One of the most difficult parts of a salesperson's job is dealing with purchasing departments. Whether you are a new salesperson or a seasoned veteran, you likely will agree that dealing with a purchasing department can create a tremendous amount of stress for a salesperson. Unless you are truly unprepared, there's no reason for anyone to fear dealing with a purchasing department.

A purchasing department is nothing more than a group of individuals assembled for the sole purpose of trying to save money for their company. The key for you as the salesperson to remember is that even though the purchasing department's number one objective is to save money, this doesn't mean they are out to attack you on price.

Purchasing departments view their role as the supply-chain managers. It is their job to ensure the company does what it is supposed to do in an efficient manner that requires as little capital as possible. What this means is very simple: The purchasing department's job is much more than beating up salespeople. Granted, many purchasing agents do enjoy the thrill of securing a lower price, but that's no different than you. As a salesperson, you enjoy the thrill of securing a new sale. Accept the fact that the purchasing agent is doing nothing more than what they are supposed to do.

A few vital points to keep in mind when dealing with a purchasing department

* Low price may appear to be what they are after, but if they buy something that's cheap but doesn't work, then it's suddenly anything but a "cheap" item. If it doesn't work, they now have to replace it. In doing so, they are stuck with a double-cost. Low price is really secondary to the performance of the item they are buying.

* Rarely does the purchasing department have huge amounts of power in a company. This means they're not at the top of the food-chain. As a result, they can't afford to upset those above them. Although they may harass you to lower your price, the last thing they want to do is be harassed by others in the company for not buying what those people wanted them to buy in the first place. In other words, purchasing agents will put up a good fight on the surface, but in the end, they can't afford to upset anyone in the company – regardless of how much money they think they can save.

* Purchasing agents may say they must have a lower price, but in reality their goal is really to save "x" amount of money – and it doesn't necessarily have to come from you. Purchasing agents will always pick on the salespeople who appear to be the weakest and most vulnerable. This only makes sense, as they are simply trying to manage their time. Therefore, they will secure the savings they need from whomever they believe will give it to them with the least amount of hassle.

Don't hesitate to call a purchasing agent's bluff. Purchasing agents love to posture themselves with salespeople as if they control the salesperson's career. All they are really doing is seeing how far they can push you. Until you stand up to them and push back, they'll keep pushing you to get additional benefits and lower prices. When a purchasing agent demands a lower price, the only thing they're doing is going with the demand they know works the best since they know there is almost always flexibility in pricing. It's the strength and confidence of you the salesperson that is going to be the best indicator as to whether or not they'll be successful in pushing you to lower your price.

Purchasing agents love to bluff people by saying they will buy from one of your competitors if you don't lower your price. This actually happens far less than salespeople realize. Upon hearing the threat of going to another supplier, most salespeople will cower and give the purchasing agent what they are after. Too bad the only thing the salesperson has done is give up profit. It's this type of a response that gives salespeople a bad reputation. The entire time the purchasing manager is demanding you lower the price or they will switch, they know full well how expensive switching to a new supplier can be.

About the Author:

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com (TheSalesHunter), on www.LinkedIn.com (Mark Hunter), and on his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com (The Sales Hunter).

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This is one of those questions I get ALL the time.

"I never read those long-copy sales letters. They can't possibly work, can they?"

"MY target market doesn't read those long-copy sales letters, they want shorter letters."

"I can't imagine anyone reading that much."

And so on.

Okay, before I get around to answering the question, let me quickly explain what a long-copy sales letter is. It's those sales letters that are dotted across the web where you have to scroll down and down and down before you finally find the price.

Yeah. You know the ones.

So do they work? Yes they do -- IF they're done right.

Here's the thing. The reason they work is NOT because they're long. Length doesn't equal sales. What DOES equal sales is if you properly answer all of your ideal client's questions and objections and demonstrate your product/service/program will solve your ideal client's problems.

And all that takes words. How many words depends on how expensive an investment your solution is.

