|
Don't Have A Sales System Don't Expect Great Sales Results
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
Tenth you need to let go of your ego and historical prejudices or viewpoints that may get in the way of your success.
How do you develop a sales system?
Seventh you need to test elements of the process in the real world and continually refine it to ensure it works more than it doesn't.
I don't care if you use any sales system, sooner or later if you want consistently increased sales results,Cheap Kenny Britt Jersey, you need to implement a workable, practical,Cheap Dermontti Dawson Jersey, customer focused and repeatable process.
There are only three ways to sell more - and the key to all of these is the ability to learn from your mistakes, develop and apply new approaches. People who consistently have poor sales results generally keep making the same mistakes and these generally are in three areas - prospecting, closing sales and the lack of a strategic sales process that they use again and again and it works. So I'll leave you with a simple question? Do you have a repeatable sales process or system that you use that works?
I am not going to delve into the various available systems today and their merit but rather the value in developing or using a successful approach that works and you are comfortable with.
Second you need to understand your prospect's needs,Cheap John Lynch Jersey, wants, agendas and objectives.
OK that's it. A selling system or process... easy? No. Complicated? Doesn't need to be. Critical for your success? Yes.
Eighth you need to memorize the various elements so that you can use every aspect automatically.
What exactly is a selling system?
Third you need to tailor the system to your industry.
First you need to understand the basics of selling.
If you evaluated the results of the most successful salespeople you would quickly discover that they have a repeatable sales process or sales system.
Sixth you need to learn to get more information than you give.
Fourth you need to understand your customer's fears, concerns and mindsets in general.
It's grounded in a number of important elements such as;
Fifth you need to create trust and mutual respect early in the relationship.
-It's repeatable
-It has a high closing percentage
-It is customer friendly
-It is easy to use
-It is comfortable for the salesperson
-It eliminates poor prospects quickly and professionally
-It contributes to repeat and referral business
Ninth you need to keep adequate sales records so you can continually evaluate your system's effectiveness.
How to Have an Outstanding Sales Letter
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
3. Present your credentials. The most common questions that most customers would ask before making the decision to buy your products or even listen to you are the questions "Who are you?" and "Why should we trust you?". It is easier to believe in someone who has been in the same situation, experienced the same problem and was able to solve it. Your credentials could include your field of expertise, years of experience, Conference attended and other awards and recognition received.
Sales letters have been one of the most effective and efficient ways in getting potential clients to buy your products. It is also considered the thin line between a buyer's YES and NO. Making one is not that complicated as it may seem. Here is how:
4. State your offer. The offer is the "make or break" part of your sales page. It should be so compelling that your customers will not hesitate to make the purchase. Try using the combination of free gifts, added service and low prices when stating your offer. And instead of lowering the price of the product, try adding products and services. This will give your customer the impression of having more while paying for less.
1. Make a noticeable headline. In general, readers will only read your sales letter when they are curios or interested on the headline. The following phrase could help your Headline standout among the rest: "How to",Cheap Antrel Rolle Jersey, "tips on", "Secrets to",Cheap C.J. Spiller Jersey, "Help", "How can I", "Free", "New ways", "Where can",Cheap Justin Smith Jersey, "Found", "Hints and tips", "Best", "Exposed" and "Warning". Having these phrases in your headline makes it interesting to read. Also, include the keyword in your headline but be very careful not to make your headline too specific, for it will limit the visitors to your site.
2. Recognize the problem and provide a solution. The visitors in your site are there for a reason, they have a problem and they want a solution. They are hoping that you have the solution they need. Relating to the problem of your visitor is an effective way to get them to purchase your product. Talk about the problems and the solutions your product can provide. Talk about the short and long term benefits. This will add to their interest to purchase the product.
5. Reassure your customer. Your sales letter should also include an assurance that your product will be able to help them solve their problem. Assurance comes in many forms. You can have a money back guarantee program. You can include statistics with real figures of the number of purchases made for your product and testimonials for other users. Be creative in assuring your customers with your sales letter template.
Improve Order-To-Fulfillment Process With WebForms
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
Let's first look at a fairly common and flawed process and then explore a solution using Web Forms, which web-enables order-to-fulfillment, eliminates redundant data entry and electronically routes between sales, engineering, accounting, order processing and shipping departments.
If your company spends considerable man-hours tracking orders between the time a product quote is requested and the actual product is shipped, using Web Forms technology can assist you in streamlining your fulfillment process. This pain point is widespread in industries where products or services are customized - manufacturing for example. In some cases the order or quote request can get lost before it actually gets entered into the order entry system.
Because these steps are likely done via paper documents being passed around in a manila folder or a steady stream of "reply all" emails, the chance of errors or the quote request getting lost in translation is very high. Problems are often found in customer support prior to shipping or even worse, by the customers themselves. Not only are these mistakes completely avoidable, but companies can lose considerable profits and damage brand equity when employing imperfect order-to-fulfillment processes. Unfortunately, this scenario may sound all-too-familiar.
If you're looking to improve your order-to-fulfillment process and want keep your customers happy, consider using Web Forms technology to streamline your customer and vendor business processes.
By capturing the quote information at the beginning of the process and tracking it until the time the order is entered and shipped, we have averted the dreaded "you screwed up my order" call and have delivered the product correct to specifications and on time.
The current process may go something like this:
An order is received by email,Cheap Jason Witten Jersey, phone or fax for your product or service. In some instances, the product is mass-produced and can just be grabbed from the shelf and shipped. This particular order however, requires a quote for product customization. Because of this, the quote request needs to be routed from sales to the development or engineering team for a review to make sure they can fulfill the customer's special order. Once engineering has determined they can configure or build the product to specifications,Cheap Sideline Black United Jerseys, the accounting team needs to estimate the product cost, margins needed and the final pricing for the product. The order can finally get entered into the order entry system for processing, shipping and billing.
A new streamlined process using Web Forms might look like this:
Customer goes to your website and fills out a new order or quote request,Cheap Nick Fairley Jersey, or simply calls a salesperson who takes their order. In either case, the order or quote information is immediately captured to a web-based form where it can be monitored and tracked until the order is completed. Once captured, the order form is electronically routed to various departments where they add their information to the all-encompassing form. Once it clears these steps, the quote or order can be entered or captured automatically into the order processing system and fulfilled.
Sales Strategies - 4 Simple Steps to Generate Massive Referr
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
Now, I know what you might be thinking. You might be thinking that recognition and rewards are of no interest to you personally. And this may be completely true. You may have no interest in this at all. But please understand this. You are not always your customer or referral partner.
Step 4: Reward. At the very least send a thank you card. I would personally recommend sending food because few people truly thank people for referrals. It will make you stick out and be remembered.
If someone makes you $5,Cheap Greg Jennings Jersey,000 is it worth it to give them $500 or $1,000? I honestly can't answer that question for you, but if you have salespeople and you would pay them this amount then I would recommend you seriously consider paying referral partners a lot because you can almost have a "silent" sales force working for you.
