Spark Magazine April 2017

spark THE FUEL FOR BUSINESS

MAGAZINE

SME MACHINERY FINANCING TIPS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TIPS FROM AN EXPERT

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

5 ways to seek the employee you really want

ISSUE NO.10 APRIL 2017

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issue no.10 April 2017

Contents 6

Digital Marketing Challenges for SMEs

12 Tips for Public Speaking 16 Innovation Series 22 The Role of Psychometric Behavioural Assessments in Business 28 What Customer Experience Statistics Mean for Your Business 32 SME Machinery Financing Tips 36 Business Development Tips from an Expert 40 Aligning Sales and Marketing Teams 44 Five Ways to Seek the Employee You Really Want 50 Women in Leadership 54 The Business Builders Group

The articles in Spark Magazine are of a general in nature only. Always seek independent financial, investment, tax and legal advice.

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WELCOME T O S PA R K M AGA Z I N E After Australia’s 26 years of continuous economic growth some might say “It’s time for a cup of tea.” But that is not what has made Australia great. It could be time for reflection, but we all need to keep reinvesting and building for the future.

Leading the way is Melbourne – or “Crane City,” which is now a permanent construction site as both the government and the private sector continue the tradition of investing heavily in tomorrow.

With investment in mind, SMEs will be glad to see progressive reductions in the corporate tax rate to 25% has passed parliament and will allow extra funds to be retained and used in the business. The Reserve Bank keeping interest rates on hold is another bonus.

It’s not all above the surface construction right now as innovators everywhere drive the knowledge economy. In many

institutions generational transfer, diversity, and digitisation are combining to impose completely new business models. No matter the business model, more and more it soft skills like collaboration, mentoring, and role modelling that drive success. In this issue we continue our focus on those soft skills.

As SMEs expand, there is tough competition for new team members. This issue features a great article, full of useful tips, from the team at SEEK, about how to seek and find these jewels.

There is also a good piece with great advice for SMEs on machinery financing – again something useful in growth phases.

The team at Spark Magazine wishes all our readers a happy and restful Easter holiday.

Paul M Southwick CEO and Editor paul@psfj.co

issue no.10 April 2017

Spark Magazine is “The fuel for business”.

The target audience is business people, with an interest in innovation, technology and new ideas. We provide the ideas, motivation, and inspiration for success.

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In all cases take independent and professional investment, financial, tax and legal advice. Spark Magazine and all persons and entities associated therewith accept no responsibilities for loss or damage related to any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions in the magazine, or reliance on anything in the magazine. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not imply endorsement by Spark Magazine, its controlling entity or associated persons. Similarly placement of an advertisement in the magazine does not imply endorsement by Spark Magazine its controlling entity or associated persons. In some cases journalists writing for SPARK Magazine may consult to or provide corporate writing for companies mentioned in articles. The journalists or Spark Magazine do not accept payment from companies to cover or include them. ©2015 ©2015 by byPow PowWow WowPty PtyLtd. Ltd.All All Rights Rights Reserved.

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Digital Marketing Challenges for SMEs

by Mark Cutfield

issue no.10 April 2017

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his article explores the issues SME managers face in a digitised marketing environment and reflects on the responses to a major research project in the area conducted in 2016.

With an enormous amount of technology, platform options, channel choice, and complexity, decisions on what is best for

the business can become overwhelming.

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What are the preferred channels?

Key questions for functional and relevant digital marketing

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If there was a perfect firm here’s what it would look like?

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What are the obvious goals?

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What are the key digital marketing areas businesses need to adopt and focus on to achieve growth?

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What are the big challenges?

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How to measure success?

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A study published in 2016 reported that the number of worldwide marketing technology companies doubled from around 2,000 to 4,000. Thirty-five categories were identified. That means more options and lot of new tools, but it also means there is twice the number of solutions for managers to evaluate.

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How are SMEs meant to know which tools they need and which are superfluous? The answer is to take an almost analogue approach to set what’s required for the business. For example, acquiring and converting new customers, promoting value, customer service, providing value, and reducing costs.

This provides a sensible approach to view technology, platforms and process automation as enablers, not business governors or the solution, provides a basis to select what’s best, and to plan for scale and growth.

What are the important goals?

Infusionsoft and Leadpages, in their “2016 Small Business Marketing Trends Report“ surveyed 1,000 SME’s to ascertain what was important, allowing SME managers to benchmark where their business is are placed, and how best to improve, rather than adapt a “should do model.” This helps SMEs purchase right and save on potential legacy dollars and sunk costs.

Over 50% of survey respondents stated that driving new sales was most important. Surprisingly one in five said they wouldn’t use digital marketing at all, which means they will miss out on significant business opportunities and be displaced by competitors providing digital and automated services connected directly to customers. They will also fail to realise new customers from best use of digital technology and lead generation initiatives.

Building awareness and conveying information to new and existing customers was important to 48.4%

of respondents. This is what builds profile and brand proposition, differentiating your company from competitors.

generic and useless promotions.

SMEs need to be determined to get close to the right customers at both the segment and personal level.

Collecting leads was favoured by 34.1% of respondents indicating the requirement for new business generation. Without a clearly defined target audience and a target plan to attract customers, lead generation will be cumbersome.

What are the key digital marketing areas of focus to achieve growth?

Often overlooked is the retention of existing customers which was rated by just 30.0% of respondents.

With marketing automation SMEs can stay in contact, provide new products, survey, and score customers based on their propensity to engage with the business. Sending newsletters alone doesn’t constitute leading edge marketing automation. Ask customers what they need and develop other options.

Running promotions was mentioned by 27.5% of respondents. Using marketing automation and crunching databases to establish segmentation is vital. Generic promotions to databases, backed with events and promotional activities, are wasted costs unless the business defines and goes after their ideal customer – and “pushes away” customers that do not add value to the business.

Gaining efficiency with marketing automation was mentioned by 15.7% of respondents. This outlines broadly the requirement of all businesses to have an automation program to nurture customers with personalised and relevant content that provides value – to avoid

When asked “What marketing channels you expect to allocate more budget to for next year?” most SMEs reported “increased investments in websites and social media.” These are the key areas which help drive growth.

With 51% saying “My website” this indicates the trend in e-commerce and how most customers go to a website as first contact point. Using AdWords and digital marketing tactics to drive customers to websites is a well-used approach. Having a website with downloadable products, information, whitepapers, giveaways, services and consumer products is the basis for e-commerce. It’s an investment in optimising websites fit for e-commerce, so consumers can trade with companies and generate leads for the sales team.

Lead generation at 51.1% is obvious, however it is necessary to define audiences and segment them to drive marketing promotions (social, re-targeting, CPC, banner, etc), and ensure messaging is spot on, and matches customer drivers for purchase and value.

Email marketing at 25.4% is the author’s favourite – “oiled” marketing automation programs using a suitably selected (fit for purpose, via business case) platform and segmented customer base, with competent inside sales team(s) that can drive increases in sales.

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It might be wise for SMES to increase email marketing budgets.

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Remember it costs far less to keep a customer and drive value than it does to replace lost ones.

Print and direct mail at 23.4% is a horses-for-courses approach.

If SMEs rely on print and direct mail, measuring success is hard, and often inaccurate. Unless SMEs have highly relevant advertorial and high value offerings this area of marketing should receive less attention.

Landing pages or purpose specific web pages at 21.9% is vital.

New customers landing from promotional messaging ads want a value proposition. It must be easy to leave contact details or engage in a page. Focusing on getting experience just right is an imperative to prevent high bounce rates and page exits.

Telemarketing and in-person marketing at 13.6% is important and SMEs should integrate it with automation and promotion. If someone lands on a website, leaves

details, gets a free information booklet, then telemarketing should follow up and enters into a sales process conversation, to drive a sale or book a direct appointment. SMEs should put effort into ensuring this approach is integrated (working harmoniously) otherwise leads will disconnect and move elsewhere.

that they had a problem retaining customers.

