Jun 20 2009

Boost Up Your Business Sales using the Psychology of Time

Tag: Businessadmin @ 2:55 am

Salespersons that use the psychology of time, urgency, choice and stories are those whose business sales are always high. They are the pros of the sales industry.

In the psychology of time, for instance, many sales trainers and coaches suggest using tokens of personal touch such as notes which are handwritten or items such as personalized gifts. These really are effective tools, but whether those notes are handwritten or computerized, or those items personalized or not, it does not really matter. What differentiates you from the rest and makes you more effective is the fact that you spent time to do those things. The moral here is this: devote some time to make a sale of your product or service, add personal meaning and importance to your relationships with your clients and potential customers, and by doing so, make yourself distinctive and stand out from the crowd.

For example, by following up with a personal, well intended handwritten note, it demonstrates the investment of your time. There was once a sales trainer who facilitated a Leadership Development Program which lasted for six months. Thirty-seven people participated in this said program. When it was almost over, the facilitator wrote 37 handwritten thank-you notes. Each note had a personalized comment and was sealed in envelopes with red wax and the facilitator’s stamped monogram. He was not a big fan of letters, and monograms, and wax, rather, he wanted to send a note that was different than any other letter the participants had ever received. The response he got was overwhelming.

By investing your time, you differentiate yourself from the crowd. You invest your time when you spend it on listening, following up, making your customer look good to his or her employer, customizing solutions, structuring proposals and agendas applicable to your customers, referring business to your potential customer’s company, providing important information addressing your client’s personal and professional needs, or simply dropping by for no business reason at all, rather, to catch up or bring food like lunch or snacks like coffee and doughnuts. In addition, responding to emails or phone calls is not only a manifestation of your investment of time, but also a manifestation of manners and courtesy, your openness even before a sale has been made, and sometimes, it is practically just a matter of “the first who responds gets the sale”.

Many salespersons are skeptical in doing these things because for them, it sounds like a lot of work. Some reason out that their priority is on boosting up their business sales and not giving free consultations. Some do not want to waste a lot of time on a single customer. Well, it is definitely easier than you think. And in case you have not noticed yet, wasting time on a single customer and giving consultations for free is part of your job! If you really are dedicated to your job, and if you really are bent on increasing those business sales, use these points to move your sales process forward.

If your prospects would see your willingness to devote your time, then they are more likely to respond with a willingness to devote theirs, with money added, to you.


May 11 2009

Proven Business Sales Techniques that Can Boost Your Revenues

Tag: Businessadmin @ 4:59 am

The key to successful business sales is to become more flexible in your approach. You also need to have an open mind in exploring new ways and techniques to grow your prospects and clinch more sales.

So here are some proven techniques that could help in improving the performance of your sales business.

Carefully Time Your Sales Calls
Timing is essential in making your sales calls successful. If you will carefully time your sales calls, then you can effectively increase your chances of getting through the corporate gatekeepers and talk directly to decision makers.

Do not call during peak office hours because you will not be able to reach key decision makers at that time of the day. It is best if you can call on or before 8 AM or after office hours. You will have a better chance of reaching your prospects if you call during off-peak time of the day.

Focus on the Benefits
During sales presentation, do not make the mistake of focusing your discussion on the features of what you are offering. Your audience will certainly get bored by your presentation because most executives are not concerned with the unique features of your products.

Prospects are usually more concerned on the benefits that they can get from a product. So you should design your discussion to focus more on the benefits of your product and how it can help your prospects. You can easily clinch a sale once your prospects will see the benefits of your offered products or services.

Explore Alternative Communication Channels
You can use email sales letters because these can easily get past through the inboxes of your prospects. However, because of the increasing sophistication of enterprise email filters, your emails might land into the spam folder of your contacts.

What you can do is to use alternative communication channels so that your letters and messages will catch the attention of your prospects. You can fax your sales letters or you can leave a voice at night. This way, when your prospects open their voice mails in the morning, you will have more chances of getting a return call from them.

Give Something for Your Prospects
It is best if you can give something for your sales prospects. You can give important business articles or white papers that you think will be very useful for your business prospects. You can also refer online resources that can help your prospects.

You can also give free business magazines or world business reports through regular mail. Your prospects will remember you well because of the valuable information that you provided. This will boost the possibility of clinching a successful deal with your prospects.

Do Not Forget to Follow Up
By following up your sales prospects, you are effectively maintaining your communications with them. This is important so that they will not forget about you. Be careful though not to bug your prospects with frequent follow-ups.

Prospecting is a very difficult process. You need patience and perseverance in order to improve the performance of your business sales.