If you have a "walk in" store often times a "leader board or thank you board" can "recognize" people who are giving you referrals. It all depends, but recognition is extremely important because many times people get competitive and want to be known as a person who refers.
And even if that referral does not always convert into business you still want to reward people. Why? Because it is the polite thing to do, and it is the right thing to do. Even if that referral didn't lead to business a person still tried and will keep sending you business. Lastly, people WANT to be rewarded for referrals. It makes them feel appreciated. I have sent people business before and not even received a thank you card or someone even mentioning it.
If you are an accountant perhaps you can review their taxes from last year at no cost, provide a workshop for how they can get additional tax benefits, or provide some other type of bonus. The key here is to make a big list of ideas and then test and see which one works for your business.
Ask yourself this question: What could someone do for you that you would be forced to tell 3 to 5 people? Then DO That!
The last 3 tactics involve all 'R' and they are remind, recognize, and reward.
Reward: Lastly you need to reward people. You need to quantify how much a good referral is worth to your business and REWARD people when they send you a referral. Do not be cheap here.
Remind: You have to constantly be asking, in the right way of course, for referrals. How do you do this? As many ways as possible.
Well, it depends on your industry and what you do but what type of bonus can you throw in for free. For example, if you are a restaurant is it worth it to give out a free dessert to generate good will.
Thank you cards always work very well. Monthly holiday campaigns also do well. So do referral contests. But ALL of these do not work unless you have top of mind awareness and people are constantly thinking of you.
I have personally seen millionaires refer to get a Star bucks gift card, or a box of brownies. I have seen very prominent business people get in an argument over who referred the most. So just because it may not appeal to you doesn't mean you cannot use this in your business.
If you're interested in getting more referrals but are not sure where to start here are 4 simple strategies you can use get more referrals.
Recognizing people want to be thanked for the things they do. When I say recognizing people I literally mean calling attention to people who give you referrals.
It*may* be, but it depends on your business. IT definitely would be worth it if you are to collect names for a mailing list -- but that is another subject.
That is what I mean when I say "wow." Just doing what you promise will not get you a boatload of referrals. So what are ways to "wow" people?
So the first key is to wow people.
Step 2, Remind people of your contests, what you have done for them, and what is in it for them.
There are several ways to go about this. If you have a newsletter you can recognize people who give you referrals in your newsletter. This can be done in a print newsletter, or digital email newsletter.
So, remember the following: Step 1,Wesley Walker Jersey, WOW people. Make them HAVE to tell their friends, clients,Cheap Terrell Suggs Jersey, associates, and vendors about you. How so? Go above and beyond the call of service.
Step 3: Recognize people who do refer. Recognition is extremely important because people want win.
First, realize that people WANT to refer if you can WOW them. What do I mean by WOWING them? Well, have you ever ate at a restaurant or seen a movie that was so good you HAD to tell your friends about?
Yes, you might need to refine and tweak this a bit, but you definitely need to be utilizing these concepts in your business.
How to Avoid Losing Your Shirt When Taking Product to Market
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:38 AM
[General]
One of my clients was able to launch a seven-figure business for this reason; they had customers who were interested in their products and then once they got their commitments only then did they start the manufacturing process.
It doesn't serve you at all to have your products sitting on your warehouse shelves rather than retail shelves, especially when you're starting out. So be very careful in your launch efforts and think strategically before going into production.
But here's the thing...yes,Cheap Oilers Jerseys, most retailers won't buy from you unless you have products in inventory because they want to make sure you can fulfill their orders immediately. The last thing a buyer wants is to be compromised by not having inventory on their shelves. This is a big no-no! So admittedly this does not work for most retailers, but if you can (and there are strategic ways to do this), this will definitely work to your advantage.
In the end, this strategy will benefit both parties.
Along the way if you find that buyers are not particularly interested in your product, then consider yourself blessed because you haven't spent thousands of dollars in production!
Products are produced and delivered to the warehouse in hopes that their sales team will write tons and tons of orders. Unfortunately,Cheap Matt Ryan Jersey, most of the time products sit on the shelves for months and months waiting to be pulled while incurring major fees. Warehousing can be a major expense in your business.
So the best strategy is to create your prototype, get it in front of buyers and focus on getting purchase orders!
Q: What's one of the surest ways to ensure you don't lose your shirt when taking products to market especially when you're just starting out?
Additionally,San Francisco 49ers Jerseys, especially for new companies, having a purchase order on hand gives you a much better chance to get a factory to do business with you especially when you're producing thousands of units and working overseas.
A: Have a commitment or order from a major retailer prior to manufacturing your products.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but let me tell you, most inventors and entrepreneurs and even large manufacturers don't think this way, and in my experience, this is one of the surest ways to avoid sleepless nights trying to figure out how to move goods out of your warehouse.
Another big advantage in getting your products in front of buyers prior to production is that it will allow you the opportunity to get feedback and possibly tweak the product to their liking so they can potentially place an order once you've made the modifications. Use this to your advantage and pay attention to what they have to say and work with them - be flexible!
If you must produce, start with a small quantity or a minimum run to test the market. Most major retailers will do this anyway. They will start off with a few stores at strategic locations to see if the products will sell before they place a larger order.
What Makes a Sales Letter Great
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:38 AM
[General]
A word of caution. It is easy to go overboard with consequences and make your copy start to sound a bit like Chicken Little with the refrain that the "Sky is falling". This type of overstatement falls on deaf ears.,Cheap Matthew Stafford Jersey
While this is an effective technique, it can be very quickly overused. I've found that the key is to focus on capitalizing your most powerful emotional terms such as, anger, excitement, enthusiasm or frustration. This works very effectively in both emails and sales copy on a squeeze page or landing page. Capitalization works far less effectively in hard copy sales letters that are sent in a Business-To-Business marketplace.
The next question is "What emotions should I focus on?" Although it can argued that there are lots of different emotions that are powerful to raise, the most important ones are those that focus on either pain or gain. Throughout copywriting history these twin levers are the two most powerful.
However, as powerful as the emotion of gain is, it is pain that causes most people to actually act. In my opinion if you are going to focus on one emotion in your sales letter, it should be those associated with pain.
However, just stating the problem by itself is usually not enough. You need to build on it. Make your readers really care about it to the point where they are willing to take action. In order to do that you need to communicate consequences. These are simply the answer to, "What happens if the problem isn't addressed?" As you can imagine this is where we really make the reader care about the problem.
The aim of your sales copy is always to sell your product and service and once you have learned the standard format of sales letters it is time to take it to the next level. One way to do this is to use emotional triggers. These words or phrases are used to get your readers feeling whatever emotion it is you want them to feel.
If our readers do not feel that they can achieve the goal, if they feel that attainment is outside of their capabilities, then inertia will take over. That's deadly since our goal at the conclusion of the letter or email is to motivate our readers to do something. Unless they feel hope and aspire to the "gain" that is communicated in the copy, they won't act. Thus you want to ensure that your copy is filled with emotion laden statements that emphasize the gain that one can achieve by taking action.
