If your sales figures are reflecting a downturn, or you simply aren’t meeting your expansion goals, you may need to examine your sales prospecting strategy. Sales prospects are the lifeblood of any company, and it pays to take some time to refine your current strategies to make sure they are working for you.

First, validate fit.  Begin by assessing your prospects’ needs, their challenges, and the tools or solutions they employ currently to accomplish goals. To do this, conduct a discovery session focused on gathering information.  What’s working well?  What’s not?  Where are the gaps? This session should help you determine whether your services can provide value to your prospects. If they can’t, be honest with yourself and your prospects and move on.

Next, group your prospects. Instead of hitting a broad range all at once, work with a narrower group, one at a time. For example, let’s say you have a product for the financial industry. Instead of targeting everyone together, create different, focused campaigns. For example, you could target CPA’s first, and then move to the next segment. This way, instead of having to jump back and forth on your message to different markets, you can gain insights from your interactions, and apply learnings as you proceed.  The result? A more tailored and relevant pitch, and increased confidence as you deliver your message – both of which could translate into higher sales.

Last, be certain to provide value to the prospect with every interaction.  This mindset isn’t always obvious.  However, if prospects see you as a resource every time you connect, they’re more likely to listen to (and believe) you when you begin proposing your company’s services as the answer to their problems.  Think from their perspective when you initiate communication.  You should be able to answer the “What’s in it for me?” from their vantage point with clarity and ease.  Build confidence.  Let them know you’re looking out for their needs.

Needs-based selling has become essential in today’s marketplace. By following these three steps, your sales prospecting strategy can improve – and so can your sales.

Today, approximately 234 million Americans own a mobile device.  So it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that over the past few years, mobile marketing has exploded in popularity.

According to Mark Donovan, the SVP of mobile with ComScore, a leading marketing analytics company, in July of this year alone, 85.9 million smartphone users accessed retail content on their devices. That’s just in one month. The survey closed with the startling pronouncement that mobile marketing growth is expected to exceed 38% over the next five years, and that by 2016, companies will spend more than $8.2 billion dollars on this channel.

In other words, mobile marketing is here to stay.  You can’t afford to ignore it.

Marketing professionals must recognize that a growing number of people are and will continue to access their websites through iPhones, Blackberrys, and tablets. Large retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon and Best Buy have already moved into and begun taking advantage of this trend.  But even companies that weren’t early adopters can begin planning and implementing mobile marketing strategies.   With the right plan, you can make up for lost time.

Begin by committing to do at least some mobile marketing over the next year. You don’t have to allocate a huge chunk of your budget to it. The key is just getting started and finding ways to reach your consumers via their mobile devices.

To start with, consider two things.

First, take part in mobile advertising campaigns that are geared at a local or a national level. These highly targeted advertising campaigns are a great way to gauge how much of your current customer base is using its mobile devices to learn about what you have to offer. Once you gauge interest levels, you can assess whether it makes sense to start creating your own mobile app.

Second, make sure that your site is mobile friendly. This may seem obvious, but for many companies who have older sites, it isn’t a given.  Test out your current site on a variety of different devices. If you don’t like what you see, it’s time to make some changes.

Get started on your mobile marketing strategy now so you can take advantage of the many exciting opportunities we’re likely to see in this space.

We want to hear about your experience! Have you implemented any form of mobile marketing in your business yet?

Although there are numerous ways to motivate employees, the most commonly used motivator is money. However, there are numerous other motivators that can be used with better results — and in this economy, finding a way to save money, while keeping your workforce motivated is vital.

This is particularly true if you have tenured employees who are expecting a raise or a bonus and you simply don’t have the resources to meet their demands. By offering them other tangible benefits, you can show them that their work is valued and increase your likelihood of retaining them. Employees do understand that times are tough, and they still want to feel as though their contributions are worthwhile and noticed.

Let’s look at a few ways you can motivate employees without breaking your budget.

1. Focus on the team. By creating team projects and using team members as leaders instead of assigning managers to these projects, you can give employees a sense of empowerment and bring your workforce closer together. This creates a better working environment, and can result in higher morale which could, in turn, mean employees will feel more vested in the success of the company.

2. Make them integral to your operations. Asking employees to provide ideas for how to improve your processes or operations, and then incorporating those ideas and giving credit where it’s due is another powerful motivator. Employees are more likely to feel they’re an important part of a bigger machine, rather than a cog that’s easily replaced. As a bonus, you’ll be getting access to some great ideas from the people who know your organization inside and out.

3. Offer praise frequently. The simple act of recognizing and praising your employees for a job well done goes much further than another dollar an hour. Employees who feel respected and valued are content in their jobs. As a result, they’ll be less likely to seek employment elsewhere and won’t focus on just the monetary rewards of their work.

