Book of Lists Marketing for Pressure Washing Companies

The American Business Journals produces a Book of Lists each year in their many markets, it is wise for pressure washing companies to use this book of lists to find new clientele. The book of lists, lists the top companies in size in all industry sectors. Since pressure washing companies clean almost anything, it behooves them to use the book to selectively target the top companies to do business with.

A combination of phone and fax selling works best to secure personal appointments. Below is a rough idea of how our company uses the book of lists for new sales. If you own a pressure washing company you should too. You may wish to copy this article and three-hole punch it for your marketing binder. Think about it and Wash On !

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BOOK OF LIST INSTRUCTIONS

Personal Car Washing –

Skip those businesses with less than 25 employees

Business Parks, Commercial Buildings, Property Management Companies –

Fax to them every quarter

Make personal visit every 6 months

Contractors -

Fax fleet flyers every 4 to 6 months

Franchise Headquarters -

Stay away from franchise headquarters that are in our industry or are in a service business

Day Care Centers, Senior Care/Retirement Living Facilities –

Fax every 6 months

Boat/Marine Industry -

Fax 1 time each year and visit 1 time per year

Hotels, Motels -

Fax every 6 months

Travel Agencies -

Skip for 6 months to one year after Sept 2001 attack on America

Manufacturing -

Call purchasing and facilities departments every 6 months

House Washing -

Fax every 3 – 4 months

Apartment Complexes -

Fax in October and February

** Watch for duplicate fax numbers. Some companies own for example 5 hotels, 2 office complexes, 5 restaurants. They only need one fax. Such companies should also get a personal visit. Always call and get permission to fax first and a name to put at the top of the fax so it gets to the right person.

What's a Professional Sales Manager?

I was in the depths of a major depression. As a third year salesperson with a good company, I was doing well, and was on my way to becoming the top salesperson in the nation for that company. But business had slowed down a little, and I didn't have my usual number of proposals out for consideration. So, I wasn't as busy as usual. As my activity slowed, I began to worry. My doubts increased to the point where I had thought myself into a real depression, stuck on the question of "What's the use of trying?" The more negative my thoughts became, the less energy I had. My lack of energy led to fewer and fewer sales calls, which of course, led to less activity. And that led to more depressing thoughts. I was caught in a powerful downward spiral.

It was then that I caught a glimpse of what a professional sales manager is like.

Ned was my boss -- a sales manager of the highest caliber. He could see the symptoms of my sour state spilling over into everything I was doing. So Ned intervened. He arranged to have lunch with me, and listened patiently as I rambled on and on about my problems, my doubts, and my lack of activity. Finally, after I had dumped all my depression and negative thoughts on him, he looked me straight in the eye and said, with all the authority and resolve of someone who is absolutely sure of what they are saying, "Kahle, that's enough."

I was stunned. I was expecting empathy, an understanding shoulder to cry on. Instead, I got a simple, straightforward mandate. Ned knew me well enough to cut through all the fluff and come right to the heart of the matter. He said, "That's enough. That's enough feeling sorry for yourself. That's enough thinking all these negative thoughts. That's enough sitting back and not working as hard as you're used to. Stop it. You're better than all this. Stop it right now, today, and get your ..... back to work."

He saw my situation clearly. And he provided me the direction I needed. That conversation turned me around. I left my depression and negativity at that lunch table, and started back into my job with a renewed sense of the possible. A year later I was the number one salesperson in the nation for that company.

What made the difference in my performance was the skillful intervention of an astute and professional sales manager. He made the difference in my job performance, and that made a difference in my standing with that company. And that made a difference in my career. And that lead me to my current practice. It's entirely possible that I would not be doing what I do now, speaking and consulting with sales forces around the world, if it weren't for his timely intervention.

All of us have become what we are, at least in part, due to the impact other people have had on us. A professional sales manager is gifted with a rare and precious opportunity -- the opportunity to play a pivotal role in the lives of his/her charges. I so value the role that Ned played in my career, that the last paragraph on the "Acknowledgment" page of my first book reads, "Finally, I must make special, post-humus acknowledgement of the contribution made by Ned Shaheen, the best manager I ever worked for. It was Ned who, years ago, urged me to 'write the book...'"

So what does this have to do with being a "Professional Sales Manager?" During my 30 + years of sales experience and 16 years of experience as a sales consultant and sales trainer, I've encountered many sales managers. Some of have been good, many mediocre. But Ned was the best sales manager I ever met. He serves as a model for me. We can learn a number of lessons from him.

First, Ned knew the difference between the job of a salesperson and that of a sales manager. He had been a great salesperson -- like many sales managers around the world -- and had been promoted to sales manager. Yet he knew the jobs of sales manager and salesperson are completely different. A salesperson is responsible for building accounts and making sales. A sales manager, while ultimately responsible for the same results, understands that his/her job is to achieve those means through other people. A sales manager builds people, who in turn build the business. Salespeople focus on selling; sales managers focus on building salespeople.

As a sales person, I could comfortably take Ned into any account, secure in the knowledge that he wouldn't try to take over the presentation or usurp my relationship with the customer. I knew Ned was more concerned with me than he was about any one sale.

Ned knew that a salesperson was essentially a loaner, an individual who did most of his/her most important work by themselves, while a sales manager was a coach, whose only success derived from the success of his team. A sales manager's best work is always done, not with the customers, but with the people he/she supervises.

Ultimately, a sales manager is measured by the results achieved by his people. Sales, gross profits, market share, key product selling, -- all these typical measurements of sales performance are also one of the rulers by which a sales manager is measured.

So, an excellent sales manager, like a great soccer coach, is ultimately measured by his numbers. It doesn't matter how empathetic he is, nor how his players respect or like him, if year after year he produces a losing team. So it is with a sales manager. Ultimately, an excellent sales manager produces excellent numbers for his company.

In the five years that I worked for Ned, my own territory grew by $1 million a year, and the branch for which he was responsible grew from about $6 million to about $30 million.

