Record Growth in UK Permanent Placements

Record Growth in UK Permanent Placements 

The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey pointed to improved market confidence amid a further re-opening of the UK economy contributing to the sharpest rise in nearly 23 and a half years of data collection in May. 

Key findings 

Permanent placements and temp billings rise sharply amid improved market confidence 

Vacancies expand at quickest pace since August 2018 

Renewed increases in both starting salaries and temp pay 

Permanent Vacancies (extract from KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs) 

Demand for permanent workers rose across all ten monitored job categories during May.  The steepest increases in vacancies were seen in IT & Computing and Hotel & Catering.  Retail meanwhile saw the softest expansion in demand. 

Top 10 monitored job categories: 

IT & Computing 

Hotel & Catering 

Engineering 

Accounting/Financial 

Blue Collar 

Executive/Professional 

Construction 

Secretarial/Clerical 

Nursing/Medical/Care 

Retail 

Recruitment Insights 

We witnessed a sharp rise in permanent placements during May 2021, which could be attributed to increased confidence in the markets with further easing of lockdown restrictions as businesses gear up for the post-COVID era.   

Notably, the delay of the reopening until mid-July has seen companies that have been most severely affected by COVID (such as providers to the hospitality and leisure sectors), continue to err on the side of caution re-building their sales teams whilst they negotiate the changes still to come. 

On the flip side of the increase in vacancies, we also noticed a decline in candidate availability with many opting to ‘stay where they are and see what happens next’.  It has certainly become a candidate-led market for most sectors and roles which is presenting unprecedented challenges for recruiting top talent.   

Businesses are having to showcase more than just a great package to tempt candidates away from “the devil they know far better” and join them.  Company culture is proving to be a huge deciding factor and the way in which organisations have treated their staff throughout the pandemic is being researched. Statistics show that the shrinking talent pool has impacted starting salaries in a bid to compete for the best candidates.  Hiring managers are asking now questioning their own salaries having seen the inflated salaries that candidates are commanding in their interviews. 

The KMPG and REC Job report cites that lower worker availability was frequently linked to lingering pandemic uncertainty and a subsequent reluctance to seek out new roles, fewer EU candidates and furloughed staff. 

Leadership Roles

This perhaps is not the same story at the leadership level where we have seen more candidates available than new mandates for new hires, with an increasing number of C suite level unemployed candidates struggling to find suitable roles, particularly noticeable in people in the 50+ age group. Unfortunately, this evidence suggests age discrimination still exists. 

There is a growing trend in the number of large organisations choosing to hire directly in the first instance in order to cut recruitment fees and bring in people from their own networks.  The feedback we are receiving is that this is putting incredible pressure on existing resources, resulting in detrimental effects on sales performance as Sales Leaders are spending less time engaging with their existing teams. 

Your Next Hire 

At Louisa Fleet Recruitment Consultancy , we understand what it takes to perform in a thriving business. We are experts at identifying where the skills gap is in your sales funnel and finding the right people with the right experience, personality, and track record to do the job and do it well. 

If you’d like to schedule a call with Louisa to discuss the above or further insights relating specifically to your sector, please do contact us today! 

Our Recent Assignments Include:   Head of Sales, Sales Director, Chief Financial Officer, Regional Sales Manager, Commercial Director, General Manager, Business Development Manager, Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, National Account Manager, Inside Sales Manager, Key Account Manager, National Account Manager, National Account Director, Senior Business Development, Operations Director   

sales@louisafleet.co.uk     

Tel: 01189 680 831

Record Growth in UK Permanent Placements 

The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey pointed to improved market confidence amid a further re-opening of the UK economy contributing to the sharpest rise in nearly 23 and a half years of data collection in May. 

Key findings 

Permanent placements and temp billings rise sharply amid improved market confidence 

Vacancies expand at quickest pace since August 2018 

Renewed increases in both starting salaries and temp pay 

Permanent Vacancies (extract from KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs) 

Demand for permanent workers rose across all ten monitored job categories during May.  The steepest increases in vacancies were seen in IT & Computing and Hotel & Catering.  Retail meanwhile saw the softest expansion in demand. 

Top 10 monitored job categories: 

IT & Computing 

Hotel & Catering 

Engineering 

Accounting/Financial 

Blue Collar 

Executive/Professional 

Construction 

Secretarial/Clerical 

Nursing/Medical/Care 

Retail 

Recruitment Insights 

We witnessed a sharp rise in permanent placements during May 2021, which could be attributed to increased confidence in the markets with further easing of lockdown restrictions as businesses gear up for the post-COVID era.   

Notably, the delay of the reopening until mid-July has seen companies that have been most severely affected by COVID (such as providers to the hospitality and leisure sectors), continue to err on the side of caution re-building their sales teams whilst they negotiate the changes still to come. 

On the flip side of the increase in vacancies, we also noticed a decline in candidate availability with many opting to ‘stay where they are and see what happens next’.  It has certainly become a candidate-led market for most sectors and roles which is presenting unprecedented challenges for recruiting top talent.   

