Welcome to My Blog

The default template for Blogspot blogs displays a blog's description on each page. This gives you an opportunity to increase the density of your blog's primary keywords and keyword phrases. If you write a keyword-rich blog description, however, you may prefer for your readers not to see it while still making it available for search engines to scan. Modify your blog's template to hide the description of your blog while keeping it in the source code.

Good Day..

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Best Sales Training What Sets You Apart



I enables a company and the individuals who run them to set goals and achieve them fully and on time. A short course in sales is very important regardless of whether you have existing employees or you are dealing with new hires. The course is very important tool in a company because it arms the employees with knowledge towards being excellent problem solvers.

A course would be very valuable because sales keep the company operating and it should be the company's priority to have its staff trained appropriately, New employees should be trained especially if thy have no prior experience in the industry. Basic training that assists the employees in professional handling of clients and customers can lead into increasing the company's sales and fortifying the company- customer relationship.

The training can also include up-selling products and services. This is good way to increase the company's revenue. Customers are always ready to make purchase, but the employees should be well-trained to elicit curiosity and attraction to the products and service the company offers. A trained employee, especially one who works on a commission basis, can make use of add-on sales courses.

If you are short of resources or time to develop a training course, you can consult with professionals with custom packages. The benefit of working with professionals is they can go through your needs and come up with a particular course that is relevant to your company. The course can be very useful especially if you bring new employee on-board with the sales knowledge level that the rest have.

There are basic training courses that cover sales in general. These are specialized for a wide industry and are helpful to most sales employees in general. Most classes have different skill levels that will broaden the sales knowledge of the employees. This is an interesting way to reward employees who are performing well.

After offering the first class to the employees, it is important to have refresher courses at least once a month. Training should be a regular part of your company. This is to assist the employees to stay on top of their game and remain relevant in the industry. It also allows them to deeply understand what they already learned and revisit areas that they  might have difficulties understanding.

Sales training courses are very important, and no matter what the cost of having your employees trained, chances are that effort will be paid by the sales that employees generate using the knowledge they acquire from the training. This is the best long-term investment a company can have.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Sales B2B Telemarketing

We can see this in almost all industry sectors (engineering, legal, sports, construction) businesses are desperate for more work and are opting for a more proactive form of marketing rather than the more traditional forms. Normally all that is the target audience data information, and calling can commerce. This could be a list of hotels in London, engineering companies in the South of England or list of pubs in the Midlands. No matter what the data, telemarketing can produce results - given enough numbers. However what sort of calling would be used in B2B telemarketing?



Appointment Making

If a business is looking for more appointments, then telemarketing is a great way to quickly target and prospect a select target audience, introduce and gain a meeting. Of course there is more to it; but in general this would be the process.

Lead Generation

Many businesses are not looking for appointments, but are looking for new sales  leas. This could be from prospects interested in buying a product or service. Again, agencies can call around and explore areas of interest.

Market Research

Many companies will use this to get valuable feedback on their products of services in order to assess how their products are viewed by their audience or to make valuable changes to their products

Follow Up

Many companies that attend events or conferences then have data they need to be called within a certain time period. Say for example 500 or 5,000 prospects showed interest in your services at an event. All these prospects would need to be followed up quickly before the interest died telemarketing is very powerful form of marketing that can be used in different ways to achieve all of the above; no matter what it is that you are looking for. There are many data companies around the UK that can provide business data; so if you do not have data to hand for calling , this can be purchased and given to telemarketing company to call.

Thing to bear in mind  There are a few things that do need to be considered when using B2B telemarketing:

Telemarketing takes time

Due to the sales process, it does take time to research, contact and close prospects (sometimes taking weeks or months depending on the sale).

Telemarketing is expensive

The costs for telemarketing are normally based on set day rates ranging from 150 ponds to 600 ponds. So selecting an agency based on their experience and track record is important

Not all telemarketing companies are the same.

There are over 600 telemarketing companies around the UK, so choosing one would need to be done with care. All agencies are different, different skill basis, experience and conversion ratios.

Choose a local agency

It is always advised to meet up with the agency before you set them loose. You need to need to understand them, how they work and function; but more importantly they need to understand you, your product and objectives .

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Cats And Salespeople

 I once was, are challenged by  feline independence and the seemingly impossible task or training them. Training and heading top sales producers and cats are not very different, but both are doable.

The other day, I worked from the mostly empty patio of a local restaurant enjoying the warm spring sun and a glass of wine coming led with fresh crab cakes. The silence was broken by the distinctive voice of Blot's mews for may attention.

Blut is Maine Coon nicknamed for Animal House icon Blavatsky. He lurks the local restaurants for dinner invitations that significantly outnumber the offers I receive. Blot parked himself in the chair next to mine and purred away while I worked. The patrons, who know him as a regular, were entertained through the window by our Hemingway imitation. OK, It was more like Austin powers.

One couple came outside with some left over fish for him. When we were done, he followed me home. But our relationships did not begin this way. On the contrary, it was war.