A combination of initiatives is optimal. Define exactly the business customer base and what new customers the business needs. Have and develop highly relevant products and services, and make it easy for customers to find and interact with the business.

What are the big digital challenges?

When asked what their biggest digital marketing challenge is going forward, SMEs gave a diverse set of answers, suggesting there are many areas presenting problems. “Turning leads into customers,� was the most pressing issue, with generating web traffic second, and turning web traffic into leads fourth. This makes it clear that SMEs need a plan that takes in the whole marketing funnel, which helps fill the funnel with traffic, interact with that traffic, and then convert it to sale. One in ten said

Websites are still the best e-commerce tool. Optimise them so that the business’ web content and pages, and by definition, products/ services/information, are aligned to customer or prospect needs.

Once this is right, SMEs can spend money to drive volume.

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Converting is a matter of process.

Marketing’s role is to attract customers, the sale’s team convinces and converts, and then marketing and service teams keep them there. Marketing automation provides a connection and personalised service and informs the sales team who then engage.

Simple rules, easy to adopt, often not consistently used.

How are to measure success?

From the survey, when asked if their marketing efforts are effective, a whopping 48% said they didn’t know.

That means businesses need to get an awful lot better at utilising their analytics data to understand the value of different channels and model where they are receiving their revenue from. If SMEs do not know what channels are performing the most effectively they will make subpar decisions about where to invest resources, and won’t be able to grow as fast as they otherwise would.

Analytic tools exist on Google for

all website data and lead source origin, location, and demographics.

SMEs should get advice if they don’t know how to set up and track campaigns and track their respective effectiveness. It’s not costly.

Marketing automation platforms, in most cases, have analytics wired in to measure mail marketing effectiveness. In some instances they can provide web tracking and scoring of levels of activity and engagement.

What are the preferred channels?

Knowing what kind of marketing channels are effective for businesses can help SMEs target resources and benchmark efforts against the rest of the sector. Over 70% of respondents had websites set up, whilst social media and digital advertising were the second most common form of digital marketing. Email marketing came in third, which is an area SMEs should look at if not already using it, because of its track record in delivering ROI. Websites are the centre of e-commerce efforts.

Conclusions Businesses all too frequently miss out on big opportunities. Most don’t use email marketing, which could be a great way for them to overcome their biggest challenge, namely turning leads into customers.

Too many aren’t measuring the effectiveness of their marketing effort properly. Some aren’t using digital.

Digital marketing levels the playing field and means for the first time SMEs can compete with the bigger players. SMEs need to “seize the moment” and plan to make the most of it, with well thought out strategies using some of the aforementioned recommendations.

Finally, remember technology is wonderful if relevant and fit for purpose. Work to define what technology and tools will assist overcoming the business challenge of attracting, converting and keeping customers.

About the author Mark Cutfield is an industry leading practitioner and digital marketing expert.

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Tips for Public

Speaking

by Tania de Jong AM

W

e all have unique voices, stories and knowledge to share with others and inspire them.

However, glossophobia, or the fear of speaking in public, is common and as many as 75% of people suffer from it.

Statistically, far more people prefer death to giving a speech.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld joked that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy.

The Lead Up

So, how best to reduce the fear of speaking and present with confidence? Here are 19 tips to reduce stage fright, and build presence when speaking in public.

4. Speaking off by heart and from the heart is the best way to connect with your audience, so rehearse your speech as much as possible and let go of your notes.

1. Prepare and practice your material in advance. Stand up and present your speech to people you trust (or to a mirror).

Feel from your heart, hear your voice, build energy and become aware of your body language.

2. Film yourself – it’s a great way to observe your body language, fluency of words, and the projection of your voice.

3. Tell a personal story from your heart early in your speech to connect to your audience.

Use stories throughout your speech as much as possible to illustrate key points, and to be engaging and memorable.

5. Practice ways to calm and relax your mind, body and spirit including deep breathing, stretching and relaxation exercises.

6. Eat well in the lead up to your presentation avoiding sugar, caffeine, red meat and alcohol.

Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. Exercise and keep improving your posture.

7. Visualize your success. Keep focussing on your strengths and capabilities to handle challenging situations. Give up trying to be perfect and know that it is OK to make mistakes.

The Event 1. Gently hum or hiss to steady your voice and regulate your breath.

2. Drink plenty of warm water or herbal tea. Get dressed and ready to present early.

3. Check out the room/venue. If

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possible have a short sound check on stage getting used to microphones, checking your slides and videos, testing the clicker, etc. Ensure that any technical crew assist you in your rehearsal so they understand your cues and can support your presentation.

4. Think of who’s in the room.

Review the guest list. If possible go in and observe the people in the room and sense the atmosphere. Then, if necessary, adjust any aspects of your presentation to really connect with the audience.

5. Wherever possible, make connections with your audience. Smile, greet people and think of them as your friends rather than enemies.

They want you to inspire them!

6. Move from fear to love.

Stop scaring yourself with thoughts about what might go wrong. Instead, focus your attention on thoughts and

images that are calming and reassuring. Exhale and say to yourself: “Just worrying”. On the next inhalation re-focus your attention on the task at hand and visualise yourself performing brilliantly and sharing love.

On Stage 1. Shift the focus from yourself and your fear to your true purpose. Remember why you are here: to contribute something of value to your audience. You are giving and sharing your special gifts with the audience.

2. Keep breathing and stay in the present moment. Refuse to allow thoughts that create selfdoubt and low confidence.

3. Connect and interact with your audience. Remember that your presentation is for their benefit.

Ask questions, use interactive tools etc. This will relax you and the audience and create open

lines of communication rather than an imaginary fourth wall.

4. Stand or sit in a self-assured, confident posture. Remain warm and open, smile from your heart and make eye contact with your audience.

5. Project your unique voice because you want to be heard.

Your tone, volume and pace are huge factors in creating a brilliant speech. Be natural, be yourself.

Have fun!

6. Finally, stick around after your speech, be accessible, answer questions. It’s a great opportunity to make contacts and can lead to future speaking gigs and other professional work.

Summary So next time you get asked to speak, seize the opportunity. If you practice the above tips you will be amazed at what you can achieve and how much you will enjoy the experience.

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About the author Tania de Jong AM is a leading Australian soprano, inspirational speaker, social entrepreneur, spiritual journey woman, and creative innovation catalyst. Tania helps organisations build capabilities in creative thinking and leadership, develop a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, understand and manage disruption, foster diversity and community and unleash potential of individuals and teams. +61 (0)3 8679 6000 info@creativeuniverse.com.au and www.taniadejong.com

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Innovation Series

by Anthony J James

In this three part series Anthony J James, Chief Innovation & Digital Officer of Trinity Consulting Services talks about three different aspects of innovation.

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PART ONE: Does Your Brand Need Innovation or Growth?

It’s official, “innovation” is the most important and overused word in America says “Wired,” probably worldwide.

A quick Google search will uncover a plethora of definitions, from economists to authors, bloggers, CEOs, CIOs, CTOs to consultants.

You will also find endless variations of the word. Here are six commonly used definitions: •

It is a buzzword that seems to go in and out of fashion. Today it is still the mantra of many brands.

There are countless conferences, blogs, articles, awards and hack-athons dedicated to innovation.

Some companies have established innovation labs to encourage their employees to come up with ideas or to build and test concepts inhouse. And the big end of town brand - think Apple, Samsung and Google, jockey for the coveted innovation title.

In my role, I can continue to evangelise innovation, or I can try and move it from buzzword to a culture ingrained within a true focus on finding solutions to the problems worth solving.

To do this innovation needs to be demystified, talked about in simple terms, in ways that are not only understandable but demonstrable, and most importantly encouraged within the agency model.

“...move from buzzword to culture ingrained within a true focus on finding solutions to the problems worth solving.”

