I'm still in the middle of the whole prospecting for new jobs, finding some that kind of fit, applying and getting the odd interview call back. I would think that i would be getting better at interviewing, after having a few more under my belt, but it seems that it's not always the case!

Today i spoke with someone from a small (yet established.. about 10 yrs old) web service company that provides easy-to-use websites for businesses with little knowledge of HTML (i.e. ppl like me!). They make websites for businesses, then allow them to update them as they wish. Anyway, they're growing now and want a FT sales guy in there to find some new customers as well as maintain an on-going relationship with their current roster of clients. So I got up bright and early this morning (around 9:15 a.m., which is early for me these days) and called him up for a brief telephone interview. It was more of a quick screening process to weed out those who are perhaps not fit for the job right off.. some examples are if you are looking for PT and not FT, are looking for only marketing and not sales, or hate any cold calling. Anyway, after those few screening questions, he only had 1 more question to ask. Something along the lines of, "what 3 elements do you think are key in selling a hi-tech product, given that it's more of a service and not like you're selling socks".

I thought, "easy. sweet..." So I started with Ongoing Support, since you need to maintain an ongoing relationship to build for the long term, not just a sale. then i spoke about providing tangible benefits, since you can't SEE the service.... i.e. handouts, presentations, how-to demonstrations... then for the 3rd...

.....

BLANK! My gosh. May be it was b/c it was early in the morning, or whatever, but i went TOTALLY blank. I couldn't believe myself. Arugh. So after what felt like hours of grueling silence and me trying to stall, he quite nicely said "ok, let me give you a little hint. Understanding your customers".

MY GOSH. the most simplistic yet most important element to ANY marketing/sales or any business. By understading your customers you can better tailor the product to their needs and blah blah blah.. oh man. Geeze. I could have chosen a lot of others as well, but i should have at least thought about that one. Sad sad sad. Boy, i'm losing it these days. He did say that he knows how it can be hard being put on the spot (this is where they're nice, yet you've totally been put in the "meh pile"). Oh well. The job isn't the greatest anyway, but still, it would be nice to at least make it to the interview. We'll see...

Ah well. To release some stress, i practiced some bandstuff, and started to nail down more of another song. I only have a verse and a chorus done, so we'll see how it goes in the next few days. Tonight we're planning on recording some more tracks, and hopefully that will go well!

Take care,

RE

"eat drink and be merry"