 Our furry, alpha male grand cat was inherited from our daughter when she moved out to dance. The first week we took over guardianship was hell. His attack on my wife left claw marks and scars that took months of vitamin E and Retinae to heal. A couple of chases through the house backed him down. It was not the best beginning for what eventually beautiful friendship.

Like Blut, I was quite the rogue in the early days of my sales career. 

Wally Bock, one of my favorite leadership Blog recently wrote an excellent post called "You can be tough without being a jerk. we need to lead with firmness."

"Being a tough boss means being clear about what your expect, taking away all excuses for sub-standard performance, and holding team members accountable for results." - Wally Bock  

The first summer with us, Blot became very ill. He had an undiagnosed infection and would not eat or drink. I had to hold him gently under hid neck to maintain control while I trickled water down his throat with an eye dropper. That's when things changed. Don't try this on sales people!

We win followers when we provide the support to get our team across the finish line. When the top producers follow us, so will the rest of the herd.

Now we talk No, I'm not Dr. Doolittle, but  he understands the tone, talks back, and I listen. We ave tonal understanding.

How we say things are as important as what we say.

Bluto is very particular about the way he is petted and he will let you know how you're doing.

Everyone wants positive stroking, but not everyone wants to be stroked the same way. Observation of our the reactions to our behavior is our guidance.

When he eats or wants to be left alone, I give him his space. When he wants to hang out, he comes to my desk, couch, or bed and waits for my tap, tap, tap before the jumps on my lap.

Respectful behavior begets respectful behavior.

When we want him inside, I call him by name and usually comes running.

Salespeople respond to positive behavior with positive results.

When he catches a mouse or some other varmint, he deposits the remains at the door for the recognition that he earned.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Important 15 Ideas That Will Increase Your Sale

More specifically  what can your do to be more successful in sales? Here's the straight talk about sale. Here's how you can be more successful and make more money. Success start with prospecting. The better prospector you are the better at sale you will be. This is because with out prospect you can't sell anything. It doesn't matter how good your product is. It doesn't matter how good a closer your are. If  there are no prospects, there are no sales. It's that sample.

People seem to miss out on this truth. Everyone wants o focus on either presentation or closing skills. While these skills are essential, they are useless without a prospect. The prospect  is the most important component of the sale. So, you need to become proficient at prospecting if you want to be successful in sales. But, how do you do that. Here's how. You become a student of prospecting. Study different prospecting a methods and ways to get new customers.

Start a file on prospecting methods and techniques. Collect and save different ideas and ways to get new customers. Try out these different methods and techniques until you find one that works best for you. Then do it continuous everyday. Because the most important thing about prospecting is to be persistent and consistent with it. You can't prospect some of the time. You have to prospect all time. Never never not be prospecting!! 

Here are fifteen highly effective sales lead generating ideas you can use to increase your sales.

1)  Advertise with Welcome Wagon in your area. This is a greeting service that welcome new residents to the community. Have your information included in all their welcome packages they give away to new resident. This way you will be one of the first from your profession to have name recognition with new comers to your area.

2)  Look in publications and newspapers for people getting job promotions, Send them a congratulations note about  their new promotion. Include your brochure and business card with it. People with new promotions usually have new needs and wants.

3)  Ask your vendors or suppliers for leads. They should be glad t help you. Because when your business grows their business grows.

4)  Join you local Chamber of Commerce and take an active role in it. This has multiple advantages. You will become involved with the movers and shakers in your community. They are excellent sources to give you referrals. Also, you should get a membership list when you join. this list is a good source for business leads. The Chamber is also an excellent way to improve your general business knowledge. They are always offering workshops on business topics. take advantage of this education and increase your business knowledge.

5)  Use lists of new business license application. These are people applying to start a new business. You can obtain this list for free at your local county courthouse. New businesses are usually in need of lots of different types of products and services. If you use this method, don't delay in contracting these businesses. Don't let your competition beat you out by being the first one there.

6)  Use property transfer records of home and business sales. These are records of people selling or buying a home or business in your area. This is public information available for free at your local courthouse. Contact this list as soon as possible. New home owners have numerous needs. You may be able to help them fill some of these.

7)  Get and use membership lists of local civic and social organizations in your area. These lists are usually public information available at your local library. You can join an organization to obtain their membership list. These lists make excellent sources of leads.

8)  Use wedding announcements in your local newspapers. Send them a congratulation note on their up coming marriage. Include your business card with this. Offer to help them in their new life anyway you can. Newlyweds are in need of lots of products and services.

9)  Prospect your current customers. This is a good source because they already believe in you and your product. Is there anything new or different you are now selling they could use? Maybe some type of added product or service to what they already have bought from you.

10) Always look for ways you can help solve a prospect's problems. Tell them how you have solved similar problems for other people. Be specific when you do this. Always mention the customer's name you have helped in similar situations.

11) Put your prospecting message in terms of dollars and cents. Show your prospect in dollar figures how much money your product or service can make or save them.

