Not Enough Fresh Sales Leads? Marketing is the New Sales

Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's not ringing. Let's blame marketing!If you join this band wagon to rationalize your poor sales results, you need to step up and take responsibility for your own fate. It's amazing how often sales teams play the victim here. They blame... Read More

Getting Off The Advertising And Sales Rollercoaster

Seeing the results of advertising your business can be like watching a roller coaster. The day you run your ad you see a flurry of activity; your ph0ne starts ringing, your web site traffic increases and/ or potential clients visit your store. Your hopes soar. sales go up. Two or... Read More

Increase Your Sales - Accept Credit Cards

Many people today simply prefer the convenience of paying by credit card. If you want their business, you must be able to accept their credit-card payments. In part one of this series we will discuss why you should accept credit cards, and the basics of getting merchant status. Part two... Read More

Increase Your Sales Accept Credit Cards, Part 2

In part two we will discuss overcoming objections, which credit cards to accept and using the check paying option. If your business is home-based or has been in operation for less than two years, you're likely to face objections from the bank. If yours is a home-based or a brand-new... Read More

4 Marketing Myths Threaten Your Sales

These 4 marketing myths can cause you to lose sales if you base your marketing decisions on them. But the related marketing tips I included with each myth will boost your sales if you act on them instead.Myth 1: People Always Buy Where They Get the Cheapest PriceIf this... Read More

The Sales Carpenter

I remember moving my family to Argentina as Vice President of Sales for Latin America. I was in charge of managing five regional offices, Argentina of course being one of them.In the company's ten year history of selling into Latin America it had never exceeded $14 million (M) in annual... Read More

Transforming Your Sales Force by Creating Specific Expectations

I just finished a phone call with a potential client who had called to discuss a problem. His 18 person sales force was paid on straight commission. All had been with the company for 8 - 15 years and were earning healthy incomes. His problem was that he couldn't get... Read More

Raise Concern About Sales Competition, Not About Yourself

As you are reading this sales article, read very carefully. Because I wouldn't want you to think of a pig right now. No, do not think of a fat, brown, smelly pig right this moment. What are you doing? Do you have a picture of a smelly, fat, brown pig... Read More

Speed-up Your Sales Cycle

This week's article is my response to a question by David Cohen of Bridge-Soft. "Quite a few prospects have told me that business is stagnant at the moment, but they are hopeful towards the 4th quarter. How do you approach the sales cycle where the cost of the product... Read More

Sales Tactics to Beat Your Competition

This month I want to share a success from a friend and customer of mine. You'll find in this story two important sales tactics for beating your competition. From Chris Chalmers of Quova Inc: "We sell a commodity product (geographic data) that is available from a variety of competitors and... Read More

Discounting Your Way Into Sales Oblivion

I don't even like saying the word d---------g. I have literally obliterated it from my dictionary with a black marking pen. I'll bite my tongue until it bleeds, before I say the word.Earlier this week Bernadette, my wife, and I went shopping . . . something I love to do.... Read More

Sales Plan? Whats a Sales Plan?

In the past, if you said the word "plan" to me, I would bolt and run. I'm the "creative type," a former ballet dancer and choreographer-I'm terrible with details. When I was dancing professionally, all the details were taken care of; all I had to do was show up and... Read More

10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays

Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my 10 picks, but you don't have to do them all. Even doing just one will get you another rung higher... Read More

3 Steps To Getting A Sales Meeting

The best way to get a new customer is to clearly identify who you want to do business with and then get in front of them. They can then see what you look like, possibly see what your product looks like and also examine any data or statistics you might... Read More

How To Use A Powerful Leadership Tool To Step Up Sales Results

Good sales people can close, but few "step up" for even more sales from that close. Yet stepping up should be one of the easiest accomplishments in sales - that is if you know how to build the staircase.Do it by applying a leadership tool I have taught thousands of... Read More

The Art of Sales (And Tips On How To Manage Your Sales Team)

Selling. Cold calls, introductions, interviews, appointments, proposals, referrals, call cycles, building rapport, listening, asking for the order, overcoming objections, closing the sale, and rejection. There's a lot to know about the business of selling. No wonder many people are a bit overwhelmed when they are asked to do it.And it's... Read More

8 Procedures to Take Control of Sales and Marketing

The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Three of SeriesWe're sprinting toward that million dollar mark...and we're only a couple strides away?Decreasing inventory carried us over the first hurdle, and last week reducing Accounts Receivable sped us through the half-way mark. We're making great time, so let's bring on the next... Read More

Commodity Sales Prospecting - How to Stand Out From Your Competitors

I have received a number of requests for advice from salespeople and sales managers that sell "commodity" products and services. When I refer to commodities, I don't just mean pork bellies or frozen concentrated orange juice. A commodity is any product or service where the target prospect is likely to... Read More

How Your 60-Second Elevator Script Can Transform Your Staff, Your Sales, & Your Business

When attending a Chamber of Commerce breakfast networking get-together, I'm always perplexed by the lack of thought and preparation many business owners display when giving a 60-second overview of their business. These people have spent enormous amounts of time, money, and energy on their businesses. Yet, when asked to give... Read More

Sales & Marketing Plan Strategies

Design and Implementation of a new Sales & Marketing campaign must be carefully thought through from the beginning. What message do you want to send about your company, products, and services? What are the anticipated results? What is the execution strategy? What is the cost ratio versus expected return?These are... Read More

Sales Marketing: 12 Sneaky Tricks To Help You Outsell Your Competition

Business can be like war sometimes.You may have to fight hard to survive.The winner takes all.But that doesn't mean you have to destroy your competition in order to survive and win.But you can do one smart thing: outsell them, with a few smart tricks I will reveal below.One of the... Read More