You want people to pay attention to the problem through the use of consequences, but you don't want to overplay your hand. A good way to check this out is to read your copy out loud once you've finished writing it. If it doesn't sound believable to you, that's a clear indication that you've probably had "too strong a hand on the tiller" when you communicated the consequences.
So how do we communicate pain? It's most effectively done through a two-step process. First, you want to communicate what the problem is that your readers are facing. I'm assuming that you're writing to a highly niched market or offering a very specific service to a larger group of prospects. People pay attention to problems that either they suffer from or that those who are similar to them face. Thus the more you niche your audience the better.
Although a lot of copywriters disagree,cheap Super Bowl Jerseys, I prefer to convey emotion through the judicious use of capital letters. A single word all in caps will pop out and visually convey the emotion you're trying to get across.
Simply put,Cheap Ricky Williams Jersey, the emotion of gain focuses on aspirations, goals and ambitions. It is the proverbial chest of gold at the end of the rainbow. The emotion of gain is closely linked with hope. Providing readers with hope is crucial if we expect them to take action.
Sales Success - Back to Basics
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
1. Seek information. There is a rule of thumb in negotiation: The best prepared party gets the biggest piece of the pie. Dig out the facts. Do your homework. Find out all that you can about the other party from independent sources such as, their problems, needs,Cheap Arthur Moats Jersey, interest, goals. Your awareness of these issues helps you to create acceptable solutions. This will help make them more receptive to your ideas and gives you the advantage.
3. Reinforce continually. Reinforcement builds the type of confidence you want in your customer. One way is to ask questions which require a "yes" to your questions.
2. Cost-benefit ratio. The prospects buying decision will be based on perceived value in relation to price. Values or benefits are not in the product but in the prospects mind. The salesperson has little control over price, but does have control over presenting the prospect with enough reasons to buy.
5. Pre-empting price. If your price seems high, you can soften its effect by pre-empting it. That is, you bring up the subject as a benefit and justify it before the prospect complains about it. In that way any objections to price are minimized.
Handling customer complaints.
Comparison of price, value and quality in the business world is the name of the game. Yet even after a rigorous price comparison, price will rarely be the dominant factor. When you sell value - your best combination of quality, service and price - you will have a far happier customer than when you sell price alone.
BACK TO BASICS
Quite often the salesperson must assume the role of "negotiator" to close a sale. You've found the right prospect and developed a strong interest in your product or service, but the terms of the deal are now under fire. Although you may not be able to change prices or delivery schedules, it is important to remember one thing: The negotiator's job is not to do the impossible, but to make the possible probable. To be effective, you must understand and apply the key principles of negotiating. Even so, there is no guarantee of success. But, not having a grasp of negotiating is almost a sure guarantee of failure. Unless you are UN expert in negotiating practices, you stand a much lower chance to get what you want.
3 Put a picture of something that you want to purchase on your refrigerator so that you see it every morning. But don't forget to reward yourself for short-term accomplishments.
1. Know that change is inevitable and it is often good and healthy.
2. Participate in change. Be eager to make a difference. Don't react from necessity. React by thinking, planning, and taking action.
3. Believe strongly that you can make a difference.
1. The prospect is always asking, "Whats in it for me?" The answer to this in not features but rather benefits and reasons to buy. Rarely is any one feature worth the price, but it is possible that one benefit is worth the price.
1. Arguing creates defensiveness from your clients. Ignore the customer's style of delivery and personality. Don't let that distract you from listening to what is being said. Handle the problem with a calm and rational behavior.
Handling the Sales Lows:
Remember that you need to present the valve of the equipment to the man who signs the check. If you are relying for his second in command to sell the values to the one who writes the check for you, you are sadly mistaken.
2. Negotiation involves seeking information so as to understand the customer's situation and needs. It requires a cool and thoughtful approach. And it needs to have the customer feel a "win". That is, that he or she is better off dealing with you than not dealing with you.
"Even if you are on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there". Every salesperson has experienced highs and lows, peaks and valleys. The trick is to minimize the lows, continue to work, and take advantage of the highs. Motivate means to move and take action, so sitting and worrying is the worst possible thing you can do. Anything that produces activity is the answer. Here are three ways to get "on track":
6. Don't lose your composure. Because price is the sixth most important factor in selecting a product, you should not lose composure when the prospect starts pressuring, it may be a defense mechanism, a self-stroking to show knowledge about your product, bargaining, exercising buying restraint, or whatever. Or the prospect may be seeking help in justifying the purchase, that is, a buying signal meaning, "I like it, but help me find more reasons for buying it". Price alone makes salespeople vulnerable. Understanding that salespeople who sell price alone are vulnerable to losing the account when someone comes along with a better quality or service.
1 When you lose momentum,Cheap Jim Kelly Jersey, you usually can trace it to the fact you have not set clear goals or your goals are so large and long-range you tend to go off-track and lose faith in your ability to achieve them.
Re-evaluate your goals and break them down, so that you can create short-term rewards and a feeling of accomplishment.
3. Buying is an emotional process. The emotional involvements run the gamut from prospects wanting the item so badly they will do almost anything to get it, to analytical purchasing agents wanting the recognition from their peers for low-cost, high-quality purchases. The strongest emotions often are based on past negative experiences involving service or quality. Ask questions to find out your prospects past dissatisfaction with service or quality and show how you will do better.
Hear it out, listen. Getting the complaint out in the open relieves the distress of ill feelings clients may have. The more they talk,Cheap Fred Taylor Jersey, the more you will learn about their concerns and how to deal with it if you listen to the customer. He is telling you how to fix it. Avoid the argument; the complaint may be groundless, but don't make an issue of it. Complaints are not resolved to mutual satisfaction in a controversial climate. Avoid meaningless excuses. These do nothing to resolve the situation. If the complaint is valid - fix it - with no alibis. Assure the customer you will get the facts and do your best to resolve the matter to his satisfaction. Don't let complaints linger. The longer they remain unresolved, the more they become a source of friction and are apt to become serious.
Keys to Negotiating Excellence
4. Justify the price. The price can be higher than the competition as long as the prospect feels it is justified in terms of the values and the benefits offered. The best way to justify the price is with more benefits. In the end the price has to be sold, or justified, with the benefit of the product or service you offered. Price is never the dominant factor.
Three Ways To Think About Change:
Remember these valuable points in negotiation.
Often price is more of a problem in the salesperson's mind than the prospects. Top sales professionals have learned that most customers start out price-conscious but end up becoming value-conscious. Understand that value is the emotional combination of price, quality, benefits and service. The objective is to influence customers as to why they are better off with the benefits and the values your company offers.
If I were to ask you how price ranks in the customers mind when considering a sale, what would you say? First? Second? Try again. Surveys have shown that both private business as well as government officials rank price only as the sixth-most important consideration. In today's competitive world, a price objection is the quickest way for a prospect to get rid of a salesperson. Yet top sales professionals are seldom the ones with the lowest price. Why? Value vs. Price.
It matters not if you are selling tiddlywinks or imported Italian cranes that are 30% higher in price than the closest American made crane, every price is too high until the prospect is emotionally involved.