Apr 12 2009

The Direct Influence in Business Sales

Tag: Businessadmin @ 12:44 pm

Business sales are the hallmark of the overall performance of a given company in both product-related manufacturing companies and service-related companies. All businesses are engaged in maximizing profit by the increase in sales and the decrease of their expenses. This trend and concept is the main driving force behind all kinds or types of businesses all over the world. A business enterprise is, after all, created for profit.

A sale is the peak activity involved in the selling of products or services in return payment in the form of money or other compensation. It is the main act of completion of any business activity. Companies employ a lot of tactics at increasing their sales and generally, consumers have a number of options at how to enter into the whole process of product or service introduction, which eventually culminates in its sales.

Companies present their products and services with the hope that prospective buyers or consumers would buy or avail them as in the case of services. Once the person agrees upon the features, quality and terms of the product he or she orders or requests the sales transaction. The person involved in the selling part, then delivers the respective request expecting compensation from the services or payment of the product. When the delivery or transfer of ownership is completed there will arise on the part of the buyer the obligation to pay the seller. In accounting, delivery of the product from sales contracts is considered as sales. When the buyer pays the specified amount as indicated in the agreement then the contract is fulfilled.

The marketing aspect of an organization has a direct influence in business sales. That is why companies spend a lot on strategic seminars, marketing skills enhancement programs, marketing analyses and feasibility studies to address the need. Some strategies that are commonly used are the direct sales method, the retail and the consignment. Agency-based selling techniques are used in representations by sales agents, consultative agencies, telemarketing and sales outsourcing. The traveling salesman is a classic example of a direct selling strategy as he or she visit households, businesses or companies and even schools and hospitals in the case of medical representatives.

In retail, goods and products are sold in a fixed place just like department stores and stalls. In a consignment-based sales, transfer of goods or products to an agency that sell the product does not constitute sales but rather sales is directly the monetary amount of the number of products sold.

The business-to-business sales strategy is the type of business transaction where products or services are transferred in an emotionally detached manner just like individual professionals who sell their skills. In enterprise sales, a Request for Proposal or an invitation for suppliers to submit a suggestion on a specific product or service is done through a complex bidding process.

In the recent decade, the internet has also been a hub for businesses doing indirect sales and mail orders, advertising their products in pop-ups and online stores.


Apr 08 2009

Water Conservation and Your Eco Friendly Home

Tag: Businessadmin @ 4:51 am

All of the actions mentioned below will save water. You can also reduce pollution to stop contaminating water to make a difference to water quality.

Water-saving fixtures
Much water as well as money can be saved by water-efficient dishwashers and washing machines, dual-flush or low-volume toilets and low-flow showerheads. Water usage can be reduced considerably by fixing aerators on the faucets. Water-efficient showerheads will reduce water usage to 1.2 gallons per minute, and some them are provided with a pause button to facilitate stoppage of water during shampooing or soaping up. Typically these alterations will altogether bring down the household water consumption by 50% and help save on your water and water heating bills.

Cut the wastage
The daily wastage of water due to a dripping faucet will be about 20 gallons, whereas that of a leaking toilet will be almost 3000 gallons. Replace the washers in your showers and sinks, or fit the new washerless faucets. A simple and economical method for saving water is the proper maintenance of your equipment.

Eco friendly showers and bath tubs will save huge amounts of clean drinking water.

If you find open hydrants, broken pipes and undue wastage report to the concerned people. Don’t hesitate to point out leaks to your family members and friends. They might have got used to the dripping sound so as to ignore it altogether.

Refined water habits
Water going down the drain gets contaminated by mixing up with sewerage and ends up in being of no use to humanity. You should realize this aspect of the valuable resource and strive to save water, by turning off the tap when brushing or shaving, and washing dishes and clothes with maximum load allowable for the machine. Also half-fill the sink and turn off the tap, for hand washing of dishes. Make your showers short or share it with a friend.

Avoid bottled water
Bottled water can be termed a hoax. In many developed countries, the water supply is undertaken by a public utility and the water undergoes regular tests for quality. Tests prove that tap water is of better taste than bottled water, in several municipalities. Bottled water on the other hand is not as regulated as tap water and studies show that it is not very pure. NRDC has found that several water samples tested were indicating the presence of synthetic chemicals known to be neurotoxins, such as xylene and styrene, the latter being carcinogenic. Not only bottled water is more costly than gasoline, but also it leaves a sizable carbon footprint due to its processing and transportation, and the used bottles are definitely not environment-friendly. If you have to carry drinking water, utilize durable, reusable, non-toxic containers for the purpose. If your home water tastes not right, use a ceramic or activated charcoal filter.

