Recently, he fell out of love with his work and decided to move on.

At this point, you may be wondering “What does this have to do with me? This guy’s a marketer; I’m a recruiting professional!” I promise – there is a good point to all of this.

Falling out of love with one’s work is common. We’ve all had days where we’ve sworn that if we get on the phone with one more rude person or if one more client tries to cheap out on paying a fee, we’re through. Of course, few are the time when we actually follow through on those threats. But that thought is still lingering in the back of our minds – “Is this all really worth it?”

William Tincup’s story struck me because he detailed the reasons he decided to throw in the towel. He stopped believing in the outsourced marketing services business model. He was frustrated with the double standards applied to his efforts vs. in-house marketers’ efforts. He became annoyed that, as an external service provider, his status was constantly being threatened by these ridiculous standards. And the final straw for him, as he states:

“…the realization that over the course of 10 years in the game I might of [sic] been told “thank you” seven or eight times.  I (read: my firm) changed lives, changed destinies, built lasting brands, created market share, created real value, got people promoted, etc, etc. Yeah, I know – payment for services rendered was my thanks.  Yeah, well, that wasn’t enough.”

I would be very surprised if just about every person reading this article hasn’t struggled with at least one of these issues at some point during your professional recruiting career. Who hasn’t felt like the red-headed stepchild at least once when working with a difficult client? Who hasn’t been held to some crazy standards as an external recruiter that an internal employee would never be held to? And who hasn’t wished that once, just once, someone would thank them for all of the amazing talent they’ve helped shepherd in to an organization?

When you really fall out of love with your work, how do you know when it’s time to say “Enough!” and leave before you become bitter? Is it just a bad case of the Mondays, or is this a recurring gut feeling that just will not go away? How do you get past the rut and fall back in love with what you do? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below. Sharing your experience might just save someone from calling it quits!

1. You must get your prospect’s attention. Nothing else matters if you do not gain their attention.
2. You must eliminate or at least not create a “reflex rejection” — an automatic negative response to your opening statement.
3. You must change the call from a monologue (you talk) to a directed business dialogue (they talk in response to your questions while you listen).

If you achieve these initial objectives, one of the following outcomes should be possible.

1. You secure an opportunity to provide a service, e.g. a search/ job order, contract assignment or consulting options.
2. You do not secure an opportunity to be of service at this time but determine when and under what circumstances to make a follow-up business development call/ contact.
3. You determine there is no need for your service now or in the foreseeable future. However, the prospect does have long-term potential and you lay the foundation for a future business relationship.
4. Although the prospect has no real potential to become a client, they may serve as a source of referrals or as a center of influence.

As important as the opening of your call may be, the manner in which you close it many times will create a more lasting impact on your prospect.

This is particularly true in those instances where you do not come away with an immediate opportunity to provide service. This is the outcome that most recruiters achieve on the majority of their marketing calls; therefore, it is imperative you know how to properly close the call.

The standard close is to establish a time and date for a follow-up call and to send/e-mail information about your company and services. In and by itself, there is nothing inherently wrong with this close. However, it is not memorable and certainly doesn’t separate you from the others who call and close in a similar manner.

Remember

The close of your marketing call provides an opportunity to offer value to your prospect in a unique and sometimes unexpected context.

The value I reference has more to do with your knowledge of those who function within your specialty than with your ability to put together a deal.

What most recruiters fail to appreciate is that starting with their first day in this business they are continually building a knowledge base consisting of names, contacts, company information, and industry specific intelligence, all of which have value under the right set of circumstances.

Perhaps the first time I realized this was when I overheard my five-year-old daughter tell a friend that, “My Daddy doesn’t know everyone but he knows people who know everyone.” Daily, over these many years, I am reminded of the truth contained in those words as I refer to my “Carefully cross-referenced network of contacts.”

Even though your marketing call is designed to elicit interest on the part of the prospect in using your services, many times that interest does not result in actual business. It’s in those situations where you need to know how best to use your knowledge base as a value-add when closing the call. Here are a couple of examples.

You have completed your directed business dialogue with the prospect, established a time and date for follow-up, and promised to send/e-mail information on your company/services.

“(Client’s name), keeping in mind that I am a recruiter who specializes in this industry, is there any particular background, skill sets, or experience that if I were to encounter a (name position title if appropriate) professional who possessed them, you would want me to call regarding their potential availability thereby providing you the ‘right of first refusal’?”

This marketing call close is one that we have used for many years. We’ve tracked our results when using it and consistently hit the following numbers.

Approximately, one in four times we have used it with a qualified prospect they identify a target for us even if it’s only to have the “right of first refusal.”