2 Send out mailers that require you to call on so many people each week. Use a number like 40-50 commercial contacts a week and follow up by phone. Cold calling is not required. Use information age technology to generate leads.
The pay-off - a satisfied customer
Six Ways To Get The High Price:
1. Create benefits rather than compete with prices.
2. Protect a price resisters ego with no-price extras or service.
3. Sell visions and ideas, not just products or service.
4. Create visual images of the prospect enjoying your product.
5. Reduce a price difference to the lowest unit possible.
6. Train yourself to sell value - not price. Value, again, is the combination of price, benefits, quality, and service.
Here are the strategies I use to lessen the influence of price on a sales decision.
2. Rehearse. Anticipate as many predictable responses, obstacles and objections as possible and prepare your responses in advance. Thomas Edison once said "genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration". Preparation and rehearsal is the perspiration of negotiation genius.
How to Influence People & Totally Put Them Off Doing Busines
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
Perhaps we can start a campaign, here and now, a Hall of Fame and a Hall of Shame to let our industry know who the bad guys are and who the good guys are.
As it would be my clients who would make any booking, and of course they are totally unaware of this at this time, I asked what the agency commission rate was. He said 15%. I said "therefore if the clients make a direct booking the price will be 3,420 minus 15%, 2,907, is that correct?" Sensing he had boxed himself into to a corner he immediately responded. "No, with that much discount we would only offer a 10% agency commission". Mmmm! Interesting, I thought agency commissions were fixed on the rate card and a minute it go it was 15%.
I received a phone call the other day from an advertising representative who had got my number via our website. This gentleman was calling to tell me about a fantastic opportunity he had to offer for the special EBACE (European Business Aircraft Convention & Exhibition) edition of his publication. An advertiser had pulled out at the last minute so they had some space they had to fill quickly, and of course the space was at a considerable, never to be repeated, massive discount.
Thinking he had reached an agreeable price he decided to go in for the kill and launched into his pitch on why this edition was such an un-missable opportunity. Unfortunately for him it was at this point his telephone connection made a loud click and I was pitched into a surreal world where I could hear him but it was as if he was on speakerphone and talking from the back of the room. It sounded like someone giving a pep talk and pre-op briefing for the Dambusters raid.
I started to ask if the caller would be at EBACE and if it would be possible to arrange a meeting. My new friend was not really interested in arranging a meeting and nurturing a new relationship, his sights were firmly fixed on "filling that space".
I said "hello, can you hear me". No reply. I waited patiently. Again "hello, can you hear me? I can hear you faintly but you don't seem to hear me". No reply. He was in full flow, still talking non stop! At this point I should have hung up but was curious as to where this was going. After a full five minutes and forty five seconds he eventually stopped, probably wondering why he had not heard a peep from me all this time. I explained that I had not been able to hear what he was saying, BUT before he launched into his spiel again, I "appreciated his offer but I should not waste anymore of his time." The clients would not be advertising but we could meet at EBACE and continue from there.
Having spent the best part of 10 years as a advertising salesperson (and with my calculator poised at the ready) I decided I should have a little fun and see how far I could bargain the price down on this incredible one time offer. My second big mistake!
I had a couple of clients visiting EBACE and in my role as media advisor they had given me the task of arranging some meetings with trade and industry publications. I saw this as an opportunity to make another appointment for them and the start of a beautiful new media relationship. My first mistake!
I concluded by saying that he had been given every opportunity to continue this budding relationship and it was only my politeness, good nature and curiosity which had allowed him to go on for so long. I should have cut him off in the first minutes of the call. My parting shot was that he had totally turned me off his publication and I hoped that I should not encounter him or his magazine in the future, I would positively recommend NOT advertising with his publication.
This was not acceptable to him. He asked what the client's phone number was as he had a "duty" to make them aware of this incredible opportunity. He went on to tell me an anecdote about how if there was a jacket on special offer at my local branch of Armani that if I did not know about it I would miss out, therefore it would be churlish of me to not let him speak directly with the clients. I explained that as their "media advisor" I would be advising them not to advertise on this occasion but a meeting at EBACE may just be the start of a beautiful relationship.
With hindsight I feel sorry for this guy. I find it hard to believe he will have a long career in advertising sales and I will be amazed if a person with such an aggressive attitude will be made welcome at industry events. The problem is that this is the kind of pitch that gets advertising representatives (and some publications) a bad reputation. It also makes life difficult for the "professionals" out there doing a good job. This attitude of the short term,Cheap Cam Newton Jersey, one time sale is no good for the clients and no good for the publication. Eventually they will run out of advertisers and in a small industry the bad reputation will become known very quickly.
Determined not to let this opportunity go he asked for the name of the MD of the client. I advised him that it was not my policy to give such information away and there would be no advertising, but (in a Bill Cosby assertive voice) "HOW, ABOUT,Cheap Vince Young Jersey, A, MEETING at EBACE!!?"
I came to this conclusion because during the first five minutes of this call I had little chance to get my requests in,Cheap Roy Williams Jersey, he was so busy telling me what an "incredible" opportunity this was. I should also mention that during the call there was a strange clicking noise on the line, almost as if the call was going to break up but then it would come back at full volume.
Then it turned nasty! He said I had an "un-professional attitude" and "did not know my business." That was it! I explained, with restrained anger, I had over 12 years experience of advertising sales. I had been polite to him because I empathised with his plight and had tried to move forward with a mutually agreeable solution. He had talked incessantly for 40+ minutes, he was not remotely interested in my objectives, he did not take his cue when he was politely turned down but offered the olive branch of a meeting, for 5+ minutes of the call I could not hear what he was saying and to top it all he had the nerve to say I did not know my business.
The full page rate was in excess of 8,000 but because of the last minute urgency of this situation the offer was 5,500 for the page. I explained that for a magazine I had never seen before (and believe me I have seen most of them) there was no way my clients would consider that price, he would have to do better. He immediately did! The price dropped to 3,420! But there was no way my clients would consider a magazine at such short notice, sight unseen, unknown etc.
Sales Leads - How to Generate More Leads
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
2. Distribute business cards. By this, I do not mean giving out your business cards to every person you meet. Remember, quality is better than quantity. Before you give people your business card, care to have a short conversation with them. Make sure that you've made that connection before you hand over your card so the moment you call,Cheap Marion Barber Jersey, these people will remember you.
3. Be patient. Selling isn't about meeting people and getting them to make a purchase all in one day. Buyers would like to have some time to think things through to make sure that they'll get great value for their hard earned money. So, instead of sounding too pushy,Cheap Roman Harper Jersey, tell your prospects about your products and make follow-ups after a week or two.
1. Networking events. Attend as many networking events where you can meet a lot of people who might be interested on what you offer. For example, you can attend car expos if you are selling car accessories or car insurance policies. Through this, you'll be able to easily connect with people who might need your offerings. Get to know as many people as possible to easily build connection. Although not all of them will buy from you,Cheap Deion Sanders Jersey, I am pretty sure that they know some people who might need what you offer.