Rainwater harvesting
Keep a rain barrel to collect the water from your downspouts. Rainwater can be used for watering your plants as well as for washing cars and windows. Rain barrels are available in various sizes and shapes, from small standalone units to large underground cisterns.

Greywater collection
Greywater is once-used water clean enough for other jobs. Used water from washing machines, dishwashers, showers and sinks are some common examples. Greywater can be recycled utilizing plumbing systems like Aqus or simple procedures like pouring out the water from the fish tank into the garden instead of the sink. The last word is: don’t pour the water down the drain when it can be used for some other purpose. It is amazing how much impact you can have by just doing some Eco friendly clothes washing and catching the water for other use.

Landscaping
Make it look natural with suitable local plants that are hardy and don’t need much water. In case watering is necessary do it when the day becomes cool or at night so that evaporation is at minimum. Xeriscaping is a procedure in landscaping that uses only indigenous, low-water plants. It is particularly suitable for places with arid climates.


Apr 08 2009

Hybrid Car Buying Guide – What to Look for

Tag: Businessadmin @ 4:50 am

Get to know the facts
If you want to be an eco-conscious buyer, you should first know about the different types of hybrid cars, i.e. full / assist / mild, and consider the actual reasons for which you require a car. The aim should be to find the best hybrid car that will fulfill your requirements. If you want to know why, here are some tips on Eco friendly transport.

State your requirements
If you think of buying a hybrid car, first list out your requirements. What is the usual number of passengers in your car? What is the cargo space requirement? In what type of weather and terrain is your vehicle usually driven? For instance, if you happen to tow a boat only 2 times in a year, you will not require towing equipment all throughout the year; you can either rent or borrow them on those two occasions. Also if your car carries more than 4 people only on few occasions in a year, perhaps you won’t require a 7-seater.

State your goals
Some people prefer hybrid cars for environmental issues such as enhancement of fuel efficiency and reduction of exhaust emissions creating smog; others for financial reasons such as savings on fuel costs and having a car at a lower total cost. Yet others like to help create a demand for eco-friendly vehicles, and to help development of relevant green technology. Whatever be the reason, or a combination of reasons, stating your goals can help you choose a car that suits you.

Find out about local policies
Some local governments extend special concessions for hybrid cars, like free permission to drive in HOV lanes (high-occupancy vehicle lanes) without considering the number of travelers. Some companies offer separate parking for hybrid cars, or rebates for the staff using hybrids. It is worthwhile to find out about federal and local tax concessions on hybrids.

Check out the guides on eco-friendly hybrid cars
So you have listed your requirements in transportation, set out your environmental issues, and have arranged the car loan. Now it’s the time for selection of particular makes and models. You can visit the website Eco Friendly commuting - use a hybrid car for guidance.

Onboard computer helps you drive efficiently
Now that you have bought your hybrid car, there’s something more to do before you can claim green transportation. By fine-tuning some driving habits, particularly by utilizing the onboard computer fitted in almost all hybrid cars, you can compare your present economy with that of the past, and monitor it to the optimum; this will help you become a more efficient motorist by the knowledge of procedures to be adopted to obtain the maximum fuel economy.

Usual eco-friendly driving suggestions are applicable
Though the engines of hybrid cars are more advanced than the internal-combustion engines of traditional cars, the usual eco-friendly driving suggestions may not be overlooked. These are listed below, and will help you reduce your carbon footprint and make your car more energy-efficient, whatever is the type:
1. Drive at a relatively steady speed.
2. Combine several errands into a round trip.
3. Put off power (coasting) to decelerate.
4. Check tire pressure.
5. Remove junk material from the trunk.
6. Reduce aerodynamic drag by removing unnecessary equipment such as luggage racks, etc.
7. Avoid excessive idling.

Be a hypermiler
Hypermiling is the activity of fine adjustments to enhance your fuel efficiency. It requires some dedication to master the art, but the basic procedures are the 7 points outlined above. Adhere to them and make them your modus operandi for fuel savings in every drive.


Apr 07 2009

Bargaining and How to Handle It

Tag: Businessadmin @ 5:04 am

I know that most people who are in the business sales industry, at one point or another, has experienced a customer who keeps on bargaining and always ask for the prices to be lowered. It’s a natural thing and is quite expected, however, it is how you deal with it that makes the difference. You can say yes for the first couple of times but you should also learn how to politely say no as well as be eloquent when explaining to the client the reason why you aren’t able to lower the price any further. But first off, think about the client and his or her economic situation as this would help you assess whether or not you should lower the price. The thing is that the majority of buyers and consumers are inclined to ask for the lowest possible price because this how we were all conditioned. Think about it, would you really buy something, like a car, and pay for the price that’s up on its windshield? I doubt it. So don’t be surprised if people bargain with you, just remember to handle it properly. If the product you are selling can accommodate price reductions, let the customers know about it through descriptions such as “the quoted price is” or the more common “the suggested prices is” through this, you would be able to let your client know that there is still room for negotiation and that is also an added appeal when it comes to generating interest for said product. Let’s face it; people would always love negotiable prices.

