Month: September 2010

Sharpen Your Greatest Sales Tool: Bring MORE to Your Sales Meetings

Post author By Ethan Theo
Post date September 16, 2010

Article Contributed by Sharpenz

When you hear the term “sales tool,” what comes to mind? CRM, Blackberry, laptop? As you mentally list the tools provided for your sellers, do you include your sales meetings on the list?

Think about it: In an effective sales meeting, the time you give, the experience of the team and a focus on sharpening everyone for success can make the meeting one of the greatest sales tools of all!

A tool is something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one’s occupation or profession (this definition brought to you by dictionary.com). Sound like any sales meetings you have been to? A necessary part of being more successful in sales?

Meetings don’t have to be an information dump. When you focus on using your sales meeting for more, your meeting does become a necessary tool to sharpen your team’s skills, sales results and attitudes.

An effective sales meeting helps you:
• Motivate your sellers.
• Retain them as employees.
• Help your team sell more.
• Beat the competition.
• Make your job easier.
• Strengthen the professionalism of your team.

Who wins with these benefits? Everyone! Your life will be easier and your career more successful. The sellers will have more confidence and competence to sell even more. And your boss will benefit from all your benefits!

So if sales meetings can be such a great tool, how do you “sharpen” it? With a focus on MORE! Most sales meetings I have observed or heard about use most of the meeting time to share information – sales numbers, product updates, operational updates and complaints, and on and on and on. These are all items that could be easily summarized in an email so the meeting can be put to better use.

Focus on MORE in your sales meeting by:’

• Giving more time for input from the sellers. Ask them to brainstorm topics of interest, ideas for solving a problem or how to tackle a difficult situation someone is working with.

• Equipping sellers to sell more. Building skill and ability is an ongoing process. Reinforce great book ideas, great articles, previous training seminars and more.

• Growing the team’s ability to capture more market share. Make time for competitive analysis. Ask sellers to research the different competitors and report in.

• Helping the team use their technology tools more effectively. Share best practices and additional tips on how to use the technology to full advantage.

• Leveraging more of the expertise within the team. Set your sellers up as the experts on certain topics. Someone great at prospecting? Proposals? Getting Referrals? Let them give a 15-20 minute lesson to the rest of the team.

• Reinforcing more of what they are doing well. Make the time to point out specific actions that have shown success. Praise for specifics goes much further than general “You all did a great job last week.”

For each sales meeting you have, decide on which MORE outcome you want. Then use your sales meeting as the great sales tool it can be by including relevant activities, discussion, information and interaction to sharpen your bottom line!

Did bringing MORE to your sales meeting change the energy, focus or outcome? Let us know in the Comments section.

About the Author:

Sharpenz is dedicated to providing sales managers the resources and tools they need to energize, engage and equip their sales team to sell each week. Our 30-minute power sales booster meetings help companies increase sales by providing the right tools and training – fast. Designed with the busy manager in mind, Sharpenz ready-to-go sales training kits will give your sales team the opportunity to grow and earn more – all in a half hour of power. To learn more, visit www.sharpenz.com and sign up for your free ready-to-go sales training kit today!

Tags better sales meetings, sales booster, sales managers training, sales meeting ideas, sales professionals training, sales team training, sales training, sales workshops

Networking

Attending Events: A Crucial Element in Growing a Small Business

Post author By Pamela Swift
Post date September 15, 2010
1 Comment on Attending Events: A Crucial Element in Growing a Small Business

Article contributed by Michele DeKinder-Smith

Women business owners are constantly bombarded with opportunities to attend events. Whether the events focus on networking, business building or creating a desirable work-life balance, these events are constantly touted as life-changing, knowledge-building and business-growing. Female entrepreneurs may wonder why there are so many events out
there – and whether they’re effective.

Savvy business owners, coaches, consultants and educators create events to help others find success – and by choosing to attend an event that fits her specific needs and desires, and by then putting her new knowledge to use once she returns home, an entrepreneur greatly increases the likelihood of getting a good return on her investment.

Here are some points to consider when deciding whether to attend an event – and if so, which one:

Knowledge is Profit

Research shows that when a female entrepreneur invests in her business by investing in her own knowledge, she sees a huge payoff. New knowledge can be the key that jumpstarts profitability in any business because it increases an entrepreneur’s effectiveness in the area of focus. If it’s knowledge an entrepreneur is after, then she should select an event based on how well it will cover the areas where she feels she needs more information, such as marketing or business plan development. Because live events often do require a substantial investment, a business owner should
read through the material carefully to ensure that she will learn exactly what she needs to know during the event.

