networking event tips

Networking Strategies Every Sales Professional Should Know

Sales Networking 101

Networking is not just an accessory but a fundamental tool for success. Unlike other professions where networking might be occasional, it’s an everyday necessity for sales professionals. The ability to build and maintain a network can make the difference between meeting quotas and exceeding them.

The first step in effective networking is identifying key individuals who can be pivotal in your industry. This doesn’t mean targeting just the high-profile leaders; it involves cultivating a diverse network across various roles and industries. Leveraging platforms like LinkedIn is instrumental here. A well-maintained LinkedIn profile, strategic connection requests, and engaging content can open doors to valuable relationships.

Effective Communication Skills for Networking

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful networking. It’s not just about what you say but how you say it. When you initiate a conversation, do so with confidence and authenticity. A warm, genuine smile and a firm handshake can set a positive tone from the start. However, effective networking communication goes much deeper.

Here are some key points to consider:

  • Confident and Genuine Introductions: Begin your interactions with a self-assured and sincere greeting. A well-crafted introduction that includes your name, your role, and a brief, interesting fact about yourself can spark curiosity and open the conversation.
  • Active Listening and Engaging Inquiries: Show genuine interest in your conversational partners by actively listening to what they say. Follow up with thoughtful questions that delve into their interests and professional challenges. This shows that you’re fully engaged in the conversation and helps you understand their perspective better.
  • Personalized Communication Approach: Tailor your communication style to match the individual you’re speaking with. Observe their communication style – are they more formal or casual? Do they prefer detailed discussions or concise points? Mirroring their style can make the conversation more comfortable and productive.
  • Expressing Empathy and Understanding: Demonstrating empathy during conversations can build deeper connections. Acknowledge their viewpoints, challenges, or achievements, and share relevant experiences of your own that resonate with their situation.
  • Follow-up with Context: Follow up with a message or email referencing specific points from your discussion after your initial conversation. This personalized follow-up shows that you were attentive and value the connection, paving the way for a lasting professional relationship.
how to professionally network

Leveraging Digital Platforms

In today’s digital age, networking extends beyond in-person interactions. Social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, are crucial for building and maintaining professional relationships.

Regularly sharing insights, commenting on industry news, and engaging in group discussions can establish you as a thought leader. Balancing online networking with in-person meetings ensures a comprehensive approach.

Cultivating Long-Term Professional Relationships

Networking isn’t a one-off task; it requires nurturing long-term relationships. Consistent communication, whether through emails, calls, or social media interactions, keeps the connection alive.

Offering help or sharing relevant information can turn a contact into a valuable ally. This interchange ensures that your network becomes a source of mutual growth and opportunities.

Events and Conferences

Networking events and conferences offer rich opportunities to broaden your professional network. The key to making the most of these events is thorough preparation and strategic follow-up. By researching who will be attending and speaking, you can pinpoint potential valuable contacts to focus on. After the event, timely follow-ups are crucial to cement the connections you’ve made.

Remember, in networking, quality trumps quantity; it’s more beneficial to have in-depth exchanges with a few key individuals than superficial interactions with many.

Below are some focused strategies:

  1. Before attending a networking event, take the time to research and identify key attendees and speakers who align with your networking goals. This preparation enables you to target your efforts more effectively.
  2. Plan for the event and set clear goals for the number of people you intend to connect with, ensuring that your focus remains on quality and meaningful interactions.
  3. During the event, engage in targeted conversations with individuals who match your networking objectives, making each discussion count. Don’t forget to exchange business cards or digital contacts for future follow-up.
  4. After the event, promptly send out personalized messages to your new contacts, referencing specific details from your conversations to reinforce the connection.
best networking tips for sales

Personal Branding and Networking

Your personal brand is your signature in the professional world. Every interaction, online or offline, contributes to this brand. Storytelling about your experiences and successes can resonate more than just stating facts.

A professional image in your online presence and in-person demeanors reinforces your brand.

Networking Challenges & Measuring Success

Networking effectively requires overcoming challenges and measuring success with precision. For many, particularly introverts, initiating conversations at events can be intimidating. Adopting a learning mindset, focusing on understanding others rather than just presenting oneself, can facilitate smoother interactions. Consistently adhering to ethical standards and professionalism is crucial in all networking situations to uphold credibility.

  • Overcoming Challenges: Networking can be particularly daunting for introverts who may find starting conversations challenging. To alleviate this, shift the focus from self-presentation to learning about others. This approach not only eases the pressure but also fosters more genuine connections.
  • How To Track Success: Set realistic networking objectives and leverage tools like CRM software to monitor your progress and manage your contacts. This allows you to track whom you’ve met, the nature of your interactions, and potential follow-up actions. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your networking strategies based on these outcomes ensures that your efforts are organized and aligned with your professional goals.

Join Our Network

Networking is more than just a skill; it’s an art form that, when finely tuned, can significantly propel your career in sales to new heights. It demands a strategic mindset, unwavering dedication, and a genuine passion for cultivating relationships.

If you’re on the lookout for your next big opportunity in sales, don’t miss out on the chance to join Rainmakers. Sign up now to connect with a network of top-tier professionals and unlock the door to a world of exciting sales opportunities. Your next career milestone is just a connection away with Rainmakers.

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fintech sales recruiting

Fintech Sales Opportunities

A Detailed Guide for Companies and Job Seekers

The world of finance and technology, known as “Fintech,” has seen an incredible boom, changing how we handle money and opening up exciting new career paths in Fintech Sales.

In this detailed guide, we explore the lively evolution of Fintech Sales, outline the must-have skills needed for success in this field, provide effective strategies for companies looking to hire Fintech Sales professionals, and offer valuable advice for individuals exploring the job market in Fintech Sales.

The Trajectory of Fintech Sales

Fintech Sales has undergone a complex evolution, driven by the integration of advanced technology and financial expertise. This transformation is evident in the widespread adoption of digital financial services, fueled by factors like general internet access, advancements in mobile technology, and the increasing trend of digital consumerism.

Today’s Fintech Sales landscape prioritizes personalized financial solutions, utilizing advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence to understand and address individual client needs with remarkable accuracy and efficiency.

fintech sales jobs

Fintech Sales Roles

Fintech Sales has various roles with distinct responsibilities, challenges, and career advancement opportunities. From beginner-level positions to seasoned senior roles, the Fintech Sales arena offers a variety of career paths tailored to match diverse skill sets and ambitions.