Approximately one in four prospects who identify a target for us, upon further questioning, indicate they are actively seeking someone like this at the present time (even when they had stated “no openings” earlier on the call).

When using this close, one in eight marketing calls that would have otherwise concluded without an opportunity for business, suddenly present that possibility.

That’s a statistically significant ratio that is also consistent for those recruiters we have trained to use this close.

Here is another marketing call close that can be used by itself or in conjunction with the above-referenced option.

“(Client’s name), from time to time you may have a problem, question, concern, or situation arise where objective third-party input would be helpful. When that occurs, even if it has nothing to do with recruiting, give me a call. I may not be able to provide the necessary input but, because of my carefully cross-referenced network of business contacts, the odds are pretty good I can put you in-touch with someone who can. Will you keep that in mind?”

Many times the prospect is surprised by this offer and may ask about its cost. I generally reply:

“It costs you nothing. What I’m trying to demonstrate is the potential value of using me as a resource.”

Although most prospects (hiring authorities) will not initially call me as a resource, almost all remember that I offered to serve as one. This comes up many times in my follow-up calls, particularly when I remind them of my offer. The key here is to be remembered, to be separated on a qualitative basis from the competition.
Most of our ongoing clients learn very quickly that we bring added value by serving as a resource. From “who do you know …” to potential merger or acquisition possibilities, serving as a resource for our clients has brought added value and strength to our relationship.

Remember

The best way to retain a client is to have them view you as absolutely indispensable to their continued success both as an organization and as a professional.

The most important element of achieving “indispensable” status with your clients is the consistency in which you successfully provide your services. However, knowing how to properly close your marketing calls can provide a very important first step to achieving that status.

Now we continue with the right ways to build your social media brand.

6 Steps to Build Your Social Media Brand

1. Secure your vanity name on all social media sites. As mentioned earlier, the “Big Three” are LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. For a full list, Google: [Social Media Websites]. Do this quickly, before another obtains your name. If your name is gone, a nickname or pseudonym could work. Choose your “handle” with your audience in mind.
2. Write a professional bio. You might have two bios (short and long), but include your accomplishments, a professional photo “avatar,” and contact info. When writing your bio, think about your unique background and a broad audience. For help, review others’ bios and/or Google: [How to Write a Professional Bio].
3. Learn how the social media sites work. Each has their own how-to page and lingo. Visit the sites. Observe, listen, and watch what others do and how they’re interacting. If a friend or colleague is an active user, ask for help. You might also Google: [How to Use Social Media Sites].
4. Build your networks. On LinkedIn, send “Please join my professional network.” On Facebook, send “Be my friend” messages. On Twitter, follow people who seem interesting to you. Many will follow back.
5. Join the conversation. Post what’s going on in your life. You might find something interesting or have something in common (work life, travel, food, sports, politics, etc.) Post a comment or respond. Engage others by asking questions. For example, “Do you …?” or “How do you …?”
6. Link your networks. Most sites have areas to connect other sites. This enables “networking leverage.” By connecting your full network, you will maximize your reach and build your brand further.

An Investment in Time

Social media takes an investment in time, like building relationships with clients, candidates, and industry partners. Remember the two parts: “social” and “media.” Both should be integral to your marketing strategy and incorporated into daily/weekly activities.

Keep in mind the 5 Es of Social Media:

• Enlighten
• Educate
• Entertain
• Empower
• Engage

When used effectively, social media, marketing, and PR can be very powerful in building your brand and your recruiting business. All increase your name as an expert in your field: people find you; business flows to you; and your revenue increases.

Finally, you can create and manage your own brand.

It’s been said that LinkedIn is like going to the office, Facebook is like going home, and Twitter is like going to the bar. Hope to see you at the party!

The Internet continues to transform the way people live and how businesses operate, including ours — search and recruiting. Now we manage databases and use new tools to efficiently prospect, manage relationships, and deliver for our clients and candidates.

After the Internet boom, media stories were written about what would be the next “big thing.”

Well, we have two big things happening now, in my view. The first is about energy. We can’t live without it and must find new sources of clean energy to satisfy increasing demand while protecting the environment. This is a topic for other experts.

But the “big thing” in recruiting and staffing is Social Media, and how it will increasingly change the way we do business.

Businesses are in the midst of great transformation. All centers around information: how to find it, manage it, and communicate it effectively.

We in recruiting are at the epicenter.

Each recession makes us take a hard look at our business model. In the downturn of the early ‘90s, my firm established strategic partners (via split networks) and diversified into other revenue-producing activities (training, career coaching).

During the current recession, we’ve focused on building our recruiting brand while offering additional “human capital” services.

