Month: October 2018

Applying High Probability Selling to the Job Search and Interviewing Process – An Email Conversation

The emails below have been shortened, by deleting some text.

From: Mike
Sent: Monday 15 October 2018 16:57
To: info@highprobsell.com
Subject: Applying High Probability Selling to the job search and interviewing process

Hello Carl,

I just finished reading High Probability Selling.

I am hoping to learn more about how High Probability Selling can be applied to the job search and interviewing process.  While reading the book I was continually struck on the applicability in this area – have you and/or your colleagues considered this?  If so, is there any specific information you may have or could offer in this area?

Mike

From: HPS Admin
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 1:59 PM
To: Mike
Subject: RE: Applying High Probability Selling to the job search and interviewing process

Hello Mike,

Here is an article on the High Probability Selling blog that might answer some of your questions.

https://highprobabilityselling.blog/2009/10/09/finding-the-job-you-want-joshs-story/

Carl Ingalls
High Probability Consulting
Providing training and materials in High Probability Selling
Tel:  +1 610.627.9030  USA Eastern Time
Text:  +1 484.464.2557
Email:  Ingalls@HighProbSell.com
Website:  www.HighProbSell.com
Blog:  HighProbabilitySelling.blog

From:  Mike
Sent: Wednesday 17 October 2018 11:55
To: HPS Admin
Subject: RE: Applying High Probability Selling to the job search and interviewing process

Hi Carl,

When I read ‘Josh’s Story,’ it seemed to me to be more focused on the Prospecting part of the process.  Also in demonstrating competency as related to a sales-oriented position.

While I agree that High Probability Prospecting is valuable (particularly in identifying job opportunities that are unadvertised), my greater interest relates to those opportunities for which a job advertisement/posting already exists.

I would like to discover more about how High Probability Selling can be applied to the overall hiring process, and in particular, selling yourself to a hiring manager (and others involved in the hiring decision).  Are there further more in-depth resources available in this area (i.e. the Selling and Closing part of the process)?

Thanks,
Mike

From:  HPS Admin [mailto:info@highprobsell.com]
Sent: Thursday 18 October 2018 12:25
To: ‘Mike’
Cc: ‘Paul Bunn’
Subject: RE: Applying High Probability Selling to the job search and interviewing process

Hello Mike,

Yes, there are more in-depth resources that cover the Selling and Closing parts of HPS when applying for a job that is posted.

A good place to start is to study the HPS Book and read more of articles on the HPS Blog.  After that, we offer training in the form of group workshops and/or private coaching.

When applying for a job that is posted, the odds are pretty high that they want to hire someone for the job, but not 100% certain.  Therefore, it is worth confirming this with a direct question about want, which should be asked on the phone before meeting with them.

Ask, “Do you want to hire someone for this job?”  If they answer Yes, which is very likely, ask them why.  Then continue with the steps of the HPS process as shown in the book.  Make sure you ask the conditional commitment question (it’s in the book) immediately after you have set the appointment.  Remember their answer.

If they say no or maybe to the question about want, it is probably not worth proceeding with them.

Carl Ingalls
High Probability Consulting
Providing training and materials in High Probability Selling
Tel:  +1 610.627.9030  USA Eastern Time
Text:  +1 484.464.2557
Email:  Ingalls@HighProbSell.com
Website:  www.HighProbSell.com
Blog:  HighProbabilitySelling.blog

A course on how to use High Probability Selling to find a job may be a valuable addition to the training that we offer.  Most of the details can be found in the HPS Book, but they are not presented in that context.  I’d like to hear your thoughts.  Do you want to start a conversation about this here on this blog?

Comments and questions are welcome.

No Means Not Now

The following conversation is taken from a recent coaching session on High Probability Prospecting, with some minor editing.  The student had been prospecting for a few weeks, and was still on his first round (calling prospects for the first time).  He was frustrated that many people were saying “No” to his offer prematurely.

C:     You are concerned that they are saying no before they know what you have to offer.  This is not important in High Probability Selling.  It only matters when you’re trying to entice someone into buying.

It is important for you to be clear in what you’re saying.  It’s not important for you to finish the offer.  Let them decide when they want to exit.

S:      I’m ok with them saying no, after they’ve heard my offer.  My feelings are not hurt by it.

C:     But it’s not ok for you when they say no before you’re finished telling them what it is.

S:      Yeah, because I don’t think they know what they’re saying no to.

C:     Remember that, as far as we’re concerned, when they say “No” it means not now.

S:      Well, that’s a convenient interpretation isn’t it?

C:     Why convenient?

S:      Well, isn’t that a nice way to kind of convince yourself that, ok that’s just not now.  But you feel, in actuality, that they don’t want to have anything to do with you.  Especially since so many don’t even hear the entire offer.

C:     The main reason we interpret it this way is to remind ourselves that we’re going to call them again later.  Because if you think of “No” as being no, no, no, never, you’re not going to call them again.  And if you do that, you’ve lost one of the most powerful things in High Prob.

When we say not now – you’re not in that place yet, you’re still on the first round.  So it’s not real yet for you.

S:      Not real in that there is a noticeable difference when you call people the second and the third and the fourth time?

C:     Huge difference.  You’re going to get more sales from the people you’ve called a second, third, fourth time, than you are from the people you’ve called once.

S:      I’ve read that more sales are made on the seventh to twelfth call.  That’s where the money is really made.  So don’t stop calling.  So, this basically is playing on that.

C:     Yes, it is based on that.  The Not Now is real.  A lot of the times it just means that they don’t want to hear anything from you right now.  It might change another time, or it might never change.  They’ll usually tell you.  They might tell you to stop calling.

But, most people – as soon as they realize after the second or third call that you’re not going to waste their time with a long spiel – they are far more likely to allow you to continue calling them.  And then, when it does become Now for them, because their circumstances have changed, or whatever, a good outcome is more likely.

Here are some extra thoughts on the topic:

No means Not Now when:

  • You get to the point quickly
  • You accept “No” for an answer without any question or discussion or hesitation
  • You go away quickly (be brief and be gone)
  • You stay in the present moment
  • Your purpose is to find the next “ace in the deck” (someone who wants what you are selling)
  • You call them again and again and again, 3 to 6 weeks apart, with different offers

No means Never when:

  • You never call that person again
  • You are emotionally attached to the outcome (desperate for a sale, and especially this one)
  • You are using a sales method that works by getting the prospect to buy
  • You try to turn a No into a Yes
  • You won’t let go
  • You drag it out
  • They tell you to never call them again

Comments and questions are welcome.