Author : Kelley Robertson
We all make mistakes when selling our product or service. Here are the most common mistakes people make. I have to admit I have made many of mistakes listed in this article even though I have been teaching this stuff for almost a decade. I hope you can learn from them.1. Allowing a prospect to lead the sales process. The best way to control the sales interaction is to ask questions. This is also the best way of learning whether or not your product or service meets the needs of your prospect. Quality questions that uncover specific issues, problems, or corporate objectives are essential in helping you establish yourself as an expert.2. Not completing pre-meeting research. After several weeks of voice mail I finally connected with my prospect and scheduled a meeting. Unfortunately, I entered the meeting without first researching the company. Instead of presenting a solution to an existing problem, I spent the entire meeting learning fundamental information, which to senior executives, is a complete waste of their time. This approach is one of most common mistakes. I have received countless phone calls from sales people hawking their wares and trying to sell me 'stuff' I have no need for. As a sole proprietor, I do not need a complex telephone system, additional employees, or an automated payroll system. Invest the time learning about your prospect before you call them and before you try to schedule a meeting.3. Talking too much. Too many sales people talk too much during the sales interaction. They espouse about their product, its feature, their service and so on. When I first bought carpet for my home I recall speaking to a sales person who told me how long he had been in the business, how smart he was, how good his carpets were, etc. But this dialogue did nothing to convince me that I should buy from him. Instead, I left the store thinking that he did not care about my specific needs. A friend of mine is in the advertising business and often talks to prospects who initially request a quote for a specific advertising job. Instead of talking at great length about the ad agency's experience and qualifications, he gets the potential client talking about her business. By doing this he is able to determine the most effective strategy for that prospect.4. Giving the prospect information that is irrelevant. When I worked in the corporate world I was subjected to countless presentations where the sales person shared information that was completely meaningless to me. I don't care about your financial backing or who your clients are. Make the most of your presentation by telling me how I will benefit from your product or service until I know how your product or service relates to my specific situation.5. Not being prepared. I remember calling a prospect expecting to receive his voice mail. That meant I was completely unprepared when he answered the call himself. Instead of asking him a series of qualifying questions I simply responded to his questions, allowing him to control the sale. Unfortunately, I didn't progress any further than that initial call. When you make a cold call or attend a meeting with a prospect it is critical that you are prepared. This means having all relevant information at your fingertips including; pricing, testimonials, samples, and a list of questions you need to ask. I suggest creating a checklist of the vital information you will need and reviewing this list before you make your call. You have exactly one opportunity to make a great first impression and you will not make it if you are not prepared.6. Neglecting to ask for the sale. I recall a participant in one of my workshops expressing interest in my book. I told him to look through it but at no time did I ask for the sale. Later, I heard him express this observation to other participants in the program. If you sell a product or service, you have the obligation to ask the customer for a commitment, particularly if you have invested time assessing their needs and know that your product or service will solve a problem. Many people are concerned with coming across as pushy but as long as you ask for the sale in a non-threatening, confident manner, people will usually respond favorably.7. Failing to prospect. This is one of the most common mistakes independent business make. When business is good many people stop prospecting, thinking that the flow of business will continue. However, the most successful sales people prospect all the time. They schedule prospecting time in their agenda every week.Even the most seasoned sales professional makes mistakes from time to time. Avoid these blunders and increase the likelihood of the closing the sale.Copyright 2004, Kelley RobertsonAbout The AuthorKelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, and employee motivation. He is also the author of "Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers." For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine available at his website.