4. Referrals. Call your previous customers who were obviously very satisfied with your products and services and see if they can give you the names of people they know who might be interested on what you offer. These people will surely buy from you if you were recommended by someone they trust.
Here's how you can boost the number of your sales leads:
The Rules of Selling
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
Listen. I believe that the best salespeople are the best listeners. If you invest time asking great questions it is critical to listen to what the other person tells you. Many things can get in your way and prevent you from accurately hearing what has been said. Try this; at the end of a sales meeting, summarize your understanding of the conversation in your own words and check the accuracy of this summary with your prospect.
Know when to let go. I often talk to sales people who continue following a lead even when it is clear that a sale will not happen. This usually happens when their pipeline is not active with prospects. If you have done everything you can to move the sales process forward but it has ground to a halt you must consider whether it is the best use of your time to keep trying to make it happen. More often than not, it is not worth the time and effort. You have a finite amount of time in a day or week which means you need to focus your attention on leads and prospects who are interested in your product,Cheap Kevin Faulk Jersey, service or solution.
We live in a quick-fix society so it's no wonder that many salespeople look for the magic cure or band-aid solution to increase their sales. However, I believe that success in sales follows a basic set of rules.
Follow these rules of selling and you will notice an immediate improvement in your results.
Ask high-quality questions. I have written about this before but the vast majority of sales people (even seasoned pros) fail to ask their prospects and customers high-quality questions. This can happen because they have never been taught to ask questions or because they think that they do it. Unfortunately, failing to ask high-quality questions early in the sales process means they often mis-pitch their product, service or solution which causes the prospect to voice more objections. And once you ask a question...be quiet, wait for an answer. Too many sales people give their prospects answers to the questions or continue talking after the question has been asked.
Trust is essential. If people don't trust you chances are they won't buy from you. This is more challenging than it sounds because your prospects are inundated with calls and emails from other people all trying to sell them something. And, because of the less-than-honest experiences decision-makers have encountered, they are more reluctant to trust someone they don't know. That means you need to demonstrate exactly why a prospect should trust you. You can't tell them; you must show them. You can do this by acting in a professional manner, treating the people at your prospect's company with respect and dignity, and respecting the time of your prospect.
Do what you say you will do when you said you would do it. Sounds simple, huh? Personal experience has taught me that sales people frequently say they will do something then fail to follow through on their commitment. This lack of attention to detail demonstrates a lack of respect and quickly leads to a loss of trust.
Show value. The best way to demonstrate value is to show exactly how your solution will benefit your prospect. Contrary to popular belief this does not mean talking at great length about it or telling your prospect everything there is to know about your product or service. Showing value means discussing the aspects of your solution that are most relevant to each customer or prospect, in terms that are easy to understand.
Focus your presentation. Make your presentation all about the customer. It's not about you, your company or your product. Virtually every sales presentation I have been subjected started with the sales person talking about their company; reciting stats about how long they have been in business, who they have as clients,Cheap Brandon Banks Jersey, etc. Adapting the presentation to meet the specific needs of each individual customer is what the top sales people do. Regardless of what your marketing department thinks people seldom care about your company. They want to know what problem your solution will solve. Avoid using unnecessary jargon or terminology. The simpler your presentation,Jacksonville Jaguars Jerseys, the easier it is to understand.
Fill the pipeline. Many people experience tremendous peaks and valleys in their sales because they do not consistently prospect for new business. This frequently occurs when a sales person is busy. They neglect to prospect because it is the least enjoyable aspect of their job but when the sales drop or business with their current clients ends, they scramble to generate new business. Invest time filling your pipeline on a regular basis and you will seldom have to worry about reaching your targets.
2009 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
Becoming an Independent Sales Representative
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
Competition:
Narrowing Your Choices:
Independent sales reps can be a great help to any size of company, and can make a great living while setting their own schedules. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Once you get your choices narrowed down to two or three companies,Cheap Matthew Stafford Jersey, see if you can have a beer or a cup of coffee with some other sales reps that work for these businesses. Make sure, however, that you would not be in direct competition with any of them so you can get the straight dope. Ask what the good and bad points are about the company in question, and whether the products are easy to sell and up to snuff quality wise.
Research:
You will also have to consider the cost. Some companies will charge small to medium start up fees that may include purchasing sales kits from them. These sales kits will include such items as free samples of the product to leave behind, any catalogs they may have, order forms,Cheap Steve Smith Jersey, and the like. When you are dealing with a smaller company, they may not even have such kits, and you can prove invaluable to the company by putting together kits for them. There are many ways to put together these kits, so look around online for a good tutorial.
Make sure that the company you would like to work with has a need for distributors in your area, and that the area is not already saturated. If the company you are working with has assigned territories, you should be able to avoid this problem. If not, keep in mind that customers are usually loyal to products and not reps.
If you are looking to work with larger companies that are experienced in these matters, it is important to note that their sales kits can run anywhere from very little money to thousands of dollars. Just something to keep in mind, though, of you are selling items with hug commissions and you are an experienced salesperson, you can earn that money back in no time.
Once you have found a good match for your desires and skills, contact the company. You may, as stated above need to purchase sales kits, or create some to make your job easier. After following all their procedures, all you have to do now is to get out there and start selling.
One way to find a company for whom to be an independent sales rep is to think of a product that you enjoy and believe in and that you feel needs a little bit of a push in your market. Often small companies don't have the wherewithal to keep a large sales staff on hand, are would jump at the chance to take on a new rep that was willing to work on commission. So, if, for instance,Cheap Barry Sanders Jersey, there is a great local hot sauce that you feel should be in supermarkets or in more local restaurants, call the company and ask what their policy is on new accounts. You may just find that they were waiting for someone like you to kick-start their sales.
While You See a Chance, Take It
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
Challenge the assumptions that so many others are making about today's market and what that means for your bottom line. It's not that people aren't buying anymore. Their priorities may be different, and as I have pointed out in a previous article, the decision-making and buying process can be longer. However, your customers are still out there, and demand remains unabated for great products, things that make their lives easier,Saints Jerseys, more enriching or more productive. Just as important, the need for professional sales support-people who connect with other with empathy and persistence-that's an opportunity that never goes out of style.
These examples are the newest in a long line of success stories to emerge in similar economic times that we're facing today. Hewlett Package was founded during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Networking giant Cisco Systems received its first round of financing and moved from a garage to an office space in 1987-another tough year for the markets. During the recession in the early 1990s, Wal-Mart expanded its number of stores, opening new ones in Mexico...and they seemed to have managed rather well in subsequent years.
In 2009, the Ford Motor Company took a chance and launched an aggressive marketing campaign, at a time when many competitors were in retreat. As a result, they recently reported that they are now one of the first major manufacturers selling cars in the United States to report a monthly sales increase this year. Those efforts are being noticed elsewhere, too. Advertising Age, a leading publication in the marketing industry, credits Ford for taking the risk, saying that the company, among a very select group, have "managed to improve consumer perceptions despite major issues in their respective categories."
