Episode 12
Scripting for Success
Find out how to better operate in marketing vs. recruiting mode, including 2 simple types of scripts that can create a roadmap to save you mental energy, better your business, land more callbacks, and provide more value to clients.
Transcript
Hi, and welcome to The Talent Trade.
Speaker:This is Stephanie Maas, partner with Thinking Ahead Search.
Speaker:The Talent Trade is our attempt here at Thinking Ahead to share with you, most likely other recruiters, how to better your business.
Speaker:Helping us elevate the entire business of recruiting and executive search.
Speaker:One of the things that we wholeheartedly believe in here at The Talent Trade and Thinking Ahead is the idea of being organized and scripted so that we can come off professional and spend our time and energy in a really strong listening mode.
Speaker:If you've listened to any of my previous recordings and you hear me talk about listening.
Speaker:One of my phrases that I absolutely love is good recruiters are good listeners.
Speaker:Great recruiters are phenomenal listeners.
Speaker:And as it relates to scripting, we believe it's hard to be a good listener when you're constantly thinking about what you're going to say next.
Speaker:We also believe that it is hard to get the volume of activity that we need.
Speaker:To get in every day.
Speaker:If we don't use a script, I'm not talking about being robotic, but for us, the scripting is the roadmap.
Speaker:We know where we want to go.
Speaker:We know the success that we want to have, but day by day, day in and day out, how do we really get there?
Speaker:And for us, scripting helps tremendously.
Speaker:What scripting does is it allows us to save our mental energy for the times we need to be really dialed in.
Speaker:And listen, it also helps us save our energy for when we need to just pound out a lot of calls.
Speaker:Today, I'm going to talk about two simple types of scripts.
Speaker:One is the recruiting call.
Speaker:It's our introduction to whoever we're calling.
Speaker:It's super simple, but I encourage you to script it out, say it enough that it doesn't sound robotic.
Speaker:In fact, there was a guy that worked with us several years ago and he had been a recruiter on his own for several years and he had a really hard time buying in to a scripted voicemail.
Speaker:Or a scripted introductory to a recruiting call.
Speaker:And I love when people do this, and I mean that in sincerity.
Speaker:So he set out to prove us wrong.
Speaker:He was an experienced recruiter.
Speaker:He had been successful.
Speaker:So what he did is he recorded himself leaving several off the cuff voicemails.
Speaker:Then he recorded himself leaving several, quote unquote, scripted voicemails.
Speaker:And then he kept track of who called him back.
Speaker:And I'll never forget when he reached out and said, Oh my gosh, you are not going to believe this.
Speaker:One.
Speaker:Then when I went back and listened to the off the cuff.
Speaker:Voicemails, I sounded terrible.
Speaker:And then he went on to say, I think it was about a 30 percent if I remember correctly, increase in returned calls when he left a scripted voicemail.
Speaker:So there are a couple of points that it needs to hit.
Speaker:Super simple, but super helpful.
Speaker:First and foremost, call the person by name.
Speaker:We know it's a cold call, but we're trying to make it feel as personalized as possible.
Speaker:Second of all, use your name.
Speaker:Believe it or not, you'd be surprised how many times we call folks and we forget to say who is calling.
Speaker:Now, a lot of us have caller ID, but at the end of the day, if they don't know you, that's not really going to help to mention your company name.
Speaker:There are philosophies out there that some people say, Hey, I'm just going to say, Hey Tom, it's Stephanie Moss calling.
Speaker:Give me a shout back.
Speaker:And then they hope the curiosity factor.
Speaker:Get some.
Speaker:I have found over the last almost 24 years, this become less and less and less effective.
Speaker:People are so inundated with attempts to get their attention vague, doesn't work.
Speaker:So be specific.
Speaker:Another thing, make sure you leave your phone number again.
Speaker:I know most of us have caller ID, but it doesn't matter.
Speaker:They may forget.
Speaker:That when they go to call you back, which number was actually yours, especially if you're calling folks to get a lot of calls on their cell phone.
Speaker:Mention your specialization.
Speaker:Mention why you're calling.
Speaker:And by the way, the why you're calling should be what's in it for them.
Speaker:As soon as you say, Hey, I work with a search firm.
Speaker:They know what your agenda is.