A key to success in recruiting will always involve how we communicate in the beginning of the process – finding and engaging clients and candidates.

Before the Internet, recruiting was about building a rolodex, mainly through cold-calling. It still is, but to a lesser degree. Email and websites changed that first, allowing us to touch greater numbers in less time. Now with the interactive web, two-way communication is changing the game dramatically.

It’s not about who you know anymore. It’s about who can find you.

Until about two years ago, the first step in our marketing and recruiting process was gathering quick information; name, company and phone number. Then we would make the call, using techniques to “overcome objections.” After all, we were originally trained that recruiting was about the numbers.

Consider this: With the ease and low cost of creating information today, potential clients and candidates want to feel very comfortable with you before they conduct business. They want to trust you.

Many times, the best way to obtain new business is still through a referral. However, for those who don’t know you, they want a professional who is credible who can deliver. And, they will want to check you out before doing business. What does your “electronic footprint” say about you? Have you Googled your name lately?

We never get a second chance to make a first impression. New objective: Make a name for yourself before you talk to prospects.

Today, my firm does this with a mix of marketing, PR, and social media:

• Marketing is a multi-step process to build your name in the minds of prospective clients and candidates. Do you know it takes 6 to 8 “touches” before a client remembers you?
• PR is about gaining visibility in the media; by being quoted in traditional (newspapers, magazines, TV) or new (electronic, blogs) media.
• Social media involves two-way communication. The Big Three are LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Key objectives are to build your profile and networks and connect them in the right ways.

Planting the Seeds

What do marketing, PR, and social media have in common? All require you to be proactive and plant seeds. All require building relationships. All enable branding and greater name recognition.

Over the last year, my firm has committed time and resources into building our brand.

We have taken the following steps:

• Upgraded our website. Added visuals to help tell our story and highlighted three main areas: Executive Search, Training & Consulting, and Employment Expert services. The new site includes home-page testimonials and a resources page.
• Obtained media coverage. Built relationships with editors of local and national media. Became “go-to” source for career trends/job advice. Quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Smart Money, Yahoo! Finance, Forbes.com. Asked to write “Career Expert” column for our state’s largest newspaper. Guested on radio shows, including NPR and Recruiting Internet shows. Fox TV and CBS called.
• Built social media presence. I was interviewed over Skype, and the recording was then distributed over online platforms, including Twitter and YouTube. It was clear that this was “the way forward” to gain greater exposure, market our services, and build our brand.
• Added a blog to our website. It adds an interactive feature to our site in which we post our latest ideas on recruiting, marketing, and industry trends. It enables two-way conversation and drives more traffic to our site.
• Trained at/attended conferences in recruiting & social media. We’re learning the latest trends at the front of the curve. We’re in the conversation. We’re seeing a convergence in everything staffing — recruiting, training, talent management, HR, outplacement, etc.

Social media enables branding, broadcasting, and engagement. When done right, the potential pay-off could be huge.

The good news is we’re still in the early-adopter stage, in the second or third inning of a nine-inning game. If you haven’t gotten on the train or are unsure about what to do, hopefully, this will help you.

Editor’s note: Tomorrow’s part 2 will explore the six steps to building your social media brand.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Do these people exist? Yes, a few do, but in my experience, they are rare.

They are the big billers we read about and long to become.

They make the speaking tour at our conferences and tell us all how we can bill a million dollars plus a year. Can you become one? Maybe, but you can also win the lotto.

Let’s face reality. Recruiting is a richly rewarding career from many aspects, but it is a very tough business.

It is one of the few businesses where the product has a mind of its own. Literally, anything can happen at any stage of the process, and it often does.

What Is the Answer?

How can we build a recruitment team that functions well together and where each member can feel fulfilled and contribute successfully to the mission of the recruitment organization?

In a word . . . specialization.

We live in a complex economy and a complex world. Yes, you can be a generalist, but for every MD general practitioner there are 10+ medical specialist doctors.

When we recruit recruiters, most organizations use a variety of assessments, interviews, and some even test-run the applicant. Yet we all are different.

Viva La Difference!

Embrace this difference in individuals! Some love to research, some love to recruit candidates, and others love to market.

Specialize and put the attributes of the individual with the position where they best fit. This is not a one-size-fits-all business.

Specialize and you will have happier employees, and most importantly, you will accomplish much more with the same number of people than your owner counterparts. Dare I say you can increase revenue by 50% with the same staff?

Specialists of All Kinds and the Wild, Wild West

There are many ways to organize a recruitment firm.

