Ideas & Advice on How to Manage Your Business - Yahoo! Small Business Advisor

The Importance Of Follow Up – A “No” Strategy That Can Lead To A “Yes”

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:16:29 -0400

I read “Why 8% of sales people get 80% of the sales“ written by Robert Clay with Marketing Wizdom that emphasizes the importance of follow up. As a sales manager, you are tasked with contacting prospects on a daily basis in an attempt to educate them on the value proposition that your hotel has to offer but did you...

Hiring an In-House Affiliate Marketing Manager? Tips on Finding the Right Candidate

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:13:10 -0400

As more retailers add affiliate programs to their marketing mix, it’s becoming clear that tossing the job of overseeing the program onto any marketer’s plate is not necessarily the best decision. Successful affiliate programs require consistent creativity, oversight and management, and in many cases, demand the attention of a full-time talent with relevant experience. Adding...

Showrooming: Is It Really A Threat To Retailers?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:20:13 -0400

How Big A Threat Is Showrooming? Depends on whom you ask – some retailers are terrified of the shopper who pulls out their mobile phone in order to comparison-shop online. The customer’s logic is simple, why buy from the local store if you can get it cheaper online? Other retailers feel less threatened by showrooming...

5 Tips For Painless Networking Even If You’re Not A ‘People Person’

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:30:55 -0400

If the idea of networking makes your skin crawl, you’re hardly alone. “Networking,” says small business expert Michael Port, is “frequently confused with getting out of the house, putting on your best shoes and attending those hideous events where everybody’s trying to hand out business cards.”

What Senior-Level Job Seekers Should Know Before Applying

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:05:03 -0400

Much has been made about newly minted college graduates and their lack of preparation for the workforce. But no one talks about the ability of senior-level candidates (of any age) to successfully navigate the job search. It is assumed that they have an easier time due to years of prior experience and an in-depth understanding...

Do Poor Sales Figures Alone Tell the Whole Story About Who to Fire?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:55:51 -0400

The results are in, and it’s time to fire 15% of your sales team. But do the numbers tell the whole story? You know, for example, that a rep’s sales can also be negatively influenced by: a) a competitor in the rep’s territory who is a star salesperson; b) a string of bad luck that...

Faster. Smarter. Better. What’s Not To Like?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:30:13 -0400

Improving user adoption, performance and satisfaction is key to a successful – and sustainable – implementation. Workers want to feel competent and efficient. They want to do a good job and feel good about doing it. I believe that people come to work every day trying to do a good job…they may not succeed every...

32% of Salespeople Won’t Achieve Quota in 2012, But Will a New Sales Methodology Really Help?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:55:15 -0400

32% of salespeople won’t achieve quota in 2012, according to a survey of 197-B2B technology companies in 2012 (source: The Bridge Group). But will another sales process or sales methodology really help? Most companies have tried 2-3 of them, but have they helped salespeople sell more? A sales methodology or process may provide better reports...

Learning from the Valley

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:38 -0400

Recently I had the pleasure to spend a week in Palo Alto with a client group, helping to introduce them to the topic of innovation through experiential learning. The week consisted of a combination of visits to the local innovation centres of companies such as SAP; talks by leading thinkers in the innovation space such...

A Story About a CEO Who Helps a Tactical VP of Sales Scale the Business

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:55:49 -0400

I remember when the CEO invested in what I, the VP of Sales of a mid-sized company, felt was a foolish amount of money on a new Marketing Director. But what really bothered me, was what the new position represented, change. Although my sales team was exceeding quota, the landscape changed. And I knew if...

5 Ways to Achieve Mental Toughness—Lessons from Pro Athletes

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:51:54 -0400

In 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals hired me to train them in Mental Toughness. They already had the physical know-how to play good baseball—the mechanics of pitching, batting, and fielding. But they really needed to learn how to set goals, stay positive, be disciplined, and win. I became their first Director of Mental Training, and...

9 Ways Not to Be a 'Bosshole'

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0400

Bossholes drive away talented employees and cost your company money.

