We Asked About Careers in Sales; Sales Managers Answered.
Whether you’re pursuing a career in sales, or you’re considering one, working in sales is exciting, challenging, and highly rewarding! A career in sales can benefit you by helping you find focus, teaching you to set ambitious goals and achieve them, and by showing you the value of helping others reach their goals, as well. We asked a group of sales managers about what they believe to be the best and most rewarding aspects of working in sales, and the results are in. Check out our findings in the sales infographic below:
Career in Sales Infographic: The Benefits of Working in Sales
A career in sales can have a profound impact on you and your future success. Even if you only work in sales for a short time, gaining sales experience can increase your value to a potential employer by expanding and improving your skillset. It can also bolster your leadership ability by putting you in a position to mentor others, to help them achieve their own career goals and aspirations.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
How to Be a Successful Salesperson: Utilizing the Traits of Successful People
What does it take to be a successful salesperson? One of the best ways to unlock your real sales potential is to look at the traits of successful people in other fields. Whether it’s astrophysics or technology or sports, there are a number of traits that successful people share. Discover what those traits are here, and find out how you can utilize them to become the most successful salesperson you can be.
Passion
It’s nearly impossible to be successful in any arena if you aren’t passionate about what you do. It takes long hours and hard work to get to the top of any field. If you’re not passionate about what you do, it makes it that much harder to put in the effort. But when you love what you do, all those sacrifices you make for the job no longer seem like work. They feel worth it, because this is what you were meant to do.
Innovation
Innovation is one of the main traits of successful people that pops up in nearly every field. But how, exactly, do you tap into the creativity that leads to innovation? Try looking at the obstacles in your life. It may seem counterintuitive, but every obstacle has an upside. It provides you with a way to find a solution. Ideas are born from the combination of a need to accomplish a task and a fresh perspective. Keep your eyes open for novel solutions that others may not see. Keep your ears open to listen for obstacles that others might have. Ask questions that can uncover the root of the obstacle, and you’ll unleash your inner innovator in no time.
Self-Improvement
Think about your favorite sports figure for a moment. They are exciting to watch—thrilling even. You root for them and you’re disappointed when they lose. Now imagine if you found out they no longer showed up to training and refused to practice. It wouldn’t take long for you to find someone else to cheer for, would it? Self-improvement is a process that never ends. There’s always room for you to be grow, improve your skills, and become a more successful salesperson. There really is no such thing as a plateau, because there is always more to learn. Maintain a student mentality to avoid becoming complacent. Look for ways to further your education, your technique, and your motivation to ensure long-term success!
Self-Reliance
Successful people don’t become successful through luck. Luck is merely means being prepared when an opportunity arrives. You have to develop your skills and position yourself in a space where opportunity exists. That way you are ready, available, and capable to meet your opportunities head on. Remember that a successful salesperson can thrive in any market, because when you are living up to your potential, you create your own success.
Provide Value
You’re never really selling goods or services; what you are always selling is solutions. Your clients have problems that they need resolved, and you have the means to resolve them. Listen carefully to your client, and ask them questions that get to the root of what their issues are. Then, you are poised to add value to their day-to-day life. Think about Martha Stewart. She mastered the skill of making a beautiful home, and in turn, she sold the solutions she discovered along the way to millions of people across the country and benefitted their lives.
Failure is inevitable, and the ability to work through it and keep yourself dedicated to your goals is one of the defining traits of successful people. There are countless examples of this. Sir James Dyson created 5,126 failed prototypes before creating a bagless vacuum that worked. Dyson Vacuums is now valued at billions of dollars. Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers. Stephen King threw away an entire early draft of Carrie because he was unsatisfied with his product. His wife saved it from the trash and it eventually launched his career. Every failure is a chance to learn, to adapt, and to refine your approach.
Self-Control
A successful sales person doesn’t need anyone other than themselves to hold them accountable. Similarly, you are the only person who truly knows just how valuable you are to a team. While your manager will set certain expectations of you based on your potential, to really excel, you should set even higher standards for yourself. You know what you are capable of. You have the discipline to achieve success. You must answer to yourself at the end of every day.
Exceed Expectations
There’s an old sales saying, “under-commit and over-deliver.” But what happens when you over-commit and still over-deliver? Successful people do more than what is asked of them. They think of their job description as where their job starts, and then they look to add even more value to their team. In addition to proving to others that they are a team player, their work really stands out.