Category : Business:Sales-Training
วันอังคารที่ 1 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
Video Conferencing: Choosing a Camera That is Best for you
Author : Dan Richmond
When you think of video conferencing you probably picture a webcam perched on a computer or monitor recording your image and sending it out to the world. While webcams are most frequently used by online conference participants, it is also possible to get the work done with a digital video camera. Which webcam or digital video camera you opt for depends on your needs. Here are some points to consider when making your selection.WebcamsNowadays, web cams can be found for under $20 and go all the way up to $150. The difference between the high end cameras and the starter web cams are usually due to the quality of image that is put out.First, take a look at the resolution of the camera. Ideally you should get a webcam that can produce at least a 640x480 resolution.Then check how many frames per second the camera can handle. For video conferencing the ideal level is 30 frames per second (fps).Finally, find out what kind of sensor the camera uses. The better web cams use CCD technology instead of CMOS. Also, remember that most webcams connect to computers with a USB cable.Digital Video CamerasFor an even better result (sharper and faster images), you can use digital video cameras. These are the same devices that are used to record home movies, etc. Digital video cameras start as low as $250 and go up to thousands of dollars. In order to use a digital video camera, you need to make sure that the device supports a USB or a Firewire output and that it can be used as a webcam and connect you with online applications.Whether you use a webcam or a digital video camera depends on the type of conferencing that you will be doing.If you're meeting in a manner in which the quality of the video is not too important, then a lower end webcam will probably suffice. However, if you need quality video, then a higher end webcam, or even a digital video camera will be required.If you'll be in a conference room setting, in which you need to get more than one person on camera, a digital video camera with tilt/pan/zoom capabilities will work best.Firewire digital video cameras provide images that are so nice that you can see the second hand of a watch sweep by. You can also see details of products and items that normal webcams simply cannot provide. This is because firewire handles the processing of video much better than USB does, allowing for smoother images and better quality.When you are out shopping for webcams, take a look at Logitech products. They are one of the leaders in this field and have a wide variety of models. They offer great products at reasonable prices. For digital video cameras, Canon offers a good selection and devices of excellent quality.So, consider your needs and your budget and then find a webcam or a digital video camera that is best for you.Dan Richmond is Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides web & video conferencing services for individuals & businesses. For more information, please call 818.783.4311 or Visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com.
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Video-Conferencing
When you think of video conferencing you probably picture a webcam perched on a computer or monitor recording your image and sending it out to the world. While webcams are most frequently used by online conference participants, it is also possible to get the work done with a digital video camera. Which webcam or digital video camera you opt for depends on your needs. Here are some points to consider when making your selection.WebcamsNowadays, web cams can be found for under $20 and go all the way up to $150. The difference between the high end cameras and the starter web cams are usually due to the quality of image that is put out.First, take a look at the resolution of the camera. Ideally you should get a webcam that can produce at least a 640x480 resolution.Then check how many frames per second the camera can handle. For video conferencing the ideal level is 30 frames per second (fps).Finally, find out what kind of sensor the camera uses. The better web cams use CCD technology instead of CMOS. Also, remember that most webcams connect to computers with a USB cable.Digital Video CamerasFor an even better result (sharper and faster images), you can use digital video cameras. These are the same devices that are used to record home movies, etc. Digital video cameras start as low as $250 and go up to thousands of dollars. In order to use a digital video camera, you need to make sure that the device supports a USB or a Firewire output and that it can be used as a webcam and connect you with online applications.Whether you use a webcam or a digital video camera depends on the type of conferencing that you will be doing.If you're meeting in a manner in which the quality of the video is not too important, then a lower end webcam will probably suffice. However, if you need quality video, then a higher end webcam, or even a digital video camera will be required.If you'll be in a conference room setting, in which you need to get more than one person on camera, a digital video camera with tilt/pan/zoom capabilities will work best.Firewire digital video cameras provide images that are so nice that you can see the second hand of a watch sweep by. You can also see details of products and items that normal webcams simply cannot provide. This is because firewire handles the processing of video much better than USB does, allowing for smoother images and better quality.When you are out shopping for webcams, take a look at Logitech products. They are one of the leaders in this field and have a wide variety of models. They offer great products at reasonable prices. For digital video cameras, Canon offers a good selection and devices of excellent quality.So, consider your needs and your budget and then find a webcam or a digital video camera that is best for you.Dan Richmond is Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides web & video conferencing services for individuals & businesses. For more information, please call 818.783.4311 or Visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com.