At my firm, what works best for us is to focus our team in specific areas. We market to establish client relationships and obtain search assignments (marketers); recruit to identify, cull, and qualify candidates (recruiters or PCs); and research to know the movers and shakers from the client and candidate perspective (researchers).

Each of these three positions MUST match the attributes and motivation of the person.

Let’s take them one by one, but first, a bit about the Wild West!

I love the West, I love to read about the Wild West, and I love to go there.

All kinds of people went west to settle and tame a very large and wild country. There were scouts, hunters, farmers, gold diggers, and then there were services to these unruly groups like merchants, bankers, and land surveyors. Oh, I forgot the saloonkeeper. Who was most important? No one in particular! Each had a role to play and they played the role that best fit them. Within even one group like ranchers, you had sub-specialization. Who was of more value: a cattle rancher or a sheep herder?

I do not want to carry this analogy too far. You get my point. People on the western frontier used the abilities they had to do a particular job, and they did it well. They were specialists of all kinds.

Hunters are like marketers.

They are a different lot and they have similar personalities and attributes. If you want a good marketer, find someone who loves to hunt. They like the chase. They are very impatient in general. They like the trails that are almost untraceable. It is a puzzle they like to solve. They love the words, “You can’t get a job order with that company.”

Watch them…they will do it! They look and look and finally find the herd. Then they pick the best of the best and go for the kill. Once the feast is over and they are rested, they are ready for the next hunt.

Have you ever tried to take a hunter and make him a farmer? Don’t try. Hunters are bored with farming. It takes too long. They are impatient and can’t stand to watch the wheat grow. They want to go hunt/kill something.

Farmers are like recruiters.
It takes determination and patience to be a farmer. There are a multitude of tasks to complete. Plowing, preparing, planting, cultivating, and harvesting takes time. But the farmer loves to work the good earth. They love the process to keep in touch with the land. Recruiters need patience to talk multiple times with candidates. Is this the best one? What questions are appropriate to ask? Are they the best fit? Follow up, then follow up, and finally more follow up. They love this process. They can have a 2-minute conversation or a 30-minute conversation. Recruiters listen well and always question where best to use candidates.

Recruiters are generally not marketers. The hunt — and especially the kill — are distasteful to recruiters. They like relationships. They like to be on the phone talking. They make excellent account managers because they like to stay in touch. Do not try to make a great recruiter into a marketer. Yes, it does happen, but rarely.

Land surveyors are like researchers.

Sorry, humor me and let me revert to the Wild West for a moment. If you were a hunter or a farmer and you moved to unknown lands in unsettled Montana, where would you go to hunt or to start a good farm? The first stop was always in town at the land surveyor’s office. There you would find detailed maps of the area and of surrounding mountains and streams. The land surveyor would tell you what is available and what is not. He might say this piece of land is excellent for farming…that area on the southwest of the mountain has large herds of elk…do not go here, but go there. They had researched the whole area.

So it is with a good researcher. They love to map the land, or in our vernacular, research our sector.

A good researcher will find the potential hot companies in your sector. They will find the potential candidates in your sector. They will know the news of the sector because they monitor daily news reports from the client websites. The result will be great data in the form of roll-up lists, or whatever you use, that is fed to the recruiters and marketers on a daily basis.

In Summary

Look at your staff: who are the hunters, the farmers, and the land surveyors?

Specialize and put them in a role for which they have the aptitude.

If you do, the result will be marketers and recruiters who are on the phone (which they love) talking to prospective clients or candidates. They will not be wasting their time researching for they have relevant and up-to-date lists from the researcher.

Go west, young man (and woman), and enjoy the bounty.

These companies also ranked in the Top 10 on Newsweek’s 2009 Green Rankings List. This list identifies their exclusive environmental ranking of America’s 500 largest corporations.

Whether you are a small or large recruiting firm, I think it is equally important to show your clients and candidates your green credentials.

Green recruiting, essentially, is the sharing of your company commitments to the environment with the candidates you are trying to recruit, and it transcends whether it is for your own firm, or for your clients. After all, third-party recruiters are companies and we all must make an active contribution to the sustainability of global resources. We take our social responsibility very seriously and are acting because it makes us feel good and is the right thing to do.