4. Create recognition awards. Sharing small rewards more frequently can go a lot further than a huge bonus once a year, and encourages friendly competition among teams. Again, keep the focus on the team rather than the individual. This creates camaraderie among team members and helps maintain motivation to work together on a larger, common goal.

5.  No such thing as a free lunch? Think again! You’re not the only one feeling the pinch of this economy. Consider treating your employees to a free lunch once a week. Try working out an arrangement with a local restaurant to reduce your expenses and your employees will appreciate the free food.  Plus, they’ll stick around the office and probably be back at their desks faster, so the real cost of that catered lunch may not amount to anything at all!

6. Practice total transparency. If you want to become an employer of choice with a workforce that is invested and motivated, you’re going to have to be completely honest and transparent in your operations. Whether the company is doing well or whether it’s struggling, employees need to know. Instead of turning them against you, this practice increases the likelihood that they’ll be motivated to rally together and pull the company through tough times.

How do you motivate your workforce?

Motivating your employees in a post recession economy is difficult enough. If you are also bringing in contractors to help augment your workforce, this task can be even more challenging. However, with the right approach, your employees can feel valued and motivated.

Many companies make the mistake of thinking that money is the salve that will heal all wounds. However, numerous other things can bring about the same, if not higher, levels of motivation and even dedication among employees.

Step 1: Praise employees when it’s due.  This can help assuage fears they may have about working with contractors by acknowledging their efforts and accomplishments and communicating how much you value their contributions. Thank them for their work and offer encouragement when necessary. This is an incredibly simple technique, and it’s tempting to underplay its importance. Simple praise goes further than higher wages in making employees feel good about their day of work.

Step 2: Make time to address employees and create an open door policy encouraging them to approach you when required.  Nothing’s more demoralizing to people than feeling invisible or unimportant.  Plus, sometimes the appearance of contractors, especially in departments where they’re a new resource, can cause concern among employees that they’ll be replaced. Show employees this isn’t the case by making time for them. Even a half an hour a day to connect with employees in some small way – say by listening to someone’s musings, empathizing with a complaint or asking about their family – will do everyone – them, your team, and, in turn, you -  some good.

Step 3: Offer employees a chance to distinguish themselves among their peers and in your organization. Provide them with opportunities to lead a task a project or delegate an important set of tasks to them.  This communicates your belief that they are integral to your organization, that their opinions matter, and most of all that you have faith in their ability to come through for you. If you are bringing contractors on board, assign a current employee to help them transition in and complete their projects. This lets employees know that the workforce is being augmented, not replaced.

These three steps won’t cost your company a dime, and could provide you with the opportunity to reduce turnover. You can’t buy loyalty, but you can encourage it by becoming an employer of choice that listens to employees concerns, rewards a job well done and offers a clear and promising upward career path within your organization.

Employee retention and motivation doesn’t have to be complicated. What are some ways in which you motivate your employees?

LinkedIn has become a powerful force for businesses and it can be used in a variety of different ways. Whether you are in the B2B sector or the B2C sector, LinkedIn can be used strategically to help grow your business and expand your operations. As a department head, you want to make sure that you are on top of industry trends. You want to be seen as a thought leader in your industry, and LinkedIn can help you expand your influence.

If you haven’t already created a profile on LinkedIn, now is the time to do it. Let’s look at just a few of the ways that this professional social networking site can help you influence your industry beyond directly connecting with professionals.

1. Networking through groups. LinkedIn has thousands of groups that you can join to increase your networking efforts. Select highly trafficked groups that have several postings each day in topics that are related to what your business or department does or what you are personally interested in. Begin interacting with other members and offer useful and informative tips, insights and posts. Keep the marketing here to a minimum; the main purpose of these groups is information sharing.

2. Giving back to the business community. By participating in groups and networking on LinkedIn, you are not only growing your own department, but you’re also giving back to the business community. The more effort you put in and the higher quality advice you offer, the more you will be perceived as an expert. This in turn puts you in a position of power and helps develop your department’s reputation as a trustworthy organization. That is a precious commodity.

3. Launching new products and services. While you don’t want to overtly market to your groups, you can use your profile, news feed and relationships within the LinkedIn community to help launch or advertise your products and services within your department. This is particularly helpful for those marketing to the B2B market, but it can also be used to help form strategic partnerships with other companies who can assist you in promoting your offers.

6. Increasing your discoverability. One of the ancillary benefits of LinkedIn is that it creates a comprehensive background for you, but your posts and your profile are search engine friendly. Your LinkedIn page will show up in searches for your department, company, and products and since LinkedIn has a higher authority level with most search engines, chances are you’ll show up in higher rankings within results. This helps make it easy for future customers to locate you and learn more about what you have to offer.

