Grab their attention

At the beginning of a sales presentation, engage them with a SHORT story.

I tell prospects how I literally fell into the recruiting business after having had bad experience after bad experience with all the recruiters I had ever worked with.  When I finally realized that I could add real value to both clients and candidates it was a true revelation to me.  I realized that I was able to bring valuable contacts, new business opportunities, and knowledge fof best practices rom 30 years in the technology sector.

Make recommendations

Use an image to help them understand what you’re recommending.

I let prospective clients know that not only are they getting a “window” on the marketplace for candidates, but they’re also getting a “mirror” on how they stand in the marketplace.   Brightlights can help them understand how they stack up against their competition, how they’re doing salary-wise for various positions and how they’re perceived by candidates and peers of theirs, etc.

Make numbers stick by forming a picture

Get them to a place where they can make a numbers comparison.  We ask them to think of the impact of their best people.  These are often exponentially better than their average employees.  That’s the type of people that Brightlights brings forward for our clients.  If we don’t succeed at that then we’re not paid a penny..

Add punch to the titles in your proposals/quotes

Which title is stronger? “Proposal for ABC Software Company by Brightlights” (accurate and boring)
“Growing ABC’s Business, One Person At a Time” (stronger)
“ABC Software, Firing On All Cylinders”(has visual power and energy)

Counter an objection

If your customer is balking at something, let’s say you  not having the depth of industry knowledge that they feel is critical I respond with this:  “When I received my first search in the Healthcare space I knew nothing specifically about that business area, but I did know technology companies.  Look at my testimonials from the Healthcare companies I’ve worked with.  I’ll use the same determination on your business needs or you don’t pay a penny!”

Clinch the close

Ideally, circle back to the image or story you invoked at the beginning of the call.  In my case I tell them to look at the myriad of testimonials from my customers.  Adding value to their businesses is everything to Brightlights.

Clip out metaphors or images that appeal to you.  Start sprinkling them in to your presentations and realize, “Yes we can!”.

The York Group is a worldwide organization with 25 years of experience in finding, and growing, successful channel distribution relationships for software companies.  They have business development experts in 26 countries who have an in-depth knowledge of their local markets.

Following is an excerpt from a more detailed article on growing through international channel partner relationships.  Feel free to contact me for the full document, or for any additional questions you might have.

1.  Start while you are still small
Technology and commitment are more important than size.  A well-run international channel program can be managed by one person as long as the company is willing to make international expansion a priority.  We have seen companies with as few as three employees successfully start an international channel program.  The revenues they received actually helping to finance their domestic expansion.

2.  Select your first markets carefully
If a company is just getting started it is best to go after markets that can be approached without making a major investment, and where the company can test its technology and marketing message without the risk of alienating a large market if things do not go well.  For this reason, countries like Australia, South Africa and Singapore can be a good way for a company to enter the international arena.

3.  Patience is a virtue
International markets will require the same build-up as your own market, and there are few instant successes.  Since relatively few products are revolutionary we can suggest “typical” time lines that would apply to many products.

4.  Be selective
Be extra careful in qualifying companies that contact you, either through trade shows or your website.  Resellers are often looking for a solution for one client, and may not have any intention of establishing a wider marketing effort.  Resellers are notorious for signing up products just to expand their portfolio.  Their interest in your product may not be sincere.

5.  Size isn’t everything
The success of a product is not necessarily tied to the size of an organization.  The commitment of the individual(s) responsible for marketing and supporting the product is the key factor.

Very large companies will, in many cases, not spend a lot of resources on a “small” product. However they can be good partners if they operate smaller divisions within which a given product could be an important part of the mix.

If the product is technically complex, the reseller must have a large enough staff to support it properly, even if one or two people leave.

If the product is expensive and difficult to install and maintain, the longevity and reputation of the reseller will be an important part of the selling process.  If the product is multi-platform, the tech support staff must be large enough to provide support across the board

If the sales cycle is long, say 9-12 months, the company must be large enough to have other sources of revenues to cover the costs of launching the new product.

Small organizations can be winners if the product is relatively straightforward and can be marketed “anonymously” via direct mail, telemarketing, etc.  There are many examples of one and two-man operations being successful with a product when it is their primary source of revenues.

