Cydcor Blog

Pipeline management has become a major focus to organizations and salespeople throughout the years. This renewed focus has quickly highlighted problems that might have been hidden during ‘boom’ markets a few years ago, such as accuracy and a streamlined system. Cydcor is committed to examining these problems and finding solutions.

When polled, 44% of senior sales professionals found that a major cause of frustration at their workplace stemmed from stalled opportunities. So what part or parts of a sales pipeline can create a problem for you when trying to close a sale?

Some think of a pipeline as a bunch of steps put together in order to create a progress toward the end goal of achieving a sale. In fact, a truly efficient ‘pipeline’ should be more of a series of strategies that are redefined, modified and tailored to each individual client.

There are three critical factors when establishing your pipeline: Identifying an account’s budget, the length of the sales cycle, and who the key-decision makers are. If you or your team does not manage to establish these three pieces of information, you might find yourself writing proposals for leads that aren’t qualified, or being overtly optimistic about a closing date or budget available.

Coach yourself and your team on the language you use when speaking to clients. Collecting the information is key, however how you ask for it can sound professional or pushy, depending on your language.

Asking someone “Are you a decision maker?” can lead to an alienated customer. Instead, try a softer approach, such as “We understand that a purchase such as this can go through an executive team for a decision. The process will go smoother for everyone if we can gather some information.”

Additionally, prospective clients can often be reluctant on giving a firm number when asked for their budget. Offer a range of prices, such as, “Typically an account often falls between $X and $X amount. Where are you most comfortable?”

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A sales number metric that often gets over looked, is how often it takes you or your team to respond to a customer. Data indicates that leads receiving a call-back within two minutes or less were four times as likely to convert. Start measuring response times for your new leads, as sales representatives often prioritize follow-ups over any new leads.

If you can begin to combine all these factors then not only will have you have shown yourself or your team members the problems, you will be able to come up with solutions and give yourself the competitive advantage.

The worldwide leader in outsourced sales solutions, Cydcor provides clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

Here is Cydcor's review of The Victory Lab by Sasha Issenberg.

About The Victory Lab: This is an insider’s account of how database marketing and psychology has caused political campaigns to gradually become more science than art in recent years. Issenberg introduces us to groundbreaking ideas that were the works of such iconoclasts such as Todd Rogers, Mark Grebner and Ken Strasma.

Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders because: Victory Lab takes a look at many of the key players involved in political campaigns, going back to many presidencies. We learn much about one in particular: Hal Malchow, one of the most prominent pioneers of political direct marketing in fundraising, voter contact mail, micro-targeting and Internet.

This book isn't just for those who are into politics; it's for any reader that loves books about what make people make the choices they do. The author does a great job of straddling the center of politics - showing no favoritism to either side, something that can be very hard authors to do these days.

Our favorite part: The Victory Lab takes everything you thought you knew about presidential elections and turns it upside-down. The argument of Sasha Issenberg is that elections have become not so much about convincing the public you have a winning argument, but rather micro-targeting the voters. Finding the low-information voters and determining exactly what they needed to hear to vote for a given candidate.

By using the science of behavioral economics, expert campaigners have found ways to determine why certain voters do or do not make it to the polls, and to adjust their message accordingly based on the voter they are trying to reach.

For Cydcor's latest job openings, head over to our CareerBuilder profile.

A quote by Carl Zuckmayer says, “One-half is luck; the other half is discipline—and that’s the most important half, for without discipline you wouldn’t know what to do with luck.”

Luck doesn’t just happen, and it’s Cydcor is a firm believer that it's entirely possible to create your own. There are many events that happen over the course of an individual’s life that they have nothing to do with—both negative and positive occurrences.

The concept of ‘luck’ is truly about being at the right time and the right place. But how can you be sure you are?

Those who are successful project an appearance of being positive. When someone is positive, others want to be around him or her. What does ‘be positive’ really mean? Radiate appreciativeness and share your knowledge and friendship with others. Everyone has insecurities, and spending time with those who are negative only exacerbates them.