Ned was excellent at one of the key competencies of the professional sales manager -- he had an eye for talent. He knew how to hire good people. After all, he hired me! Over the years, I watched him take his time, allowing a sales territory to go vacant for months, if necessary, while he waited for the right person to bubble up through his pipeline. Only one of his hires didn't work out -- which gave him an incredible winning percentage.

A professional sales manager understands the importance of making the right hire, is always recruiting in order to keep the pipeline of prospective salespeople full, and spares no expense to make sure the person he hires meets all the necessary criteria. When I was hired, I went through four interviews, and a full 10-hour day of tests with an industrial psychologist.

With all the time he took to make sure he was hiring the right person, Ned confided in me one day that, "It is more important to fire well then it is to hire well." He went on to explain that hiring sales people is an extremely difficult task, and that even the best sales managers fail at it frequently. Therefore, it was important to recognize your mistake quickly, and act decisively to fix it.

A professional sales manager, then, understands that when it is clear that a salesperson is not right for the job, he acts quickly, kindly, and decisively to terminate the individual, allowing both the individual and the company an opportunity to find a better match. Acting quickly to terminate a salesperson who isn't working out is both good business as well as good ethics. To allow a mediocre situation to fester to the detriment of the company, the salesperson, and the customers is to persist in a dishonesty.

Understanding that he works only through his sales people, and that he has the opportunity to make a great impact on his people, a professional sales manager makes it his business to know his people. Ned spent days with me in the field, talking not only about business, but also working at understanding the person I was as well. He'd arrange to meet me for breakfast or lunch regularly, even if he weren't spending the day with me. He wanted to get to know my wife as well, and paid close attention to her opinions. Several times over the five years we went to dinner as a foursome.

I could never stop in the office without being expected to sit in his office and talk about things. And, of course, there was the annual pig roast at his house, where all his salespeople and their families were invited to spend a fun day while the pig roasted over the spit. I was always a person to Ned, never just a "salesperson."

Because he took the time to get to know me, he was equipped with the knowledge of exactly how to best manage me. And he always saw the potential in me, and was ready to correct me when necessary. In the first year of my employment, I was earning the reputation among the inside customer support and purchasing people of being difficult and demanding. I was a hot-shot superstar who didn't take their feelings into consideration, and came into the office and dumped work on them. Ned let me know that my ways needed to change. At first, I didn't pay much attention. My numbers were too good for anybody to be concerned. So Ned let me know a second time that I was going to have to change. The situation was so acute, that the operations manager was lobbying to get me fired! Guided by his firm hand, I swallowed my pride, adopted a more humble attitude, and bought all the customer service reps a six pack of premium beer as a gift. My stock inside the company spring up dramatically, my ways corrected, and my future assured.

A professional sales manager guides and corrects his charges in order to help them achieve their potential.

Ned never stopped learning. He would often tell me about seminars he'd attended, books he'd read, or ideas he'd picked up by talking with other people. He knew that he never "knew it all." So it is with every professional sales manager. A real professional never stops learning. He understands that the world is changing rapidly, continually demanding new skills, new ideas, and new competencies from him. At the same time, his salespeople and their customers are changing also. So, he understands that he has a challenge to continuously grow and improve, to learn more and become btter at his job. Sales management isn't just a job, it's a challenge of a lifetime of improvement.

One more observation. Understanding that a professional sales manager is only successful when his charges are successful, an excellent sales manager supports, encourages and gives his sales people the credit.

It was the fourth year of my tenure, and Ned was lobbying for me to be awarded the "Salesperson of the year" award. It was given not only for sales performance, but for more subjective things - supporting the company's objectives and ethics, getting along with other people in the company, etc. The award was a great honor, and extremely difficult to win. Each sales manager nominated their favorite salesperson, and lobbied for one of their charges with the company's executives, who made the final choice.

The annual awards banquet was held at an exclusive country club, where the men wore tuxedos and the women formal evening gowns. When dinner was done, the speeches were finished and the lesser awards announced, it came time for the big one, the one I wanted.

The climate was tense and expectant. The entire room silent as the time approached for the announcement. Then, as the company president announced my name, it was Ned who thrust his fist in the air and shouted "YES!"

The photograph that hangs on my bedroom wall shows me shaking hands with the president and accepting the award. Look carefully and you'll see Ned standing proudly in the background.

There is a song that I find particularly moving. Perhaps you know the words made popular by Bette Midler. It goes like this, "It must have been lonely there in my shadow... Without the sun upon your face I was the one with all the glory You were the one with all the strength.

I can fly higher than an eagle Because you are the wind beneath my wings." Want to excel as a sales manger? Want to be a true professional? Look at your job as a unique opportunity to impact others, to select, correct, support and encourage your salespeople, to achieve your company's objectives by become a positive force in their lives. It's not a job, it's a mission. Be the wind beneath their wings.

And perhaps, one day, fifteen years from now, someone will write about you.

About Dave Kahle, The Growth Coach®:
Dave Kahle is a consultant and trainer who helps his clients increase their sales and improve their sales productivity. He speaks from real world experience, having been the number one salesperson in the country for two companies in two distinct industries. Dave has trained thousands of salespeople to be more successful in the Information Age economy. He's the author of over 500 articles, a monthly ezine, and four books. His latest is 10 Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople. He has a gift for creating powerful training events that get audiences thinking differently about sales.

How To Become A Better Sales Manager

YIPPEE! Kendra won, or should I say, "She was hired," by the "Donald." It was no surprise to me. It was all about people and management skills. You either have them or you don't! Kendra had them and Tana, sad to say, didn't.

The shenanigans you watched during the "Apprentice" show are perfect examples of what not to do if you want to become an effective and respected sales manager.

Enough about that . . .

Today, being a sales manager, is a tough job - and it can also be extremely rewarding. Here's what I find bizarre. There are too many undertrained sales managers trying to coach and develop their undertrained salespeople. It's not a pretty picture.

What do you think happens when that happens? Right - nothing much happens.