Speaker:What you want to say here is why should they be talking to you?
Speaker:Number six, a call to action.
Speaker:Hey, please give me a call back again.
Speaker:I know it sounds ridiculous to say that, but it still works.
Speaker:And then lastly, I try to personalize the goodbye.
Speaker:I know I sound like a Chihuahua when I'm on the phone.
Speaker:I've got a lot of energy.
Speaker:I'm pretty excited.
Speaker:It's just the nature of how I am.
Speaker:So for me, my goodbye, I sound like a Chihuahua saying goodbye, not in a barky way, but rather, okay, see ya.
Speaker:Talk to you soon.
Speaker:I hope to hear from you.
Speaker:That's my friendly goodbye.
Speaker:Not everybody's gonna be able to pull that off, especially if it's not you, but whatever is you, that's your goodbye.
Speaker:So recruiting voicemails, super simple name, company, phone number, specialization, why you're calling as it relates to what's in it for them, a call to action and a personalized goodbye.
Speaker:By the way, this voicemail.
Speaker:Is also the perfect beginnings of an introductory call.
Speaker:So here's my voicemail real quick.
Speaker:Hey Tom.
Speaker:Stephanie Moss calling with Thinking Ahead.
Speaker:Executive search.
Speaker:6 1 5 3 1 6 5 4 6 1.
Speaker:Hey Tom, I don't know if my name is gonna ring a bell and that's actually why I was calling.
Speaker:I do work with a search firm.
Speaker:I specialize in commercial banking and commercial finance search here in your market.
Speaker:Although I think.
Speaker:We know a lot of folks in common.
Speaker:I don't think you and I have actually ever spoken, so I wanted to reach out, grab you for a couple minutes to do a professional introduction.
Speaker:I'm always happy to share what we're seeing and hearing in the market and just take the call from there at your convenience.
Speaker:Please give me a call back again.
Speaker:It's Stephanie Moss, M A A S.
Speaker:615 316 5461.
Speaker:Hey, thanks so much.
Speaker:Hope we get to talk soon.
Speaker:Super simple.
Speaker:If Tom actually answered my intro sounds almost the exact same.
Speaker:Hey Tom, it's Stephanie Moss with Thinking Ahead Search.
Speaker:I like to pause, give them a second to go, okay.
Speaker:And then I say, Hey, I don't know if my name is going to ring a bell.
Speaker:I do work with a search firm.
Speaker:I specialize in commercial banking, commercial finance search here in the mid Atlantic.
Speaker:And I wanted to reach out specifically to you.
Speaker:I think we know a lot of folks in common, but we didn't know each other.
Speaker:So just wanted to reach out, do a quick professional introduction and just take the call from there.
Speaker:Are you at a place where you can speak freely now?
Speaker:That's my intro.
Speaker:That's it.
Speaker:And by the way, some of y'all might be like, man, she sucks.
Speaker:I didn't say I was perfect, but I will say is it works.
Speaker:So again, you do what works best for you.
Speaker:That's me.
Speaker:If it is a cold call and I leave a voicemail, I'll call him back a couple of days later.
Speaker:And I just want to give you a quick idea of what that sounds like to on a second attempt of getting in touch with the same person.
Speaker:It's a much shorter, it'll be, Hey Tom, Stephanie Moss with Thinking Ahead Search 615 316 5461.
Speaker:Hey, I know I left you a detailed voicemail a couple of days ago, wanted to try and see if I couldn't catch you here again.
Speaker:Please give me a call back at your convenience.
Speaker:And then I leave my name and phone number again.
Speaker:If they don't call me back, I try them one more time, three to four days later.
Speaker:And this one is a little bit longer and I'll say, Hey Tom, it's Stephanie Moss here with Thinking Ahead Search.
Speaker:I am, uh, trying to dazzle you with my persistence.
Speaker:I know I've left you a couple of messages, but I was hoping we could connect.
Speaker:Again, I work with thinking ahead, executive search 6153165461 reason I was hoping we would connect is we know a lot of folks in common was hoping to get to know you professionally, share what we're hearing and seeing in the market.
Speaker:And just take the call from there.
Speaker:Most folks I call on are not actively looking to make a move, which is why it's a great time just to start a conversation at your convenience.