Businesses are having to showcase more than just a great package to tempt candidates away from “the devil they know far better” and join them.  Company culture is proving to be a huge deciding factor and the way in which organisations have treated their staff throughout the pandemic is being researched. Statistics show that the shrinking talent pool has impacted starting salaries in a bid to compete for the best candidates.  Hiring managers are asking now questioning their own salaries having seen the inflated salaries that candidates are commanding in their interviews. 

The KMPG and REC Job report cites that lower worker availability was frequently linked to lingering pandemic uncertainty and a subsequent reluctance to seek out new roles, fewer EU candidates and furloughed staff. 

Leadership Roles

This perhaps is not the same story at the leadership level where we have seen more candidates available than new mandates for new hires, with an increasing number of C suite level unemployed candidates struggling to find suitable roles, particularly noticeable in people in the 50+ age group. Unfortunately, this evidence suggests age discrimination still exists. 

There is a growing trend in the number of large organisations choosing to hire directly in the first instance in order to cut recruitment fees and bring in people from their own networks.  The feedback we are receiving is that this is putting incredible pressure on existing resources, resulting in detrimental effects on sales performance as Sales Leaders are spending less time engaging with their existing teams. 

Your Next Hire 

At Louisa Fleet Recruitment Consultancy , we understand what it takes to perform in a thriving business. We are experts at identifying where the skills gap is in your sales funnel and finding the right people with the right experience, personality, and track record to do the job and do it well. 

If you’d like to schedule a call with Louisa to discuss the above or further insights relating specifically to your sector, please do contact us today! 

Our Recent Assignments Include:   Head of Sales, Sales Director, Chief Financial Officer, Regional Sales Manager, Commercial Director, General Manager, Business Development Manager, Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, National Account Manager, Inside Sales Manager, Key Account Manager, National Account Manager, National Account Director, Senior Business Development, Operations Director   

sales@louisafleet.co.uk     

Tel: 01189 680 831

Read More »

Louisa's hiring top performers tips - Vlog Introduction

Who would like some HP Tips? (Hiring top Performers Tips)

Spoiler Alert- This is a BLAST FROM THE PAST!

These videos are from the archives but still relevant and they are full of Tips on how to Hire Top Performers.

The fundamental hiring practices that you can implement to hire the highest performing people for your teams.

You will see how much technology has come on over the last few years - so excuse the dodgy film quality (and dated hair style!!)

In this series we will explore following 5 areas:

1. Salary and Benefits

2. Company Reputation

3. Interview Experience

4. What the future holds for a candidate joining your company

5. Company Culture

Once you've seen all 5 hopefully you will feel much more confident in standing out from the other employers out there and attracting the best sales professionals to come and work for your company!

As always I welcome any tips that work for you too along the way.

Who would like some HP Tips? (Hiring top Performers Tips)

Spoiler Alert- This is a BLAST FROM THE PAST!

These videos are from the archives but still relevant and they are full of Tips on how to Hire Top Performers.

The fundamental hiring practices that you can implement to hire the highest performing people for your teams.

You will see how much technology has come on over the last few years - so excuse the dodgy film quality (and dated hair style!!)

In this series we will explore following 5 areas:

1. Salary and Benefits

2. Company Reputation

3. Interview Experience

4. What the future holds for a candidate joining your company

5. Company Culture

Once you've seen all 5 hopefully you will feel much more confident in standing out from the other employers out there and attracting the best sales professionals to come and work for your company!

As always I welcome any tips that work for you too along the way.

Read More »

Celebrating our 9th birthday!

 

We are celebrating 9 years in Louisa Fleet Recruitment!

Yesterday Louisa Fleet Recruitment Consultancy Ltd celebrated our 9th Birthday (socially distanced of course!)
I have to say it's fantastic having 2 bakers in the ! Thank you Pam Christopher and Courteney Drane for the beautiful cakes they were yummy. 
The journey so far has been amazing and looking back we have achieved success we would never have imagined possible
In the past year we are fortunate to have moved into lovely spacious offices and to have expanded our team.

Exciting news for us includes:

• Our International offering in Dubai and US
• Our Executive Search and Selection services
• Expansion into the SAAS and Cyber Security sectors
• This amazing group continues to grow as does my Fast Forward Show which I love doing, and if you haven't been interviewed yet - please step forward, we are looking for more stories to tell.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our journey and if you have yet to meet us, get in touch!

For more advice or help with your hiring needs:
sales@louisafleet.co.uk | 01189 680831 | www.louisafleet.co.uk
LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

 

We are celebrating 9 years in Louisa Fleet Recruitment!

Yesterday Louisa Fleet Recruitment Consultancy Ltd celebrated our 9th Birthday (socially distanced of course!)
I have to say it's fantastic having 2 bakers in the ! Thank you Pam Christopher and Courteney Drane for the beautiful cakes they were yummy. 
The journey so far has been amazing and looking back we have achieved success we would never have imagined possible
In the past year we are fortunate to have moved into lovely spacious offices and to have expanded our team.