“FRONT-END INNOVATION” I have been a long standing member of this LinkedIn Group. It’s been defined as the process of making sense of insights to identify needs and opportunities that will then lead to the creation of ideas, concepts and prototypes some of them being developed further to constitute the final innovation.

•

You might have heard about “EFFICIENCY INNOVATION” which is about creating a process that increases efficiency for both the consumer and the company (think about Amazon’s distribution process – and no not drones!).

•

“DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION” is one of the top-trending buzzphrases. It is the notion that creating something completely new will radically change or disrupt the environment in which it operates. This is the type of innovation that many believe: can revamp an entire market or category; change the way people interact with a product, service or brand; and that could influence behaviours and inspire trends; but also change the way a company operates. Disruptive innovation does not always meet a need, but sometimes creates one.

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“BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION” brings a new value proposition to the market and is a bold move made by a brand that wants to break away from the status quo. It usually appears to be the one and ideal solution to an existing need or problem in the market.

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“CORE INNOVATION” is about introducing change to something that already exists and that the brand decides to capitalise on. It is an innovation that will sit at the heart of the business offering and will either bring improvements to an existing product or service, or attract new users.

•

“SUSTAINED INNOVATION” refers to a brand’s real commitment to change. This requires a strong and relevant culture, as well as employees who are actively involved in the creation, sharing and development of ideas within the company.

Innovation encapsulates all of the above definitions and so much more.

Some people talk about innovation in terms of requirements, others in terms of output (disruption, breakthrough, transformation). When I meet with clients, I talk less about innovation and more about business solutions:

“Deeply understanding the business problem clients face, and then applying properly practiced creativity, a little rule breaking, and collaboration, to deliver solutions that solve the problem, have a positive impact on the brand and drives real growth.”

issue no.10 April 2017 19 Business needs to think less about putting a label on their innovation, and focus more on delivering brilliant solutions to meet their clients’ problems. I associate innovation with collaboration involving a wide range of stakeholders, creative thinkers and technologists. The most successful collaborations bring together a wide and diverse range of people - from clients, consumers or the users-audience, industry experts and even trend-spotters to make sure the final solution is not just an idea for an ideas-sake, but is deeply rooted in consumer needs, ultimately delivering growth for the company.

Innovation should be fun, open, genuine, and sometimes small. It needs open minds and collaboration. It definitely does not need a label. The most important thing is that businesses recognise the need for it and then experiment with the boundaries and what they feel comfortable with.

For brands, your agencies, the right agency, can play a big role in bringing fresh, creative, new perspectives building real growth, not just awareness. Just say yes to innovation rather than spending the time on another brief.

PART TWO: How to Prevent Innovation from being Just Plain Boring?

You see it every day. Brands talking about how innovative they are, how this new widget will transform their business, and how millions of consumers will run to the nearest

store and buy, buy, buy. But if you look a little closer at some of these brands, the new widget might be just a bit of coloured plastic, a dodgy app, or a brand tie-up with a film, television spot, or a tourism experience. It may be a new way of doing things, for the brand, but it isn’t innovation.

Innovation is more about business solutions: Deeply understanding the business problem clients face, and then applying properly practiced creativity, a little rule breaking, and collaboration, to deliver solutions that solve the problem, have a positive impact on the brand and drives real growth.

Unfortunately, much ‘so called’ innovation is just gimmicky or a dull attempt to attract attention.

It hasn’t changed the firm, or the interaction between a business and its customers. And if it doesn’t change things, frankly, what’s the point?

In my role, I am keen to ensure that innovation is central to our business, and that we are always innovating in the true sense of the word. But that doesn’t mean I think that just any kind of innovation is mandatory for our operation, or indeed, for the firms we assist. Innovation should be transformative and build new connections. Innovation is inspiring and exciting when it helps change the way a business operates, and when both companies and their customers get more from the exchanges. It helps build productivity, and it makes companies great to work with. Most

importantly, innovation should lead to growth.

Surrounded by ideas every day, I came up with a short questionnaire to help test if it is a truly innovative concept. I use it as a basic tool, a litmus test, to provide guidance.

The Build It or Bury It Concept Test 1. Does the concept change the way your firm makes its products/does business?

2. Does it change the way you communicate with customers?

3. Is it tapping into talent and ideas normally outside the firm?

4. Is it giving customers more choice?

5. Does it respond to changes in consumer/business behaviour?

6. Is the value of the innovation easy to understand (even if it is a technically complex solution)?

7. Will its development inspire people to talk about it?

8. Is it genuinely new, and not just a new costume for old products and practice?

9. Are you getting people calling you up to see how they can get in on the project? and finally, 10. Are you so excited about your innovation that you want to spend all your spare time thinking about it?

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If your concepts all get yes responses to these questions, then congratulations, you have a cool innovation. I want to know about it, and to buy it. If you get a yes to more than seven questions, then you may still have a good set of ideas, and we should talk more about how we can make it even more exciting. If you get a yes to only five questions, you probably need to go back and think about how you can generate more change - to markets, to your business, and probably to your agency! But if you got a yes to less than five questions, then think seriously, pivot, apply your learning, or move on!

PART THREE: The Internet of Things and Digital Transformation Efficiency Why does it matter that a toaster can talk to the fridge? Why should objects in your office know where you are, and when you might need them?

These may seem trite questions, but these are more than just philosophical. They are the meat of the matter when it comes to the Internet of Things (IoT).

As an innovator and digital transformation practitioner, I have to have answers such questions from my peers in the marketing and technology community.

A little while back, one of my challenges was addressed by a list of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies for the Internet of Things. Most marketers would know the names of the companies in the mix – everyone from Microsoft and Intel, to Salesforce and Tesla. But there is still a lot of doubt in corporate circles and the marketing sector about the value of the Internet of Things in Digital Transformation. There’s understandable concern about the personal privacy of citizens, and the possibility that the Internet of Things might further fragment the media landscape, so for marketers, the task of attracting attention becomes harder than ever.

The reason why digital transformation needs to embrace the Internet of Things is because it makes things simpler.

WHAT IS IT ANYWAY? In essence, the Internet of Things is a collective term for technologies that allow almost anything with a chip in it, or a

barcode on it, to communicate with a network. And the technologies already exist.

There are existing devices that track your location (mobile phones) and there are ‘smart homes’ and ‘smart offices’ that will turn lights and heating on and off, depending on where people are. And there are barcode readers, QR code readers and so on, that work not just at the checkout of your local supermarket, but at the entry to your home, or even your fridge.

So to answer the first question posed in this article. If your toaster can talk to your fridge, it can register how many slices of bread have been toasted from the loaf you normally keep in the fridge. And if the fridge is connected to your online shopping list, it can tell when you’re going to need to have a new loaf of bread delivered to your house.

Or, from a marketer’s perspective, it makes selling easier, by taking the decision maker out of the buying process. It automates the process, reducing the likelihood of the customer changing brands or outlets for purchasing.

Opportunities The biggest issue that proponents of the Internet of Things have had up till now has been the number of devices that can be linked. But since the development of apps that can read barcodes and the increasing number of devices that are shipped

issue no.10 April 2017 21 communication, or opportunities for process optimisation. The risk of innovation initiatives is reduced, because problems are observable, and solving them becomes a priority. Again, because it’s a matter of needs fulfilment, innovation and innovative product adoption becomes a simpler decision for businesses and consumers alike.

with network capability, enterprises in particular are taking advantage of the Internet of Things to track resource use and improve sustainability in the workplace.

There are several case studies of IoT devices now being used to make workplaces greener, and to reduce costs of operation. This all goes to answering the second question at the top of this post – when objects in your office know where you are and when you might need them, they can be programmed to switch off, saving power, reducing the costs of doing business.

These sustainability initiatives are a great way to prove the value of IoT devices to consumers and businesses. Once customers are used to the cost-saving benefits of connecting devices at home and at work, it becomes easier to introduce new IoT applications for purchasing. And as data

tracking from IoT devices improves and intelligence is collected on practices and needs, there will be improved capability to predict when a customer may need a particular product or service.