Goal-Oriented
Across all disciplines, it is a proven trait of successful people to remain goal-oriented in spite of any and all surrounding circumstances. The key to obtaining the goals you set for yourself is to approach them strategically. Differentiate short term goals from long term goals and prioritize your progress accordingly. Realize that long term goals are often made up of a number of more easily actionable short term goals. Tackle those short-term goals one by one, and soon you will discover you have achieved the success you deserve.
Be sure to check the Cydcor Blog regularly for more tips on how to become the successful salesperson you are meant to be!
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Self-confidence is a quality that can affect almost every part of your life including peer perceptions, decision-making, job performance, and growth opportunities. Learning to feel comfortable in your own skin and believe in yourself can do much more than just improve your well-being, it can directly impact the course of your career. Having low self-confidence can prevent you from accepting challenges that might help you get ahead, it can stop you from asking for the salary or title you know you deserve, and it can hamper your journey toward roles of greater leadership and responsibility. Learning to build confidence in yourself and helping others develop their own self-confidence, can improve you and your team’s prospects for success. Learn how to build confidence in yourself and others with these helpful tips.
If you doubt your own qualifications or question whether you deserve your job, you’re not alone. What you’re feeling is called “imposter syndrome,” and it affects many successful people, from executives to founders, causing them to doubt their abilities no matter how many great accomplishments they have achieved. You have earned your place, and nobody can take away the work it took to get there. Here are a few ways to start acting like you belong right now: hold your head high, make eye contact when speaking with coworkers, and shake hands firmly. Body language goes a long way toward conveying to coworkers that you belong there, and not only will it build confidence in yourself, it will build others’ confidence in you, as well.
Know your Stuff
Confident people always seem to know what they’re talking about, and that’s because many confident people maintain a student mentality. They constantly seek out and absorb vital information to strengthen their expertise and provide more value to others. When you know your stuff, you’re prepared for tough questions, and your coworkers and team members will notice. Being an expert in your field holds a lot of credibility, and being knowledgeable helps your team members feel more confident about your leadership and about their own chances for success as part of your team.
Help Each Other
Mentoring others can help you feel more confident. Helping others master critical job skills forces you to hone your own knowledge of those skills, while also improving your ability to communicate essential information to others. Collaboration and coaching also builds confidence in others by helping them feel well prepared and informed to conquer the tasks ahead of them.
Work Through Mistakes
When someone lacks confidence, even the slightest mistakes can haunt them. When you or members of your team make mistakes, avoid placing blame or dwelling on what went wrong. Instead, work together to develop a strategy to move forward and avoid that same mistake in the future. The process will help build your own confidence as a leader or colleague, and it will help your team member feel supported and reassured that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Knowing that you have their back can make team members and colleagues feel more self-assured and confident about the work environment and their chances of success.
Recognize the Value in Others
As you work with your team, you’ll see the value each of your team members bring, whether that be a skillset or mindset. Recognize team members’ individual contributions, and they will bring that value more confidently to the table. People love to be recognized for things they do well, and they appreciate being coached to overcome their weaknesses. By recognizing things your team members do well, they’ll do the same for you, helping to build confidence for the entire team.
Realize is Normal to Doubt Yourself
People don’t like to admit it, but self-doubt is normal. Everyone has doubts and worries about not being the best, the smartest, or the most liked, and even the most confident people struggle to keep those doubts from derailing their goals. Once you recognize that, it levels the playing field. No longer is that keynote speaker an unapproachable business guru, he’s just another person trying to make it, just like you. Remember that your doubts and insecurities are just feelings, and they don’t define you or represent your real potential. Don’t let them stop you from going after your dreams.
Learning how to build confidence starts with just acting the part. Practice using confident body language, even when you’re feeling uncertain inside. Sometimes, the image we present on the outside, helps us begin to feel the part on the inside as well. Use the tips above to bolster your own feelings of self-confidence, and whenever possible, help to support others who may also be feeling uncertain. By focusing on others’ journeys toward growth, you distract from your own self-doubt while helping someone else achieve his or her goals. Throughout that process, you’ll discover that, not only will they become more confident, but you will as well.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Who doesn’t want to be more influential? People who are influential can drive others to accomplish more and achieve goals, they can inspire action, effect change, and transform people and organizations. Influential people are powerful. They command attention and they garner respect. Being influential means that what you say and do matters, because it sets the tone for others who will strive to follow in your footsteps.