Below, we outline some essential types of Fintech Sales jobs prevalent in today’s professional landscape.

  1. Business Development Executive: The Business Development Executive is tasked with identifying and nurturing developing business opportunities, catalyzing organizational growth and market expansion. Responsibilities include formulating and executing astute sales strategies, spearheading client acquisition initiatives, and cultivating enduring relationships with prospective clientele.
  2. Sales Engineer: Sales Engineers are the liaison between technology and commerce within the Fintech domain. They excel at elucidating complex technological concepts to diverse stakeholders, fostering client comprehension and confidence in intricate Fintech solutions. Additionally, Sales Engineers provide insights to inform product development initiatives and enhance organizational efficacy.
  3. Partner Sales Specialist: Partner Sales Specialists facilitate strategic alliances and collaborative ventures between Fintech entities and external stakeholders. They cultivate symbiotic relationships with strategic partners, optimize market penetration, and drive organizational growth.
  4. Enterprise Sales Executive: Enterprise Sales Executives spearhead B2B sales endeavors, navigating enterprise procurement protocols and decision-making hierarchies. They orchestrate sales campaigns tailored to corporate clientele, capitalize on emergent market trends, and foster enduring relationships conducive to organizational prosperity.
  5. Account Executive: Account Executives prioritize client-centric sales initiatives and nurture and expand existing client relationships. They fortify client loyalty, maximize revenue streams, and perpetuate enduring partnerships by identifying and capitalizing on emergent client needs and pain points.

Key Proficiencies and Aptitudes for Fintech Sales Professionals

Fintech sales professionals must possess versatile abilities, from a deep understanding of financial intricacies to proficiency in navigating complex technological landscapes.

Clear and effective communication is vital for conveying complex financial concepts and presenting persuasive sales pitches. At the same time, adaptability and problem-solving prowess enable professionals to navigate the ever-evolving Fintech landscape.

Building strong client relationships fosters trust and rapport, driving long-lasting partnerships essential for business growth. Analytical thinking allows professionals to glean insights from data and market trends, guiding strategic decision-making, while resilience and effective time management ensure consistency and perseverance in the face of challenges.

Maintaining a customer-centric focus is vital, ensuring that clients’ needs and interests remain the priority of every interaction.

The Fintech Sales Job Market

The fintech sales job market is currently experiencing robust growth, fueled by the increasing adoption of digital financial services and continuous innovation within the sector. As fintech companies strive to expand their customer base and enter new markets, the demand for skilled sales professionals who can effectively communicate the value of financial technologies to a diverse range of clients is on the rise.

These professionals are expected to have a strong understanding of financial products and digital platforms and the ability to navigate the regulatory landscape affecting financial services. Additionally, with the fintech industry’s focus on customer-centric solutions, sales roles in this field often require a blend of technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and exceptional interpersonal skills to foster relationships and drive business growth.

This dynamism and the sector’s rapid expansion create numerous opportunities for those looking to forge a career in fintech sales, albeit in a competitive and fast-evolving environment.

Fintech Sales Talent Acquisition

Strategic recruitment efforts are crucial in securing top-tier Fintech Sales talent. To effectively attract the best candidates, crafting compelling job descriptions that showcase opportunities for growth and innovation within the organization is essential.

Leveraging advanced recruitment platforms and targeted outreach initiatives can expedite the identification and engagement of prospective hires with the right blend of financial acumen, tech expertise, and interpersonal finesse.

Here are some strategic imperatives for acquiring Fintech Sales talent:

  • Craft clear and compelling job descriptions highlighting growth opportunities.
  • Utilize advanced recruitment tools and platforms for efficient candidate sourcing.
  • Implement targeted outreach initiatives to engage with potential hires effectively.Top of Form

Recent trends in Fintech Sales recruitment reflect the industry’s dynamic nature, marked by a notable emphasis on innovation and technology. The emergence of AI-powered hiring platforms and the widespread adoption of remote recruitment methods signify a significant shift in how companies approach talent acquisition, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.

Additionally, the increasing use of data-driven recruitment strategies holds promise for companies aiming to streamline their hiring processes and connect with qualified Fintech Sales professionals with the necessary skills and capabilities.

Work With Rainmakers

In conclusion, whether you’re an employer seeking top Fintech Sales talent or a job seeker looking to advance your career in this dynamic field, Rainmakers is here to help.

Employers, sign up with Rainmakers to access a pool of skilled candidates and streamline your recruitment process.

Job seekers, join Rainmakers to explore exciting job opportunities, network with industry professionals, and take your career to new heights. Together, let’s leverage the power of Rainmakers to connect talent with opportunity in the vibrant world of Fintech Sales!

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how to hire remote workers

Remote Hiring & Onboarding Tips

Tools and Techniques for Success

Remote hiring has revolutionized the way companies find and onboard talent. The hiring process has become more streamlined and efficient with virtual interviewing platforms. These platforms allow hiring managers to connect with potential candidates through video calls, saving time and money.

In this article, you’ll learn about the right tools and techniques to apply to your remote hiring practices. This includes using virtual interviewing platforms, assessing remote work capabilities, remotely onboarding new hires, collaboration tools, and ensuring compliance.

Virtual Interviewing Platforms

Virtual interviewing platforms allow companies to connect with and assess potential candidates regardless of geographical boundaries. These platforms offer several key features and best practices that ensure a seamless and effective virtual interview experience. 

Video call functionalities enable face-to-face communication, allowing interviewers to observe candidates’ body language and non-verbal cues. Screen-sharing capabilities allow candidates to showcase their work or present their portfolio, providing valuable insights into their skills and talents.

Here are some best practices for using virtual interviewing platforms:

  • Stable Internet connections: The interviewer and the candidate need a reliable Internet connection to avoid disruptions and technical difficulties during the interview. Poor internet connections can lead to delays in communication, audio or video glitches, and a disconnect in the interview process. Cable internet and fiber-optic internet provide the best results.
  • Professional environments: Participants should be in a quiet and well-lit space, free from distractions, to maintain focus and professionalism. Interviewers need to set up a professional-looking backdrop to create a positive impression.
  • Platform understanding: Make sure that both the interviewer and candidate understand how to navigate and use the platform during the interview. Provide simple instructions on how to connect, use audio and video features, and share files if necessary.
  • Time management: Set a predetermined duration for the interview so that both parties know the time constraints. This ensures interviews remain on track and allows ample time for follow-up questions.
  • Treat it like a face-to-face interview: Candidates should prepare accordingly by researching the company and familiarizing themselves with the job role. Similarly, interviewers must review the candidate’s CV or resume and be designed for questions that may arise during the conversation.

