Cydcor Blog
Real Opportunity, Real Results
The Importance of Confidence
During a USC class, we learned about a conference that was attended by 60 top business leaders. The leaders were asked to name their biggest fear. All 60 had the same answer, although not the same exact words. For each of them, their biggest fear is that people will find out that they are not so good.
Almost everyone struggles with confidence. Each of us has to realize that success comes from effort, discipline, work ethic, resiliency, preparation, going the extra mile, student mentality and treating people well. Talented people sometimes think that there is a magic formula of business skills to learn to become successful, or that you have to be like someone else. The reality is that anyone can do anything with will power.
All of us need to ask ourselves these questions: How confident are we in our effort? In our discipline? In our work ethic? In our resiliency? In our preparation? In going the extra mile? In treating people well? In our student mentality? If you are confident in these areas, you should be very confident in your success.
Cydcor Team Members Make a Difference
Team members at Cydcor recently came together and collected food for the company’s Thanksgiving canned food drive, which supported a local elementary school – and helped 100 families enjoy their Thanksgiving dinner. Cydcor donated 200 cans of green beans and 100 cans of corn and cranberries. They also donated 100 boxes of stuffing, 100 bags of potatoes, and 100 bags of homemade cookies – and provided a $15 gift card for each family to pick up a fresh turkey from the grocery store. An astounding amount of food…and an example of Cydcor’s commitment to giving back.
The Cydcor team members only had two weeks to gather all of the food and meet the company-wide goal, and they succeeded. They jumped at the opportunity to make a real difference in the local community. Two days before Thanksgiving, they went to the school and personally delivered the goods so that families could stop by throughout the day to pick up their Thanksgiving feast.
Cydcor is committed to improving the lives of others and consistently donates time and raises money for philanthropic organizations across the United States – most recently, the company, together with its network of independently-owned sales offices, raised $150,000 for Operation Smile – and were able to fund an entire mission!
What’s next in store for Cydcor?
Facing Sales Growth
As marketing executives focus efforts on the Internet, mobile devices, and other digital avenues to reach or expand their customer base, it becomes easy to overlook one of the oldest forms of outreach to spur business growth – and that is face-to-face sales. Even though face-to-face sales as part of the marketing mix has been successful for many businesses, the approach is often low on the list due to budget concerns and time constraints. It is difficult for businesses to find the staff, training, and resources to execute an extensive sales effort across geographies to target customers in their offices or companies. It is also challenging to find the kind of people with character and follow-through to represent businesses and products well.
The truth is that most companies do not have the internal capabilities to expand their sales force for targeted face-to-face campaigns. To gain revenue and market share, they frequently turn to partners who do. More Fortune 500 companies have hired outsourced face-to-face sales companies, which has unleashed hunters to better identify prospects and close deals. Well-known companies have turned to outsourced sales vendors like Cydcor to market their services and products to small businesses across the country. In addition to top-line growth, the companies are also experiencing bottom-line value by turning over the management and administration of the sales effort, reducing their need to recruit and paying only for successful conversions.
What is driving all of this success? Well-trained, courteous salespeople, the ability to answer questions and customize solutions on the spot, and the personal touch.
Not all face-to-face marketing companies are all alike. Businesses interested in the face-to-face sales approach should weigh the variables carefully before proceeding. Here are some important things to consider:
Track record of success. Like any business partnership, work with organizations that do not just share a vision for success, but deliver on it. Evaluate potential outsourced face-to-face sales firms on the strength of their clients, industry knowledge and relationships, past results and their tenure in the marketplace.
Strength of their sales teams. Pick firms whose business success lies in their ability to hire and manage the most talented full-time, professional sales people, as well as those firms that know how to motivate and inspire their sales teams.
Training and partnership models. Outsourced face-to-face sales partnerships should be just that: partnerships. Look for companies whose compensation is tied with their ability to deliver results. Importantly, the partnering firm should be able to readily translate and deliver training to its sales teams, and help ensure that the culture of the hiring company is presented well in all cases.
Reach. Speed to market is critical for most companies. Face-to-face sales organizations that have local market understanding, national reach and wide experience in myriad industries tend to be better partners because of their ability to incorporate best practices and limit the need for multiple outsourced relationships.
Integrity and Trust. Partnering firms will be your company’s representatives in the marketplace. Pick firms committed to helping your company build a strong and profitable customer relationship while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism to preserve trust, loyalty and integrity of your brand.