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Video-Conferencing
วันจันทร์ที่ 31 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Instant Homeowner Loan: Lifesaver at the Time of Emergencies
Author : Steve C Clark
Financial crisis are as common as common flu, more than often we land up in crisis and in such situation finances are needed instantly. Instant homeowner loans are here to offer instant solution to the urgent cash needs. Instant homeowner loans are available to most consumers through a wide variety of lending sources. These lending sources cater specifically to consumers who need to borrow instantly without the hassle of time consuming paperwork and unclear lending requirements.Instant homeowner loan are secured loans that work on a fairly simple principle… the equity in your home or real estate is used as collateral to secure and guarantee the loan. The word "equity" is defined as the value of an owner's real property after deducting mortgages and liens. , an instant home owner loan is designed specifically for home owners who are in the need of instant finance and a home works as a security against the loan. An instant home owner loan has the benefit of providing a borrower with a low cost, low rate alternative to a secured loan.An instant homeowner can be used for financing education, home repairs, Car repair, illness, death – any unexpected circumstance can pose a burden on monthly budget. You might not have the funds to meet the expense. At this time instant homeowner loans are the effective way to fill in this financial gap. People with bad credit history, arrears or defaults can apply for instant homeowner loans.The lender uses a variety of calculations to determine the amount of money a borrower may receive through an instant homeowner loan. As the lender is borrowing against property, he or she may be able to receive a larger loan amount than through other types of loans. Because of the lowered risk to lender with instant homeowner loan, as it is secured against collateral, financial institutions may offer flexible repayment options for qualified borrowers. With the competition reaching its all time peak there are variety of services offered, one can get an instant homeowner loan that fits him best and terms to suit him best, such as early repayment and fees associated with the loan, in order to get the best possible deal for the borrower's situation.Apart from variety of repayment options as discussed above,. Other possible benefits of instant homeowner loan include favourable redemption charges, clauses which allow the borrower to repay the money without extra charges. Instant homeowner loans also tend to have a longer repayment lifespan than other types of loans. While the borrower will in the end pay on the loan for many years, the monthly payment likely will be lower than by applying for other types of instant loans.Steve Clark can tell you how to look better, live better and breathe better by giving you tips to improve your finances.He
writes on loans. His ideas can help you rejuvenate your money.To find Secured homeowner loans,bad credit homeowner
loans,online homeowner loans visit http://www.easyhomeownerloans.co.uk
Category : Finance:Loans
Financial crisis are as common as common flu, more than often we land up in crisis and in such situation finances are needed instantly. Instant homeowner loans are here to offer instant solution to the urgent cash needs. Instant homeowner loans are available to most consumers through a wide variety of lending sources. These lending sources cater specifically to consumers who need to borrow instantly without the hassle of time consuming paperwork and unclear lending requirements.Instant homeowner loan are secured loans that work on a fairly simple principle… the equity in your home or real estate is used as collateral to secure and guarantee the loan. The word "equity" is defined as the value of an owner's real property after deducting mortgages and liens. , an instant home owner loan is designed specifically for home owners who are in the need of instant finance and a home works as a security against the loan. An instant home owner loan has the benefit of providing a borrower with a low cost, low rate alternative to a secured loan.An instant homeowner can be used for financing education, home repairs, Car repair, illness, death – any unexpected circumstance can pose a burden on monthly budget. You might not have the funds to meet the expense. At this time instant homeowner loans are the effective way to fill in this financial gap. People with bad credit history, arrears or defaults can apply for instant homeowner loans.The lender uses a variety of calculations to determine the amount of money a borrower may receive through an instant homeowner loan. As the lender is borrowing against property, he or she may be able to receive a larger loan amount than through other types of loans. Because of the lowered risk to lender with instant homeowner loan, as it is secured against collateral, financial institutions may offer flexible repayment options for qualified borrowers. With the competition reaching its all time peak there are variety of services offered, one can get an instant homeowner loan that fits him best and terms to suit him best, such as early repayment and fees associated with the loan, in order to get the best possible deal for the borrower's situation.Apart from variety of repayment options as discussed above,. Other possible benefits of instant homeowner loan include favourable redemption charges, clauses which allow the borrower to repay the money without extra charges. Instant homeowner loans also tend to have a longer repayment lifespan than other types of loans. While the borrower will in the end pay on the loan for many years, the monthly payment likely will be lower than by applying for other types of instant loans.Steve Clark can tell you how to look better, live better and breathe better by giving you tips to improve your finances.He
writes on loans. His ideas can help you rejuvenate your money.To find Secured homeowner loans,bad credit homeowner
loans,online homeowner loans visit http://www.easyhomeownerloans.co.uk
Category : Finance:Loans
T-Shirts Are Everywhere Saying Everything
Author : Sean Caudle
I am sitting in the food court of a very busy shopping mall on a Saturday with a pad of paper. What am I doing? Counting how many people are wearing t-shirts, what kind of t-shirt they"re wearing, and about how old they are. This is my 4th Saturday conducting this survey at 4 different malls.
