The new market has created several new market trends for 2010, however one of the most significant trends we see here at Treeline is found in the technology industry.  Our technology clients are currently the most aggressive when it comes to hiring sales professionals and the majority of our open roles are for software companies.  They certainly have the most urgency and are the most progressive to adapt in the new market.  They have adopted many new sales strategies that have proven to be not only effective but efficient. The majority of the changes have been in the structure of the sales team.  The traditional technology sales force is comprised of a lead generation team, inside sales team and a field sales team.  In the late 90’s and for the decade that followed many technology companies built a very large field sales presence.  Over the years, we have helped many companies build large field sales teams however over the past year and a half the sales model has changed.   With cloud computing and the conversion from applications to Software as a Service (SaaS), we have seen a rise in consumer confidence and an adoption to purchasing products via web demos and conference calls.  Therefore the need for a large field sales presence is not as cost effective or efficient as it once was.  Technology companies are progressively moving away from a large field sales force and more aggressively trending toward an inside sales presence.    

The market has shifted and consumers on the business to business front find more comfort building relationships through conference calls and web demos.   The pay-as-you-go SaaS model is very effective for both buyers and sellers.  As a result, many technology companies are finding little need for a face to face meeting and a hand shake.  The average sale size has been reduced due to a monthly reoccurring subscription cost and the ability to close deals over the phone is continuing to increase.  In some cases we are seeing our clients close business up to $500k in products and services without ever meeting their client. 

What does this all mean?  It means that business to business sales as we know it are going through a very dramatic shift.  Consumers purchase products differently due to new online technology and technology companies in many cases are leading the way to changing their genetic sales make up.  They are trending toward a large centrally based sales force and a small field sales presence.  What this means is that field sales professionals will find their new roles will require a greater percentage of time inside as opposed to being on the road.  A new wave of sales professionals are being developed and they are learning how to buy and close business via the web.  Companies are trending toward a central location where resources, energy, camaraderie, and culture can be shared and built.  Not only is this model strong and scalable, but companies can build depth quickly and build organizations rapidly.  More importantly, companies can reduce the cost of sale and become more profitable by bringing their sales force to the inside.  After the market crash, every company has the common goal to increase revenue while reducing overhead.  

 Like it or not, agree or disagree, one thing is for certain: times are changing.  Sales organizations are adapting and changing and as a sales leader it is imperative that you change with them.

How many times have you stared into a fridge full of food and you can’t find anything to eat?  Or, how many times do you find yourself flipping through 500 HD channels to find that there is nothing on television?  Today we have access to so many options in our day to day life that it is paralyzing.  From what music we want in our ears to what kind of dairy product we want in our coffee, the decisions are endless.

If you are a hiring manager or the leader of a sales organization, you are probably experiencing the same issue in your hiring efforts.  You get into the same mindless, robotic process that delivers the same results day in and day out.   You find that you have many choices, but none are what you are looking for.  At Treeline we keep a fine tuned ear to what is happening in the market and we have been hearing a reoccurring message: “Why can’t we find any qualified sales people in a market saturated with them?”  To answer this question, let’s go back to the refrigerator for a second…

…here you stand, in front of your fridge, you’re hungry.  Your shelves are full of food and beverages, you’re overwhelmed, and yet you keep coming back every 10 minutes.  You continue with the same behavior which nets the exact same result every time.  So you chose something.  But, before you reach for the jalapeños, which you know you do not want but they are in arms reach, stop and ask yourself, “what do I really want and what is it going to take to get it?”

This is the key question which deserves a key answer.  The answer in the refrigerator case is not just “food”.  You have to identify what you want and essentially need: snack or meal, sweet or savory.  Should I have a jalapeño with that?  You get the idea.  Now apply the same questioning to the sales professional that you are seeking.

The key question needs a key answer – “What do I want?” – the answer is not “a top producing sales professional.”  That is the same as saying I am going to watch some TV for entertainment and you find yourself surfing 500 channels of nothing.  You must dig deeper and get more specific.  What is your plan?  Who do you need to hire?  Is it a junior sales person that you can mold or tenured sales professional with a book of business?  A strategic sales person with a lengthy sales cycle and a multi-million dollar quota or an activity driven sales professional with a short sales cycle and a $500k quota?  Direct industry experience or different industry experience yet selling into the same decision makers?  There are so many different species of sales professionals – it is crucial to identify what type of sales person can produce for your organization.

