Dear Barb:
What is the quickest way to increase sales next year? This last quarter has not been our best, which has me concerned over the first quarter of next year! I’ve thrown out contests that no one wins, I’ve been overly nice to my team and they take advantage of me, and when I micro-manage I lose people. Help!
Patricia C., Toronto, CA
Dear Patricia:
It is important that your management style is consistent and that you don’t try to change too many things. Nothing will be implemented long term. I’m going to give you several ideas. My suggestion would be for you to select one idea from the following list and implement it for 21 working days so it becomes a new habit.
Here’s my list:
- Focus your entire team on increasing the number of sendouts booked. My definition of a sendout is an interview between a client and candidate (first interview only). This is the most important number to monitor. If you want a copy of our sendout hot sheet email me your request.
- When you write orders, contracts or temp assignments obtain the following:
- Interview times
- Specific target date to fill
- Alternate person to confirm interviews
- Problems that exists as a result of this position being opened.
- Only interview candidates with skills, experience and stability.
- Provide resources for candidates you won’t place. (Our profession places, on average, less than 5% of the candidates we attract.) If you don’t have resources, consider setting up one of our customized career portals that also generates passive income for you. Go to www.happycandidates.com or call my office at 219.663.9609. If you want to review one, you can register as a job seeker at www.myjobsearchresources.com. Anyone reading this will get special discounted pricing by mentioning The Fordyce Letter.
- Create a Prep Book so anyone in your office can conduct a thorough prep for every client.
- Develop and implement repeatable systems and processes.
- Manage your business by numbers not emotion.
- Provide your clients, candidates and employees with written expectations.
- Conduct revenue modeling to identify your best business and then focus 85% of your marketing efforts at that business.
- Develop a referral program for clients and candidates.
- Have your sales team write down 10 non-negotiable goals with dated action items for 2015 and post this list where they can see it as they work their desk.
- Provide consistent training.
One more tip: Many clients are hiring recruiters from the staffing and recruiting profession. To protect yourself, add verbiage to your fee agreement protecting you against your clients recruiting your employees.
If you implement any of these tips you will increase sales for sure.
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS