Key Search Marketing was created to answer an unmet need in the marketplace: to help companies that are positioned to use the Internet as a source for generating qualified, cost-effective leads. In our estimates, such companies are missing out on 15 - 40% of the consumers actively in the market for their products and services by not implementing an effective search marketing program as part of their Sales and Marketing strategy.
That's where we come in. Key Search Marketing offers maximum customer search relevance and onsite conversion through powerful, exclusive search engine experience; proven marketing strategies and proprietary tools to sell far more of your products and services with maximum revenue and rapid ROI. And, we get paid on results; so if you're not getting leads, you're not paying us for our services.
I asked R. Scott Frothingham, a Partner at Key Search Marketing, what he felt was the best way to get business.Here is what he said:
Don't give me a "tour of your brief case" ... I am sure that you have all sorts of great stuff in there -- compelling sales materials, impressive graphs, etc. -- but I am busy, you have a limited time to establish that you have an idea that will help me either:
a) grow a specific profitable area in my business b) solve a problem that I have in my business c) avoid a situation that is negative for my business
This offering must quickly go from generic to specific to my business and my situation. Now you have my attention. To go to the next step you have to establish credibilty. For me the best way to do this is through client referrals and references, especially from businesspeople I know. Get through all of this and then you have to sell me on you.
Not only do I want you to bring some expertise to the table, but I want to know that you truly care about my business, that you are invested in making your product/service/program work for me and my business. If you can do all this, then I want to buy from you and I want to give you and your offering every chance to be successful and be an important part of my plan moving forward.
One final piece of advice ... one that was given to me not by a business guru, but by my grandmother: "You were born with two ears and one mouth, listen twice as much as you talk."
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
CEO of Yellow Pages Nationwide--Interview and Forecast
I asked Martin Snytsheuvel, CEO of Yellow Pages Nationwide, what his thoughts were about layoffs, the economy and the looming recession. Here is what he said--The Industry forecast of 2008 -2009 would have to be worrisome at best. With the escalation of building and utility costs, the housing slump, and growth of unemployment definitely raise my concerns.
There is a possibility of recession that cannot be dismissed. Consumers are still spending, but it may be time to pull back the reigns. Retail may mirror the housing market, and headed for a slowdown in our economy. For the third year in a row job creation has been in decline. This is important as it effects office rental space. Healthcare seems top be the only area where we are somewhat “RECESSION PROOF” because they are still on an increase and actually see to have a need for new medical office buildings.
A strange turn of events is where families are losing their homes to foreclosure are actually creating a need and surge in multi-family housing, especially in the southwest. Apartment builders will benefit from all indicators currently seen. Landlords in the residential and industrial sector looks like a good bet. Unemployment is a concern. Standing at 6.2% nationally and long-term unemployment is a persistent problem.
Over the past 6 months, 2 million Americans are unsuccessfully looking for work, while 9 million are unemployed. There are 3:1 unemployed people looking for every job opening. As far as layoff in the Internet Technology sector I cannot see where any industry would not be affected by a national crisis such as a recession. I am hoping that if Americans vote for change in 2008 we will have a positive outcome. So get out there and Vote America!!!
There is a possibility of recession that cannot be dismissed. Consumers are still spending, but it may be time to pull back the reigns. Retail may mirror the housing market, and headed for a slowdown in our economy. For the third year in a row job creation has been in decline. This is important as it effects office rental space. Healthcare seems top be the only area where we are somewhat “RECESSION PROOF” because they are still on an increase and actually see to have a need for new medical office buildings.
A strange turn of events is where families are losing their homes to foreclosure are actually creating a need and surge in multi-family housing, especially in the southwest. Apartment builders will benefit from all indicators currently seen. Landlords in the residential and industrial sector looks like a good bet. Unemployment is a concern. Standing at 6.2% nationally and long-term unemployment is a persistent problem.
Over the past 6 months, 2 million Americans are unsuccessfully looking for work, while 9 million are unemployed. There are 3:1 unemployed people looking for every job opening. As far as layoff in the Internet Technology sector I cannot see where any industry would not be affected by a national crisis such as a recession. I am hoping that if Americans vote for change in 2008 we will have a positive outcome. So get out there and Vote America!!!
Natural Industries Growing--Marketing Director Interview
Natural Industries, Inc. specializes in developing beneficial microorganisms for use in the commercial horticulture, agriculture and turf industries.The flagship product Actinovate® SP was registered in May 2004 with the EPA as a biological fungicide for control of such root diseases as Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Fusarium, Thelieviopsis, Sclerotinia and others. Actinovate® SP is also labeled for foliar use against such diseases as Powdery Mildew, Botrytis and aerial Sclerotinia.
I asked Boomer Cardinale, Marketing Director of Natural Industries, what should be done in this economy."Now is the opportunity for businesses to grow instead of stashing cash. Buy cheap equipment and cheap labor. Our company has been growing steadily this year and we're barely keeping up with demand. It's not all doom and gloom. Ask a corn farmer, Hollywood writer, mega-church pastor, microbrewer, organic grocer, video game designer or an oil man how business is these days."
I asked Boomer Cardinale, Marketing Director of Natural Industries, what should be done in this economy."Now is the opportunity for businesses to grow instead of stashing cash. Buy cheap equipment and cheap labor. Our company has been growing steadily this year and we're barely keeping up with demand. It's not all doom and gloom. Ask a corn farmer, Hollywood writer, mega-church pastor, microbrewer, organic grocer, video game designer or an oil man how business is these days."
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Recruiting and Hiring Corporate Psychopaths
Jason Blaik, One Test Psychology Research and development manager writes about corporate psychopaths and how they appear on the surface to be "perfect" candidates.
Has your company ever fired a corporate psychopath?Have you ever recruited someone too good to be true?Are you about to recruit a corporate psychopath? Corporate psychopaths can wreak havoc with an organisation's morale, retention and reputation. Do you know how to recognise one?
Psychology research and development manager Jason Blaik explains that corporate psychopaths often appear to recruiters as "ideal" candidates.They present extremely well at interview, coming across as charming, highly intelligent, confident, calm and slick, he says. They appear to have all the right experience and command the respect of everyone in the room. But, Blaik says, sometimes when a candidate seems too good to be true, he or she probably is.
What is a psychopath?Psychopaths are characterised by failings in four main areas, Blaik says. They don't adopt common interpersonal conventions of honesty, modesty, trustworthiness - they don't believe these are important. They also fail on an affective level because they don't experience emotions like love, empathy and guilt; they can't understand and feel these on a personal level.Psychopaths are also impulsive, Blaik says, in that they fail to adopt widely shared norms pertaining to financial responsibility and safe conduct, while they also lead an antisocial lifestyle, failing to obey the laws of society (Blaik says psychopaths make up a disproportionate number of the prison population).
While we generally associate the term "psychopath" with murderers, the majority ply their trade in more subtle ways, Blaik says. They actually exhibit characteristics highly valued by the business world, because their lack of empathy and conscience can be seen as an ability to make tough decisions, and they don't appear to experience stress. Psychopaths are generally thought to make up about one per cent of the general population, but it's more like three per cent in the corporate world, he says. They are equally represented among men and women, and Blaik expects the female corporate psychopath to become a bigger feature of the corporate world as more women break through the glass ceiling.
Have you encountered one?Some signs that your colleague or candidate might be a corporate psychopath include:they consistently present in a smooth, polished and charming way;they redirect conversations to focus around them;they discredit or put others down in an attempt to enhance their own status and reputation;they lie with ease to colleagues, clients and business associates;they demonstrate a lack of empathy or understanding of others' emotions; andthey create internal power networks in the organisation and use them for personal gain. A corporate psychopath will generally charm the hiring team into selecting them for the job, and once inside the organisation will identify a potential support network of employees and those who can be manipulated.
During the "ascension phase" the psychopath works his or her way into positions of power. What they doImplications for an organisation that hires a corporate psychopath include interpersonal conflict and team disruptions, and these people can ultimately cause valuable employees to leave because they are so hard to deal with, Blaik says. (Very little can be done to reform a corporate psychopath, because they tend not to believe they have a problem and they don't want to change.)They also cause damage to the company's reputation, and legal and financial difficulties, with the risks increasing if they are allowed to climb into positions of power.
Many high-profile company collapses in recent years are believed to have been contributed to by corporate psychopaths, Blaik says. How can you avoid them?The first line of defense against corporate psychopaths is the selection phase of recruitment, Blaik says.While many candidates' resumes contain falsehoods, the corporate psychopath is more likely to embellish their skills and to change employment dates to hide some experiences, so recruiters should take care to validate their claims.
As well, structured interviews are better for dealing with corporate psychopaths and identifying gaps in their experience or knowledge, because these people perform at their best in free-flowing, conversational interviews. Blaik also recommends complementing the selection process with objective measures such as work samples and psychological assessments, and finally, conducting thorough background and reference checks.
He says recruiters should keep in mind that if a candidate seems too good to be true, he or she probably is, "and if he seems perfect for the job, he probably isn't".Blaik says it's important to note that displaying some of these behaviours occasionally doesn't make someone a corporate psychopath - anyone can "lose it" from time to time and not all "toxic" employees or bossses are psychopathic!
Has your company ever fired a corporate psychopath?Have you ever recruited someone too good to be true?Are you about to recruit a corporate psychopath? Corporate psychopaths can wreak havoc with an organisation's morale, retention and reputation. Do you know how to recognise one?
Psychology research and development manager Jason Blaik explains that corporate psychopaths often appear to recruiters as "ideal" candidates.They present extremely well at interview, coming across as charming, highly intelligent, confident, calm and slick, he says. They appear to have all the right experience and command the respect of everyone in the room. But, Blaik says, sometimes when a candidate seems too good to be true, he or she probably is.
What is a psychopath?Psychopaths are characterised by failings in four main areas, Blaik says. They don't adopt common interpersonal conventions of honesty, modesty, trustworthiness - they don't believe these are important. They also fail on an affective level because they don't experience emotions like love, empathy and guilt; they can't understand and feel these on a personal level.Psychopaths are also impulsive, Blaik says, in that they fail to adopt widely shared norms pertaining to financial responsibility and safe conduct, while they also lead an antisocial lifestyle, failing to obey the laws of society (Blaik says psychopaths make up a disproportionate number of the prison population).
While we generally associate the term "psychopath" with murderers, the majority ply their trade in more subtle ways, Blaik says. They actually exhibit characteristics highly valued by the business world, because their lack of empathy and conscience can be seen as an ability to make tough decisions, and they don't appear to experience stress. Psychopaths are generally thought to make up about one per cent of the general population, but it's more like three per cent in the corporate world, he says. They are equally represented among men and women, and Blaik expects the female corporate psychopath to become a bigger feature of the corporate world as more women break through the glass ceiling.
Have you encountered one?Some signs that your colleague or candidate might be a corporate psychopath include:they consistently present in a smooth, polished and charming way;they redirect conversations to focus around them;they discredit or put others down in an attempt to enhance their own status and reputation;they lie with ease to colleagues, clients and business associates;they demonstrate a lack of empathy or understanding of others' emotions; andthey create internal power networks in the organisation and use them for personal gain. A corporate psychopath will generally charm the hiring team into selecting them for the job, and once inside the organisation will identify a potential support network of employees and those who can be manipulated.
During the "ascension phase" the psychopath works his or her way into positions of power. What they doImplications for an organisation that hires a corporate psychopath include interpersonal conflict and team disruptions, and these people can ultimately cause valuable employees to leave because they are so hard to deal with, Blaik says. (Very little can be done to reform a corporate psychopath, because they tend not to believe they have a problem and they don't want to change.)They also cause damage to the company's reputation, and legal and financial difficulties, with the risks increasing if they are allowed to climb into positions of power.
Many high-profile company collapses in recent years are believed to have been contributed to by corporate psychopaths, Blaik says. How can you avoid them?The first line of defense against corporate psychopaths is the selection phase of recruitment, Blaik says.While many candidates' resumes contain falsehoods, the corporate psychopath is more likely to embellish their skills and to change employment dates to hide some experiences, so recruiters should take care to validate their claims.
As well, structured interviews are better for dealing with corporate psychopaths and identifying gaps in their experience or knowledge, because these people perform at their best in free-flowing, conversational interviews. Blaik also recommends complementing the selection process with objective measures such as work samples and psychological assessments, and finally, conducting thorough background and reference checks.
He says recruiters should keep in mind that if a candidate seems too good to be true, he or she probably is, "and if he seems perfect for the job, he probably isn't".Blaik says it's important to note that displaying some of these behaviours occasionally doesn't make someone a corporate psychopath - anyone can "lose it" from time to time and not all "toxic" employees or bossses are psychopathic!
The Hi Tech Interview--Winbond Electronics in San Francisco
Winbond Electronics Corp. was founded in 1987 in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan and has been publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (stock code: 2344) since 1995. Winbond owns the capabilities of both IC design and manufacturing and provides entire solutions to the customers. Winbond focuses on the developments of four main product lines, including μC & μC-based Consumer IC, Computer Logic IC, Mobile RAM, and Flash Memory, and it has built a solid foundation and a strong reputation in the semiconductor industry.
Velyn Sia, Marketing Operations Manager for Winbond in San Francisco gave me a good answer after I asked him what he was going to do as a decision maker at his company to ride out these tough economic times."
Cash is king and so during these difficult economic times, the best thing for companies is to have cash reserves on hand to help them ride the wave. However, not all companies have the luxury of a stockpile of cash. In such instances, companies need to be creative and think out of the box.
I remember reading a book about Matsushita and how the CEO at the time had the difficult task of navigating the company through economic hard times. During that period, a majority of his peers in other companies were laying off employees as a cost cutting measure. However, the CEO at Matsushita decided on a different approach. He gathered all the employees of the company together and told them that he would not lay off anyone but that people would have to take pay cuts (himself included).
He also encouraged everyone (no matter what their role in the company) to help sell the company's products to generate revenues for the company and therefore their own paychecks. Amazingly, during that period, Matsushita actually generated revenue growth while his competitors continued to experience revenue declines. This was definitely one example of a visionary leader who thought out of the box and saw beyond the "pennies" you could save by laying off employees.
Sometimes, layoffs are inevitable but some times the key to riding an economic downturn is find ways to generate revenue growth instead of minimizing costs.
Velyn Sia, Marketing Operations Manager for Winbond in San Francisco gave me a good answer after I asked him what he was going to do as a decision maker at his company to ride out these tough economic times."
Cash is king and so during these difficult economic times, the best thing for companies is to have cash reserves on hand to help them ride the wave. However, not all companies have the luxury of a stockpile of cash. In such instances, companies need to be creative and think out of the box.
I remember reading a book about Matsushita and how the CEO at the time had the difficult task of navigating the company through economic hard times. During that period, a majority of his peers in other companies were laying off employees as a cost cutting measure. However, the CEO at Matsushita decided on a different approach. He gathered all the employees of the company together and told them that he would not lay off anyone but that people would have to take pay cuts (himself included).
He also encouraged everyone (no matter what their role in the company) to help sell the company's products to generate revenues for the company and therefore their own paychecks. Amazingly, during that period, Matsushita actually generated revenue growth while his competitors continued to experience revenue declines. This was definitely one example of a visionary leader who thought out of the box and saw beyond the "pennies" you could save by laying off employees.
Sometimes, layoffs are inevitable but some times the key to riding an economic downturn is find ways to generate revenue growth instead of minimizing costs.
Careerbuilder's 2008 Job Forecast
CareerBuilder.com's "2008 Job Forecast," conducted by Harris Interactive, tracked projected hiring trends for 2008 surveying 3,016 hiring managers and human resource professionals in private sector companies.
Here's what they found: • 32 percent of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in 2008, down from 40 percent who planned to do so in 2007; •
Just 8 percent plan to decrease full-time staff levels in 2008, while 47 percent expect no change;
21 percent of employers plan to increase their number of part-time employees in 2008, down from 23 percent who expected to do so in 2007;
• And, 6 percent plan to decrease part-time headcount in 2008, while 58 percent expect no change.
• In addition, early one-in-five employers report it typically takes them two months or longer to fill their open positions and 40 percent say they currently have open positions for which they can't find qualified candidates.
Here's what they found: • 32 percent of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in 2008, down from 40 percent who planned to do so in 2007; •
Just 8 percent plan to decrease full-time staff levels in 2008, while 47 percent expect no change;
21 percent of employers plan to increase their number of part-time employees in 2008, down from 23 percent who expected to do so in 2007;
• And, 6 percent plan to decrease part-time headcount in 2008, while 58 percent expect no change.
• In addition, early one-in-five employers report it typically takes them two months or longer to fill their open positions and 40 percent say they currently have open positions for which they can't find qualified candidates.
The Sports Industry Interview--United States Tennis Association
Kennedy Information lists 17 search firms in the U.S. that focus on sports. 13 are retained (big retainer fees) and 4 are contingency. Here is an interview of Gary Jacobus who has risen to the top of the sports industry (USTA, NFL, IMG). If you would like to reach Gary Jacobus, he's at jacobus@usta.com
The US Tennis Association Interview--Gary Jacobus, Managing DirectorThe United States Tennis Association (USTA) makes quite a racquet on the court. As the US governing body for the sport of tennis, the USTA sets the rules of play and develops and promotes the sport at the local and professional levels. It also owns and operates the US Open, the annual Grand Slam event held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York. In addition, the organization selects players to compete in such tournaments as the Davis Cup, the Fed Cup, and the Olympics. Founded in 1881 as the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, the USTA has grown to more than 665,000 members from all age and skill levels. 2007 Revenues--$222.9 million.
I sat down with Gary Jacobus, a good friend and classmate from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. We have known each other for 20 years. He has been for the past year the Managing Director, Corporate Partnerships, at the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He and his team are responsible for the USTA's corporate sponsorships. From 1991-2003, he was the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at NFL Properties. He was the EVP at UFood, a chain of healthy quick-serve restaurants. My recruiting firm placed him as President of Trakus, a sports technology firm, and finally he served as SVP at IMG in the '90's.
Sam: Gary, what are you doing these days?
Gary: Well, I am in charge of corporate sponsorships at the USTA. Similar to New Business Development. One of the key focal points is obviously on the U.S. Open.
Sam: How long have you been involved in hiring decisions.
Gary: Since I was a Director at the NFL in 1993-1994.
Sam: What qualities do you look for most in a candidate?
Gary: First of all, the person has to have an excellent background that matches what I am looking for. Then, more importantly, I ask myself, "Does this person/candidate fit into the company culture? Would this person have the ability to work on teams? Could this person get others to work with them. One of the things that was very noticeable at both USTA and NFL Properties was that new hires were vetted for cultural fit."
Sam: What do you look for in a recruiter?
Gary: I want a recruiter who is smart enough to understand my business and never feels he has to sell someone to me. The recruiter must understand the company culture and the fit and the type of personality required.
Sam: What was one of your biggest recruiting challenges?
Gary: When I was President of Trakus, a sports technology firm, 90% of the employees were engineers. 10% were business people. It was hard to get the right business person who could get along with and motivate the engineers.
Sam: Any advice you want to give recruiters?Gary: The recruiter has to qualify his prospects. S/he should be bringing me 3-4 hirable candidates. The rest is personality fit.
Sam: Thanks for your time!
The US Tennis Association Interview--Gary Jacobus, Managing DirectorThe United States Tennis Association (USTA) makes quite a racquet on the court. As the US governing body for the sport of tennis, the USTA sets the rules of play and develops and promotes the sport at the local and professional levels. It also owns and operates the US Open, the annual Grand Slam event held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York. In addition, the organization selects players to compete in such tournaments as the Davis Cup, the Fed Cup, and the Olympics. Founded in 1881 as the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, the USTA has grown to more than 665,000 members from all age and skill levels. 2007 Revenues--$222.9 million.
I sat down with Gary Jacobus, a good friend and classmate from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. We have known each other for 20 years. He has been for the past year the Managing Director, Corporate Partnerships, at the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He and his team are responsible for the USTA's corporate sponsorships. From 1991-2003, he was the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at NFL Properties. He was the EVP at UFood, a chain of healthy quick-serve restaurants. My recruiting firm placed him as President of Trakus, a sports technology firm, and finally he served as SVP at IMG in the '90's.
Sam: Gary, what are you doing these days?
Gary: Well, I am in charge of corporate sponsorships at the USTA. Similar to New Business Development. One of the key focal points is obviously on the U.S. Open.
Sam: How long have you been involved in hiring decisions.
Gary: Since I was a Director at the NFL in 1993-1994.
Sam: What qualities do you look for most in a candidate?
Gary: First of all, the person has to have an excellent background that matches what I am looking for. Then, more importantly, I ask myself, "Does this person/candidate fit into the company culture? Would this person have the ability to work on teams? Could this person get others to work with them. One of the things that was very noticeable at both USTA and NFL Properties was that new hires were vetted for cultural fit."
Sam: What do you look for in a recruiter?
Gary: I want a recruiter who is smart enough to understand my business and never feels he has to sell someone to me. The recruiter must understand the company culture and the fit and the type of personality required.
Sam: What was one of your biggest recruiting challenges?
Gary: When I was President of Trakus, a sports technology firm, 90% of the employees were engineers. 10% were business people. It was hard to get the right business person who could get along with and motivate the engineers.
Sam: Any advice you want to give recruiters?Gary: The recruiter has to qualify his prospects. S/he should be bringing me 3-4 hirable candidates. The rest is personality fit.
Sam: Thanks for your time!
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