The Amazing Process, Purpose, and Outcome Document3 min read

2021-12-13
Robert Middleton

About 30 years ago I worked with a client – an executive recruiter – who was having trouble closing new clients. The problem seemed to be that her service was very much the same as other executive recruiters and she couldn’t differentiate herself from everyone else.

I remember asking her to explain the processes (or steps) of the recruiting process, so she outlined all the steps from beginning to end.

And then I asked, “What are the purposes of all of these steps as well as their outcomes?”

For instance, the first process was an “in-depth position analysis” where she learned about the required skills and experience required of the ideal candidate and what they would likely need to accomplish in the short and long-term in the targeted position.

The purpose of this first process or step was to save time and energy by only focusing on ideal candidates who met the criteria for the position.

And the ultimate outcome of this step of the process was to help the company recruit the ideal candidate as quickly as possible.

We then went through this Process-Purpose-Outcome exercise for every single step of the recruiting process and ultimately constructed a 3-column table in a document that outlined each one of the ten or so steps of the recruiting process.

The document with all the processes, purposes, and outcomes wasn’t fancy, but it was as clear as the nose on your face. And it made it much easier to explain how her recruiting service delivered tangible results to her clients.

This is how she used the Process-Purpose-Outcome table:

Whenever she met with a prospective client in a company, she conducted the selling conversation in two parts.

First, she learned about the company’s needs in the area of recruiting. And after she had a good sense of what they were looking for, she pulled out two copies of her Process-Purpose-Outcome document and handed one to the prospect.

Then she said, “Let me show you exactly how I work to help you find the ideal candidates for your top executive positions.”

And she went through each of the processes, purposes, and outcomes in the document, elaborating when necessary, and answering any questions the prospect had.

So, what was the result of all of this? This was from a thank-you note she wrote to me that I recently found in my records:

“Robert, you helped me to craft a sales presentation which works 100% of the time. It’s incredible, but in the past four years, the only two searches which I have not won have been the two times when I deviated from your materials. That is a success record which is unmatched even by my colleagues in my own firm.”

The purpose of this article is not to boast about how much I helped my client (well, a little!), but to emphasize the amazing effectiveness of the Process-Purpose-Outcome document in your marketing.

And you can use a document like this in many ways, not just during the selling process. You can send this document to prospective clients who are considering working with you and you can also post it on your website, etc.

The Process-Purpose-Outcome document can become one of your most useful marketing tools for communicating the value of your services and closing new business.

To give you a better sense of how to write and design this document, you can download a copy of the one I use for my own Marketing Action Groups.

Download it here. (No opt-in required)

Cheers, Robert