Before I began doing this "t-shirt survey" at the malls here in Dallas, I was expecting about 30-35% of the people would be wearing a t-shirt. Was I ever wrong. I had no idea just how popular t-shirts actually are.
First, who is wearing t-shirts? I counted a total of about 4,000 people over 4 weeks in this survey. In total, about 60-65% were wearing t-shirts - twice my expectations! There was a variance in the age groups. For those under 25-years-old, about 80-85% wore t-shirts. For those 25 to 40 years old, about 60% wore t-shirts. And, for those over 40, about 35% wore t-shirts.
While I expected the younger crowd to be wearing tshirts, what I was not expecting were those ages 35 - 50 wearing them. These are mostly parents, business people, and maybe a couple grandparents. Most of their tshirts were sports or college tshirts, or a brand name like Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, or Polo - nothing crude of obnoxious.
Second, what kind of t-shirts were they wearing? I rarely saw the same t-shirt twice. There were funny t-shirts, animal t-shirts, Christian t-shirts, patriotic t-shirts, and all kinds of novelty t-shirts. And, I wasn"t surprised to see a few crude or offensive ones in the mix either.
Younger kids, those between 5 and 12-years-old, wore a lot of tshirts. That age bracket was closer to 90%. Most of them had some kind of "cute" picture or slogan (like a Disney tshirt), or something to do with sports. Most teenagers and college students wore tshirts that seem to match up closely with their identity.
More than anything, it became apparent that wearing a tshirt is a way to express oneself. Whether supporting a sports team, a university, or country, people wear tshirts to express themselves and make a statement. But, some people wear them just because it looks good, it"s trendy, and they"re comfortable. The t-shirt industry is a huge business. While I don"t have the exact statistics, it made up 60% of the tops worn at the shopping malls around Dallas, TX over the last 4 weeks.
After arriving back home, what did I do? I went to my dresser, opened the drawer, and counted about 25 t-shirts of my own. I put on my alma mater tshirt and sat down to watch the baseball playoffs.
About the author:
=========== Sean Caudle is the founder of Fashion-Tees.com He also wears a lot of t-shirts. There are over 9,000 t-shirt designs at Funny T-Shirts
Category : Fashion
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Affiliate Marketing: 4 Exploding Traffic Tactics You Must Know!
Author : Robin Araoz
Dear reader, Do you know one of the biggest problems affiliate and marketers in general have when they are trying to make money online?It is traffic....Yes! It is that simple, one of the problems is, that if you have no traffic, you'll make 0 sales...It is sad to say, but it is said that about 95% of affiliate marketers around the net are having problems to get traffic.You could have the best and most beautiful site in the world, but if you lack to bring real targeted visitors to your site you will most probably fail...But, do not fear, you don not have to be a Marketing Guru to succeed, I am just an ordinary guy, and my native language is not even english!If I can do it, I am sure you can do it to.So the question is, what can you do to start getting real targeted buying visitors to your site?Well, to define things, I have to ask you:Do you have some money to spend online or are you starting on a shoestring budget?Why am I asking you this?It is simple, depending of how much money you have to spend online you will have to make a decision between the paid and free traffic generation tactics or just plain simple...., use both paid and free tactics.Let us first take a look at those 4 simple but very powerful tactics that will literally explode your traffic logs:1. Buying visitors at Google Adwords.If you have the money to spend, you can quickly open an Google Adwords account and start seeing profits today, for more information you can visit: http://www.google.com/adwords2. Ezines.You can buy ad space in ezines and usually you will reach a target group in the thousand, the prices vary, you can try with the cheapest ad space they offer (usually bottom space ad), and if it bring good results go one step further and so on, and make a separate folder for those good spots.Most of the time the ad that gets the best results are the solo ads.3. Writing articles.This is my favorite!If you like to write, this is a good one, if not you can hire someone to write a really good article cheap at justarticles.com, I have used them and they always make a good job for the price you pay.Next step, you should submit them to article directories and ezine publishers.This task can be really hard to accomplish if you are doing it manually.To get the best results, I recommend you using some kind of software that automate the process, like for example articlesubmitter or articleannouncer.4. Exchanging links with other sites.It is well known that getting links to your site helps you rank better in the search engines, but I would consider that a secondary effect.I would focus on building and exchanging links with other sites on a regular basis.Why?... Because, when you exchange links with others you will begin to see visitors to your site.People will find you link on other sites and visit your site and then finally and hopefully buy.The good thing is that you will not depend on the search engines as your primary source of traffic.Some recommendations:As you see, the less expensive thing you can do is to start exchanging links.The next less expensive way of promoting your site is to start writing articles and distribute them to article directories.If you have some money to invest you could startwith Ezines and Google Adwords.Happy Marketing! Robin Araoz makes it easy to make money with affiliate programs. Discover how you can become a super affiliate fast. To download your free report visit: http://www.bestsecretonline.com
