is why being part of the eSpeed team is so professionally rewarding."
—Maria Ramirez, futures sales representative for eSpeed, a New York-based technology provider for financial electronic marketplaces
Can You Hold Onto Your Salespeople
By Rebecca Aronauer
Salespeople are special. Anyone who has spent time in the profession can see how a commission-based salary, the responsibility of being a brand ambassador, and the demands on time make salespeople different from their peers.
Perhaps out of necessity, salespeople also are more engaged than workers in other professions. A new study from Sibson Consulting found that 57 percent of salespeople are engaged employees, compared with 51 percent of non-salespeople.
The study's measure of engagement was based on two factors: wanting to do the work and knowing what work to do. According to Aaron Sorensen, a human capital consultant based in Chicago who worked on the study, engagement is a predictor of turnover.
"As the economy continues to improve and the mobility of the work force becomes greater, we're seeing that low levels of engagement are driving turnover," he says. But while salespeople are more engaged than their peers, their turnover intention rate of 17 percent is two points higher than that of less-engaged employees. The explanation for the disparity is the nature of the sales profession: As Sorensen says, "Sales is a more mobile industry."
While employees everywhere have benefited from the strong economy and subsequent hiring in the past 18 months, the sales profession in particular has grown to make up for cuts following the post-9/11 downturn. That growth, combined with the fluid nature of sales talent—a good rep will succeed almost anywhere—makes maintaining low turnover a difficult endeavor. If salespeople aren't happy, they can and will leave, according to Joseph DiMisa, the sales and marketing practice leader for Sibson, who is based in Atlanta. "All things being equal, sales reps would be more committed to your organization, but they also have a shorter fuse. If these things are not equal, they will leave due to the fact they have more opportunity," he says.
And in this industry, money counts. In the same study, 83 percent of salespeople rated pay as very to extremely important to job satisfaction, but 28 percent gave a low satisfaction rating to their compensation. Managers looking to retain their reps must pay them well, or someone else will.
Salespeople are special. Anyone who has spent time in the profession can see how a commission-based salary, the responsibility of being a brand ambassador, and the demands on time make salespeople different from their peers.
Perhaps out of necessity, salespeople also are more engaged than workers in other professions. A new study from Sibson Consulting found that 57 percent of salespeople are engaged employees, compared with 51 percent of non-salespeople.
The study's measure of engagement was based on two factors: wanting to do the work and knowing what work to do. According to Aaron Sorensen, a human capital consultant based in Chicago who worked on the study, engagement is a predictor of turnover.
"As the economy continues to improve and the mobility of the work force becomes greater, we're seeing that low levels of engagement are driving turnover," he says. But while salespeople are more engaged than their peers, their turnover intention rate of 17 percent is two points higher than that of less-engaged employees. The explanation for the disparity is the nature of the sales profession: As Sorensen says, "Sales is a more mobile industry."
While employees everywhere have benefited from the strong economy and subsequent hiring in the past 18 months, the sales profession in particular has grown to make up for cuts following the post-9/11 downturn. That growth, combined with the fluid nature of sales talent—a good rep will succeed almost anywhere—makes maintaining low turnover a difficult endeavor. If salespeople aren't happy, they can and will leave, according to Joseph DiMisa, the sales and marketing practice leader for Sibson, who is based in Atlanta. "All things being equal, sales reps would be more committed to your organization, but they also have a shorter fuse. If these things are not equal, they will leave due to the fact they have more opportunity," he says.
And in this industry, money counts. In the same study, 83 percent of salespeople rated pay as very to extremely important to job satisfaction, but 28 percent gave a low satisfaction rating to their compensation. Managers looking to retain their reps must pay them well, or someone else will.
From Asia to America in one degree
Profile on: Anusha Lewis
BSc Banking and Finance graduate,
Canada
Moving to a new continent while studying for a degree is a common challenge for External Programme students. For BSc Banking and Finance graduate Anusha Lewis, this major life-change gave her the impetus she needed to gain a 2.1 as an independent student and the skills she demonstrated clearly impressed employers.
"Employers are certainly impressed that my qualification comes from the University of London – London, England, not London Canada! – and I've just accepted a position at Scotiabank. I've also won a place on an MBA programme and eventually I would like to move into a more specialist area of banking such as investment management."
"Having started in my native Sri Lanka, I completed my studies in Canada," says the 26 year old. "Previously in Sri Lanka I had been going to a tutor every weekend. In Canada I had to rely on myself. But as I no longer had any classes, I could study when it suited me and I really enjoyed the flexibility."
Anusha began work at ANZ Grindlays Bank in Colombo. To progress her career, she decided to gain a qualification that would complement her work experience.
