When getting a “yes” could be fatal to your business
Don’t take on counterfeit clients
It may shock you to hear this… but sometimes clients say "YES" just to get rid of a salesperson.
The ‘counterfeit yes’, as Chris Voss calls it, is perhaps the most important reason why contingent recruitment can go wrong.
Now if your client has (reluctantly) said "yes you can call me back" and then they block your number, you've lost a few minutes of your day.
BUT if they've said "yes you can send me candidates for this role" just so they can get you off the phone...
...and you head back to the office to call some candidates, post a few adverts on paid job boards, and maybe dream about how you might spend your bonus from this role…
…then that was a very expensive "YES".
Recruiters will argue until the cows come home about whether contingent or retained is the right approach.
But putting proper hours into a role without getting any commitment from the client is a recipe for an expensive mistake. Ultimately, it’s not one you can afford to make in this market.
By the way, the answer is not to get loads of clients to say "YES" and hope that some of them will take your candidates.
The answer is to create a conversation with your clients about what they value. And then show (don’t tell) them how you will deliver it.
Once your client is telling you they want to work with you, and choosing the service that brings them the most value, then you are in a position to say “yes” to them… on the terms you want.
If you’d like some help with creating these conversations, simply reply to this email, and we’ll talk.
Jon
P.S. The best thing about having a conversation with your clients about what they value is how consultative it feels.
There is no better way to start your relationship than showing how you can guide your client through their challenges and recommend the right solution for them.
So if you’d like some help in creating more of these conversations, just reply to this email and we’ll talk.