6.  Support your partners
Support and communication are essential. When a company makes the decision to go international, they have to approach the process with an understanding of the reseller’s mindset if they are going to be successful

7.  Avoid channel conflict
One of the biggest temptations for companies going international is to try and have their cake and eat it, too.  Many companies that are just starting to go global overestimate the market potential and sign up too many resellers.  Another common mistake is to continue selling a product from the domestic website, with the price featured prominently.  This means that a company is effectively competing with its resellers since in today’s environment it is easy for international prospects to check out the vendor’s website.

8.  Manage the channel
A new product is an intrusion and unless a vendor is successful in getting the reseller to pay attention to his product the relationship will not produce revenues.  A reseller has to incorporate the new product into his routine and his employees have to accept it as something that is important to the success of the reseller, and the employee himself.

9.  Hire or appoint a full-time International Manager
If a company is serious about going international, recruiting and hiring an international manager should be a top priority.  The company will need someone to take responsibility for the reseller recruitment program, and the subsequent management of the network that is established.  It is unlikely that a current full-time person, such as the Director of Marketing, will have the time and energy to do it properly.

10.  Use protection
Software protection is a sensitive issue but is still a business requirement.  Where possible, software keys are a good solution.

Like my kids in their world, in the business world and in these challenging times people’s sense of self-worth, and their role in the bigger scheme of things, is fragile at best.  Teams, divisions, companies are on edge because of the recession.  This makes it even more critical to recognize and communicate your people’s value. Here are some ideas that you might find useful for getting the most out of your people.

Expo
When a company gets to a point that it has different departments, not everyone knows what’s going on or who’s doing what. To help keep folks on the same page you might consider implementing a monthly “Expo” where employees have an opportunity to showcase their work to the entire company. Dedicating a few hours on a routine basis to highlight their projects is a great way to praise staff members.

Ring a Bell
Observing company or employee wins should be done on the spot and publicly. Incorporating a physical bell in the office and using it to salute those who have hit a milestone, personal victory, project completion or new client win provides a quick “Hooray” for the people involved. Following the bell celebration a company-wide email should be distributed to inform everyone of the event. Implementing a strategy that recognizes employees on the spot directly boosts company morale and encourages others to perform at high levels to gain similar recognition.

Personal Notes
In today’s world, many folks prefer to do all of their communication via email because of its convenience and speed. However, you might want to consider taking a few extra minutes to write a personalized, handwritten Thank You note to acknowledge achievements. Not only is this tactic a friendly gesture, but employees appreciate the extra effort put forth to single out their work and are motivated to continue along the same path. Provide cards to all your managers to make sure they’re always ready to write.
Mad Props
Acknowledgement should come from all levels, and it’s important to create opportunities for team members to recognize and thank each other. For example, some organizations have created “Mad Props,” a place on their intranet that is the first thing staff members see when they log-on. This page provides an outlet for employees to offer shout-outs to others, and is an easy way to show appreciation to a peer, subordinate or supervisor. People love seeing their names and picture posted for the rest of the company to view.

Tokens with Meaning
Providing a small symbol of gratitude is always a nice way to thank employees for performing above and beyond. The focus shouldn’t be on the gift itself, but rather the celebration of specific achievements.
We live in a culture where more often than not it’s the negatives about us (our children, our partners, our workers etc.) that are being highlighted.  To counter that trend, a simple thank you will often suffice.

BTW, for those of you that have teenage children, I heartily recommend a great book on raising them.  It’s witty and tongue-in-cheek but is very very good at putting perspective around the teenage dynamic.  It’s by Anthony Wolf and it’s called “Get Out of My Life But First Can You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall”.

Creativity is a Wonderful Thing

Two totally separate web items that I saw recently really brought to light just how creative we can be.

One is a website for a company Klick Communications (www.klick.com).  Granted, they are a digital agency (so they should be good) but click through the site and see the possibilites of really creative individuals.

The other is a YouTube video which is an advertisement for Honda.  Google “World’s Costliest Ad”.  It’s a very elaborate “Rube Goldberg” piece using pieces of a Honda.  Now that’s engineering.