Last week I went to Chicago to conduct a one half-day sales training program. After completing the program in Chicago I was off to Las Vegas to do a two-day sales training program.

I'm sitting in an aisle seat (9D) on American Airlines flight #1417. Once I settled in I exchanged hellos with the guy sitting next to me.

I asked, "What kind of work do you do?"

He says, "I'm a sales manager" and proceeds to tell me about his company, his responsibilities, and some of his problems.

After a while he asks me, "What about you - what kind of work do you do?"

I gave him my prepared elevator speech, "I coach and train salespeople and sales managers on how to increase sales, earn more money, have more fun, and how to do it all in less time."

He says, "You coach sales managers, man could I ever use a coach!"

I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "One day I'm a very successful sales representative and the next day I'm a sales manager."

He continues and says "Hey, I wanted this job - it was a dream come true for me." Along with the promotion I got the standard "Hit the road Jack kind of attitude from my company."

"It wasn't mean-spirited, just a go figure-it-out for yourself kind of an attitude."

I asked him one of my favorite questions - a question that uncovers specific problems. I said, "Keith, as a sales manager, what are some of the biggest challenges you're dealing with now?"

He said, "You got an hour to hear them all?" I took some notes while he was talking and here's a list of what he said he needed help with:

Recruiting
Interviewing
Planning
Time management
Coaching
Motivation
Planning a dynamite sales meeting
Strategic account plans
Measuring performance
Sitting goals that get results
Leadership
Self confidence

I said, "That's quite a list."

He says, "My wife thinks I'm nuts for taking the sales management position."

She says, "You're working longer hours, you're always stressed out, and you're always thinking about work."

Well, I'm not going to bore you with any more of the details of that conversation - but Keith seems to be the perfect candidate for my just released Sales Management Coaching Program.

After I explained the program and all of its benefits to Keith he perked up and said, "Sign me up!"

You can use this link to see the complete Sales Management Coaching package - it will take only 118 seconds to read. http://www.meisenheimer.com/sales_coaching/individual.shtml

If you're a sales representative please forward this to every sales manager you know, who wants to become the best they can be in their role as sales manager.

If you're a sales manager, take a close look in the mirror and ask yourself, "How am I doing as a sales manager?" If you want to achieve superior results as a sales manager you'll have to have superior sales management skills at your fingertips.

Years ago, some of the best advice I never took was "You can't succeed alone." It took me a long time to buy into this very simple concept. Today I belong to a Mastermind group that meets every three months. We've been doing this for five years now.

During the same five years I have hired three different coaches to help me grow different parts of my business. Personally, I have always found an immediate payback with the coaches I've hired.

For me, the results have been truly amazing and incredibly rewarding.

Here's the link again to see the complete package. http://www.meisenheimer.com/sales_coaching/individual.shtml

Enough about sales management . . .

It's time to start thinking about the second-half of 2005.

Here are a few practical selling tips:

1. Prepare a list of what worked for you during the first half of 2005.

2. Prepare a list of what didn't work for you during the first half of 2005.

3. Prepare a written list of goals (Make them specific) that you want to achieve during the second half of 2005 - professional and personal.

4. For each written goal prepare a list of strategies that describes in considerable detail how you are planning to achieve each goal.

5. Identify the one thing that's holding you back from achieving phenomenal success. Be honest with yourself! Then, immerse yourself in a self-development program to convert this weakness into a personal strength.

This is not an exercise in futility. Actually, it's an exercise designed to help you achieve the personal growth and development you need to take your business to the next level.

If dealing with time management is an issue for you, my Audio Book "57 Ways To Take Control Of Your Time And Your Life" includes 57 creative ideas on how you can, once again, take control of your time and more importantly your life. Use this link for more information about the audio book and to see the extra stuff I'm including: http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=143021

Now go out and outsell and outsmart your competition . . .

Run a Productive Business From Your Car-Office

The way we do business has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. More products and services are now being offered outside traditional premises. You no longer have to go to a bank to complete your transactions or home loan applications. Insurance brokers visit your home or office; retailers deliver products directly to your home. This change in distribution methodology has meant many of us now run a car-office.

While researching this change in business strategy, we interviewed several successful managers, executives and sales people who operate their business from their car-office. Karen Lasorda, Vice President for Corporate Business Development of Harleysville National Bank was a valuable source of information as she shared some of her winning strategies to ensure she is highly productive and able to meet her targets each month.

While there are many advantages of working from you car-office including flexibility, being truly accessible to your clients and being able to conduct multiple appointments in one day, a number of challenges were highlighted. These included:

Having the correct information with you at the right time. A major challenge of people interviewed was being prepared for all situations - for all clients.

Being able to locate valuable information or resources – it is easy to lose things in a car-office.

Being unorganised. Many people have good intentions of getting organised however in a car-office environment, organisation is imperative.

If you find yourself in a car-office apply these tips to overcome these challenges and boost your productivity today:

Be self-motivated – this is seems like common sense but if you operate your business from your car-office you need to be highly motivated. It is easy to be distracted by shops (especially those stores having a sale!), interesting food outlets for a longer lunch, coffee or catch up with friends. You should enjoy the freedom of working from your car-office but also respect it as if you attended a traditional office.

Avoid eating in your car – don’t allow yourself to ‘eat on the run’. To be more productive you need to take adequate stretch and food breaks through the day. Enjoy your food, eat in a park, eat with a client or eat with your colleagues but avoid eating in your car. This will also help keep your car clean and smelling fresh.

Invest in an economical car – as you will be travelling many miles ensure you have good mileage and the car is efficient. This can be a costly expense to your business if you are spending unnecessary money on your vehicle.

Use a ‘week at a glance’ calendar – this valuable tool will help you plan your week and you can place this on the front seat of your car for easy viewing. This will enable you to respond to your clients needs quickly by knowing where you will be each week.

Prepare the night before – each night allocate 10 minutes to prepare for the next days activities. Determine what customer files, promotional materials, product samples and information you may need. This valuable investment of only 10 minutes each night will ensure a smooth and productive day tomorrow.