Think of a conversation. Let's say it takes you 30 minutes to have a sales call with a prospect. Well, if you take that call and transcribe it, it's going to be around 10 pages long depending on how fast you talk. And that's just one person.

Now you have a call with another person selling the same program. That person asks different questions, but it's still 30 minutes. Now you have 20 pages worth of transcripts.

Are you starting to see how the long-copy sales letter gets so long?

Granted you're probably not going to hear completely different questions time after time. But you can see how the pages will start to add up. (The reality is, a sales letter is actually much shorter than any of your one-on-one sales calls.)

Okay, so now you understand how these letters get so long. But what about the whole "you-don't-read-them-or-your-ideal-clients-don't-read-them?" Well, I have 2 reasons why that happens:

1. You're not the ideal client. I don't care how great or how poor the sales letter is, if you're not the ideal client, you're going to have very little interest in reading the letter. (And here's the kicker -- reading is a hypnotic activity, which means you don't remember when you ARE reading but you DO remember when you don't finish something. So you're going to remember all those half-read sales letters much more clearly than the ones you actually finish.)

2. The sales letter is poorly written. This is probably even more common than the first one. Look, you can't bore anyone into buying anything. And there are a lot of people who don’t understand the long-copy sales letter, so they simply throw a lot of words on the page and hope for the best. That is NOT how to write a sales letter. You need to connect with your ideal client and do it in such a way that they feel compelled to keep reading. A whole bunch of words ain't going to make the sale (especially a whole bunch of boring words that don't inspire anyone to do anything).

Bottom line -- studies have shown over and over again that long-copy sales letters sell more then shorter sales letter. (Just as long as they're well written.) So, even if you don't completely understand it, don't worry about it. Give your ideal clients what they want to make a decision to invest with you -- a well-written, interesting long-copy sales letter.

About the Author:

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) is your Ka-Ching! marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services and boosting their business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.MichelePW.com.

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To become a successful entrepreneur you basically need these qualities- Innovation, Hard work, Positive attitude, Confidence, Determination and Courage to take risk.

But, no two entrepreneurs are alike. Some of them take more risks than others, while few prefer to play completely safe. Quality is the top most priority for few entrepreneurs but for others quantity is more important. So in this article I have tried to divide the entrepreneurs in to nine animals on the basis of their working styles and how they correspond to a particular animal. Without further ado here is the list.

Rooster- These are the entrepreneurs who start their business at a very young age. They are basically the self-starters who do not need any kind of instructions. Entrepreneurs in this category always consider themselves as Perfectionists and are most affected by ego problems.

Rat- These are the hardest working entrepreneurs. Work is their topmost priority due to which they can’t create a perfect balance between their personal and professional life. They take a lot of time to open up with others and always prefer to remain in their comfort zone.

Goat – These entrepreneurs can’t take quick decisions. They always remain confused and depend on opinions of others to take their decisions. They are the most sensitive and take things to their heart. They are the creative persons and can’t perform well under pressure.

Monkey – Entrepreneurs in this category are the attention seeking entrepreneurs. They can’t sit idle and always need something to work upon. They are creative and problem solvers but get bored very quickly. These entrepreneurs are always ready to learn new things.

Snakes – They are basically Solo Entrepreneurs. They do not have any employees and prefer to do all the work themselves. It doesn’t mean that they do not work in teams; they do but prefer to keep a distance and work like a virtual team member.

Ox- These entrepreneurs are the slow learners. They are hard working, persistent and have a lot of patience. They need lot of time to take any decision but after taking the decisions they stick to it in all conditions.

Dragon – These entrepreneurs are full of energy and leadership qualities. Their aim is to grow fast. They are very optimistic and always remain full of enthusiasm. The entrepreneurs under this category can make you crazy with their wildest ideas.

Horse – These entrepreneurs know how to use their resources effectively and are very good in handling money. They can’t focus on their goals for a longer period of time. They love meeting people and are very good in creating effective business networks.

Pig – These entrepreneurs are the most productive entrepreneurs. They believe in long term investments. They are goal oriented and always complete the project they start with great enthusiasm.

