President's Message

Selection, Telemarketers and Infomercials

Kris Smith

As the parent of a newborn, I have been given the unique opportunity to experience life during odd hours of the evening and to view the world through a sleep deprived haze. It was on one such evening that I began to ponder a subject that I have wanted to address: how do we better market the value of assessment programs? Given my recent lifestyle changes, I have been in a position to more frequently encounter telemarketers and late night infomercials. Somehow, probably due to the sleep deprivation, all of these thoughts blended together and it occurred to me that we might learn something about marketing by looking more closely at what I had considered to be some of the nuisances of modern life.

As an assessment practitioner, I have spent my career trying to convince client departments and management of what we have known all along - sound selection programs produce value. When there have been attacks on merit in the guise of reinvention, the stripping away of effective systems in the name of streamlining, and the implementation of ineffective processes in order to be "customer driven," I have wondered how to demonstrate what seems so obvious. There must be a better way to communicate. Hence, the thoughts on telemarketers and infomercials.

Have you ever watched an infomercial? They can convince you that you absolutely must have something that you didn't even know existed. In my case, it was an awesome little device called the "Rotato". It is this completely cool kitchen tool that can quickly peel anything from a potato to a kiwi fruit by simply turning a crank. I have to point out here that my culinary efforts to date have pretty much consisted of instant ramen noodles and microwave popcorn so this desire for a cooking implement is just plain weird, but I was certain after watching the infomercial that I needed a Rotato. Switch now to the other end of the spectrum. I consider myself to be a generally nice person with decent manners, but when telemarketers call (especially when they wake the baby), I can be completely rude. I don't even begin to consider the product they are offering. My only goal is to be rid of these annoying people who have disrupted my life. So what can we learn and how does it relate to what we do? I have come up with a few ideas to consider:

Timing. The telemarketer inevitably calls when I am most busy (they seem to like the dinner hour), but I choose when to watch the infomercial. Do we tout selection systems during the equivalent of our clients dinner hour or at other times when they are just not in the right frame of mind to hear us (They have a crisis, an immediate vacancy, etc.)? We can't wait until then. We have to approach clients when they have the time and inclination to listen. Maybe this means regularly attending their staff meetings, maybe it means engaging in a dialogue and developing plans before there is a need. Donna Terrazas and the folks at the East Bay Municipal Utility District have done a wonderful job of this kind of partnering and have many ideas and resources that they are always willing to share.

Education. The telemarketer jumps right in with "I have a deal for you". They will seldom send anything in writing and since the contact is by phone, you can't see anything. The infomercial gives you the chance to not only see the product, but also to watch it in action. They often also show a comparison of their product with a less effective approach. In the case of the Rotato, they showed how difficult it is to peel a bunch of potatoes with a regular peeler. We can't assume that our clients know the value of what we have to offer, we have to take the time to educate them. An esteemed colleague, Steve Sonnich, from the Carlsbad Unified School District once described this in a way I couldn't forget. He indicated that at that particular time his client department was only ready for a Volkswagen. He said, "I'm going to give them a great Volkswagen, but I'm going to expose them to Cadillacs and make them want one of those next time."

Value. When telemarketers call I somehow immediately feel that their goal is to trick me into something that I don't really need. Infomercials, on the other hand, keep adding stuff on, "all for the same low price of $19.95." Are there extra "value added" items that we can provide to our clients such as sharing job analysis information for training program development or the creation of performance appraisal systems. We have a great deal to offer beyond a hiring list.

Choice. The telemarketer always has the catch that you have to act while you are on the phone. The infomercial has a number you can call anytime and it will be shown again. This gives the sense that you are not forced. Do we provide sufficient choices and options for our clients or do we make them feel that there is only one way and it is our way?

These are just a few thoughts, but hopefully they will stimulate some additional thinking and creativity. For instance, as the this article indicates, I personally happen to be more swayed by the informercials. However, telemarketing must also work or companies wouldn't do it. We should try to figure out why and determine the instances in our own profession where a more aggressive approach is warranted. We have so much to offer, we just have to better learn how to sell it. If you have developed any successful marketing approaches please share them with the rest of us - submit an article to the ACN, post a message to the IPMAAC discussion list, or come visit with us at the conference in June.