The Gripping Statistic:

How to Make Your Data Matter

We find ourselves overwhelmed with data but yet have great difficulty putting a lot of it into context.  How can you bring perspective to the bailout money being spent, the deficit, the value that your product brings to companies or to society.  This interesting article by Dan and Chip Heath (authors of “Made to Stick“) does a great job of  showing how you can bring big concepts into a context that work.

This challenge brings me to an insight from a recent Brightlights/CATA (Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance) Teleforum which I moderated last week.  We had Les Lyall of the Kirchner Group (the former COO at Growthworks Capital) as well as George Stalk, a senior consultant of Boston Consulting Group (and well-respected author) on the call.  The topic was Managing Cash in These Turbulent Times.

One of the insightful points that George made was that our clients, just like us (their providers), are struggling with cash and credit issues.  They are hungry to find ways of conserving cash while growing their businesses.  George suggested bringing along your CFO to have a conversation with their CFO in order to bring on a conversation that might lead to mutually beneficial terms.  This might be in the form of special credit arrangements, cash incentives for quicker payment, etc.  Ultimately what it does, however, is help to distinguish you from your competition and tighten the relationship around a broader set of issues.

On that note, here are some thoughts on broadening out the conversation from the usual one-way selling proposition in order to expand your footprint, broaden your appeal and drive opportunities with your prospects or clients…no matter what your circumstance.

Bring other people with different perspectives into your meetings
Look at ways to have conversations with multiple stakeholders rather than just you and your client.  Bring your CFO, COO, CMO or whoever else might be able to add value to the conversation and provide fresh insights.  Or perhaps ask your client to have an additional person in on the conversation to broaden its scope.  This represents one more person to meet and might elicit new viewpoints on how you might bring value to each other.

Align yourself with industry experts
Reach out to experts in fields that might be of value to your client or prospect.  All organizations are struggling with ways of generating new sales, ideas on operating efficiencies in financial uncertainty and ways to to improve their marketing efforts to reach out to more prospects.  If you can provide answers to some of these big issues, and wrap the relationship around your helping your client succeed, then you have a win-win scenario.
I’ve been using the Teleforum series with CATA to try and raise Brightlights profile with the technology community.  Hopefully they see my name aligned with useful and pertinent information and this may ultimately open doors.  At the same time I’m gaining fresh insights each and every day.

Steep yourself in your client’s business

Set up Google Alerts or RSS feeds on your client’s competitors or industry information that your client might find useful.  This information is all at your doorstep on the web.

Make sure your client or prospect knows who you are

Relationships and reputations take time.  You can become an acknowledged “maven” by writing articles for industry publications, sending pertinent articles on business (or competitors or trends), producing a newsletter, being introduced through a LinkedIn connection or any number of other methods.

At the end of the day if you bring real value to your client, you will be valued.  And don’t forget, your’re in this for the long haul.

“Smart Match Alliances”

by Ernest Oriente

Finding ways to work collaboratively with others is a real key to success.  I am biased as I have been coached by Ernest Oriente, the author of this book for years now.  He is a brilliant coach and fundamentally his concept  of SmartMatch Alliances is quite straightforward.

1.  Learn from like-minded people and companies in your profession, industry, niches, and specialties.

2.  Establish a strong, memorable brand for yourself, your company, your products and your services.

3.  Find ways to build a strategy that’s low to no risk but provides a win-win for both parties.

By doing these three things you will open yourself to completely new prospects, and clients, and find ways to expand your business opportunities.

We had our inaugural meeting a few weeks ago in which ten very dynamic and accomplished fellows in their own rights, sat around and discussed the topic “Is the Newspaper Dead…and if so, who cares”?  It was a wonderful evening with lots of insightful viewpoints and we’re going to be running one every month going forward.  Not since my University days have I felt so engaged in a formal group conversation with a bunch of people I like and respect.  I heartily recommend the experience.

Along the same line of broadening my viewpoints and perspectives, but from a business standpoint, I’m thinking of starting a Mastermind Group based on the concept initiated by Napolean Hill in his book ”Think and Grow Rich”.  Masterminding involves bringing people together with different experiences and ideas to collaborate, brainstorm, and provide support to help the participants achieve their goals. For business owners Masterminding can help people model other successful entrepreneurs, make you accountable for achieving your goals, and provide you with your own personal experienced Board of Directors.