Exciting news for us includes:

• Our International offering in Dubai and US
• Our Executive Search and Selection services
• Expansion into the SAAS and Cyber Security sectors
• This amazing group continues to grow as does my Fast Forward Show which I love doing, and if you haven't been interviewed yet - please step forward, we are looking for more stories to tell.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our journey and if you have yet to meet us, get in touch!

For more advice or help with your hiring needs:
sales@louisafleet.co.uk | 01189 680831 | www.louisafleet.co.uk
LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

Read More »

Are you recruiting globally yet?

Did you know that Louisa Fleet Recruitment are now recruiting internationally?

In the last 12 months, client demands have focussed our attention to Dubai and US recruitment markets, where are experiencing high levels of success in finding top talent. If you have yet to explore the global talent pool, read on and find out why you should!

If the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that whatever was the ‘normal’ way of doing things – isn’t necessarily the right way and change can, should and will come!

Remote or hybrid working appears to be the new working model for many of the big corporates, so why wouldn’t you look into all the possibilities available out there and hire internationally?

To give background to this, the recruitment market is no longer restricted to say, the UK – instead it’s global. Thus, enabling professional recruiters and business owners to expand their potential growth as a brand and a business, as well as introducing a more diverse and dynamic culture.

5 Key benefits to recruiting globally:

1. Expanded talent pool

Search into rich diverse locations where talent is looking for new opportunities to work in new environments. Often experienced in a unique skill which may be lacking in your current organisation.

2. Employee Engagement

Talent from a wider search pool are thought of as being more engaged, and if they are looking to relocate for work, can provide a quick solution with all kinds of new opportunities coming forward.

3. Diverse Workplace and Culture

It is well known and documented that having a diverse team is good for business. Hiring globally can bring about change in perspective keep employees engaged, improving company culture and organisational health as well as the bottom line.

4. Extended working hours

International working can cover different working hours should they remain in situ and remote working. Enabling your business to cover multiple time zones as an extra bonus to your offering. If you are looking to extend your international client base, hiring globally is a smart move.

5. Global Branding

Recruiting globally gives you a way to build your brand in various countries. This can be a marketing tool to increase awareness of your brand in those countries.

Internationally recruited staff can give candid feedback on your product or services to help you gain improved positioning in the marketplace.

If you haven’t explored global recruitment to find your senior sales appointments yet, we are expertly placed to support you and provide a range of client service offerings to help you find the right quality candidates for the role, including:

· Unique LF13 candidate delivery selection and process

· Dedicated recruitment sector specialist managing searches

· 3 Service Offerings, Contingent, Professional and Executive

If you are recruiting or looking for a job in Senior Sales Appointments - no matter where! - please get in touch sales@louisafleet.co.uk to discuss how we can help you.

Did you know that Louisa Fleet Recruitment are now recruiting internationally?

In the last 12 months, client demands have focussed our attention to Dubai and US recruitment markets, where are experiencing high levels of success in finding top talent. If you have yet to explore the global talent pool, read on and find out why you should!

If the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that whatever was the ‘normal’ way of doing things – isn’t necessarily the right way and change can, should and will come!

Remote or hybrid working appears to be the new working model for many of the big corporates, so why wouldn’t you look into all the possibilities available out there and hire internationally?

To give background to this, the recruitment market is no longer restricted to say, the UK – instead it’s global. Thus, enabling professional recruiters and business owners to expand their potential growth as a brand and a business, as well as introducing a more diverse and dynamic culture.

5 Key benefits to recruiting globally:

1. Expanded talent pool

Search into rich diverse locations where talent is looking for new opportunities to work in new environments. Often experienced in a unique skill which may be lacking in your current organisation.

2. Employee Engagement

Talent from a wider search pool are thought of as being more engaged, and if they are looking to relocate for work, can provide a quick solution with all kinds of new opportunities coming forward.

3. Diverse Workplace and Culture

It is well known and documented that having a diverse team is good for business. Hiring globally can bring about change in perspective keep employees engaged, improving company culture and organisational health as well as the bottom line.

4. Extended working hours

International working can cover different working hours should they remain in situ and remote working. Enabling your business to cover multiple time zones as an extra bonus to your offering. If you are looking to extend your international client base, hiring globally is a smart move.

5. Global Branding

Recruiting globally gives you a way to build your brand in various countries. This can be a marketing tool to increase awareness of your brand in those countries.

Internationally recruited staff can give candid feedback on your product or services to help you gain improved positioning in the marketplace.

If you haven’t explored global recruitment to find your senior sales appointments yet, we are expertly placed to support you and provide a range of client service offerings to help you find the right quality candidates for the role, including:

· Unique LF13 candidate delivery selection and process

· Dedicated recruitment sector specialist managing searches

· 3 Service Offerings, Contingent, Professional and Executive

If you are recruiting or looking for a job in Senior Sales Appointments - no matter where! - please get in touch sales@louisafleet.co.uk to discuss how we can help you.