In short, organisations look for ways to use IoT devices that can improve home and business efficiency as a means of learning more about consumer behaviour.

In an age where attention is so divided, it makes sense to follow where attention is being drawn, rather than trying to attract attention. This way marketing messaging can be focused entirely on need fulfilment rather than trying to convert a sceptical consumer base.

Why IoT improves digital transformation efficiency From an innovation and digital transformation perspective, IoT can be used to identify bottlenecks in

You can read a hundred articles online that tell you that the Internet of Things is the next stage in marketing.

But for marketers and technologists, focusing on the devices misses the point. It’s all about efficiency, of data intelligence, of fulfilling customer needs, and of customer acquisition.

The business community needs to move from considering the Internet of Things as an intrusive and difficult content platform for messaging, to understanding its power to make marketing simpler.

About the Author Anthony J James is Chief Innovation & Digital Officer of Trinity Consulting Services - a networked marketing strategy, innovation and digital agency that works closely with brands who have a desire to increase their revenues and market share in some of the largest B2B and B2C markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

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The Role of Psychometric Behavioural Assessments in Business

by Kelly Fairhurst

Psychometrics literally means “measurement of the mind� - but what does that mean?

Some managers are initially sceptical and question the role of psychometric assessments in the workplace, brushing them off as inaccurate. This can be the result of relying on psychometrics alone, rather than using them as an integral part of the overall human resources toolkit.

Psychometrics include aptitude/ability tests but also, and arguably even more importantly, personality and behavioural reporting. This is why an increasing number of accountants and consultants are recommending this methodology to their clients, quite apart from the fact that they too can use behavioural reports for their own team building in recruitment, motivation and communication.

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HR Profiling Solutions (the Australasian Master Distributor of the Extended DISC Behavioural Assessment Suite) has found more managers are “recognising the accuracy of the assessments and the potential to use them to improve overall organisational effectiveness.”

Traditionally used only for recruitment, psychometric assessments are now being used in areas such as employee engagement, retention, motivation, team building, leadership, communication, understanding the reasons for non-performance, identifying stress (and its causes), insecurity, uncertainty of role, and a host of other related issues.

Extended DISC is a behavioural assessment tool based on the DISC Theory of William Moulton Marsden, the inventor of the Lie Detector and Wonder Woman comic books.

DISC centres on four main traits of Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S) and Compliance (C), also known as D-Style, I-Style, S-Style and C-Style respectively.

Extended DISC was originally founded in Finland in 1990 by Jukka Sappinen, an independent and forward thinking consultant,

who used a number of psychometric based tools. He was frustrated with the lack of a tool that combined these into one single tool. He developed the Behavioural Assessment Suite based on old and existing theories and statistical data collection methods. Nowadays, Extended DISC is used globally by some of the world’s largest and most successful accounting firms and other multi nationals (as well as many mid-tier and smaller accounting practices, public and private companies, SME’s, recruiters, business coaches and other HR professionals).

Extended DISC found its way to New Zealand via Clyde Colson, a director/partner of various accounting firms over his 45-year career. After retiring from the accounting firm he co-founded, Colson was one of the first in the world to use the Behavioural Assessment Suite founded by Sappinen.

CASE STUDY ONE: Psychometrics used for Recruitment One of the very first success stories of the Extended DISC suite was in Colson’s own accounting business. By the time

he retired from the firm, it had grown from a small accounting practice into one of New Zealand’s leading mid-tier firms. He attributes this to the fact that the firm hired the right people for the positions that needed to be filled.

The firm’s staff turnover was minimal with a very happy environment.

Colson notes it wasn’t always like that, “Until we found Extended DISC, we had the same problems encountered by many accounting firms. Staff turnover was a problem and although we thought we were selecting compatible people, we didn’t always get this right!”

The accounting firm started using Extended DISC as a recruitment tool because they found they couldn’t always read the behavioural style of candidates at their first meeting.

Colson knew that other DISC programs simply reported on a candidate’s conscious behavioural style - the style the candidate perceived they needed to fit the role they were applying for. Today, many businesses still rely only on a candidate’s conscious behavioural style in making their recruitment decisions.

When Colson found that Extended DISC also reported on a candidate’s unconscious behavioural style - their real behavioural style - the firm began to realise the power of Extended

issue no.10 April 2017 25

DISC. The firm knew from day one that candidates had emotional problems, whether they were under pressure, stressed (and the source of that stress), whether they were frustrated, uncertain of their role or feeling insecure, or simply suffering from self-consciousness.

Through the behavioural assessment, the firm was able to tell if the candidate’s behavioural style suited the job requirements.

Certain behavioural styles suit certain tasks better than others. It doesn’t mean the person can’t do that job efficiently - as anyone can learn to do anything - but what it does mean, is they are more likely to lose motivation and be stressed if placed in a position that doesn’t suit their specific style. Similarly, a person appointed to a role suited to their style, is more likely to remain motivated and not be stressed

when under pressure. Knowing a person’s behavioural style allowed the firm to significantly improve their recruitment, motivation and communication outcomes.

The flexibility of Extended DISC meant that Colson could also put the firm through a team assessment. This meant the firm was able to identify their strengths and growth areas.

Colson’s firm became confident about the power and accuracy of the Extended DISC tools, and recommended the use of the products to their clients.

Additionally, they also added a new revenue stream to their accounting practice - a win/win situation.

Colson was so impressed with the system, that by 1998 he had formed an association with a number of Australian firms and acquired the

Australasian franchise of Extended DISC.

CASE STUDY TWO: Mergers made easier with Psychometrics A carefully planned and executed merger with another firm can significantly increase the combined firm’s revenue, help expand into new and niche markets, and bring in talented staff. Although some mergers are hugely successful, others fail due to lack of staff retention or motivation, as well as client and team differences.

The Extended DISC Work Pair Assessment is used to assist firms with mergers. The use of the tool in a merger of two medium sized Australian accounting firms proved to be highly effective.

Some accountants place more emphasis on the importance of

26 spark magazine

people in mergers, acquisitions and similar arrangements than others. Those who do consider the human elements in these situations, eliminate many potential people problems.

Fortunately, the two accounting firms in this case understood the importance of ensuring compatibility and had a clear understanding of the behavioural styles of the people involved.

The two firms were long established businesses that had grown to a point where they found themselves working together in their specialist areas on a number of projects.

It became obvious to the respective boards that both firms could increase their return to shareholders if they went beyond joint venture arrangements and merged the two businesses.

Alongside the merger, there was a huge list of issues that needed to be addressed by the directors. High on the agenda was the importance of retaining the executive teams and their specialist “insider” knowledge.

The first step taken in the merger was to obtain individual

behavioural assessments for every key member of both firms.

This included the directors, and most importantly, the two CEO’s.

The profiles of the CEO’s indicated they were both “strong” characters - it was obvious they both had to be retained to ensure a vibrant and effective business unit going forward. The firms knew this and anticipated some real difficulties if the “people” issues weren’t addressed early in the process. They recognised the similarities in both CEO’s styles and knew their respective responsibilities needed to be clearly defined to avoid communication difficulties and a cross-over of roles, even possible confrontation.

The relative responsibilities of the two CEO’s in the merged organisation became a critical issue. Fortunately, both CEO’s were keen to remain in the business and they also realised they needed to clearly define their respective areas of responsibility.

The answer to the problem became quite a simple matter.

A work pair assessment was

generated comparing the two CEO’s behavioural traits and they simply went through the report line by line and constructed their job descriptions around their respective strengths.

This meant there was a clear distinction of responsibilities that utilised each of their natural behavioural strengths. They also relied heavily on their behavioural assessments in the process as each assessment contained a management and leadership section. This helped the two CEO’s build a large amount of self-awareness about their personal management and leadership styles, such as the way they communicated and motivated their employees.