Too often what's overlooked is that there are great success stories out there being written today by companies who see this economy the way I do,Cheap Charles Mann Jersey, as a golden opportunity to grow and prosper. That's why I encourage everyone to dig a little deeper and find out who is succeeding in the marketplace, because there are some great lessons to be learned from them. I'll start with two recent examples.
Here's another fresh example. Apple is known for building great-looking, innovative products and it's no secret that they are perceived by some as being uncompromisingly pricey. Despite the economy, despite an array of cheap alternatives in the marketplace, and even in spite of a campaign by a competitor that emphasizes that price difference, Apple sales are up. Way up. In July 2009, they posted the best non-holiday quarter in the company's history.
One of the biggest difficulties I have with recessions is that the bad news it generates tends to become like junk food: we know it's bad for us and yet we eat it up anyways. It is far too easy to get caught up in who is on the losing end of things in a tough market, even though, and let's face it, that's what tends to sell in the news business these days.
All these examples-both classics and new-illustrate how it's important to not let yourself be captive to market conditions at any given time. See what's in front of you as a challenge, and recognize the opportunities that come knocking in this new economy are different from before. CEO coach Tony Jeary said it best in his guest column featured in Zig Ziglar's recent newsletter: "Opportunity in good times assumes the continuation of the normal and capitalizes on things remaining normal. In bad times,Cheap David Garrard Jersey, opportunity comes by abandoning things that no longer work and finding new things that will work, based on new needs."
Poor Retention is Not a Problem
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
Let's turn our attention now to how to attract real clients - clients who will stay with you, place more than one or maybe two policies with you,Cheap Mario Williams Jersey, and even refer others to you. There are many ways to accomplish this. The key is to take the focus off of price and place it onto you! We don't have the ability to fully develop this principle in this article, but I can share the methods that work with you. Here is a list of the eight methods that, if executed properly, will take the focus off of price, place the emphasis on you, and attract the kind of prospects who become true clients. The best ways to attract the best prospects are:
More often than not, the underlying problem causing poor retention is either a lack of relationship between the agent/advisor and the client, or the type of "client" the agent has in his or her book of business. I put the term "client" in quotes because often the type of policyholder who causes retention issues is more like a customer - someone who just conducts transactions. A customer is not usually thought of as someone with whom you have a relationship. In this article we'll address the client/customer issue and save the relationship issue for another time.
OK. No one likes their retention to be poor. But the truth is that poor retention is a symptom, not a problem. It's tempting to point the finger at large rate increases as the culprit, but that's not usually the case. If new agents are writing new business, you can be pretty certain that rates aren't the driving force behind retention challenges for an established agent or advisor.
If you can master just a couple of these prospect-generating methods, you can sustain continued growth in your business and attain a rate of retention in excess of 90%.
Now, let's say that instead of relying on internet leads, we use a different passive method. We choose, instead, to rely on an ad in the yellow pages or the newspaper. The good news is that someone who calls you from a yellow page ad is more likely to be serious about changing their coverage. That's a good thing. And placing an ad allows you to provide some information to entice prospects to call. The only problem is that most agents/advisors don't know how to create an effective ad. If you don't believe me, just open up the yellow pages and look through the ads under "Insurance" (or whatever heading you'd be listed under). THEY'RE ALL THE SAME! Almost all ads are "vanilla" and ineffective. When faced with page after page of the same ad with different company names, how does a prospect decide who to do business with? Generally, they call up several of them, get some quotes, and go with the lowest one. Guess what happens when renewal time rolls around? You got it. Chances are they'll go through the same process all over again. Once again,Cheap Gale Sayers Jersey, the only dynamic at play is price.
Allow me to offer an example to further make my case. Let me relate the experience of an agent who came to me for help a year or two ago. This agent is a P&C agent. He explained that he was writing 900 new policies a year,Cheap Rams Jerseys! (Which is an extraordinarily high number.) However, he was realizing a net growth of only 100 policies a year in his business! (Another extraordinary result, given the amount of business he was writing.) Naturally I asked him how he was getting his policyholders - but his answer didn't surprise me. Yellow Pages. He was living the experience I described above. The bottom line is: If you're attracting policyholders through passive methods like the ones we just discussed, then you're very likely to have your book of business filled with customers rather than true clients.
If having customers causes retention challenges and having clients improves retention, then it begs the question, "How does one fill their practice with clients rather than "clients" (customers)? To answer that, we first need to understand how we ended up with customers instead of clients in the first place. We generally end up with customers when we acquire prospects through passive methods rather than active ones. One of the popular passive methods is to find prospects through the internet - buying internet leads. Let's start by examining the nature of those leads. The first question to ask is, "Are people who request a quote over the internet looking to purchase insurance? " The answer to that is "maybe". One would think that if someone completed a request for a quote form they were serious about buying a new policy. The truth is that often people are just checking to see whether their current premium is competitive. Essentially they're just using your knowledge and your time to do a little research and/or to "negotiate" with their current agent/advisor. But let's say that they are, in fact, serious about making a change in their coverage. There is only one reason someone like that would chose to do business with you. Price. The only dynamic in their decision is price. You could argue that the reputation of the underwriting company plays a role, but most people aren't savvy enough to understand the differences between companies - especially if it's a company they've heard of or "think" they've heard of. The decision all comes down to price. And if you're "lucky" enough to get them as a "client", guess what happens when renewal time rolls around? You got it. They go through the same process all over again.
Cold Calling (believe it or not, this works great when done right) Curiosity Conversations (talking to people actually works when you don't sound like a telemarketer!) Effective Networking (as long as you don't use a "30-second Elevator Speech") Direct Mail (but don't use your company's literature) Client Referrals (yes, it IS possible to get them) Public Speaking (the secret is that you shouldn't talk about insurance!) Niche Development (even if you can work with anyone and everyone) Centers of Influence (I know,... most agents don't get enough referrals, but there are 3 reasons why)
Why Selling is Better Than Sex - Part One
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9:37 AM
[General]
With a humorous twist, my posts will take you through the essentials of successful selling, illustrating that business can be fun and should be fun. Love what you do and do what you love. It's about passion...it's about creating the pathway for your own success and doing it with enthusiasm and zeal. Anyone who wakes up in the morning with passion in their heart will bound out of bed ready and eager to face the challenges of the day.
A positive attitude is the fuel that will drive your ability to achieve the tasks you undertake. Adopting an expectation of excellence and achievement is the first step to being successful at what you do.
You have the freedom to SELL! You can sell as much as you like, to whomever you like, for whatever the acceptable rate is,Cheap Aaron Maybin Jersey, without exploiting yourself or bringing shame to your family name! Yes, selling IS definitely better than sex. And we'll examine the reasons why more closely in the next few posts.
The world's oldest profession involves selling. One might even argue about which came first - the selling or the sex? In fact, selling and sex are so closely related that succeeding at either one of them can be euphoric, addictive, and good fun. Some people might like to argue that selling is not better than sex. They believe it's the other way round. In this post (and other following this one) I will give you many different reasons why selling IS better than sex.