As recruiters and companies, we should continuously seek ways to set and implement best practices which reinforce our commitment to a greener environment. In our business this may mean doing the following activities in our daily operation very differently:

• Fly less. Recruiting firms are choosing video conferencing to increase productivity and improve efficiency. Today businesses realize that videoconferencing is a powerful green technology solution. It can be used instead of travel, and will streamline the hiring process. High-quality videoconferencing can provide a realistic candidate impression that recruiters can utilize for a nationwide interview process. We have had clients also use videoconferencing to replace the first set of in-person interviews. Implement other interviewing ideas and techniques which allow you to more effectively evaluate and assess candidate interests, qualifications and cultural fit via telephone and Webcam (Skype). We’ve been able to reduce the amount of air travel to candidate interviews and do face-to-face interviews with the top finalists for a search project. This equates to less travel, less cost, and faster search project cycle time.
• Have candidates travel less. Invite finalists to visit you at the airport, scheduling multiple interviews on one target date whenever possible. Candidates never leave the airport (no rental cars and no ground transportation – dollars saved, reduced emissions, and no missed return flights).
• Strive to operate in a paperless office, and automate your recruitment process. You can preview and final edit all your documents on-screen. If you use a copier see if you can re-manufacture/recycle the toner cartridges. If you need to print, use recycled paper and create double-sided copies. Scan, transmit, and store documents electronically for instant retrieval. This creates a reduced need for file folders or cabinets (less office floor space required-smaller footprint), reduced energy requirements.
• Provide personal recycle bins for employees. Your kitchen supplies – everything from cutlery and plates to cleaning supplies can be eco-friendly. Substitute eco-friendly alternatives in your office supplies as well.
• Use fuel-efficient hybrid cars for your transportation services.
• Use working from home as an option for your team members. In the recruiting industry face to face meetings are still seen as the primary way to win business. Until we can get business in this country to buy-in to the idea of teleconferencing we will still continue to drive to client meetings and candidate interviews!

I recently saw an advertisement for GreenBizCheck – an environmental certification company located in Australia and New Zealand. Recruitment Extra, wholly owned by Thomson Reuters, a leader in publishing, is also teamed up with GreenBizCheck.

It caught my attention because they provide the recruitment industry with a “credible, practical environmental assessment and reporting program which provides firms with a world-leading, low cost, independent green sustainability programs” and certification packages offerings. Its website lists six recruiting organization partners and clients – all outside of the United States. Interesting!

For all of us in the recruiting world, the short-term corporate objective is to reduce our environmental impact by energy usage reduction policies, reducing reliance on paper copy, recycling of all possible waste, investing in green cars, and in carbon offsetting initiatives.

From a marketing/sales point of view, this could well be the difference between winning and losing future business.

For example, here is part of the message I received from a strong regional client with multiple offices and specialties:

“In these challenging economic times, should our consultants be spending 50% of their time servicing existing clients and 50% of their time marketing candidates?”

As I pointed out in my response, these choices are not arbitrary or mutually exclusive. Rather, they should always be marketing MPCs (Most Placeable Candidates) to their new and existing clients. This is one of the benefits of having an ongoing relationship with their firm. The clients receive the benefit of “right of first refusal” on outstanding talent when it becomes available.

As an overall approach, marketing an MPC is generally a good methodology to use regardless of the vagaries of the economy because there is ALWAYS a shortage of good people — the “Difference Makers.”

It is particularly important because of the present state of the economy, where many clients are not actively seeking new employees. Therefore, our call affords them an opportunity to “topgrade” (see Topgrading by Bradford D. Smart – Prentice Hall, 1999), to take advantage of an opportunity to strengthen their team while providing us with a placement where a “no openings” situation may exist.

However, in order to be consistently successful in marketing MPCs, you must:

1. Properly select the right MPC and gain their buy-in and cooperation.
2. Select the right companies to contact and then target your approach to the appropriate hiring authority.
3. Develop and deliver an MPC presentation that, if your contact were to hire your MPC, demonstrates how they would impact, in a positive fashion, the performance capacity of the contact’s group, division, or company.

However, everything depends on your ability to recognize an MPC when you have one and then, very importantly, you need to know what to do with them once they are identified.

In order for a candidate to be classified as a true MPC, they must meet a minimum of five basic criteria:

1. The MPC must possess marketable, in-demand skills. These may be skills that have evolved from work experience, educational background, or a combination of both, but most importantly, in your marketplace, they must be in DEMAND.
2. The MPC must be realistic about their job-search criteria, including position, title, location, compensation, and benefits. However, this does not necessarily mean they are un-employed or looking to make a change. Rather, at a minimum, it must reflect a true picture of the type of realistic opportunity this MPC would enthusiastically embrace.
3. The MPC must be available for interviews within a reasonable timeframe and be willing to start a new position within two weeks of acceptance. This means that the MPC is not a shopper, but rather is committed to making a job change now if you can provide an opportunity that matches the above listed criteria.
4. The MPC must provide viable, work-related references that can be checked prior to commencing activity on their behalf. These references should include not only previous supervisors but peer references as well. If the MPC is a manager or executive, then the references should also include individuals who have been direct reports to them. For MPCs in sales or sales management, a carefully constructed list of clients/customers should be included.
5. The MPC must willingly support your marketing efforts on their behalf. This criterion may be the most important because it directly influences the manner in which you will market them to prospective hiring authorities. It requires the MPC to provide you with the following information:

a. A carefully constructed list of companies for which they would have an interest in working and why they are interested in these particular organizations.

b. In specific terms, what benefits they can bring to each of the companies they have selected within their first year of employment. The answer to this question will provide you with the information you require in order to develop a value-based presentation for each call.

