Canvassing Hiring Ads, Interviews,training

MGSProperties

Hi all

I am very interested to know/see a sample ad for hiring canvassers.

I am also very interested to see a sample of the interview questions process along with any insight to any training/motivating scripts and/or ideas.

thxs in advance.

__________________

Ed the Roofer

Subscribe to this e-mail newsletter for some ideas.

Ed



In This Issue:

1. Handling the recruiting call.
2. Your "at the door" introduction.

Quick-Links:
Find out more about The Canvass King Insider Circle - As a member you can benefit from prepared scripts and fliers. Click here to learn more.
Pick the brain of Canvass King - Chris Thompson's brain for FREE -CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW
In September's issues:
Recruiting of the 21st Century - Capitalizing from Social Online Sites
Objections are unavoidable after you introduction - Easily handling all of them with one question.

More about Canvass King:
Replacement Contractor Magazine article on Canvass King
Interview with Chris Thompson

If you didn't receive July's issue of Canvassing Insider, click on the link below:
July 2008 Canvassing Insider
Know someone who would benefit from receiving Canvassing Insider? Forward a copy of your newsletter.
Here’s the next installment in your recruiting training. You’ve developed a message that really gets the qualified canvassing prospects knocking on your door. But remember, these people are responding to your advertising spontaneously. When they call in you must be prepared to handle those calls properly or professionally, otherwise all the time and money you’ve spent to get them to call will have been wasted. Each call is money for you, much like a lead that comes in from advertising for home improvement; if you’re not handling those customer leads properly you’ll lose money. The same is true with prospective canvassers. You invested time and money to get the phone to ring; to get people to inquire about your “Ultimate Part-Time Job”. You must give your inbound recruiting calls as much attention and value as you do new customer leads. This month I’ll focus on how you will handle the inbound calls generated by your recruiting advertising
Committed to your canvassing success,
Chris Thompson
Recruiting
That’s likely what you’ll hear when someone responds from your recruiting fliers and ads, yet many recruiters mishandle these calls. Not because they don’t provide enough information, rather they generally provide too much information. Remember, we’re working to develop a powerful canvassing team. Those incoming calls are just another step in the process. As you’ve learned from previous newsletters, there’s purpose behind each step.
Handling your incoming recruiting calls is not rocket science. The first step is to answer the call and second have a well-prepared script to follow when you do. You’re selling that caller from the moment their call is answered. Yes, you’re ultimately going to be paying them, but you want them excited about the prospects of working for your company; and actively pursuing you rather than begging them to work. And how you handle the call sets the stage for that to happen.
There are only a few key points you need to learn to set up the call for the next step, but it’s important you follow the steps. When you do, you’ll find you’ll convert a larger number of qualified recruits. The process sets up what I call a “no pressure” interview environment. In fact, my system ultimately does two things,

1. It disqualifies candidates that are not interested (freeing you of the burden of telling them they’re not qualified)
2. Those that are interested will pursue the job, rather than you chasing them

I suggest you have a dedicated phone line for your recruiting calls. If you’re serious about canvassing then you’ll continually be recruiting and it’s a worthy investment because it can free up your time, your staff’s time and will help you standardize this phase of the process.
If you cannot have a dedicated line, and the calls will be handled by an operator, receptionist, or secretary then you must train that person on how to handle the calls… that means a script; but I’ll get into that more in a moment.
Having a dedicated phone line and the process I’m about to teach you will immediately, though subconsciously convey to your caller, their call is valuable to you. It communicates that you’re serious, and, it sets the caller up to be serious. If they’re not, they go away and that’s one less non-qualified recruit you have to squander time on.
I’ll address three paths through which you could receive your calls:

1. Dedicated, but unattended line
2. Direct to the recruiter
3. Through a secretary

If your calls are going to be handled by a receptionist, he or she will provide very brief information, whereas the recruiter will take the opportunity to qualify the call a bit more. Here’s a break down of the two methods.
General Voice Message Information
Here's the information you should include on a voice message or receptionist's script

1. Thank you for calling about the job opportunity
2. Who you are as a company – build credibility
3. Generalized info about the job
4. Mass information meeting about the job

Recruiter Information

1. Thank you for calling about the job opportunity
   1. Where did you get the flier/see the advertising (tracking)
2. Who you are as a company
   1. Type of work or product you sell
   2. Build credibility – credentials/awards
   3. Detailed location of company (local/convenient/close by)
3. Generalized info about the job
   1. Qualifiers (Gives you the opportunity to do a preliminary qualification and engage the candidate in conversation and assess how they speak and handle themselves)

1. 1. 1. Do you have reliable transportation?
      2. Share hours setup for canvassing
         1. Can you work the hours we’ve established for canvassing?