Read More »

Five Ways To Prevent Burnout

As a Sales Leader, chances are your job is hard and stressful at least most of the time. Pouring your mental and physical resources into the tasks at hand day after day can leave you feeling depleted and ready for a break. And if these feelings reach extreme levels — that is, if you experience constant fatigue and apathy — you may be a victim of occupational burnout.

Combating burnout is essential for professionals in high-stress and high-stakes jobs. Not only can burnout kill your productivity and lead to you hating your job (even if you know that you love it), but it can also have a negative impact on your well-being. Fortunately, you can take practical steps to avoid burnout, and if you’re already experiencing it, you can turn things around

Take Breaks

One of the quickest ways to prevent or stop occupational burnout is to take a vacation. Whether you have paid or unpaid vacation time at your job, getting away from work can prove invaluable. Even if leaving your home isn’t an option, a good staycation can do the trick. Taking a break applies to your regular workday as well. Stepping away from work during the day can improve your energy and focus and actually increase productivity.

Follow a Good Diet and Fitness Routine

Practicing self-care can make a big difference in your fight against burnout. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Also, find an exercise routine that you enjoy, and then do it at least five days a week. Many professionals find morning routines to work best because you have more energy throughout the day and are more tired when it’s time to turn in for the night. 

Sleep Enough

Speaking of sleep, be sure to get plenty of it. It may feel like you’re wasting time, but allowing your mind and body to recover and regenerate each night is paramount for your productivity and well-being. It’s recommended that adults get between six and nine hours of sleep each night.

Meditate Every Day

Meditation, particularly mindful meditation, comes with a plethora of health benefits. Practicing it a little each day — even if it’s just for 10 minutes — can significantly reduce stress, strengthen focus, minimize negative emotions, and maximize positive emotions. Moreover, self-reflecting during meditation can benefit your relationships and reinforce a healthy life perspective. To keep yourself focused on meditation, make sure your home is a calming space that’s free of anxiety and negativity. Simply decluttering, cleaning, and opening some windows can improve concentration and reduce stress. 

Unplug for Stretches of Time

All sales leaders need to use technology in many ways. And you probably use technology quite a bit outside of work. As amazing as technology is, it’s not exactly great for our attention spans, which is why it can be helpful to take a break from it every once in a while. For instance, consider spending a weekend (or longer) where you unplug from all forms of technology and focus on things like exercising or connecting with family or friends. Don’t be surprised if you come back to work refreshed and able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

Anyone can experience occupational burnout; it doesn’t matter how much you love your job. Start taking advantage of vacation time, and make sure you’re eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Try mindful meditation, and disconnect from technology every now and then to reset your mind and regain perspective. Implementing simple habits like these in your work and home life can help you to stay happy and productive for many years to come.

For help or advice, from recruitment through to finding your next dream job, please reach out to Louisa Fleet Recruitment at louisa@louisafleet.co.uk or 01189 680831!

This article has been written by our guest blogger Julie Morris - Life & Career Coach you can find out more about Julie's services here http://juliemorris.org/ 

As a Sales Leader, chances are your job is hard and stressful at least most of the time. Pouring your mental and physical resources into the tasks at hand day after day can leave you feeling depleted and ready for a break. And if these feelings reach extreme levels — that is, if you experience constant fatigue and apathy — you may be a victim of occupational burnout.

Combating burnout is essential for professionals in high-stress and high-stakes jobs. Not only can burnout kill your productivity and lead to you hating your job (even if you know that you love it), but it can also have a negative impact on your well-being. Fortunately, you can take practical steps to avoid burnout, and if you’re already experiencing it, you can turn things around

Take Breaks

One of the quickest ways to prevent or stop occupational burnout is to take a vacation. Whether you have paid or unpaid vacation time at your job, getting away from work can prove invaluable. Even if leaving your home isn’t an option, a good staycation can do the trick. Taking a break applies to your regular workday as well. Stepping away from work during the day can improve your energy and focus and actually increase productivity.

Follow a Good Diet and Fitness Routine

Practicing self-care can make a big difference in your fight against burnout. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Also, find an exercise routine that you enjoy, and then do it at least five days a week. Many professionals find morning routines to work best because you have more energy throughout the day and are more tired when it’s time to turn in for the night. 

Sleep Enough

Speaking of sleep, be sure to get plenty of it. It may feel like you’re wasting time, but allowing your mind and body to recover and regenerate each night is paramount for your productivity and well-being. It’s recommended that adults get between six and nine hours of sleep each night.

Meditate Every Day

Meditation, particularly mindful meditation, comes with a plethora of health benefits. Practicing it a little each day — even if it’s just for 10 minutes — can significantly reduce stress, strengthen focus, minimize negative emotions, and maximize positive emotions. Moreover, self-reflecting during meditation can benefit your relationships and reinforce a healthy life perspective. To keep yourself focused on meditation, make sure your home is a calming space that’s free of anxiety and negativity. Simply decluttering, cleaning, and opening some windows can improve concentration and reduce stress. 

