I just got off the phone with a potential client.
Actually it was a job interview. I could use some quick cash to get myself out of my situation and I need some capital for a project I’m working on. It was a 5 person B2B organization hiring for a director of marketing. The job paid 70K/year. They work virtually so it was a telecommuting job.
((I don’t want this to turn into a anti-job thread, I have my reasons and if you want to debate about it start a new thread and I’ll be happy to talk with you there))
I saw the industry they were in, I saw some flaws/problems they had, and I thought I could help. I do a great job of 'acting' like an extrovert, but I'm not. I'm an internal creature, other people drain me and I'm terrified of the phone. (You might remember me working as a telemarketer for some time. Yes, I did. I did that to force myself to talk on the phone more).
Talking to potential customers is easy for me. Talking to business owners and people of importance is harder.
I emailed the president and COO a cover letter last night, and called the president today at 12.
We talked for 45 minutes. The first question he asked me: “What made you think I’d take your call today?†The whole thing’s a blur but I think I answered by saying something like “I had nothing to lose, so why not?â€
I started the conversation asking if he was looking for somebody to market for their clients or somebody who can market for the company. He said both.
I talked to him about his website, how he currently lands new clients, how their USP isn’t clear on their main website, how he should productize to make more money, etc.
I told him how I’d go about taking their long sales process and shorten it via inbound/content marketing. I wanted to tighten everything up a notch and take them to the next level.
He asked me about my experience, my schooling, etc. I was SO NERVOUS but I pushed through.
In the end, he told me I wasn’t a good fit for the position. They were looking for someone who can help their clients, not someone who can help the company. I spent the interview talking about the wrong thing (despite having asked him what he was looking for).
However, he said he likes my experience and some of the things I talked about during the interview. He said he’d like to bring me on as a consultant to help market their rebranding. He said “I appreciate your aggressionâ€
I ended the conversation by asking him about the call. “Did I seem nervous?†“What can I do better on my next call to make me a more persuasive caller?â€
He told me I tend to be self-deprecating. I talk too much about my failures and that’s not what an employer looking to hire a 70K employee wants to hear. He told me to BS my confidence on future calls. He said he can tell I was young and ‘unpolished’. I also talk too much.
I walked away from the conversation feeling how I always do after talking with stranger: drained.
But it was a good experience for me. I got somebody new to work with, I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I learned how to do it better the next time.
Actually it was a job interview. I could use some quick cash to get myself out of my situation and I need some capital for a project I’m working on. It was a 5 person B2B organization hiring for a director of marketing. The job paid 70K/year. They work virtually so it was a telecommuting job.
((I don’t want this to turn into a anti-job thread, I have my reasons and if you want to debate about it start a new thread and I’ll be happy to talk with you there))
I saw the industry they were in, I saw some flaws/problems they had, and I thought I could help. I do a great job of 'acting' like an extrovert, but I'm not. I'm an internal creature, other people drain me and I'm terrified of the phone. (You might remember me working as a telemarketer for some time. Yes, I did. I did that to force myself to talk on the phone more).
Talking to potential customers is easy for me. Talking to business owners and people of importance is harder.
I emailed the president and COO a cover letter last night, and called the president today at 12.
We talked for 45 minutes. The first question he asked me: “What made you think I’d take your call today?†The whole thing’s a blur but I think I answered by saying something like “I had nothing to lose, so why not?â€
I started the conversation asking if he was looking for somebody to market for their clients or somebody who can market for the company. He said both.
I talked to him about his website, how he currently lands new clients, how their USP isn’t clear on their main website, how he should productize to make more money, etc.
I told him how I’d go about taking their long sales process and shorten it via inbound/content marketing. I wanted to tighten everything up a notch and take them to the next level.
He asked me about my experience, my schooling, etc. I was SO NERVOUS but I pushed through.
In the end, he told me I wasn’t a good fit for the position. They were looking for someone who can help their clients, not someone who can help the company. I spent the interview talking about the wrong thing (despite having asked him what he was looking for).
However, he said he likes my experience and some of the things I talked about during the interview. He said he’d like to bring me on as a consultant to help market their rebranding. He said “I appreciate your aggressionâ€
I ended the conversation by asking him about the call. “Did I seem nervous?†“What can I do better on my next call to make me a more persuasive caller?â€
He told me I tend to be self-deprecating. I talk too much about my failures and that’s not what an employer looking to hire a 70K employee wants to hear. He told me to BS my confidence on future calls. He said he can tell I was young and ‘unpolished’. I also talk too much.
I walked away from the conversation feeling how I always do after talking with stranger: drained.
But it was a good experience for me. I got somebody new to work with, I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I learned how to do it better the next time.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
