Digg it UP - Business

Managing Change
All the talk today is about managing change in organizations. Leaders talk about it like it is really something one can ‘manage’. Everywhere I go I see consulting practices with change leaders and much of what comes out the other end, is only slightly better than the snake oil salesmen of time gone by. So what is up with managing change?The first thing to realize is that you cannot manage change you can only preferably lead or manage people. There is no such thing as organizational change, there is only people change. Organizations are la

overcoming?
• If these three obstacles that you have identified were to go away, expressed in dollars, how much do you believe your sales would improve?
• What are the key strengths you believe our company has to offer your customer base?
• In what areas do you believe our competitors have the upper hand?
• What are your income goals for 2007?
• What sales and gross profit will you need to produce in 2007 to achieve your income goals?

The answers your salespeople give you in response to each of these questions will open your eyes and give you the insight you’re looking for to determine what is standing between each member of the sales force and a higher level of success

Don't Sit at Home - Work at Homes - Pt 3
The typical dream image of the person working at home almost always involves pink fuzzy slippers, an oversized coffee mug, and a relaxed atmosphere. Yet not all that glitters is gold, and there are some very serious pitfalls that have to be avoided in order to make working at home a profitable reality for anyone who is willing to give it a try. To this end, there are usually two avenues available to anyone ready to give it a go: self employment and telecommuting. While both of these options will allow you to stay at home in pursuit

Or, are your salespeople pretty much on their own to meet the company’s sales and gross margin objectives?

In too many companies I observe, salespeople are hired, thrown to the wolves and pretty much left to their own devices to “make it or break it.” When you think about it, this is a pretty nonchalant sales management philosophy, especially in relatively slow periods when your company really needs more business.

Sales is no different than inventory and accounts receivable in that someone must manage sales; that is, if you expect to achieve optimal results. Otherwise, the odds are really high that --- as a group --- the company’s salespeople are not going to achieve their full potential. Salespeople are no different than any other employees, you probably have some salespeople who really don’t need a lot of hands-on management, but then there are several others that will most certainly not make the cut in the absence of the guiding and nurturing influence of a committed manager.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all salespeople did their homework before a prospect call, followed up on all of their customer commitments, planned their week’s work, made effective use of their time, sold all product categories and were skilled at deflecting price objections from hard-bargaining customers? Only in our dreams are all salespeople this mature and disciplined, but most likely not in the real world.

So let’s agree that salespeople stand a better chance of realizing their full potential when they are lucky enough to have a manager who systematically works with them on a scheduled basis. But how does a busy manager pull this off?

The secret is to schedule Monthly One on One Meetings with each salesperson. These monthly meetings are without a doubt the most effective sales management tools I have ever discovered. The following are a few of the items that are included on the agenda in these one on one monthly meetings:

• Managers follow up on commitments the salesperson made in the last monthly meeting.
• Coaching.
• Setting goals for the upcoming month.
• Corrective feedback.
• Positive feedback.
• Training.
• Developing strategies to accomplish specific goals.
• Prospective customer review and discussion of the next step.

Group sales meetings certainly have their place in every organization for information sharing, education, getting feedback from the sales force, discussing market conditions, etc., but group meetings severely limit the manager’s ability to address individual issues that must be addressed with individual salespeople.

Here are some of the questions I find to be useful in one on one meetings:

• What do you believe is preventing you from covering your draw?
• What are the top three obstacles you are having the most difficulty overcoming?
• If these three obstacles that you have identified were to go away, expressed in dollars, how much do you believe your sales would improve?
• What are the key strengths you believe our company has to offer your customer base?
• In what areas do you believe our competitors have the upper hand?
• What are your income goals for 2007?
• What sales and gross profit will you need to produce in 2007 to achieve your income goals?

Extra-Ordinary Prospecting - Be Memorable and Reward Yourself
When it comes to effective prospecting, Being a warm voice on the end of the phone, who sounds different to the majority out there is paramount and hopefully memorable.Ok your warm but don't get cuddly. You don't want to sound creepy and wet. No one likes creepy.Of course nice and friendly doesn't work on everyone. You have to be relatable with whoever you talk to. Sometimes people want the facts with no small talk. Be clear, concise and direct. If you feel you are not getting anywhere, call back another time. The person may be hav

le are no different than any other employees, you probably have some salespeople who really don’t need a lot of hands-on management, but then there are several others that will most certainly not make the cut in the absence of the guiding and nurturing influence of a committed manager.

Here are some of the questions I find to be useful in one on one meetings:

Choosing an Attractive Business Name
Most people don’t realize it, but one of your first and most important business decisions can be picking your business name. A great name is one that attracts customers and can really give your business legs in terms of starting a buzz. Do you think Google would have created the fanatical sensation it has with a name like Search Engine USA? If you are not the creative type, then bring in others to help you to name your baby. Work with a team of advisors, family or even just some business savvy friends, but don’t delegate this task completely

ee that salespeople stand a better chance of realizing their full potential when they are lucky enough to have a manager who systematically works with them on a scheduled basis. But how does a busy manager pull this off?

Here are some of the questions I find to be useful in one on one meetings:

Thinking of Starting A Carpet Cleaning Business?
Anyone considering entering into the carpet cleaning business has a dream of making money through contracting others to clean. The problem is many people end up wasting their expertise working for someone else because they couldn’t get enough customers to keep their own business running. Times have changed and people looking for carpet cleaners turn to the internet as their first point of call. Knowing how to advertise your carpet cleaning business over the internet is more than half your battle.It is an open market now and if you don’

itive feedback.
• Training.
• Developing strategies to accomplish specific goals.
• Prospective customer review and discussion of the next step.

Here are some of the questions I find to be useful in one on one meetings:

Unethical Negotiating Gambits and How to Protect Yourself Against Them
Let me teach you the unethical gambits that people can use to get you to sweeten the deal. Unless you're so familiar with them that you spot them right away, you'll find that you will make unnecessary concessions just to get the other side to agree with your proposal. Many a salesperson has had to endure an embarrassing interview with a sales manager who can't understand why he made a concession. The salesperson tries to maintain that the only way to get the order was to make the concession. The truth was that the buyer out maneuvered the salesp

Document Each Meeting: I recommend keeping good notes from each one on one meeting in a spiral binder that you keep in each salesperson’s file. THE MOST CRITICAL KEY to success in management is following up, and perhaps just as important: that each salesperson knows that you will follow up.

When you and your salespeople agree on a particular course of action, jot down enough notes to remind you of each commitment so you are in a position to follow up at the next one on one meeting. Some managers call this holding their salespeople’s feet to the fire, but I call it a Basic Management Principle: Effective Managers Inspect What They Expect.

If you want to see your sales organization become more professional and more productive, implement one on one meetings with each salesperson immediately.

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Invitations serve not only as a formal request. It is an observed tradition that indicates the significance of the recipient’s attendance.

Nurture the entrepreneur in your child with some great business ideas for kids with little to no start up costs.

Your goal in this(cover letter writing) is to get the attention of the hiring manager, just as it is with resume writing. The method and format are a little different however. Cover letter writing style must be direct, to the point, and able to grab the attention of the reader quickly, with a goal of making the reader want to read the attached resume.

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