Allow an extra 10 minutes travel time – always add this extra 10 minutes to any travel plans you may have. If you think it will take you 20 minutes, allocate 30 minutes. This extra 10 minutes will be helpful if you have difficulty finding somewhere, encounter extra traffic or getting a parking space. This extra time allows you to arrive organised and not rushed. No one enjoys being late, always make a great impression with every appointment by arriving on time and feeling calm.

Keep a well-equipped glove compartment – have a good supply of items you may need on the road. This could include also pharmaceutical needs for headaches, minor scratches, tissues, throat lozenges and vitamins.

Keep a supply of stationary in your car – this includes spare notepads, blank paper, stamps, envelopes and thank you cards. Thank you cards allow you to quickly write a note to a new client and post the same day you have done business! This is a powerful way to be remembered by your clients.

Stock up on Business Cards – keep a good supply of business cards, brochures and letterhead in your car-office - you never know when you might find a new client or potential business opportunity.

Keep your trunk tidy – don’t forget that clients may sometimes see inside your trunk. Keep this area clean and organised. Take time each month to vacuum this area of your car and remove any trash.

Keep your files in the trunk – invest in an archive box or plastic container that will store up to 20 files. This will ensure all your valuable information is keep in a safe and secure place, out of sight and well organised if you need it.

Keep an emergency box – this plastic container could include bottled water, street directory/maps, first aid kit, and small umbrella. Women may also like to include items such as spare pantihose, nail files, sewing kits and safety pins.

Wash your car regularly – this includes inside and out. Your car-office also makes an impression with your clients. You may need to drive them somewhere or they meet you at your car-office. Always keep your car looking and smelling professional. Invest in regular car washes and clean the inside on a regular basis. If you don’t enjoy this task, consider outsourcing it; always keep your car tidy.

Carry bottled water in your car-office – we all know we should drink more water. Keep a supply of at least two bottles of water in your car so you are always hydrated and refreshed.

Find great coffee shops for meetings – seek out several locations where you can meet clients or potential customers that serve great coffee, are quiet and conducive to meetings and provide easy parking. Get to know the waiting staff and owners - develop relationships with them so they will provide exceptional service for you if you are meeting with someone in their location. You may also like to consider establishing a monthly account with them so that you don’t have any awkward moments when the check arrives at your table.

Allocate external storage space – for an effective car-office you may also want to dedicate a place within your home for additional supplies of information, files, stationary, promotional material or product samples. Keep only the required items in your car to avoid unnecessary clutter and an untidy car-office.

By applying these tips to your car-office you will be more productive, increase yoru sales, meet your monthly targets and enjoy the freedom of a car-office.

Scalp Pimples

Scalp pimples or scalp acne are not always the same as garden-variety skin pimples. The scalp is, of course, skin, but scalp pimples usually involve the hair follicles, which get inflamed. The disorder can vary in nature and comes under various scientific names, but basically they all result in small, itchy pustules that are usually first noticed while combing or brushing of hair. Such pimples get infected in no time at all and become a major problem.

The cause of scalp pimples is not clear. In certain cases, micro-organisms such as yeast, mites and the dreaded staph bacterium that often thrive in the uniquely suitable host environment of the scalp can lead to scalp pimples. In such cases, treatment with topical antibiotics such as clindamycin or erythromycin solutions or oral tetracycline may be necessary. In more severe infestations, even steroids may be needed. In milder cases, simple but unrelenting scalp hygiene can resolve the problem.

The milder forms of scalp pimples are a nuisance but nothing to worry about. The affected area may respond to the application of a salicylic acid solution or other over-the-counter pimple preparations. There is, however, one drawback: the extreme dehydrating and stripping action of compounds like benzoyl peroxide can have very adverse and permanent effects on the actual hair. At the very least, an unsightly bleaching may take place; at worst one may lose hair. For this reason, the application of pimple-control treatment solutions should be strictly limited to the affected areas.

Routine scalp hygiene should be improved if scalp pimples become evident. A good hypoallergenic shampoo calibrated for oily skin types will definitely be of benefit, since it will limit the occurrence of sebum. Local pimple-control applications will be of maximum efficacy after thorough shampooing.

Increase Your Sales - Accept Credit Cards

Many people today simply prefer the convenience of paying by credit card. If you want their business, you must be able to accept their credit-card payments.

In part one of this series we will discuss why you should accept credit cards, and the basics of getting merchant status. Part two will deal with objections you might get, which credit cards to accept, and the check paying option.

Obtaining merchant status, which allows you to accept credit-card payments, might seem like an unnecessary hassle, especially for those in business where the majority of their customers pay by cash or check. But by not accepting credit-card payments, you lose sales. This is especially true if yours is a mail order business, or consulting business. Just look at the majority of business today, all of them accept credit cards, and becoming more and more popular all the time are debit cards.

As many businesses have found, up to 70 percent of people never mail the check, so accepting credit cards is crucial. When the customer places an order, he’s excited and eager to buy. Faced with the prospect of sending a check, waiting for it to clear and then awaiting shipment, his interest is likely to wane. In the meantime, you lose sales.

The Basics of Merchant Status

In order to accept credit cards, you need to work with a bank that will transfer the money into your account within a day or two of the sale, and then collect the money from the customer. In return, you pay the bank a commission of 1.5 percent to 5 percent for each credit-card transaction; a set, per-transaction fee; and a setup fee. You will also have to pay monthly support or equipment-rental fees for a point-of-sale terminal—the machine used to swipe the card—depending on the contract.

The fee is based on two things, the average amount per transaction and the total volume for the year.

When you apply for merchant status, the banks evaluate your business based on its sales track record, the type of business it is, your credit record, the business’s credit record and your overall financial picture.

Apply for merchant status when you get your start-up financing. This accomplishes several things. First, it shows that you’ve thought ahead. And you will probably have customers that you wouldn’t have otherwise. In fact, some people don’t pay with anything but credit cards.