Improve your Skills: To build influence with others, you must first master your own skills. People want to learn from people they believe have expertise, experience, and valuable knowledge to impart. Wielding influence requires an ongoing focus on self-improvement, growth, and polish. It’s not enough to just be good at what you do; those with the most influence are great.
Take on a Challenge: Consider taking a leadership role at a non-profit, where employees are working on a volunteer basis. If you can motivate and get results from people who aren’t driven by the promise of money or success, then you are truly a strong leader.
Become a Great Listener: Being influential isn’t just about speaking; listening matters too. People get excited about leaders who take a genuine interest in them, make them feel important, and who support their goals. Show those you hope to influence that they matter, and they will be more likely to care what you have to say.
Build your Reputation: There’s no shortcut to achieving consistent results, but if you want to be able to influence people, you’ll have to establish a proven track record of success. Model the behavior you hope to encourage in others to boost your own credibility as a leader.
Learn How to Paint a Picture: To communicate in a way that moves others to action, you’ll have to find a way to make your message easily understandable for all. Use descriptive language and clear examples that help your audience fully understand why what you’re saying is true. Start with a story that engages your audience. Use metaphors, analogies, and real-life anecdotes to help to support your argument and drive home your point.
Amp up your Energy: People are like mirrors. We often match our own energy, attitude, and enthusiasm to that of the person we’re communicating with. When attempting to influence people, get yourself psyched up and sell every statement you make like it’s the most important point anybody has ever heard. If you don’t seem excited about it, why should your audience be?
Learn how to Build Bridges: People come from a vast variety of backgrounds and sometimes incompatible belief systems. Being influential and bringing about change requires the ability to connect with a diverse audience and encourage open communication and collaboration between divergent groups and individuals. Sometimes, influencing people is about helping to change their way of thinking to facilitate collaboration between individuals with conflicting views.
Be Confident: If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t possibly expect to make others believe in you. Portraying confidence is key to giving the impression that you are someone worth listening to. It’s normal to doubt yourself sometimes, but if your goal is to become more influential, it’s important to never let them see you sweat. Come to speaking events well-prepared, and practice breathing techniques to sooth your nerves. People who convey self-confidence naturally give the impression of being knowledgeable, authoritative, and competent.
You don’t have to be a billionaire or a genius to influence others. Influence is about moving and motivating others through effective communication. Anyone can build influence by focusing on the way they present themselves and how they deliver their message. Becoming an influential leader is about much more than getting your way. It can make you an invaluable asset to a business by helping to unite teams, get employees on board with new projects, earn investments, realign thinking, and strengthen partnerships. By practicing the tips above, you may be surprised by your own power to move others to action, and no matter your goals, being more influential is a critical step toward becoming an effective leader and getting things done through and with others.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Movies are more than just great entertainment. They can challenge our thinking, ignite our passions, feed our fears, stir our emotions, and inspire our dreams. They allow us to escape, but they also allow us to imagine ourselves into the lives we fantasize about. The silver screen can provide valuable wisdom we can carry back with us into the real world, as we work to create our own happy endings.
Here are 10 Great Inspiring Sales Quotes to Motivate any Salesperson:
1) “Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period. All right?” – Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Copyright by Sony Pictures and other respective production studios and distributors. Intended for editorial use only.
Sure to fire up anyone who’s ever felt like an underdog, this inspiring sales quote from Will Smith, as real-life homeless man-turned-stock broker, Chris Gardner, sums it up beautifully. Anything is possible when you work hard and believe in yourself. You can’t let critics, naysayers, or even well-meaning friends and family convince you that your dreams are impossible.
2) “Show Me the Money.” – Rod Tidwell, in Jerry Maguire (2006)
JERRY MAGUIRE [US 1997] TOM CRUISE A COLUMBIA TRI-STAR FILM Date: 1997 Copyright by respective production studio and/or distributor. Intended for editorial use only.Cuba Gooding Jr.’s famous line from this movie about the world of sports agents, is the perfect, succinct reminder, that if you aren’t willing to ask for what you want and what you believe you deserve, you can’t expect to get it. Negotiating doesn’t have be complicated, and it doesn’t even need to be subtle. Sometimes, being direct is all it takes to get the deal done.
