Research and Gain Knowledge Prior to Signing Up

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Research and Gain Knowledge Prior to Signing Up

Investments come in all shapes and sizes. Business investments that include hiring workers, agreeing to partnerships, or investing in a startup all require due diligence. Underneath all of the upfront investigation comes a sales strategy referred to as “qualify and match.” Qualify and match offers a way to evaluate whether the offer is truly a sound one or simply one-sided. The goal is to find the better choice. The news is filled with stories about employees who put in months of hard work to never get paid and worse.

My Story

Someone I respect forwarded a video to me. In the video, Josh confessed that his business partner of five years worked behind his back to:

Build a similar and competitive business
Siphon off most of the funds
Steal all of their long-time clients

In this particular case, the two men were long time friends. It’s hard to imagine that someone might do this to a buddy. Looking back, however, it’s likely that minor questionable activities took place long before. We are all known to overlook things when it appears that a bright picture is standing before us.

Prior to accepting any formal agreement, job included, the better route is to ask for recommendations and referrals. In the regard to entrepreneurs, scout out the person’s online profiles on social media for as much insight that may be found. See with whom they have conducted business, whether they have plentiful endorsements, and the types of comments provided about the person.

Should you be anticipating working for or with a company, research their financials in-depth. If they are publicly traded, check out the history of the stock, and reputation in perspective of investors. Check out the executive team’ profiles and work history. This may sound like paranoid behavior, but given today’s news, it’s well-worth the extra effort. Protecting livelihood and finances will have direct affect on retirement for years to come.

Your Story

Think back to the stories you have heard and recall instances where you may have been affected by less than excellent judgment. Most people have been affected at least once in their career by a poor job choice because they felt pressure to take it on, only to be sorry.

Opportunities in business are frequently presented. They could be very small in comparison to those of large corporations, but nevertheless will affect progress if not handled properly. The other sales strategy is to work for a “win-win” – whereby everyone feels as if they gained something good. Examine all offers from every angle to see if the latest fits this model.

Recall previous agreements that provided excellent results versus those that produced aggravating experiences. Compare the events and circumstances leading to them. Was there a suspicious note that was ignored? Coming to terms with the bad experience(s) will lead to improved paths ahead.

The best thing we can do is to take hard lessons and turn them into teaching points for those following in our footsteps. Now that we have discussed the negative, the same applies to how we treat prospects and clients. Focus on positive strategy to encourage a loyal, returning and referring clientele.