1. Mass information meeting about the job

Before you conclude with your caller I suggest you get some information from them:

• Name
• Phone number
• From what advertisement are they responding? (Tracking)

The entire process is designed to allow you to spend your time with only those people who are initially qualified and demonstrate a strong interest in the job. Following this method allows you to avoid the ‘one-on-one’ interviews, unless you enjoy spending your time across the desk from candidates all day. Truthfully, I would rather shove a sharp ice pick under my toenail rather than do one-on-one interviews for the canvassing position all day, but that’s just me.
Many of the client’s I talk to try to accomplish too much during this phase of the recruiting process. Here’s an excerpt from one of my live seminars where I talk specifically about the qualifying phase of the initial interview.

(Best to view the videos using Internet Explorer. Video may not appear if you're using FireFox)
With the abilities of today’s technology you can have the recruiting calls forwarded to your cell phone, or a cell phone dedicated to receive incoming recruiting calls. The bottom line is that you have an established method how the calls are to be handled and well thought out script to communicate the pertinent details to your recruits. Just as with direct sales, when you address their questions before they are asked, or before they even think about them, then you present yourself and the company as being a credible, established, successful organization to work for.
Receptionist Script
If you have someone answering the incoming calls, such as a secretary or receptionist, they can easily follow the same script as that for the recruiter. You should provide them a simple form to complete which will help them capture pertainate information from the canvassing candidate.
This is a strong and consistent method for qualifying your canvassing prospects and filling the mass interview with highly motivated qualified candidates. The key is to capitalize on every opportunity.
If you haven’t identified and analyzed how your incoming recruiting calls will be handled that should be the first thing you do. Identify, setup and train the people who will ‘touch’ those incoming calls. Next, write your script. The script for your secretary, for yourself and the qualifying phone interview and the information you want to capture to track your recruiting results.
Next month I’ll focus on the mass interview and how it weeds out the non-qualified candidates and saving you time and money. So until next month, get to work on developing or strengthening your process for handling those incoming canvasser recruiting calls.

Your Introduction
It’s a weeknight evening and the family is sitting down to enjoy dinner around the dining room table when all of a sudden there’s a knock at the door. Puzzled, because no one is expected, the father rises from the dinner table to answer the door. As he approaches the door he’s running a variety of options through his mind as to whom could be calling at this moment; interrupting his meal. Upon opening the door he finds standing before him a stranger with his arm outstretched holding a piece of paper.
What would your first thought be to this situation? What would your reaction be? Likely the same as everyone else… with part aggravation, part irritation you’d blurt out, “no I’m not interested!” It’s a knee-jerk reaction, just like answering, “No, I’m just looking” to the retail store clerk who asks, “Can I help you?” as soon as you enter the store. We’re culturally conditioned to respond to these situations in these manors. As a canvasser your job is to avoid establishing situations that give prospects the opportunity to respond in this way.
What you say in the first few seconds will decide if you are an intruding pest, or a welcomed guest. You have only one chance at a first impression and less than 10 seconds to make a good one; at least one that stops the door from being slammed in your face.
So what’s the magic formula for setting a good first impression and becoming a welcomed guest? As with many aspects of sales, the most important techniques are often very basic; this is true with your introduction. Last month I spoke of the importance of having a scripted introduction and though the words you say are important, a majority of your communication is non-verbal. In fact, only 7% of what you say impacts your communication. 38% of your communication is based on volume, tonality and rhythm. And the remaining 55% is based on your body language; mostly facial expressions. So it’s more how you say something rather than what you say.
You Can Get Farther With Sugar Than You Can With Vinegar
My introduction is made up of 4 identifiable techniques. Follow these basic rules and you’ll break through the barrier that derails many canvassers.