Second, you show you’re taking steps to minimize the time and expense involved in recovering bad debts. If someone writes a bad check, for instance, it will cost you time and money to recover the loss. If you swipe a customer’s credit card through a point-of-sale terminal, you can be sure you’ll get paid. The machine contacts the issuing bank to authorize the transaction and runs the account numbers through a variety of fraud-protection procedures.

In part two of this series we will deal with objections you might get, which credit cards to accept, and the check paying option.

Are Your Business Proposals Losing You Sales? 10 Steps to Get the "Yes" You Deserve

Your ability to write an effective and persuasive business proposal directly relates to your level of success. Write a great proposal and you’ll get the contract or make the sale. Write a ho-hum proposal and your prospect will go elsewhere.

Regardless of the product or service you’re pitching, your prospect makes his or her ultimate decision based on how you write the proposal, not the product or service itself. That means even if you have the best product in the world, if you write the proposal poorly, you probably won’t get the deal. A lesser quality product or service may very well beat you out just because the other person knew how to write persuasively.

For any proposal you submit, realize that your prospect is likely reviewing at least twenty others. Therefore, your job is to make your proposal not only stand out, but also get selected as the bidder of choice. To increase the odds of your proposal winning, follow the proposal writing guidelines below. Doing so will enable you to get the “yes” you deserve.

1. Always use the prospect’s correct name, title, and company name. While this may sound obvious, many salespeople and business owners send proposals to the wrong person, or they misspell the prospect’s name or company name, or they write an incorrect corporate title. Such oversights make a negative impression and alert the prospect to the fact that you’re careless. If you don’t know how to spell someone’s name or his or her exact title, call the person’s office and ask. While you’re at it, verify the street address and company name. Is the prospect’s title that of Sales Director or Sales Manager? Is the company an Inc or an LLC? Are they located at 41 Buckingham Street or Avenue? Prospects look at these details to get a feel for your professionalism and attention to detail. Pay attention to the details every time.

2. Always include a cover letter that includes the reason for your proposal.

Since your prospect is likely reviewing more proposals than just yours, include a brief cover letter that recaps any conversations you’ve had and that clearly states why you’re presenting your proposal. After all, if you don’t state why you’re sending this 10-30 page document to someone, why should they bother reading it? For example, you could write, “I am enclosing the proposal we discussed on June 1 that will introduce you to the ABC widget. Based on your stated needs of (state the needs), you will see in the proposal that this widget will (state the benefit).” Too many salespeople fail to state a reason for the proposal. But if you don’t give people an immediate reason to keep reading, you’ll miss your chance to capture their attention. A lonely proposal in an envelope or attached to an e-mail gets absolutely nowhere.

3. Always include an immediate, brief overview of your product or service.

In one opening paragraph, state what your product or service is, what pain or challenge it solves, and how your prospect will benefit from what you offer. Stick to the facts. Resist the temptation to make your product or service sound grander than life. Phrases like “first,” “only,” “greatest,” revolutionary,” and “groundbreaking” typically raise red flags and indicate that you’re exaggerating.

4. Always include research and development information.

Your company has likely done plenty of research into your product or service, so highlight the findings in your proposal. Show your prospects that they’re getting more than just any old product or service. Show them all the benefits they’ll get when they invest their time and money into your solution, and why that investment is worthwhile. Highlight any intriguing findings or principles that relate to your prospect’s challenge. Show them that your company knows what they’re going through, have done the research for them, and now have the best solutions for their needs.

5. Always write in chunks.

A business proposal is not a book or a magazine article. Structure your proposal so your prospect can skim read it and pull paragraphs out as needed. Think in sound bytes and text block chunks. Why? Because studies show that people have greater comprehension and longer retention when printed information is presented to them in bullet points, numbered lists, or some other format that sections out pertinent details.

6. Always include all the important technical details.

Make sure your proposal lists the small but important technical details your prospect will need to know. How many items come in a case? How many user licenses does it include? How long of a warranty is included? Does the price include service calls, consultation, or training? If so, how much? Don’t let your prospect guess about anything. Make it easy for them to get the facts so they can make a quick and informed decision.

7. Always state the obvious.

Remember, the prospect reading your proposal does not know much, if anything, about your product or service yet. So just because you know that an accounting computer program can calculate and create employee paychecks, don’t expect your prospect to make that assumption. They need to read everything, even the obvious, or they may not realize all the features and benefits your solution provides.

8. Always write for an eighth-grader.

Most mainstream and business publications are written at an eighth-grade level, so no matter how complex your product or service is, keep your proposal geared so that an eighth-grader can understand it. This is not to imply that your prospect is dumb or uneducated; rather, he or she is a busy professional who is pressed for time. Your prospect wants the information presented in the simplest way. So resist the temptation to impress people with your big words and over-complex solutions. Instead, impress them with your knack for making a complicated solution easy.

9. Always use good grammar.

Sure, you want your proposal to gain attention, so breaking some grammar rules for added impact or emphasis is okay. But don’t overdo it or you may appear careless. Remember, you’re selling a professional solution. If your proposal is riddled with errors, your prospect may think your solution is too. Always have a co-worker or professional editor read your proposal prior to sending it. In today’s marketplace, bad grammar could cost you the sale.

10. Always make a compelling call to action.

What do you want the person reading your proposal to do? Buy your product? Contract for your services? Stock your merchandise in his or her store? Whatever action you want your prospect to take, state it clearly. “I recommend you begin by placing an introductory order for 500 piece.” “I suggest we start with a three-month consulting contract.” “I recommend you devote three shelves to this product.” Tell them precisely what you want.

The Winning Proposal

As any business owner or salesperson knows, “you’re only as good as your last proposal.” So commit to enhancing your business proposals, and focus on writing effectively and persuasively. By following these pointers, you’ll be 10 steps closer to landing that next deal.