The interview is an excellent opportunity to judge remote work suitability. 

training remote workers

5 Traits to Assess for Remote Work Suitability

When evaluating candidates for remote work suitability, the hiring team should assess several key traits and skills. Here are five things you should look for:

  1. Strong communication skills are crucial in remote positions, as employees must be able to communicate and collaborate effectively with their team members, often relying solely on virtual platforms.
  2. Effective time management is necessary because of the absence of a physical office environment and direct supervision. Remote employees must prioritize tasks, set goals, and manage their time efficiently to meet deadlines and maintain productivity.
  3. Self-motivation is vital in remote positions, as employees often work independently. Without the constant presence of colleagues or supervisors, remote workers must be able to motivate themselves to meet targets and achieve success.
  4. Adaptability often requires remote workers to be flexible and able to adjust to changes in work processes or technology.
  5. Problem-solving skills are valuable in remote positions, as employees may encounter technical issues or other challenges that require independent problem-solving. Candidates who can think critically and solve problems will be assets to a remote team.

Much like through “standard” interviews, you’ll want to ask questions about a person’s time management skills and remote work experience. Once you get through this phase, you can begin the onboarding process.

Strategies for Integrating New Hires from a Distance

Onboarding remotely can present unique challenges, but with the right strategies in place, it is possible to integrate new hires from a distance. Here are some actionable steps and tips to ensure a smooth onboarding process for remote employees:

  • Pre-boarding: Before their first day, provide new hires with the resources and information to set them up for success. This can include access to company tools and software, an introduction to their team members, and an overview of the onboarding process.
  • Share company values: Clearly communicate your company’s mission and culture to remote employees. Employers can do this through virtual meetings, video presentations, or an employee handbook. 
  • Provide time to learn and rest: Remote onboarding can be overwhelming, with much information to absorb. Allow new hires ample time to learn the ins and outs of their role, company procedures, and tools. Encourage them to take breaks and schedule regular check-ins to address questions.
  • Explain the role: Clearly define the new hire’s responsibilities, expectations, and goals. Provide them with a detailed job description, key performance indicators, and necessary training materials. 
  • Introduce relevant collaborators: Facilitate virtual introductions between new hires and their team members, mentors, and key stakeholders. Encourage collaboration and networking opportunities to foster connections and a sense of belonging within the organization.

Throughout onboarding, interviewing, and pre-screening, you’ll leverage many tools. It helps to understand a few of those tools.

how to onboard workers remotely

Remote Work Collaboration Tools

Remote work collaboration tools are crucial in facilitating effective communication and boosting productivity for remote teams. These tools overcome distance challenges and enable seamless collaboration among team members.

Here are a few tools you’ll want to consider:

  • Slack: a real-time messaging platform that allows teams to communicate through channels, direct messages, and video calls. Its key features include file sharing, integration with other software tools, and searchable message history, making it easy to find information and stay organized.
  • Zoom: a video conferencing and screen-sharing tool often used during interviews. This helps improve face-to-face communication and enhances team collaboration. You can even use it to train your staff on cold calling.
  • Trello: a project management tool that helps managers and owners track their team’s progress. Similar tools, like Asana, ClickUp, and Taskade, provide similar features to help you understand what your team is working on. 
  • Google Drive and Microsoft Office 365: Two programs that allow remote teams to work on shared documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real-time. They offer features such as version control, comments, and simultaneous editing, ensuring everyone is on the same page and avoiding confusion.
  • Dropbox: Cloud storage platforms are another way to share files between team members. These are like Google Drive and Office 365 (and often integrate with them), but they focus on other premium features, like more file-sharing features and e-signing. 

Several more tools might be helpful for your industry. For example, sales staff might rely on CRM software to help them track sales funnels, while website managers might need to learn WordPress. But for current technology, we need to talk about the elephant in the room: AI.

sales recruiting agency

The Impact of AI on Remote Hiring

Using AI (Artificial Intelligence) is becoming increasingly commonplace in remote hiring. AI-enabled tools such as chatbots, automated screening and scheduling, and virtual interview platforms are becoming essential to the process.

With the ability to gather candidate information and narrow down options, these tools can help streamline recruitment while optimizing the candidate’s experience. However, it is important to remember that AI has limitations and can be used inappropriately. 

For example, AI-enabled tools can produce inaccurate assessments of a candidate’s potential because of biased data. Organizations should ensure that they customize these tools to their unique requirements and use the data more effectively to assess talent accurately.

Regardless, AI is the future and has already improved how applicant tracking systems recognize skills, overcoming some of the bias of user error. AI is becoming incredibly important to enhance the agility of identifying qualified candidates.  

Many legal and logistical considerations must be addressed in remote hiring to ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations. 

One of the key aspects is proper documentation. Employers must ensure remote employees have signed employment contracts and know their rights and obligations. This includes clarifying working hours, payment procedures, and specific remote work policies.

Adherence to labor laws is crucial when hiring remote employees in different jurisdictions. Employers must understand and comply with each location’s employment laws and regulations where their remote workers are based. This includes issues such as minimum wage requirements, working time regulations, and overtime pay.

Clear communication is essential for remote work policies and protocols. Employers should maintain regular communication channels to keep remote employees informed about any updates or changes in company policies. This ensures that remote workers know their rights and responsibilities and helps maintain a sense of unity and coherence within the team.

find salespeople with rainmakers

How Should I Hire Remotely?

Following some tips and considerations in this article gives you a better idea of how to hire people remotely. But even if you follow these tips, you still might not find qualified candidates. 

Enter Rainmakers.

Based on proven metrics, employers can sign up for Rainmakers to find talented sales staff. So, if you want to find the right company fit that goes above and beyond, sign up for Rainmakers today. 