A major component, needless to say, is to find a group of people that have similar core values and goals to oneself.  There are a number of organizations that offer this as a pay for service.  Take a look at the sites www.meetup.com, www.peo.net and www.evancarmichael.com.  As well, many associations have peer-to-peer groups that meet regularly.

Whether you’re starting your own group or joining another, there are some fundamental core values that the Mastermind member’s should have in order to have a better chance at success. These include things such as commitment, a compatible work ethic, a sense of responsibility to yourself and other members, egos checked at the door and candor.

Rules of engagement are fairly flexbile and might include:

Group size – I think a minimum of three people is important.

Format of meeting - This might be via teleconferencing, face-to-face meetings, video conferencing or travelling to a common destination.
Frequency - this depends on the goals or purpose of the mastermind, as well as the availability if its members.  I’m going to try once a month.
Measures of success – I’m not sure what the definition of success will be on this.  It may be measured externally (e.g. creating a business model) versus an internal measurement to the group (each person grows individually within the group), or both. As long as this measurement is agreed upon by all, and the desired outcomes are achieved, then hopefully the group remains together.
Preparation for meetings – We’ll have to figure out how much work each team member needs to perform outside of the mastermind group.

The Mark of a Leader -Cultivating Relationships

This is a worthwhile article on the art of being a leader and giving back.  The act of showing courtesy and being connected with individuals is timeless.  It yields results in all sorts of ways.

Insightful Resources

I subscribe to Strategy and Business Magazine as well as McKinsey and Company’s free service.  Both of these organizations have top-notch talent and pertinent information which can broaden your knowledge and bring global insights to your day-to-day business.  This, in turn,  provides you with unique ways to add value to your business, or your clients, and deepens your position as an industry knowledge leader.

I found a particularly interesting article in Strategy and Business Magazine focusing on the fact that now is the time for India to shine.  It’s called “India’s Demographic Moment”.   It talks about the demographic dynamics in India (50% of the population is under the age of 26) and the reality that entrepreneurialism is generally found among the young.  BTW, Canada’s median age is 39.  Food for thought!
It’s a big world tent that we live under and it’s time to bring some more people under mine.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

In the course of my 20+ years in the recruiting industry I’ve used a number of tools to uncover this information and I’d like to share some of them with you.

Slideshare (www.slideshare.com)
This site contains Powerpoint presentations that have been posted to the web. Type in the topic you’re looking for and there’s a good chance you can get your own personal presentation made internally for the organization, for their customers or for conferences.  You can also find organizational charts, information on their competition and a myriad of other insights.

Zoominfo (www.zoominfo.com)
Zoominfo is a for fee service site that extracts information on people and companies from the web, and then pulls it together in a clear and concise presentation format.  You can find employees of the organization as well as their bios.  You can uncover their competitors and gain valuable insights in an easy to use format.
It’s very powerful when you call up a client, rhyme off their past history, and list the names of their major competitors.

Techfinance (www.techfinance.ca)
This is a Canadian database on Tech venture capital, private equity, angel investing etc.  The site shows all the buy-outs, fundings and M&A activity going on in the technology sector across Canada.  Be the first one to congratulate the company on raising capital or merging with another organization and show you’re in the know.  As the saying goes…when looking for action just follow the money.

Linkedin (www.linkedin.com)
I check the company’s contacts that I might know through my first and second degrees of connection.  In addition I try and find a common thread from the groups they belong to.  You can also go into the “Company” heading and you’ll find contacts from your entire database who might provide you insight into the firm.

Google (www.google.com)

Needless to say you can do Google Alerts and general searches on the target organization.  You can also go to “Advanced Search” and pull more specific information on the company.  For example you can search on info from a certain time frame, using a specific file format such as Powerpoint, etc. which has been posted on the company.  The link above goes straight to the Advanced Search page on Google.

Clearly there’s such a thing as having too much information and not knowing what to do with it.  Rather than freezing you into inaction the name of the game is providing added value, or insights, that prove you are truly worth your client’s time.  If you succeed at this then you immediately fall into the role of trusted advisor.  Good luck!

