Marketing Not Selling

Making Them Want You More Than You Want Them

Have you ever noticed that when you request information on a new car you are given a marketing brochure, not a user manual? Both contain information about the product but the user manual is technical and lacks excitement or energy. The manufacturer wants to stimulate you with the styles, colors, and features available to the point you will actually walk in to a dealership and purchase the vehicle that is certain to change your love life and command respect from your peers. Or at least make you think it will…

The same holds true in your job search. A resume is the equivalent of the User Manual – so don’t send it as an introduction. Begin with sending a note introducing yourself, experience, skills and qualifications. Once the needs of the organization are known a determination can be made if you are on the right track. Then you can provide a properly formatted document tailored to focus on a specific position.

Creating excitement to the point a potential employer ask for the additional information (in sales they call that a buying signal) allows you to control where it actually goes. If there isn’t an appropriate opening it is unlikely that additional information requested. Giving the reader a chance to know you first significantly improves your chances of them actually reading documents you do send.

Making them want you more than you want them should be your goal.