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“People buy from people they like.” We hear it time and time again. Sometimes it’s more important than what you’re actually selling. If you are able to find a potential client and build a strong rapport – that make the sales process all the more easier. Your client likes you, they trust you, they find value in your services and they feel comfortable in giving you their business. Building rapport and that certain level of trust will help you be more successful at sales.

At Treeline Inc, we talk a lot about the parallels between a sales cycle and the job search – there are a lot of similarities, but this one is hugely translatable: “People buy from people they like and people will HIRE people they like.” In the interview process, there is a lot to cover – dress the part, bring hard copies of the resume, polish your shoes, know your story, sing to your successes. But before you get to sit down in that conference room there is the simple act of introducing yourself to your interviewer. This is a crucial and often overlooked part of the interview process. Think about it, put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer – you are meeting a candidate who you are potentially going to bring into your office to be part of the team, he/she is going to work side by side for 8-12 hours/day, and become an integral part of the office culture. Whether you are meeting an HR Director or the VP of Sales, it is a pretty substantial part of the equation that they must like you.

When you are involved in an interview process you must successfully build rapport with every person you meet. You are charged with the responsibility to quickly connect and build a relationship based upon something that is not business related and it all starts with the 1st contact. Good energy, eye contact, smile, firm handshake and start asking questions, “How are you? Did you have a good weekend? Did you enjoy the sunshine yesterday?” I know these seem like pretty broad questions and they are “cookie cutter” but it is just the initial question(s) that will get you started. What you want to do is to get them talking about themselves – people enjoy talking about themselves which means that they will enjoy talking to you.

The main objective here is to have a conversation before the interview begins – this will establish the building blocks of the relationship. Take the time to build this rapport and you will find that you are no longer “Joseph Smith: Candidate”, but now you are Joe Smith who shares some of the same interests as the interviewer and someone who they like…and you have increased your chances to become someone they will hire.

When the stock market fell off a cliff and credit was frozen and virtually impossible to find, companies moved aggressively to take shelter and weather the storm by cutting payroll and other expenses.  Those who managed to survive and stay standing at the end of 2009 will see revenue growth in 2010.  Those resilient companies will prosper on this long road to recovery throughout the coming years and they will create opportunities and focus on growth, not consolidation.  The strong companies today are betting on their ability to bring in revenue and they are confident and see an incredible opportunity to grow their business.  2010 will be a building year, a year to focus on re-securing the footings and foundation in order to build a stronger more aggressive company in 2011.  So what is the one job companies create when they are feeling confident in their ability to drive revenue?  

SALES JOBS!
Companies are now starting to see some relief.  As credit continues to loosen, companies become more confident in their ability to bring back jobs.  The first and most sought after jobs in 2010 will be sales.  According to a report by Forbes.com*, two of the Top 10 most recession proof jobs are Financial Advisors (4^th on the list) and Sales Representatives (6^th on the list).

So why are sales roles considered more secure?  Companies cut to the bone in 2009 due to the loss of revenue.  Companies can often reduce workforce while increasing workload in every department across the enterprise, however the same is not true in the sales department.  When companies reduce a sales force, they’ve reduced company revenue.  Sales representatives can’t cover 3 territories and produce the same combined revenue that their past counterparts produced.  When sales representatives are overloaded they lose deals to the competition.  As a result, companies are looking to hire and replenish their once prosperous sales force in order to regain market share and increase revenue.  They have lost revenue over the past year and are at risk of losing top talent.  The top sales professionals that have weathered the storm are starting to explore new opportunities.  They are the reason that companies have survived and as the sales job market begins to open, more options are presented to them.  They are no longer fearful of losing their job and are, in fact, more comfortable taking the chance to see what other options they have in the market. 

Organizations must be on the offensive in 2010 to build and hire top producing sales forces while recognizing that they will see increased attrition as the market gains momentum.  Therefore, many companies will be aggressively searching for talented sales professionals that can add value immediately.  If a company is not recruiting top talent, you can bet that their competition is.  Those companies that capitalize on this market and recruit the greatest sales talent in 2010 will see exponential growth in 2011. 

Here at Treeline, we are seeing this exact trend.  Our clients had more urgency in December of 2009 than the entire year.  They are eager to get back to pre-recession revenues and growth and are betting on a talented sales force to get them there.  That being said, companies are building more efficient and effective sales forces.  Therefore, there is currently a movement transitioning from large field sales presences to larger inside sales presence.  Consumers are more comfortable buying online and with a SAAS based software model, web demos and video conferences, companies can close large deals without setting foot in a prospect’s office.  Today, companies are preserving costs and doing business from one highly motivated, scalable and sustainable central location.  The most aggressive of these companies are using many effective Sales 2.0 selling tools and are adapting quickly.

With the significant decline of many industries in 2009, many sales professionals are finding that it is time to re-invent themselves and build a skill set that is marketable for years to come.  They find themselves burnt out and exploring new options.  Many are looking back to the hottest industry in sales right now: the technology sector.   We find that technology companies are adapting quickly to the Sales 2.0 methodology.  They are focused on consistent revenue growth and are building sales forces with urgency.  They are cutting costs by bringing their sales force inside and by using new technology solutions that help build pipelines and close business.  They are consolidating their outside sales force by recognizing the needs of today’s consumer and the new sales process.  Therefore, they have identified how to increase the efficiency of their sales team by reducing costs and increasing revenue. 

In short, we see the hottest job in 2010 to be sales jobs and the hottest industry to be technology.  Companies can no longer afford to work with a skeleton crew and definitely cannot afford the risk of loosing a top performer to their competition.  It is too great a risk for companies to sit idle when most of their competition is on the hunt.  Companies are selective and will only hire those that have a proven track record of success.  However, for sales professionals there will be many more options to choose from in 2010 than 2009.  So for talented sales professionals, consider yourself lucky to be in a great career. 

For both company and candidate, keep pushing aggressively in 2010 and get ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor.   
*http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/23/recession-proof-jobs-leadership-careers-employment.html

By Rob Kelly – A globally recognized CEO and Business Advisor.

“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.” – Michelangelo
“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail.” — Dr. Robert Schuller
“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would astound ourselves.” –  Thomas A. Edison
“You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.” — Oprah Winfrey
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” — Joseph Campbell
“A business has to be involving. It has to be fun. And it has to exercise your creative instinct.” — Richard Branson
“If you have a talent, use it in every way possible. Don’t hoard it. Don’t dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke.” — Brendan Francis
“We spend our time searching for security, and hate it when we get it.” – John Steinbeck
“I think everyone should experience defeat at least once during their career. You learn a lot from it.” — Lou Holtz
“Desire! That’s the one secret of every man’s career. Not education. Not being born with hidden talents. Desire.” — Bobby Unser
“The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.” – Arnold Toynbee
“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” – Buddha
“You’re happiest while you’re making the greatest contribution.” – Robert F. Kennedy
“To love what you do and feel that it matters–how could anything be more fun?” – Katharine Graham
“Most of the early part of an actor’s career, you do the  jobs you get.” — Jack Nicholson
“Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.” — Cadet Maxim
“One thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” – Albert Schweitzer
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” — Mark Twain
“Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one’s levels of aspirations and expectation.” — Jack Nicklaus
“If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting.”  – Katherine Hepburn
“Never continue in a job you don’t enjoy. If you’re happy in what you’re doing, you’ll like yourself; you’ll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you’ll have more success than you could possibly have imagined.” — Roger Caras