Technology That Boggles the Mind

Pranav Mistry is a graduate student at MIT’s world-renowned Media Labs.  He has come up with a truly game changing product and concept called “Sixth Sense”.  This technology acts as an enabler between the physical world and the digital world.

Don’t “skip” this!

A high school synchronized skipping team did a half time show at a basketball game.   This has nothing to do with technology or recruiting great people but – gosh, you can only imagine how much practicing went into this show.

Interesting Articles of the Month

McKinsey Quarterly is a great publication.  In these days of tight capital you should take a look at this article on Motivating People – Getting Beyond Money.

If you’re thinking about blogging, or getting involved in Social Media ,you should keep your eye on Guy Kawasaki’s Blog.  It’s fresh, full and unique.

As we look to the new year, and the new decade, one thing stills holds true… It is your ability to attract, hire, and retain the right people that will ultimately bring you success or failure in whatever leadership role you find yourself.  The following article is taken from Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express and focuses on the key elements which he’s used to identify leaders and leaders-to-be.

The most gifted athletes rarely make good coaches. The best violinist will not necessarily make the best conductor. Nor will the best teacher necessarily make the best head of the department.

So it’s critical to distinguish between the skill of performance and the skill of leading the performance, two entirely different skills.  It’s also important to determine whether a person is capable of learning leadership. The natural leader will stand out. The trick is identifying those who are capable of learning leadership over time.

Here are several traits to help identify whether someone is capable of learning to lead.

• Leadership in the past. The best predictor of the future is the past. When I was in business, I took note of any worker who told me he was superintendent of a school or a deacon in his church or a Boy Scout leader. If he showed leadership outside of the job, I wanted to find out if he had some leadership potential on the job.
• The capacity to create or catch vision. When I talk to people about the future, I want their eyes to light up. I want them to ask the right questions about what I’m talking about.
• The founder of Jefferson Standard built a successful insurance company from scratch. He assembled some of the greatest insurance people by simply asking, “Why don’t you come and help me build something great?”
• A person who doesn’t feel the thrill of challenge is not a potential leader.
• A constructive spirit of discontent. Some people would call this criticism, but there’s a big difference in being constructively discontent and being critical. If somebody says, “There’s got to be a better way to do this,” I see if there’s leadership potential by asking, “Have you ever thought about what that better way might be?” If he says no, he is being critical, not constructive. But if he says yes, he’s challenged by a constructive spirit of discontent. That’s the unscratchable itch. It is always in the leader.
• People locked in the status quo are not leaders. I ask of a potential leader, Does this person believe there is always a better way to do something?
• Practical ideas. Highly original people are often not good leaders because they are unable to judge their output.  They need somebody else to say, “This will work” or “This won’t.”
• Brainstorming is not a particularly helpful practice in leadership, because ideas need to stay practical. Not everybody with practical ideas is a leader, of course, but leaders seem to be able to identify which ideas are practical and which aren’t.
• A willingness to take responsibility. One night at the end of the second shift, I walked out of the plant and passed the porter. As head of operations, I had started my day at the beginning of the first shift. The porter said, “Mr. Smith, I sure wish I had your pay, but I don’t want your worry.” He equated responsibility and worry. He wanted to be able to drop his responsibility when he walked out the door and not carry it home. That’s understandable, but it’s not a trait in potential leaders. I thought about the porter’s comment driving home. If the vice-president and the porter were paid the same money, I’d still want to be vice-president. Carrying responsibility doesn’t intimidate me because the joy of accomplishment-the vicarious feeling of contributing to other people-is what leadership is all about.
• A completion factor. I might test somebody’s commitment by putting him or her on a task force. I’d find a problem that needs solving and assemble a group of people whose normal responsibilities don’t include tackling that problem. The person who grabs hold of the problem and won’t let go, like a dog with a bone, has leadership potential. This quality is critical in leaders, for there will be times when nothing but one’s iron will says, “Keep going.” Dale Carnegie used to say, “I know men in the ranks who will not stay in the ranks. Why? Because they have the ability to get things done.” In the military, it is called “completed staff work.” With potential leaders, when the work comes in, it’s complete. The half-cooked meal isn’t good enough.
• Mental toughness. No one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. A potential leader needs a mental toughness. I don’t want a mean leader; I want a tough-minded leader who sees things as they are and will pay the price. Leadership creates a certain separation from one’s peers. The separation comes from carrying responsibility that only you can carry. Years ago, I spoke to a group of presidents in Columbus, Ohio, about loneliness in leadership. One participant, president of an architectural firm, came up afterward and said, “You’ve solved my problem.” “What’s your problem?” I asked. “My organization’s always confused,” he said, “and I didn’t know why. It’s because I don’t like to be lonely; I’ve got to talk about my ideas to the rest of the company. But they never know which ones will work, so everybody who likes my idea jumps to work on it. Those who don’t, work against it. Employees are going backward and forward-when the idea may not even come about at all.” Fearing loneliness, this president was not able to keep his ideas to himself until they were better formulated. A leader must be able to keep his or her own counsel until the proper time.
• Peer respect. Peer respect doesn’t reveal ability, but it can show character and personality. Trammell Crow, one of the world’s most successful real estate brokers, said that he looks for people whose associates want them to succeed. He said, “It’s tough enough to succeed when everybody wants you to succeed. People who don’t want you to succeed are like weights in your running shoes.” Maxey Jarmen used to say, “It isn’t important that people like you. It’s important that they respect you. They may like you but not follow you. If they respect you, they’ll follow you, even if perhaps they don’t like you.”
• Family respect. I also look at the family of a potential leader: Do they respect him or her? Fifteen years ago, my daughter said, “Dad, one thing I appreciate is that after you speak and I walk up, you are always attentive to me. You seem proud of me.” That meant a lot to me. If respect isn’t there, that’s also visible. The family’s feelings toward someone reveal much about his or her potential to lead.
• A quality that makes people listen to them. Potential leaders have a “holding court” quality about them. When they speak, people listen. Other people may talk a great deal, but nobody listens to them. They’re making a speech; they’re not giving leadership. I take notice of people to whom others listen.