Next, you also need to be very comfortable when stating the price you are asking for. Be confident and don’t make any comments beforehand that would make your client think that the price is too high. This would discourage them and make them think that you, yourself, have no confidence towards the worth of your product. It also doesn’t help if you add fancy descriptive words when it comes to telling your customer the price of the product. Say it simply without frill. This would make sure that your customer, without having to tell them too bluntly, that the price is fixed and cannot be changed. This would also let them know that they would be paying the same price that others before them have paid for.

But what if your client still asks for a lower price? Well, say no. If they tell you that they could get the product from someone else for a much lower price, stay firm and say no. The thing is, the customer wouldn’t have wasted time with trying to negotiate the price with you if they already know someone where they can get the same product at the price they want. So, during situations like these, stay firm but don’t get worked up or anything. The thing is, this customer must be really interested in buying the product from you and is negotiating, simply, in the hopes of getting it at a lower price. Remember, when it comes to business sales, confidence is key. If you show nerves, your client could lose trust in you and you could lose potential business.


Mar 20 2009

Be more than the usual seller with more than the usual health products

Tag: Businessadmin @ 4:56 am

More and more women are trading the office for a home-based business. Many will admit that life priorities have changed the minute they got married or had their first child. For others, it was all about switching from living by the paycheck to being their own boss.

For many who choose this path, enrolling in a direct-selling program is the most viable. The products have their own identity and equity. Companies or distributors have an established business structure and form of support for their dealers. Joining is relatively easy and involves the minimum of investments.

Of all the direct-selling programs, health and beauty products are the simplest to get into. The real challenge is in choosing to sell products that truly stand out from the rest.

Here are three products that you may consider:

Arbonne
There are beauty products and there are more beauty products. What makes Arbonne stand out is that its products go skin deep. The product ingredients are derived from natural plant sources.

The range covers the top skin concerns including anti-aging, sun protection, blemish and acne control. The skin care products include the basic cleansing systems and make-up to spot treatments and luxurious detox spa packages.

There are also products that address weight management and a special aromatherapy line.

The items are based on painstaking research done by field experts in Europe. The company has been in the business for three decades, which makes it a solid option for would-be entrepreneurs.

Zeolite
Many of us have heard of the rigors that come into a detoxification program – switching to a diet of fruit and water or to go on fasting for the weekend. We have yet to mention colon cleansing.

Waiora’s liquid Zeolite provides an easier but just as effective way of detoxification. The active ingredient works by attracting toxins from the cells and flushing it out of the body. All that the user has to do is to put in a few drops of the liquid into his meal or drink.

The product is worth a try for those who have long planned to detoxify their system but never found the time traditional detox procedures take. It is also good for those who want to detoxify more often than just after Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Xango
One way to attract the customer’s attention is by bringing in something exotic. Who wouldn’t say no to having tropical fruits in the winter?

Xango fruit juice is derived from mangosteen, a tart, hard-hulled fruit from Asia. This fruit is found to have high levels of antioxidants, which your body needs to keep those nasty free-radicals in check.

But remember that too much of a good thing isn’t really good. This applies to health juices derived from one type of fruit. Remind yourself and customers that being healthy requires a diet that has a variety of good food.

All products will have their strengths and weaknesses. But the key to making your business stand out is by being unique. You can do this by presenting a product that addresses a need but has a bonus, or one that provides an easier alternative, or a product that brings something new to the table.


Mar 13 2009

The Magical Tricks of SEO

Tag: Businessadmin @ 11:54 am

You may notice that search engine algorithms are constantly changing and these make it more difficult to obtain at least better search engine rankings. Most webmasters claimed to have magical tricks on SEO. You would often hear them suggest that in order to get a better spot on Google, you must be able to identify the two main parts of search engine rankings. The first part is to do keyword research, and the second part is to optimize website for the targeted keywords you choose. You can apply these techniques by including them in your title and at least three times in the body of your web content. The process seems easy isn’t it? Well, SEO Specialists are not magicians, but they got SEO magical tricks to show off.