Increase Retail Sales With Meetups

I recently attended the monthly Italian language Meetup here in Little Rock. Meetups are informal social gatherings of people with similar interests in a particular topic. Topics for Meetups range from political to cultural to intellectual to fun.Meetups are usually held in books stores, coffee shops and restaurants. As Meetups... Read More

Keeping Your Sales Team Motivated

Sales managers frequently approach me for advice on how to keep salespeople motivated, especially when sales reps get into a rut - and seem to keep slipping deeper into it. Telling managers what not to do usually solves the problem. Most managers do things to de-motivate salespeople without even knowing... Read More

The Nine Warning Signs that You Need a Sales Video

Corporate videos are an important sales tool that can often be overlooked in marketing budgets.We look at the top nine tell-tale signs that indicate whether your company is in need of an innovative and effective way to promote itself.1. No strong corporate "look and feel"You're in a highly competitive industry.... Read More

Snowflakes Improve Holiday Sales

Snowflakes are beautiful!For the Winter Holiday sales season handcrafted snowflakes are the perfect touch. They lend an aura of a mystical winter wonderland to any room, house or office decor.You may ask "What has snowflakes got to do with internet marketing?"A free gift with every order gives you the competitive... Read More

How to Increase The Sales Of Promotional Products

I have searched for a new way to increase the sales of my promotional products. A good way is to start an affiliate-program with a commision for every customer who buy an product and who came to your page from a webpage of one of your affiliate-partners.I thought that this... Read More

Ten Awesome Ways To Incease Your Sales In Holidays

Everybody thinks that the businesses will slow down a bit in holiday seasons. Ofcourse everybody thinks that people don't want to start new ventures in holidays too.But that is not true. People do spend money... a lot in holidays. On gift items, special discount goods, coupons etc.The only thing is... Read More

The Benefits of Catalog Sales For Your Business

Things to watch out for when selling your product in catalogs.Giving away the farm.Many catalogs will ask for a multitude of discounts and concessions before they even place one order. You give them a set price for your product. But they insist on a lower price. They expect you to... Read More

Finding A Sales Force That Pays For Itself

The elements involved in building a sales force, especially one that pays for itself and also adds value to any business, are many and varied. The whole purpose and direction of a sales manager needs to be directed to creating a sales force that causes the employing company to expand... Read More

Sales Coaching... Fact or Fiction?

The old adage in selling has always been, "Find out what they want, then, give it to them." The fundamentals of selling are clearly that elemental. The application thereof, however, continues to be the litmus test that quickly separates the skilled from the rest.In the past, the selling profession relied... Read More

The Product or the Sale

This is a quandary not unlike the chicken or the egg question, "Which comes first?". Do you focus on creating a superior product and continue to develop superior products or do you shift focus from the product to the sale prior to fully developing the line, or schedule of services?In... Read More

Online Sales: Secret To Increase Your Sales By Bundling Your Products

Microsoft has used this online sales secret to become a giant, and the greatest software company in the world.How about you?What are you waiting for?The secret is bundling your products.An effective way to increase your profits and sales is to bundle many products or services together into one package. This... Read More

How to Win Over the Man in the Chair Salesmanship, Repetition, and Direct Mail

In a classic business-to-business print ad from the late 50's for McGraw-Hill Magazines an imposing looking executive sits in his chair. He has both feet planted firmly on the ground, a scowl on his face. His hands are folded together in front of him and his elbows rest on the... Read More

Hire A Six, To Consistently Produce Sales Success

For many years as a sales manager, I would only hire the stereotypical sales representative. You know the type-on a human relations continuum or scale of zero to ten, with the ten representing a candidate who is totally gregarious and outgoing and the zero, someone who is introverted with few... Read More

Seven Deadly Sales Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Big Money - And What To Do About Them

1. LOOKING for a "quick fix" to close more sales ? sales aren't closed, they're opened.Solution: You must learn how to open the sale; build rapport with your prospective customer and develop an understanding of their business or of their lifestyle first. Only when you have some understanding of where... Read More

Hiring--A Vital Key In Sales Management Success

Recently, I was asked to spend some time on the telephone, coaching a client's administrative assistant on how to check out an employment candidate's references. After each in-person or telephone conference, I complete a brief written report going over the information discussed. The information that I gave this worker was... Read More

Offer Package Deals To Increase Profits And Sales

An effective way to increase your profits and sales is to bundle many products or services together into one package. This gives people more reasons to buy your products and services. People also have come to believe package deals are a better value. You want all the products or services... Read More

Overcoming Sales Objections for Small Business Networks

Do you need help overcoming sales objections? Do you sell computer networks, or other IT-related products and services to small businesses? This article provides tips and hints so you can be overcoming the most common sales objections heard when selling networks to small business prospects, customers, and clients.The problem generally... Read More

Shorten Sales Cycles in Complex Sales Environments

Help buyers discover the answers they need to understand and align all of their decision variables.In complex sales, salespeople often find themselves negotiating their way through a web of decision influencers, conflicting initiatives, and multiple priorities. The time it takes prospects to align all of their internal stars and planets... Read More

4 Tips for the Summer Slowdown - How To Pick Up Sales

You may have heard about the "summer slowdown". You may be experiencing it right now, or you may not be affected. Regardless it's important to pay attention, and do something this time of year.If sales are slow and weren't in the spring, most likely this means your target market isn't... Read More

The ACCOUNTABILITY Challenge for Today?s Business Management

In today's 24/7 driven business word, accountability is becoming a more critical issue for every business owner, manager, executive and salesperson. The challenge is to realize that accountability is just not a single issue, but an issue with many supporting elements. To maintain and thrive as an accountable individual first... Read More

Increasing Sales by Using Coupons - Will it Help Your Business?