Make Time, Not Excuses

There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in on an ongoing basis. These are Prospecting (45% of time), Presenting (20%), Product Knowledge/Malleability (20%), and Professional and Personal Development (15%)

Recently we were presenting this information in a workshop on Prospect Management, when one of the participants raised his hand and said: “That’s great. But you just don’t understand. We spend so much of our time having to service our existing clients and putting out fires, there’s no way to have that much time for prospecting and all this other stuff.”

Sound like something you face?

We understand, because we’re out there selling too. Just like you, we go out and find new prospects, show them how we can help them, deal with client service, make sure training materials show up where they’re supposed to be, etc… And, we spend a good deal of time consulting, conducting workshops, and working with clients.

Like most sales professionals, we, too, have to juggle my time to focus on actually selling and prospecting.

The key is effective time planning.

Time planning is really more than time management. You really can’t manage time at all when you think about it – no matter what we do time marches on. No matter what we do there are 52 weeks in a year, 24 hours in day, and 60 minutes in an hour. Try as we might, we just ain’t gonna change that. So, let’s not bemoan that we don’t have enough time – the time you spend complaining about not having enough time is time you could spend on something more productive and rewarding. (Ever notice that the people who complain the most about not having enough time are usually the ones getting the least amount done? Think about it and observe.)

So, we can’t control time itself, but what we can control is how we use our time. In fact, when you come right down to it, our use of own time is the ONLY thing in life that we really have complete control over. Every minute of every day you are making a choice, whether consciously or not, over how you use your time. The key to effective time planning is to make conscious decisions over how you spend this most valuable resource.

Here are some tips to help you plan and utilize your time more effectively:

Be obsessive about planning:

Everybody these days uses some sort of planner whether electronic or paper; that’s a personal choice and either one is fine. But, real effective planning is more than making a daily to-do list.

Plan Weekly: Look at everything you have going on for the next two weeks. First appointments, follow-up meetings, presentations, internal meetings etc… In addition to actual meetings, you need to schedule in time for:

- meeting preparation
- travel time to and from meetings
- administrative and paperwork

Schedule these things into your calendar so you know exactly when you are going to do them!

Next, schedule in time – make a firm appointment with yourself – for prospecting activities. When will you make calls? I can guarantee that if you don’t make a firm appointment with yourself, those calls won’t happen.

Taking this weekly view is vital to effective time planning; many things that we do can’t get done in one day, but if know what we want and need to accomplish in the broader space of a week, we’re more likely to be productive with our time.

Plan Daily: Look ahead to the next day. What urgent things will you need to attend to? When will you do them? What things did you not get done today that you need to do tomorrow? Do this each day at the end of the day so you can start your next day fresh with the knowledge of exactly what you’re setting out to do.

TIP: Don’t overpack your time too much. You do need to allow for the unexpected. You also need to constantly reevaluate your time in the face of changing priorities. Give yourself the cushion for this.

Analyze Regularly: Keep track of how you spend your time, and analyze its level of productivity; look at whether each activity is moving you closer to your goals or is not. Try doing this for a period of two weeks; you’ll be amazed to realize how much time we spend on non-productive things. Just the sheer act of tracking this will make you more productive, guaranteed.

Apply “Zero-Based Thinking”: Author and speaker Brian Tracy, in his book “Focal Point” talks about applying “Zero-Based Thinking” as a way to form your goals and mission. It applies at this level as well. As you get a sense of where you’re time is currently spent, ask yourself these questions:

- What things do I need to start doing?
- What am I currently doing that I need to do more of?
- What am I currently doing that I need to stop doing?

What things can you delegate? What things could you stop doing that aren’t really necessary? (Think hard on this one; there are certainly things we all do that don’t really need to be done at all.)

Take time for reflection and planning: “But wait”, you say! “I don’t have time to do stuff now, how can I take all this time for planning. Sounds nice in an ideal world, but I have to live in reality!” Taking the time for planning and thinking will actually make you more productive. You will be in more control of your time, and you will be focused on the activities that will yield you the best results. 15 minutes a day is all you’ll really need. And those 15 minute could well be the most important time you spend!

To help you, here some great tools you can download:

Daily Time Tracking Worksheet

Weekly Planning Worksheet

10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays

Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come in? Why not use this downtime to set yourself up for greater success in the new year? Here are my 10 picks, but you don't have to do them all. Even doing just one will get you another rung higher on your business ladder.

1. Evaluate your virtual team and make changes if necessary.

Are administrative tasks taking up most of your time and keeping you from working ON your business? Then hire a virtual assistant. (See my article on this topic at www.EzineQueen.com/everything.htm.) Are you paying too much in taxes? Meet with your accountant to talk about getting more aggressive with write-offs, or make appointments to interview new accountants. Same goes for your lawyer -- do you love him/her? If not, take this time to ask around for referrals.

2. Learn how to get more business via your Web site.

Would you like to be getting business leads and sales 24-7? Then look at how your Web site could be working better for you. For help in writing copy that sells, sign up for Red Hot Copywriter Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero's e-zine at www.Red-Hot-Copy.com. To get more targeted Web visitors, sign up for Marc Harty's free e-course at www.StrategicTraffic.com. It gave me tons of new ideas!

3. Revamp your e-zine or launch an e-zine.

Remember that having a ready list of warm prospects is your goldmine, and having an e-zine positions you for more sales on a regular basis and for the LONG-TERM. The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to release your first issue! If you're not publishing yet, get ready with all the great free resources at www.EzineQueen.com.

4. Clean out that e-mail inbox once and for all!

Unanswered e-mails, people to follow up with, information not recorded or filed in the proper places --- need I say more? Delete e-mails that are more than a few months old. Set up e-mail folders to help you stay more organized in the future. And if your program allows, set "rules" to automatically sort incoming e-mails into those folders.

5. Clean out your filing cabinet, bookshelf, desk, etc.

Is your office a fire hazard? Do you have to rustle through giant stacks of paper like a large rodent to find anything? Will your spouse not even enter the premises? Put on some good music, start digging, and make piles. Make sure to have plenty of trash bags and cardboard file boxes on hand. (And a good glass of wine always makes it more fun.)

