Everyone has friends that say, “Oh I just watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.”  Indeed, big game advertising is easily the largest ad-spending day of the year, up 70% in the last ten years.  Between production cost and airtime, one ad can cost a company $10 million to air.  As a sales company, the team at Cydcor is fascinated by the tactics companies take to build their brands, and the commercials are informative as they are fun. Here are our takeaways from Cydcor:  

Social Media is huge.  Brands and Twitter users live-tweeted the game, commenting immediately on the commercials, sending companies real-time feedback. Many were hoping to strike lightening and garner new followers and make headlines the way Oreo did last year.

‍Generation Y loves nostalgia and sarcasm.  From the hilarious “commercial that never was” online campaign from Newcastle to seeing the men of Full House on a Chobani ad, the marketing this year was clearly targeted to children of the 90’s.  

People will engage with your brand for a chance to win.  Esurance led the biggest post-game trend by announcing it was giving away $1.5 million to a tweeter using the hashtag #EsuranceSave30.

‍Puppies are still a viable tactic.  Even one of the most masculine brands could not resist using puppies as a ploy.  The adorable story of a puppy that is best “buds” with the iconic Clydesdale horse was enough to make anyone swoon.  Sometimes just being cute pays off.

‍The bigger the purchase, the bigger the ad.  Car commercials were the biggest production, featuring Jaguar comparing their product to the cunning and precision of British villains and James Franco being dramatically awesome for Ford.  It makes sense that companies asking consumers to make such a large purchase would have the most memorable ads.  It’s a good reminder that larger sales prospects require more effort.

What did you learn about sales and advertising this weekend? Did you have a favorite commercial? Let Cydcor know on Twitter!

The big game is this weekend, and the competitive of sports has a lot of parallels with sales.  Succeeding in both sports and sales requires strategy, winning, rewards and competing.  Whether you are looking for a career or another client, using your football fandom can help give you an edge that will help you achieve your goals.  The Cydcor team shares its favorite sales plays to attracting clients and building relationships.‍

The Ice Breaker. Seek out new prospects with a winning personality.  Cydcor recommends using the “SEE” principles: smile, eye contact and enthusiasm.  Find out what the lead enjoys and find some common ground in the conversation.

‍The Stat Push. Bring the facts.  People are often convinced by solid evidence that what you are offering is a better decision.  This includes making sure people recommend your work, testimonials of your success, and information about your product or service.  If you have an answer for everything, no one can argue with you.  But don’t be too pushy with your knowledge; it can turn some people off.  Just be ready for questions.

The Full Rundown.  Go through your entire contact list and send each person a quick email or give them a call.  This will keep your list fresh and relevant, and you can see if any former prospects have changed their minds about your service.  The full rundown can help you prioritize your strategy, and keep you organized

‍The Hail Prospects. Go all out.  Make a list of all ideal people you want to work with and find ways to contact them.  Go all out, reach for the top, even if you think it’s impossible.  Throw everything you’ve got at your search until something breaks through.

‍The Double Back. Make sure you follow up with everyone you talk to with a thank you note.  Remember as well that past clients may be interested in upgrades or additional products that you have to offer.

‍What’s your favorite play? You can join the Cydcor community and let us know!

Cydcor is a sales company.  We send teams of professionals out into the world and drive revenue on behalf of our clients.  Sales is a competitive field, and can be prove to be daunting for many people.  At Cydcor, team members are driven through professional training, perseverance, and a fun work atmosphere.  Many sales companies to try peddle “the ultimate secret” to selling, but the real secret to a career in sales is that there is no secret.  Sales takes hard work, a winning personality, and persistence.

Hard work means that when you are starting out, sales people need to practice refining skills, building conversation tools, collecting leads and making plans.  Time management skills are crucial, and the ability to learn how to accept rejection.  It is important to stay organized, keep track of which leads need what you are selling, who to follow up with, and what is a good use of your time.  It can sometimes mean long hours, putting in extra time and going the extra mile to make sure that you are coming out on top.

Cydcor sales teams learn that great sales success comes from developing a warm, outgoing persona that is devoted to customer service.  Sales is about giving customers what they want and need, and success comes when they believe you have their best interests in mind.  Smiles, knowledge and solutions go a long way.

Persistence is key to succeeding in any business.  Knowing the difference between “no thank you” and “not today” can make a huge difference.  It is important not to be annoying to customers who are truly not interested, but there are others who may be just not ready, or more open minded later.  A simple email once a month will help your leads keep you in mind.

At Cydcor, we reward team members who take the time and energy to become successful.  Promotions from within, sales contests, awards, conferences and team night celebrations are a common part of the culture.  If you are interested in a career at sales, check out the Cydcor Career Builder Page.

Many people are natural born salesmen.  Building relationships and convincing people of their side of story is something comes easily to them.  At Cydcor, we are happy to nurture young talented sales people with a gift for gab and laser focus abilities.  However, some great sales people learn their skills from the college experience, for those looking to gain a broader perspective and refine the necessary skills.  Here a few ways you can use your college classes to create a successful sales career.

Psychology teaches you about the human mind.  You can learn how people will react to the things you say, how to gain trust, and what makes people want to buy your product or services.  You can focus your abilities to read people into convincing them to come to your side.

Business will give you a broad overview of management, operations, and communications.  Business majors are well rounded and have a solid understanding of how to identify needs and solve problems.

Finance or accounting degrees are useful for understanding numbers and efficiency.  Finance majors will still need to focus on people skills but will understand what needs to get done in order to make the business profitable.