"If you think you can do a thing or you think you can't do a thing,Cheap Joseph Addai Jersey, you're right."
This brings us to the next point: that it is perfectly legal to sell professionally. The Ten Commandments don't say anything about not selling. Yes, one of the commandments is "Thou shalt not commit adultery", but Moses did not climb Mount Sinai to receive the instruction "Thou shalt not sell". On the contrary, selling, bartering and trading were an essential source of income for many families, even in Moses' time. Nor is selling listed as one of the seven cardinal sins and the Pope makes no mention about the hazards of selling prior to marriage.
For a start,Cheap Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys, it's okay to make a sale in public. In fact, the more people that witness the sale you're making and the product you're providing, the better! Also, when they see first-hand the customer's satisfaction at having had an excellent sales experience, it inspires them to think about making their own purchase. This leads to word-of-mouth referrals where you earn a reputation for being the best at what you do. You become known as the expert in your line of work. But sex in public? Well, that may just get you into a lot of trouble. And let's face it - a reputation for being promiscuous is perhaps not the way you want to go.
A positive attitude reaps rewards. It was Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, who said:
How Do You Measure a Salesperson's Performance
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:55 AM
[General]
Companies always need to differentiate themselves and what better resource then your sales person who is the front line with the customers. You can write great brochures, wonderful case studies, but the best promotion is a high energy sales person who exudes enthusiasm.
Looking at just one person's sales quota does really tell you anything about that person's performance. You need to see how each person in doing relative his/her surround, the regional performance and others.
Related to recruiting and motivation, sales are a focal point from a customer's point of view. Thus performance should include how a sales person is viewed by the customer, follow sales people and sales management
1-Sales quota for the year, for the region/territory, percentage as compared to others and other regions/territories.
Similar to criteria # 1,Cheap Clinton Portis Jersey, account coverage should be factored in to get a quota per account ratio. This will recognize individuals who not only strive for revenue, but also strive to develop accounts for future rewards.
Qualitative measurements for a salesperson
Sales people's attitude is a reflection of the company they work for, thus if you want your image to be positive, can do, and confident looking then make sure part of sales appraisal has this factor.
4-Geographic coverage, account "density"
A well balance of portfolio to revenues not only benefits a sales person but provides a nice competitive advantage in the overall market place
Quantitative measurements for a salesperson (note: appropriateness will depend on the salesperson's role or title).
The most common response I hear when I ask a sales person how he or she did for the quarter or the year; is something about their quota. i.e., "I made quota" or "I'm at 70% of quota, but with two big deals hanging fire." While quota should always be part of a performance evaluation, I would suggest a good appraisal should include other considerations.
3-Handling of expenses
Good sales people (actually all employees) need to be efficient because we all contribute to the success of the enterprise and therefore how we get things done has an impact on both customer satisfaction and economic factors.
Sales people have to be good business people also. How one manages and cares for accounts is equally important as acquiring accounts.
Sales needs Performance Metrics. Good performance criteria should have quantitative and qualitative measurements. The following are some of the major categories for both areas.
You need to measure sales personnel on how they handle and manage accounts. You may have one person having a good quota but with just one account versus another person with equally good quota but with numerous accounts. Who is actually performing better?
5-Products and services sold per goals
5- Managing accounts, tasks and personnel
6-New accounts/ new opportunities
It is great to have good people exceeding quotas but you want them to be profitable at the same time. Individuals should be goaled on managing and controlling expenses as related to their job (examples: marketing programs,Cheap Ravens Jerseys, travel,Cheap Chris Long Jersey, demos, and sales venues)
2-Recuiting and training of others
3-Motivation and motivation of others
2-Accounts managed, number of account calls
6-Efficiency in tasks, meeting goals
So once you have your sales strategy in place, one of the major tasks is to develop territory goals and eventually goals, measurements and performance criteria for each member of the sales team.
It always great to get re-occurring revenues, but a good salesperson always needs to develop the "next" group of customers. This is important for many reasons; two of them are increasing your base and opening up new markets.
In summary a salesperson's performance appraisal should be multi- dimensional. The two major sub- categories of qualitative and quantitative provide a good balance for each salesperson. Second, by having a mix of criteria, you normalize sales people, territories and goals for apples- to- apples comparison. Third, you will have your sales force working towards all goals and objective and thus a win - win for all.
People in sales are the most critical resource and usually ones of higher salary; therefore bringing on and training these individuals is a key component for sales success.
1-Innovation- creative ways to "sell" to various accounts
4-Role modeling/leadership for others
How to Increase Small Business Sales
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:55 AM
[General]
Selling is easy, and in most cases you don't need to be looking for a magic solution to it. However, it is easy only if you work hard on each sale, put your clients first and continuously work to improve yourself.
Study sales everyday. Read books about it, attend seminars and talk to your colleagues. Another good way is to find a business mentor, someone who can point out what you do wrong and fix it. You don't have to hire anyone, a good friend with better skills than you will do too. The key is to always study and learn for new solutions as well as correct any potential mistakes that you may be making.
The reality of selling is though that not only it can't be sped up,Cheap Steve Smith Jersey, it can't also be simplified. Sales is a slow process in which every aspect of it counts equally. There are simply no shortcuts that can be taken. there are however few things you can do to make yourself more efficient in selling. And ultimately make more sales easier.
To make your sales happen more often, put yourself in this mindset of helping people. You will notice that it will affect your entire professional life, from attitude to your actions. And most importantly, your sales too.
PUT OTHERS FIRST
To many salespeople their work is about quotas, achievements and that last big sale they have made. In reality though I always believed that selling is about bringing helpful solutions to your prospects and clients. As a salesman your first and foremost task is to help your clients by offering them tools,Cheap Shannon Sharpe Jersey, expertise or advice. This is what they buy from you, as well as your attitude.
If you want to become more efficient at selling, get used to the idea that you will have to work really hard.
STUDY SALES
As someone working closely with small businesses and their owners I get a chance to observe how they work and develop themselves in their roles. And it is often frightening to watch how very few of them actually makes an effort to continuously study sales and business in general. To me however, if you want to succeed you need to be a student, for life.
WORK HARD
Selling is about hard work,Cheao Mike Thomas Jersey, there is no doubt about that. It is not something that can be done without any effort. Of course some sales come easily but others will require extra amount of work to be made.
Every salesperson I have ever met wants to know the shortcut to make a sale. The fastest, easiest and the simplest way to win the order. And so far there hasn't been an exception to this rule.
How is Your GPS When it Comes to the Goal to Increase Sales
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:55 AM
[General]
After some discussion, I asked those present who had a cell phone with GPS? Almost one half of those present raised their hands. Then I asked who had a written sales action plan for their business futures? Of the 30 plus professional salesperson to small business owners in the room, no one responded with a raised hand.
If you want to increase sales and thrive instead of die,Cheap Dan Fouts Jersey, now not later is the time to start putting your sales goals to writing and uniting them to your other business goals. Use your GPS to catapult your business over your competitors and be one of the few who succeed instead one of the many who fail.