Just because the market has a bigger pool of sales candidates does not make it any easier to identify who is a good sales person for your company.  In fact, it makes it more difficult.  There are still the same amount of qualified candidates out there in the market but they are now much harder to find and hidden amongst the growing number of unqualified candidates that are also targeting your company’s opening.  You must be able to sustain a bandwidth that will allow you to effectively screen every resume and quickly identify the qualified from the unqualified.  The organizations that have identified resources that help them source outside of their own refrigerators are the ones that are able to effectively snatch up top talent from the market and build stronger sales teams.  They tap into less traditional resources.  They use social media and specialty boutique search firms with resources to tap into their endless network with a laser focus to find candidates that fit your criteria.  This is bad news for their competitors.  

Don’t fall victim to the paralysis of being overwhelmed by choices.  Don’t be afraid of change or to try something new.  Mix it up and build a new process and system that will force you to ask the key questions and find candidates that are outside of your norm.  If you need help, Treeline has built a system that will help you identify the right sales professionals for your organization – try it for free by clicking here. 

However you decide to build your sourcing system, if you do not ask these key questions and identify the key answers, you will find yourself staring into the fridge and eating jalapeños every time.  And every time you will be unsatisfied and find yourself right back in front of the fridge, guessing and looking at the same unsatisfying options.

By Gary Johnson

Gary has a passion for building, managing and leading successful sales teams in the B2B space. Trained well by the likes of the U.S. Navy and AT&T, he looks to share his many years of sucess and experience selling and building teams via his blog: www.sellingwisdom.blogspot.com.  

Here is a question near and dear to my heart: “As a sales leader, would you hire from the new-college-graduate ranks for your B2B sales role?”

The answer to this question really depends on a variety of factors. But I would argue, never dismiss this potential pool of candidates for any B2B sales role you are looking to fill. We all want 3-10+ years of experience of sales experience selling a similar product into similar industries, market segments etc. But I would ask, do you want 5 years of experience selling your same product to the same industry, when the experience and success has been mediocre to poor, even though during your hiring process they convinced you it was stellar, or do you want a potential pure sales pro, who will learn your sales process, product and industry quickly and go on to become a superstar? I know what my answer will be!

The BEST sales person I ever hired came directly out of college. He has now gone onto several much larger sales management roles in a very large company selling and managing to very large accounts, with much success. At the time, I was managing a B2B effort in the SMB space for a large company. Our stringent requirements were 3+ years of sales success in the B2B space, but management was open-minded and encouraged all sorts of recruiting channels. I went after the colleges, and naturally, departing military officers!

When I found “Bob”, he was graduating after having sold condo’s for two years during his summers. He absolutely loved it. I know of another college grad who found his way directly into a successful sales career after having sold cemetery plots in college! “Bob” was smart, well-educated and hungry for a career in sales. He was after money and recognition. I brought him into our company hiring process and he quickly impressed.

“Bob” quickly impressed me out in the field, too. Extremely hard worker. Incredible ethics. Learned quickly. Despite his youthfulness, his energy, enthusiasm, persistence and newly-found sales skills were used to overcome almost all of his competitors. When other sales pro’s in his group, years older and more “experienced”, were having poor months, “Bob” was always there to deliver. Time and time again.

So I learned a lesson – don’t dismiss the new-grad hiring pool. While doing so, keep in mind the following:

• Very few of us went through college aspiring to be a sales pro. When you find one, get him/her into your recruiting process!
• Be sure that your hiring process is exhaustive and demanding. My interviews for sales positions out of the military often included large-scale role plays and panel interviews.
• Look for schools and a transcript that has taught business acumen. The GPA does not matter. The best sales pro I know, who I didn’t hire, left school with a 2.5 GPA, but his school is known for teaching incredible business acumen. He just likes to party a little, not a bad thing for a sales pro!
• If s/he is hired, be prepared to devote significant coaching time to this new-hire.

You may read this and suggest, “This is fine in the SMB sector, but I’ve got large accounts.” Or, “Our sales process is too sophisticated.” In these B2B segments, we’ll often employ team-based selling. Give her/him a very junior role. S/he may lift the team to new heights!

What is better? Five years of mediocre experience selling your same product into the same industry or bringing on a potentially pure sales pro who will know nothing but success for themselves and you? Every one of us started somewhere, for someone who decided to take a chance!