The primary reason a true MPC will cooperate by providing you with the requested information is because they have much to gain and little to lose by equipping you with the tools needed to do what they prefer and/or are unwilling to do for themselves.

As study after study has proven over the years, self-promotion (which includes marketing oneself) is ranked only behind death and public speaking as a primary fear for most people.

The active involvement of the MPC is the critical factor. Because they have identified the targeted companies, they are pre-sold on the prospect of interviewing with them. Additionally, they have provided the key elements for your customized, value-based MPC presentations. When these presentations are augmented with performance-based reference checks and professionally delivered to the appropriate employers, the positive results will far exceed those achieved by the typical recruiter who just “pitches a candidate.”

On average, for the recruiters I’ve trained in this approach, their MPCs generally identify somewhere between 10 and 20 companies to approach on their behalf. However, just as important is the identification of the appropriate hiring authority to contact. This individual should be the manager or executive to whom your MPC would report if the company hired them. In other words, this is the manager or executive who would benefit the most from the contributions the MPC could make to their organization.

Remember

When marketing, particularly when marketing an MPC, make certain you only contact managers and/or executives who have the authority to say “yes” in response to your presentation. Adhering to this rule will help ensure that your efforts will be followed by appropriate action on the part of the employer.

Once you and your MPC have compiled the list of companies to call and identified the appropriate contacts, you may need additional research. Generally, when this research is complete, you will find that minor adjustments are all that is required in order to provide the necessary differentiation.

After all, if the targeted companies have been properly selected, the MPC’s skills and abilities should easily be adaptable to the environment and mission of each organization. Marketing an MPC is definitely a situation where one size does not fit all.

Just as the table must be set before dinner is served, in like fashion, the recruiter should prepare the contacts at the targeted companies to openly receive the MPC presentation. This is where many recruiters have problems. They stumble with their opening comments and consequently are viewed by the prospect as “pitching a candidate.”

Here are some examples of opening comments that may help “set the table” for your MPC presentation:

“(Contact’s name), this is (your name) and I am a recruiter. Can you speak freely for a few minutes?”

Sound familiar? It should because many recruiters use it as the opening for their recruiting calls. However, since our first objective on every call is to get the attention of the person we are calling, this opening also works well on marketing calls. It generally creates curiosity and an openness to hear what you have to say.

Even if their response is “I don’t have time” or “I don’t talk with recruiters,” it quickly brings them into the conversation. From this point, if you are properly trained, it is relatively easy to take either of these responses and use them as a springboard to developing a directed business dialogue with the contact.

Another example:

“(Contact’s name), this is (your name) and I’m calling you today in response to an unusual opportunity that has presented itself and, if the timing is right, could have potential benefit for both you and your organization.”

“Can you speak freely for a few minutes?”

Notice with this script there is no initial mention of what I do or the name of my company. Again, our objective is to gain their attention.

A third example, which incorporates both of the above, is very similar to an approach we have used successfully for many years:

“(Contact’s name), this is (your name) and I’m calling you under rather unusual circumstances. (Position yourself and your services). It was in this capacity that I made contact with a (position title). After several intensive interviews he/she successfully completed our behaviorally-based evaluation process. Subsequently, he/she requested that I make discreet inquiries on his/her behalf to a carefully selected group of companies that could benefit the most from his/her specialized expertise. He/she included your firm in this group and that’s the reason for my call.

“Can you speak freely for a few minutes?”

There is no attempt to sell in these opening comments, merely to generate an interest in hearing your presentation. This particular opening statement not only builds interest (curiosity) but also provides a justification for the call.

As each presentation needs to be customized to reflect the marketable qualities of the MPC as well as the unique circumstances of the targeted contact, it would be difficult to go further with it in the context of this article.

The remaining part of your MPC presentation should cover no more than three value-based selling points to help ensure you do not confuse the contact or create a circumstance where you “take back the sale” by providing too much detail.

Remember

“If you want to sell John Brown what John Brown buys, you have to sell John Brown through John Brown’s eyes.”