It’s not enough for people to have leadership potential; they must have character and the right setting in which to grow. Before I give someone significant leadership responsibilities, I find it helpful to ask myself several questions:

• What will this person do to be liked? It’s nice to be liked, but as a leader it cannot be the controlling factor. The cause must be the prime motivator.
• Does this person have a destructive weakness? There are only two things I need to know about myself: my constructive strength and any destructive weakness. A destructive weakness may not show up on a test; it’s a character flaw. A destructive weakness may, for example, be an obsession. An obsession controls us; we don’t control it. It only grows worse over time.

Can I provide this person the environment to succeed? It is so important, particularly in the early days of someone’s leadership, that he or she be put into a congenial environment. I wouldn’t want, for example, to put someone who requires mentoring with a leader who pays no attention to people. An environment that threatens our sense of security or well-being splits our concentration from the cause. Young leaders need an environment in which they can concentrate on leading.

TED Conference – 18 Minutes of Brilliance

I’ve mentioned the TED (Technology, Education, and Design) Conferences in a number of previous newsletters.  These events bring together some of the most diverse, smart, and unique voices around.

Using Stories to Sell Your Message

I don’t know about you, but when I’m listening to someone speak it’s always the stories they tell that resonate with me.  It’s the images that these stories invoke that stick with me.  One of the best examples is Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” when he talks about the criticality of getting the “right people on the bus.”  You don’t know where the business (the bus) will be in a year or two from now.  That’s why it’s so critical to have the type of employees or partners who are smart, flexible, adaptable, action-oriented etc.

Here are a handful of suggestions to help bridge the gap and build a  story, and a vision, for your people and peers:

• Why not create a visual map making it easy for people to know where you’re headed.  Take a look at Xplane for some thoughts.
• Tell stories of how ideas failed.
• Tell stories of how problems were solved.
• Listen to people by asking what matters most to them.
• Simplify complex business ideas with personal experiences.
• Present more personality and humanize your company.
• Demonstrate your values in action when recruiting potential candidates
• Share more success stories.

Stories, not facts, galvanize people.  Give it a try!