12) Always relate your offer to your prospect in terms of what it can do for them. Tell them how they will benefit from using your product or service. Show them how it will help them improve their live or business in some way.

13) Know how to differentiate your product or service from your competition. Even if it's only in some small way. Small things can sometimes make a big difference. This can only be done by knowing the details of your competition's offer as well as you do your own.

14) Put your picture on all your making material. This include your business cards. It helps to put a face to your offer. It also help people remember who you are.

15) Find some way to make yourself and your product memorable. Some way that is unique to only you. Stand out from the crowd.

Now you know how to be a success in sales. The whole key is persistent and consistent prospecting. You also have 15 highly effective ways to do this. These methods used consistently should generate all sales leads you what. Start using them today to turbocharge your sales!!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Wholesale Business And Fake Suppliers

Wholesale business start and products supplier and reap high profits while remaining your won boos. Many peoples have discovered the hidden potentials of wholesale business while others are on their way to find it out. When in practical field you will definitely run into the hands of middleman who try to steal your hard earned money. So as an amateur businessman you have to take care of several things and beware of the fake product suppliers spread all over the Internet.

A simple keyword search for suppliers will yield thousand of wholesale suppliers and many of them will turn out to be non-genuine ones. There are several techniques and tips that can protect you from them. First of all, such suppliers will promise to provide you with the lowest ever rates for the highest quality products an d will claim to be the best from every aspect. Always remember that if the supplier gives you unbelievable rates and deals then he is a fraud. If the wholesalers asks you to give 'processing fee' then again he is a cheat, as legitimate dealers never ask for 'processing fees'. ON other hand, also remain cautious about the middle men who claim to be suppliers and swear to offer the best quality on lower rates.

There are other ways which will help you stay safe from these fake suppliers and distributors. If you have doubts on the credibility of a certain supplier browse his website and check the 'contact us' option. His company's full name, his own name, mailing address and the contact number, would reflect that he is a representative of some genuine company.

If you still have doubts, check whether his postal address is valid or  not? Inquire about his company's registration number and call on the mentioned contact number. The answering person should instantly give you the company's name; if not then there are chances that the supplier id fake. Beside, the legitimate suppliers always mention their  landlines number.

Remember that the legitimate suppliers will also ask your business name, tax number and social security number, otherwise he is more likely to be a middleman. To further check the authenticity of supplier you can ask him to provide you with free sample products, legitimate supplier will happily give you access t the sample products while the fake on wouldn't be able to do so. It has also been experienced that if you ask too many questions, the fake ones stop answering while genuine suppliers doesn't. To remain on safer side always use secure payment methods like Pay Pal, Escrow etc. If you apply the above listed tips and certain supplier doesn't fit on the criteria, you should look for another supplier.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Mid Size Distribution & Food Business

Distributors work as an intermediary between the product manufacturer and the customers that include wholesalers, retailers, or any other business. Without a distributor, it wouldn't be possible for any of these parties to keep performing their primary roles (i.e.production for manufacturer and dealing with the end users for retailer). It is the distributor who manages everything in between. However, this seemingly simple jog of getting the products form manufacturers or wholesalers and delivering them to retailers can roe to be quite demanding. At the very least, a full service distribution firm needs to have large storage space, trucks and vans, and spot on inventory management skills.

Choose The Type :


When you are looking to start a food distribution business, the first thing your need to do is to select the kind of food you will be dealing in. You've got plenty of options like frozen food bakery product, dairy products, meat products, organic, or processed food. You can choose to deal in more than one or even all of these categories but that will take a huge setup, therefore it is better for the wholesale distributors to start from limited range of products and expand with the passage of time.

Product Sourcing :

After deciding the type of food, they need to get in touch with different type of suppliers like poultry or dairy farms, or brands making processed or frozen food. Make sure you are buying these products at price that's significantly less than the retail price. Before you even start dealing with the vendors, make sure you have got a foolproof inventory management system in place.

Selling :

Now comes the more important part of selling, traditionally distributors do not indulge in marketing or advertising,  because their primary jog is managing the supply chain. However, there's nothing wrong in making use of relatively low cost mediums for marketing, for example creating a wholesale website with a complete list of products you have got. Ideally the website must allow customers to order and make payments online. You should also employ some sales staff to reach out to your targeted customers. Trade shows or online directories are two very effective mediums to promote your distribution business.

Throughout this article, we've assumed that you have good inventory and logistic management skill, which is necessary for any kind of distribution  business. Remember, distribution might appear to be a relatively simple process, but in reality it takes quite some experience and a lot of hard work to successfully start and mange a food distribution business, especially because of the perishable nature of the food products.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Scanning Service and Documents Scanning

Documents scanning depends on the amount of documents that need scanning , the process that you would lime completing and the type of document. But as a general example, in this article, we'll talk about general A4 documents that you would see every day whether they are invoices, standard letters or other correspondence.


