Using a variation of an approach developed by the late Jack Gubkin, you GRAB her attention - with the letters in GRAB spelling out the process:
G -Greet her in a warm and friendly manner
R - Refer to a friend or mutual acquaintance, if appropriate.
A - Attract attention to her problem / need and your possible solution and Ask for a meeting to explore what you can do for them.
B - Build Belief (in you): Emphasize your Best Benefit (for her).
Let's look at these four elements more closely.
G. Greeting, a pleasant, friendly greeting should be easy.
Introduce yourself. Use her name, being sure to pronounce it correctly. Keep it short. ''Good morning Ms, Pin, My name is Dan Deposit." or ''Good morning, Ms. Pin, I'm Dan Deposit with Dan Deposit and Associates"
R. Referrals.
Many job seekers believe that referrals have almost magical properties, so they spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy getting referrals. They can, of course, warm up an otherwise "cold" call. But sooner or later, you'll have to explain why the other person should spend time with you. There are, unfortunately, no abracadabra's that will open decision makers' doors, but some names will work better than others:
"My friend, Dan Rather, suggested that I call you." OR
"Connie Chung thought we should get together,"
A. Attract.
Attention to Her Problem / Need, The more you know about their problem or need, the more persuasive you're likely to be. Your research will pay off here, especially if you cannot claim impressive achievements. Knowing something about them can give you an opening: "I Just read in the Bank Account Weekly that Out-of-Order ATMs is introducing new virtual banking ATMs. Till bet your sales take off like a rocket and you just might need some help. Don't you think you could use a bright, energetic young person with very good computer skills like me, But I know I could do a very good job for you in sales support. Could we, get together either Thursday or Friday to discuss how I might be able to help you?''
Asking a provocative (not a controversial) question is another way to get their attention. A public relations specialist might say:
"You're probably familiar with the big Pasty Pasta campaign that we did this year. Pasty's market share has increased 6% already. Would you be interested in enhancing your company's visibility through some very original promotions?" OR
''Would, you be interested in some innovative ways to enhance your company's professional image in the community?"
If you're answering an ad by phone, you have to pass the test to get an appointment. The same rules apply here as when you're responding by mail. The message you want to communicate is: You have what they're looking for. You must, of course, be honest and not fake knowledge. If they want to know about your experience, your response is something like this:
"From what I understand from your ad for a data processing coordinator, you are looking for a person with experience in computer hardware, software, and applications systems, is that right? In my previous position with a proprietary school, I was able to get all their records organized on the IBM 400, which I believe is the machine you use, so that their registrations in September were accomplished in about half the time it had taken previously. Is that the kind of person you're looking for? (Wait for an answer) Good! Then why don't we get together to discuss how I can help you? Would either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning be convenient for you?"
OR
"Your ad for a stunts person says that you're looking for someone with experience in jumping through blazing hoops. I'm sure I qualify because I ran through flaming buildings for two videos last year. And, because I've had a lot of experience with special effects and didn't need a lot of rehearsal time, I helped them meet their production deadline. Why don't we, get together to discuss this either Tuesday or Thursday?"
A. Ask for a meeting.
You want a face-to-face meeting. As?, for it. And be prepared to ask again.
It's simply a choice between one thing and another-either one of which is acceptable to you, that's so much better than asking: Will you meet me? When you ask the question that way, you have a 50-50 chance that the answer would be "no."
You want to maximize the chance of hearing so if you're asking for a meeting, offer choices like two different days or times or places:
- "Would you like to meet on Monday or is Wednesday a better day for you?"
- "Which is more convenient, morning or afternoon?"
- "Should we meet for breakfast at Ptomaine Tommy V or Bertha Bean sprouts'?"
How could you possibly benefit her and her company? Now, recall that benefits are mostly bottom - lined oriented. They help the company make or save money, improve image, reduce or avoid problems, etc.
Remember the mini-stories you wrote? You can use one now. How did your previous employers benefit from your work? Obviously, you'll want to highlight your achievement that relates most closely to the business and the individual you're calling.
More experienced people might have examples like these:
- Reduced hours required for annual finished goods inventory by 25% through comprehensive preplanning.
- Reduced the vault and mail room force by 47% over 2 years resulting in more than $300,000 savings per year.
- Negotiated contracts worth in excess of $1 million to provide traffic reports to 18 radio and TV stations.
- Revised monthly close resulting in significant increase in overall accuracy and 30% savings in time.
Example: You managed a fast food outlet part-time to help pay for college. You supervised, scheduled, and trained 15 employees and consistently received outstanding evaluations, in part because of excellent customer satisfaction in your store. Now, you want to persuade Preposterous Promotions, a PR firm, that your fast food experience, plus a 2-year internship at a radio station, qualify you for a job in PR.
"Ms. Dubious: I've had 2 years of PR and promotions experience with station WHAT. My bosses there and at Bitty Burgers, where I managed one of the stores, gave me excellent evaluations because I'm a dedicated employee who meets deadlines and really cares about our customers. Isn't that the kind of person you want at Preposterous Promotions?"
Belief in yourself:
The critical component of building belief. By explaining how you can benefit them, you'll encourage the hiring authority to believe in you. But you won't be able to convince anyone else to believe in you unless you do. Whether you're a Ph.D. anthropologist seeking a research position or a vendor selling tomatoes, you've got to be enthusiastic about what you have to offer or there won't be many buyers.
It's been said that most people buy not because they believe, but because the salesperson believes. Your conviction and self-confidence generate trust, acceptance, and confidence in others, whether you're communicating with one person or millions.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," President Roosevelt proclaimed in his 1933 inaugural. Most historians give FDR's uplifting words and obvious self-confidence credit for the immediate and remark able transformation in the attitudes of millions of Americans, whose despair from the Great Depression began to turn towards a sense of hope.