"Options for degree courses in Sri Lanka were limited at that time. I wanted a degree from a recognised and high quality university – so the University of London's
External Programme was ideal." Fortunately, the flexibility of the programme meant that Anusha's move to Ottawa did not affect her degree, even though she was now studying independently.
"It was quite a challenge preparing for exams by myself, but after my first attempt I felt I had a better grip on things. Studying alone by using the subject guides and other materials is not impossible; it just requires self-discipline, perseverance and good time management."
Anusha made good use of the Student to Student network. "I was able to communicate with other students and share ideas and notes through the online discussion forums."
And after four years, she completed the degree with a 2.1. "My friends in Sri Lanka were amazed that I had managed to achieve such a good grade studying by myself. At times I was totally frustrated, but the flexibility taught me complete self-reliance."
BSc Banking and Finance graduate,
Canada
Moving to a new continent while studying for a degree is a common challenge for External Programme students. For BSc Banking and Finance graduate Anusha Lewis, this major life-change gave her the impetus she needed to gain a 2.1 as an independent student and the skills she demonstrated clearly impressed employers.
"Employers are certainly impressed that my qualification comes from the University of London – London, England, not London Canada! – and I've just accepted a position at Scotiabank. I've also won a place on an MBA programme and eventually I would like to move into a more specialist area of banking such as investment management."
"Having started in my native Sri Lanka, I completed my studies in Canada," says the 26 year old. "Previously in Sri Lanka I had been going to a tutor every weekend. In Canada I had to rely on myself. But as I no longer had any classes, I could study when it suited me and I really enjoyed the flexibility."
Anusha began work at ANZ Grindlays Bank in Colombo. To progress her career, she decided to gain a qualification that would complement her work experience.
"Options for degree courses in Sri Lanka were limited at that time. I wanted a degree from a recognised and high quality university – so the University of London's
External Programme was ideal." Fortunately, the flexibility of the programme meant that Anusha's move to Ottawa did not affect her degree, even though she was now studying independently.
"It was quite a challenge preparing for exams by myself, but after my first attempt I felt I had a better grip on things. Studying alone by using the subject guides and other materials is not impossible; it just requires self-discipline, perseverance and good time management."
Anusha made good use of the Student to Student network. "I was able to communicate with other students and share ideas and notes through the online discussion forums."
And after four years, she completed the degree with a 2.1. "My friends in Sri Lanka were amazed that I had managed to achieve such a good grade studying by myself. At times I was totally frustrated, but the flexibility taught me complete self-reliance."
Smart Management: Both Sides of the Brain.
Strategic leaders use both head and heart
By Mary Donato
One of my favorite books on leadership is Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey. Written more than 15 years ago, it is still relevant t. The chapter that stands out in my mind is "Manage From the Left, Lead From the Right." In it, the role of the leader is identified as the most critical within an organization. That's because without strategic leadership, people might follow a certain path but discover that it leads to the wrong destination.
Effective leaders do the following: Provide vision, direction, value, and purpose; inspire and motivate; and build a complementary team leverages individuals' strengths. Don't get me wrong; managers also play an important role. Without them, you would have fewer systems and procedures, role conflicts and ambiguity. Great managers are the ones who organize resources to achieve higher objectives and produce bottom-line results. Leaders set the vision and direction.
Peter Drucker once said that within a few years of an organization's establishment, many executives lose sight of their mission and focus on doing things right rather than doing the right things. That's why the role of the leader is so critical to the long-term success of the group. Great leaders make sure that people are headed toward the right destination.
Understanding how the brain operates helps us understand why some people are great managers but poor leaders, and vice versa. The left side of the brain is logical, sequential, rational, analytical, objective and focus on parts. The right side of the brain is random, intuitive, holistic, synthesizes, thinks subjectively, looks at wholes and deals with emotions. In general, businesses tend to favor the left brain while downplaying the right brain. However, there are many organizations that have great management systems and controls, but lack heart. Others have heart, but lack effective processes and structure. The same can be said about individuals. An excellent manager may be organized and have great procedures, but unless he shows heart, he will never evolve into being a great leader.
This leads to Covey's suggestion: Manage from the left, and lead from the right. The best corporate cultures and leaders span both sides.
Acquiring that balance takes practice. If you're a left-brain thinker, exercise your right brain by learning to communicate with visual imagery, and get involved in the creative side of problem solving. If your right brain is dominant, do analytical problem solving, communicate through words and logic, and read material that is more technical or detail-oriented. A successful strategic leader who uses both sides of the brain provides both direction and vision—and has learned how to motivate with the heart.
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