All salespeople feel it, but no one wants to talk about it: the fear of cold calling. As a sales and business coach, I've often heard the following comments from salespeople I have coached: "I feel like I'm bothering people by calling them.""I think I need another sales course to get up to speed.""I need a better list."These comments are ways of not thinking about the elephant in the room: the fear of cold calling. We don't like admitting we are...more
Speedy Credit Repair SolutionsHave you been through a rough patch? Has your credit suffered and your scores fallen to sub-prime levels? You do not have to wait seven years to see your credit scores improve. There are many credit repair strategies you can put to use today that will get your scores back on track before you know it. Don't make the mistake of letting your credit languish while you hope for the years to pass quickly. Now is the time...more
We live in a quick-fix society so it's no wonder that many salespeople look for the magic cure or band-aid solution to increase their sales. However, I believe that success in sales follows a basic set of rules.Fill the pipeline. Many people experience tremendous peaks and valleys in their sales because they do not consistently prospect for new business. This frequently occurs when a sales person is busy. They neglect to prospect because it is the least enjoyable aspect of their job but when the sales drop or business with their current clients ends, they scramble to generate new business. Invest time filling your pipeline on a regular basis and you will seldom have to worry about reaching your targets.Ask high-quality questions. I have written about this before but the vast majority of sales people (even seasoned pros) fail to ask their prospects and customers high-quality questions. This can happen because they have never been taught to ask questions or because they think that they do it. Unfortunately, failing to ask high-quality questions early in the sales process means they often mis-pitch their product, service or solution which causes the prospect to voice more objections....more
When you work from home, especially if you work online, you can become disctracted. In this article I will give you 3 tips to help you stay organized, so you can get things done quickly and efficiently. Read on...Benefits - There are many advantages that come from being organized, especially if you work from home, or work online. In general you'll...more
Of all the things we dream of when we are up to our necks in the frenzied pace of a career, the one that's most consistently a high priority is the chance to slow down. To stop running around like a chicken on speed trying to get fifty things done at once. Having the time to savor the moment--be it drinking your morning coffee or seeing Alaska for...more
The word "solopreneur" is a relatively new term in the English language but as you likely already know, it describes a business owner who works alone. I have found that term to be useful in the collective conscious, but it's really a misnomer. Successful solopreneurs do not work solo. They create a team of people who support them in their business so they can focus on the activities that they love and make them money.However, not hiring assistance is one of the biggest hurdles that my private clients struggle to get over. I completely understand because I fought this tooth and nail for years! I would find myself thinking, "I can do that. I don't want to pay to have someone do that! What a waste of money!"Can you relate?I'll never forget the day those limiting thoughts started to leave me forever. I was lamenting to a neighbor about how much I had to do, how much time it was taking, and how I really just wanted to have more time with my family and get to bed at a normal hour. Unexpectedly, she offered to help me do some research, create a letter, make copies, create mailing labels and stuff some envelopes. While I knew she could handle these simple tasks, I was worried to let go of...more
Gone are the days when the office photocopier was treated with awe, occupied a department of it's own and was the size of a bus! The introduction of microchip technology has greatly reduced the size of photocopier machines and laser technology,...more
Who Pays When Operating Expenses Increase?Expense escalations are relevant when the landlord is paying a base level of expenses and when the tenant is paying expenses. With a typical gross lease, the landlord pays all expenses and the tenant pays...more
The process of applying for a mortgage can be long and complicated, especially if you are a first time buyer, have poor credit, or have special mortgage requirements. Whether you're a first time buyer or a seasoned pro, it's good to refresh yourself...more
A quick explanation of what NCOA stands for is the national change of address directory the USPS keeps on record. Every time you move and update your address with the local facility they update their systems and mail get forwarded to the new address...more
A bad economic climate is not something that you should be depressed with. Yes, your business might not be in the best possible circumstances or your job hunting might be producing less than ideal results. Instead of worrying about it though, you...more
The Strategy Before you SellWhen you finally decide that the time is right to sell a business there is significant work that can be done before you actually can go about showing your business to potential buyers. There is much information that buyers...more