As a first time entrepreneur, there are a variety of franchises, dealerships, distributorships, and licensing opportunities available for purchase. Many of these you can start by working part-time from your home. In doing so, you save thousands of dollars in start up and operating costs, while at the same time reducing your overall risk.You (and/or your spouse) don't necessarily have to give up your current career(s) or full time job(s) to start...more
We've all heard the term KISS at one time or another - "Keep It Simple, Stupid." However, the majority of salespeople violate this basic principle more often than not.Let me start with some examples of what I'm talking about. At one position I held, I sat next to someone who could have been a top salesperson. He and I both operated much the same in that rather than cold call, we ran our own personal marketing programs to generate leads and simply...more
Is cold calling dead? And if laws are being passed to put it to rest once and for all, how do we generate business from now on?Opinions on the subject vary greatly depending on the background of the individual. For example, most of the old-timers are vigilant in preaching their belief that the only possible way to succeed in the world of selling is to make no less than fifty calls each and every day. On the other hand, younger salespeople tend to become frustrated with this rather quickly and begin looking for more innovative ways to generate business.I was just reminded of how ingrained this cold calling belief is. I spoke with a friend who left a sales position with a major merchant processing bank only a few weeks after starting. The reason? He was required to make a minimum of 400 cold calls each and every week and to document his activity with business cards. He is highly experienced and knows how to generate business without knocking on 400 doors per week and decided to discuss the strategies that have worked for him in the past with his managers. Their response? This is how we've done it for forty years and we're not about to change.That response, in my opinion, is the...more
Sales managers frequently approach me for advice on how to keep salespeople motivated, especially when sales reps get into a rut - and seem to keep slipping deeper into it. Telling managers what not to do usually solves the problem. Most managers do things to de-motivate salespeople without even knowing it.Let's take the idea of funnels and...more
Our world of selling is closed off from other areas of business that continue to adopt and embrace new, efficient ideas. I was reminded of this recently while re- reading Seth Godin's "Permission Marketing." Here's a book that was intended for business owners and marketing executives, yet it provides a much-needed dose of common sense that would be...more
Someone who is not in debt appreciates a telephone ringing, because a person without excess debt does not fear creditors. A person without excess debt goes to the mailbox with general malaise, and doesn't feel the stomach clenching fear when a handful of bills appear. Someone without a lot of debt can enjoy shopping, can handle the unexpected, and sleeps better knowing they have their ducks in a row. Life without debt is difficult to conceive or manage for many people, but a few simple steps can get anyone on their way to being debt free.The first step towards decreasing debt is to stop creating debt. People who amass a lot of debt often get into a mindset of spending tomorrow's money, but that only leaves today feeling pinched. Examine spending habits and be aware of what items are necessary for today, and which items are not. Getting out of old debt is easier to manage if a person is not actively creating new debt.The next step to getting out of debt is to organize all bills and outstanding balances owed. When a person organizes their bills and has a firm grasp on what they owe, they can make better decisions about where their money goes. Also, money spent on late fees, overdraft...more
Many small and home based businesses know they need to market and yet, have little or no money to do so. Sadly, many use this as a reason not to market. Even on a limited budget you can promote and gain visibility for you and your business. The...more
One of the issues most often raised by my clients is better time management. People have tried prioritizing tasks, blocking out parts of their day for certain tasks, implementing new systems and getting better at delegation. While all of those things...more
I received an email from a prospective client. His question caused me to think about the wisdom of pursuing trading as a worthy venture. I know that a lot of readers are investors rather than traders, but regardless of your trading horizons, the...more
As they stare down at a teetering pile of bills, so many consumers wonder how they racked up such a large debt. The answer boils down to simple mathematics."On a basic, fundamental level, the problem is created by spending more than you make," says...more
January's retail sales strength is reflected in people redeeming their Christmas gift cards. The average adult received 3.2 gift cards this holiday season, up from 2.5 gift cards last year. Gift cards are more popular and this also moves spending...more
Say, from tactics like special events, brochures and press releases to a public relations effort more in keeping with the challenges you face as a business, non-profit or association manager? I speak of public relations that alters individual...more