Category : General Affiliate Programs
The Real 'Matrix' and How to Escape From It
Author : Jake Danger
It starts when we're small children, about the time we first develop self-awareness. Society steps in – first in the form of our parents, then out teachers, then the media, or bosses at work, our peers – and tries to tell us 'who we are'. That's when we begin creating the false self, the self that is a response to the demands of the society around us. We begin managing other people's impressions of us, we begin to lie, we begin to act like a reflection of what we think the world expects us to be. Before too long we can no longer see ourselves in the mirror – we have stepped through the looking-glass into the Matrix. We forget that the false self is an artifice, and we begin to believe our own lies – we begin to believe that the false self is the real self, and thus submerge our real selves inside the tomb that we have created to encase it. Indeed, social conditioning is the most powerful of all mind-altering drugs.But what happens if you suddenly wake up and remember who you are? What happens if you try to reclaim your real self? You will find yourself besieged on all sides, surrounded by a society full of other false selves who are utterly hostile to what you are doing. A counterfeit feels uncomfortable in the presence of the genuine article because it reveals his own 'counterfeitness' by comparison. It may even be the people closest to you – your family and your closest friends – who will oppose you the most vigorously, because they are the ones who have made the heaviest investment in thinking of you as you have always seemed to be. And once your true self comes out they may not recognize you – but did they never really know you in the first place? It will seem for a while that the world is trying to beat you back into your tomb. For many people, complete authenticity is 'crazy'.Forgive them and press on."As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give permission to others to do the same. We are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberates others." - Nelson MandelaJake Danger is a mental patient currently residing in the cellar of Oakfield Institute of the Very, Very Nervous. His website is called Lunatic Wisdom: News From Beyond the Matrix. He has to sneak past the nice men in white coats to post articles. Don't believe a word he says.
Category : Self-Improvement:Motivation
It starts when we're small children, about the time we first develop self-awareness. Society steps in – first in the form of our parents, then out teachers, then the media, or bosses at work, our peers – and tries to tell us 'who we are'. That's when we begin creating the false self, the self that is a response to the demands of the society around us. We begin managing other people's impressions of us, we begin to lie, we begin to act like a reflection of what we think the world expects us to be. Before too long we can no longer see ourselves in the mirror – we have stepped through the looking-glass into the Matrix. We forget that the false self is an artifice, and we begin to believe our own lies – we begin to believe that the false self is the real self, and thus submerge our real selves inside the tomb that we have created to encase it. Indeed, social conditioning is the most powerful of all mind-altering drugs.But what happens if you suddenly wake up and remember who you are? What happens if you try to reclaim your real self? You will find yourself besieged on all sides, surrounded by a society full of other false selves who are utterly hostile to what you are doing. A counterfeit feels uncomfortable in the presence of the genuine article because it reveals his own 'counterfeitness' by comparison. It may even be the people closest to you – your family and your closest friends – who will oppose you the most vigorously, because they are the ones who have made the heaviest investment in thinking of you as you have always seemed to be. And once your true self comes out they may not recognize you – but did they never really know you in the first place? It will seem for a while that the world is trying to beat you back into your tomb. For many people, complete authenticity is 'crazy'.Forgive them and press on."As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give permission to others to do the same. We are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberates others." - Nelson MandelaJake Danger is a mental patient currently residing in the cellar of Oakfield Institute of the Very, Very Nervous. His website is called Lunatic Wisdom: News From Beyond the Matrix. He has to sneak past the nice men in white coats to post articles. Don't believe a word he says.
Category : Self-Improvement:Motivation
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