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how to recruit sales executives

Definitive Guide to Recruiting and Retaining Sales Executives

How To Recruit Sales Executives

Sales are an integral part of any business. Without great sales reps and sales executives, there are no sales. Every organization needs an efficient plan for recruiting sales executives and building their sales team. Hiring smart and having a solid plan to increase retention rates are essential to improving sales performance. 

Whether you are in HR and doing your own hiring or looking for a recruitment agency with a proven track record, it’s crucial to understand best practices for retaining sales executives. 

Recruiting top talent can be challenging, but it can be done with the right strategies in place. Here are some expert tips for businesses that want to attract and retain the kind of sales executive talent that will help them reach new heights.

Sales Executive Recruitment Best Practices

Recruiting sales executives should be a top initiative for startups and established businesses. Let’s go over some best practices to improve your talent search. 

1) Engage your Current Leaders  

For a Sales Executive search, the hiring manager is likely an existing member of the leadership team or possibly even a founder. Use their influence by engaging their likely vast network to fill your hiring pipeline with strong candidates, including investors, existing leaders, board members, advisors, and other key stakeholders. 

Here are some immediate action items to leverage your organization’s current leaders to find the best sales executive candidates: 

  1. List all existing leadership members with networks that may have executive sales candidates. 
  2. Include all current employees. Hiring internally almost always means you will find a great culture fit and give your hard-working team members growth opportunities. 
  3. Create bullet points that explain what the sales executive position will entail. Consider what capacity they bring, why it’s important, and how the role will be critical to the success of the product, service, strategy, and more. 
  4. Be explicit to get the best result and find the best match.

2) Research Your Competition

Before you jump into the recruitment process, it’s important to understand what your competition is offering. This means researching compensation packages, job requirements or responsibilities, total rewards programs, and benefits. 

Knowing what other companies offer can help you craft an attractive package to attract great candidates. 

3) Make Connections

One of the best ways to find top talent is by building relationships with current sales executives and keeping an eye out for potential hires. In addition, building relationships with universities or colleges with strong sales programs would be best, as they can provide valuable insight into which students may be worth considering for open positions in the future. 

A well-built network will increase your chances of finding high-quality talent quickly and easily.  

4) Offer Flexibility

Currently, many candidates are attracted to organizations that offer flexible working arrangements such as remote work options or flexible hours. 

Offering these types of perks can help make your company stand out from competitors and make it easier to recruit top executive talent who may have personal commitments outside of work, such as family obligations or hobbies they enjoy doing in their free time.   

5) Consider Working with an Experienced Sales Recruiter 

Recruitment is hard and can take up valuable resources. If you have tried everything and just aren’t finding great candidates, or your turnover rate is high, it may be time to leave recruitment to the professionals. In addition, by taking hiring off your plate, you can free up your time for higher-level, revenue-generating tasks. 

Working with a recruitment agency with a proven track record of success is a great way to find the very best sales talent for the job.

Common Mistakes Recruiters Make When Trying to Attract Top Sales Executives

When recruiting sales executives, there are a few common mistakes that employers should be aware of.

Underestimating the Time that Recruiting Takes

One mistake is greatly underestimating just how much time goes into finding top candidates. Unfortunately, many employers rush through the interviewing process because they want to fill the position quickly, which can lead to overlooking some important details or quality candidates altogether. 

Therefore, it’s important to take the time to look through each application and properly interview each candidate carefully.

Placing Too Much Emphasis on the Wrong Markers

Another mistake is placing too much emphasis on a potential hire’s previous job titles, experience, and education. While these qualifications can be beneficial, they don’t necessarily reflect an individual’s sales capabilities or personality. 

Instead, employers should pay attention to the specific skills and traits that make the individual a successful sales executive. This includes evaluating their communication and interpersonal skills, ability to build relationships, and enthusiasm for sales.

Ignoring Cultural Fit

Finally, employers should also consider the cultural fit of a potential hire. While the individual may have great sales skills, if they don’t match up with the culture of your organization, then it could be a recipe for disaster. It’s important to ensure that their values and goals align with your company’s values so they can succeed in their role.

Having Insufficient Rigor During the Interview Process

Another common mistake when recruiting sales executives is needing more rigor during the interview process. It’s important to have a thorough and structured interviewing process that allows you to properly evaluate each candidate and ensure that they are the right fit for the job. 

This should include questions about past experiences, current skills, and future goals and a role-play exercise to test their sales abilities. By assessing each candidate properly, employers can be sure they are selecting the right individual for the job.

Utilizing Executive Recruiters 

Many companies believe they do not need to hire a sales executive recruiter or specialized recruitment agency. Unfortunately, this can be a big mistake. Sales recruiters can help businesses save time, find the best match, and do all the legwork of finding the perfect candidate. This means you can spend more time during the interview process and focus on revenue-generating activities to improve your business’s bottom line.

Organizations often believe that they can save money by using something other than a sales executive recruiter. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Almost every business will see a strong return on investment by using a recruitment agency. 

Effective Strategies for Retaining Sales Executives

Once you have found the right candidate, you must ensure that you retain your new sales executives. 

Remember, retaining sales executives is key to running a successful business. Companies need top-notch talent in this area to reach their goals and maintain customer loyalty. So here are some strategies for retaining your best team members:

1) Provide Competitive Compensation Packages

Ensure your compensation packages are competitive with other organizations competing for the same sales executives. Think about how much money you’re willing to pay, and consider offering incentives like bonuses or stock options.

2) Offer Professional Development Opportunities

Sales executives need ongoing training and development opportunities to stay current on trends and technologies. Provide opportunities for them to learn, grow, and stay ahead of the competition.

3) Foster a Collaborative Culture

Company culture is very important to retaining top talent. Sales executives need to feel like they are part of a team to succeed. Therefore, encourage collaboration between sales representatives and other departments within the company by offering incentives for inter-departmental projects or rewards for working together to achieve a common goal.

4) Recognize and Reward Success

Show your sales executives that you value their hard work and dedication by recognizing their accomplishments and rewarding them for exceeding expectations. This could include monetary bonuses, recognition from leadership, or additional time off to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

5) Offer Flexible Working Arrangements

Offering flexible and remote working arrangements can do wonders to keep sales executives engaged. Give them the freedom to work from home or in different locations and the option to adjust their hours if needed. This will help them feel more connected with the company and give them a better work-life balance.