1. Your Smile
2. Positioning & Body Language
3. Tonality, Eye Contact and Volume
4. Your Words

Your Smile
A genuine smile is the first, most important technique you can employ when canvassing. It will pave the way for your introduction. It is very difficult to be unfriendly with someone who’s smiling at you. When that door opens it’s an awkward moment and a deep, genuine smile is the first, easiest tool you can utilize to defuse the situation. Besides, if you’re not smiling when the prospect reaches the door, they may decide to not even open it. When they do, you’ve already achieved your first goal of getting face to face with a prospect.
Positioning & Body Language
When the homeowner opens the door you don’t want to be too close to them. Remember, you’re a stranger. If you get too close human nature will kick in and they’ll feel the ‘fight or flight’ response.
In addition to your smile, your body language must convey enthusiasm and confidence. You can have a smile on your face, but if your posture is slouched and your energy level is low then these two signs will not be congruent with your smile and your prospect will suspect you are either uncomfortable or not confident in your product or service. These are revealing signs that your prospect will pickup on and respond to in a negative way.
Eye Contact & Volume/Tonality:
In order to persuade a homeowner to set an appointment with you they must trust and believe you. Eye contact and volume are really an extension of body language in that they are non-verbal communications, but they are important enough to address by themselves.
You’ve likely had a conversation with someone who couldn’t make eye contact with you. How’d it make you feel? It’s said, “the eyes are the window to the soul”. Avoid making consistent eye contact with your prospects and you’ll never develop trust. Your prospect will likely not believe anything you say, nor will they be confident in you or what you’re representing.
The tonality, pace and volume of your presentation will make or break your introduction. You must speak so the prospect can hear and understand what you’re saying. If they cannot understand or hear you they’ll use that as an opportunity to dismiss you. Most people will avoid confrontation, so rather than continuing to ask you to repeat or clarify yourself it’s easier for them to say, “I’m not interested”.
By speaking clearly and loud enough to be heard, but not so loud it sounds like you're yelling, you convey confidence in yourself and the product or service you represent. You also control the conversation by being comfortably assertive. If you don’t take control of the conversation your prospect will, and there will always be a no at the end of it. You need to ‘stack the deck’, so to speak, in your favor; to where you can control and predict the outcome.
Your Words

This is your script. The ‘what’ you’re going to say in those 7 to 10 seconds to capture their attention, take them out of their moment (which is usually trying to figure out how to get you off their property), and become a somewhat welcomed guest; or at the very least, not an intruding pest.
Let’s take a look at an example of a good introduction that incorporates all 4 of the techniques. This clip is an excerpt from my Canvassing 101 DVD – Sunrooms & Patio Enclosures. Though you’ll hear a script specifically designed for presenting Sunrooms and Patio Enclosures it can be adapted to any product or service.
(You can order this and other Canvassing training DVDs by contacting me at 216-588-1337. Premade scripts are available to all Canvass King Insider Circle members. For more information on how to become a Circle member, go to www.canvassking.com/insider.html. There is limited space in this exclusive membership.)
You’ll notice during the introduction you do not offer your name or the company that you represent. Saying, “I’m Bill Smith and I represent XYZ Home Improvement Company” blatantly sounds and feels like of ‘sales pitch’ to the prospect. To which they will instinctively put up their defenses. By using the ‘invitation approach’ you sound more like a neighbor or friend, putting the prospect at ease, while at the same time appealing to their curiosity. This plays on their ‘keep up with the Jones’ inquisitiveness.
The three key elements of my introduction are:

• We’re in your neighborhood
• We’re letting all the neighbors know
• We’ve set up times with your neighbors for free estimates

In less than 10 seconds you have one opportunity to establish rapport with your prospect, and that is to avoid being perceived as a sales person. Develop a warm, inviting approach where you appear as a friend or neighbor and you stand a greater chance of setting an appointment with your prospects.
To learn the advanced principles behind the Introduction, as well as the other techniques behind my successful canvassing methods call me at 216-588-1337 or visit www.canvassking.com/insider.html to find out how to become a member of the exclusive Canvass King Insider Circle.

__________________
Please Stay Tuned For A Very Important Message From Our Sponsor
http://www.rightwayroofingcompany.com/ www.rightwayroofingcompany.com
Roof Estimates, Roof Repairs, Roofers, Roof Leak Help, Elgin, Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Algonquin, South Elgin, Huntley, Lake In The Hills, Illinois