Achieving Sales Goals Requires Drive & Motivation
September 30, 2008
How did you do this past year on your sales goals?
Did you write your goals down?
Did your review them frequently, and revise them as conditions changed? Or did you set them at the beginning of the year, and forget about them by February?
What do you most want this coming year?
The first and most basic step to getting what you want is to know what that is, and to constantly remind yourself of that. Goal setting is an important skill. One that you’ve may have read about and heard about many times before. It only works though if you do it.
Sales Goals & ReasonsStart with the end in mind. What is the result that you want? Give yourself the freedom to think big. Picture a big compelling goal that you really, really want. While envisioning this picture, how you make it happen is not important right now. The important thing is to get started, thinking big about what it is that you most want. Later we’ll deal with how you get it. Your focus should be on what you want.
How to Use RSS to Make Money Online
September 29, 2008
How to Use RSS to Make Money Online
by: Markku Saastamoinen
Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say
about money? The information in the article below comes straight
from well-informed experts with special knowledge about money.
Most of you have seen those little buttons on websites labeled RSS
or XML. If you are wondering what they are, RSS means Really Simple
Syndication. Really simple because when you subscribe to a site that
has this aspect, you keep up-to-date alongside new data without
having to check the site every day. This is actually acceptable news
because you can use it to get newsfeeds from major news networks,
news on new movies, even your favorite musician’s trip dates or CD
releases.
This new weave to the Internet is extremely valuable to you as a
Internet marketer too. Imagine replacing email marketing next to RSS
marketing. People actually subscribe meaning they crave your report
updates, similar to opt-in newsletters. With newsletters you have to
write them and your site content. With RSS, when you update your
Refresh Your Web Site
September 28, 2008
So you have a Web site. And so does most every business these days. But what you really need is a way to set your business apart from the competition, an online presence that will keep clients and prospects coming back again and again.
As usual, outstanding content may be your solution. While clear, well-written content is vital (see my June 2004 newsletter for tips about this), fresh, well-written content may be even more important for bringing new and repeat visitors to your site. Fresh, or regularly updated content, can help you and your business in several ways:
1. Higher rankings. Frequent updates can help your site rank higher in search engines, making it easier for Web surfers to find you. 2. Regular visitors. Often-refreshed content can keep your site interesting, giving visitors a reason to check back frequently for new information. 3. Updated appearance. Adding new content on a regular basis makes your site appear current. When a Web site’s most recent update is from August 2002, visitors may question whether the company is dependable or even still in business. 4. Enhanced reputation. Regularly freshened content can help establish your company as an expert resource for your target audience. By providing frequent updates and useful information, focused on your target market, you’ll keep them coming back for more of your expertise and eventually, to buy your products and services.
Eighty Percent of Success is Showing Up
September 27, 2008
The above quote, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." is from Woody Allen. It was particularly appropriate this past weekend.
I went to take a dance class. My favorite teacher was back in town for a short time. I was thrilled and ready to dance! This teacher is incredibly talented, an excellent dancer, good choreographer and her class is high energy and fun! I had often wondered why she was not more successful as a teacher or why she never got into a decent dance company.
I rearranged my entire schedule to be there. So did a number of her students. One cut short her holiday weekend with her parents to get on a plane and fly back in time for the class. Another rearranged her work schedule, going in to work at 4:00 a.m. in order to be done in time for the afternoon class.
The class never happened. My favorite teacher called in "sick" at the last minute.
When she taught regularly in New York City this teacher had a habit of canceling classes at the last minute. She’d been gone for six months and was scheduled to teach only four classes over the holidays. So far she’s only made it to the first class. She called in sick for the second. Was she sick? Perhaps and who cares?
Selecting a Business Broker or Intermediary to Help You Sell Your Business
September 26, 2008
As crazy as it seems, some people spend more time choosing a coffee machine than they do selecting the business broker or intermediary that will sell their business. This can be a fatal mistake that can cost time, money, and sometimes the ability to sell the business at all.
How do you choose the right business broker or intermediary?
What follows is a list of questions to ask any intermediary when interviewing them. We also explain what to look for in the answers given.
No one is going to have every qualification listed. But the person you retain must be trustworthy, knowledgeable, experienced, organized, and compatible with you.
Questions to help you determine if the intermediary trustworthy:
Does the intermediary have written references? Can you call the references? References indicate a job well done. They indicate that the intermediary had the dedication to complete the transaction and provide follow-up. You should be able to call any reference given. Pick two or three to call and ask the following questions.
***Were you pleased with the results?
***Was the initial evaluation consistent with the sales price?
***Did the intermediary follow his plan?
Speed-up Your Sales Cycle
September 26, 2008
This week’s article is my response to a question by David Cohen of Bridge-Soft.