The more effort you put into creating a positive, professional relationship, the more opportunities will be presented to you. Others will see you have a ‘can-do’ attitude and will turn to you for help. People want to work with those who provide solutions and aren’t bogged down by negative frustrations.

Things are also not as black and white as they appear. Try to keep an open mind and make sure your vision isn’t narrow when it comes to what you feel is possible or impossible. You can miss out on opportunities if you have tunnel vision.

Create your own luck by setting yourself up for opportunities!

Check our the Cydcor CareerBuilder page to learn about our current open positions.

Delegation: Learning to trust your colleagues in helping you complete work is an ability that some struggle with. However, everyone will need help every once in a while; be it covering for you while you are on vacation, handling an emergency situation, or taking on a task simply too large to handle alone.

Communication is important. Be sure to tell your team member or co-worker the key goals of your project or work being handled with a client. Also be sure to give them all the resources available, along with relevant contact information and documents.

Lists: Despite our best intentions, many to-do items can get lost in the fray of our everyday lives. Writing things down and creating lists is a great way to manage and check-off tasks that have been completed.

For larger tasks, break them down into multiple, smaller tasks. For example, writing a ten-page document can be pared down to creating two pages a day up to its deadline.

One of the most satisfying aspects of creating a to-do list is crossing off things when they are done.  It gives you a sense of accomplishment and gives you a visualization of progress for tasks both large and small.

For our latest job openings, be sure to check out Cydcor on CareerBuilder.

Breaks: Studies have shown that spending more than eight hours a day at a desk without moving around much is detrimental to one’s energy level and focus. Productivity is not measured by the number of hours sitting at your desk, but by how much work you get done.

Many recommend getting up every hour for a ten-minute break to walk, stretch and drink some water and socialize with your co-workers.

Goals: Set ambitious, yet realistic goals. Create goals both in your professional and personal lives. One of biggest reasons why people don’t succeed with their goals is because they didn’t set a deadline. Goals should be specific, measurable, and they should be written down. It is also good to get feedback about the goals in order to refine them.

Here is Cydcor's review of In Good Company by Don Cohen and Laurence Prusak.

About In Good Company: In Good Company criticizes the agency theory that disregards social capital by emphasizing the free agency of employees who act in the interests of the organization only if it is in their financial interests.

The book is short and light reading, using largely anecdotal evidence to support its arguments. For managers considering telecommuting, hoteling, the reduction of business travel, or other efforts to gain efficiency should read this book. The authors conclude by stating that whatever the form of future organizations, they will require the nurture of "trust, community, connection, conversation and loyalty" to work effectively.

Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders because: In Good Company helps organizational leaders understand the social capital phenomenon. It is an excellent work for those who care about the quality of organizational life and the ability to do great things at work with your team. The authors do a great job of showing how a number of important companies, including HP and 3M, take the matter of social capital very seriously and make investments in building and nurturing it.

We suggest this book for thinkers who favor a more techno-centric approach. In Good Company digs into the profound social aspects of work, knowledge sharing, and learning, and offers a heavy dose of reality in its discussion of the “the challenge of virtuality.”

To learn more about the recognized leader in outsourced sales services, check out  Cydcor on CrunchBase.

Our favorite part: “Social capital consists of the stock of active connections among people, the trust, mutual understanding, and shared values and behaviors that bind the members of human networks and communities and make cooperative action possible."

The authors argue for hiring and encouraging people who fit the values and culture of the organization, and creating an environment in which social capital will build. To do this, companies should actively take steps that build trust, networks, and communication through making appropriate spaces and time available, and help people learn through effective storytelling.

The benefits of this approach will result in better knowledge sharing, lower transaction costs, lower turnover of key employees, better coherence of action due to organizational stability, and more shared understanding.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services, committed to client satisfaction and retention.

Here is Cydcor's review of Instant Analysis: How You Can Understand and Change the Most Common Self-Defeating Behaviors and Habits By David J. Lieberman.

About Instant Analysis: This book is a unique look into the self-help and pop-psychology category, providing a practical formulaic approach for improving your life in a very readable format. It looks to offer practical suggestions and strategies for transforming one hundred of the most common self-defeating behaviors and habits, including fear of failure, procrastination and superstition.

Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders because: There’s a wealth of information that the author brings that is useful for every reader, especially those looking to be involved in leadership positions. No one is immune from the emotional fragilities that accompany life, and while some people are more stable than others, each person has experienced self-doubt. Lieberman addresses many of these circumstances by identifying the problem, analyzing the situation and offering a solution.

Thus, when you are able to identity and admit self-defeating habits, you have taken the first step to conquering the problem. As he writes, “This is accomplished by looking objectively at specific behaviors that usually go unnoticed or unexamined. As you begin to question these behaviors, you will get in the 'habit' of not being in the habit."

By going through 100 chapters, you will be able to with many unnoticed behaviors you yourself might do.

Our favorite part: Lieberman is very clear about the intended audience for Instant Analysis. “Most people are almost happy. They’re so close to being the kinds of people they want to be, living the kinds of lives they want to live, yet they are stuck in a mental rut.”

The author acknowledges the difficulties of direct introspection and concentrates on assisting the reader by “cutting away the clutter” and illuminating behaviors that have become an automatic response mechanism. He also has a plain and engaging writing style. The nutshell summaries are well written and provide a good overview of the topics. The suggestions for change are simple, powerful, and (theoretically) easy to implement.

To learn more about Cydcor, take a look at the Cydcor Sales YouTube page.

An important trait to instill in yourself is this:

Don’t think in terms of sales but rather in terms of building a business.

Great salespeople are building a business, not just trying to make a sale. When you think beyond a sale, you’re going to get other people’s attention much more easily. They’re going to be interested in what you have to say. You want something that’s going to live and go beyond a single sale.

Successful people are persistent. Cydcor knows that selling or running a business requires a tremendous amount of persistence. Obstacles loom on a regular basis, but it’s what you do when faced with these barriers that will determine your level of success. The most successful people in any industry have learned to face the obstacles that get in their way.

Don’t just make a sale. Build relationships. Build your business by building relationships one customer at a time. The last sale you make should always open the door to a new relationship and more customers..

Invest in networking, community and relationships. Invest in your community and you will see great returns emotionally and for your professional and personal lives. Be involved as much as you can.

Head over to Cydcor's YouTube Channel to catch a glimpse into what it's like to work for a reputable sales company.

Invest in yourself. Successful salespeople invest in their education and know which tools of the trade works best for them. Always continue to invest to help get you to the next level.

Thriving salespeople surround themselves with overachievers. These people are sometimes viewed as being uninterested in others, but the truth is that they’re just not interested in low production. Don’t waste your time with people who don’t get anything done, or aren’t striving towards success.

The recognized leader in outsourced sales services, Cydcor is committed to providing clients with proven sales and marketing strategies.

Here is Cydcor's review of Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages and Well-Being by George Akerlof.

About Identity Economics: Identity Economics bridges the gap in the social sciences. It brings identity and norms to economics. People’s notions of what is proper and what is forbidden, and for whom, are fundamental to how they work and how they learn, spend and save. People’s identity—their conception of who they are, and of who they choose to be—may be the most important factor affecting their economic lives. And the limits placed by society on people’s identity can also be critical determinants of their economic well-being. This is important for people to understand.

Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders because: Identity Economics provides an important and compelling new way to understand human behavior, revealing how our identities—and not just economic incentives—influence our decisions.

It is admirably short and not difficult to read, and it makes a compelling case that and individual’s identity completely shapes their decisions about schooling and investments. The book offers better ways of understanding the consequences of public polities and business practices.

The book provides a new language and is a useful apparatus that takes measure of ‘real people in real situations.’

Our favorite part: The authors examine the popular topics of gender wage inequality and occupational segregation and put them into the perspective of identity economics. Women are significantly underrepresented in engineering and certain other science fields, while there are low percentages of men working as secretaries, nurses, or elementary school teachers.

There are plenty of examples the book discusses, as well exploring the best ways to analyze a situation using theory from identity economics. If the topic of identity economics is one that holds interest for you, we certainly recommend giving this a quick read.

For more information regarding Cydcor, check out our job openings on CareerBuilder.

Here is Cydcor's review of The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun.