As emerging technologies and today’s economic downturn challenge businesses to develop creative marketing approaches, outsourced face-to-face sales as part of the marketing mix can be a sound way forward.
We Did It! Cydcor Exceeds $150,000 Fundraising Goal for Operation Smile Mission
Cydcor raises more than $150,000!
I’m constantly amazed at the dedication, perseverance, and commitment of our independent sales offices and internal Cydcor team members, and I’m extremely proud that we have met yet another goal. Collectively, we have raised a total of $150,000 for Operation Smile; the funds will be used for a medical mission to a remote locale in Peru, Cambodia, or Rwanda. Amazing work by amazing, dedicated people.
How did we do this? By coming together and working hard to meet this important goal. In 2010, during our annual R&R event, Operation Smile Ambassador Barbara Majeski announced that all of the independent offices throughout the United States and Canada were challenged to raise funds for Operation Smile, a children’s medical charity that provides free cleft lip and cleft palate reconstructive surgeries worldwide. Barbara had put the program together and introduced everyone to this cause, which she was extremely passionate about. The offices immediately jumped on the opportunity, planning various fundraisers and events to get us closer to our goal. In fact, offices would often compete against each other, showing once again that once they put their minds to something, they accomplish it. At Cydcor, internal team members were working hard as well, raising funds among their family and friends and planning events throughout the year that would help them get to their internal goal.
I’m so happy to announce that we were able to meet the $150,000 goal this month! We did it, and I am extremely impressed by the motivation that each team had to make this a reality. Think about it: Because of the perseverance of our people, we are able to make a significant difference in the lives of children across the globe. They will be able to lead entirely different lives as a result of our hard work. As a people-helping-people business, this is just another example of how we can work together and make tremendous things happen.
Lessons from an Egg
Team members test their egg drop devices.
Last week, everyone at Cydcor participated in a team building exercise where we had to create a device that would protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped about 10 feet. We divided into groups of about 8-10 people and given a box of supplies to create the device. We had a limited amount of time and the pressure was on. As we were working on our design, gathering all of our ideas and getting all of our brains in the game, we noticed that other groups were creating a parachute-type tissue. We did not have the tissue. We assumed every team got something different in their box.
We ended up creatively using materials such as straws, string and rubber bands to enable our egg to drop as if unwinding a yoyo. What we learned was this: If we lured down the egg, it would never break. As we had seen earlier, many of the other groups had created parachutes. We realized after the time was up that our parachute material was stuck inside the top of the box and we had not noticed.
The lesson that was reinforced in the exercise is that it is possible to come up with superior solutions with fewer resources than we think we need. By putting our brains together, we will surprise ourselves by how creative we can be.
U.S. National Conference Goes to Nashville!
In late June, more than 1,700 sales representatives and 200-plus office owners from Cydcor’s network of independently-owned sales offices came together at the 2011 U.S. National Conference, held in Nashville, Tennessee. Attendees had an opportunity to attend informative breakout sessions, organizational lunches, and an awards dinner that recognized their hard work and stellar achievements.
Other exciting highlights: A presentation from one of Cydcor’s top clients, who spoke about growth and the quality sales that Cydcor’s independently-owned offices have demonstrated, the “Promoting Owner of the Year” award winner, who received a 2011 Range Rover Sport, and numerous recognitions that were given to top performers across the U.S.
“The client excited the crowd by explaining all of the potential opportunity on his campaign,” said Vera Quinn, chief operations officer. “He comes from a sales background and was rejuvenated by the energy of our people.”
The conference was a great opportunity for sales offices throughout the country to learn, network, and be recognized for their contributions over the past year. Each day, in states across the U.S., they work tirelessly on behalf of Cydcor’s clients, going door-to-door and business-to-business to deliver tremendous results. The exciting, event-filled weekend was just an example of the excitement and passion that each office has for their clients.
Cydcor Named Among “Best Places to Work” in Los Angeles
Vera Quinn, chief operations officer, Cydcor
- Cydcor has been named among the “Best Places to Work” for area mid-sized companies by the Los Angeles Business Journal! The Los Angeles Business Journal and the Best Companies Group worked together to identify and recognize area companies with a strong commitment to workplace excellence. Both publicly and privately held organizations were selected based on benefits, corporate philanthropy, policies, work-life balance, camaraderie and support of employees’ personal growth. Selections were made based on company surveys and employee comments.