Within the behavioural assessments, there is a job fit section which determines the best job fit for each person. The merged firm used this to place each person in a role they would excel at, based on their natural behavioural style. This enabled everyone to understand the issues they needed to be careful with in taking on their new roles.

The firm now uses Extended DISC for all recruitment decisions. The enlarged organisation still retains the two original CEO’s in the roles they planned some years ago.

issue no.10 April 2017 27

About the Author Kelly Fairhurst is the general manager at HR Profiling Solutions.

The company operates throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Contact details: +64 9 448 1675 or email: kelly.fairhurst@hrprofiling.com

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issue no.10 April 2017 29

What Customer Experience Statistics Mean for Your Business

by Peter Strohkorb

Have you heard all the recent talk about customer experience and customer centricity?

Would you like to know what the quantified business benefits are and what they could mean for your business?

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H

ere is a selection of customer experience statistics and their sources from around the world for you to answer that question authoritatively.

Here we go: 1. “Increasing customer retention rates by 5 percent could increase profits from 25 percent to 95 percent.” - Harvard Business Review What would you do with that extra profit?

2. “It is 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing customer.” - White House Office of Consumer Affairs How is your customer loyalty program doing?

3. “A customer is four times more likely to buy from a competitor

if the problem is servicerelated, versus price or product-related.” - Bain & Co How can you improve your customer services, pre-sale and post-sale?

4. “Consumers are two-times more likely to share their bad customer service experiences than they are to talk about positive experiences.” - 2012 Global Customer Service Barometer Are you monitoring your social media and online reputation?

5. “A 10 percent increase in customer retention levels result in a 30 percent increase in the value of the company.” - Bain & Co How much more could your business be worth?

6. “Eighty-nine percent of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing

poor customer service.” RightNow Customer Experience Impact Report How many customers have not come back to buy from your business?

7. It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for one negative experience.” - Parature See why it is cheaper to prevent a bad customer experience?

8. “Forty-five percent of companies offering web or mobile selfservice reported an increase in site traffic and reduced phone inquiries.” - CRM Magazine How is your online strategy doing?

9. “Seventy percent of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.” - McKinsey How are your customers feeling right now?

10. “Fifty-five percent of consumers would pay more for a better

issue no.10 April 2017 31

customer experience.” Defaqto Research How does that impact your pricing strategy?

11. “Customer churn is attributed to the poor quality of customer service. - Accenture Maximizing Customer Retention Report How can you ensure a consistently positive customer experience in your business?

12. “Forty-five percent of US consumers will abandon an online transaction if their questions or concerns are not addressed quickly.” - Forrester How long does your business take to respond?

13. “Forty-two percent of service agents are unable to efficiently resolve customer issues due to disconnected systems, archaic user interfaces, and multiple applications.” - Forrester

What shape are your back-end IT systems in?

14. “Customers who engage with companies on social media are more loyal and they spend up to 40 percent more with those customers than other customers.”

- Bain and Co Is your social media strategy up to date?

15. “Australian businesses lose $720 per bad customer experience.” Ernst and Young How much is your business losing?

16. “Only 31 percent of organizations recognize and reward employees across the company for improving the customer experience.” Forrester Research Are you rewarding the right people in your business?

About the Author Peter Strohkorb is an international business consultant, a published author, a professional speaker and an Executive MBA guest lecturer at the Sydney Business School. pstrohkorb@eterstrohkorbconsulting.com

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SME Machinery Financing Tips

by Colin White

issue no.10 April 2017 33

T

raditionally it has been difficult, and sometimes impossible for SMEs to obtain equipment finance. Banks generally require full justification of financial position, detailed sets of accounting information, and ask owners to jump through multiple hoops of red tape. They also insist on securing loans against SME owners’ homes or other assets, restricting future financing and investment options.

funding. Some of the most profitable businesses have been brought undone by restrictions on their working capital, or delays in accessing facilities.

Asset Leasing Experts (ALE) is an established player in the market with a new product that does not require financials, mandates little or no additional security other than the asset, and doesn’t secure against home or personal property, for approved purchases of vehicles up to $150,000, and equipment up to $55,000. The company offers interest rates from 4.2% and approvals are usually given in less than 24 hours.

Despite what banks sometimes tell their customers about the security they have, almost always the bank cross collateralises the security. That is, each facility is effectively interconnected and so therefore is the security, whether it’s equipment, the factory, the SME owner’s home or other investments.

As such, the bank can exercise a great deal of influence over SME actions, perhaps when owners least want that.

Here are ALE’s top machinery financing tips:

TIP # 2: CHOOSE THE BEST FINANCE

TIP # 1: PRESERVE YOUR WORKING CAPITAL

SMEs should consider:

For SMEs, the most important component can be access, in a timely manner, to sufficient

While it can be tempting to purchase capital equipment from reserve funds or utilise facilities from your bank, this is often not in the best long-term interests of the business. It may be better to use those funds or credit facilities to pay creditors, buy stock or fund expansion of the business, or for a ‘rainy day’.

Once businesses pay cash for anything, their bank will usually have a charge over it under the security for banking facilities. So often it is not possible to finance the asset with an independent financier after the event.

•

Cash flow – Choose the option that will match equipment finance cost with the income from the asset or free cash

within the business. This is especially important if income is seasonal or there is a lead time between commissioning the equipment and it becoming fully utilised.

•

Useful life – Some assets will become obsolete quicker than others, or need replacement sooner depending upon how they are utilised. For example, computer hardware will most likely achieve technical obsolescence far quicker than a truck or laser cutter. However, a laser cutter press used one shift per day will last much longer than one being utilised three shifts per day.

•

Tax effective – Different assets are deemed to have different depreciation rates and poor selection of finance structures can reduce the tax effectiveness of capital equipment purchases.

Similarly, utilisation of equipment (e.g. three shifts per day) can also have an impact on the useful life of the equipment, when it should be replaced and what its value is at the end of the finance term.

•

Minimise security offered – In the early stages of business, SMEs may have to offer real estate security to obtain bank facilities. Owners should look to have the surplus security released once their business achieves an agreed financial position, or to minimise the exposure to debt with financiers holding property security.

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In the post-GFC environment, banks are looking to cross sell products to customers and try and tie them to the bank every way possible, which is great for the bank, but often not in the best interests of the SME, particularly if the business enters a difficult cash flow period.

During the ‘GFC’ the largest number of enquiries from businesses to finance brokers was regarding restructuring debt or reducing the influence of the primary bank. These lessons should not be forgotten, as banks become easier to deal with.

Use anyone except your bank to finance capital equipment.” This rule of thumb continues to remain true. It is vital SMEs only use available funds for working capital and not to purchase Also, don’t overexpose the business to any one financier, as this may limit the funds available

to the business when needs arise. In addition, be aware of charges registered under the PPSA legislation. Nearly all business are required to provide these charges, however many business owners don’t truly understand what control this gives the bank over their business.

Choose the best financier It is important SMEs have more than one option available and shouldn’t restrict themselves to just one bank or finance provider. SMEs will be better served with access to multiple financiers. It is not uncommon, in the post GFC environment, for financiers to have different credit appetites for equipment, or not understand what different equipment does, or the benefits it can offer.

Equipment purchases can require deposits to be paid or letters of credit to be issued, and each bank has its own requirements. It is not uncommon for banks to force their preferences onto customers and suppliers, whereas an alternate financier may be far more cooperative in providing the facility in the preferred manner and without the need for

real estate or other security.

In summary, don’t end up with a concentration issue with your finances by putting all of your eggs in one basket.

Don’t be disheartened when a financier says no to an application.

At times this relates more to their internal requirements than the customers.

This is often seen with second hand machine tools. equipment, as it’s almost impossible to release equity in equipment.

