How Not to Sell Supply Chain Staffing

It's not always easy to admit you need a helping hand. Many organizations would rather exhaust their internal teams and totally deplete their resources than leverage third-party support. This is often especially true where staffing is concerned. Understandably, hiring managers and Human Resources teams are likely to trust their own instincts and insights over those of an outside operator.

Supply Chain recruiters and staffing firms don't help themselves when they lean on sales pitches to sweeten the deal.

This week on the Source One Podcast, staffing expert Andrew Jones discusses some of the strategies he's employed to evidence his understanding and promote his services without coming off like a salesperson.

Jones suggests that thorough research tends to separate the sales-y nuisances from the welcome strategic partners. Before reaching out to any applicant or organization, Jones takes time to immerse himself in relevant information. That way, he can enter each conversation armed with impactful insights rather than empty sales rhetoric.

Throughout this process, Jones considers people his most valuable resource. "You'll learn far more," he says, "in one conversation than you'll learn in ten articles. As useful as many blogs and publications are, they can't provide what a detailed discussion will." Hearing practitioners describe their pain points and daily concerns has helped Jones distinguish himself as an authority even in new and unfamiliar areas.

Interestingly enough, Jones finds the most productive conversations are often the most negative. The costs of a mismatched hire are myriad. Sharing these figures, Jones believes, inspires far more action than simply speaking to the benefits of third-party staffing.

Subscribe to the Source One Podcast today to hear the rest of the conversation.