Unplug for Stretches of Time

All sales leaders need to use technology in many ways. And you probably use technology quite a bit outside of work. As amazing as technology is, it’s not exactly great for our attention spans, which is why it can be helpful to take a break from it every once in a while. For instance, consider spending a weekend (or longer) where you unplug from all forms of technology and focus on things like exercising or connecting with family or friends. Don’t be surprised if you come back to work refreshed and able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

Anyone can experience occupational burnout; it doesn’t matter how much you love your job. Start taking advantage of vacation time, and make sure you’re eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Try mindful meditation, and disconnect from technology every now and then to reset your mind and regain perspective. Implementing simple habits like these in your work and home life can help you to stay happy and productive for many years to come.

For help or advice, from recruitment through to finding your next dream job, please reach out to Louisa Fleet Recruitment at louisa@louisafleet.co.uk or 01189 680831!

This article has been written by our guest blogger Julie Morris - Life & Career Coach you can find out more about Julie's services here http://juliemorris.org/ 

Read More »

6 Strategic Imperatives for your Team’s Opportunities

 

Many organisations get their sales strategies wrong, you may find this blog useful from our friends at Sandler Training.

"Nothing happens in an organisation until someone sells something.”

It’s true, right?
So, why do so many organisations struggle to get their Sales Strategy right?
Why do so many Sales Leaders struggle with the right framework to develop their Sales Process and Salespeople?
They’re OK Supervisors. But, when it comes to Training, Coaching and Mentoring something’s missing.
It’s certainly not down to a lack of selling skills on the part of the Leaders. Most have travelled the path from Salesperson to Sales Manager to Sales Leader.
They were ‘Aces’ in their day. Perhaps they still are.
There is no lack of Selling skills. Perhaps, the skills they developed in Selling aren’t seen as transferable to the world of Sales Leadership.
Throughout my career I’ve met many Leaders who have struggled to cross the chasm from successful Salesperson to successful Sales Leader. Perhaps, it’s that there is not the same emotional thrill in completing a great coaching call as there was when winning a new deal.
In my career the most memorable moments were when I orchestrated my teams to perform together in a synchronous symphony of sales simplicity (try saying that after eating a Jacob’s Cracker).
The foundation of those successes was an obsessive focus on contextual Coaching. Opportunity and Deal Coaching. Deal Triage. Deal Dress Rehearsals.
Here are 6 steps to help you, the Sales Leader, transfer your selling skills into deal coaching skills.

1 - Who are we selling to?

Firstly, we should look at the opportunity type.
Are we hunting for New Clients?
Or are we developing fresh opportunity in Existing Clients?
‘Hunting’ and ‘Farming’ are vastly different strategies when you are positioning and propositioning products and services.
Have you taken the time to create a clear vision of your Ideal Prospect? Not every Company should qualify to be your teams ‘Prospect’.
How about your Ideal Client? Not all clients present the same development opportunity.
Decide on those ‘Prospects’ that represent the best probability of growth possibility for your people and ensure they maintain an obsessive focus on only that.

2 - What type of Sale Process is it?

Secondly, we should review our Sales Process.
Do you know whether your Sales Process more Demand Creation or Demand Fulfilment? Is it a Short Cycle (less than 3 months) or Long Cycle (more than 3 months)?
Are we Consultative Selling? Creating demand for solutions with a long, continuous, sales cycle. Probably selling to Larger, more complex, Enterprises.
Unique Value Selling? Creating demand for solutions but with a shorter, less complex, sales cycle. Perhaps selling to mid-market (or smaller), less complex, Enterprises.
Is it Account Selling? The demand is within the account, continuous relationship development is required to maintain the client’s loyalty.
Is it Commodity Selling? Fulfilling demand with a sell in the moment approach. Perhaps selling to individuals (B2B2C).
Decide, design, and document your ‘Sales Process’ as it aligns to your ‘Prospects Buying Behaviour’ for your People. Ensure they maintain an obsessive focus on running that process with only minor adaptations.

3 - Who are we up against?

As we begin our Sales Process do we know what the ‘competitive’ factors are in our target ‘Prospect’?
When we proposition our products or services are we typically trying to replace an incumbent supplier?
Is the Prospect or Client looking at more than one solution in parallel? Perhaps they want to separate out solutions across multiple suppliers?
Do we know what (or if) we have as a competitive, strategic, advantage over the oppositions proposition?
Is there any internal ‘politics’ that are going to make our provocation and proposition in this ‘Account’ a challenge?
Develop strong Value Propositions with your People to give them the competitive advantage. Ensure they are fluent in those Value Propositions and that every ‘Prospect’ knows what makes you special.

4 - What’s the problem?