Top Tip Summary While it can be tempting to purchase capital equipment from funds or utilise facilities from a bank, this is often not in the best long-term interests of the business and it may be better to use those funds or credit facilities to pay creditors, buy stock or fund expansion of the business, or even just to keep available for a “rainy day.”

issue no.10 April 2017 35

Once businesses pay cash for anything, their bank will usually have a charge over it under the security for their banking facilities, so often it is not possible to finance it with an independent financier after the event.

“Use anyone except your bank to finance capital equipment.” This rule of thumb continues to remain true. It is vital SMEs only use available funds for working capital and not to purchase equipment, as it’s almost impossible to release equity in equipment. SMEs will be better served with access to multiple financiers. Don’t end up with a concentration issue with finances by putting all eggs in one basket.

About the Author Colin White is the CEO of AEL. Colin@assetlendingexperts.com +61 498 145 934

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Business Developme n t Tips from an Expert Q&A wit h Pa

ul Kennedy

CA

issue no.10 April 2017 37

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Spark Magazine talked to Brisbane based business planner and developer, Paul Kennedy, CA, Principal of PGV Consulting, about business development: Paul, why do you think some professional advisers struggle in this area? What hurdles normally stand in their way?

Most professional advisers are qualified and trained in a particular field or discipline (e.g. legal, accounting, engineering, medicine, financial services). However, that doesn’t mean they are qualified and trained in business development.

And even more importantly, it doesn’t mean they enjoy business development. If you’re not qualified and trained to do something (and you don’t enjoy it), there’s a likelihood you’ll put it off, or avoid it altogether.

In my own case, I’m not good at doing repairs and maintenance around the house. Because of that, I don’t enjoy doing those jobs. In fact, I hate them with a passion! These days, I’ve learnt it’s better to employ someone who is qualified and enjoys that sort of work (you can only ask friends and neighbours so many times). I’ve also gained a healthy respect and

admiration for people who are good at the things I don’t like doing, no matter what it is, because I value their service.

Perhaps that’s an alternative - if it’s just not your thing, consider using the services of someone who is trained and enjoys business development to do so on your behalf.

You are active in the business to business area but have also worked in business to consumer. What differences do you see in B2B vs B2C business development?

Yes, my background is mainly business to business, although I have also worked in the business to consumer arena (mainly to business owners, senior executives and people in the professional service fields). I found that more difficult because these people are usually more focused on looking after their clients than they are on looking after themselves. It’s a bit like the plumber who looks after their clients really well, but neglects their own needs. You do get there but it takes a bit longer.

Always focus on why this prospective client should deal with

you? (What is in it for them - not what’s in it for you). If you are good at what you do and you always do the right thing by your clients, success will follow.

Do you belong to any networking groups or attend regular business networking functions? How successful are these events or what makes them successful?

Yes, I belong to a number of professional, business and community related groups. I attend lots of functions, not all specifically networking events, but networking happens at all of them, it’s just human nature. It helps that I enjoy these events, whether they are professional, business or community related, or simply social, and it keeps me close to my ‘ideal clients’.

If you meet someone, always follow up with a phone call or email ... let them know what you do, be interested in what they do ... create the mutual opportunity!

One of the questions in the area of business development is how long should one chase or keep calling a prospect who isn’t responding? Any thoughts or tips you can share from your experiences?

issue no.10 April 2017 39

Not everyone you meet is going to be your ideal client, and not everyone you meet is going to do business with you. Accept that fact.

However, if you believe a particular organisation or person is your ideal client, you want to create every opportunity to win their business.

Give it your best shot. There is no silver bullet that is guaranteed to always win their business. You will often be surprised how new business comes about and where it comes from.

There is also no single answer to how long you should chase or keep calling a prospect who isn’t responding. It depends on the industry, lead times, the prospect’s particular circumstances, their reasons for not responding, etc. You can always ask directly if they see themselves using your products or services, and if so, in what circumstances and timeframe.

If after a worthy time, plus a bit more, you’re still not making any headway, then back off and move onto more fertile ground. But still keep in touch from time to time.

Always create the opportunity.

Always, or almost always, keep the door open!

Finally Paul, what’s your number one business development tip?

Identify who your ‘ideal clients’ are.

Build a profile of your ideal clients – the industries they are they in; their demographics; their characteristics and traits; why they are your ideal clients; and what makes them your ideal clients.

Generally, there isn’t just one type of ideal client. Typically you will have many different types of ideal clients, across a wide range of industries, each with different characteristics and a different profile. Identify them all, prioritise them, and then set about getting your story in front of them.

Also think through why you are the best solution for their particular situation and needs.

In communicating with that prospective client, focus on the benefits to them of dealing with you.

Time for your “stadium pitch”. You are standing before 30,000 people and have 30 seconds to get them to come and have a coffee with you.

You step up and say…

Business development is easy. All you have to do is:

•

Identify your ideal clients (the type of organisations and people you want to do business with)

•

Invest your time with your ideal clients (this is how you should spend your day - it is your business activity plan)

•

Constantly surround yourself with your ideal clients

•

Know what your ideal clients want

•

Be the best there is at delivering what they want

•

You can’t be everywhere, so tell people what you do, how you operate, who your ideal clients are, etc.

•

Appoint everyone you know as your business development manager (so if they hear of an opportunity, they can refer your ideal clients to you)

•

Keep it simple

•

Love and enjoy what you do!

About the Author Paul Kennedy CA is the Principal of PGV Consulting: www. pgvconsulting.com.au that helps organisations identify and secure their ideal clients.

He may be contacted at paulk@pgvconsulting.com.au

32 spark magazine 40

Aligning Sales and Marketing Teams

by Peter Strohkorb

Marketing and sales people can talk more about teach other, than to each other.

However to grow the business they should work together effectively.

issue no.10 April 2017 41

These comments about marketing by sales people can signal an issue:

recommended solutions, and projected outcomes.

•

Sign #1: The sales reps are not achieving their sales targets.

•

“The sales leads we get from marketing are useless. They may as well give me the phone book.”

“Sales brings in the money, and marketing spends it.”

Conversely, marketers may say this about their sales peers: •

• •

“We give them good sales leads, but they are too lazy or too incompetent to follow them up.”

“What would sales reps know about marketing anyway?”

“Marketers have university degrees, sales reps don’t.”

“Over 67 percent of Sales professionals do not achieve their personal sales quota.”

Source: The TAS Group.

Solution Give your sales and marketing leaders the ability to monitor what content the top representatives use. Use that information to boost the performance of your lower performing sales team members.

Result

Above and below the surface

Improved sales performance across the board, leveraging the sales know-how of top sales performers for the entire sales team.

The symptoms of non-alignment can be more subtle or manifest themselves in different ways.

Here are the seven common signs of poor marketing and sales collaboration, together with

Sign #2: The sales force does not fully utilise marketing’s collateral and sales leads. Even worse, sales reps are spending their precious time creating their own marketing material, instead of selling.

“Only 25 percent of sales leads and collateral that Marketing creates is ever used by sales teams.” Source: IDC. Solution Establish a collaborative feedback mechanism between sales and marketing that focuses both teams on what really works for our customers and prospects.

Result Sales representatives now sell more, faster, because marketing now receives valuable information straight from the front line to support salespeople more effectively.

Sign #3: The sales team do not use the CRM system properly. The sales pipeline is out of control.

Too many sales opportunities are being deferred.

“Up to 60 percent of sales leads are stuck at ‘Do Nothing”, that is, at ‘wait and see.” Source: Sales Benchmark Index.

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Solution

sales and marketing efforts.

More effective collaboration between marketing and sales gives the sales force the information, subject matter insight and the argumentation they need to advance and close deals faster.

“More than half of the information that marketers use comes from their previous experience, or from their intuition.” Source: IDC.

Result Time to sale is significantly reduced and the sales force is much more confident in dealing with more senior executive buyers.

Sign #4: Newly hired sales reps take too long to become productive.

“Almost 78% of newly hired team members take six months or longer to become fully proficient at selling.” Source: Accenture Solution Help sales teams to ramp up more quickly through training bolstered by fast and easy access to the right marketing collateral and information.