Increasing Sales by using Coupons. Will it help your business? Well, the Promotional Marketing Association's (PMA) "Coupon Council" shows that 3.8 Billion coupons were redeemed in 2003. Consumers saved over 3 billion dollars. 79% of American's used coupons last year. There are many Coupon Franchises out there with quite a... Read More

Train a Winning Sales Team: Rounding Third and Heading for Home

Although I never met the man, I imagine Lou Boudreau would have made one heck of a field sales trainer. In 1942 the 24-year old Cleveland Indians shortstop was promoted to player/manager of his team, and for the next eight years Boudreau did what we, as trainers, are called upon... Read More

What Is A Proposal? And Why Do You Need One?

Do you know anyone who regularly wins bids? Or can boast a balanced relationship between doing the hard work of producing proposals and regularly winning the business?I'm always amazed at how much energy people put into responding to a Request For Proposal (RFP) in relation to the level of success... Read More

How We Build a 90% Failure Rate into the Sales Process

I recently began doing training in the banking industry. Across the board, successful bankers close between 2% and 6% of the prospects they call on, starting from their first prospecting call.Not only are those numbers abysmal, they are considered normal. In other words, bankers are expected to fail at least... Read More

5 Secrets to Managing Your Sales Manager Productively

Many people believe that the main reason for representatives leaving their organisation is that of money in that they leave for a bigger salary. In fact, the biggest reason why people leave organisations is that the role they are doing is no longer offering any challenge or excitement. The second... Read More

The Four ?D?s of Sales Management

Recently I stumbled across some notes that I had kept from a project I had been involved in which involved looking at manager behaviours. The aim of this project was to identify "preferred behaviours" in sales managers when they were working closely with their sales representatives. The outputs were interesting... Read More

The Top 5 Issues Facing VPs of Sales

A recent study of 2,663 sales organizations by Think Training, Nightingale Conant and Trainique uncovered five areas that shed light on what separates the best from the rest (visit http://www.revegrowth.com/free_articles.htm for a copy)Issue one - A poorly defined sales process. 82% of all CEO's said their sales organization had a... Read More

Sales Competence Isn?t About Quota Performance!

Compounding the problem are two myths regarding measures of competency in sales.Myth#1: Quota performance does not equate to sales competency ? A salesperson's quota is usually determined by management. More often than not, the quota is set as a way to attain a goal of an increased share price or... Read More

The Art and Science of Managing Expectations in Selling

It is very easy to fall into a trap with the customer by extending offerings beyond that of what the company infrastructure is able to supply in a reasonable timeline.As a salesperson, you must manage the quality of the sales process. With this context of "quality deal management" in mind,... Read More

Determining Sales Fit; the Key Growth Process for Your Business

Help your organization grow by assessing the right indicators in individuals slated for revenue-generating positions within your company. "Growth Talent", such as sales, account executive, consultant, sales engineer, or other individuals responsible for top-line revenue growth. The SalesFit processes addresses the individual uniqueness of your organization and the candidate. The... Read More

How To Build A Worldwide Distributor Network

When your product is market ready and has a good bargain, it will be no value to you if you don't know who's going to buy it, or how you are going to tell the world about it. Your product will only sell if it has a good wide distribution... Read More

7 Tips for Testing Your Sales and Marketing

One marketing technique may work wonders for someone, but that doesn't guarantee that it'll do the same for you. The only way to really know what works for YOUR products and YOUR target audience is to experiment. Testing and experimentation are crucial to increasing your profits.1. Try using the occasional... Read More

Building Trust For Lifetime Success

Trust.One word.One very powerful word that can increase both first time and repeat sales to an unlimited degree.Trust.What is it? Why is it so important? How do you get it?Confidence in you from your cutomers, builds relationships and as a result, more sales, and through excellent customer service.That's the short... Read More

Raise Your Fees Overnight!

Do you want to make more money?Yes, I guess that is a rhetorical question. Everybody wants to make more money, but oftentimes we are not willing to do what needs to be done in order to make it.For example, I'm not willing to work an 80-hour per week job to... Read More

Management From Within

Inspiration and Management from Within ? Part 2.The more you follow the path of exploration into the mystery of life, the more life becomes revealed to you. Life begins to express its secret, its nature. What is required of us, for deeper understanding, is a commitment to follow earnestly the... Read More

The Spirit Of Change

A Highly Conscious Approach To Business Management. For more on this topic please link to Innerwealth Web SiteFor many years I have worked with people who are keen to work effectively as possible. The most successful people I have encountered in this time are moved by an expansive vision. They... Read More

Sales Pipeline Forecasting Is There A Better Way?

To put it mildly most companies sales forecasting just isn't delivering, a staggering 90% of the deals do not close as forecasted even when the close probability is 75% or over. Even more astonishing is that 54% of forecasted deals are lost to competitors or to a no decision.This is... Read More

Is Sales Process & CRM Stopping Sales?

Standard metrics and KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) are created usually between The Sales Director, The Financial Director and The Managing Director. These KPI's tell the sales teams what they should be doing. For example, 'Your pipeline should be at least three times of your annual sales target'; 'Your conversion ratio... Read More

Business Career, Executive Coaching Article - Perfection vs. Excellence

"(Howard) Hughes never learned how to convert his knowledge to practical application. Instead he sought a perfection that assured failure." - From Empire: The Life, Legend and Madness of Howard Hughes by Donald L. Bartlett & James B. SteelHow many times have you heard someone (it may have been you)... Read More

The Surest Way to Boost Sales

If you have a small business and you are looking to boost your sales and make the public aware of your business, how do you going about doing this? There is one sure way that I know to boost sales and create awareness. It may not be sexy, but it... Read More

The Achilles Heel of Management Coaching

While heading home at day's end, you begin reflecting on a coaching meeting you had earlier that day with an employee, Chris. You hope that, this time, you finally succeeded in getting her to understand the importance of spending less time in disruptive socializing in the office and more time... Read More

Retail Operations - Effective Branch Manager Support and Guidance

Performance and behaviour management is by far the most difficult aspect of any manager's job and the reluctance to 'grasp the nettle' when performance or behaviour issues emerge is certainly a concern in many organisations. But at the end of the day that is what managers are paid to do... Read More

How to Maximize Account Penetration and Jump-Start Sales

Maximizing account penetration is one of the most critical functions in sales. Why? The depth of account penetration has an enormous impact on revenues and profitability.Think about it ? if every one of your company's salespeople sold every product and service in their portfolio to every business unit, department, and... Read More

Profitable Relationships: Is It Amateur Hour or King of the Hill?