3) “Well, it’s no trick to make a lot of money… if all you want to do is make a lot of money.” – Bernstein, Citizen Kane (1941)
Copyright by RKO Radio Pictures and other respective production studios and distributors. Intended for editorial use only.
This Everett Sloane quote, from what is possibly the greatest movie of all time shines light on the fact that there’s a lot more to success than making money. Depending on the individual, true success might encompass independence, accomplishment, influence, helping others, healthy relationships, and let’s not forget, happiness – something many have said money can’t buy.
4) “There is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can’t. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that’s it, I’m done.” – Jim Young, Boiler Room (2000)
Copyright by respective production studio and/or distributor. Intended for editorial use only.
This insightful sales quote by Ben Affleck’s less-than-scrupulous character is an apt description of the dance that takes place during any sales negotiation. A sales pitch involves two people making a case, and only one will win the argument. It’s up to the salesperson to decide who the winner will be. While this film doesn’t paint a flattering picture of salesmen, this quote is spot on.
5) “Success is a menace. It fools smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates, Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
Half Entertainment and all respective distributors. Intended for editorial use only.
Bill Gates, played by Anthony Michael Hall, in this movie about the cutthroat battle between Apple and Microsoft for software supremacy, makes a great point. It’s tempting to dream about reaching a level of success and wealth at which you can just sit back and enjoy what you’ve built. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating your wins along the way, it’s never a good idea to take your hands entirely off the wheel. There will always be bumps in the road, no matter how long you’ve been in business. You must always keep your head in the game if you hope to achieve lasting success.
6) “A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing.” – Blake, Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, Kevin Spacey, Jack Lemmon, 1992, (c) New Line/courtesy Everett Collection. Copyright by respective production studio and/or distributor. Intended for editorial use only.
In Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin plays Blake, a not-so-nice sales trainer sent to pump up a team of real estate salesmen. Baldwin’s character is far from being warm and fuzzy, but this line, from one of the best sales movies of all time, is an irresistibly quotable reminder to keep your eye on the target, stay focused, and get the job done.
7) “Do or do not. There is no ‘try’.” – Yoda, Star Wars (1980)
Copyright by Twentieth Century Fox and other respective production studios and distributors. Intended for editorial use only.
Star Wars may not be a movie about sales, or even business, but Yoda has it right. Saying you’ll try is as good as accepting failure before you’ve even begun. Say you’ll do, and you will.
8) “Smile. It enhances your face value.” – Truvy Jones, Steel Magnolias (1989)
Copyright by respective production studio and/or distributor. Intended for editorial use only.
Who knew that a beautician, Truvy Jones played by Dolly Parton, could offer such on point sales wisdom? The punny quote holds true for beauty and for closing deals. Smiling is one easy way to make yourself, and your product, more appealing to the customer.
9) “Money is not the prime asset in life. Time is.” – Gordon Gekko, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Copyright by respective production studio and/or distributor. Intended for editorial use only.
We all know that time is money, and this quote from the sleazy but slick Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglass, drives the point home perfectly. Time is a critical factor in making sales, whether you’re offering a product or service to save the customer time, letting them know that time is running out to act, or offering some luxurious item to help them enjoy their time more. Time is everything, and keeping that in mind can help you make more sales.
10) “The driver has to work harder than anyone. He’s the first to show up, and the last to leave. When his buddies are all out drinking beer, he’s up in his room studying pictures of turns.” – Coach Irv, Cool Runnings. (1993)
Copyright by Walt Disney Pictures and other respective production studios and distributors. Intended for editorial use only.
Who would have thought that a goofy John Candy comedy about the first Jamaican bobsled team could have valuable insight to impart about succeeding in sales? With this quote, John Candy’s Coach Irv perfectly sums up what it means to lead from the front, to model the behavior you want from your team rather than simply demanding it. To get the best possible results from your sales team, you have to be the driver, coming in early, leaving late, and keeping a close eye on the sharp curves hiding on the road ahead.