It is a Sales Leaders responsibility to define the reality for their Salespeople.
We need to ensure that we, and our people, intimately understand the challenges our ‘Prospects’ and Clients are facing.
Do we understand the PAIN our ‘Prospects’ are facing?
Do we know the reasons why those PAINs our being faced?
Do we know the impact those PAINs are having on our ‘Prospects’ organisation?
Have we helped the ‘Prospect’ calculate the cost burden to their organisation of these unaddressed PAINs? Resource cost? Time burden? Financial impact? Lost opportunity?
How about the impact it is having on them, personally?
Develop strong Qualification criteria with your People to give them and their ‘Prospect’ clarity of a good fit for your business.
Ensure those Qualifiers are consistently applied, across every deal and that every ‘Prospect’ knows what makes them a good fit for your solutions.

5 - Is it a priority?

It is a Sales Leaders responsibility to help their people navigate the complexities of business.
Have we established that these PAINs are significant enough for somebody in the organisation to decide to do something about them?
Their contact may be head over heels in love with the proposition they’ve made.
But, who else in the organisation knows that there is PAIN that needs to be solved?
Who is else on the organisation is holding the ‘purse strings’ and will invest in solving the PAIN?
Who are decisions going to be made to resolve this PAIN?
Develop with your People clarity of the Organisational Structure of their ‘Prospect’ and work together to navigate the complex corridors to get to the True Buyers.

6 - What now?

Leaders need to hold their teams to a higher standard and require clear, actionable next steps to be put in place at the end of every meeting, to ensure the cycle doesn’t stall.
More Sales Cycles fail, or get delayed, because your team haven’t established clear, well understand, next actions than any other excuse (sorry reason).
Future meeting dates, times, attendee’s, and agenda for the meeting.
If you want to ensure that your teams’ sales cycles aren’t stalling, then keep them accountable to creating Firm Future Commitments.
Try implementing these 6 steps in your next deal coaching meeting with a member of your team. See the difference it can make in you and them.

If you ever feel like chatting yourself then you could always book a complimentary coaching call here: https://calendly.com/davidwdavies

Happy coaching.

 

Many organisations get their sales strategies wrong, you may find this blog useful from our friends at Sandler Training.

"Nothing happens in an organisation until someone sells something.”

It’s true, right?
So, why do so many organisations struggle to get their Sales Strategy right?
Why do so many Sales Leaders struggle with the right framework to develop their Sales Process and Salespeople?
They’re OK Supervisors. But, when it comes to Training, Coaching and Mentoring something’s missing.
It’s certainly not down to a lack of selling skills on the part of the Leaders. Most have travelled the path from Salesperson to Sales Manager to Sales Leader.
They were ‘Aces’ in their day. Perhaps they still are.
There is no lack of Selling skills. Perhaps, the skills they developed in Selling aren’t seen as transferable to the world of Sales Leadership.
Throughout my career I’ve met many Leaders who have struggled to cross the chasm from successful Salesperson to successful Sales Leader. Perhaps, it’s that there is not the same emotional thrill in completing a great coaching call as there was when winning a new deal.
In my career the most memorable moments were when I orchestrated my teams to perform together in a synchronous symphony of sales simplicity (try saying that after eating a Jacob’s Cracker).
The foundation of those successes was an obsessive focus on contextual Coaching. Opportunity and Deal Coaching. Deal Triage. Deal Dress Rehearsals.
Here are 6 steps to help you, the Sales Leader, transfer your selling skills into deal coaching skills.

1 - Who are we selling to?

Firstly, we should look at the opportunity type.
Are we hunting for New Clients?
Or are we developing fresh opportunity in Existing Clients?
‘Hunting’ and ‘Farming’ are vastly different strategies when you are positioning and propositioning products and services.
Have you taken the time to create a clear vision of your Ideal Prospect? Not every Company should qualify to be your teams ‘Prospect’.
How about your Ideal Client? Not all clients present the same development opportunity.
Decide on those ‘Prospects’ that represent the best probability of growth possibility for your people and ensure they maintain an obsessive focus on only that.

2 - What type of Sale Process is it?

Secondly, we should review our Sales Process.
Do you know whether your Sales Process more Demand Creation or Demand Fulfilment? Is it a Short Cycle (less than 3 months) or Long Cycle (more than 3 months)?
Are we Consultative Selling? Creating demand for solutions with a long, continuous, sales cycle. Probably selling to Larger, more complex, Enterprises.
Unique Value Selling? Creating demand for solutions but with a shorter, less complex, sales cycle. Perhaps selling to mid-market (or smaller), less complex, Enterprises.
Is it Account Selling? The demand is within the account, continuous relationship development is required to maintain the client’s loyalty.
Is it Commodity Selling? Fulfilling demand with a sell in the moment approach. Perhaps selling to individuals (B2B2C).
Decide, design, and document your ‘Sales Process’ as it aligns to your ‘Prospects Buying Behaviour’ for your People. Ensure they maintain an obsessive focus on running that process with only minor adaptations.