So these were the nine categories I found suitable to divide the entrepreneurs. Do you know any other animal we can add to the list? We’d love to hear about it. Feel Free to share your opinions in the comments.

About the Author:

Gagandeep Singh is working for Fortepromo which creates high quality Promotional Products that help companies to promote their brand in market.

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Many of you are starting up your own business, whether it is an online store or a brick and mortar, you will need a lot of new hardware and software. It is an important thing not to overlook is how your business will accept payments from customers, even in the early stages of the business development. It is crucial that you tailor your credit card processing service according to the specific needs of your business. A merchant account acts as a clearing account for credit and debit card transactions for orders made via the internet and/or a physical location. Now the question is: what do you need to know? Finding a merchant account provider can be tough, although, when you do a little research, you can find one right for your business.

For those that are just ready to open up shop, one way to go is with an independent sales organization. An ISO is a middle-man between your business and a financial institution. Many ISOs charge rates and/or fees for their services, although, it might be worth taking them on to reduce risk for the bank. Some of you have already started your business and want to research different merchant accounts and other possibilities. If you have a good sales history, you should be able to get an account with your own bank or one that concentrates on online sales.

Costing for merchant accounts vary. Most accounts have a fixed rate per month along with transactions (authorization) fees per sale. If you are a store front, there will most likely have extra fees for special transactions, terminal equipment and maintenance. Some merchant accounts have contracts where you are binded with that company for a specific term. The merchant account sector is competitive so just be careful of getting involved in an agreement that may not be best suited for your business structure. Rates are all based off of various assessments of your business, basically what is the risk of taking you on as a client. Some considerations include the products or services you are selling, average charge per sale, your projected monthly sales, what cards you will accept (visa, mastercard, etc) and your credit score.

When researching a credit card processing service, make sure you look for any hidden fees and then summarize the overall cost of the merchant accounts services to make sure it is within your projected budget. You should also inquire some of your own background checks to make sure the merchant service has not been reported by the government or consumer groups (ie. Better Business Bureau). A merchant account is an essential tool for all online businesses and it's crucial to explore all your options to find the right fit for your new endeavor.

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There comes a point in every solopreneur's business where they need to sit down and plan ... and I mean, really plan! Not just write down a few ideas on the back of an envelope and hope for the best, but really map out a long-term strategic plan for their business.

Creating this kind of business plan is so important as, for one reason, it immediately eliminates a lot of the overwhelm and frustration that you're probably feeling, but it also allows you to:

* See where you're going;

* Know how you're going to get there; and

* Lays out exactly what you need to do along the way to get from Point A to Point B

How do you know when you've reached this critical business planning point?

Well, there are a few indicators:

* You have LOTS of ideas swimming around in your head but don't know how to pull them all together (lack of a Big Picture Vision)

* You offer several different programs/products, at different price points, but get very few or no sign-ups (lack of a strategic Marketing Action Plan MAP)

* You get feedback from your clients and/or customers letting you know that they're confused and not sure which program is right for them (lack of a clear Product & Marketing Funnel)

Today I’d like to share with you three basic steps to business planning success so that you can start the year off on the right foot!

Step 1 – Create Your Big Picture Vision

This is the really fun part; it’s where you get to let your imagination run away with you. You want to sit down somewhere quiet with a pad and pen (writing is much better for this exercise as you can let your ideas flow) and start to write! Write about what you want your business to look like, the type of clients you want to serve, the sort of products and programs you want to offer – in fact write down anything and everything that pops into your head about what you want your business and life to look like.

Important: You want to write your Big Picture Vision in the present tense, as if you already have that business and lifestyle you’re writing about. Use terms such as, “I have, I own, I run”.

Remember that every part of your should say “YES” when you read your Big Picture Vision out loud!

Step 2 – Take Inventory

The next part is to take a look at where you are now and where you want to go. What needs to change in order to take you from where you are now to where you want to be? Is it:

* More/less clients

* More/less billable hours

* Offering more programs/products

And then create a timeline for making these changes. Put down dates of when you want the changes to have been made by, and set about implementing!