– Lou Scott

Therefore, design your opening MPC presentation to accomplish a minimum of three objectives:

1. Gain the contact’s attention.
2. Eliminate, or at least not create, a reflex rejection.
3. Change the call from a monologue (you talk) to a dialogue (you both talk with an emphasis on you listening). It is through the accomplishment of this third objective that you learn “how” and “what” your contact is willing to “buy.” This is the “payoff” for candidate marketing. In most instances, you will either generate interest in your MPC, or determine what would be of interest to the employer as you begin to build a business relationship.

Proper candidate marketing, with a true MPC, remains the approach that consistently produces the best results. However, it is not the only approach that can be used.

It is proven to be the most effective business generator for both rookies and experienced recruiters alike regardless of economic conditions. If you have not tried it or are not doing it properly (“pitching candidates”), there is no time like the present to incorporate this approach into your daily activities.

The potential for substantial return will more than justify your commitment of time and effort.

As always, if you have questions or comments about this article or wish to receive my input on any other topic related to this business, just let me know. Your calls and emails are most welcome.

I recently led a class called, “End Game: the final critical stage in getting your candidates hired.” One of the things I discussed was providing your candidates with exact scripts for their interview process. The topic where this is most relevant is the question of salary. You want to be sure that your candidates memorize their answer to this employer question, “What are you looking for in terms of salary?”

Here are two possible answers (the first one I heard from Peter Leffkowitz):

• “Yes, money is one reason I’m here today, but more importantly, I am here about the opportunity. If you have an interest in me, I would like to entertain your strongest offer.”
• “I’m currently making ______; I would be in the market for a fair and reasonable increase on my salary.”

It is well worth your time to role-play this with your candidates. Before you offer them a script, ask how they were planning to answer that question. Chances are that their answer, and their delivery, will make you very nervous. Spend a few minutes with them so that their answer to this important question will sound crisp and confident.

>>You Don’t Have to Do “Your Best”

I once read a quote somewhere that went something like this:

“The axiom that says ‘Nothing avails but perfection’ can be spelled p-a-r-a-l-y-s-i-s.’ ”

Something we’ve all been bred to believe is that you must always “do your best.” In theory it sounds like a good thing to say to a child, but I’m not so sure it is always useful.

For instance, in my work with recruiters and owners, I have found that they spend way too much time beating up on themselves about all of the things they are not doing correctly on a regular basis. If this led to positive change, that would be fine. But this tendency often leads to “phone fear” and procrastination.

I’d like to suggest that you don’t have to always do “your best.” If you did your best every day, that would mean that you would need to make more calls today than ever before — and you would have to make even more tomorrow. These would need to be your “best” marketing calls ever and of course tomorrow, they would need to be even better.

You don’t have to make your “best” marketing call ever — just make the damn call. Then make another one. And another. Better to keep an even keel and do consistently good work than to get stressed out and hung up on always doing “your best.”

Today, recruiters can use Web 2.0 applications to not only promote job opportunities, but also to learn more about candidates than they would from traditional resumes alone.

Despite its simplistic and user-friendly face, however, companies that are attempting to capitalize on Web 2.0 open media channels and networking capabilities are experiencing noticeable growing pains. The sheer size of the media space that makes it so attractive can be the very thing that makes it so intimidating to navigate and utilize.

As new users struggle to define their online persona, the boundaries between the professional and personal arenas become increasingly blurred. Moreover, training, implementation, time-management, and even cultural obstacles are among the challenges companies face when considering the use of social media venues for business purposes.

A Unique Approach

Hollister Inc., a Boston staffing firm, is one company that is successfully integrating social media into its business model.

The firm recognized both the opportunities and the challenges that Web 2.0 presented and took an out-of-the-box approach to harnessing new media. As a full-service staffing firm centered in Massachusetts’ multi-industry job market, Hollister recognized early on that a basic company fan page, group, or Twitter handle would be hardly enough to reach its extremely diverse market.

With this in mind, Hollister partnered with its new media communications agency, 451 Marketing, and developed a model called Recruiting 2.0 — a cutting-edge social media recruitment platform that allows Hollister to consistently position its clients’ jobs on the most frequently used and fastest growing social media channels.

The model comprises multiple networking communities on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for each of the areas that it provides staffing solutions in, including: accounting and finance; administrative; creative and marketing; technology; and human resources. Hollister also markets via YouTube and manages three widely read blogs aimed at job-seekers and recruiting professionals.

Individuals can choose to follow Hollister’s Twitter handles and join its Facebook and LinkedIn pages to learn about the latest industry trends, news, and events, and to find job opportunities throughout New England.