Recently I sat with a great candidate to discuss his job search. We had talked about the different resources he could utilize to conduct an effective search and to my surprise I found that my candidate was not a member of LinkedIn. I suggested how he could maximize his search by creating a LinkedIn account. I was amazed to find resistance and a strong opinion to not join one of the world’s largest, most powerful networking sites. Then I realized that he was averse to joining LinkedIn due to the fact that he had a misunderstanding of what LinkedIn is. He was under the impression that it was just another social site like Facebook. I spoke with him in depth about why he should join LinkedIn and shared with him how I utilize the site as a recruiter. It is one of the sites I use on a daily basis to find candidates and prospects and I think anyone who is not utilizing LinkedIn is doing themselves a major disservice. In the rare occasion that I speak with someone who is not on LinkedIn, I give them the following reasons why to join: 1. Maximize your visibility. If you are a LinkedIn user then Congratulations! If not, recognize that your chance of being found and considered for opportunities has drastically dropped. Many VP’s, Directors, Managers and every good Recruiter utilize LinkedIn for many searches and in some cases LinkedIn is used to validate your resume. A professional profile on LinkedIn with a picture and references can make the difference of you being considered for a job and your resume being tossed in the trash. Nowadays, job boards are ineffective and inundated with old and irrelevant resumes. Recruiters, like myself, turn to LinkedIn to conduct a search rather than to job boards like Monster or CareerBuilder. 2. Interview Preparation. LinkedIn is stocked full of information about companies and employees that work for those companies. As part of your interview preparation you always need to research the company. The corporate website can give you basic information about the company but LinkedIn allows you to get an understanding of the inner structure of a company. Who are the executives? What type of background do they have? Search the title of the position that you’re interviewing for and look to see if there are other professionals currently in that role. What are their backgrounds? Search for the person that you’ll be interviewing with. How long have they been with the company? Where did they work before their current company? What are their personal interests? Often times you can get a feel for a hiring manager’s personality based off of their LinkedIn profile. For instance, if you know you are going to be speaking to the VP of Sales and when you look at her background you see bullet point after bullet point of success then you know you are probably talking to someone who is a hard-driver. Based on this information, you can get an idea of what type of interview you need to conduct and what type of energy you need to mirror. 3. Network. One of the things that you’ll realize after joining LinkedIn is how small the world actually is. There is a strong possibility that you may know someone who works at the company that you are interviewing at. If not, perhaps you are LinkedIn with a contact that knows someone at that company. You may find this contact to be a distant contact but it’s still an opportunity to get inside information about the company who you’re interviewing with. This type of information is invaluable. Without being an active member of LinkedIn you may not be as prepared as your competition and you may jeopardize your chances of getting the job. 4. Sales 2.0. Lastly, in October of 2009, LinkedIn passed the 50 million member mark. If you are not on LinkedIn what message are you driving about your ability to adapt to new technologies and new sales methodologies? Companies these days are actually requiring that not only should candidates be members of LinkedIn but they should have a professional network that exceeds a certain number. If you’re not on LinkedIn, there is a possibility you could be missing out on the next big sales job. I strongly recommend the use of LinkedIn as a networking and job search tool. It is not a fad and a site that is a must for all sales professionals. I hope to see you there and invite you to connect with me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpcasey1.

Goals are set to encourage you to stretch beyond what is within your easy reach.  One large caution for Sales Managers this year: do not allow your team to use 2009 as a benchmark for 2010’s achievement.  As a Sales Manager, now is the time to recreate the vision.  Now is the time to redefine success from a clean slate.  The most successful sales professionals have heard the mantra, “Belief, Action, Results, and Motivation.”  Now is the time to readdress this mantra as you adjust expectation. 

Belief:

Your sales representatives need to believe that the goals they have set are achievable.  Typically, your team’s perspective on what is “achievable” is undoubtedly skewed.  Your challenge will be to identify the number or the correct criteria that defines success for this year.  Once you find that goal, i.e. revenue number, reduce it to the ridiculous so representatives can understand the specific production expected each month/each week and what activity equates to this achievement.  In our meetings with Sales Professionals, it is shocking how many candidates don’t understand their compensation plan or how they are measured.  These representatives find it impossible to run for an undefined or misunderstood target and as a result, lose belief. 