Step 3 – Plan Your Funnel

Now that you know what you want your business to look like and what you need to do to get there, start and map out your different income streams. The Product & Marketing Funnel is the perfect model for this exercise as it allows you to create different products/programs/services at different price points within your business. This way clients can move from free (your ezine and articles) to your paid info products, and eventually through to your high-end programs.

Follow these three simple steps above and you’ll instantly create a business plan that will guide your business to continued success this year … and beyond!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Continued in BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 96 >>>

- Self Cleaning Coffee Table
- ‘You and Me’ Clock
- Ritmo: iPod for Babies
- Handy Innovation
- Cool Water
- MacBook in Old Leather
- Get a To-Do Tattoo

Continue reading these top stories in the BIZNESS! Newsletter >>>

- How To Shorten Your Sales Cycle & Win More Clients, Faster!
- Hiring a Winning Team: How Three Types of Women Entrepreneurs Put it Together
- Tools To Monitor Your Online Reputation
- 7 Print Newsletter Design Tips to Get Your Client Newsletter Opened & Read Every Time
- From $100K+ Executive to Entrepreneur: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Become an Entrepreneur
- Should the Print Newsletter Die - And Let Ezines Takeover?
- Start an Online Business from Home or School

Continue reading these top stories in the BIZNESS! Newsletter >>>

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Recently, my colleague Lynda-Ross and I were discussing the validity of the idea that if you have a positive attitude, follow your passion, and do what you love then success and money will follow. My position generally was that the idea was valid; hers was that it was not.

The discussion arose during a seminar in which the main speaker ridiculed the idea and gave several examples to make her point. It got both of us thinking about it because following your passion and doing more of what you love and what you do best is part of the VRFT philosophy. As the discussion progressed it became apparent that the message meant one thing to me, another to Lynda-Ross, and yet another to the seminar speaker. So, I concluded that if three pretty smart people were confused then there was a good chance that others were confused as well.

The idea has been expressed in many different ways and there are many popularized versions of the message. Off the top of my head I come up with: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow by Marsha Sinetar, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson, and the popular film What The Bleep Do We Know. All are variations on the same theme.

The internet is full of discussion and debate both pro and con about whether or not doing what you love and following your passion will lead to money and success. I cannot speak for my colleague, the seminar speaker, or authors, both cited and un-cited, who have written books on the subject. But as the idea of Living Your Talents as a way to success is pretty important to what I do, I will express my ideas on the subject!

I think that the critique of this concept comes from three fallacies implied or stated:

* thought or attitude is the only necessary criteria for success,
* following your passion will make you successful, and
* doing what you love to do by itself will make you successful

Lets take them one at a time and examine what is left out.

Thought or attitude is the only necessary criteria for success.

This one is pretty obvious. Action is always required, as Jim Rohn says “After you have leapt about, there are some things that you must do.” Visioning success and having a positive attitude are important, but in order for things to happen we must also act. To paraphrase Goethe, too much reflection without experience drives us mad.

Following your passion will make you successful.

It all depends on what you mean by passion and how you follow it. Too many people confuse a passion for an external object or thing with an internal enthusiasm for a subject or activity that is skill and talent based. Following a passion for Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp is unlikely to result in success (unless you define charges of stalking as success!) while developing an innate skill for organization into a talent could lead to both success and money.

Doing what you love to do by itself will make you successful.

Beyond doing what you love to do you must evaluate failures and adjust, learn and develop new skills, and most importantly learn what is missing from your natural repertoire of skills and talents and find others who have those skills and can compliment yours.

Success and wealth are never guaranteed in any undertaking in life. There is no guarantee that using Your Talent Advantage will lead to success. But I do believe that pursuing activities that take advantage of skills and talents at which you are naturally gifted increases the odds of you doing the things described above which leads to success.

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com.

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Article Contributed By Coach Jeremy J. Ulmer

As a sales professional, entrepreneur or business owner, being able to effectively establish new client partnerships and increase sales results quickly is vitally important. When sales are going great it can be very exciting! When you have a great month you are filled with sales motivation!

