A major concern among most people in sales positions is that they make as much money as they can. While this is great for free-wheeling sales people who can just hustle harder when they want to make ends meet, this doesn't cut it at the corporate level. For someone in a position where they have to make the difficult decisions, there's a lot more at stake than just paying the rent. If you're running any group larger than yourself, you have to create not only an earning plan but a spending plan. This is not the same as a budget, either. A budget is typically concerned only with keeping things … [Read more...]
Making More Than you Spend
Image via Wikipedia A lot of people have gotten into the gloom and doom mindset of the past few years and have determined that the best philosophy is to spend as little as is humanly possible. Spending less than you make has become a lot of people's mantra over the past few years. However, there is a better way to live, and that is making more than you spend. While a lot of people think that there's just no way to earn more, there are always ways to add to the top line. While this often involves working harder, a lot of times it also involves working smarter. When you work smarter, you … [Read more...]
Networking With Your Employees
Image by Getty Images via @daylife Every boss has to walk a fine line every day. On the one hand, your employees are people you have to tell what to do. On the other hand, these are also people who might be good to know and be on good terms with in the future. When you know the right people, you know how to make your career do great things. Ultimately, who you know is at least as important as what you know when it comes to making things happen in the corporate world. Treating everyone you work with in a respectful way is the cornerstone of your future success. After all, the best … [Read more...]
Business Writing
Do you send out memos and letters that are difficult to understand? Do you receive telephone calls from clients asking you to clarify your letters and emails? Do you write with a thesaurus because you believe it makes your writing sound impressive? Do you hesitate to write for publication because you are unsure of your writing skills? Or do you assume people will know what you mean, no matter how bad the writing? Most people who are poor writers don't realize it. Spell check doesn't fix everything. Writing is often the first impression of you and your business, yet it is frequently … [Read more...]
4 Little Known Secrets for Business Success
Have you ever wondered why some of your business associates are so much more successful than you are? They certainly don't seem any smarter - some are definitely not the sharpest tacks in the box - and they don't have a better product. However, they always seem to be one step ahead when it comes to the bottom line. It could be that they've just stumbled across a few secrets to business success. To help you move forward, here are a few simple, but often overlooked, tips that might turn your business around: 1. Invest in Your Own Email Domain Nothing looks shadier than a business owner with a … [Read more...]
Revolving Door Employment
Imagine you are the owner of a store. Now imagine you have just received a letter of resignation, signed by every member of one department (effective immediately) citing your sales commission policy as the reason. Is it time to re-evaluate your management policy? When you structure your pay/commission policy so that your sales staff actually takes home less than minimum wage, it makes people Image courtesy of http://www.redbubble.com unappreciated and angry. Angry people do not make good employees. If your sales people are successfully doing what you have trained them to do, you … [Read more...]
More than the Money
Rick Stone worked for a large corporation, had a nice salary and wonderful benefits. He resigned to work for a small business for a smaller salary and equally small benefits. Why? Because he is valued at his new job. Rick’s boss at the large corporation told him that he was a cog in the big machine. He didn’t need to know everything – just enough to get his job done. All Rick’s boss had to approve all his work before it could be sent out. Not as much as a letter of inquiry or simple email could go out from anyone in the department until the boss had approved it. Rick’s … [Read more...]
Is Your Business Ready to Expand Internationally?
Image via Wikipedia Everyone knows that technology developments have made it possible for businesses to expand their customer base to international markets. We live in a time when having such a market is an important strategy for businesses. If you have a business and are considering expanding internationally, here are six things for you to consider before you take that big leap. The most important thing that you need to do is to look at the market in the country that you are thinking of expanding into. Does that country have similar products? Is there a void or a need that … [Read more...]
Positive Motivation Tips For Your Staff
If you have noticed a decrease in work productivity for your staff, whether it involves falling sales figures, jobs not being finished on time, or overall poor work, it may be time to motivate your employees. Take a moment to think about the last time you did; if it takes you more than a minute to remember when you did, it’s definitely time. Motivation can be given in several ways. You can start out with something small, and then increase your motivation strategy if you need to. The important thing, though, is to shore up employee relationships, so that your staff will once again become … [Read more...]
Blogging For Your Business
You’ve probably seen your share of blogs, and most likely have some favorite websites that you visit frequently simply because you enjoy the blogs. Why not use blogging to increase and improve your business? The benefits of blogging are numerous. You can talk about your business in a conversational, informal tone; one that people will enjoy reading. They won’t feel as if they are being bombarded with a sales pitch or advertising blitz, something that often turns people off from a business’s website. You can also use your blog to keep customers informed of current events, and how your … [Read more...]