Here is the inside scoop:  Technology people have a secret club, complete with handshake and everything.  It’s a club that we don’t want outsiders in.  So we create these long phrases that make peoples eyes glass over.  Why?  Because if everyone understood what we do, then we wouldn’t make the big bucks.   Being a recovering technologist, I’m on a continually journey to lose my geek speak. So get ready, here is the skinny on Data Normalization

First, understand that any organization that uses a CRM,  Applicant Tracking System or database of any sort will lose significant productivity if you don’t have a data normalization plan.   It is important.

Now for data normalization in a nutshell.  Look at the following list of company names.

Container Company
Container Co
Container Co.
The Container Company
The Container Co
The Container Co.
Container Company, The
Container Co, The
Container Co., The
Container Company Incorporated
Container Company Inc.
The Container Company Incorporated
The Container Company Inc
The Container Company Inc.
Container Company Incorporated, The
Container Company Inc, The
Container Company Inc., The
Container Co Inc, The
Container Co. Inc, The
Container Co. Inc., The
Container Co Inc., The

Did you notice that this is the same company?  If you don’t have a “DATA PLAN” this is what the inside of your database looks like.  Why?

I’m going to pick on recruiting:  Impatient, type-A personalities that all want to do things their own way.  Put 10 in an office and they are all going to follow there own path and your database will look like the above.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Does your database include a large percentage of duplicates (over 20%)?
• When you search for a company, are their multiple entries, with notes scattered across many duplicates?
• Does your CRM allow you to enter in company names in any format you choose?
• Have you ever had 2 people in your company working with the same company and NOT knowing because they were saving notes under different company records?

If you answered YES to any of the above, you have “data nightmare”

How you can avoid a data nightmare

1. Create a “data plan”.   A  Data Plan consists of a set of executive decisions which controls how data will be treated.  This can be as simple as you will always use “Inc” instead of spelling out “Incorporated” when entering company names.
2. Educate your team about your Data Plan and data entry guidelines
3. Post your data entry guidelines
4. Enforce your data entry guidelines with internal policies.  How?  You don’t follow policy, you don’t get your commissions.  Try it, it works!
5. Enforce your data entry guidelines with technology.  The BEST way to do this is if your CRM vendor allows you to automatically enforce how data is entered
6. Force external programs that communicate with your CRM to follow YOUR Data Plan.  For example, Broadlook Technologies Profiler product has the ability to choose a data normalization schema.

If you follow my tips, you can avoid having a data nightmare.

Today it is different.  Perhaps I am partly to blame.  My contact information is on the Broadlook website, I’m the registration contact for 100′s of domains, and I freely put all my contact information into my email signature.

And…yes, my company, Broadlook,  makes software that pulls information from the Internet to empower sales and recruiting professionals.   Again, I am guilty, but having my contact information is not an excuse to sell badly to me.

Here is a secret:  I love being sold to.  Truly being sold to means that somebody has done their homework, looked at my needs, my company needs and has a solution to my pain.   To save those hundreds of sales reps time, I’ve decided to (1) define the rules of engagement of how to sell to me and (2) post them on my corporate bio.  If you follow the rules, I promise I will respond.  It may be an email that only says “no thank you”. Or try me next quarter, but if you take the time, I will take the time.

I like the transparency of establishing the rules of engagement.  When I passed this idea by a few of my peers, leaders in both small and large companies, they all liked the idea of establishing the engagement rules and being transparent.   My rules are not the next persons rules;  they are mine.  Everyone should craft their own and make them transparent.  If more people did this, selling would be so much more efficient and enjoyable, for both sides.  Imagine that!

In order to sell at a high level, you need more than an email address.  Perhaps having Broadlook’s lead generation tools at my disposal for the last 7 years has spoiled me.  When I reach out to someone, I know something about them and I always personalize my message.

I titled this blog verbosely so people looking to sell to me would find it.  SEO stuff.  We’ll see where it lands…

Rules to sell to Donato Diorio

1. Get my name right.  I can see how people mistake my first name for a last name, but it’s not brain surgery. It shows respect.
2. Personalize. I will not respond to a mass emails. Period.
3. Understand what my company (Broadlook) does.  Can you believe that there is some idiot out there that keeps trying to sell me a list of recruiting firms?     Talk about selling ice to an Eskimo.
4. Show me that I am special.  Customize your sales pitch for my company.  Don’t use generalities.  Research what my company does and ask me good questions. I don’t have a burning need to seek others approval, but if you take the time to tell me.
5. Call and email.   You will probably get voice mail, but I will listen to it.  The email will give me your contact information if I like what I hear.   Tell me you will also be sending me an email.   Be articulate, gosh, I’m sorry, but if your accent is so heavy that I have to listen to your voice mail a few times to understand it, it will get deleted at the very beginning.
6. In your voice mail,  say your phone number two times.  Give me a chance to write it down if I like what I hear.
7. Don’t use a voice mail script.  If you do, you are not at the level yet to successfully sell to me.  Try again next year.
8. Don’t use a negative sell.  i.e.  The economy is bad, and you can help.   Bad for who? Do your homework.  I’m an optimist.  I love hanging up on pessimists.  Realists welcome.
9. Know your product inside out.  If you can’t answer nearly all my questions, you should not be reaching out to me. Have you manager or top sales rep do it.
10. Don’t call me if someone else at my company makes the decision.  I don’t make the decisions on office supplies.
11. Did I mention… get my name right?

Here is the email that put me over the top to write this blog.  It was nth in a series, polite but impersonal.  I will not be working with this company.

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Dear Danato,  (got my name wrong)

Hope you are doing fine.   (does he really?)     (the DELETE button was pressed when my eyes hit this line)

This is with reference to my previous mail dated 4th March 2009. (reminding me of his spam) I hope you have received it. I eagerly await your reply as I look forward to exploring a potential business opportunity with your company , which I am sure would prove to be mutually beneficial.  (he has no clue what Broadlook does)

Please let me know your interest and your availability for a short introductory call at a time that would best suit your schedule.  During the call, I would primarily like to introduce XXXXXXXXX, our services, capabilities and address any specific queries that you may have.

Eagerly awaiting your reply.  (and 50,000 others he spammed)

Thanks and best regards,

XXXX

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