From good guys, to bad guys, to little green guys with pointy ears, characters in the movies tell us a lot about what it takes to succeed in the business world. Just like real life salespeople, they overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, they dig in and go after their dreams, they make terrible mistakes, they celebrate victories, and they bounce back from failure. But unlike those wonderful characters up there on the screen, we’re lucky, because we are the ones writing the script.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #gone2natcon anytime from Thursday August 17th (8:00AM PST) until Tuesday, August 22nd (11:59 PM PST) and you will be automatically entered in the Retail National Conference photo contest for a chance to win $100 dollars. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) a member or affiliate of a Cydcor independent corporate licensee attending the event (Cydcor employees not eligible). Multiple submissions per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. There will be one winner selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Wednesday, August 22nd any time after 12:00 PM PST and no later than 11:59 PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Facebook in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Facebook from any and all liability.
Terms and Conditions (Instagram)
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #gone2natcon anytime from Thursday August 17th (8:00AM PST) until Tuesday, August 22nd (11:59 PM PST) and you will be automatically entered in Retail National Conference photo contest for a chance to win $100 dollars. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) a member or affiliate of a Cydcor independent corporate licensee attending the event (Cydcor employees not eligible). Multiple submissions per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. There will be one winner selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Wednesday, August 22nd any time after 12:00 PM PST and no later than 11:59 PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Instagram, Inc. in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Instagram from any and all liability, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
Terms and Conditions (Twitter)
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #gone2natcon anytime from Thursday August 17th (8:00AM PST) until Tuesday, August 22nd (11:59 PM PST) and you will be automatically entered in the Retail National Conference photo contest for a chance to win $100 dollars. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and (ii) a member or affiliate of a Cydcor independent corporate licensee attending the event (Cydcor employees not eligible). Participant may not create multiple accounts to enter the contest – the creation of multiple accounts will make participant liable to have all accounts suspended by Twitter. Any participant found creating multiple accounts to enter the contest will also be disqualified. Multiple submissions per participant are allowed; provided, however, that the participant posts a different tweet each time. Participants may not post the same tweet repeatedly (no duplicate tweets). Posting duplicate tweets is a violation of Twitter Rules and jeopardizes search quality. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. The winner will be selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Wednesday, August 22nd any time after 12:00 PM PST and no later than 11:59 PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Twitter in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Twitter from any and all liability, and agree to read and abide by Twitter’s Rules.
Workplace Culture: Exploring Employee Culture at Cydcor
We are a people helping people business. In the fast-paced world of sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, we know that we succeed when our people do. They are the future of our business, and that’s why every aspect of our workplace culture is designed to help people succeed and achieve their goals. We achieve this by offering unique opportunities such as professional development trainings and conferences, giving back to local and global communities, and much more. Are you ready to write your own story? Learn more about our employee culture and why Cydcor is the right fit for you!
We know that growing your career takes learning new skills, overcoming obstacles, and taking challenges head on. That’s why Cydcor has an open-door policy, so our team members have face-to-face access to leaders across the company who are invested in helping them succeed. Our people-focused culture encourages open communication and collaboration; not only to share ideas and perspectives about business goals, but also to support each other. Cydcor is not a bureaucracy; our team members collaborate—across multiple levels—to solve business challenges and inspire each other to succeed because everyone has an important role to play.
Socially Responsible
In the spirit of people helping people, our culture includes a dedication to giving back. Globally, Cydcor volunteers time and talent, and raises funds for Operation Smile, which provides children in developing nations free, life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries. Locally, Cydcor provides team members with paid volunteer hours and partners with local organizations to improve the communities in which we work and live. We do this with a sense of social responsibility, because we value making positive impacts that are bigger than ourselves. Just as our success as a company is strengthened by the success of our people, we as a community grow stronger when members of the community feel supported and free to thrive.
Grit
With over 25 years of sales and customer acquisition experience, we understand the effort it takes to see goals through because everyone, from entry-level team members to senior leadership, has a gusto for getting results. Cydcor fosters a workplace culture where dedication and hard work are appreciated and rewarded, and we celebrate team members who aggressively pursue where they’ll be tomorrow by impacting what they do today. At Cydcor, we don’t give up, and we don’t make excuses. We see it through to the goal line, because we stand by our commitments.