It's understandable that you'd wonder how long the document scanning process would take since, inevitable, you'll more than likely need your files and document back as soon as possible. Thankfully, these days, technology is stage where all this work can be done extremely quickly with excellent results, which is exactly what you would expect. As an exam;e, the scanners that we use on a daily basis can scan thousands of documents per day and our company outputs around 3 million files per month. However there are other factors to consider.

If you send us documents that are stapled together, they will need to be removed before they go through the scanning process, so this will add some extra time, since scanning staff would need to put out the staples from each file as they go along. It won't add a lot of time, but when it;s added up it can add some time. There's also the type of indexing your would like to take into consideration, whether it be by date, name, reference number or other factors to help you identify the newly digitised documents.

You can also request OCR scanning which means that your documents will be made completely text search able so particular keywords can be located with a simple computer text search almost immediately.

So add up around how many documents you have that will need scanning and call up the company or companies that you are looking at  working with and ask them for a quote, but make sure to ask how many documents they can output per day as this will give you an idea of exactly how long the process should take. Also ask them about the indexing and potential OCR processing if you are interested to see how much time this will add.

Document scanning is a worthwhile and future proof solution for the office, but make sure you go with a reputable company that offers both good results and speed.

Other tips: Look for the ISO 9001 :2000 accreditation which means that their work is looked over by a third party and ask for a sample of the work to be done so you can get a good idea of who the document scanning process will turn out.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Best Presentation Myth

Are you coach , or consultant, one of the fastest ways to grow your business and jump start  your results is to get the right message in front of the right people!

There are a few simple strategies that can help you leverage the power of speaking to groups, selling one-on-one in a sales presentation or in your online marketing videos.

Let's face it, a presentation gone wrong is a waste of your time, and energy, And it erodes your expert status. So we want to e sure we arm you with the right tips, tricks, and strategies to maximize every business-building opportunity!



You just need to invest a little time and energy honing the skill!

Presentation Myth #2: Your presentation is about you I know you've likely heard this before, but everyone is still doing it! You stand up. introduce yourself, and launch into a long presentation about you, your company,  your products and services and quickly put everyone to sleep.

Step 1: Believe with total conviction that your presentation is about your Audience (of one or many), because it is!

And you'll find that you'll sell a whole lots more when your truly understand this.

Think back to the last time you were in front the television.
Imagine a Cola commercial. Its not about the thing in the can and how they make it , and what goes into it, and how do they get that soda i n the can? I don't know, I don't care, and neither do you!

Step 2: Your presentation should shine a light on the problem you solve. 

You've probably heard this before, so I am going to encourage you to review your presentation and ask yourself if you're really doing it. Are you making it safe for people to say, "you know I do have that problem!"? if not, you'll find your sales will suffer. So you nee to be creative and sensitive to how present the problems your clients are suffering with at the moment, because its likely a sensitive subject.

Make sure you let your audience know that having these problems is common, its the normal journey, and it's  one they don't need you suffer anymore  because....

Step 3: Offer the Dream or Solution.   

Don't sell your product or survive, sell people on having the dream or the transformation you offer. Focus on what your product Does for your clients (the benefits) or How your services help companies just like theirs! Its a small shift that makes all the difference.

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Newspapers Quickly Generate Publicity

Many business owners believe they need a major announcement or big event to secure some media coverage.
Not so.

In many cases your local daily or weekly newspaper or business journal has space to run your item provided it is "newsworthy"

Often a number of small announcements work just as well as one bing sotry to build the company brand and add credibility.

Here are 10 ways to get into the newspapers quickly and generate publicity for your business:

Announce a new hire.  Many local papers and business journals provide ample space for this. In addition to highlighting a new staff member it demonstrates that your company is growing and moving forward

Host a special event or seminar Many papers have calendar sections specifically for this purpose.

Announce a company award  New papers will print your industry or "best of" recognition.
 
Announce a new contract or new deals with a group of customers Editors are most interested in learning about a successful local company. If it peaks their interest it could even turn into a full-blown feature article.

Publicize staff appointments to charity boards and non-profit organization The not only builds your brand but also demonstrates corporate good will by giving back to the community.

Document and photograph any donations to charity for publicity purposes When your firm donates a sizeable amount of funds to a non-profit it has news value both for your customers and internally for staff. In many cases your can create a large poster check and generate a check presentation photo opportunity whit the charity executives. The photo and a write- up can be sent to local newspapers and should be printed in your company newsletter and blog.The charity may even wish to print the photo in their own newsletter giving the event additional value and brand awareness.

Announce and expansion to a new location or enlargement of your current offices. The local press is again interested in writing about growing local companies. The business journals are also very attuned to items involving real estate news. Should your company move into new offices or make a significant enlargement to a current space it has news value.

Publicize any Green initiatives your firm may be undertaking  Newspapers and even TV stations are very interested in Green related stories, as long as they are legitimate undertakings to help the environment. Many organizations now even recognize local business with Green Awards.

Write a letter to the editor or a complete commentary  Publications have space for this, just make sure to keep it professional. You can discuss how an issue will impact the business community and other similar topics.