“Quite a few prospects have told me that business is stagnant at the moment, but they are hopeful towards the 4th quarter. How do you approach the sales cycle where the cost of the product is relatively high and the sales cycle is lengthy, sometimes six months or more, in good times. I have little trouble generating interest in our products during my cold calls, but the relationship of a slow economy, long sales cycle, in combination with the cost of the software puts a few road blocks up. Any ideas on how to either avoid or breakdown these road blocks?”
-David Cohen, Sales Director, Bridge-Soft
Thanks for writing in David. Essentially what you want to know is how to speed up the sales cycle. Let’s start the discussion from the standpoint of why people and businesses buy when they do.
Everyone buys to solve a pain or fulfill a desire. This is true for individuals and businesses alike (businesses are nothing but a group of individual decision-makers). Buying decisions are always prioritized, whether people are aware that they do this or not. Businesses making buying decisions usually have formal procedures for prioritizing their acquisitions. Individuals also prioritize their buying decisions, but this generally is a much more casual and often unconscious process.
Assess Your Transferable Skills
September 25, 2008
One of the most important parts of a job search is assessing your Transferable skills. These are skills which you can use in other jobs such as: Communication, Information Management, Human Services, Managerial, Manual/Physical Labour, Personal Attributes, Organization.Often when people have been working in the same job for a long time, they become so accustomed to performing their duties that they fail to recognize the skills they have. It is beneficial to sit down and write out a list of all the things you do in a work day and all the things you do at home as well. It is easy to forget that skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and organization which you use at home and in volunteering are skills that you can transfer and use on a new job. A benefit to this recognition of your skills is that you can come up with a variety of Ideas for jobs or places that these skills may be used. If you are currently unemployed and are having a difficult time with this, talk to some friends or a career/employment counsellor.Once you have determined where your transferable skills may be best used, you can work on some Productive Strategies to market yourself. This may be using your networking skills to gain access to some new employers, or it may be revising your resume to highlight your skills instead of your work history. It may also involve doing some volunteer work to expand your network by putting you in touch with people who might have other contacts you can use in your job search.
Write Better Web Content
September 24, 2008
If you’re reading this article, chances are that you, like most professionals these days, understand the value of the Internet. It may be where you go to buy movie or concert tickets, browse restaurant menus, or plan your vacations. Most likely, you also turn to the Web to research business strategies, vendors and other companies.
But what about those surfers who are researching your company? When they visit your Web site, will they find what they’re looking for? Does your site provide the information they need in an interesting format that will keep them there long enough to convince them to do business with you?
While an attractive, professional-looking site is an important start, content is king. (What else would you expect from a copywriter?) But seriously, your site will never be truly effective without well-written content that answers visitors’ questions and creates enough interest to keep them coming back.
So how do you create effective content for the Web? It may be easier than you think. With all the bad writing out there on the Internet, even minimal effort can help set yours apart. Here’s a start: Good Web content can always be described by these four adjectives.
Writing An Ebook - Learning Step By Step
September 23, 2008
Writing An Ebook - Learning Step By Step
by: Vickie J Scanlon
They say the best way to making money on the Internet, is to create your own Ebook. Wow! That’s a simple statement, but - do you know what is involved. I’ll try to explain what I have learned and I am learning while I’m creating my own Ebook.
Brainstorming
If you know what you want to create, you’ve already on your way. But, if you’re not sure what information you have stored in your years of living - well, it can be difficult.
I’ve found the best way to brainstorm is to write your ideas, experiences and knowledge down on a piece of paper - then do research to determine what people are looking for on the net.
Research
To determine if your product, idea, or info-knowledge will fly you must do research. Go to Wordtracker or Overture and see how many times people in the month were looking for what you want to write about.
Practical Advice to Generate Successful Campaigns Using Merged Lists
September 22, 2008
You could end up with poor results when designing a direct mail campaign that combines your inhouse list with one or more rented lists. Merging lists generates a set of conditions that you may not have thought about at the conception stage. It is better to face the challenges before finalizing your design and strategy to avoid last minute alterations that so often occur. Once you determine your strategy, we strongly suggest you rent your lists early and work closely with the personnel handling your data processing.
Preview the lists before agreeing to rent.
Before renting lists, ask to see a sample of the output, not the field layouts, but actual samples of data. Watch for the following:
? Field names. A field called "Title" does not contain the same information as "Position". Ensure the list contains the right level for contact.
? Field content. Confirm you will capture all the information you need. The copy you create has to blend with the data for the target audience and personalization
