Happy Friday!
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. While it is hard to have face to face meetings right now, there are still impactful ways to have success with New Business Development.
1.) Come to work everyday with a list of companies/targets you are hoping to do business with. The amount of companies you are targeting can vary, but make sure the quality of business is there vs. just calling for numbers sake.
2.) Have 3-5 contacts at each target you are hoping to connect with. They should be from different departments. If it is a manufacturing company some examples could include Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Human Resources. By having multiple connections at one company, you are able to learn more about what they currently have going on and where they are looking to go.
3.) LISTEN and LEARN. In order to provide value for a company you want to partner with, listening to their story and understanding their culture are vital. Learning about their pain points and areas they want to improve give you an opportunity to provide your company's value. Everyone wants solutions. So by listening to and learning their challenges, you can put together ways to help them based off your assessments or prior experience.
4.) Think long term. Do not try to sell your product or company on every call. Establishing credibility is your top priority. No one wants to do business with someone they do not trust. I have been amazed by companies who have called me back after weeks, months, even a year!
5.) Follow up! If you do speak with someone and they ask you to try back at another time, put it in your calendar!! Following through is a big deal in business and people remember. If you get a voicemail (which most likely you will because you are one of hundreds of recruiting firms calling these decision makers), leave a brief message and do not be afraid to let them know the day/time you will call them back. Who knows, they may be at their desk waiting to see if you follow through.
6.) Be prepared and be authentic. On the chance your call is answered, be prepared to talk. This includes having done research on your target prior to the call. And do not have a script in front of you. It is perfectly fine to have a general idea of what you want to say. But treat every call as a conversation and do not overthink it. You are just 2 people talking in order to find out if each one can be beneficial to the other.
7.) Keep your head up. What we do is very tough in the recruiting and staffing industry. Out of 100 calls you may get 1 answered. Some days you may get 10 calls answered in a row. The unpredictability of "cold calling" and wondering where your next partnership will come from can be unsettling. But it can also be exciting and rewarding for those who are up for the challenge.
I can't guarantee doing any or all of these strategies will land new business. I can tell you though, that it is our belief at Dennis Staffing Partners that if you wake up everyday and do the right thing, good will come your way.
All the best,
Grant