A Focus on Development
Our workplace culture grows unstoppable leaders, because at Cydcor, we build on team members strengths and provide them with the training and support they need to overcome weaknesses. We believe in maintaining a student mentality at all times and that learning should be an ongoing process for everyone from the entry level to the C-suite.
Results with Integrity
We include integrity in our workplace culture because it’s a word we live by. Integrity means knowing what is right and having the guts to do it. At Cydcor, we do what is right, not what is easy, and when we say we are going to do something, we do it well. Results matter, but how those results were attained matters just as much.
Cydcor aggressively seeks to improve today by creating new opportunities for a better tomorrow. We know the best solutions to business problems are found with the team members who tackle them, and we’re not afraid to challenge our assumptions and look for new approaches. So we work together to embrace obstacles and relentlessly push through them to bring innovative solutions to life for our teams and clients.
Cydcor thrives because of the high value we place on our team members. Cydcor culture is one that provides an opportunity to believe in each other as well as our shared goals. It is a place where we believe that hard work, collaboration, and dedication can produce remarkable results. Team members grow professionally, give back to the community, and flex their people skills, while knowing that they belong to an organization that is committed to their personal success as well as that of the company. For more information, contact us today.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
How Looking Professional Helps You Act Professional
Looking professional is about a lot more than what you wear, although dressing professionally certainly helps. Giving the impression that you’re confident, professional, and ready to do business is about the whole package. Everything from the way you communicate and your attitude, to your habits and yes, your physical appearance contributes to the way you are perceived by others and whether you’ll be taken seriously. The great news is: there are many easy ways to make sure you always come off professionally to others, so you can focus your attention on more complicated matters, like the content of your proposal or negotiating a great deal.
Here are some easy ways to always look professional:
Look Like You Belong: Whether you’re a new employee or visiting a client’s workplace for the first time, it can sometimes be unclear what “typical” business dress is. If you’re unsure what to wear, consider doing a “drive by” or check the company’s social pages to make sure you dress to fit in culturally. Also, consider the type of business and industry. For example, a bank or insurance company is likely to be more formal and traditional than a game design studio or creative agency.
Be Dutiful to Details: The little things matter. Scuffed and worn out shoes can cheapen even the classiest business outfit, as can a jacket that’s too long or too baggy. While we certainly can’t all have unlimited budgets for business attire, having your favorite suit tailored to fit correctly can be done at a reasonable price, and it’s more than worth it. Also check to make sure your clothes aren’t faded or discolored.
Keep it Clean and Pressed: It may seem obvious, but making sure your business attire is clean and wrinkle free can go a long way toward making you appear polished and professional. If you’re a pet owner, make sure you have a lint roller in your car or briefcase to pick up Fluffy’s flyaway fur, and it’s always a good idea to have an extra button down shirt or blouse available for unexpected coffee spills.
Dress Up Rather Than Dress Down: We all want to look cool, but looking professional is even more important. Even if you’re headed to an interview or meeting at a company where you’re certain the culture is laid back, to make a good first impression it’s better to be a little overdressed than to look like you don’t take the meeting seriously by dressing down.
Respect People’s Time: Another easy way to always look professional is by respecting people’s time. It more than just being on time. It’s sometimes said that if you’re not early, you’re late, and that’s a great rule to live by because being on time can easily make or break an important meeting. People take their time seriously, because as you probably know, time is money. Being on time tells the other person you respect them, and you value their time, while being late gives the impression you’re not dependable, don’t care, or that you think your time is more important than theirs. Plan your day realistically, allowing time for breaks and for changing locations when necessary. When you have back to back meetings, make sure to end on time rather than running over. It’s always better to schedule a follow up than to keep your next meeting waiting.
Come Prepared: Always have your notes ready to go before an important meeting or conference call, and never show up hungover or exhausted. Much like being on time, being properly prepared shows you take the meeting seriously, and it implies you’re organized and capable.
Watch Your Attitude: Maintaining professional demeanor is just as important as wearing a wrinkle-free blazer. Be positive and diplomatic, and avoid speaking negatively about former employers or complaining about projects. Accept challenges and new tasks with grace, cleanse your vocabulary of inappropriate curse words, and never ever tell raunchy jokes or curse in a professional environment.