Highlight an employee that does something out of the ordinary. In many markets you can generate coverage for a staff person who completes a marathon or provides unique services to the community as a volunteer.

David D. Burner is principal with Colomon/Burner, a St. Louis Public Relations and Marketing firm, Mr.Burner has over 20 years of public relation experience. He has worked with PR clients on a national, regional and local basis. David helps large, mid-size and small business create a branding and public relations strategy, ascertain targeted markets and audiences, and then develops a communications plan to reach the appropriate audience. The firm works with companies on both social media and traditional media platforms. Colomon/Turner utilize a variety of marketing to include awareness building, branding, database creation and management, blogging and a variety of social media tools.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Payrool outsourcing help your company

Let us first take a look at this going green business. Going green is more than just a trend; it is about corporate responsibility and aiming for sustainable development. The best part of going green, allusions to noble thoughts of contributing to the planet's well-being aside, is that it would actually save your business some money.

Now, we all know that going paperless is one of the foremost ways to go green. Most payroll companies enable electronic payroll data collection and transfer; this means that your get rid of all the bills and papers {and the clutter). The company can provide tracking and give you quarterly reports and all these, you can view online. Instead of the "pay slip", your employees can just be provided a receipt code and with the direct deposit, you will not need to use checks. The amount will be transferred from the funds on your bank account into your employee' individual accounts. You even get to save on the paper used for checks and stamps - and you also saved costs on stamps.

Another reason why you get go green while outsourcing your payroll service is that you no longer need to buy all those toner cartridges for printing whatever needs to be printed. This means that you get to save money and that you can get rid of all those used cartridges so they can be recycles.

Your company may not be a smoke-releasing factory which needs to concern itself about the kyoto protocol but outsourcing your payroll to payroll companies also greatly reduces your company's carbon footprint. This is because of the direct deposit feature. By not using paper to send out payment information and payment to your employees, you save a lot on what it cost to cut trees and transform them to paper, and what the gas used to transport trees and  paper. It also has a more direct effect on your gas consumption; you no longer need to spend on gas for the employees' driving back and forth to the bank to make deposits; You also save on paycheck delivery costs.

When you outsourcing payroll you no longer have to deal with the nitty -gritty of it all. You may still need to do some paperwork but it would only be around 1% of what you will have to do, if you choose not to outsource. Another good thing  about outsourcing is that everything is seamless- from data collection, to transmit until calculations and deductions and payment distribution and tax filing. You do not need to work about non-compliance, and when it does happen, you can be sure your payroll service company can help.
outsourcing also cut costs and promotes staff productivity.

Those may just be just additional information to the answers for the "how can payroll help your company go green" question. Still, the prospect of going green has an attraction for everyone, not those who wanted to save on costs but also to those who are concerned about being environmentally friendly.      

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Quality Of Data Entry Job

Data entry more effectively  in a business. The act of  transcribing some form of data into another form, usually a computer program. It involves maintaining, updating, and retrieving information held on computers and sometimes on paper. You will usually be entering both text and numbers into spreadsheets or databases so it's important to be able to type accurately and fairly fast, as well as have a good working knowledge of the most commonly used office software packages. Some people perform jobs that are exclusively data entry, while others, like programmers, might have to occasionally enter data.

Since the advent of computers, and since the beginning of typing, the need to collect and neatly present documents has required the capture data.

Who can qualify to perform data entry jobs? 

People who work exclusively in the field of data capture are likely to be quick typists, able read off longhand or typewritten documents, and must be accurate. They need to be familiar with the various computer programs available nowadays,  (excel, etc ).



Nowadays, most companies are looking for people who can work from home in their own spare time and at their own pace, but need to b able to meet set deadlines. With a number of information systems requiring a constant stream of data, entering it doesn't necessarily have to take place in an office or workplace. Many people work out of their homes entering data, medical information, or updating websites especially websites that offer merchandise. You can find numerous tel communicating data entry jobs available which provides people with an excellent way to have a flexible schedule.

So, if you've got these skills and you've also got the spare time on your hands,  have access to a computer, them you are the people we are looking for.

Challenges of data entry? 

 Data entry requires focus and concentration, and some may find the work exhausting and even challenging. For any person who types all day, paying attention t maintaining good posture, typing in a sound position, means that taking are all important. Most experts suggest that people entering ling steams of data should take a break at least once an hour by moving away from the computer screen.

Advantage of data entry 

If you do plan to work in the field of capturing data, it can help to diversify your skills and learn something about the field in which you're working . For example, if you spend days entering code for websites, learning tools to program in HTML and java might make you more employable in the future. If will give your curriculum vitae and enhancement that will make it more attractive for future employers and this will increase your chances of getting a permanent job.


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Success Planining To Your Business Networking

While you can network wherever there is an opportunity to speak to someone else, for business opportunities in particular, the best advice is to go to where the people you really want to meet will e and go to where the people who know the people you want to meet will be. Remember that time is precious and make each contact with another person you meet cunt. Respect and value your time and theirs.