"We're in the relationship business?...airplanes are what we use to provide a service." remarked Colleen Barrett, President and COO Southwest Airlines remarked,Are you in the relationship business? Of course you are. Everyone who has to work with, deal with, sell to, convince, etc. is! Unless you're on a deserted island,... Read More

The Get Dangerous Quickly Approach to Product/Service Training

In 2000 a computer distributor hired me to help them build a software specialist sales team. The distributor had more than 100 "generalist" salespeople, but these salespeople were doing a poor job of selling software. The distributor's management felt a team of specialists could help jump-start growth in software sales.This... Read More

How to Improve Your Management Procedures Usability

Are your people consistently following your procedures? Each year, organizations lose thousands of dollars through common mistakes and lapses in usability. But what does that mean for business owners and executives?Ask yourself:Are your required actions described thoroughly and accurately, or are the details left open to interpretation?Is your content consistent... Read More

Project/Program Management Best Practices for Success in ANY Industry!

Where is our success? Although there have been improvements, over 60% of projects/programs failed and many were canceled in 2003 (ref:The Standish Report CHAOS)! Our goal for 2004 and beyond is to contribute to a 60% and better, project/program success rate! STOP THE MADNESS-MANAGE AND CONTROL PROJECTSWITH THE FOLLOWING:Best Practice... Read More

Producing Premium Performance

One of the major issues that arises in managing a small or medium size business is in the area of employee performance. Many business owners are frustrated with the poor performance of their team or some individuals within their team. No matter how hard they try, they don't seem to... Read More

Do You Really Want Local County Contracts?

If you really want to secure government contacts at the county level; there is a lot more than just getting on a list and bidding on a solicitation. Government even at the country level is a little corrupt and insider-ish. You can complain about the evils, backdoor deals and wasting... Read More

Pointless Targets

I recall a heated discussion with a sales director some time ago where I proposed that the long-term effect of setting activity targets for salespeople would eventually lead to failure. He vehemently made the point that he had systematically imposed activity targets on his sales force and that the result... Read More

How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Sales Performance -- Part 1

Business executives and sales managers frequently bemoan "80/20" performance on their sales teams, where approximately 80 percent of sales are produced by approximately 20 percent of salespeople. Why do salespeople perform so differently? What is it about top sales performers that enables them to achieve such vastly superior results?Certainly there... Read More

How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Sales Performance -- Part 2

Another key reason why companies suffer from 80/20 performance is their processes for hiring, training and managing salespeople rely almost entirely upon subjective information. Think about it: What are resumes? They are an individual's subjective portrayal of their capabilities and experiences. What occurs during an interview? Interviewees attempt to... Read More

All Small Businesses Need to Gather Community Intel

How well do you know your community? As business owners it is essential that we know our communities intimately. Have you ever made the effort to learn more about your town; Do you even know where to look. Lets discuss some ways to gather intel for your community based marketing... Read More

Disclosure Laws Favor International Terrorists

The Federal Trade Commission has rule that are supposedly in place to protect franchise buyers from fraud from franchisors who might attempt to mislead them into purchasing a franchise. Part of the franchise rules are addressing required disclosure paperwork. In this disclosure document, which is required to be given to... Read More

6 Steps to Avoid Losing Summer Sales

It's a fact - the online world dies down in the summer time. Kids are out of school, families are on vacation, there's fairs to attend to, and many are just spending too much time outside to be online. For those that market mostly online, the summer months could be... Read More

3 Secrets That Set The Context For Sales Success

In today's competitive environment, every organization is trying to improve sales results. In every company, the most important ? and vulnerable ? link in the success chain is the performance of their people. As a sales management trainer and coach, I see that managers across every industry fail to take... Read More

The Boss from Hell: Quick to Criticize, Slow to Praise

So you have a boss who dumps all over you the moment things go wrong, but never seems to notice when things go right. Ouch.Jamie is a hard-working, cheery, full-of-ideas kind of manager. She leads two high-functioning teams who support each other very well. So why does Jamie come to... Read More

A Coachs Handbook For Sales Managers

This article may be reprinted in its entirety with express written permission from Nicki Weiss. The reprint must include the section "About the Author".Quote of the month: "A leader is the relentless architect of the possibility that others can be." Benjamin Zander, Conductor of the Boston PhilharmonicSales organizations have access... Read More

Free to Succeed: Effective Sales Leadership Using A Coach Approach

About 2 years ago, I participated in a training program I'll never forget. The leader divided us into two teams. Each team's task was to fire a whack of darts into each number on a dartboard. The leader of Team A was given instructions that his team had to hit... Read More

Stop Drowning: Nine Strategies For Managing Your Priorities

I just got off the phone with Susan. She is a well-meaning, big-hearted, caring, effective and creative sales manager. Susan is also exhausted.Her day is packed with conflicting priorities, all demanding her time. She goes out on calls with her sales team, trying to motivate and develop them; she deals... Read More

How to Keep Projects From Spinning Out Of Control

Are you involved in projects that seem to go nowhere in a hurry?Change usually happens in an organization through projects, which can take many forms, and may not always be called projects. The easiest to recognize is the traditional type, with a beginning, middle and end, such as the launch... Read More