“We are deeply proud to be recognized as one of Los Angeles’s Best Places to Work,” said Vera Quinn, chief operations officer. “Cydcor’s culture is one of dedication to the well-being of our team members – including investing in their professional development, as well as to giving back to the communities in which they live. Our commitment to our employees reflects in the results they deliver for our clients and the service work they do in our local communities.”
Finding a Way to Win – U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
Most people make excuses. They are usually very logical and true. Winners, however, find a way to win no matter what the obstacles and difficulties. The U.S. women’s national soccer team exemplified this fact yesterday in its comeback win over the tough Brazilian team.
The U.S. team had many circumstances that could have been viewed as excuses for losing that game. There was a controversial red card given to one of the American players that on replay looked very questionable. So for much of the game, the U.S. had to play with one fewer player. Although Hope Solo, the U.S. goalkeeper, saved the resulting penalty kick, it was retaken because of another controversial call in which the referee said she had left the goal line too quickly.
Being a first player down and having some controversial calls going against them would have been legitimate reasons for the players not to give their utmost. However, the team never gave up. Abby Wambach kept pointing her index finger, indicating that only one more play would tie the game. It happened in the last minute of the game when Megan Rapinoe made a brilliant cross to Wambach, who made an equally brilliant header for the tying goal. It was done.
The U.S. wound up winning the game in penalty kicks and taught the world a lesson: Regardless of the bad calls we may get or of the obstacles in the way, we must dig deep down to our inner strength and find a way to succeed.
Walter Payton’s Simple Formula for Success
Walter Payton, aka “Sweetness,” played with the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987 and missed only one game in his career. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in American football history. Hall of Fame NFL player and coach, Mike Ditka, described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen—and the greatest human being he had ever known. Payton’s incredible work ethic and humility earned him the respect of players and fans everywhere.
Payton had a 5-feet-10-inch, 200-pound frame and worked out every day, even in the off-season. He was acrobatic and quick but not fast, so he developed his signature “stutter-step” to help break runs and give him the edge on his opponents. He did not believe in running out of bounds and maintained a “never die easy” mentality. He played hard to win, and his determination led him to become the all-time leader in rushing with 16,726 yards and all-purpose yards until 2002, when Emmitt Smith broke his record. Payton also held the single game rushing record until 2000.
What gave Payton the will to achieve such great success? In the following excerpt from his autobiography, Never Die Easy, he attributes his work ethic to how his parents raised him:
“Competing in sports back then was everything. No matter what the game was or how much older and stronger the other kids were, we were taught to give it everything we had until it was over. Never give less than one hundred percent. If you start something, you shouldn’t quit, that is what we were taught. If you’re going to play, you might as well play to be your best.
My mother was a yard person and every summer to keep us out of trouble she’d have this guy to come in and dump this hundred pounds of topsoil in the driveway. She’d want us to spread the topsoil all over the yard. We had one shovel and a wheelbarrow… It was hard work and we were so small then, I was six, seven, eight, Eddie was a couple of years older. But there we were, trying to shovel and push all of this topsoil everywhere… If you want my opinion, there was no reason to spread all that topsoil except to keep us occupied and around the house.
I look back on it now, though and I think that yard work taught me a lot. I learned about working hard and staying with something even though the project seemed overwhelming… You have to imagine how big that huge pile of dirt appeared to a seven-year-old. I used to think we would never finish. We’d just try to make dents in it every day. Which is how you have to approach any kind of work. You have to take things one day at a time… You work as hard as you can for as long as you can and the small gains you make will eventually pay off. Eventually that mountain of dirt will be gone and you can go play baseball or go hunting.”
We can apply Payton’s simple yet powerful formula for success on our own work and lives: Work hard, persevere and commit to do and be our best.
Learning by Example
A colleague recently asked me who was the greatest influence in my life. Without hesitation, I replied, “my grandparents.”
I recall that my grandfather and grandmother came over every Sunday to be with my family. This was important to me because my dad worked every weekend. They taught me how to read, helped me develop a love of learning and took me to my first ball games.
It was their example, however, that inspired me the most. They were selfless in how they treated my each of us. They thought the best of everyone, listened well and never judged. They were nurturing toward my siblings and me, and their kindness shaped our characters. They were there for all of us, and nothing was more important to them than family.
My grandparents never lectured us on the importance of these values. They simply lived them and became our role models.
I aspire to be like these two amazing individuals, taking care to remember that the example I set through my character and actions speak louder than any words.