Why the resistance to planning continues to perplex me. People understand the value of planning for vacations, honeymoons, holiday shopping and even the grocery store. Yet, they continue to let chance and happenstance rule their daily business and sales activities.
What would happen if they had instituted their own Goal Planning System or GPS for their businesses? Would they see their sales grow with greater consistency? Would they be in better control of their futures? Would they be on their own plan and not on their competitor's plan?
Boy has selling really come far. Between the emails to the cell phones with Global Positioning Systems (GPS), sales is far easier than years gone by. Today's new technology allows for the mobile phone to be a 21st century guide through this GPS software. These cell phones can determine where you are and how to get to where you wish to be to make that next sales call or meet with that new potential customer (a.k.a prospect).
This finding was quite consistent with the other surveys I have taken during the last 10 years. Captain Wing It is alive and well in America. Busy business people are spraying and praying their actions all over the place hoping that something will stick. No wonder after 10 years, according to the Small Business Administration (U.S.),Minnesota Vikings Jerseys, only 1 in 10 businesses is still around.
Yet, the same individuals who can find their way using these cell phones lack a way to plan their selling future. During a recent presentation to a group of business professionals,Cheap Michael Bush Jersey, I realized that the great divide between knowing and doing continues to expand even with all the new technology.
How to Generate Leads With a Website
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:55 AM
[General]
All the methods above are free advertising methods that serve as a good start for getting fresh leads. For success in the long term,Brett Favre packers Jersey, it is better to partner up with a marketing company. Companies that have the tools necessary in turning the website into a real lead magnet.
So many people are getting into social networking ever since big sites like Facebook were introduced. This is why so many marketers are diving into these networks because they are very approachable especially if the profile is filled up properly and truthfully. This is what you should do as well especially if you hope to find some business partners that you can trust. Social networking is all about building relationships and connections and in business you need to do that as well. It also serves as a nice place to advertise links where all people in your contacts list can see. If the site is attractive enough, some people may advertise the link to their friends as well which can add a great amount of leads if social network marketing is done consistently.
Forum Marketing
Article Writing and Marketing
Article marketing is a very important task since there are thousands of websites that are striving to generate leads as well, but lack the content needed to become successful. Many web users out there already learned from their mistakes in the past in trusting business opportunities and they will take any future websites that they see more seriously. You need to prove to them that you are different by writing good articles that explain why your website is unique and what benefits they get by opting in. With good SEO skills, writing articles and submitting them in the different directories also help search engines index your site better so more people can see it just by searching the net.
Although social networking is practically a norm these days,Cheap Tramon Williams Jersey, a lot of people are still posting in forums because of how interactive forum threads can be. People feel more comfortable posting their concerns on forums because forums are aimed at a specific category or audience. This is a great opportunity for you if you find a good forum that is closely related to your site. Just see if it allows advertising and then put your website on your signature. Then blend in with the discussions so your site follows wherever you go. If your posts are helpful to the community, people will check out your site out of curiosity.
Social Networking
No online business opportunity will ever become successful unless it has a fully functional website. This website must not only look attractive,Cheap Asante Samuel Jersey, but it also must be accessible making sure that the process of obtaining whatever products and services are being sold or simply registering as a member is as smooth as possible. Even if these objectives are met, the website still will not be successful if there is nobody visiting it. Without the right tools like autoresponders, leads cannot be generated either. Once you have the website fully operational, you will need to expose your website to your target market. Here are some ways on how you can do that.
5 Ways in Which You Can Make More Profits Faster
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:54 AM
[General]
"Thank you pages" reinforce the sale and help to build long term relationships. Also, these thank you pages can help drive your back end sales. Creating Thank you pages can be tedious,Cheap Malcom Floyd Jersey, especially if an instant download page is needed. However, I have created a way for you to instantly be able to create the code needed for these pages so that you can get more profit from the sales you are already making.
If you can build your sales pages and thank you pages faster and make a way to get paid quicker you can start generating massive profits online sooner. You will also make more profits if you add this software to your line of products by utilizing the resell rights. In summary, this software will help streamline your business so you can concentrate of building more income streams.
by Coby Wright
In conclusion, the faster your products are online for the world to see the faster you will build massive profits. I have created a software that will streamline the product sales pages creation and allow you to quickly publish your sites and make money faster.
5. Combine All of the Above and You Will Make More Profits Faster
If you want all your hard work to pay off you must create a way for your customers to pay you. This can be very time consuming and often times confusing, especially for beginners. Throw in an instant download system and you can spend days alone trying to test this and fixing the HTML. However, I have found a way to instantly create your payment processor links so you can get paid faster and generate massive profits sooner.
2. The Quicker You Build Your Sales Pages the Quicker You Make Money
This sounds like a no-brainer, but it really is the truth. Often times, people spend days, weeks,Cheap Carson Palmer Jersey, or even months designing the code for sales pages. This severely hinders profits. Now imagine if you could create this code is minutes and be up and running in less than 5 minutes. This would greatly increase your profit making opportunities and you can start on another product. I have found a way to instantly create my sales pages. Keep reading for more info.
When running a business online you must always look for new ways to streamline your business. I have detailed a few areas in which you can streamline your business and make more money from your online website.
4. You Must Get Paid
1. Find Products with Resell/Reprint Rights
3. Thank You Pages are a Must
When you purchase the resell/reprint rights of a product you are allowed to keep 100% of the money. Now instead of taking small commissions you will be keeping all the profits. Also,Cheap Jon Beason Jersey, you can now setup affiliates to sell for you and make a commission off of someone else's hardwork. Reprint rights allow you to shortcut the creation process and possibly save yourself thousands of dollars and years of work. Resell rights are the shortcut to your own product, not to mention the most cost effective.
Sales Tips - Timing Your Calls
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 8:54 AM
[General]
Of course,Cheap Steven Jackson Jersey, this can work the other way around as well. If you have bad news, call when you think your prospect or client is going to be in a meeting and you will buy yourself some time before you have to deliver that news!
Because almost everyone schedules their meetings and appointments on the hour, every hour. It's human nature. With this in mind, it's pretty safe to say that the average person will be in his or her office during the bottom half of the hour, either catching up on missed work or preparing for the next meeting.
We've discussed the best time of day to call prospects in the past. Usually if you call early in the day you have a better chance of getting the person you really want to speak to on the phone.
Here's a quick sales tip to get you started this week.
No matter what time of day you're making your calls, remember this - call them at the bottom of the hour.
But what if you can't call first thing in the morning?
Busy businesspersons don't always have 1-2 hour long meetings. They often have brief meetings throughout the day, so the odds of you catching him or her are greater during these times. There will,Cheap Matt Ryan Jersey, of course, be times when you call and they're still in another meeting, and that's OK. Just try again later on.
What?! Why?,Cheap Rodgers-Cromartie Jersey!
Take a look at your marketing list? Is there anyone you really want/need to reach? Try this theory out for yourself and see how it goes!
Page 215 of 246 • Prev 1 ... 213 214 215 216 217 ... 246 Next |