Change in Sales Organizations Starts with Me

Question: What do the following have in common?- I spend a lot of time spinning my wheels and not getting very much done.- I am continually frustrated with the performance of my sales team.- Why can't my sales team be more independent thinkers? They come to me with EVERYTHING!Answer: These... Read More

It?s Time For A Sales Management Revolution

Are you dog tired because of the way you manage your sales team? Many managers tell me that they cannot see a way out of traditional sales management methods that keep them working like dogs, including focusing strictly on revenue goals, staying late, traveling up to three weeks a month,... Read More

Franchise Sales; Recruiting of Laid Off Employees

Because of corporate downsizing, many people have been laid-off or voluntarily taken early retirement packages and/or incentives. This happens when times are good due to mergers and acquisitions or when the economy is in the dumps and corporations are working to cut payroll costs. Almost all of these people have... Read More

Whats a Professional Sales Manager?

I was in the depths of a major depression. As a third year salesperson with a good company, I was doing well, and was on my way to becoming the top salesperson in the nation for that company. But business had slowed down a little, and I didn't have my... Read More

To Increase Your Sales and Revenue Make Sure To Add Value

What are you and your company's services and products worth to customers? What is the value you and your company bring to your customers? When working with customers and organizations, it is important to distinguish the difference between worth and value and to set a baseline value for the contributions... Read More

Why Performance-Based Recruiting Produces Top Sales Performers

Many recruiting ads and job descriptions include "knockout factors" that can actually screen out qualified sales candidates. One example is a requirement that candidates have an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree, or a degree in a specialized field of study such as Engineering. Another example is a requirement that candidates... Read More

How to Sell Strategically

If you want to maximize your sales performance, take a strategic approach to selling. After all, wouldn't you agree that "the 80/20 rule" applies to customers, where approximately 20 percent of customers produce approximately 80 percent of sales?The starting point for strategic selling is figuring out a) which customers produce... Read More

Beyond the Golden Rule

There are several types and sub types of people in the world. Getting to understand the differences will help you connect with other people. This is taught in sales 101, because the need to connect with the people to make the sale.However if we realize that we are always selling... Read More

How To Have A Successful Retail Sales Event

In the 30-plus years I spent working in advertising and marketing, one of the most frequently asked questions I got from retailers was "how can I make sure I have successful sale?" While there are no hard and fast answers to this question, there are some guidelines you can follow... Read More

Make Time, Not Excuses

There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in on an ongoing basis. These are Prospecting (45% of time), Presenting (20%), Product Knowledge/Malleability (20%), and Professional and Personal Development (15%)Recently we were presenting this information in a workshop on Prospect Management, when one of the participants raised his hand... Read More

How to Sharpen Your Sales Message with Do-it-Yourself Focus Groups - Small Business Power Tools

You've probably heard of focus groups. It's a tool that the big guys use to quickly test a new product or service or to get fast feedback from potential customers. Focus groups do not provide real, actionable information but are great for what I call "clue hunting." For example, I... Read More

How Do I Manage Workplace Conflict?

Workplace ConflictConflict is an inevitable part of business life and not all conflict is negative. Most people would agree that where there are people there is conflict.Some workplace conflict is healthy and if viewed positively can be an opportunity and catharsis for you and your business to effect positive change!... Read More

Leadership Lessons for Sales Managers

Leadership, like class, is hard to define, but easy to spot.Someone once defined management as "the effective coordination of the efforts of the individuals in a group to accomplish that stated objectives of the organization." Managers get results by establishing goals and working with and through people to achieve those... Read More

How To Become A Better Sales Manager

YIPPEE! Kendra won, or should I say, "She was hired," by the "Donald." It was no surprise to me. It was all about people and management skills. You either have them or you don't! Kendra had them and Tana, sad to say, didn't.The shenanigans you watched during the "Apprentice" show... Read More

Run a Productive Business From Your Car-Office

The way we do business has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. More products and services are now being offered outside traditional premises. You no longer have to go to a bank to complete your transactions or home loan applications. Insurance brokers visit your home or office; retailers deliver... Read More

A Real CRM Strategy or Just Tracking Customers?

Exactly what is CRMThe idea itself is nothing new; its roots have been around since trading began. The principle of looking after your customers so that they come back regularly is, after all, merely the basis of good trading. In an increasingly competitive commercial world however, strong customer relationships take... Read More

Sales Forecasting For New Businesses

Sales forecasting is the process of organizing and analysing information in a way that makes it possible to estimate what your sales will be. This Micro Module outlines some simple methods of forecasting sales using easy to find data. Books containing simple and sophisticated techniques of forecasting sales can be... Read More

Is Your Forecast Too Sunny? How to Improve the Accuracy of Sales Forecasts

As spring moves to summer, the forecast should be for warmer and sunnier weather. What is the forecast for your business? Is the outlook sunny or cloudy?Do you know what sales you can expect, whether for a team of sales people or within your own business or practice? How do... Read More

Your Extended Shadow And Successful Sales Management

In a small midwestern town, the local high school of 878 students recently produced its first state championship basketball team in over 90 years. The community has had an organized city basketball league for its younger boys for many years. But, this league, designed to spot talent early and then... Read More

Baditude!