Juggle not Struggle: How to Keep Your Work and Life in Balance

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:50:53 -0400

Are you finding it rough juggling your job with your home life? Do you struggle with your basic commitments, miss doctors, dentists, optometrists, appointments because you can’t seem to get the time off work? Even worse do your kids miss their doctor’s dentists, optometrists because you don’t have the time to take them? And what...

Your Business Tripod Steadily Grows Business

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:30:34 -0400

Are you steadfast and unshakeable? The difference between those who are not successful and those who are is their level of dedication to persevering and finding a better way to attain their vision. They do not give up, give in to others, or sadly conclude, “it can’t be done”. Instead, the successful adopt the mindset...

B2B and B2C: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:20:47 -0400

Recently someone said “I wish you worked in the business to business (B2B) arena.” When I responded that B2B is the majority of my business, he said “Then why do you write so much about retail?” The answer is… …because retail examples are more visible. Same results The results that B2B and B2C sellers create...

10 Great Tips From 1 Terrible Boss

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:23:22 -0400

You can learn a lot from this employee's awful experience with her manager.

7 Reasons Nothing Seems To Work

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:37:33 -0400

So you (or someone you know) keeps struggling with their business. Maybe they’ve tried different mentors and they seem to be doing everything right. And nothing works. Long -term, high-powered gurus rarely help. They do really well after you’ve got traction in your business and you’re well on your way. They’ll recommend things like giving...

Why Business Owners are Primed for Wealth and Success

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:53 -0400

There are endless blog entries, white papers, and articles devoted to the tactics and techniques that generate wealth and success—but all the tips and hints in the world will amount to very little if they are not accompanied by the proper mindset. Indeed, this may be the thing that most clearly separates the upper echelon...

Selling Tips From The World’s Best Salesperson – The Engineer

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:52:07 -0400

“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it,” - Albert Einstein A perspective…. Engineer: I don’t think of myself as a salesperson, probably because my title says Engineer. I don’t meet with a prospective account with the mindset that I’m supposed to...

Three Keys to Retail Success: Authenticity, Consistency, and Trust

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:30:58 -0400

I love to shop. I like going to the mall so I can browse in the windows of my favorite shops, find a great sale, and imagine what it would be like to walk into Louis Vuitton and pick out the latest handbag. I also enjoy shopping online in my PJs, where I can search...

Extreme Habits of Highly Successful Remote Teams

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:41:00 -0400

To make a virtual office function well, you may need to take some extreme measures. These companies did--and they're better off for it.

What Not to Do as an Interviewer

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:20:57 -0400

As you make progress in your career, you will face many challenges. You will expect some of these challenges to come with the territory of your job, but others will be out of your comfort zone. One challenge many will face, even if it wasn’t in your job description, is conducting job interviews. Being an...

Why the New Internship Ruling is Bad For College Students

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:05:00 -0400

Think requiring companies to pay interns is a good idea? It's not.

4 Lessons Jeff Bezos Learned From Failure

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:05:34 -0400

If you examine Amazon's grocery delivery service, AmazonFresh, you can clearly see a strategy centered on failure.

Why You Need a Recruiter to Feel You

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:30:00 -0400

You probably don’t think of yourself as a teacher, unless you actually are one. That’s too bad, since the majority of your work in whatever occupations you choose will involve teaching other people, at least if you are going to be successful. Successful people won’t spend the next 40 years trying to fill job descriptions...

How To Land That First Job Post-College

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:10:51 -0400

While more companies are willing to hire these days thanks to an improving economy, it’s still slim pickings for those recent college grads with little real world experience. Indeed, according to a recent survey out from Accenture, 41 percent of U.S. workers who graduated from college within the last two years are underemployed taking on jobs...

Outbound Telemarketing Tips – Learn To Give Orders

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:35:56 -0400

Many telemarketing experts will tell you that there is more to marketing with the phone than staying alone with one. In fact, even small businesses should not underestimate the investment they need to call prospects as well the benefits they will get that rivals that of seemingly easier alternatives. One good example is that good...