It's easy to attend Networking Events as networking has become such an important aspect of business that there are a great any to choose from. Whether you want to an informal, formal, social, educational, motivational, trade or profession related event, the opportunities to meet new people are boundless.

Long-term gain comes from cultivating long-term relationships, so joining a formal business group is an essential element of your Referral Business Strategy. Find the group that is right for you and work with your colleagues in the group you join, to achieve mutual benefit and success. Have patience and be happy and prepared to give help first and you will gain help later.

Remember, the general understanding is that 2 out of 3 people you help will in turn help you in the future, not to mention the other people who notice you helping them.

The key is remembering that your time (and theirs) is valuable and therefore needs to be used wisely by focusing on the right opportunities for your and your business. Commercial success comes from good and profitable Business not just Business.

Know with certainty what your objectives are and go to where your target customers and target contacts will be. You can and should also go to where people who can introduce you to your target customers will be.

Remember one connection that you make, follow up and nurture is worth more than a thousand business cards that you gather and never do anything with.

One example of this is that I attended a Breakfast Meeting and met just one new contact on my table who I'll call Rusan. Our business relationship has developed over time and Rusan and I both now understand how we can genuinely help each other. I've helped by introducing people in my network who could be of benefit to Rusan and by keeping her in mind when my other contacts and new people I meet need the service Rusan organization provides.

Less than 12 months after our first meeting, Rusan opened the door for me to meet with and gain approval to supply members of a major buying consortium representing 500 UK business. I knew nothing about the organization prior to the introduction and I certainly would have found it challenging to gain the opportunity to meet with them had Rusan not introduced me to them with her strong personal recommendation. Incidentally, that consortium has now grown to have nearly 700 member and this number is still rising, daily.

The brilliant thing is that Rusan didn't just give me name and telephone number. she personally spoke to the key decision maker in the consortium and opened the door for me to have an appointment.

I had my appointment about a week after Rusan's personal introduction and my company was immediately approved as a new supplier. About 4 days later our details were added to the consortium online network and emailed to all its members and 20 minutes after we were live on the system, we received our first enquiry.

Rusan's personal recommendation and introduction has had and continues to have tremendous positive benefits to my company, particularly as the consortium is growing rapidly week on week. No expensive marketing was involved  in gaining this opportunity, so the return on our mutual investment in time is immense.

Another excellent opportunity to meet people is to attend and sponsor charity and social functions and award dinners as they are great way to make connections in a relaxes, social and friendly environment where easy conversation is the norm.

Key decision makers are often in attendance at these events, so you can make excellent contacts, remembering of course that hey are here to have and enjoyable time and not to be sold to. Selling is off the menu!

Planning and structure

While you can network everywhere you meet people and all networking opportunities can be beneficial, one of the most effective ways to increase the potential benefits of the opportunities your uncover is to plan ahead. This is particularly relevant hen you attend organized seminars, conferences and networking events.

Just turning up at an organized business networking event can sometimes result in a missed opportunity, especially when with just a little effort and preparation, you can achieve some really excellent results.

Where possible, take the time to check out the event before you go along to it. Find out who will be there what is it about, why is it relevant to your target audience and of course, why is it relevant to you. Also think how you can check out the delegate and exhibitor list and even the speakers, beforehand.

To be successful, always remember that you get what you focus on. When you know you want to meet and how many people you want to meet, you remove chance and create opportunity.

For instance, before the event, you might email, call or write to a particular person you want to meet and let them know that you have seen them on the delegate list and would really value an opportunity to say hello. This way you show that you are interested in them, you are professional and you also set up the opportunity to meet when you get there.

Alternatively, if you don't actually know the person or know what they look like, you can ask the event organizers to help by making the introduction.

Either way you create the opportunity to meet them rather than taking a chance o possibly meeting by just turning up

Where to network

You can literally network everywhere and all the time, although there are three main types of networking opportunity when meeting people in person.

Often the value and power of networking with colleagues within your own company or organisation is overlooked, however, this is critical opportunity for building strong relationships and strengthening department and cross department/cross operational bonds.

All the same rules apply when it comes to building these relationship as if you are networking with new contacts beyond your existing company. Help first and be helped later. Understand how you can add value and add it.

Social/informal- school, college, university,, work parties, clubs, charity dinners i.e every where people gather socially and away from work or business.

Semi-formal-  seminars, conferences, trade shows, Chamber of Commerce and trade association networking meetings.

Formal-  formal business networking groups and events set up specifically to connect people.

Add to these the ever growing online capabilities to link with people you don't yet know and you can see how massive the opportunities to connect really are.

Goals and Objectives    

Know what you want to achieve from an event. It's not enough to say I'd like to make new contacts - be specific and decide that you want to make 5 new contacts and know which 5 contacts you would specifically like to meet if you are attending a formal networking event and why?

As you understand what is most important to these new contacts and how you can help them you can truly add value for them. This of course requires research, however, as this is where the big wins are you must make the time and take the to do it.