Recharging is Vital

Every hard-working female entrepreneur runs the risk of falling into the day-to-day rut of running a business – especially when things are going less smoothly than she would like. In cases like this, attending an event can revitalize a business owner. Simply getting into a new environment, being around new people – and getting away from the confines of her office – may provide her with a much-needed break from the daily grind. When she attends an event designed to meet her needs, the business owner then has the opportunity to gain new knowledge while recharging. No one operates well when they’re exhausted and drained. To operate at the high levels of performance most female entrepreneurs demand of themselves, they must take time out to refuel – and sometimes that’s as easy as getting a change of scenery among a group of like-minded professionals.

Networking is Crucial

Sharing experiences with other women in her shoes can greatly improve a woman business owner’s experience, outlook and attitude, as she works to grow her business. Attending an event with other women of similar mindset can provide a stimulating environment in which to share ideas, success stories and even hardships. Also, it can provide an opportunity for women to find partnership or affiliate opportunities that can stimulate growth. Finally, every woman business owner needs a support system; attending events is an excellent way to build such systems.

For female entrepreneurs, knowledge, recharging and networking are vital components then seeking business growth and personal improvement. Attending an event – one that is designed to meet her specific needs in a certain area – is a fun, easy and educational way to get all three!

About the Author
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com

Tags attending events, female entrepreneurs, investing in business, life-long learner, Networking, small business growth strategies, women business owners

Sales & Marketing

Success in Sales: 5 Success Factors that Matter

Post author By Pamela Swift
Post date September 14, 2010

Article contributed by Sharpenz

What does it take to be successful in sales? There’s no easy answer because the list is long. It’s one of the great debates in the sales community – WHAT does it take to be successful in sales?

One indication of the debate is the response to a recent question posted on LinkedIn. The question asked:

What is more important in sales, great selling skills or expertise on the product?

The more than 250 respondents – sales managers and sales professionals – were split with their answers. Many couldn’t choose one over the other.

Why? Because both are equally important. However, to truly be successful more is needed! With our work with thousands of sales professionals over the last 12 years, we have found that the top performing sales professionals we know all have 5 Success Factors in common. They are:

1. Goal Transparency – Goals are written, specific and measurable. They are easily seen and detected by self and others.

2. Focused Energy – Personal energy that is exhibited each day. The energy is focused toward proactive and productive activities and is not diffused or scattered.

3. Human Connection – The understanding of, and ability to connect with, others in communication, actions and ideas – in the way that person prefers or needs.

4. Emotional Intelligence – The awareness of, and ability to manage, one’s emotions in a healthy and productive manner. Being able to roll with the ups and downs of sales.

5. Expertise – Skill and knowledge of industry, product, customer and sales process. This is more than just having the information; it’s knowing the value of what the offer does for your customers and the ability to tie WHAT (the features) into the WiifT (What’s in it for Them – the benefits to that person.)

If you think about the most successful sales professionals, you’ll realize these Factors are part of who they are.

The great debate on WHAT it takes to be successful in sales does not have ONE answer. Five Success Factors do form the foundation of long-term sales success. And the great news is that you don’t have to be born a natural salesperson – these Success Factors can be developed over time.

So, don’t just read the list. Print it out, gauge your strength in each factor then identify how you can strengthen each one. Being successful takes more than just selling skills and ‘who you know’. YOU matter.

About the Author
Sharpenz is dedicated to providing sales managers the resources and tools they need to energize, engage and equip their sales team to sell each week. Our 30-minute power sales booster meetings help companies increase sales by providing the right tools and training – fast. Designed with the busy manager in mind, Sharpenz ready-to-go sales training kits will give your sales team the opportunity to grow and earn more – all in a half hour of power. To learn more, visit www.sharpenz.com and sign up for your free ready-to-go sales training kit today!

Sales & Marketing

Services not selling? 5 vital steps to turn prospects into clients

Post author By Pamela Swift
Post date September 13, 2010

Article Contributed by Annemarie Cross

You’ve spent countless hours creating your program/service offering; your promotional material has been circulated; your sales webpage promoting your new program is live (and looking extremely impressive); and you’ve spoken to a number of your connections who you know could benefit from participating in the program. However despite all the effort you’ve
put into this entire process – no-one has made a purchase. Is this something you can relate to? If you’ve answered yes – you’re certainly not alone.