As a group of sales trainees took a break from our workshop on selling, the distress they were feeling, was clearly manifest in their intense discussions. It was obvious from their unrestrained conversations that the software being installed to track their sales performance was the reason for their anxiety. It... Read More

Poor Performance - Fix it by Coaching

Coaching is about finding out the cause of poor performance or behaviour and discussing with the team member how to put it right.The team member might respond immediately to coaching and improve the situation. However the improvement wont always be permanent and you may have to do further coaching.When I... Read More

The Effective Executive

What does it mean to be an "effective executive"? Well very simply it means achieving the goals you set out to achieve in an efficient, creative and effortless manner. Some of the benefits that ensue from this self efficacy are: feelings of self confidence, self esteem, self worth, a sense... Read More

Effective Sales Territory Management

How you prioritize your sales territory management activities depends upon whether you are managing a territory that has existing customers, or whether you are building your customer base from scratch.If you manage a territory that has existing customers, your first priority should be to introduce yourself to every single one... Read More

Are Your Business Proposals Losing You Sales? 10 Steps to Get the ?Yes? You Deserve

Your ability to write an effective and persuasive business proposal directly relates to your level of success. Write a great proposal and you'll get the contract or make the sale. Write a ho-hum proposal and your prospect will go elsewhere.Regardless of the product or service you're pitching, your prospect makes... Read More

A Fracas in the Franchise - Keep Your Customers by Keeping Your Workers

As a previous owner of a Franchise I know the importance of maintaining employee commitment, loyalty and enthusiasm in maximising customer satisfaction, generating positive customer perception and protecting your investment.Repeat business is the life-blood of any business worth its salt. Coupled with a structured approach to increasing market share, looking... Read More

Book of Lists Marketing for Pressure Washing Companies

The American Business Journals produces a Book of Lists each year in their many markets, it is wise for pressure washing companies to use this book of lists to find new clientele. The book of lists, lists the top companies in size in all industry sectors. Since pressure washing companies... Read More

Are Your Sales Meetings Boring?

Many sales meetings are boring and a waste of salespeople's time, say the majority of salespeople I interview. A review of what's going on in the market is good to know, but to be effective, sales meetings need to be a lot more than that venues for quick market updates.Inviting... Read More

How to Organize a Seminar or an Event

Seminars and events have always been implemented as a holistic experience to participants. Thus, organizing an event requires extensive planning and preparation with most work implemented at least a few months before the actual event. Most of the time, seminars seem to run like clockwork with all events flowing smoothly... Read More

Management by Osmosis

Sales managers are an interesting breed, effective sales managers are a rare breed. Managing a sales team is entirely different than managing other groups; their role requires them to have not only above average management skills, but also above average ability to manage the overall sales process. However, in many... Read More

How to Write a Business Plan Sales Section for a Mobile Service

We all agree one of the most important parts of any business is Sales. We also know that to get sales we must advertise to let potential customers know of our offerings. When writing a business plan you must have a clear and concise picture of how you will generate... Read More

Outsourcing the Sales Function

Small to medium companies that want to increase sales or profits and find it is possible to outsource sales should - do it! At this point most business owners and executives either become overwhelmed with doubt or fear.Here's what we hear: "We can't give up control of sales, that's too... Read More

Small Business Marketing: Overtaking Your Competitors

Few businesses keep tabs on competitors, yet such knowledge can give you a distinctive competitive edge. Building a file on them, looking at everything from the customer's viewpoint and asking suppliers and employees what they know about them can be worthwhile. Keeping a jump ahead of the competition means knowing... Read More

How Many Salespeople Should I Hire?

One of the most asked questions I get is how many sales people does it take to get the revenue numbers needed. Personally, I believe in large sales forces because in highly competitive situations the largest army wins. That doesn't mean, however, that you can go out and hire 100... Read More

Energize Your Organization

No matter what you do, it seems, your employees do only what's absolutely necessary to get along. You've handed out raises across the board year after year. You've been as generous as you can be with various incentives. Now you're at wits end. You ask in frustration, "What will it... Read More

Generous Donor Refused (how qualified business slipped away)

Generous Donor RefusedPicture this. You are a fund development director for a respectable school at a well-known state university. Someone calls and says they wish to donate $25,000 for a special scholarship fund in honor of her deceased brother, an alumnus of the school. What would you say? If you... Read More

Leadership - How To Turn The Vision Into A Reality

Be clear about where you are now. Audit your strengths and areas for developmentWhere do you want to be?What needs to be done to eliminate the gap between your dream and the reality?Prioritize ? Look for quick wins, consider those things which will have maximum long term impact. Build solid... Read More

8 Line Items of a Trade Show Budget

Budget Guidelines for Trade Show MarketingB'techa didn't know - Trade shows are the second largest expenditure of corporate marketing dollars in the US. Only the field salesperson costs a company more.How much of that money is wasted? Oodles - if you don't know what you're doing and how to track... Read More

Sex, Drugs, & Rock-n-Roll: Trade Show Traps and Tips

Sex, Drugs & Rock-n-RollHere's the Scenario...You're at a trade show. Out of town. It's probably an unfamiliar city. Maybe overseas. Lots of strangers. There's a client or two. A couple of buddies. Lots of opportunities to do business. Lots of opportunities to get yourself in a bind.This Commentary is about... Read More

The Hardest Job Of A Trade Show

You've heard this before: There were four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. Nobody did it. Somebody got angry because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Somebody would... Read More

Sacking Clients: Brand Power Wheel

Remember in the last message we talked about your directional pipeline and how sometimes you'll be approached by prospects who just don't fit with what you want to achieve? We looked at the different types of prospect - Desperate, Curious, and Inspired.Well, now we're going to have a think about... Read More

Accepting Responsibility for Your Sales Success

That we live in a time of relentless and pervasive change is no longer news to anyone. There is one important implication of this situation that continues to be a challenge. That is that our employees need to continually change their behavior to adapt to the world around them.My work... Read More

Rotten to the Core: The Story of How the Best and Brightest can be Ruined

The objective of an incentive is to incite action within an organization using a device or mechanism that that allows the rewarding or recognition of behaviors. This can be accomplished by offering preferential treatment, money, privileges, promotions, verbal praise, or complements. With that states, I suggest the answers to the... Read More