You Must Do These Three Things to Have a Great Company Culture

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:15:35 -0400

You may think that company culture is no big deal, thinking that paying your staff is enough. You may think, as Don Draper once yelled at Peggy on “Mad Men” when she wanted respect, “That’s what the money’s for!” But it is simply not enough to pay your staff well, or even to offer standard...

Without Building Relationships, This Is All A Waste

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:30:08 -0400

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, NOT THINGS. As part of a discussion taking place in a private Facebook group I’m in for members of a course taught by Carrie Wilkerson and Paul Evans, a co-member expressed her appreciation to Paul and Carrie for the reminder they gave in their materials that what everyone should be focusing on is...

IT Lead Generation Tips – Asking Information Is Always Good

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:00:06 -0400

The process of IT lead generation is the process of asking for information. These days, many are saying information is more widely available than before. That though, has spawned a new fear that it has become too available. People have grown wary of those who ask for it, including decision makers. Will this hesitation spell...

How to Ruin Your Day

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:09 -0400

Today threw me a curveball of such astonishing velocity it tore straight through my confidence and directly to the heart of my stance on where I believed my career path would one day take me. But after a few minutes of self analysis and navel gazing I jumped back on the horse ready to set...

Focusing on Perfection When People Expect Everything

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:44:46 -0400

We live in an era where so many companies and people focus on pushing out feature after feature. Things become cluttered and the user experience hits a slippery slope. What use is an extensive feature set, when your users can’t even efficiently use the product at hand? So many products today are driven by revenue,...

4 Bad Things That Can Happen When You Lack Confidence

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:30:06 -0400

We’ve all had moments where we were or felt “less than” our best selves. For some it might be a rare occurrence. For others, it may take just a minor triggering event to let loose the demons. Of course it’s one thing to feel confidence slipping in life. It’s another thing altogether when it is...

How To Get Rid Of The Golden Handcuffs?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:34 -0400

Imagine you are sitting in a chair. It may not be the best chair ever, but because you feel like sitting in it and you know you can get up at any time, it makes the experience pretty enjoyable. Now, imagine that all of the sudden you realize that you are tied to that chair....

Listen To The Real Experts

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:39:28 -0400

I recently ran a workshop for a small business. The owner of the business asked for my help to improve the business performance and as part of the initiative I suggested, like all good consultants to “borrow the watch, tell the time and then charge for the privilege”. In other words I was going to...

Does a Demo Ever Make Sense as a Demand Generation Offer?

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:30:20 -0400

Anecdotally, I’ve been noticing a minor trend in technology marketing circles of late – namely, that a high percentage of demand generation campaigns seem to be presenting a product demo as the primary offer. Worse yet, I fear the condition (let’s call it “demo-itis”) may be contagious. It’s easy to understand the appeal that demo...

Playing the Inside Sales Game of Thrones

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:00:33 -0400

I am a huge fan of the HBO series, “Game of Thrones.” Admittedly, I have not read the books, but I do plan on doing so in the near future. The third season left a lot of fans heartbroken and displeased with George Martin, the author of the book series, but I have learned to...

Establishing a Voice and Tone for Your Business

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:30:24 -0400

Each of us has our own style and voice that define our personalities – little quirks and mannerisms that our friends and family use to describe and identify us. But as businesses of all sizes become more active in the online social medium, with company-dedicated blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts it can often be...

Is Your Business Going to the Dogs?

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:00:11 -0400

In this dog-eat-dog corporate world of deadlines, stress and non-stop meetings, I got to thinking about the effect it has when I bring my pup Dwight (see below) to work. The minute he trots in the door, people light up. They relax, they smile, they play. And Dwight loves every minute of it. Does this...

Company First, Candidate Second For Job Interview Success

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:30:10 -0400

Can you remember a time when someone knew something about you that surprised you? Maybe it was a sister who referred to one of your blogs when you didn’t even know that she read them or your mechanic who said, “after I changed the oil, I took a quick look at your brakes because I...