3 - Who are we up against?

As we begin our Sales Process do we know what the ‘competitive’ factors are in our target ‘Prospect’?
When we proposition our products or services are we typically trying to replace an incumbent supplier?
Is the Prospect or Client looking at more than one solution in parallel? Perhaps they want to separate out solutions across multiple suppliers?
Do we know what (or if) we have as a competitive, strategic, advantage over the oppositions proposition?
Is there any internal ‘politics’ that are going to make our provocation and proposition in this ‘Account’ a challenge?
Develop strong Value Propositions with your People to give them the competitive advantage. Ensure they are fluent in those Value Propositions and that every ‘Prospect’ knows what makes you special.

4 - What’s the problem?

It is a Sales Leaders responsibility to define the reality for their Salespeople.
We need to ensure that we, and our people, intimately understand the challenges our ‘Prospects’ and Clients are facing.
Do we understand the PAIN our ‘Prospects’ are facing?
Do we know the reasons why those PAINs our being faced?
Do we know the impact those PAINs are having on our ‘Prospects’ organisation?
Have we helped the ‘Prospect’ calculate the cost burden to their organisation of these unaddressed PAINs? Resource cost? Time burden? Financial impact? Lost opportunity?
How about the impact it is having on them, personally?
Develop strong Qualification criteria with your People to give them and their ‘Prospect’ clarity of a good fit for your business.
Ensure those Qualifiers are consistently applied, across every deal and that every ‘Prospect’ knows what makes them a good fit for your solutions.

5 - Is it a priority?

It is a Sales Leaders responsibility to help their people navigate the complexities of business.
Have we established that these PAINs are significant enough for somebody in the organisation to decide to do something about them?
Their contact may be head over heels in love with the proposition they’ve made.
But, who else in the organisation knows that there is PAIN that needs to be solved?
Who is else on the organisation is holding the ‘purse strings’ and will invest in solving the PAIN?
Who are decisions going to be made to resolve this PAIN?
Develop with your People clarity of the Organisational Structure of their ‘Prospect’ and work together to navigate the complex corridors to get to the True Buyers.

6 - What now?

Leaders need to hold their teams to a higher standard and require clear, actionable next steps to be put in place at the end of every meeting, to ensure the cycle doesn’t stall.
More Sales Cycles fail, or get delayed, because your team haven’t established clear, well understand, next actions than any other excuse (sorry reason).
Future meeting dates, times, attendee’s, and agenda for the meeting.
If you want to ensure that your teams’ sales cycles aren’t stalling, then keep them accountable to creating Firm Future Commitments.
Try implementing these 6 steps in your next deal coaching meeting with a member of your team. See the difference it can make in you and them.

If you ever feel like chatting yourself then you could always book a complimentary coaching call here: https://calendly.com/davidwdavies

Happy coaching.

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Five ways to show that you rock!

The sales recruitment process is becoming increasingly challenging.  Counter offers are prolific and good candidates are interviewing in multiple places and handling numerous job offers.  Offering a job to a candidate is not a guarantee of filling your vacancy.  In the current market you need to ensure you are organised. If you think you’ve found your perfect candidate, follow our 5 steps to show that you rock as an employer. These steps will make sure your offer is not only accepted but that your chosen candidate actually starts!

1. Create a great candidate experience

It is a competitive market and you want to ensure that you are representing your business in the best possible light.  Ensure you assess the candidate’s desires and motivations and know that they match the company’s.  Sell back to them the long term future of joining the business so they see a career not just a job.
Ensure your company has a good public profile - are your social media channels up to date? How do your Glassdoor reviews read?  Little things can turn off a prospective employee.
Over salary, most candidates prefer to understand the training they can expect. As part of the overall candidate experience ensure they meet other people and get a good feeling.  Take time to understand their personal circumstances and whether your offer will suit them.
Do you offer job security?  A candidate will be looking for this, make sure they know you do!

2. Offer the right salary

Job offers are not all about the money, but it is certainly an important factor.  Putting the first offer in at the right level can go a long way in securing a candidate and showing you are committed to hiring them.
Before choosing a figure ensure you have worked with your recruiter and know the following:
• Previous salaries
• Expectations
• Market value of your vacancy
• Counter offer risk
• Salary offered on the other roles they are interviewing at

Work in partnership with your recruiter to establish an offer that allows room to grow on the salary scale whilst still being attractive.  If you are worried about them still attending other interviews you may want to make it a condition of the offer that they cancel all other interviews upon acceptance.
You can also get creative with your offers by including a bonus if they hit KPI’s, guaranteeing commission for 3-6 months whilst a new salesperson becomes established, or having a salary review at six months.
These little personal touches can be an extra pull for a candidate.

3. Move with speed

Presented the offer verbally?
Then crack on.
Get the offer out in writing by email and by post.  Show the candidate your commitment and get them off the active market.  Give them a deadline to return the contract by, or better yet, set up a time to have a coffee where they can bring it back in and discuss any questions.