Clarity and focus on your specific goals is like having a Satellite Navigation System that takes you to where you want to be via the shortest route possible and with the added benefits that it tells you when you are going off course as well as how to quickly get back on the route plan you need to follow to get to your destination in the lest time. 



Monday, April 18, 2011

Four Sneaky Tricks Expert Negotiators

Winning a negotiation requires knowledge of some of the tricks expert negotiators use to their advantage during negotiations. These tricks are not at all complex and in fact, are rather easy to grasp. However, when used correctly, they might just tip the scales in your favor. Here are some sneaky tricks that expert negotiators during negotiations.

1.  Express A Visible Reaction To Their Offer 

This technique works best if your are up against an opponent who clearly has not done their research and thus, is unaware of their own bargaining position. Once your opponent makes and offer, express your shock and surprise that they have dared to make such and offer. You could say something like: "What was your offer again!?" If they haven't done their research well, it is likely that they will start to feel uncomfortable compromise to your demands.

2.  Set The Tone Right For Each Negotiation 

Setting the right kind of atmosphere for a negotiation is half the battle won. You want your opponent to be in as pleasant a mood as possible for them to agree to most, if not all of your requests. One way to do this would be to have negotiations right after a meal with your opponent.

Having a delicious meal generates positive feelings that might just carry onto the negotiation itself, giving both parties a higher chance of reaching a favorable agreement. In fact, many business deals have been negotiated over food. Such is the effect of food on persuasion that it has even been mentioned by professor Robert Cialdini in his book about the science of influence.

3.  Walk Away With Power    
If things just aren't going your ways, it would be better to leave rather than take the existing offer. Sometimes, walking away for now may lead to a better deal n the future. All you need the discipline to thank your opponent for their time and leave. Do not force yourself into accepting an offer that makes no sense.

4.  Look At Their Body Language  

Normally, people do not five away their negotiation positions during a negotiation. Doing so would immediately compromise their bargaining power. If you can read body language, you increases your chances of spotting any slip ups thy may make that can reveal their negotiation position to you. 

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Marketing by Send SMS Messages

Getting permission to send SMS marketing messages is necessary and this consent must be given before your can send that first message. In other words, you cannot send out a text message asking the receiver for permission to send him a commercial message, it must be obtained in some other way. There are two different ways for consumers to provide consent. One is called express consent and the other type is inferred consent. Both of these are discussed below.

Express and Inferred Consent for SMS Marketing   



Express consent is given when the consumer opts to place a check in the check box on  a web subscribe form giving you permission to contact him. To ensure the person is aware of the fact he is giving his permission to be contacted by your company, he must check the box himself, it cannot already be checked by default.

Using surveys and entry forms for competition are two more ways you can obtain consent. However, the person filling out these forms must check the box indication that he gives your permission to contact him. It must also be clear that he fully understands this permission includes using emails and SMS marketing commercial messages. When collect business cards at any promotional even, the consumer must be aware of the fact that he will be contacted by SMS if he decides to leave a card.

Inferred consent is acquired through an existing business relationship or through conspicuous publication unless, it's stated the person does not want to receive electronic messages at the address provided. it's up to you,  the sender, to prove you had consent to send out commercial messages so always keep a record of consent for future references.

How to Build an SMS Marketing Message List

When done correctly, text message marketing can be very beneficial. Plus, it's fast, easy and efficient way to reach more potential customers and to stay in contact with the ones you already have. Still, it needs to be done correctly and this involves building a mobile marketing list the right way.

To help build up your text message mailing list, create incentives that will make the reader want to join. Some ways to do this is by sending out surveys, offering discounts on future products and create competitions where the person can win a prize. Whatever method you choose, make sure you always provide useful info the consumer can use that is relevant to your business.

Since text messages are more personal than some of the other form of marketing, the message you send should be more personal. First, identify yourself then include the person's name and explain why the message is being sent to him. Engage your reader by providing him with a way to interact with you by adding a response keyword or URL's where he can find more information.

A successful marketing campaign is targeted towards potential consumers that have a genuine interest in the products or services that you have to offer. But you must always provide a way to "opt-out" of receiving your SMS marketing messages; it's the law.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Web-base Engagemet and Commitment

I have  been talking to companies how have decided to take their customer engagement strategies to the next level. Whether it is the hospitality industry, the retail or any other sector for that matter, everyone is looking to engage customers to shore up their web reputation.

When discussing the decision to engage in social media I like to dig a little deeper. The question I ask will come as no surprise as they are quite straight forward.

- Where are your going to engage your customers?

- What are you going to learn?

- How are your going demonstrate value?

Commonly, the answers to the question above can be distilled down to:

- Well, Facebook and Twitter, isn't that where everyone is?

- I will have better analytics.

- And then the most probing of all questions is pose. Do you have a strategy?

Like any business too, launching into the world of social networking should not be done without  adequate planning and strategy. Why? For the simple reason that social media is a commitment; one who's history is written in permanent ink.