Action:

A common mistake while setting goals is the lack of plan or strategy behind a goal.  45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year, however only three weeks into the year; 75% of those resolutions will have already been forgotten.* Without a structured plan to execute on, it is impossible to achieve goals.  A quarter of the year could easily pass without you ever really knowing, you are actually doing nothing to make goal achievement possible. Sit down with your representatives and build out a specific plan.  Define the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that discuss the action needed in order to achieve the goal.  Once the plan is constructed, take action, set expectations and inspect to ensure success.

Results:

2010 is not 2009.  Hold your team to higher standards but celebrate the small wins to create momentum and excitement straight out of the gates.  This is crucial.  Everything must feel different for your representatives to close the door on 2009 and it must be immediate.  Your energy and excitement as a manager will be contagious and your team will run hard which will result in success. 

Motivation:

By celebrating the small wins, your representative’s confidence will build.   This motivation will fuel the continuation of this cycle.  Where there are extra funds, make the investment in bringing back sales spiffs and bonuses.  Build out a different, more aggressive compensation plan.  These actions will show your confidence and commitment to putting together a good year and supporting your sales representatives.   If dedicated and diligent, after 12 months you will be sitting down with your representatives at the end of the year discussing all that was achieved.

May I propose a New Year’s Resolution that will positively impact more people than just yourself:  Be more than just a Sales Manager.  Be a Mentor that inspires.  If you are a manager, you have risen to that level because you know how to set and achieve goals.  Take an uninterrupted hour and listen to your teams desires.  Help them build a plan to achieve their goals.  Meet with them regularly to go over progress.  Care.  Sales may be a numbers game, but it is people that either achieve or don’t achieve that number.  Care about them.  Spend a little extra time.  I challenge you to see where it gets your team at the end of the year. 

Cheers to a great 2010!!!!!  

*http://www.proactivechange.com/resolutions/statistics.htm

We typically like to educate ourselves not only by our experiences on the job, but also with a great reading that we like to share amongst each other during our month end meetings. We have mainly focused on books that pertain to our business which is sales, but in this instance I wanted to focus on something that was more motivating rather than educational. This past month I read a book called Motivating Employees written by Anne Bruce and James S. Pepitone.
Essentially, this book focuses on motivation and how it can help you become a more inspirational employee/manager. What does that mean? Getting more done through people. The idea is to better equip yourself to be able to build a highly motivated, higher performing organization. The beginning of the book touches upon the actual definition of motivation and where it comes from. Motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivations are those that drive us from within, such as a personal interest, desire or fulfillment. Extrinsic motivations are those which are factors outside of us that influence our internal needs, wants and behaviors. These can by typically described as rewards, promotions and praise.
As a sales representative, I have learned that you have ups and downs throughout your career and the primary goal is to manage some sort of consistency to balance the peeks and valleys. So what are the three most common ways to motivate? One that I believe is most popular today is fear, which usually peaks when the economy is sluggish. In sales, typically commissions outweigh base salaries, so individuals are motivated to work harder to earn a similar compensation when the economy is striving. Also, the fear of being “cut” when organizations are being downsized could be the fuel that lights the fire. The other two motivators that are highlighted are incentive and personal growth. Incentives are very popular in a sales world. Typically, you can see many great ideas such as a paid day off, dinners, and tangible gifts. This creates urgency as there is an added benefit if you book more revenue or perhaps have the largest pipeline. The last common motivator that Bruce and Pepitone place emphasis on is personal growth from a compensation standpoint or higher responsibility. They stress that challenging yourself is the key factor on furthering your potential. Understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are enables you to have a solid start on climbing up the ladder.
Throughout the book, Bruce and Pepitone spoke about the key factors of internal and external motivation. They emphasize the importance of working with human nature and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and how it is linked to performance. In conclusion, they feel the most critical pieces of motivation are values, humor, synergy and of course team power.
So, how important is motivation? It makes the difference between failure and success. You can be experienced, knowledgeable, talented and the most capable manager/employee, however, if you lack the motivation, mediocrity will take over and you will just be average. Motivation is not a simple matter and requires a recipe of elements:
• Motivation is an inside job!
• Relationships: Keys to better performance
• Working with Human Nature
• Encouraging entrepreneurial thinking
• Linking Motivation to performance
• Having Fun!
• Attacking de-motivators
• A clear path to performance
• Teamwork
• Synergy

Bruce and Pepitone wrap up the book by highlighting how you must be committed to continually developing yourself and your employees. “Success breeds success.” We all accept and understand that. Unleashing your synergy and making sure that you better yourself is of the utmost importance. Ever hear of practice makes perfect? Well compare it to shooting a hockey puck 100 times a day to have more strength and accuracy. Can’t get your pitch down? Practice leaving yourself messages, do it in front of a mirror. Becoming a student of your business and becoming more knowledgeable creates strength and more importantly confidence which is the greatest motivator.
Any organization can take a significant hit and face challenging times and changes if it is not taking the necessary steps to prepare for the future through the attitudes, motivation and action of the organization and its employees. This is what this book is all about. Utilizing these techniques can be powerful tool that keep you and the organization from falling to mediocrity and complacency, but none if it matters if you can not translate it into action!