But, after a while, things slow down and you hit a wall. You find yourself chasing after prospects and wondering why it is taking so long to convert prospects into clients.

You’re stumped!

You start exploring different techniques and try to find a solution. But, no matter what you try, the results are the same and the sales cycle is a much longer process than what you would like.

So where do you turn when you are stuck in sales quicksand and can’t get your prospects to move forward?

Here’s How You Can Shorten The Sales Cycle and Win More Clients, Increase Sales and Profits with 2 Simple Strategies:

1. Determine, Uncover & Clarify Challenges

If a prospect is not clear about their challenges and the impact of these challenges, this will greatly slow down the entire sales cycle. This is because the client does not yet believe their challenge is significant enough to take action, and guess what, because of this, they won’t take action! It is a waste of time for you to give information before understanding their needs, goals, challenges and problems. You are presenting a “solution” to someone who doesn’t believe they have a “problem.”

So, what do you do about this? Ask a lot of questions! Ask open ended questions. Get curious and don’t assume you understand their problem or challenge no matter how long you have been in the industry. Dig in and really find out what is going on, and ask follow up questions that focus in on the greater impact of their challenges. Uncover the impact of the current challenges on both the organization and the individuals or groups you are selling to. Your questions will help them understand and verbalize that they have a challenge or problem. Now you have the information you need to explain how you can help solve their challenge.

If you find yourself talking more than 20% of the time during your sales meetings with prospects, stop yourself, and ask a question!

2. Always Set A Clear Next Step

Have you ever heard this before? “Thanks for your time today, your product looks great and we will get back to you soon.” Yet, you never hear back, and end up having to chase, follow up, and make multiple calls, send multiple emails to no avail. That is not fun for you, nor is it fun for the prospective client.

How do you solve this?

Well, if you are a great salesperson or great sales minded business owner, you don’t need to chase. You don’t need to pressure. You don’t need to persuade. Really. You need to set up a clear next step, and if your prospect is not ready to take the next step, they will tell you, and you will determine if they are a serious prospect or not, on the spot.

Remember, give your prospects an option to say, “No.” When you do this, all the pressure is taken off of you, and more importantly off of your prospect. That way, they do not feel like they are being “sold,” nor do they feel any pressure from you. Many of the sales coaching programs and sales coaches still are teaching the same old techniques developed decades ago that involve pressure and persuading. You do not need to do that anymore and it does not work.

Simply set up the next step at the end of your meetings. The next step could be a follow-up face to face meeting or a scheduled phone call for example. However, make sure the next step is moving the sales cycle forward and has a scheduled date, time, and location.

Map out your sales cycle and know what steps need to take place. Here is an example of a 5 step sales cycle: 1. Initial appointment, qualification, discovery, 2. Agreement to conduct an in-depth analysis, 3. Demonstration of service or product, 4. Contract review meeting, 5. Signed agreement.

At the end of each meeting, you should be setting up the next meeting and next actions. Explain the next steps you both will need to take to start working together. Map it out for them and provide them with a simple document that explains the next steps with clear time lines. Ask them to commit to the next steps along the way. Guess what happens if you do this effectively? You don’t need to “close” or persuade, the sale will be made, faster, naturally, and more effectively.

These 2 steps will help you shorten your sales cycle and experience dramatically improved sales results. Don’t wait to make these changes, take action now, and make a commitment to yourself.

About the Author:
Sales Coaching & Business Coaching Expert, Jeremy J. Ulmer, has helped hundreds of sales professionals, sales leaders, businesses and entrepreneurs overcome sales and business challenges to achieve breakthrough results. Jeremy has been ranked a #1 sales performer in the U.S. for 4 years at two Global Fortune 500 Companies, is the former Director of Sales at the #1 Outsourced Sales Company in the U.S., and is a Featured Presenter on Sales Skills and Entrepreneurship at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. If you are ready to dramatically increase your sales or business results then subscribe for your Free Tips or request a Free Coaching Consultation at: http://www.CoachWithJeremy.com.

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