Clarity of company differentiation to its target markets. If the company message is unclear regarding value to customers, or not systematically communicated, sales reps’ best efforts may be neutralized against a smaller but more effective competitor.
Company support structures. Today’s younger generation is often smarter about what to expect from an employer. An RIT graduate was recently hired by a client for a key business development position. The candidate, however, was prepared for the interview process—asking about company objectives, examples of market differentiation, current and new technologies being implemented, frequency of education and training sessions, examples of the company’s self-promotion strategies and even frequency of written performance reviews.