By implementing these strategies, companies can ensure that their best sales executives stay on board and continue to add value to the company. With the right compensation, training, and recognition, your sales team can be invaluable for achieving business goals.

Recruit the Best with Rainmakers

Finding top-notch executive talent can be challenging. However, following the above tips and avoiding the common mistakes organizations make when hiring sales executives can significantly improve your sales recruiting and retention. 

Working with a sales executive recruiter can help take additional stress off of the incredibly important task of hiring the best leadership.

Consider working with an experienced tech sales recruiting agency like Rainmakers to find the best. Choosing the talent with the right skills and fit for your company culture is critical to increasing sales and improving your bottom line. 

Are you currently looking for top sales executive talent? Browse candidates now!

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effective cold calling tactics 2022

6 Cold-Calling Tips That Actually Work

Effective Cold Calling Strategies

There are no two ways about it. Cold calling potential clients can be a real challenge. It’s hard to call a stranger you’ve had little-to-no prior contact with, get them engaged, and then successfully pitch a product or service.

Going through this process repeatedly can be even more challenging.

That said, when done right, cold calling can be a great way to build sales and earn commissions—particularly these days with so much business being handled remotely.

With that in mind, here are some expert cold calling tips to help you bring in more sales.

1. Do Your Homework

The term “cold-calling” is a bit of a misnomer these days. If anything, you don’t want to go in cold. You want to go in prepared.

Study what your clients do, how long they’ve been doing it, and how. Research the best people to call at that business and look them up on LinkedIn or other social media sites. Learn about their experience, responsibilities, and how you might find some common ground. (The chances are good that they’re also looking you up, so have a respectable social media presence.)

While you might not be wholly successful at first, you are more likely to get a positive reception on a follow-up call if you come across as someone who shows particular interest in the company or the person you’re calling.

cold calling in 2022

2. Know Your Prospect’s Challenges

When choosing prospects, select those that need what you sell. Instead of trying to convince prospects to purchase your product or service, find businesses that may be experiencing challenges you can help with.

Any product or service should deliver some kind of solution and value. Don’t waste time with prospects who may not appreciate what you have to offer. Instead, focus on potential clients with a problem you can help solve.

3. Adopt A Cold-Calling Persona

The cold-calling process can be emotionally draining—particularly if you hear the word “no” a lot. It’s hard not to take that personally after a while.

One method veteran cold-callers use is adopting a cold-calling persona. This doesn’t mean being dishonest and coming up with a fake background. Instead, it’s about mentally separating your personal self from your work self. You can do this with a slight change of pitch in your voice. Or simply by tilting your head a certain way when on a sales call.

Consider this akin to putting on a metaphorical business suit you can take off and put aside at the end of the day. It’s a small tip, but it can go a long way in helping you maintain your cold-calling endurance.

best cold calling tactics

4. Know Your Script

If you don’t want to sound like you’re reading from a script, then don’t read from a script.

Memorize, practice, and work in a few alternative lines to make you sound more natural.

Clients can tell almost immediately when someone is reading off a page or computer screen, and it’s an immediate turn-off—knowing your script and presenting it like a human being makes you more relatable and gives you a better chance of success.

5. Try Not To Sound Pushy

Easier said than done, right?

Fortunately, there are three simple tricks to help with this.

  1. Don’t act like a salesperson. Instead, act like a fellow business person or consultant.
  2. Identify your target’s challenges, and then discuss how you can help. Introduce your product or service as a solution to a pain point.
  3. Ask open-ended questions to get the customer to feel more engaged in your call.

The idea is to keep the prospect on the phone. Sounding too pushy will end your call before you can make a pitch for a sale or a follow-up meeting. On the other hand, if you can keep your prospect on the line—with them doing most of the talking—for around seven minutes, your success rates should improve.

how to effectively cold call

6. Identify Why They Might Say No, and Be Ready

Turning a no into a yes.

Before placing your call, see what you can do to identify their reasons for saying no beforehand. If you can figure this out, you’re in a better position to focus on finding solutions and steering your prospect toward finding the value in your product or service themselves and then saying yes to your offer.

We’re All Human

It’s easy to see prospects as numbers and cold calls as mere lists.

Remember that on the other side of every phone call or video screen is a living, breathing person with their own responsibilities, goals, and lives.

The real key to successful cold calling is connecting with people, and the only way to do that is to recognize our shared experiences. We’re all human, after all.

If you are looking for top cold-calling talent for your organization, reach out to Rainmakers!

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Need more sales? Tips and tricks for B2B Consultants

The number of people using the internet has grown by leaps and bounds and statistics show that those on the internet is expected to double over the coming years. The internet has changed how people communicate, interact, and discover information. Right now, it is not unusual for customers to research products via their mobile as they browse on brick and mortar stores. People want to discover as much as possible about a product or service.

A lot of marketers are using various marketing channels and strategies for attracting customers. E.g. video marketing, which not only generates an interest around a product but also helps customers learn about it. Video marketing stats show that 6 in 10 people say that watching a product video influenced their buying decision.

Still, the majority of customers will depend on reviews and comments to decide on making a purchase or using a service. Primarily, people want social proof that the products and services they will be purchasing will guarantee great experiences and the only way they can be certain of this is if they see positive reviews from others.  Learn the ways on how you can improve the quality of customer feedback in your social channels so you can get better conversions, ROIs, and an overall healthy reputation.

Live Chat Support

Live Chat Support is an absolute essential to your website. In fact, 44% of online shoppers believe that the best feature an e-commerce website can have is a live chat. Live chat can offer many services and mitigate issues immediately. Customers can have their questions answered promptly about their item and everything that pertains to it including availability, payment, and shipping. The result is great customer service and less frustration on the part of the customer. Chat support also identifies problem patterns so long-term solutions can be formed. Make your live chat proactive. For example, if your customer has been on the website for a certain time immediately flash up the live chat box. Doing this is said to increase interaction by 300%.

Form an Online Community

Your audience and customers are already interested in your brand’s goodies and your services so why not form an online community where you can build engagement and share content? A forum would be a great place to get direct feedback although it will need continuous monitoring. You have to have a moderator whose responsibilities include creating new discussions, posting and updating regularly, responding to feedback, and so on. Having a forum strengthens your relationship with the customer and is an excellent way to get new ideas.