The Hidden Competition: Avoiding the 2 Most Common Competitors

There are really only two types of competitor:1. Obvious2. HiddenThe obvious competitors are, well, obvious! You'll probably know who they are. You might even meet up for a drink with them and bump into them at networking events. You'll have analysed their offerings and differentiated yours. You know these guys.... Read More

Moving a Business Relationship from Free to Fee: Turning Strangers to Friends with Power of Freebies

In the last issue I shared with you a technique for getting permission to follow up with people who have seen you speak on stage. This was just one example of a tactic for filling your pipeline.In these next two issues we'll look at one of our favourite and most... Read More

When Its DUH? Time at Trade Show - 3 Little Words Save the Day

TIME, MONEY, HASSLE - You can make a sale on one of the Three Little Words, but when you sell on two of the three, you'll have a very loyal client.You've have product training and sales training, you reviewed your company's web site and literature, you understand the demonstrations, and... Read More

The Differences Between A Commercial Collections Agency & Lawyer

If your letter writing and phone calls have all failed to resolve a debt issue, it is time to call in a professional - a commercial collection agency or a lawyer specializing in commercial debt collection.The most obvious choice to collect an unpaid debt is a commercial collection agency. Agencies... Read More

How to Develop a Proactive, New-Business Sales Team!

I don't know about your business but in my experience proactive, positive, consistent new business winners are the holy grail of any sales organisation. All of my clients have their own unique ways of motivating, managing and running their sales teams yet they all have problems from time keeping those... Read More

Sex, Drugs, & Rock-n-Roll at Trade Shows

Here's the Scenario...You're at a trade show. Out of town. It's probably an unfamiliar city. Maybe an exotic locale. Lots of strangers. There's a client or two. A couple of buddies. Lots of opportunities to do business. Lots of opportunities to get yourself in a bind.Here's how to stay out... Read More

Investing in Your Sales Team

While there's no easy answer to this question, there are a few basic points, known as the Training Discrepancy Model, which illustrate key areas that must be targeted for your company's training investment to be 100% effective.First, think of a triangle. The points of the triangle will be Skills, Individual... Read More

6 Common Mistakes in the Sales Hiring Process

Is lack of sales results, more sales training costs, months of unearned salary and damage to your company's image or reputation your company's method of NOT finding good salespeople? For most companies it is!The "trial and error" method of hiring salespeople is very costly to a business. Without a viable... Read More

How Exhibitors Can Move More Attendees Closer to Buying

Q. What's the single, biggest change exhibitors can make to move more prospects closer to a buying?A. Exhibiting firms can make their most credible, "main differentiating benefit" the most obvious, prominent (aka BIG) message in everything they display, give away, or discuss.Problem: Exhibiting staff rarely get to have a pivotal... Read More

Do You Know How to Fire Up Your Sales Staff (When Money Isnt Everything)?

Money is the only thing that motivates a salesperson, right? Well, maybe it is time to give your sales staff a little more credit.If you are like most sales managers, you were probably promoted to your current position because you were a great salesperson. But can you remember what motivated... Read More

Five Steps to Maximize Success in Targeting For Growth

Targeting is the process of selecting high potential customer accounts to receive intense sales focus. Goal setting translates that high potential into achievable numeric objectives, i.e. revenue and margin growth.Each Territory Manager should select a predetermined number of Target Growth Accounts (TGA). Creating focus on this group of selected accounts... Read More

SEZ WHO? Tips About Recommendations, Sales Cycles, and Trade Shows

Here's the scene. You're at the trade show, having a discrete "Sales Call" conversation with a visitor. Things are going well until he says something like...* So who else uses this upgrade?* You mentioned Big Foot, Inc. as a client. Who can I contact there?* I'm not sure it's worth... Read More

Back-to-School List - 10 Tips for Trade Shows

There's a new year beginning now - the school year. Whether you have children attending for the first time or finishing university, it's always hectic to get into the back-to-school routine. And, if you don't have school in your family, there might be your own remembrance of the excitement of... Read More

Set Yourself up for Trade Show Success

Of the many mistakes small business owners make, a big one is participating in trade shows and business expos without a strategy for turning those marketing opportunities into sales. Here are five tips to get you started.1. Have a goal. What do you want to get out of the event?... Read More

Is Your Sales Trust Factor High Enough to Win Against the Competition?

How high is your sales trust factor?Is it higher than the sales trust factor of your competition?It should be, if you want to increase your success in sales.Your trust factor represents the level of trust that buyers have in you as a seller. In the buy/sell relationship, perception is the... Read More

We Will Make It Back----- A Fictional Story Based on Fact About Sales Management Success

Bill Borders stepped up onto the podium. He had just been introduced as the new Vice President of Sales for Kiechler Building Supplies. As he looked out at the fifty seven faces staring back at him, time seemed to stop and everyone was motionless. Bills mind wandered. This wasn't a... Read More

3 Ways to Increase Your Sales

Last week I got a call from Jose, who was looking for help improving his ads. He'd been running the same ad in four local papers for two months and only gotten one response. He was understandably frustrated. With more than a dozen very satisfied clients, he knows that the... Read More

Increasing Business Through Distributors

You're a small company with a good product. You are confident that the product can sell, but you don't have the financial resources to hire a team of fifty salespeople to market and sell the product for you. You also don't have the staff resources to support those that purchase... Read More

Want to Increase the Amount of Business that Your Firm is Getting?