Result Increased sales performance across the board by helping the sales team to access the right content at the right time.

Sign #5: There is no a clear picture of what customers think of our

Solution Have an independent third party interview customers to help understand where opportunities for improvement exist. Work with sales and marketing teams towards a more collaborative and customerfocused mindset that sets the business up for growth.

Result The insight needed to grow our business because the marketing and sales teams have clarity on customers’ experience to improve marketing materials and sales techniques to boost performance.

Sign #6: Valuable sales know-how and corporate knowledge walks out every night in the sales team’s heads.

Solution Retain valuable sales know-how within the business by capturing it from high performing sales champions, and infuse average performers with it.

Result

By capturing ever-growing sales know-how, “Tribal Knowledge” and intellectual property a company reduces its risk of high performers moving on without leaving their knowledge behind.

Sign #7: The company does not attract and retain enough high performing talent.

Solution Work with leaders and their teams to establish a collaborative mindset to create the kind of team environment that encourages people to give their best, to boost engagement and to lift performance.

Result Attract more high performers to the organisation who stay longer because staff engagement is lifted right across the entire business. The new high-performing work environment is now based on empowerment and collaboration, and attracts a superior calibre of candidates.

About the Author Peter Strohkorb is an international expert speaker, author and business coach. His company specialises in helping innovative medium-tolarge organisations dramatically boost their sales and marketing productivity. pstrohkorb@ peterstrohkorbconsulting.com

issue no.10 April 2017 43

44 spark magazine

5 ways to seek the employee you really want

by SEEK

issue no.10 April 2017 45

H

ands up if you enjoy the recruitment process: coming up with the ad, going through the applications, running interviews and, finally, making the perfect choice – that’ll be the candidate who slots into your business as if they were always there.

It might work for some but for many small businesses the reality is quite different.

Someone’s resigned and you’ve got a couple of weeks to replace them: advertise, interview, and hope the successful candidate is available

immediately. Then there’s the downtime while they’re trained in your processes and the worry about whether they’re fitting in.

“Small businesses generally recruit for staff because a gap has unexpectedly opened in the business,” said SEEK spokesperson, Kendra Banks.

“So it can be difficult to get the recruitment process underway because many small business operators are already busy with their day-to-day tasks,” Banks continued.

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Fear of hiring the wrong person can also be a factor in delaying the process.

“It’s a common that many small business operators worry about choosing a new employee who will fit in with the team and workplace culture, and positively represent the company’s brand that’s been built up over time.

But, rushing through the recruitment process without careful thought is risky too.

The answer may be to take a deep breath and set aside the time to work through the process thoroughly.

With that in mind, Banks, who is a Senior Manager at SEEK, , has provided some top hiring tips:

But don’t overdo it, she warns. “If you have a long list of requirements and skills, you can deter some applicants, particularly women.

SEEK recently analysed its job application data and saw that women were less likely to apply for a job if their work experience doesn’t meet all the selection criteria, whereas men are happy to meet 70 per cent of the requirements,” said Banks.

SEEK research also found that 69 per cent of Australian candidates called out that any more than seven role responsibilities (the day-to-day tasks of the role) in a job ad would serve as a deterrent to applying.

2. Understand what candidates may want

1. Think carefully about what you need before you advertise

Put yourself in candidates’ shoes for this one. What are they most interested in?

“If you’re in a rush to advertise,” says Banks, “there’s a risk you won’t be clear about the role you’re trying to fill and the person you’re looking for.”

Obviously, salary is important but they will also want to know about the opportunities to move up the career ladder, and whether there are flexible hours.

“For example, at SEEK we’ve had cases where we’ve advised clients that the job ad is asking too much of one person, so may not be attracting the best candidates,” Banks said.

“Any other benefits such as parking and proximity to public transport and childcare facilities can also be a selling point,” says Banks.

“Be clear about the duties and responsibilities of the role and the education, qualifications, personal characteristics and experience candidates should have.”

A SEEK study discovered that 81 per cent of Australian jobseekers believe that it’s important that ‘the advertiser is completely honest in all aspects of the job advertised,’ and a further 75 per cent said that it’s essential ‘salary, commissions and bonuses are not overstated.’

“There can be a disconnect between what employers are trying to get across in their ad and what candidates are looking for.”

“Sometimes it will seem as if it’s all about the employer’s requirements but candidates are looking for the benefits of joining a workplace,” she says.

You can make sure both yours and the potential candidates’ needs are met by simply making your workplace benefits a prominent feature.

“There’s definitely an advantage to an employer who thinks about the role being offered from the candidate’s perspective. Make sure when you’re crafting your ad, or even screening or interviewing, you’re thinking through the positive things about your organisation that would make someone want to work there.”

3. Write your ad clearly Looking for a Chief Chatter (call centre manager), Retail Jedi (retail assistant) or a Wizard of Light Bulb Moments (marketing director)? Then advertise all you like but chances are you’ll miss out on candidates who won’t be able to find your ad because of the wacky title.

issue no.10 April 2017 47

“Fun titles like these (which were taken from real CVs sent to a UK firm) don’t necessarily get picked up when candidates are searching online,” says Banks.

“It’s a basic problem but it can be a big one. At SEEK we advise hirers to advertise their jobs with a role title that the person they are seeking would be searching for.

“

The role title is used in a lot of our SEEK algorithms for candidate searches as well as how we match your ads with our database.”

While creating the right job title is important, it is also essential that employers do not overcomplicate

the role by including too much detail in the job ad.

SEEK’s Guaranteed Hire product may be useful.

If you’re not accustomed to writing job ads, SEEK’s guided ad writing feature steps you through the process.

“We just ask for a brief and then we craft the ad, work out what kind of promotion it needs and how to get it in front of the right candidates,” said Banks.

“We encourage people who aren’t confident in ad writing to use that feature,” said Banks.

“We also encourage employers to use our live chat feature while they’re creating an ad. Our team are always there to provide help and support and to critique ads.”

Alternatively, if you know you’re in a tough hiring market and good candidates may be hard to find,

“You deal with one person through the whole process and it helps save you from the pressure of the recruitment process.“ “We often hear employers say that hiring can be a lonely process so people appreciate it when there’s someone at the other end of the line who is with them through the whole process,” she says.

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Understanding how certain key words can make a difference in job ads is also important. More than two-thirds of all searches on SEEK include a keyword search, according to the SEEK Small Business Guide. For example, early childhood workers may search for mentions of ‘Diploma’ or ‘Certificate III’.

In an overview on how to structure a job ad, the guide says easy-to-read ads with lots of white space and bolded subheadings will help to entice candidates to read and apply.

It suggests writing your ad as if you’re talking directly to the candidate, using short sentences with action words – such as drive, develop, manage, create and build – and telling the candidates a little bit about your business and how it works.

4. Be prepared when the applications roll in Some employers are so relieved to finally have their job ad sorted, they forget about what’s going to happen when the ad goes live.

Depending on the job and the market, you may be hit by an avalanche of responses.

Technology has come to the rescue with automatic screening of all candidates available to help identify candidates who do not meet all of the role requirements.

Banks says employers can choose certain screening questions that candidates are required to answer, which can assist in ranking candidates based on their responses.

“SEEK’s Candidate Management Platform is a great tool that hirers can use to keep track of candidates, using filters such as ‘shortlist’ or ‘unsuitable’.

“This Candidate Management Platform been specifically designed for small to medium businesses to help them save time,” said Banks.

5. Protect your brand Don’t forget to keep all candidates up to date on what’s happening.

According to SEEK research, closing the loop with candidates is paramount during the recruitment process. The research found that providing feedback on unsuccessful applications, followed by providing notification of unsuccessful applications were the best things companies could do to ensure candidates maintained a positive view of their brand.

“

The number one pain point of candidates is not hearing back from hirers about where they are in the process,” revealed Banks.

“We’d encourage employers to take the time to use our tools, such as bulk email, to let candidates know.