As 2009 draws to a close, many of us are keeping our eyes on the road and hoping to find a stronger and more productive 2010, yet we can’t seem to help looking in the rear view mirror.  As sales professionals, we want to be able to fully understand any downfall we had this past year and learn from our mistakes.  Some of the loses we endured are unpreventable where others can teach us how to be leaner and meaner in the future.  We also look back and analyze the past in order to better understand the future and any possible indicating trends we need to keep an eye on.  That being said, we at Treeline have taken a look back and analyzed the hiring trends of 2009 and have identified one overwhelming behavior of all companies:  risk aversion in hiring decisions.

In December of 2008, dozens of economists and employment organizations started making predictions on hiring trends in 2009.  At that point we had already experienced a taste of what was to come with the economic recession, however, reports indicated that we would see bigger paychecks, flexible work arrangements and bigger budgets for employee branding.  All sound promising and exciting, however none of them true.  Instead, we have seen companies tighten the belt on budgetary expenditures and avoid unnecessary loses.  That being said, companies who were able to hire did so gingerly and continue the same behavior.

Throughout 2009, we have seen many companies sit on open roles for weeks and months waiting to find the right candidate.  They do not wait due to lack of candidates on the marketplace, they wait because they cannot afford to take the risk of hiring an “outside of the box” professional.  It seems that companies have experience a fundamental shift in their hiring practices and have taken to the employment market with more of a consumer minded approach.  Openings are analyzed, assessed and outlined before going to market and the requirements are iron clad and often times extremely narrow.  Employers tend to look to fill their open roles with candidates who have identical skills sets and who have been successful in the same role at another company.  They look for candidates who have proven track records of success within the same industry and, in some instances, can bring over a book of business.  Let’s face it, nowadays the majority of products and services are commoditized and purchasers are looking for the best buys.  What makes the employment market any different?   Companies are investing in human capital, therefore they are going to go to the market with a “buyer beware” attitude.  Thus, in order to mitigate the risk of a bad hire, they are looking for candidates who have proven success and great reviews.  Many companies that traditionally have been “quick to pull the trigger” are also starting to implement background checks and other investigative reports in order to ensure a successful hire. 

In conclusion, few companies in 2009 have settled for the “bodies in chairs” approach.  They are selectively building up their dream teams and will allow that seat to sit empty for an indefinite amount of time.  In 2010, we will see companies with more sales openings and a greater urgency to hire, but their selective search tactics will be a continuing trend.  Therefore, in order to be a competitive player in this job market you need to be able to demonstrate your successes and the value that you would bring to your potential employer.  It’s not longer about asking the company what they can do for you, it’s about showing the company what you can do for them.

Having been in recruiting for just under 5  years, I have reviewed thousands of resumes and have conducted hundreds of interviews.  Time and time again, I rely on the resume to tell me the initial story about the candidate. Once in the interview, I use their resume as a blueprint to their career.  Our focus and the main piece of discussion is around the resume and the work they have stated they have done.  Everything is covered:  work dates, responsibilities, successes and accolades, education, etc.  More often than you would think, you find discrepancies and false truths on the resume.  Many candidates will claim that the discrepancies were “accidental” where as others are honest and fess up to exaggeration and lying to get their foot in the door.  Whether by honest mistake or outright admittance, lying on a resume is a serious action that Executives, hiring managers and HR professionals take as an unforgivable offense and that will more likely than not get your candidacy in the recycle bin with a permanent “do not interview” note. 

Often times, some think that a little white lie on a resume is harmless and will go undiscovered.  That is not the case.  It is becoming commonplace for companies to utilize background, W2 and credit checks in addition to conducting in depth references with previous employers.  No stone goes uncovered.  Some may feel that this is an unfair practice utilized by companies and that it would make it impossible to get a job.  Does this practice weed more people out?  Absolutely.  However, as a company, would you want to hire a candidate who started off the relationship with lies and fallacies?  Absolutely not.  Think of background checks and W2 requests as a Consumer Report and that organizations are merely being consciences buyers. 