Business development is important for every business and refers to the action of bringing in customers or clients that are likely to make positive contributions to a company's bottom line. Business Development is all about establishing relevant and subsisting relationships in the market place.In this article Alex Margarit... Read More

Drop Discounts and Earn Top Dollar

Every dollar you discount is a dollar of pure profit you're giving away. Therefore, your efforts to remove discounts will be richly rewarded.When buyers see list price, they expect discounts to follow. By changing the way you address the relationship between pricing and discounts, you can stop giving away heavy... Read More

100% Commission Equals Zero Percent Control

The temptation to use straight (100%) commission plans never goes away: "Let's put our salespeople on 100 percent commission. Then, if they don't perform, we're not out any money." For small, start-up organizations, the lure is irresistible, especially when money is tight and the company or the products they sell... Read More

Promoting Your Private Label at Industry Trade Shows

So everyone thought you were crazy when you announced 6 months ago that you were quitting your "real job" in hopes of chasing starting your own Private Label Clothing Line. Your house is a disaster, blank shirts and line sheets everywhere, your living room has been transformed into a makeshift... Read More

T. L. S. Part I: Tier Level Selling ? A Penetration Strategy

A number of sales "Gurus" have promoted the theory that states, "concentrating strictly on your top level premier accounts (some even quantify that by stating your top twenty) will provide you with as much growth and profit as you can possibly handle." This is often stated regardless of individual and... Read More

14 Top Lead Generation Tactics

According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical marketing practices are not only inapplicable for professional service firms, but they may be dangerously wrong.Often professional service firm principals tell me they are frustrated with the quality of their marketing materials, they are concerned with their firm's low profile... Read More

How You Can Raise Your Business Earnings By 50% With An Age-Old Magic Truth

Imagine increasing your business earnings by 30, 40, or 50%. And this just by putting into use a fundamental truth of life. Many great men of history have used this truth in turning around their fortunes.You must understand that our world is governed with basic principles which if used right... Read More

Never Trust a Silent Customer

Imagine you run a pizza parlour. You have all these neighbourhood families that pop in at least once a week for some pizza, garlic bread and Coke. On an average, one customer spends about $30 per week. But let's assume they spend just $20. Imagine you did something that bugged... Read More

Snuff Out the Competition Without Leaving a Mark!

Does the competition drive you crazy? Are they relentless about taking your clients away? Are customer loyalties becoming a thing of the past?In our ever changing world, it seems securing business these days comes down to, who will provide the most services at the lowest possible price.To add insult to... Read More

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Offer Package Deals To Increase Profits And Sales

An effective way to increase your profits and sales is to bundle many products or services together into one package. This gives people more reasons to buy your products and... Read More

Snuff Out the Competition Without Leaving a Mark!

Does the competition drive you crazy? Are they relentless about taking your clients away? Are customer loyalties becoming a thing of the past?In our ever changing world, it seems securing... Read More

Accepting Responsibility for Your Sales Success

That we live in a time of relentless and pervasive change is no longer news to anyone. There is one important implication of this situation that continues to be a... Read More

Are Your Sales Meetings Boring?

Many sales meetings are boring and a waste of salespeople's time, say the majority of salespeople I interview. A review of what's going on in the market is good to... Read More

10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays

Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my... Read More

Retail Operations - Effective Branch Manager Support and Guidance

Performance and behaviour management is by far the most difficult aspect of any manager's job and the reluctance to 'grasp the nettle' when performance or behaviour issues emerge is certainly... Read More

What Is A Proposal? And Why Do You Need One?

Do you know anyone who regularly wins bids? Or can boast a balanced relationship between doing the hard work of producing proposals and regularly winning the business?I'm always amazed at... Read More

Drop Discounts and Earn Top Dollar

Every dollar you discount is a dollar of pure profit you're giving away. Therefore, your efforts to remove discounts will be richly rewarded.When buyers see list price, they expect discounts... Read More

How To Use A Powerful Leadership Tool To Step Up Sales Results

Good sales people can close, but few "step up" for even more sales from that close. Yet stepping up should be one of the easiest accomplishments in sales - that... Read More

Book of Lists Marketing for Pressure Washing Companies

The American Business Journals produces a Book of Lists each year in their many markets, it is wise for pressure washing companies to use this book of lists to find... Read More

Outsourcing the Sales Function

Small to medium companies that want to increase sales or profits and find it is possible to outsource sales should - do it! At this point most business owners and... Read More

The Achilles Heel of Management Coaching

While heading home at day's end, you begin reflecting on a coaching meeting you had earlier that day with an employee, Chris. You hope that, this time, you finally succeeded... Read More

How to Improve Your Management Procedures Usability

Are your people consistently following your procedures? Each year, organizations lose thousands of dollars through common mistakes and lapses in usability. But what does that mean for business owners and... Read More

7 Tips for Testing Your Sales and Marketing

One marketing technique may work wonders for someone, but that doesn't guarantee that it'll do the same for you. The only way to really know what works for YOUR products... Read More

The Surest Way to Boost Sales

If you have a small business and you are looking to boost your sales and make the public aware of your business, how do you going about doing this? There... Read More

Is Your Forecast Too Sunny? How to Improve the Accuracy of Sales Forecasts

As spring moves to summer, the forecast should be for warmer and sunnier weather. What is the forecast for your business? Is the outlook sunny or cloudy?Do you know what... Read More

Not Enough Fresh Sales Leads? Marketing is the New Sales

Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's not ringing. Let's blame marketing!If you join this band wagon to rationalize your poor sales results, you need to step... Read More

8 Line Items of a Trade Show Budget

Budget Guidelines for Trade Show MarketingB'techa didn't know - Trade shows are the second largest expenditure of corporate marketing dollars in the US. Only the field salesperson costs a company... Read More

14 Top Lead Generation Tactics

According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical marketing practices are not only inapplicable for professional service firms, but they may be dangerously wrong.Often professional service firm principals... Read More

Management From Within

Inspiration and Management from Within ? Part 2.The more you follow the path of exploration into the mystery of life, the more life becomes revealed to you. Life begins to... Read More