When you receive a cold call at your office from someone you’ve never met, are you ready to pull out your credit card after a five-minute conversation?
Are you ready to sign a contract and commit to this complete stranger? If you’re like most people, then the answer is “No way!” If this is the case, then why would you expect someone getting your cold call to commit to a relationship after only a few minutes?
The truth is that our prospects usually need to come toward us in baby steps. They want an easy, low-risk first step to find out if we’re as good as we say we are. There are many ways you can do this: complimentary special reports, newsletters, follow-up calls etc.
A recruiter script for better results
One of my favorites is to offer an informational service to a small group of prospects, whereby you will act as a talent scout for them. This means you’ll “keep your ear to the ground” regarding the most important type of talent they want to see, regardless of whether they have an opening or not.
You’re NOT going to engage in a full search for this prospect, but you will track their request. You’ll make them aware of the profile they’re seeking when you come across a top candidate. This approach is a “door opener” and is not appropriate for every situation. However, it can be very effective depending on your niche.
I first heard about this concept from Peter Leffkowitz and have borrowed some of his language in my own version. Here’s are some scripts for recruitment business development calls that you can use as a template:
Recruiter script introduction:
“Hi, _________, this is ________. We haven’t spoken before, but I came across your name recently, and I wanted to give you a phone call. Do you have a free moment?
“I work for a company that is hired by a selective group of consulting firms to help them locate talented accounting professionals.”
Breaking the tension and empathizing:
“I want to let you know that I’m not calling to see if you’d like to have us work on any of your current openings. My guess is that you probably already have a group of recruiting firms that you’re happy with. Is that an accurate assumption?”
Introducing the concept:
“The reason for my call is that I wanted to make you aware of a complimentary service that we offer to a select group of clients. I thought it may be of interest to you.
“Some of our clients use us as talent scouts, whereby we keep them informed of the best accountants that surface in the market as they become available.
“The benefit for them is that they get a first look at our top tier of candidates before we send them out to their competitors. They have the option to pass or ask for more information if they have an interest.”
Asking questions:
“Would you like to be kept informed of the best accountants that come across our desk?
“Can you give me a thumbnail sketch of the types of people you have the most difficulty in locating?
“Are there any other types of people you’d like me to keep an eye out for during the next 90 days?”
What type of recruiter script do YOU use to position yourself as a talent scout? What other scripts do you use? Those who know when and how to properly use a good recruiter script are better able to convey the value they can provide to potential clients. Hiring managers give job orders to recruiters who provide value.
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Gary Stauble, a guest writer for the Top Echelon Recruiter Training Blog, is the principal consultant for The Recruiting Lab, a coaching company that assists firm owners and solo recruiters in generating more profit in less time. For more information or to schedule a complimentary coaching session, visit www.therecruitinglab.com or call 408.849.4756.