Let’s start with a definition adapted from Wikipedia:

A temptation is something that looks appealing. It’s usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and, as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions for various reasons – legal, social, psychological (including feeling guilty), health, economic, etc.

Temptation goes back to the Garden of Eden – the tree of knowledge, the apple, the serpent, Adam and Eve and the fall of man. It is rooted in our DNA.

So how does this relate to sales?

The temptation to overpromise always leads to underdelivering, and so we must fight it at every level.

• Sales representatives are tempted to overpromise to secure the sale.
• Sales managers are tempted to overpromise to motivate their sales team to greater performance.
• CEOs are tempted to overpromise to provide confidence to boards and shareholders.

No good can come from overpromising and underdelivering.

Bear in mind that intentions are irrelevant; “results” are the only thing you are measured by. In other words, it doesn’t matter what you intended to deliver, only what you delivered.

So, how do you avoid the temptation of overpromising and underdelivering? By doing exactly the opposite – underpromise and overdeliver!

Avoid emotion at all costs!

This is a toughie because we are emotionally driven creatures and emotion sells. Generally though, those decisions / sales pitches / forecasts / projections are more a reflection of our desires, wants and needs then they are a reflection of the truth. Sometimes truth isn’t all that exciting, whereas emotion is.

When someone in business says, “I feel this” or “I feel that” instead of “I think this” or “I think that” – based on “x” fact, “y” fact and “z” fact – run as fast as you can the other way. Don’t be this person!

Emotions cloud judgment and generally always operate in that gray area between fact and fiction. Gray is the devil’s playground, and the playground of those who can pretty much rationalize any deviant behavior or philosophy.

Stick to the facts!

Just as Sgt. Friday used to say in Dragnet, “Just the facts, ma’am.” Stick to the facts and emotions will play a lesser role.

• What exactly are the terms of your agreement? Specifically?
• What exactly are the agreed-upon timeframes? Specifically?
• What exactly is the promised (and demonstrated) feature / functionality? Specifically?

Everything you state in terms of promises and delivery should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-sensitive!

Prove it!

Generally speaking, you should never promise something you have not accomplished consistently in the past. Using this rule, you should have proof of delivering on your promises. This proof can take many forms:

• Case studies
• Testimonials
• References
• White papers

A good question to ask yourself to make sure you can deliver on what you are promising is, “Do I have proof of having done this consistently in the past?” If so, then you are probably safe. If not, you are being driven by emotion rather than fact and you should reconsider your approach.

If you do these three things you will not fall victim to overpromising and underdelivering!

• Stay away from emotion
• Use facts
• Prove it

We are proud of the fact that in more than 10 years as a consulting firm we’ve achieved 100% success with every client that has fully implemented our recommendations.

We are more proud of the fact that we’ve always delivered what we said we would. Or more!

Be that person! Be that company! All the other pieces will fall into place.

Brian

You’ve decided it’s time to look for a new career opportunity in sales. Where to begin? Well, first you need to ask what it is you want in a position. For example:

• Huge base salary
• A lot of responsibility without any accountability
• A company that drives reactive leads for you to bring home

If that is the case, good luck!

However, if you are looking for the “right” fit, a place where you can make the most of your skills and strengths, a place where you can earn higher than average wages based on your efforts and results, a place that provides you opportunity and support so you can be challenged to reach your potential, here are 5 helpful hints.

Look at the company’s past, where they are today, how they got there and the reasons they have not reached the next level. Will you help them progress or will you be frustrated based on their restrictions?

Look at and talk to the existing sales staff, their profiles, success or lack thereof and ask “why.” What do they need to do differently to obtain greater success? What do they do well and how does that impact their results? Do you have the skills, traits and motivations to excel based on this data?

Look at the roles and responsibilities as well as expectations of the position. Be sure you understand what will be required and whether it aligns with what you feel is realistic and attainable. Are you willing, committed and able to be successful there?

Look at the company’s value proposition. How does it compare to the competition, and how does it align with the current market and industry needs they target? Do you have the background and expertise to separate yourself and win here?

Look at the compensation and recognition program and ensure it aligns with your professional goals and aspirations. Determine, based on all other components and questions, how you will realize your dreams.

These levels of analysis are not easy, but few things are more important than who you trust with your professional success. Do your due diligence and make sure you make the right choice. Sure, they say most people graduating college today will have eight or more jobs, but why do you need to?

To help ensure your choice, partner with a firm that can help you with the evaluation of those choices. This may be a career counseling firm or a solid recruiting firm. If you do not have one in mind, try The Sales Matrix.

I sincerely hope you find your happily ever after.

Dan

Based on recent reports, it appears our economy is starting to recover. That means companies are revving up their recruiting engines again.

If your company is in growth mode, this is the ideal time to reassess your recruitment program. If your organization has never created a formal one, this post will provide helpful information. Even if you’ve been satisfied with your recruitment program, it’s never a bad idea to make slight changes to further enhance results.

Whether you’re recruiting for sales, finance, or any other discipline, creating a recruitment plan is crucial for long term hiring success. Too often we find companies have not spent time creating a sustainable recruiting program that yields consistent results.

More recently, with the explosive growth of digital communication, companies are turning their efforts to Internet search to find talent. If your company is looking to revamp its recruiting program, we suggest taking the time to understand online networking as it relates to recruitment.

Here are some recruitment points to consider:

Define and document roles and responsibilities prior to sourcing, interviewing, and hiring.

By following this process, you narrow your search criteria to those candidates who have the talents to accomplish your objectives. Another benefit to following this process is that you will not hire based on “gut,” but rather on something more objective, like data.

Search your database.

Every company should be using some sort of applicant tracking system. By entering contact information for every candidate that submits a resume, your database will not take long to develop. In addition to entering contact information, make sure you’re adding keywords for easier retrieval later on. It’s likely that you’ll be doing a similar search down the road. Being able to quickly pull potential candidates for open positions will go a long way to creating a timely response rate, consequently speeding up your per-hire timeframe.

Use your network.

You’ve spent years building strong relationships; this is the time to leverage that work. Turning to those in your network that work with, spend time with, or can put you in touch with your ideal candidate will be extremely important. Often times in recruiting, the highest ROI comes from candidates generated from your extensive network.

Learn how to effectively use social networking for recruitment.

LinkedIn has been around for several years, but sites like Twitter and Facebook are relatively new for recruiting. Recruiters and companies are working feverishly to capture the buzz. One of the main reasons people are turning to the Internet for candidate search is because that’s where more and more people are “hanging out.”

Developing a large network, knowing how to use search to locate specific candidates, and knowing where your target prospect spends most of his or her time will give you the leg up on your competition. Recruiters and companies that engage with others – more than just broadcasting their message and open positions – typically produce better results.

Reward your employees for recruiting others.

You’re only as good as your people; we’ve all heard this before. Top companies do the best at fostering a positive culture. In turn, employees from top organizations tend to recruit other top level professionals by sharing their positive experiences. Go a step further and create a rewards program for employees to encourage deeper participation.

There are many factors that ultimately determine which strategies will be the most beneficial, such as level of position, industry, economic climate, etc.

What are some tips you can share that have been helpful in your recruitment program?

Dave and Brian

P.S.  We’re doing a webinar on the topic of recruiting May 5 and June 2.  Contact us via any of the links at the right for more information.