“

Remember: every person that applies is also a potential customer or may know someone who is,” Banks added.

It’s also important to note that candidates are likely to

issue no.10 April 2017 49

be assessing your company

long before they submit a job application.

“Our SEEK research suggests that almost three-in-four Australians start researching potential employers in the very early stages of their job search,” Banks said.

“This demonstrates just how important reputation and communication around employer brand is to jobseekers.”

Recruitment is a process that takes time and careful thought, but with the available tools and technology at your fingertips, you can make it as painless as possible. Better still, if you put the effort in you can help protect the future of your business.

About the Author SEEK can be contacted on 1300 658 700

50 spark magazine

Women in leadership

by Karen Williams

W

hat I’m learning is that women feel:

•

• •

There is a lack of representation of women at senior levels; That pay equality is still a tough fight; and That gender diversity is something we need to raise more awareness about.

Here’s an outsider’s perspective.

Outsider in that I’m not qualified by any institution or position to have an opinion; except that, of course, I am a woman and work in the space of leadership every day.

What if the number of women in leadership, the pay and awareness problems were not really the problem? What if they were the symptoms? Not merely of tired patriarchal governance, but of the unconscious resistance we as women have to being a leader in an innately incongruent system.

What if, even though we’re fighting

hard with our determined minds to be recognised as equal leaders, we unconsciously don’t want to be leaders in the current structure?

What if the struggle, the wrestle and the fight we are so consumed by, are all a smoke screen we continue to distract ourselves with? Also we can avoid the very vulnerability we would need to embody, to create ourselves as the kind of leaders we really want to be, and believe the world needs?

Do we really think the best we have within us is to spend a lifetime fighting a system that clearly doesn’t work, complaining and pushing against it, blaming men, and the system they created, for their treatment of us?

“

Have we not considered that we can create leadership from a whole new paradigm?

Because here’s what I think - we are way more powerful than we are pretending to be. We behave like we need permission to lead,

issue no.10 April 2017 51

52 spark magazine

permission to be equal. Why do we get caught up in the idea that we were designed to be equal anyway?

Isn’t that such a small game to play?

Through our own thinking and behaviour, operating solely inside the realm of what we already know, we are buying into the conversation for inequality and in doing so, enabling and expanding the very thing we are fighting to change.

Yes, I know there’s an embedded system in place that tidily keeps its lid on women as it sees fit. But at some level, by our own acknowledgement and participation in the protest, we are buying into this game we say we detest.

What if we took the higher road, stood aside from the struggle and resistance, and consciously created what we really want?

What if we heeded the need for collaborative, inclusive, community based leadership, trusted the calling within us and stepped into those roles through the permission

we give to ourselves?

What would leadership look like if we were willing to take 100% responsibility for creating it the way we want, let everyone else off the hook, and got to work on a new way, rather than working hard to change a system that requires convincing others that they are wrong and should want what we want?

The system was created as it was. But that’s not the fault of the men and women who currently manage or deliver it. Yes, they enable and allow it through their own participation, agree with it or are suffocated by it, but that’s a symptom of their own conditioning and unconscious level at which they live their lives.

We are all conditioned.

But what if we went first? What if we gave up the fight against men and what we think they already have, and instead, with courage and belief, embrace and express our innate and unique qualities and gifts as women?

What then could we provide for the world, that it desperately needs right now?

When Jessica (not her real name) began coaching she had held a senior leadership position for a number of years. She was well-respected as an articulate, intelligent, passionate performer, though was increasingly frustrated with familiar blocks she kept bumping up against.

Jessica was a hard-hitter on the inside, but wasted precious energy smoothing over her harsh edges to avoid being perceived as ‘bossy’ or a bully. Jessica’s time and effort in pandering to the perceived needs of others left her silently unfulfilled in her role, and stifled in her progression. She desperately wanted to move forward but the “masculine” model of leadership she’d adopted had left her without the resources to grow in the way she wanted, and the business needed. It had also left her with a very blurry line between work and home, impacting the quality of connection and intimacy she experienced with her husband.

When I began coaching Jessica, she

issue no.10 April 2017 53

had previously employed other strategies - useful and practical tools, proven methods, mindset shifts and big stretch goals, but none of them supported a breakthrough into a new level of success.

While Jessica excelled at directing, controlling, providing structure, and making decisions, there were other less definable qualities she had not learned to develop.

People perform at their best when they feel heard, valued, included, challenged, trusted and safe.

Creating these conditions in a team requires the leader to engage an holistic approach.

Feminine qualities like compassion, sensitivity, intuition, connection and listening exist naturally within all of us, yet are not explicitly owned and modelled widely in business. In fact, they can be seen as weak, time-wasters and unnecessary. However, these qualities are essential to the kind of leadership that brings out the very best in others.

Asking women or men in leadership to connect with their “inner feminine” can be asking someone to take an unfamiliar and terrifying leap into vulnerability, yet this is exactly what is needed to support the development of interdependent, engaged and inspired teams. This is a new leadership paradigm where women can choose to lead the way, embracing and demonstrating their natural gifts and strengths.

Six weeks into our coaching, Jessica had begun transforming how she was communicating, relating and leading, both at work and at home. She was letting go of the need to control and direct

people, and developing her ability to connect, engage, empower, collaborate and inspire. Results were improving, people felt trusted and included. They wanted to do more, inspired by their own and their team’s development. Twelve weeks in, Jessica was promoted to the role she was hoping to fill in one to two years’ time.

About the Author Karen Williams is an interruption, a coach, facilitator and trainer who has worked in the space of transformation for over 16 years. She works with leaders in business, professionally and privately, one on one and in groups.

Karen@iamkarenwilliams.com or http://iamkarenwilliams.com

54 spark magazine

The Business Builders Group

issue no.10 April 2017 55 Who is BBG? Business Builders Group (BBG) is much more than a runof-the-mill “Networking” or “Referral Marketing” group. It’s a “Collaboration,” one that helps SME owners and leaders develop and grow their businesses.

Each BBG Chapter of 20 - 30 noncompeting members meets once a month at a breakfast forum. They network, mastermind, learn, and co-operatively overcome business challenges in a way that helps them get to know, like and trust one another.

Each Forum is run by a professional facilitator, and is supported by best-of-breed referral tools and training resources.

From the first Forum you attend, you will walk away with new skills and insights that will help you grow your businesses.

Then, over time, as the other members get to know like and trust you, the collaborations will begin to flourish and the referrals will begin to flow.

BBG members own or manage cash flow positive businesses and are looking to take their business “to the next level.” They are not solo operators struggling to make a profit.

Driving Business Growth In a world where media fragmentation is making it increasingly expensive to generate new leads and the ever-increasing demands on SME owners leave most of us without the time or energy to make cold calls or attend “yet another fruitless networking event,” Business Builders Group offers new hope.

Built by referral marketing specialists, run by professional business development experts, and supported by best-of-breed referral tools and training resource, Business Builders Group is redefining the business growth process.

If you want to accelerate your business growth and are willing to invest just $4 a day and three hours a month, Business Builders Group might just be the answer you’ve been looking for.

10 Reasons to Consider Joining the Business Builders Group Highly skilled facilitators run each Chapter and will point you in the right direction for additional training and support, if required.

Training provided to help you get your business referral-ready and maximise your lead conversion rate.

Only three hours a month of your time required (of which only 1.5 hours fall inside normal working hours).

More leads delivered by our structured referral process, training and best-of-breed tools.

Problem solving provided to help you address the business issues that are keeping you awake at night.

Knowledge sharing between members of your Chapter will help you build your skills and contact base Referrals made easy by a bestof-breed mobile app. Send and receive leads with just three taps.

Selective membership screening to place you in a group of complementary non-competing businesses.

Development pathways available to assist with further training and development for you and your staff Affordable - at less than $4 a day your membership will cost less than the price of a cup of coffee.

The road to great learning is never a straight line...

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