6. Upgrade or clean up your computer.

Your computer probably holds most of the information that's crucial to your business, so take care of it! Now's a great time to do an overhaul. Upgrade your operating system (do you STILL have Windows 95?), get rid of unnecessary files, archive old files to CDs, add more disk space for all those downloads, and do system maintenance. Not sure how to go about this? Find a geek-for-hire to come and help you out.

7. Let your clients know how much you are thankful for their business.

Whether it's holiday cards or thank-you notes, this is a good practice for both your business and you. Letting the universe know you're grateful for what you have will only bring you better things in the future.

8. Plan an upcoming teleseminar.

For a quick cash-flow boost, plan a paid teleseminar! These phone-based events are easy to do and can be great income generators. Either host it yourself on a topic you're qualified to talk about, or invite a special guest to interview. To encourage holiday signups, offer special pricing for those who register before the new year. (Learn how to host a successful teleseminar at www.EzineQueen.com/teleseminar.htm)

9. Write down your 25 best accomplishments for this past year.

This simple exercise is extremely powerful. Time goes by so quickly that we forget to celebrate the good things that happen. First I light a candle and write down my 25 accomplishments. Then, taking each one in, I read them aloud. After the last one, I blow the candle out, and then IMMEDIATELY make a list of 10 goals for the new year. (After truly acknowledging all the amazing things you did this year, you'll feel incredibly powerful and set even higher goals!)

10. Actually enjoy the holidays!

Yes! I realized that for the past few years I've been running around like a nut every December and suddenly the next year is here. Christmas and New Year's blaze by like a freight train, and I'm back to the grind shortly thereafter. Where's the joy, peace, and love?

Remind yourself what the holidays are for -- to take a step back and appreciate what you have, to enjoy your family and friends, to give to others, and to be good to yourself. So take that walk in the snow, go to that tree lighting with your kids, get that massage, and plan a leisurely shopping day during the week.

Remember, we only have so many Christmases in a lifetime.

Sales Territory Management - How to Prioritize Your Activities to Produce Maximum Results

How you prioritize your sales territory management activities depends upon whether you are managing a territory that has existing customers, or whether you are building your customer base from scratch.

If you manage a territory that has existing customers, your first priority should be to introduce yourself to every single one of your customers. This should be a pleasant, low-key introduction along the lines of, "I just wanted to introduce myself and see if there is anything I can do to help you." Then, as you are chatting with your customers, you can ask, "Would you mind sharing with me how you think my company's relationship with you has been going so far? What have we been doing well? Where could we improve?"

Collecting this kind of feedback is a great way to start relationships with customers. It also helps you draw any festering problems out into the open. If you can address the problems quickly, it can really jump-start your relationships with the affected customers.

This same approach can also be effective for customers that have been reducing their purchases from your company over time, or customers that have stopped ordering completely. It is never much fun to listen to people complain. But, if you can isolate and solve the problems that are causing the dissatisfaction, you can produce a rapid and substantial boost in sales.

If you find customers that are really happy with the service your company has provided, drill down (with more questions) to determine just what has made them so happy. Their answers will provide you with a template for successfully managing their (and other) accounts. Also, ask these happy customers for referrals…regardless of whether you have contributed in any way to their happiness! Happy, satisfied customers are usually delighted to share their positive experience with others.

Once you have met all of your existing customers, the next step is to identify target prospects in your territory. Start by checking with your manager. If they have been managing your sales team for any period of time, they should be able to suggest some good target prospects.

Once you have compiled a list of target prospects, determine which ones you will pursue first. Which target prospects have the greatest potential to purchase the largest amounts of products and services? Which ones are likely to be "quick closes"? If you have both types of target prospects on your list, pursue several of each type at the same time. In the words of a well-respected executive that I used to work with, "Elephant hunting is great…but those rabbits sure taste good in between the elephants!"

When you are ready to begin pursuing your target prospects, start by asking your existing customers whether they know anyone that works in the target organizations. If they do, ask for referrals. Once you have exhausted available referrals, proceed with the other activities in your prospecting plan - but tailor these activities to attract the attention of your target prospects.

Conclusion

Effective sales territory management begins with touching base with every single one of your existing customers. Ask questions to gauge their satisfaction with their relationship with your company. If they identify any problems, work aggressively to solve these problems as your first priority.

If a customer expresses happiness and satisfaction, ask questions to determine what your company has been doing right. Use this information to create a template for managing all of your accounts. Also be sure to ask for referrals, both in general and to specific target accounts. Exhaust these referrals before you begin the other (less productive) activities in your prospecting plan.

Sales Plan? What's a Sales Plan?

In the past, if you said the word “plan” to me, I would bolt and run. I’m the “creative type,” a former ballet dancer and choreographer—I’m terrible with details. When I was dancing professionally, all the details were taken care of; all I had to do was show up and dance. Even when I was choreographing, as long as I met my deadline for when the dance needed to be complete, I could go with the moment, go with the impulse and see where the dance led.

A hearty dose of reality hit when I began to run a dance company. All of a sudden, I had people—employees, volunteers and dancers—waiting. I had to know where we were going and how we were going to get there. It was a different world. Every decision had impact down the line. If we were going to have a spring season, I needed to know what we would be performing and where we’d be performing it. How many dancers would I need? What about costumes? Were we going to commission music? What would it cost? How would we pay for it all?

It took a long time for me to grasp the impact of having a plan. Because I was running a small, grass roots organization, there never seemed to be enough time, people, money or resources. I was always putting out fires. Every plan I developed changed the moment I keyed in the last sentence and printed it out. Plan—who has time to plan? Especially when the plan keeps changing!

Over time, I began to see the planning process as a road map. You know your ultimate goal. You figure out the best way to get there. Your plan needs to include contingencies and have enough space that you can deal with fires and still move forward. And sometimes, the plan changes; it might need some adjustment or “tweaking.” As long as the goal remains the same and as long as you keep taking steps forward to achieve that goal, your plan will help you get there.