Humanize Your Website

Most people are turned off by a brand’s website that comes across as impersonal but by humanizing your website you are likely to encourage customer feedback and interaction. Adding color, images and humor where it is appropriate, will be greatly appreciated by your customers as well. It’s easier to answer an attractive survey than a plain one. Giving your website the “human” touch makes people feel that they are talking to a real person and not a machine. You have to increase the personality of the website by creating a fictional or real character to symbolize the brand. For example, as a restaurant brand, you can create a character which has their vision of what they find to be delicious and healthy eating. Create an intimacy with your audience that can help them identify with your characters and your brand. Especially nowadays with the pandemic affecting the food and service industry so harshly, it’s more important than ever to show that your service is still impeccable even while working remotely.

Monitor Social Channels

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, are places where customers leave their feedback. You can use various tools for social media listening, which allows you to know exactly what your audience thinks about your products and services. For instance, you can use a competitor research tool for monitoring your competitor’s social media engagement. A competitor research tool is extremely useful for generating insights that’ll help drive your traffic and boost your sales. Using such tools for social media listening can help you address any social issues that may arise and to improve your customer’s user experience. Time is important when responding to complaints via social media because bad feedback travels fast. It’s crucial to respond to your customer’s complaint promptly to alleviate their angst as soon as possible.

Give a Prize or Gift in Exchange for Feedback

Usually, people only give feedback if they have had a bad experience. When people have had a good experience, they usually won’t talk about it. You can encourage the percentage of people who have had positive experiences with your site by giving them a prize or gift in exchange for feedback. Gifts you can give may include free shipping, discount coupons, or free merchandise. Unfortunately, your customers may see this move as a way to bribe them into giving positive feedback. You can negate this impression by keeping the tone of your e-mail a genuine effort to improve customer service.

Use Negative Feedback to Show Professionalism

Negative feedback is bound to crop up from time to time. However, you can use this to your advantage. You are bound to have a few disgruntled customers but let it be a way of showing your problem-solving skills.  To manage a bad customer review, you can start by apologizing and responding respectfully. You can then change the platform as a way of diffusing the tension. You can ask the customer to contact you in an email instead of continuing the conversation in the feedback panel. Responding smartly will show how much you value customer service and resolving complaints.

Conclusion

People love reading reviews online, especially on social media. So business cannot ignore the fact that their success is affected by social channels and social media. Customers depend on and freely give feedback of products and services they tried as a form of building communities and sharing their experiences with others. Improving customer feedback in social channels can vastly improve how consumers perceive your brand and can encourage higher profits and ROIs.

The difference between a good and a great business often comes down to the small details. Companies who show that they care about their customers and what they have to say are generally more successful and more popular. Any prosperous business will tell you that part of the secret of getting to the top is to be good at both eliciting and listening to customer feedback. So here are some tips on how to improve the quality of your customer feedback for better conversions, engagement, ROIs, and an overall healthy reputation.

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Building Rapport in a Remote Sales Team

The remote working trend is gaining traction and is currently one of the most sought after work benefits an employer can provide. According to Global Workplace Analytics, forty percent more US employers offer flexible workplace options than they did five years ago.

It’s easy to see why telecommuting is proving so popular with both employers and employees alike. GWA’s research also reveals that if people with compatible jobs and wanted to work from home did so half the time, companies could save an average of $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per year.

Working remotely can help employees and freelancers focus better, save time and money on commuting and achieve a better work life balance, particularly if they have some autonomy over their working hours. However, there can be downsides, including the tendency to feel isolated.

For this reason, it’s really important to make sure, as an employer, you build rapport with your remote sales team. Building rapport can improve communication and help people feel happier in their remote roles. The result? Higher employee retention rates and a better bottom line.

Gallup researchers studied the differences in performance between engaged and actively disengaged teams. Findings show that those in the top quartile in employee engagement outperformed bottom quartile of teams by 10% on customer ratings, 22% in profitability, and 21% in productivity.

Here are four remote team building activities and approaches to help you succeed.

1. Organize regular meetings

Meetings are critical to building team rapport, but only if done right. The (not-so) secret is to organize meetings that people actually look forward to. Firstly, make sure your meetings are regular and don’t exceed half an hour. Factor in everyone’s time zone and stick to the same time every week. 

In the virtual meeting itself:

  • Let everyone have their say so that each person feels involved and has the opportunity to contribute to the company’s goals. 
  • Have an agenda but allow time for casual chit chat; expect participants to be on time but allow them to skip the meeting if they’re not needed.
  • Establish a routine – many remote workers appreciate things that give them a routine so stick to the same time and channel (e.g. Skype or Zoom).
  • Encourage videocam usage in online meetings as opposed to just calling in; face-to-face interaction drives up engagement, clarifies meaning and encourages participation. 

2. Create a virtual water cooler

Coffee breaks and lunch times are when workers get to know each other in an office situation. Of course, it’s impossible to replace this scenario remotely, but channels like Slack and Facebook Groups can provide “social” spaces for remote teams to chat about non-work things. 

Consider setting up a casual Slack channel for sharing cat videos, silly GIFs and motivational messages. Always enable people to opt in and out as they see fit. 

It goes without saying, but to build rapport with people as a manager, you should take an interest in people’s personal lives too. A good way to do this is to ask about weekends at the beginning of a 1:1 or group virtual meeting to make up for those casual convos you’d have in the office.

3. Check in periodically

As well as team meetings, leave time to check in with each remote worker individually. It will make people feel like they are part of a company that cares about them and you can catch any problems or concerns early before they blossom into something more serious.

You might also want to consider surveying your remote workforce. Anonymous (or not) surveys are a good way to collect quick feedback about how effective your management style is. A simple survey can bring up issues that individuals might not feel comfortable talking about over email or video chat. 

4. Encourage human interaction

It can be tricky to meet everyone in a distributed workplace, especially if they live in different countries. Still, you should aim to meet up with individuals whenever you can. If you’re based in an office that has surplus space, why not invite your remote workers in to hot desk from time to time? 

This is a great way to utilise unused space and gives people the chance to meet other employees and maintain rapport with you. Alternatively (and depending on your budget), you could also contribute to or pay for a part-time desk pass for individuals at their local coworking space. 