The world wide web is quite literally littered with remnants of the best of intentions. There are reams and reams of:

- Websites that are still advertising expired promotion;

- Status updates that haven't been thouche in days, weeks or wors years;

- Blogs that come to an abrupt stop, and;

-The worst offence of all, companies who daily share information that is dated all the while, trying to give the impression of currency and being at the top of their game.

Any social media expert/guru will tell you that social media engagement takes time (months, if not years). Please do not underestimate the weight of that statement. Ever wonder what happened to all those kids who peaked in high school?
Their shining moments of glory translated into nothing more than a "flash in ht pan" of your history. Is that the legacy you are looking  for where your company's web reputation is concerned?

From a business perspective, Facebook fans and Twitter followers are important, only if their existence can be translated into sales. Without a plan to engage and more importantly show the worth and value of your company, the return on your investment will quickly diminish.

While social media on the surface seems like a cost effective solution to the overbearing costs of traditional marketing keep in mind that once you get on the social media bandwagon, falling off has a significant cost.

Unless your company is prepared to commit the necessary resources to navigate the social media minefield and has a plan in place to shore up our web reputation then you may discover that Sir John Havey-Jones was right He once said that "Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something . The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise.
That is true for any kind of business.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Leadership Training Development

Lots of individuals around the world have been blessed with gifts. These gifts should be shared with others, making sure that they will not only benefit themselves but also others. One of these gifts is becoming a leader. Leadership training is believed to be one of the ideal ways in bringing out the best among leaders. It helps leaders across the world to grow to be more capable in doing their job. As what it does, leadership training trains leaders, chiefly on how to be an expert and triumphant leader among your followers. With this, confidence will be earned by them knowing that they have the talent in becoming an excellent leader.

Ti develop fully - that's what leadership training aims for their participants. An excellent leader must have the personality and the characteristics of what a leader should be. In leadership training, leaders are taught how to lead appropriately and correctly. At this point, knowing entirely what leadership definitely means is better than just applying it. It requires you to have innate human qualities ans just authority, Currently , expert leaders are by now working with a very enabling force through which they aid people, develop organizations and prove to themselves that they are worthy leaders. With this, we can entail that an able leader definitely has to realize what the people need and what the organization aims for.

When it comes to leadership training, there is a deep conviction and belief that being a leader is not based on your status, what position you are in or how noble your work is. A leader could be inside of, let's just say, a construction worker. Imagine him, he may not have good looks or the looks of a much respected man, but you can just imagine that  a leader sis inside him when the demonstrates who he can make others and himself do their chore properly and  orderly. In this setting, it is likely to express that a leader isn't just found on what your are or how good your are. It is about serving and doing all your best for the common good.

The development of a leader shows how helpful training for leadership is. This training's aim is simply not bases on how a leader should demand cronies, but rather on how a leader can be a good  example to his followers. Meaning, a leader is one who knows how to lead by not commanding his followers to follow. A fine leader starts with a good follower. One can't be a good leader if he doesn't even know how to obey.

Leadership training clearly is a large help to those who need it. There are programs within it which makes leaders discover things which they believed are not applicable in being a true leader. There are things to be learned like the leadership basics which is a type of session course for small groups. They are also taught skills in which they will need to do their work fully as a successful leader. There is also program for lessons in leadership which teach leaders how to reach their potential abilities. There is also a program which involves experience and cultural tour. All these programs help in molding and developing potential leaders.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Temporary Jobs and Students

Not all students get a full scholarship or go by the name 'Hilton', therefore mos student have to combine work with  their studies. But - Not many students can hold a full time job and pass their exams with flying colors. So, the  best solution is to find a part time job or a full time job during the summer in order to save up some extra money.

Being a student isn't easy. Student have a busy schedule with their classes, paperwork and exams. So usually they'll choose a temp job or a part time job that will allow them ti earn money, but still leave them some time to study. But one of the problems students have to deal with is combining work with studies: even if they have some free time every week, sometimes they can't work because they need to use that time to study for an unexpected quiz or just to relax from all the hard work and hang out with their friends. Therefore it's important for them also to find a flexible job.

So, if you're a student and you wish to combine work with your studies, you need to find a part time job that is also flexible. Meaning: a kind of jog that allows you to cancel your shift if you're too busy with your studies.

The second issue is the types of jobs student can do.

There are two kinds of jobs for students:

Jobs that have some connection to the student's future career, for example: Students, who plan to come teachers, may choose to work as teacher' assistants or camp counselors. And students who study acting will probably prefer to work as movies' extras or ushers at the theatre.

The second type of jobs is any king of job that the student can find and fit to his or her schedule, fir example: valet Parker, dog, gift wrapper and so forth.

Both types of student's temp job are important; temp jobs give young men and women an opportunity to get some work experience, fill up their resume and meet people that may help them with their career.

Also - any temp job can easily become a regular job or even a career. when a student starts a temp job, even short term temp job, and he or she are happy with their job and their employer is satisfied with their work, they might decide to stay and make it their permanent working place.

Students can be great temp workers. They can work as delivery guys, receptionists, spa workers, pool cleaners etc.