Sadly, even though you may have the best program in the world that can support your clients in achieving amazing results, there is no guarantee that you’ll have people flocking to your door with their credit card poised ready to invest in your services.

Before you develop another program or service offering ensure you have the following five steps in place to support you in transforming your prospects into raving clients.

Step 1: Identify the level of demand for your program/service offering

Despite the fact that YOU know your program/service offering would be of great benefit to your clients, have you researched:

(a) whether your target market recognizes they are facing issues and genuinely want to overcome their struggles
(b) the size of your prospective market
(c) whether your target market has a history of investing in the type of solutions you offer.

Before you even begin to develop your program it’s imperative to identify whether there is a large enough market and whether your prospect is willing to part with their hard-earned dollars to invest in you.

Further investigation may confirm that despite their desperate need for your support, an ingrained ‘culture’ will see them continue their struggle rather than choosing to invest in your program and overcome their issues.

Targeting a market that requires repeated convincing that they need your service will only lead to a decline in your energy, your sanity and your hip pocket, so it’s important to identify a market that has a high level of demand AND a willingness to invest in your services.

Step 2: Pinpoint your target market’s needs

If I were to ask you to describe your target market could you identify their demographics, their needs, what keeps them up at night and where they hang out, etc?

It’s imperative to have an intimate knowledge of your target market, including:

– The problems/issues they are experiencing
– The words and phrases they use to describe their issues
– The type of support/solutions they are typically looking for
– The pricing point they are willing to/can invest
– The language/triggers that will catch their attention and prompt them to want to learn more about your services

Answer the above questions to create a thorough profile of your ideal customer so that you can accurately pinpoint your target market’s needs. This information will support you in creating your marketing plan, your webpage sales/marketing copy as well as helping you locate the best place to connect with and get your message in front of them.

Step 3: Get clear on your brand

With the increasing number of competitors in the marketplace it’s important to have a clearly-defined brand that showcases your expertise and the benefits your clients can expect from working with you, in order to stand out from the crowd.

Do you know what your strengths are and what makes you unique? Do you continue to present this information in an influential and powerful way? It’s important to create a strong brand that is memorable and magnetic and enables you to be recognized as an expert and leader in your field to continue attracting your ideal client.

Remember an inconsistent brand message can cause prospects to become confused and a confused prospect will often say no. Don’t set yourself up to receive a ‘no’ to your offer because you are sending a weak and incoherent brand message.

Step 4: Grow Your List

Thriving businesses state that one of the most important elements that has enabled them to secure their wealth and success is building their list. In fact, one of my mentors often states ‘the money is in your list’.

Are you actively building your list? Do you have a process in place that prompts clients to hand over their email address and other contact details to you? Consider offering prospects a free report or a video and/or audio series that provides
valuable content. In order to access these resources your prospect is required to provide you with their email, thus adding their details to your list. [Step 5 explains how you can continue to leverage your list.

Step 5: Build Your Relationships

Do you have a regular newsletter that enables you to remain in contact with your list of existing customers and prospects? Are you consistently taking the time to not only strengthen the relationship but also continue to portray your knowledge and expertise by providing informative practical tips?

Remember, people do business with people they know, like and trust and consistent communication with your list is a fantastic way to build a solid relationship. It often takes several communications before a prospect is ready to make a purchasing decision so sending a regular newsletter that provides useful information is a great way to strengthen your relationships while continuing to showcase your knowledge and expertise.

Are you adopting all five steps in your business to support you in transforming your prospects into clients – especially Step 1 and 2 before you even begin developing your new programs/service offerings? If you’ve answered yes, congratulations! If not, which step will you start to work on within your business today?

About the Author:
Annemarie Cross is a Brand Communication Specialist helping ambitious business owners to get noticed, hired and paid what they’re worth! Want to learn simple yet powerful ways that you can build your brand, your credibility and your income? Visit http://www.AnnemarieCross.com to access our free audio mini-series ‘7 Easy Steps to Build Your Brand, Your Biz, and Your Income.’

Newsletter

BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 106

Post author By Pamela Swift
Post date September 12, 2010

Cover Story
Top Ten Effective Habits of A Highly Successful Networker
With a tightening and highly competitive market across many service-based industries numerous business owners have increased their networking endeavors with the hope of sourcing their next potential client or business opportunity using this approach. While networking should be an integral part of your marketing and communications plan (and overall business development strategy), there are some secrets which can make a significant difference…

Continued in BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 106 >>>