The Value of ABR

We were having lunch – a regional manager (RM) for a client company and I – and were discussing recruiting. They needed new sales people at more than one location. Yes, we could try to snag 'so and so' who is available. Yes, we could try to snag 'so and so' from that other firm. But typically, the best outcome is when you recruit and train your own! Properly done, the new recruits are loyal, end up with your company for say 5-7 years average, which means you get less turnover and as a bonus, more performance. In the course of the conversation, ABR came up…

…ABR is short for Always Be Recruiting. If your company is full up on staff, and they are all terrific, do you need to be recruiting? Yes. Just as some MHCs do (or used to) have a 'waiting list,' so too I'd rather have a waiting list of potential recruits than have to scramble every time someone tenders a two week notice.

So as we were talking over lunch, I gave an example of ABR in action. Taking the back of the RM's business card, I hand wrote a note on it, that went like this:

“Your service has impressed me. If you ever think about a career change,

please contact me, thanks.”

Then I left a cash tip on the table with the business card on top of it, instead of putting the tip on the credit card. The RM smiled, liked the idea, and we went back to work at their local office.

That prospect at the restaurant we left the card, note and tip for didn't become a recruit. But that lady did follow up, and she got a home! Still a good outcome.

We should always be recruiting (ABR). We should also Always be Sowing Good Seeds for promoting our business and our location(s).

There are hundreds of ways to market manufactured homes! Some are total no-brainers, like leaving your business card on the table with a cash tip. If you do that every time, even if it is the same server at the same restaurant, guess what happens? They will, over time, run into someone they know that is looking for a home. They will send that someone to you.

How do I know?

Been there, done it, got the sales over time to show for it. This is a farming approach, and if you plant the seeds, water and cultivate that crop and prune as necessary, you will get the harvest.

Back to ABR

Training pays and so does good recruiting. Create a long term recurring, retention and training strategy, even if you have a short term need. I've recruited people in a line, at a furniture store and at a restaurant to name but a few. When you have a sales system that is user friendly for all involved, you don't have to have a rocket scientist to sell more homes. All you need is the right person, with the right attitude that is willing to work for their results!

Maybe you are a one location operation, or perhaps you have a multiple location company. Either way, ABR applies. When you have a backlog of possible prospects, amazing things happen. Among them are you don't stress as much when the time comes (and it usually does, sooner or later) when you have to have a new team member.

Remind me in a future article to share how to really elevate the quality of those recruits from the strategy shared above. Until next time, good marketing, training and selling! ##

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L. A. "Tony" Kovach