Portray Confidence and Respect: Learn how to put on a professional game face by always smiling and making eye contact during meetings or introductions to clients, while seemingly small gestures, these physical cues help you appear more confident and engaged. Prove you’re focused on the project at hand by turning off your phone ringer, listening when others speak, and by avoiding checking the clock more than necessary.
Making a little extra effort to always look professional is an easy way to build your reputation as someone who’s always on your game. Employers like to hire candidates who make them look good, and they like to promote employees who will set a great example for others. In negotiations and other business dealings, looking professional instills trust and confidence in your abilities that can help you close the deal. It can help you build rapport as well, by demonstrating to the other party that they are important to you. Taking these few simple steps to create a more professional appearance and attitude is one of the simplest things you can do to help catapult your career.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, Calif. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Cydcor team members learn valuable skills at a fundraising event for Operation Smile.
People seek ways to make differences in their community – even at work. They want to work for companies that stand for something. Companies that dedicate themselves to supporting worthwhile causes are able to recruit top talent, have better employee retention, and foster an environment of collaboration and positivity in the work place.
Corporate philanthropy also offers benefits to the employees themselves, by allowing them to master new skills, prepare to take on greater responsibility, and contribute to meaningful service projects that have immediate effects beyond the office walls. By committing to a cause, companies can provide valuable services to the community while strengthening and uniting their workforce.
Here are seven valuable lessons employees learn from community service:
Problem Solving: When employees volunteer on behalf of a community cause, they will often face obstacles that are different from those they tackle on the job. Through service, they learn how to adapt quickly to overcome these challenges.
Career Exploration: By participating in community service, team members may have the opportunity to try new roles and responsibilities. Service can be an invaluable avenue for professional development. Team members discover talents, strengths, and interests they may not have known they possessed.
Teamwork: Community service requires a great deal of collaboration, and team members may need to partner with colleagues with whom they’re not used to working. Teams may need to brainstorm for solutions or compromise in order to agree on the best course of action.
Communication and Listening: Corporate philanthropy projects are a great opportunity for team members to improve their communication and listening skills. Dealing directly with other members of the community also improve workers’ abilities to provide excellent customer service.
Leadership: Team members who participate in community service are often placed in roles of great responsibility. They must learn to delegate, give clear instructions, and motivate their team. As team members master these skills, service projects can become the perfect training ground for up-and-coming leaders within an organization.
Advocacy: Uniting behind a community cause helps team members learn how to motivate others to take action. They learn to communicate the benefits of giving, often overcoming objections to help change minds for the greater good. These skills are highly valuable, especially to employees whose roles include sales, marketing, or public relations.
Planning and Organization: Community service projects have many moving parts, which team members must manage correctly in order to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. As volunteers, employees may be asked to manage budgets, gather supplies and resources, meet tight deadlines, and execute multistage action plans. Involvement in these projects can force team members to hone organizational skills they may be lacking.
Service projects offer limitless growth opportunities to employees by teaching them valuable lessons they can apply to their daily work, uniting them around causes important to them and the community, and helping to assure them the work they do serves a greater purpose. Committing to a cause simultaneously benefits communities, companies, and the employees who work there.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, Calif. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Management Skills: How to Differentiate Management from Leadership
Management and leadership are two sides of the same coin, and both are necessary for a business to succeed. Learning the difference between management and leadership is important for developing effective management skills.
Great leadership is about inspiring enthusiasm and drive, while great management is about building highly efficient teams that produce impressive results. Managers are experts at getting things done and meeting targets and deadlines; leaders know how to evolve people and organizations and help them meet their potential. Each is a unique discipline that helps teams meet their short- and long-term goals, while also fostering commitment to a shared vision and outside the box thinking.
So What IS the Difference Between Management and Leadership?
Management skills are concerned with assigning tasks, committing to deadlines, and creating systems, while leadership is focused on defining a purpose and uniting individuals behind big ideas. Managers ensure teams meet their deadlines and deliver what’s expected of them, while leaders focus on the future and how teams might prepare for challenges on the horizon. Management is about limiting risk, while leadership encourages bold action. Leadership is primarily about engagement, while management has more to do with execution. Management focuses on performance, while leadership focuses on development. Managers develop processes and create smooth operations, while leaders build relationships, encourage communication, and build trust. The most successful businesses are built with an ideal balance of management skills and leadership skills.
