How Not to Sell Recruiting Services

A corporate recruiting manager here in Austin sent me this today. Names are changed to protect the witty and the hapless.

From: **** ***** [mailto:*****.*******.**.**@[ACME RECRUITING].com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 10:32 AM
To: *Recruiting Manager*
Subject: Are you still hiring for your Senior Sales Executive opening

Hello,

Hope you are doing well!

Did you ever fill your Senior Sales Executive position?

If so, great!  Do you have other positions that we can help you fill?

If it is still open, we can help!  We have great candidates who you may want to interview.  Your company only pays a fee if you hire our candidate.

[ACME RECRUITING] recruits exceptional candidates for some of the best companies nationwide and we would be honored to recruit qualified local candidates for you as well!   

There is no charge to interview our candidates and we stand behind all of our candidates and will replace them if for any reason they do not work out.

What does it cost?  Our standard fee is 30%.  However, we would like to offer [NAME OF A DIFFERENT COMPANY] our discounted rate of only 25%. 

How do I get started? Attached is our discounted agreement.  Simply review, sign and fax it back and we will get started!  J

Any questions?  Just email me and I’ll get right back to you.

Of course, there are no fees unless you decide to hire one of our candidates.

Looking forward to working with you!

****
[ACME RECRUITING]
 

Recruiting Manager
We focus on great local candidates!
***.***.**** [West Coast phone numbers]
***.***.**** Fax

I was surprised to see that they left the name of another company in the email when they mailed it to the person that sent it to me. Corporate recruiters and HR people are flooded with these kinds of solicitations on a daily basis. You get a sense of the frustration when you read the reply but the point of posting this is not drama, but to illustrate how important it is to pay attention to details when you are trying to earn business:

****,

Thank you so much for the email. Unfortunately, for 25%, I expect a level of service not reflected in your communication.

    * First, you did not address the email to me even though you had my name. If you did not have my name, a very simple search would’ve turned it up. This shows lack of effort and initiative.
    * Second, the benefits of your service that you list are no different from standard industry practices, so I do not find them compelling reasons to select your company over your competitors.
    * Your use of platitudes through such words as “great”, “exceptional”, “best”, and “honored” reveals that either you do not understand the meaning of these words or do not apply the same value to them that I do. I can only conclude that you will use the same subjective value judgments about of the candidates you represent. I would prefer a more objective judgment with the firms I work with.
    * You addressed your discount offer to [SOME OTHER COMPANY], not my company. This shows me that you are not detail oriented and are likely to overlook important details.
    * You gave no explanation as to why the discount was offered. You asked for nothing in return for it. This tells me that you do not believe your service is worth 30%. If you do not believe it is worth 30%, why should I believe it is worth 25%?
    * Your tag line in your email signature reads, “We focus on great local candidates!” Yet, your phone number and company headquarters are not local. I can only conclude that either a) you focus on candidates local to [WEST COAST CITY]; b) you focus on candidates local to Austin, even though you are in [WEST COAST CITY]; c) this is an empty brand promise that goes to every one of your prospects around the country. Of the three options, option c seems most likely to me.
    * The attached fee agreement is pre-signed, yet it is not a locked document or a PDF, which opens you up to risk if an unscrupulous client were to change the language and print it out. This demonstrates poor risk awareness and foresight in the management of your company.

Based on this analysis, I would like to offer a counter of a 3% fee reduction for each of the bullet points above. That takes the total fee to 4%. If you and [name of CEO who pre-signed the agreement] are agreeable to this, please send an updated agreement for my signature.

Regards,

[Corporate Recruiting Manager]
Austin, Texas

I am sure not everyone will have the same reaction, but the point is that details count. They count because they show that you think and you care.