Whether you are a small business owner or the head of a department in your company, LinkedIn is a powerful tool to expand your professional network and influence others within your industry. How have you used LinkedIn to benefit your business?

Setting the pay rate for a new hire can be a challenging process. If you’re in a competitive industry, coming in too low could mean losing talent, but coming in too high has its downsides as well. There are several things you’ll want to consider before coming up with your final salary offer.

Understand Your Current Market

Knowing what you’re up against is vital when setting a starting salary. Begin by finding out what your competitors are paying, and then widen the net to include regional, state-wide and country-wide salary rates for a similar position. Use sites such as PayScale.com (are we goingto have a link here?)  for non-local salary ranges, but keep in mind this will only work with traditional job titles and may not account for special experience or job duties. Once you have a mean salary from these different markets, you’ll find it easier to determine what your company can offer.

Employ a Tiered Pay Schedule

Numerous companies, particularly new ones or those in the tech sector, are employing tiered salary structures. This involves starting a new hire at a lower rate and offering pay incentives to get more when certain benchmarks are met. This is a great way not only to gauge the interest that new talent has for your company, but it can also help you determine how hungry they are for success and whether they’ll be committed to helping your company meet its goals. Be wary of new hires who signal they aren’t interested in the long haul.

Pay By Experience Level Not Job Title

If you have a new hire that has more experience, rewarding them with a slightly higher starting pay rate is a great way to increase the likelihood that they’ll pick your company. This lets them know you value their experience and are willing to recognize them for it, which in turn helps them feel more connected to your company.

Sweeten the Deal With Non-Pay Related Perks

If your company cannot afford a higher pay scale for new talent, sweeten your offer by providing with certain perks such as paid time off, flex-hours and other small benefits. Look to companies like Google or Twitter for some great examples of perks such as ’play areas’ for break time,  catered lunches once or twice weekly, or paid time off to engage in non-profit work.  These things may help your company stand out from your competition. In most cases, how well people perceive they’re compensated is not just about the money; it’s about the overall value they think they gain from being a part of your organization.

Generally, knowing the lay of salary lands, signaling that you value the talent you hire, and incentivizing salary rates are sound ways to set new salaries. What other methods has your company successfully employed to determine pay levels for new talent?

High potential employees are not only valuable to you, they’re also valuable to your competitors. Keeping these high-value employees is key to your company’s success, and if you aren’t using retention strategies to keep them happy and invested in your company, it’s too easy to lose them to someone else.

Let’s look at a few ways to maximize your chances of keeping your top talent with you.

Frequently Assess Your Employees and Let Them Know the Results

To know who your highest-potential employees are, you need to perform assessments. Many companies do this on a biannual basis, but to get a better idea of true performance, it’s important to perform these assessments every quarter. Assess each employee on criteria that’s relevant to the job they’re performing to ensure your evaluations are relevant and providing insight into their ability to succeed in the job they’re holding.

Once you have this data, share it with the employee in a private meeting. This adds a level of accountability for all of your employees and reinforces your high-potential employees by letting them know you appreciate and acknowledge their achievements.

Develop Performance Improvement Plans

After you discuss their current assessment, the next step is to create a plan of action to take performance to the next level. This provides motivation for the employee to keep succeeding and helps you determine how much effort they are willing to put into their job. Conduct regular follow-ups to see if they are staying on track.

Utilize Mentors

Mentors are an invaluable resource within your organization, and they can help groom the next generation of management and top talent within your company. Go through your top level executives and find out if they are willing to spend time mentoring your highest performers. Ideally, you should match each executive with the talent that will someday hold the same position.

Invest in Their Progress

Not only will investing in your highest performers help your company in the short term, it will also reinforce their belief that you are committed to helping them in the future. Training programs that will broaden their skill sets benefit both parties. You can do this training individually, or as a group, depending on how many high-performance employees you have. Group sessions help encourage healthy competition among employees and can help you see which ones will be ideal candidates for future management positions, based on how they behave and how they self-motivate.

Planetpro would like to know, how do you foster your talent within your organization?

While there are basic job skills that are necessary for each position, there are a number of other job skills that are vital if the hire is going to be the right candidate for the position. No matter how impressive a resume may be, if a candidate doesn’t possess these extra skills, they may not be the right person for the job.

Your interview process should be tailored to finding these particular skills as well as the standard skills required for the job.

1. Flexibility of the Mind. Your ideal candidate should be able to think quickly on her feet and come up with alternate solutions very quickly. You can determine if a candidate has these skills by rapid firing questions that come from different angles and asking hypothetical questions to determine how she might handle different real life situations.

2. A high level of empathy. This is particularly vital for anyone who will assume a managerial or customer service position. Empathy is not something that can be learned, it is either ingrained in someone or it’s not. Empathetic people are able to look at complex situations, and take into account other’s feelings. Once again, scenario questions are the best way to determine a candidate’s level of empathy.

