I’ve found that recruiters have a tendency to fold up their tents way too quickly when they make marketing calls. Either they don’t challenge the initial objection, or they fail to gather useful information that can be converted into to new business.

For example, if you’re marketing a candidate and the employer says, "Bill, I'd love to interview the person, but we just don't have any openings. Why don't you call us back in a couple of months?" you can say, "Gee, I know you weren't actively looking for anyone. But what if my candidate could significantly add to your bottom line and make your company a lot of money?”

That way, you can frame the argument a little bit differently and start a dialogue that might get a more positive result. Who knows? Maybe the company will make an exception and hire your candidate—even without a formal job opening.

If the employer says, “We just hired someone like that,” don’t give up. Ask where the new hire came from. Then you can call up the new person’s old company and see if you can write a job order there. Or, you can wait a few minutes and call up the new hire yourself and ask for candidate referrals back where the person used to work.

Here are some other ways to get the most out of your marketing calls, even if it looks like you can’t do business at the present moment:

If the employer says, "Your candidate sounds great, but we're not looking for that type of person," you can say, “What's okay. What type of person ARE you looking for?" That way, you might be able to write a job order for a different position.

If the employer says, “That's not somebody we'd have a need for,” you can say, “Well, can you think of any companies that might be a good fit with the candidate's skills?” Then you can ask for a list of suitable companies and call them up. And if the employer knows anybody at those companies, so much the better.

Or, you can float a test case by the employer and get a response. For example, you can say, “That's okay; I understand that my candidate's skills aren't needed at this time. But let me ask you: I was thinking of calling Acme Corporation,” which is a company similar to the employer's. “Do you think the candidate would have the right background for them?” If the employer says yes, then your match-making has been validated. If the employer says no, then ask why not, and then see if the employer can think of a suitable company for you to call on behalf of your candidate. With any luck, the employer will give you a brand new lead.

Finally, if the employer says, "I'd like to work with you, but we're experiencing a hiring freeze," you can say, “I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm curious: How do think the hiring freeze might affect your own career?” And if it’s appropriate, go ahead and recruit the employer.

See how it’s done? It’s the sort of thing you can do when you’re on the phone with another person, and something that’s virtually impossible to do with email or by leaving a voice message.

Remember, while your competition is out there skimming the surface, you can go deep, and get the most out of every call.

Good luck, and I’ll see you at www.billradin.com.