4. Keep in touch

Then keep in contact, it can be a confusing time whilst working your notice when you are still being approached for new opportunities.  You want to ensure your new employee isn’t sold a new dream role whilst waiting to start with you.
Reasons to keep in touch with your new salesperson can include:
• Invite to drinks with team
• Invite to sales meeting/business review
• Send details of training and induction
Plus, use your recruiter to keep in touch on a regular basis, they can act as a third party and ensure the candidate is still ready to start and address and feed back any concerns that pop up along the way.

5. Use your recruiter

Recruiters are meant to be your business partners when you are hiring a new employee and at this point I would ensure they are doing their job to their full potential.  The follow up with the recruiter is vital, as they will know the candidate’s desires and needs and can discuss with you.  Post first interview this will give you the tools to ensure you can sell your job appropriately at second interview and secure the candidate you want.

Post offer, they can keep in touch to make sure the contract is received and check the candidate is happy.  They should have a strong, empathetic relationship with the candidate, so regular phone calls will ensure they know if any issues arise.
Plus they can ask the questions a business can’t.  What opportunities have they been presented with since taking your role, how was the counter offer received?  What did their friends and family think of their new move?
A recruiter who builds strong relationships is invaluable at this stage, so ensure yours is working well for you.

Looking for a great recruiter to help you secure your next superstar candidate? Then get in touch!
You can also 'like' our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Linked In

Five ways to show that you rock!

The sales recruitment process is becoming increasingly challenging.  Counter offers are prolific and good candidates are interviewing in multiple places and handling numerous job offers.  Offering a job to a candidate is not a guarantee of filling your vacancy.  In the current market you need to ensure you are organised. If you think you’ve found your perfect candidate, follow our 5 steps to show that you rock as an employer. These steps will make sure your offer is not only accepted but that your chosen candidate actually starts!

1. Create a great candidate experience

It is a competitive market and you want to ensure that you are representing your business in the best possible light.  Ensure you assess the candidate’s desires and motivations and know that they match the company’s.  Sell back to them the long term future of joining the business so they see a career not just a job.
Ensure your company has a good public profile - are your social media channels up to date? How do your Glassdoor reviews read?  Little things can turn off a prospective employee.
Over salary, most candidates prefer to understand the training they can expect. As part of the overall candidate experience ensure they meet other people and get a good feeling.  Take time to understand their personal circumstances and whether your offer will suit them.
Do you offer job security?  A candidate will be looking for this, make sure they know you do!

2. Offer the right salary

Job offers are not all about the money, but it is certainly an important factor.  Putting the first offer in at the right level can go a long way in securing a candidate and showing you are committed to hiring them.
Before choosing a figure ensure you have worked with your recruiter and know the following:
• Previous salaries
• Expectations
• Market value of your vacancy
• Counter offer risk
• Salary offered on the other roles they are interviewing at

Work in partnership with your recruiter to establish an offer that allows room to grow on the salary scale whilst still being attractive.  If you are worried about them still attending other interviews you may want to make it a condition of the offer that they cancel all other interviews upon acceptance.
You can also get creative with your offers by including a bonus if they hit KPI’s, guaranteeing commission for 3-6 months whilst a new salesperson becomes established, or having a salary review at six months.
These little personal touches can be an extra pull for a candidate.

3. Move with speed

Presented the offer verbally?
Then crack on.
Get the offer out in writing by email and by post.  Show the candidate your commitment and get them off the active market.  Give them a deadline to return the contract by, or better yet, set up a time to have a coffee where they can bring it back in and discuss any questions.

4. Keep in touch

Then keep in contact, it can be a confusing time whilst working your notice when you are still being approached for new opportunities.  You want to ensure your new employee isn’t sold a new dream role whilst waiting to start with you.
Reasons to keep in touch with your new salesperson can include:
• Invite to drinks with team
• Invite to sales meeting/business review
• Send details of training and induction
Plus, use your recruiter to keep in touch on a regular basis, they can act as a third party and ensure the candidate is still ready to start and address and feed back any concerns that pop up along the way.

5. Use your recruiter

Recruiters are meant to be your business partners when you are hiring a new employee and at this point I would ensure they are doing their job to their full potential.  The follow up with the recruiter is vital, as they will know the candidate’s desires and needs and can discuss with you.  Post first interview this will give you the tools to ensure you can sell your job appropriately at second interview and secure the candidate you want.

Post offer, they can keep in touch to make sure the contract is received and check the candidate is happy.  They should have a strong, empathetic relationship with the candidate, so regular phone calls will ensure they know if any issues arise.
Plus they can ask the questions a business can’t.  What opportunities have they been presented with since taking your role, how was the counter offer received?  What did their friends and family think of their new move?
A recruiter who builds strong relationships is invaluable at this stage, so ensure yours is working well for you.

Looking for a great recruiter to help you secure your next superstar candidate? Then get in touch!
You can also 'like' our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Linked In

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