Coworking on an ad hoc basis provides remote workers with networking opportunities as well as a productive space in which to work. Most operate flexible membership schemes that allow you pay for what you need. You can also utilise their meeting rooms for face-to-face catch ups. 

Conclusion

So there you have it: four ways of building rapport in a remote team. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to create a workforce that’s enthusiastic about logging in and working together. It’s not always easy and involves a trial and error approach, but keep learning and you’ll get there in the end!

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Does a Work-Life Balance Exist in Tech Sales?

A Day In The Life

8 AM: Internal sales meeting
9 AM: Client meeting prep
10 AM: Client meeting
10:45 AM: Take a call on your way to a client lunch
11 AM: Client lunch
1 PM: Another client meeting
2 PM: Take a call on your way back to the office
2:30 PM: Product launch prep at your desk
3:30 PM: Send follow-up emails
4:30 PM: Recap meeting with your manager
5 PM: Go home and think about work until you go to bed

Sound familiar? It should be if you’re a sales representative working in the tech industry. As you know, hustling can reap great rewards, but how far can you push yourself before eagerness turns into burnout?

Below, we’ve compiled a list of warning signs to watch out for and actionable tips to prevent burnout and find a rewarding work-life balance.

Signs of burnout

If you’re experiencing burnout, you are probably already well aware of the related symptoms, including:

  • Chronic fatigue
  • Weight loss/gain
  • Panic attacks/nausea on Sunday nights
  • Loss of concentration

If you can relate to one or more of these, you may be reevaluating the way you live. You may also wonder if a work/life balance is even achievable in this field and profession. The good news is that, yes, it is possible. But, it will require you to evaluate your current daily habits and make shifts in your diet, surroundings, and mental state.

How to manage (or, ideally, prevent) burnout

1. Start exercising

We often make the excuse that we “don’t have the time” to make our physical health a priority—especially in this field. However, between work demands and ensuring quality time with family and friends, you’re not alone in putting your physical health last on your list of daily things to put your energy towards.

The issue here is that lack of exercise only increases feelings of burnout. Without physical activity, we become irritable, tired, sluggish, bloated, stressed, and downright unhealthy– especially after sitting for the majority of the day (did you know a sedentary lifestyle significantly increases the risk of all forms of mortality– yikes!). Here’s the trick: pencil in a workout, just as you would a client meeting– and don’t back out on yourself! Activities don’t have to be long, either. Most group fitness facilities offer classes from 30 minutes to an hour long. Block out your lunch hour 2-3 times a week for a quick workout, or catch a class on your way home from work

2. Improve your diet

So we just talked about physical activity, but that is only half of this equation. What is your daily diet like? It’s not uncommon for those in this profession to go all day on just their morning coffee and the occasional birthday cake left in the office breakroom. Unfortunately, a poor diet not only makes burnout symptoms worse but, when coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, also puts you at risk of gaining weight. Which, in turn, puts you at even greater risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and a slew of other conditions in the future. Plus, weight gain can be downright frustrating, discouraging, and uncomfortable in the short term.

Along with a regular exercise routine, put a plan in place to develop healthier eating habits. Like everything else, the key here is to work smarter, not harder. Lifehack: keep things easy by signing up for a personalized weight loss program that fits your lifestyle. Coming up with meals to prep and finding the motivation to do so can create additional stress in your life. Subscribing to a weight loss app takes the guesswork out of healthy eating, keeps you motivated, and teaches you about nutrition along the way!

3. Change your surroundings

They say the most creative people have the messiest desks and offices compared to their left-brained colleagues. While creativity is an asset, the state of your surroundings can hugely impact your mood and state of mind (yes, it is possible to be creative and organized).

Take some time to organize your files and tidy up your workspace. While at it, add some fun office decor to make your workspace your own. For example, put up pictures of your spouse, children, or dog, hang up some motivational posters or quotes that inspire you, invest in a standing desk to get your blood following, or even pick up one of those relaxing feng shui mini water fountains.

dont get sales burnout

4. Find a mentor

Research has shown that having a mentor to guide you may create a shift in your behavior. Many mentees have been documented re-engaging in their workplace, increasing their skill set, building meaningful networking relationships, and advancing their careers under the mentorship of a trusted coworker.

If your company doesn’t already have an internal mentorship program, consider reaching out to your human resources department to pitch the idea, as such programs have been known to boost the morale and productivity of all employees– even for the mentor. In addition, the same research has shown that many mentors found their interactions with their junior colleagues therapeutic and helped to force them to reflect on their growth and success throughout their career and tenure with the company.

5. Disconnect as much as possible

This one is easier said than done. Polls consistently show that Americans put in overtime hours– working nights, weekends, and holidays when we should be fully present to the world around us and our loved ones who need our devoted time and attention. Instead, we are constantly glued to our phones and computers, armed and ready for those unexpected client calls and questions. When something goes wrong, we are on the frontline– as we know, that can happen at any time of day.

Learn not to be afraid or feel guilty for putting your electronics away and turning your phone silent on nights, weekends, and holidays. Instead, take this time to connect with your family and friends, read a book, work out, and start watching that Netflix show you’ve heard all about!

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The Most In-Demand Soft Skills for Salespeople at Startups

If you’re joining a sales team for a tech startup, it’s not enough to just have hard skills. In an interview with Michael Cardamone, we discussed how a salesperson should examine the investors of an early-stage startup, and how knowledgeable the CEO is to predict the evolution of their success. Once you’ve determined whether their goals align with yours, it’s time to move forward. However, in today’s highly competitive job market, soft skills are in more demand than ever at startups, and are an essential part of any well-rounded candidate. In fact, a study by Comeet found that the candidates most likely to get the job are those who are directly contacted by recruiters or hiring managers. By showcasing these skills in your resume, you’re more likely to stand out from your competition. Here’s a list of some skills you should aim to cultivate as part of the sales team:

Ability to listen to what’s being said

In the sales world, making a consumer want to buy your product is the main goal of the profession. According to an article by Forbes, this involves effective two-way communication. Knowing how to ask great questions and truly listening to the customer’s response is the key to making a successful sale. “It’s too easy to stick to the script or to plan your next statement. If you want to sell, you have to understand. To understand, you have to listen with true empathy! Practice is essential to this skill.”