By offering its users relevant information and the opportunity to network and participate in discussions with other like-minded professionals, the value of belonging to each group is clear.

Hollister recruiters benefit substantially from the model because it allows them to constantly advertise their clients’ job opportunities in front of both active and passive job-seekers. Ultimately, through the use of such highly targeted media outlets, Hollister is able to reach a market of talent that other staffing agencies simply cannot.

“Many of our clients have hit road blocks in implementing social media into their business and recruitment strategy, which is very understandable, given the challenges of implementation, time management and liabilities,” explains Kip Hollister, founder and CEO of Hollister, Inc.

“In developing this model, it was extremely important for us to construct something that would offer companies an alternative method of reaching a much broader and more qualified online audience.”

In fact, you can check out this Recruiting 2.0 video here: http://hollisterstaff.com/recruiting2.0/video.htm.

The Value of Real-Time Interaction

Thanks to Recruiting 2.0, Hollister is now able to have real-time interaction with its online clientele. As the firm continues to enhance its service offerings, it can be consistently on top of the latest trends that are impacting the firm’s six service sectors, and is able to directly engage candidates and clients to ensure that the firm’s growth is inline with their markets needs.

“The companies out there that are successful in harnessing Web 2.0 are taking advantage of its two way communication capabilities,” explains AJ Gerritson, a partner at 451 Marketing. “What’s great about the Recruiting 2.0 structure is that it allows for our client, Hollister, to enhance the professional lives of their target audience through listening, interacting and problem solving.”

Today, savvy job-seekers, particularly those of Generation Y, expect to engage in a two-way dialogue in the recruitment process. Many businesses are being faced with external marketing and communication challenges for this reason. The transparent structure of Hollister’s Recruiting 2.0 model allows professionals to communicate openly.

“It’s great to see that technology has come far enough along to allow for a more personal and real experience,” explains Hollister. “I continue to warn my staff and clients, however, not to lose sight of face-to-face relationships, which, at the end of the day, are the foundation of this business.”

A Strategic Partnership

To keep its online communities thriving, Hollister must continually publish fresh content that is worthy of users’ attention and will keep them engaged in the long-term. With its enhanced online presence, it is vital that all communities are monitored. This is an ongoing organic process that is fostered through Hollister’s collaboration with 451 Marketing.

“We thought long and hard about how we were going to do this well,” explains Meg Toland, Hollister’s marketing and communications director. “Recognizing that we are not the experts in Web 2.0 and social media, we made the decision to partner with a company that has a strong reputation for being at the forefront of the online space.”

The 451 Marketing team continuously powers engaging content as well as Hollister’s jobs throughout each Recruiting 2.0 community, while monitoring user activity and trends. 451 regularly sends its social media experts over to Hollister’s office to train recruiters on how to best use social media sites to their advantage. The trainings focus on issues such as developing a new media recruitment strategy, identifying an online voice, time management, and effective navigation of social media channels.

The Results

“When launching something as dynamic as Recruiting 2.0, there is a huge risk that the results and return might not be consistent with your original vision,” explains Toland. “When 451 called me with July’s website analytics report, I was absolutely stunned by the numbers.”

The results of Hollister’s Recruiting 2.0 launch are well-documented. Since its launch, Recruiting 2.0 has enhanced Hollister’s online brand presence and exponentially increased traffic flow to the company’s website.

In November 2008, Hollister’s website traffic averaged around 2,500 hits per month. Since the launch, the company has seen a steady increase of Web traffic. In July 2009, the company witnessed a record high hit rate of 15,900 visitors.

UPDATE: If you missed Neil’s fantastic presentation, look for the video at the end of this article and enjoy.

In this interactive episode, Neil will share why most staffing and recruiting firms are still in the dark ages when it comes to technology.

When you tune in to the new episode of Fordyce TV (2pm Eastern on Tuesday), learn how you can harness the secrets of Internet marketing to massively grow your business or desk.

“Most recruiter websites were built under the premise of repeat traffic,” explains Neil. “That just does not happen anymore.”

Neil cautions that while “the rest of the world uses landing pages and opt-in email lists to capture their leads,” there is a simple way to set up your landing page and begin your relationship with your list. He’ll also share how to use inexpensive sequential marketing tools to reach each new lead in a whole new way.

“Keep your client communication strong and fun! Learn how to create the easy experience, and not just focus on cliched points of difference like ‘great’ customer service,” he says.

Replay of Internet Marketing Secrets
Neil says that with these easy tools, you will keep your name in the forefront of your candidates’ minds without making update calls. Learn to embrace these tips and find out you may have been missing!