Are you trying to recruit someone who is moving away from you? Time to change direction.
You can only recruit someone who is moving toward you. You cannot recruit anyone who is moving away from you. If they are moving away, they are distancing from you, and they are not listening to you. You are caught up in what psychologists call “The Pursuer-Distancer Dance.”
The harder you pursue them, the faster they will distance. This Pursuer-Distancer Dance occurs in sales, dating and recruiting. Many managers spend a lot of their time pursuing or chasing prospective recruits. Some are in pursuit mode most of the time. There is a better way. Try this: Get people moving toward you, attracting them versus pursuing them. There are two critical keys to attracting:
1. People tend to move towards someone they know, like, and trust. People will move towards someone with whom they feel comfortable. The first step is to position yourself as a likable friend versus a recruiter. We believe it is difficult to recruit people you don’t know, and who don’t know you. Get to know them first and then set up a flow system to stay in touch. Your flow items and calls need to create value as described below, not be annoying junk mail, email or phone calls from a pursuing recruiter.
2. People move toward value. If you have something they value, they will be attracted to you. They are attracted by two things:
1. Anything that solves a problem for them and makes their life easier (pain);
2. Anything that makes them feel or look good (pleasure).
Your mission is to communicate the value you offer. How can you make their lives better, easier, more fun and simpler? What are they praying for?
There’s an old saying, “Don’t try to be the answer to their prayers until you know what they are praying for.” Here is where many recruiters mess up. They are so excited about their company and the benefits that, when they meet a potential recruit, they launch into their pitch about their brand, their excellent training program, web leads, staff systems, split… STOP!
Start by asking questions about their business, their family, their goals, and what they do for fun. The more they talk, the more comfortable they become with you, the more they trust you, and the stronger your relationship becomes. Your role is to listen more and talk less. Listen carefully for their pain and pleasure. Then, offer a solution. Here are four examples with four different personality types:
1. Power People
Problem: So busy I can’t get it all done. Market is hot. Bad time to make a move.
Solution: Our staff systems will make it easier for you to do the volume.
2. Party People
Problem: I just want to have more fun.
Solution: Leverage their friendships at your office. Talk about parties, events and culture.
3. Peace People
Problem: I want a safe and stable environment. I don’t like chaos, change or moving.
Solution: Focus on your stability, safety, etc. Peace people are loyal, thus are tough to recruit.
4. Perfection People
Problem: Staff is sloppy. I have to do everything myself, including the numbers.
Solution: Have one of your perfection people give them a testimonial on your staff. Show them the quality of your charts, graphs, marketing materials and systems.
Find out what they are praying for and then offer a solution. They will beat a path to your door.
This article appeared in REAL Trends Newsletter and is being reprinted with permission of REAL Trends, Copyright 2014.