3. Initiative and passion. Zombie hires are the bane of any manager. If a candidate is not passionate about his job or the work that he does for a company, he simply isn’t going to perform at the same level as someone who does have passion. While we can’t all love our jobs, we can love doing a good job. Seek out candidates that have demonstrated initiative in their past accomplishments. It’s a good predictor of how much they’ll be willing to do for you.

4. Risk tolerance. High-level positions require a great deal of risk tolerance. The ideal candidate should not be put off or scared by risk, but should view this as an opportunity for challenge and growth. Hypothetical lines of questioning and asking about similar situations at an old position will help you find this type of candidate.

These skills are largely ingrained in a personality, and most cannot be taught or inspired. If you need help finding candidates who demonstrate these qualities, or if you want tips on finding the right fit candidate for your position, give Planetpro a call today.  [Please note the proper spelling of our company name]

Planetpro believes these are some of the main skills anyone should have when recruiting new hires. What are some of the different skills you use to recruit new hires into your company? (Please comment below)

Contact Planetpro with any of your staffing needs.

Negativity breeds more negativity and there are few things that are more insidious in a workplace. It creates a lack of productivity, generates feelings of discontent among your employees, and can lead to high employee turnover rates.

Creating a positive culture in the workplace requires dedication, but with the right steps, it can be achieved. This dedication must not only stem from the highest levels of your organization and management, but employees must also reflect this positivity. One negative employee can impact the growth of an entire organization. Employees also lead by example. If you put your best effort into creating a positive workplace culture, the majority will follow your lead.

1. Creating a standard. The first step is letting everyone in your organization know that positivity is now the prevailing force in your company. This step creates awareness at all levels of your organization and gives everyone time to begin to review their mindset and make changes. Positive mindset isn’t about denying the presence of roadblocks or challenges, but about adopting a ‘can do’ attitude in face of them and encouraging people to seek help from peers and management when required.

2. Creating positive affirmations. This should take place at every level of your organization. Create positive affirmations for every department by having teams participate in and contribute to their making.  Be sure that management buys into and respects these affirmations and encourages them in whatever ways they can.

3. Adapt your communication style. Communication is the key to any relationship in the workplace. As a leader you must be able to communicate positively with employees on a personal level to gain their trust; but never overstep their boundaries. Remember to have a positive attitude when communicating your ideas. Remember: lead by example. If you maintain a positive atmosphere, it will trickle down to everyone else you deal with.

4. Hold a seminar on the power of positive thinking. In the early stages of embracing positivity, it is helpful to have an expert come in to discuss the power of being positive, and to help employees learn more about their own mindset and how to modify it. These seminars can be incredibly helpful in rooting out negative behavior and helping employees create their own affirmations and commitments to maintaining a positive attitude and atmosphere.

Planetpro finds company culture to be a very intriguing topic and would like to continue this discussion.  What are some of the techniques you use to implement a positive company culture? (please comment below)

Please contact Planetpro for any of your staffing needs.

If you have an open position in your organization, instead of immediately hiring a permanent employee, you may want to consider the ‘try-before-you-buy’ approach. This method provides a way for companies to test drive their talent without making a full-time commitment prior to observing the quality of their work.  In fact, contract staffing has many benefits for employers and is an underutilized tool that can help improve your retention rates and ensure you are getting the best possible candidate for the job.

Contract staffing ensures you can fill an open position quickly, with talent who is well-trained, has specialized skills, and just needs a quick overview of how your company operates. If you have mission critical positions that are open, this strategy can help ensure your business won’t suffer while you are looking for the right person.

Let’s take a look at a few of the other benefits of implementing the try-before-you-buy approach:

1. On-the-job interview.
Instead of having to spend inordinate hours interviewing prospects, you can focus on observing the contractor in action. This means you can evaluate actual on-the-job performance over a longer period of time.   Also, the data you gather in evaluating prospects this way is likely to be a better predictor of their ability to succeed in that job, compared to the few hours spent talking in the hypothetical during an interview.

2. Finding the right culture fit.
Not only is job performance vital, it is also important to measure how well a contract employee fits within your organization’s culture and how they interact with others. If you end up with someone who isn’t the right fit, you can employ another contractor until you find the one candidate that works best for you.

3. Minimize your risk if change is required.

With permanent hiring, if and when it becomes obvious that the employee cannot handle the demands of the position, making changes can cost valuable time and money.  Minimize the cost and hassle of legal entanglements related with such changes by testing  your talent before you commit to them.

Working with the right staffing agency will also help ensure that you’re not just getting contract workers to fill resource gaps, but highly qualified talent that can help you keep things running smoothly and work towards your business goals while you make your decision.