New website owners, who have a very little understanding on SEO find SEO Specialists amusing. So if you are new to internet marketing, you therefore have to be skeptical on whatever you are learning from them. Majority of SEO firms offer SEO Services by reaching out those people who ask questions. They educate them on Search Engine Optimization and offer them guaranteed service.

SEO Specialists are very good in explaining the basics of SEO. They share tons of ideas on how one can rank his website on top of Google searches using the SEO magical tricks.

It is said that the most challenging trick on SEO is getting quality one-way links to your website. It makes up for about 90% of your page ranking. SEO is considered to be the most challenging online activity for it requires you to work full time with all the necessary skills needed to deal in a very competitive niche market. You will need tens of thousands quality links in order to gain a good ranking. So you better ask yourself if you are really interested in drawing in a massive traffic to your website.

No black hat or unethical method is needed to make it happen. All you have to do is to write an article on the subject you chose, which has to be relevant to your website. Your content is then submitted to different high page ranked blog directory sites. Blog directories have been in the online market for many years already. You are rest assured that these sites are often crawled by Google search engine. You will be surprised to see your article positioned in the search engines twenty minutes after you posted it.

Aside from article directory submission, you can also submit your website to blog directories, and post on high page ranked forums with your link attached into the post, which is usually placed in your signature. Frequent press releases can also be a big help to drive more traffic to your website.

It is said that the lifeblood of online business is by drawing in thousands of hits to your website. Bear in mind that a website with no traffic is very unlikely to succeed. You really have to work it out with magical tricks at hand.


Mar 13 2009

Credit Cards, Responsibility, Recession

Tag: Businessadmin @ 11:38 am

Thousands are still reeling from the first shockwave of financial troubles the global economic recession has wrought upon the nation, and as the unrelenting times keep its vice grip on our daily lives, more and more people come to realize, in a harsher light, the huge impact and influence their credit scores have on their financial capabilities. Now more than ever, credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion mean so much. If anything positive came of all the economic and financial fracas, it was that people started rethinking their financial strategies. No more spendthrift moments with a credit card, no more unnecessary, spontaneous spending for things that are wanted but not needed. Some lessons just have to be taught the hard way to some people, but indeed, perhaps this is too much. Today, though many could use the benefits brought by credit cards, they don’t avail of it. Either because they’re trying to avoid them altogether, they can’t afford the offers, or their credit scores are too low to merit any deals with any bank. Well, with the World Wide Web things are different, and they tend to be easier.

The internet has again brought what man needs literally to his fingertips. With just a few quick keystrokes, you can get to instantcreditcard.org, and with a few clicks of the mouse, you can get instant credit cards. It’s no diabolical scam or fraud either, in fact the site offers cards from such banks as HSBC, American Express, Discover Card, and Millennium Bank. With all the varied cards to choose from in one place, one can even compare credit cards here with ease, selecting the one that best suits his needs. There won’t be  lack of credit card offers that might best suit you, your spending, and your repayment capabilities. Even people who have bad credit scores can avail of some offers. For people who indeed have the responsibility but don’t have a clean record to prove it, this is a sigh of relief. The site affords anyone and everyone instant credit cards perhaps only in exchange with being responsible enough to use one. Everyone had undoubtedly learned from the troubles of our times, whether we like it or not. And if perhaps you’re lost in what to do next, the site can also help out with numerous tips and pointers on spending, maintaining good credit scores, and what-have-you. Even without the global recession the site would’ve surely had these but during the recession it’s literally a ‘how-to-get-by-the-recession’ chicken soup for the budget kind of site, aside from its original purpose.

Today more than ever, people value the meaning of terms like ‘credit score’ and ‘credit history,’ and all that many people need are a second chance at having credit cards to help alleviate the burdens of these unsettling times. These plastic cards, combined with financial irresponsibility, are indeed double edged weapons that can slash easily at one’s finances and tear his budget to shreds, but people learn. And one thing is for certain in the midst of this global recession: people have learned the hard way.


Feb 22 2009

Business Opportunities

Tag: Businessadmin @ 11:23 pm

Business opportunities are everywhere. It’s a case of looking around to find them. But do not try and do it all yourself. Get some help and advice from people that are already in business. Other people in business know all the problems existing in running a business. They know all the pitfalls and the ways to succeed.

The question is “where do I find these people to talk to them about business ideas?”

You can talk to real business owners at the Business web site forums. You can join the discussions for free and get myriads of information about whatever business ideas you may have. Most members have had businesses running for several years and are happy to impart everything you need to know in regards to starting up a new business or keeping your business going in the right direction.

You need this type of help and also the encouragement. Starting up a new business can be scary if you don’t know what you are doing. But with the right advice from the right people, you can make a success out of it.


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