About the Myths of Innovation: Author Scott Berkun explains how to transcend the false stories that many business experts, scientists, and much of pop culture foolishly use to guide their thinking about how ideas change the world. He asks readers to question where ideas come from, and what people focus on when discussing those ideas.

The book is a short yet still fun read. Berkun has a witty, and at times hilarious, writing style, and his personal experiences help to explain some of his counter-intuitive demythologizing.

Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders because:  True leadership requires a great deal of knowledge and understanding of trends in many different areas. Being innovative is not only for lone geniuses, but is also for anyone who looks to improve himself or herself by being realistic and observant.

This book, if nothing else, will remind you that the world is not as simple as we think it is.

Our favorite part: Berkun begins the book with a great story of when he visited Google's headquarters and joined a tour group. He describes the moment when two of his co-tourists whispered to each other, pointing over to a group of programmers, saying, “I see them talking and typing, but when do they come up with their ideas?"

This lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. It's a question many people ask of any creative/innovative person. Scott Berkun continues to explore the fascination with innovation and the desire to find the “hidden secrets.” Like all myths, the ones behind innovation are derived from quaint stories from history like Newton's Apple and Archimedes' bathtub.

Cydcor is the recognized leader in outsourced sales solutions. To find out more about our company, connect to Cydcor on LinkedIn.

On Tuesday, June 2^nd Cydcor held our first intern kick off party. Held at Triunfo Park, our six amazing interns got together for the summer of 2014 meet up to start the summer off right.

With fantastic food and company, we welcomed them with games such as football, Frisbee, corn-hole, and ladder ball. Camaraderie, teamwork, and building relationships towards success are a big part of our culture.

Team building and activities such as the ones we hold open communications and create leadership opportunities. Our interns and team members  are able to express ideas and opinions, becoming more motivated to take on new challenges, all while having fun and developing friendships and productive work relationships.

Overall, our event was a success in those regards, enabling better communication, better relationships and encouragement to engage and express creativity. Take a look at some of the best photos of the 2014 meet up:

For more information about Cydcor, check out our CrunchBase profile.

Networking events can be a bit overwhelming, and if you don’t know what you're doing, they can feel like a waste of time. Follow these 5 tips in order to get the best return on investment at a networking event.

Be Prepared

Look over the list of attendees if possible. If a name strikes your eye, Cydcor recommends checking out their LinkedIn profile, or other social media or website and find out a little more about him or her. It’s easier to strike up a conversation with someone you’ve never met if you come prepared and can ask them specific questions about their time working at Apple or if they enjoy being a sales manager.

Make sure you have several business cards on you to hand out when you meet people that you’d like to chat with again. You can even go higher-tech and use apps like Bump to share contact information. Also remember to bring pens and a small notebook or tablet; they can be helpful if you need to take notes or jot down a piece of advice.

Come Prepared with Goals

What are you hoping to get out of the event and learn from the people you meet? Whatever it is, make sure you figure this out before you attend the event – that way you’ll know what to bring up and the type of people to talk to. Since some networking events cost money, only attend the ones that will help you reach your goal.

Show Up On Time

Unless the event is a “come as you please” event, don’t be the one that shows up late. Chances are that if you are going to an event at a place you have never been before, it is going to take longer than Google Maps estimates. Look at the route beforehand, and give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes to find the place—and parking.

Check out our job openings on Cydcor's LinkedIn for more information on joining our company.

Don’t Throw Yourself at Everyone

No one likes the person who talks with everyone in the room for two minutes, gives them their contact information, and heads to the next person. Networking is about making real connections; it’s not a contest to see who can pass out the most business cards. If you don’t think someone will be a good connection, you don’t have to give him or her your card. On the other hand, take your time talking and getting to know people that could become valuable connections. You don’t need to spend a half hour chatting with someone, but learn a little more about the people you talk to than just his or her job title.

Follow Up

This is by far the most important tip for networking. Who cares if you dressed well and came prepared – if you don’t follow up, that relationship means nothing. Connect on LinkedIn or send a quick coffee invite.  Relationships take time to cultivate so make the most out of what you started.