What's the one thing starting today that you could start doing, stop doing, or change that would have a dramatic impact on your client relationships? It's an excellent question and I hope you'll take a moment to consider your response. It sometimes takes a great deal of effort and an extraordinary amount of energy to close "a big deal." Never forget, it may take even more effort and energy, to keep the business after you win it. It takes courage...more
It pays to be specific. I believe that statement is true. If it is true, why do so many salespeople pepper their sales presentations with phrases of generalities? There are two primary reasons. One is habit and the other is instinct. So many people in and out of sales speak in generalities. It's really hard to pin them down for the details. If speaking in generalities comes so naturally to so many people - it has to be instinctive.In sales it's...more
First - being before all others. Fast - moving or able to move quickly. Foremost - first in rank, order, or place. Wouldn't you like to be first, fast, and considered foremost in your business. Obviously, the correct answer is yes. Here are nine tips, hints, and practical ideas to get you on your way. These sales tips work. 1. First - All potential customers have needs. All potential customers have problems. All potential customers are never 100% completely satisfied with their current supplier. A professional salesperson recognizes these simple facts and uses prepared questions to uncover the hidden needs, problems, and dissatisfactions that every potential customer has. Once these have been uncovered, always try to have your potential customer quantify them for you in dollars. Every quantifiable problem is begging for a solution. That's where your products and services come in. 2. First - The way to achieve number one is based on your ability to ask rock-solid and open-ended questions. Develop and use a minimum of ten questions. Your questions should get your potential customers to talk about their business, responsibilities, challenges, priorities, current supplier, current...more
This bill of rights was laid out by Franklin Raines, president of Fannie Mae on January 15, 2000. The Mortgage Consumer Bill of Rights is a pledge fof $2 trillion over 10 years to help consumers gain access to home ownership. It also includes an "Open Book" approach to underwriting where customers can see all of the factors that go into evaluating...more
"Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one." Hans Selye - the "father of stress" and founder of the Canadian Institute of Stress. Every worker in America has heard of individual stress management techniques -- relaxation, meditation, and visualization -- good tools for getting through stressful periods. But if...more
The period, more or less one year before September 11. The White House Technology Advisor worked in the mankind largest plan until now, to install a fantastic communications and IT network of 100 Mb/s in 100 million houses in the next 10 years. A plan bigger than the Kennedy's plan to place a man in the Moon in 10 years. The plan was being developed with a lot of priorities, 470 companies had already petitioned to participate and/or to invest, they discussed the more suitable communications protocol among the existent ones - as the H.323 - and the new ones, etc. The forecast was to announce it until the end of 2002. That plan had very big goals, among which I can remember:01. e-Surgery 02. e-Physician 03. e-Education (all levels) 04. e-Training (for companies)05. e-Business (B2B, B2C, C2B, and by voice) 06. Iterative TV 07. e-Movies 08. e-Security (Federal, State, Country, homes) 09. e-Elections 10. TV telephony 11. e-Police 12. e-Government (all between the government and the Citizens) 13. e-Theater 14. e-Conferences 15. e-Libraries 16. e-Sciences 17. e-Polls 18. e-Management 19. TeleCommuter (home work)20. All IT processing and storage through distant data centers 21. An...more
Beyond magnificence and splendor, the world of diamonds evolves on stirred grounds. When the stake is so important, interests collide. But technology develops following its onward course. Here are some interesting off-stage events in the diamond...more
If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with this recorded message "This call may be recorded or monitored for quality purposes." I immediately think to myself, "Oh great, here comes the game of 20 questions."Now don't get me...more
If you have integrity, nothing else matters.If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.- Alan K. SimpsonIf I were to ask you which attribute is the most influential in regard to the success of a business, would you know immediately which one...more
So you've decided to write your own business plan because you know the value that the experience will give you. With the books and software that are out there today you can probably sit down and complete the plan in a day or so, right? Plug in the...more
An ongoing series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNThe "Seven Cs" are the danger signs that indicate your business partnership, or any partnership for that matter, is...more
A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.Competitive, Not Complementary ActionJames Carville and Mary Matlin are public relations spokespeople for the Democratic and Republican parties,...more