Speaker:Please give me a call back 615 316 5461 Hey, by the way, I know timing is everything when you hear from a recruiter.
Speaker:So if I don't hear back from you for any reason.
Speaker:I'll reach back out in a couple months and see if that doesn't make more sense for you timing wise.
Speaker:But again, I'd love to hear from you, even if it's just for professional reduction.
Speaker:Thanks, Tom.
Speaker:Hope you're well.
Speaker:Hope we get to talk soon.
Speaker:Super simple.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:That's my recruiting call.
Speaker:And that is me making three phone calls.
Speaker:to try and attempt to get in touch with them now, in the meantime, am I connecting with them on LinkedIn?
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:If I don't get them after the third time, I'll follow up with an email or message through LinkedIn or a possible text.
Speaker:I mean, look, when I'm in recruiting mode.
Speaker:I will do just about anything within reason and of course, within the law of stalking, which is a terrible thing to say, but sometimes that's the nature of our business.
Speaker:I will always be super respectful, but if I tell a client I'm going to the market, I'm going to do everything I can within reason to try and get a hold of potential candidates for them.
Speaker:So again, it'll never be more than that.
Speaker:Once I have attempted to reach them via phone, text, and, or email or LinkedIn.
Speaker:Then I back off.
Speaker:But now what I will do, and this has served me incredibly well, is I will call back in a couple months.
Speaker:Hey Tom, we tried to connect a couple months ago to no avail, wanted to try again, dot dot dot.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:That's a recruiting.
Speaker:Now here's where it's going to get crazy, is on the marketing side.
Speaker:So this is where it gets nuts.
Speaker:By the way, my marketing script is almost the exact opposite.
Speaker:Same verbatim.
Speaker:Every now again, I'll throw in there, Hey Tom, what did it take a few minutes to get to know you professionally?
Speaker:Learn more about the team you're running there, dot, dot, dot.
Speaker:Other than that, my marketing voicemail is almost the exact same.
Speaker:And keep in mind, these people know what we do.
Speaker:They may not know who you are, but they know what an executive search firm does.
Speaker:They know why you're calling.
Speaker:So what we're trying to do is to give them an intriguing reason on why they should call us reasons why that they should is you're an expert in your niche.
Speaker:You might be able to provide some insight that they don't know about their competitors, even though they're in their field every day.
Speaker:Most of them are so buried dealing with their desk and they don't have time to lift their heads and really understand what's going on outside.
Speaker:We can bring tremendous value that way.
Speaker:And then again, even if they're in a leadership position, They're professionals.
Speaker:They understand the value of having a recruiter in their back pocket.
Speaker:To me, having a recruiter in your back pocket is the same reason why you might want an attorney in your back pocket or that handyman.
Speaker:Like, Hey, if something happens, you're going to want to know who to call.
Speaker:And especially in these interesting economic times, having a good recruiter in your back pocket can be invaluable.
Speaker:So again, marketing script almost the exact same verbatim.
Speaker:The difference here is.
Speaker:Number one is the timing.
Speaker:When I'm in a marketing mode, I will wait a week in between each of my calls.
Speaker:Whereas if I'm in a recruiting mode, I'll typically wait two business days.
Speaker:So if I, if I'm recruiting, I call 'em on a Monday, I call 'em again on a Thursday, then I'll call 'em the following Tuesday.
Speaker:If it's a marketing call, it's if I call 'em on a Monday, I call 'em the following Monday, and then the following Monday after that.
Speaker:By the way, I use that same cheesy line, Hey, just trying to dazzle you here with my persistence, or, Hey, I'm not trying to bug you, but I definitely wanted to connect super simple.
Speaker:The other thing that's slightly different is when I'm in a marketing mode, and this is 100 percent up to you.
Speaker:I typically don't text clients until I'm invited to.
Speaker:So if I don't get a hold of them, it's almost always an email or a LinkedIn message, but I typically won't text until I get that thumbs up like, Hey, please use myself.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Great.
Speaker:Or Hey, is it okay next time?
Speaker:I know we had a little trouble connecting.
Speaker:Is it okay if I just text you to see if you're available or is it okay if I just send you a text message, whatever the case may be, but I typically don't text clients on their cell.
Speaker:That is recruiting and marketing scripting.