Ability to negotiate and connect

If a client is on the fence about whether to purchase your product or service, it’s up to you to convince them to choose you. In order to do so, you’ll need to practice patience, gather what is needed, and deliver high value while keeping prices reasonable. When you do manage to successfully sell, you’re creating a relationship with the client which will hopefully set the stage for more sales in the future. Keeping level-headed and maintaining a sense of humor will help you bond with your client, forming a sense of connection and positivity.

Ability to cope with chaos

If you want to work at a startup, more often than not, you’ll have to deal with unpredictability and chaos. As a salesperson, the ability to stay organized and disciplined even with multiple projects to juggle will be an essential part of your life.

Medium explains how hitting growth targets can be extremely challenging, and even more so during the early stages of a business. If you let potential sales slip through the cracks due to not following up, you’ll definitely fall behind. The good news is that “if you join a startup already better equipped to expect these chaotic moments, the wild wins will feel even more euphoric.”

Ability to anticipate client needs

It’s a universal truth that everyone wants to feel special. By making your customers feel like you can read their minds regarding what they want, you’ll leave them feeling like they’ve had an experience specifically tailored to them, leading to an increase in their trust and loyalty. To cultivate this skill, Inc. suggests taking advantage of industry research and trend reports to see what the next big thing is. You’ll stay a couple of steps ahead, and be able to cater to the future needs of your clients and expand their current scope.

Ultimately, not everyone is cut out for a life in sales. It can be a physically demanding job, but working on this list of soft skills can help you land a coveted role at a start-up, provided that you’re up for the challenge.

If you’re a salesperson looking to jump start your career or make the next big move, Rainmakers can help connect you with companies seeking a skilled sales rep just like you. To join our career market place, visit www.Rainmakers.co

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how to build your personal brand

How to Successfully Build Your Brand as an Industry Expert

Personal Branding Tips for Sales Pros

What do business magnate Sir Richard Branson, SEO and social media marketing guru Neil Patel, and best-selling author Mark Manson have in common? 

A solid personal brand. 


What is personal branding? 

Personal branding has become a crucial part of success for anyone with a skill or service to offer the world—the modern-day entrepreneur, merger & acquisition consultant, author, artist, independent contractor, sales and marketing professional, or self-employed freelancer. Through personal branding, renowned experts can set themselves apart from others in their field.

Personal branding is the practice of marketing yourself and your career as a brand. It encompasses your reputation, expertise, skills, personality, values, and attitudes, among a multitude of other things. It is the image that other people see or think of when hearing your name.

Why is personal branding important? 

Nowadays, even large companies no longer solely rely on their corporate brand. Instead, they also hinge on an individual’s personal brand (usually their founder or CEO) to build their image and reputation.

Individuals who build their business around their area of expertise, like authors, speakers, coaches, or freelancers also make use of personal branding strategies to distinguish themselves from would-be competitors and to attract clients. The reality is, nowadays, without a powerful personal brand, even experts will find themselves struggling to grow or even maintain their business.

Below are seven clear and actionable personal branding tips and strategies you can follow to kick-start your branding strategy.

Find your niche and build your expertise

The first and biggest step to creating your personal brand strategy is finding your expertise. Whatever industry you’re in, you’ll want to shine in a particular niche within that industry. There’s a common misconception that it’s better to be broad about your specialization for you to capture a larger market. Perhaps this might have worked for some at the start, but in the long run, those who go on to be successful are those who have found that one specialized field they can excel at.

Take Pat Flynn‘s example. From the broad industry of online entrepreneurship and digital marketing, he found his niche as an expert in creating passive income. This can be done in any field or industry. Finding your niche will help unlock two important questions: who your target market is and what your unique selling proposition will be. 

Have a consistent visual brand identity (that’s tied to your personality)

Your brand identity is often the first impression your potential customers will have of you. It includes your choices on what to name your business, logo design, color palette, graphics, and even photos you choose to share on your blog, website, or social media.

It even encompasses the way you dress for success. It can be hard to understand why it’s important to build consistent visual brand identity or even to have one at all, but visuals play an important role when it comes to differentiation, recall, and even perception of quality.

Develop a strong value proposition

After finding your niche, the next step is to position yourself within it. Research your competition and figure out what sets you apart. Some questions you can ask to determine your USP  or unique selling proposition are:

  • What specific problems are you trying to solve?
  • What are the skills you have, and what can you offer to your audience?
  • Why should your audience care about what you have to say?
  • What new insights or solutions are you offering?
  • What are you passionate about? What do you stand for?
personal branding tips

Create your content and social strategy

If you’re seeking to establish yourself as an industry expert, content marketing is going to be your best friend.

Remember, content marketing gets three times more leads than paid search advertising, yet costs 62% less than traditional marketing.

Content marketing is also what’s going to help your website rank. Focus on creating long, in-depth articles (1000 words or more) that answer a question or problem within your niche. You can search for top keywords or search queries using free tools like AnswerthePublic or Ubersuggest.

Make sure to stay on top of social media trends and topics relevant to your industry. Offer your audience useful content like infographics or free ebooks.

Figure out your modes of communication

Ask yourself: where can I engage with people from my target audience? Then be there for them. Let them find you where they already hang out. Take advantage of the social media platforms available to you and engage with them by replying to their comments on your posts or any feedback they leave on your social media page. 

Consider investing in an official website for your brand. Or, you can start with publishing on platforms such as Medium. What’s important is that you have a platform for sharing your expertise and allowing people to find you.

sales recruiters

Seek out mentors and build your network

Building a successful personal brand doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does it happen alone. A study found that 80% of CEOs said they have had a mentor help them in their respective careers.

Mentors can be a great asset when you’re just starting out on building your personal brand. The right mentor can show you how they achieved success and how to avoid common pitfalls or mistakes, and, very importantly, introduce you to more experts and mentors you can learn from.


Final Words

If there’s one key thing to remember when creating your personal brand, it’s to be authentic. A personal brand isn’t a persona or a facade to put on in front of an audience. People have a way of finding out if a person is being genuine or not. Your personal brand should be just that: personal to you. Consider your brand as an extension of all the good things about your personality, values, skills, and expertise.

Moreover, becoming an expert in your industry won’t happen overnight. As they say, there is no shortcut to success. You’ll need to put in countless hours of hard work, create lots of useful content, experiment with different techniques and tools, and above all, be yourself.

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