Sometimes the finest solutions are the simplest. Focusing on relationships when making cold calls is one of them. It keeps us genuine, and eliminates our dread of making cold calls. We're real people talking about real things. We're interested in the conversation, and it shows. Most of us dislike putting on our "salesperson persona" when we make cold calls. We think it's needed, however, because we've been trained to make the sale. And yet...more
Networking is a popular buzzword these days. Every blogger seems to be talking about Networking, Buzz Marketing and Word of Mouth Marketing. However, not many of them seem to be presenting specific strategies for making the most of local networking groups. This is why I decided to write this article.There are a variety of organizations that run networking groups across the country. The largest group is probably BNI, which offers members the...more
Cashflow Idea No. 1. Use 'cashflow' sales checklists.For sales people, get them to ask every single customer to make another 'add-on' purchase with the one they've already made. A great way to do this is to have a shopping 'checklist' of what the customer could buy. Cashflow Idea No. 2. Use 'cashflow' payment checklists.For your administration team. Have a checklist of your customers and when their payments are due. Set up reminder e-mails/sms's/and faxes for each customer to ensure their payment is received on time.Cashflow Idea No. 3. Increase your prices.Most business people are so scared of increasing their prices. Yet when you do you'll notice a couple of things happen. Firstly, 'nothing' may happen! That's the ideal. Secondly you may lose a couple of customers, but they'll typically be the 'hard' ones to deal with. If you increase your prices by 5 or even 10% across the board you've got heaps more profitability, and more room to move in giving great service.Cashflow Idea No. 4. Invite your past Customers to buy from you again.Collect your customers details and invite them to come back to your business. Make them an offer, have a VIP sale night, give them a gift cheque to...more
I have seen it all too often.Online Job seekers sign up for an Business opportunity and a Month or two Later they quit.I have seen some quit the same Day!You need to give your Home Business time to develop.I say this for several reasons.It might take a little time for you to decide what you want to do to make money on the internet. Why? Because...more
Last week, I traveled to beautiful San Diego for business and spent the day in a hotel restaurant that overlooked the harbor. With laptop in tow and cell phone in hand, I worked, without hassle.As the sun set, I took a stroll and it occurred to me that technology and the crazy pace of our world has caused us to work 24/7. Life's way too short for...more
In the first article of this series, I defined fraud, discussed how it can occur in a company, and provided some real-life examples of when and how it has occurred in the corporate world. (To read the first article, visit inlogik.com/12530+0+free-articles.htm.) In this - the second - article, we get down to nuts and bolts; how do you minimize fraud in YOUR company?There are two main steps required to stop fraud in your company: Step 1 - identify your fraud risks; Step 2 - implement corporate expense management software controls to minimize those risks.STEP 1 - Identify Your Fraud RisksIs your company vulnerable to any of the following?- Variances between hardcopies and computerized reports;- Departure and return airfare on different dates but with no corresponding hotel expenses;- Meals on weekends or in non-work locations;- Poor descriptions and incomplete documentation such as a missing boarding pass, itinerary or receipt;- Dates out of sequence;- Old receipts;- Nasty or inconsistent explanations to questions regarding claims. A common response is "how dare you question me?" ;- Copies;- Altered receipts;- Credit card statements or printouts instead of receipts;- Airline tickets:o...more
I am finally reading "The 8th Habit" by Stephen Covey. It seems to be a great book so far. One of the nice things about this book is that it includes a website that has short videos about some of the topics, so you can watch the video and then go...more
On January 26, 2006 we heard that the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) started a preliminary inquiry into SDL's July 2005 acquisition of Trados. We spoke with a person in the DoJ's Anti-Trust Division who told us that they had had come across news of...more
Most Americans have a problem with debt; the fact that the average household owes nearly $10,000 on their credit cards makes that pretty clear. And with interest rates and minimum credit card payments rising, consumers are finding their bills harder...more
The government provides loans to those individuals who have low to moderate income for permanent residence in rural areas. To qualify for these government loans is not that hard and the restrictions are small.The Federal agency that provides the...more
At tax time, most Americans find themselves expecting a refund. That's no surprise, as most people have too much money withheld from their paychecks. It would be a simple matter to adjust the withholding so that the amount of money withheld is...more
Did you know that it is very likely your company is a victim of fraud? In fact, it's probably happening right now! Fraud takes many forms - some obvious and well known, others subtle and unmarked. This two-part article sheds some light on the topic....more