Communications is a great modern degree in order to study means and methods of communication.  These skills will create savvy social media and email marketers as well as develop a solid understanding of how to get a message across.  Communications majors can tap into what is important and popular, and put their particular spin on the situation.

While theater or drama may sound like a strange major for business, some of the best sales skills come from being able to act confident and knowledgeable even in situations where it is not truly the case.  Actors know how to be charming and make friends with anyone, and can gain trust easily.

What do you think is helpful for a salesperson to study in college?  Learn more about the skills necessary to be a sales rock star on Cydcor’s career page.

Last weekend, selected independent sales company owners from Cydcor’s network attended the Operation Smile black-tie gala at Cipriani in New York City. They had the opportunity to rub elbows with celebrities, interact with other high-level fundraisers, and celebrated their accomplishments together.

It was definitely a time to be celebrated; those selected have worked tirelessly with their sales companies to creatively fundraise for the organization, using creative resources to motivate their teams and help children across the globe receive new smiles. Last year, we raised enough for a medical mission to Rio De Janerio.

We’re well on our way to funding a second mission – about $118,000 has been raised so far! Check out our Operation Smile fundraising page. You can also take a peek – and join! – our Cydcor Operation Smile page.

Nineteen years ago, there weren’t Smart Phones or drive-thru Starbucks.

But there was Cydcor.

In its early days, Cydcor was a small company in Canada. Today, 19 years later, it is a thriving business that works with a network of more than 300 independently-owned sales companies across North America and 3,600 sales professionals. That’s a lot of growth! And next year, we’ll be celebrating 20 YEARS. That’s a long time. We’re already thinking about how we’re going to be commemorating our 20^th year. We can’t wait!

Health and wellness were the names, fun was the game! Cydcor just had its first “Health and Wellness Fair” right at corporate headquarters and it was a rousing success. Our team members flocked to the various booths, which ranged from chair massage and yoga to skin care/DermaScan screening and smoking cessation. Representatives from 18 different vendors answered questions and provided valuable information. A cool raffle, baskets full of healthy snacks, and green drinks were provided as well.

This health and wellness fair was the first of its kind for Cydcor, which values itself on its unique corporate culture. As one of the  best place to work, we provide an array of programs for team members, including paid volunteer hours and active participation in programs like the Ventura County Corporate Games. We’re also heavily involved with Operation Smile, a children’s medical charity, and have already had several fundraisers for the organization, including our recent bowling night and movie night.

Thank you to all of the vendors who came out on this unique and fun day!

One of our sales office owners has made a big impact on me with a mission statement she wrote to capture what the purpose of her business is. She and her statement are such a great example of the best in our business – what makes us unique, and why we attract the best and the brightest.

In her mission, she talks about making sure that every person who comes into her office is given equal opportunity to be successful by creating meaningful and genuine relationships with each individual, constantly working for her people by setting the pace from the front and providing them with time and attention. She also places “importance on transferring knowledge to each person, personally, that’s necessary to open, operate, and grow a business.” Most importantly, she makes a “positive impact on every person that comes in contact with her, her staff, and her company.”

Her perspective on business is one that I feel applies to all of us. A successful business is run by successful people who are committed to achieving great things. In just a short time, she has managed to do extremely well and is one of our top office owners.

Her mission is one that should inspire all of us - good sense for great business.

Business Building Blocks (BBB) is a quarterly event designed for our network of sales companies across the country to celebrate and motivate soon-to-be and new owners. The ttendees fly to California for a weekend of sharing, networking, and inspiration. They hear from various speakers about a slew of subjects relating to our business.

During their stay, they also travel to Cydcor’s corporate office, where they meet and mingle with Cydcor’s team members – and the people they’ll be interacting with regularly.

We recently held a BBB and the response to the event was inspiring. A senior leader spoke to the crowd, answering questions and discussing his success. Administrators from two sales companies were also in attendance as guest speakers. Attendees even had the opportunity to have a live QA webcast with two remote company owners about a new bonus available to them.

Here’s to sharing knowledge, networking, and being the best we can be!

Listening to a book on tape recently reminded me of George Washington's great vision, leadership, and sacrifice. Every time I learn about Washington, I appreciate his leadership and ability to balance short- and long-term goals. He held true to his vision for our country, which focused on representative government, civil liberties, religious freedom, and each person being able to control his or her own destiny. The biggest obstacle to achieving this vision was King George III and British dominance over the Colonies.

Washington faced a difficult choice. He knew that creating the vision that would prove best in the long-term for our country would require short-term sacrifice. He would have to sacrifice personally by risking his life and all his personal wealth, being seven years away from his home and family. The country would have to sacrifice by experiencing short-term economic suffering as well as the deaths and raids caused by war.

Most people shy away from making such a difficult choice. Knowing that short-term sacrifice facilitates long-term success, however, makes the difficult choices easier. Thankfully for us, George Washington was willing to make the necessary sacrifices in the short-term to ensure a better future for America.

Gary

Hooray for Hollywood – and our Rising Stars! These up-and-coming top performers from independently-owned offices across North America were invited to our exclusive event, “Rising Stars,” which was held in Hollywood, California. Attendees were selected from among a network of 250 offices and had a chance to participate in a variety of educational classes and workshops that focused on a number of topics. During the weekend, they were treated to a night on the town at a popular bowling hotspot and a dinner at a well-known restaurant, where they had the chance to form powerful business relationships – and have some fun (there were several celebrity sightings!). To read more about this important weekend, check out our recent press release!