In these times of desperation where the job market is tight, some people feel that they need to lie on their resume in order to get a chance to interview.  It is widely known that companies are stricter than ever with candidate qualifications and they are non-forgiving on their requirements.  Therefore, lying on a resume has now become an art form for many job seekers.  The New York Post recently published an article titled “Crock Stars” which discusses this phenomenon*.  They too, note that many employers are screening resumes with a fine tooth comb and are only hiring candidates who have a clean background and honest resumes.  Like your mother told you as a child, honesty is the best policy.  If you want a job, be honest in communicating your background with prospective employers and find other ways of making your background relevant.  Utilize any transferable experience you may have to get your foot in the door or clearly draw parallels between what the company is looking for and what you have in your background.  If they deem your candidacy as not a fit, move on to the next opportunity.  After all, liar, liar will not get your hired.

New York Post http://tiny.cc/4cVFD

Has there been a Death of the Sales Professional as we had known it?

Forty years ago, my grandfather worked for Abbott Laboratories as one of New England’s Top Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals.  Although I never personally knew my grandfather (he died when I was just a baby) his memory was kept alive by the many stories told about his unforgettable character.  The stories painted a picture of a man “that could and would talk to anyone,” “a gifted influencer”, “a keen listener”, and “a man whose charisma walked through the door before he did”.   The consistent theme in these descriptions was that my grandfather was incredibly likable and had the ability to make an impact when he was in front of people.  Many said, “the man was born to sell.”

However, in today’s market where the structure of sales organizations continue to change, would those gifts of my late grandfather hold much weight if he was unemployed looking for a job in today’s Sales 2.0 Generation?  What other qualities or skills would he need to have to be competitive? 

I sought out answers to these questions and asked a handful of influential sales leaders what they felt were some of the most important characteristics of a successful sales professional in the Sales 2.0 Generation.  This is some of what they said:   

1.  Process oriented approach vs early stage relationship selling:

In today’s market, although it certainly doesn’t fall off the list entirely, likeability may fall down a rung of the ladder of priorities when looking for successful sales professionals.  Gene Fay*, the former VP of Sales and Business Development of Vkernal Software states that “Sales 2.0 is far more about meeting customers needs then the ability to be likable.”   The key difference seems to be a change in the buying process itself.  Fay goes on to say, “even three or four years ago sales people would work with a customer to educate them on a new product. Now, people are going to the web and doing much of their own research. Then they are reaching out to co-workers, friends and their network [Twitter, Facebook, and industry forums] to find out what people know about the topic.  It is after all of this work that a sales person would be engaged”.   Prospects are educated when they are engaged by a sales person.  They come to the table already ready to ask specific questions that will help them compare and contrast the products they are considering from a variety of vendors. 

Adam Bosnian*, VP of Products, Strategy and Sales at Cyber-Ark Software defends a similar opinion.  “It is less about relationships in today’s selling and more about impact within the buying process (vs. selling process).  I think it is more about how the salesperson today is able to pull together all the research and work that the prospects have already done, identify what gaps of information or concerns exist, and then making sure that the right information is provided to address that gap/objection at the right time, to all the right people.” 

2.  The ability to assimilate to new technology immediately and without training

Dan Fantasia*, Founder and CEO of Treeline states, “The most scaleable and successful sales professionals in the Sales 2.0 Generation, don’t waste powerful selling time attempting to adapt to the use of new tools.  For a Sales 2.0 Superstars there is no adaptation.  Their ability to assimilate is immediate.  New tools are a part of their everyday.  These reps are not reliant on company training, they have adapted the ability to learn this stuff on their own, troubleshooting through the kinks.”  

3.  The ability to find the competitive edge in a changing market

Noted sales leader Gerhard Gschwandtner*, Founder and Publisher of Selling Power Magazine, challenged that fact that there is not a concrete list of characteristics successful sales professionals need to have in this new market.  Instead he stated that “the real story isn’t that the world has changed, the real story is about how the new, changed world can work to your advantage.”