Can you differentiate between management and leadership? Test yourself with the scenarios below:
Scenario 1: Suzy Business Owner has promised a new client 2,000 flyers by the end of the month, but she recently lost two employees, and she knows it’s going to be a stretch. She creates a workflow document that helps remaining team members understand when they must complete their portion of the project, and she meets with each team member one-on-one to train them on the new system. By following the workflow correctly, the team is able to meet their deadline.
Is this an example of management or leadership?
Answer: Management
Suzy is faced with a short-term business challenge, and by managing her overstretched team correctly, she’s able to help them successfully achieve their goal.
On the other hand…
Suzy should be careful. Her team is being pushed beyond its limits. To continue her team’s successful streak, Suzy must also lead. She has to remind team members that accepting these kinds of challenges can help them transform the organization, leading to a more successful future for everyone involved.
Scenario 2:
Jim Entrepreneur is hoping to push his company to become the leader in its industry within the next five years. He knows it’s possible if everyone gets on board. He calls a team meeting where he presents his long-term vision and asks team members to imagine what it will feel like to someday be the best of the best. He hands out paper and crayons and asks everyone to draw a picture of one thing the company can start doing differently to help towards its goals. The team eagerly participates and many turn in more than one idea.
Is this an example of management or leadership?
Answer: Leadership
While Jim’s meeting may not produce any tangible results immediately, it serves to unite the team and get everyone excited about the company’s potential. His brainstorm encourages creativity, and it reminds each team member that his or her ideas matter. The meeting also helps inspire people to focus on the big picture rather than just short-term results.
On the other hand…
Jim has a talent for getting his team fired up, but this effect could fade if his team members start to notice that he’s all talk and no action. Jim will need to use his management skills to prove that he can translate ideas into tangible business systems.
Scenario 3:
Eric the Executive grows concerned when the company does not hit its goals for the quarter. He schedules one-on-one meetings with each member of his team to investigate the problem. One team member, who has struggled to meet his deadlines, says he’s been having trouble with the company’s current software, and he has been leaving work 10 minutes early every day to take a training class on another software he was hoping to pitch as a replacement. Eric tells the team member he’s sorry to hear the current software is challenging, but he asks the employee to consider dropping the class to allow him the extra time needed to finish his daily tasks. The employee agrees to focus on his work.
Is this an example of management or leadership?
Answer: Management
Eric is doing a great job using his management skills to monitor the bottom line and ensure his company is meeting its quarterly goals. He understands that every team member must be contributing 100 percent of what is expected of them if the company hopes to produce the results it has promised.
On the other hand…
While Eric has solved the problem in the short term, he may be missing longer term opportunities to help the company operate more efficiently. If he had found a way to help the team member stay in the class, Eric would have provided the employee with a chance to develop himself while also exploring a new software solution which might improve company operations far into the future.
Scenario 4:
Brenda the Boss has discovered that her team’s projects have consistently come in over budget, and the executive team has suggested that if Brenda can’t curb spending, they may have to reduce her department’s budget for next quarter. Brenda can think of a few ways she could reduce spending, but instead of implementing those ideas automatically, she decides to throw the problem to her team, asking them to brainstorm some solutions to cut costs.
Is this an example of management or leadership?
Answer: Leadership
By empowering her team to find solutions, Brenda encourages them to think outside the box and demonstrates confidence in their abilities to problem solve. She also shows that her priority is not implementing her ideas, but rather, finding the solutions that are best for the team.
On the other hand…
Brenda will still need to make sure the solutions her team comes up with will deliver as promised. If they cannot reach their cost cutting goals, the whole team will suffer under a slashed budget, so Brenda may have to nix more creative ideas if they don’t seem likely to reach the goal.
Every business needs both great management and bold leadership in order to achieve its goals. Vision without action is ineffectual, and efficiency without a purpose is a recipe for maintaining the status quo. Managers help businesses function like well-oiled machines, while leaders help organizations evolve and take giant leaps forward. Innovative companies can count on their managers to work out the kinks, lower costs, and increase volume, while well-managed companies benefit from the creativity, passion, and unity leaders inspire. Whether it’s achieved by one executive or a team of one hundred, the most successful companies will be those who recognize the difference between management and leadership see the two as complementary and inseparable parts of any thriving business.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor takes pride in having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