Let’s consider you are not one of my readers that was born into the Sales 2.0 generation, maybe you are more comfortable with heavy relationship selling styles.  You may feel the new tools available to you seem to just complicate things.  An opportunistic, positive sales person has that ability to make a decision to look for the opportunities presented in the challenges you face.   Gerhard’s attitude, his decision to focus NOT on the fact that “the landscape of sales has changed drastically in the last three years” but moreover, how the “new changed world can work to your advantage” is brilliant. 

So in conclusion, what does this all mean?  Was there a death of the Sales Professional as we know it?  No, absolutely not.  As the Sales Leaders in this article confirmed, the world of selling has changed, most notably the “buying process itself” and the tool belts of sales professionals are chocked full of ammunition to make the selling process smoother and more efficient.  But teach my grandfather how to use a computer brief him on the new “buying process” and he may still be killing his quota.  To quote the play Death of a Salesman, “Be liked and you will never want.”  Forty years later this still seems to hold true and all the intangible qualities that define a sales person remain the same.   What seems to have changed are the Process and Technology.   Garth Moulton*, Co-Founder of Jigsaw, sums it up very well, “the new Sales 2.0 Professional has to be more tech savvy, adaptable, and process oriented, but to me the top traits are the same as when your grandfather was in sales:  persistence, personality, brains, talent, and charisma”. 

*To learn more about the contributing sales leaders check out their websites and blogs:

Gene Fay

Adam Bosnian, Cyber Ark

Dan Fantasia, Treeline, Inc

Gerhard Gschwandtner, Selling Power Magazine

Garth Moulton, Jigsaw

When the job market is tough and full of competitors, you may feel that a strong cover letter may be your best chance of standing out from the crowd and perhaps the key piece in landing that hard to get interview.  However, is that theory actually true?  We all know that in today’s market the hardest part is getting noticed and getting your foot in the door.  So the question is, does your use of a cover letter prove to be effective?

As a sales recruiter, my responsibilities are to understand my client’s needs and also to understand what my candidate is looking for.  I have seen thousands of cover letters and they all seem to tell a story which is important, however what other real purpose does a cover letter serve that has not already been demonstrated on your resume?  Cover letters can reveal a ton about a candidate and their ability to communicate, however do people still read them?   Classically, cover letters were used as hard copy letters you sent to potential employers that served as an introduction to who you are and why you are interested in the company.  Nowadays, it’s very rare to see a hard copy cover letter or a resume due to the fact that the internet has become commonplace.  It’s now a cultural norm to shoot off a resume as an attachment to an email or simply submit a resume through an online portal.  That being said, many job seekers tend to exclude any type of introductory email with the attachment of their resume and even their cover letter.  You may think that you’re following proper protocol by submitting a cover letter, but shooting off a blank email with only attachments can leave a bad impression and even lead to your resume being moved to the recycle bin.  Let’s be honest, an introduction email serves the exact same purporse as a cover letter.  It is a proper way to establish a relationship with the hiring manager in the hopes of getting noticed.  That being said, be conscious of what you put in your introductory email.  Make sure the subject line of your email is professional yet eye catching.  Also, be aware of your audience!  Many people draft an introduction email and use the same one time and time again.  It is extremely important that you tailor every introductory email (as you should do with your resume) to speak to the specific hiring manager(s).  Never title your email with “Dear Sirs” or “Gentlemen”.  Many HR professionals and hiring managers are women.  This can be a very easy way to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the intended party. 

So what should your introduction email include?

1. Your story. 

• Use it as a conversation piece- peak their curiosity!!
• Does it focus on your main competencies?
• If you are looking to change your career, are you focusing on transferable skills?
• What kind of skills would be beneficial to the hiring company?

2.  How detailed oriented you are. 

• Is your email grammatically correct? Are you articulate and well spoken?
• Is it structured?
• How pertinent is the information to the open position?

3.  Be concise and direct. 

• Focus on what is important. We are in a world of convenience!
• Be detailed and focus on your accomplishments.

4.  Key Words. 

• Organizations are now using technology to scan through introductory emails and resumes so make sure you include key words and phrases of what they are looking for!

Use your introductory email to your advantage!  Organizations are flooded with resumes in today’s marketplace and having a well written introductory email is your first chance of being noticed!  Focusing on some of the above pointers will help you exemplify your skills and experience on what an organization is looking for.   Once you have submitted your information, make sure you do not stop there!!  Here is a great article that can give you direction: 

I’ve submitted my resume, now what do I do?

Good luck and happy job hunting!