In sales, your goal is revenue-driven. How much money do you want to make? Or a better question: How much profit do you want to make? Then, how are you going to achieve that?

Your basic plan should start with a dollar amount and work backwards. If, for example, you want to gross $500,000 in sales this year, on average, how many sales would that be? What is your average sale? On average, how many prospects do you have to see or speak with to close one sale? So, how many prospects would you need to see or speak with to close the number of sales you would need to reach your goal of $500,000? What steps do you need to take to see or speak with that many prospects?

Wow! What a mouthful! Here is a mathematical formula:

First:
Value of average sale =______________
How many prospects to close one sales: _______________

Then:
Gross sales ¸ average sale = total number of sales needed

Number of prospects to close one sale x total number of sales needed = total number of prospects

(This formula is from a dancer who counts up to 8 and starts over again! If I can do it—you can do it!)

A Real CRM Strategy or Just Tracking Customers?

Exactly what is CRM

The idea itself is nothing new; its roots have been around since trading began. The principle of looking after your customers so that they come back regularly is, after all, merely the basis of good trading. In an increasingly competitive commercial world however, strong customer relationships take on an increasing importance. With the cost of selling to a new customer being five times the cost of selling to an existing one you can’t afford to lose established business.

Yes, you still want new markets, and yes, for various reasons customers will still disappear. The important thing is to minimise this loss and make sure the reasons behind it don’t stem from something you are doing – or more significantly something you are not doing.

Which is why good Customer Relationship Management is vital – and why the process has now been refined to make it more effective than ever.

What does CRM Involve?

In essence, making your customer feel special by understanding his needs and fulfilling those needs in a personal manner which will keep him coming back for more.

Going that extra mile and providing service beyond that which was expected takes your customer to the next stage, where he becomes a ‘raving fan’ of your business - and you can’t have too many of those. Achieve this and your customer suddenly becomes part of your sales force, telling everyone he meets how good you are.

This can actually be achieved without computers and software. A good memory and a card index can keep track of customer’s preferences and buying patterns. Newsletter campaigns, post sale follow-ups and special offer mailings can all be organised - given time; except that this is where it so often falls apart. For most companies time is the commodity in shortest supply.

Identifying the Challenge

This is where you find the first steps into CRM. Contact Management or Personal Information Manager software can provide substantial benefits. A database of customers for envelope labelling, simple word processing and calendar functions can save an enormous amount of time. The latest breed of contact manager software can do this quite efficiently across small groups of people, an office based sales team for example. So what’s the point of moving to a full CRM strategy? Why not stick with a simple address book style contact manager?

The real secret of selling has always been to ‘Think Buying’ So consider for a moment, the things that annoy you as a customer:

• Promised return phone calls not made, and information not sent

• Not being informed of possible delays or problems

• That call to tell you when your order is ready – promised but not made.

• One department in the company having no idea what another department said to you in the last call or letter.

• No one bothering to call to make sure the goods arrived, or are satisfactory. Probably no calls at all – until of course they want to sell you something else

• No one knowing what they last sold to you – or when

• No one knowing enough about you to offer you items or services that would enhance or compliment your purchase. Frequently only one person in the company seems to know anything about you! And if they’re not available…?

Overcoming all this takes more than just contact management software.

The Answer

What is needed is a change in attitude that extends from shop floor to boardroom. Not easy! It takes something special to initiate such a major change, but once up and running the change will feed on its own success.

The CRM solution provides a sophisticated but (and this is important) ‘easy to use’ computer system which monitors all activity with customers, current or potential. Phone, mail, e-mail and fax all link in. Give everyone in your company who deals with your customers access to that system. Link it to word processors, accounts systems, stock control and manufacturing Now you’re starting down the right road to achieving your ultimate goal - customers who become Raving Fans.

Your Information Bonus

The additional benefit to a company implementing CRM, is far superior tracking of sales and marketing activities. Suddenly it becomes easier to identify the most effective sources of business. i.e.

• which Mailshots worked best
• which sector provides your best business
• how many leads turn into actual sales

All this information makes running your company so much easier. Your Sales Manager will also benefit considerably from being able to see sales activity and ratios more clearly. He will probably produce the most accurate sales forecast you have ever seen!

Conclusion

So, should you try to implement CRM or just stick with contact management? That depends on what you want to achieve. If your aim is to look after your customers to the best of your ability, keep those customers, and tower head and shoulders over your competitors, it has to be CRM.

The alternative is to stay with the pack and lose, on average, 50% of your customers every 5 years. Can you afford to do that?

Roy Gough
Alloy CRM
Helping you keep your customers away from the competition

Best Price or Biggest Margin?

With so many companies paying commissions as a percentage of gross margin, it's tempting to quote full price - or at least a very high price - when writing proposals. You'll certainly make the biggest commission this way, but the question begs: will you lose too many sales on price to make it worthwhile?

If you've read my materials before, you know that I am very blunt about speaking the truth, and the truth is that price matters. Lots of sales trainers seem to be in total denial of this fact, and a lot of managers too, who just happen to be paid on profit margin. They insist that if you're a good salesperson, you can sell everything at full price. But in the real world, price matters. Period.

Even when using the powerful profit justification techniques I teach, if your price is out of line, it's out of line. Your prospect will take your profit-justified proposal and ask a competitor to provide the same solution at a better price.

As usual, this topic came to mind due to a real life experience that happened to me. It was a conversation yesterday with a friend who happened to be the prospect of a salesperson trying to make a full-price sale. The moment she objected to the price, the salesperson immediately offered a lower price. A much lower price.

Her reaction? She was insulted - infuriated - that the sales rep tried to pull one over on her. She rightfully felt that his intent was to get as much money as he could out of the sale. When the sale was in jeopardy, he instantly dropped his price. After all, getting less money is still better than getting none.

I feel the same way when a salesperson marks up a price in an attempt to make easy money off of me. I'm not stupid, and I take it as an insult to my intelligence when it happens.

When I was selling based on margin, I gave a fair price up front and stuck with it. I told the prospect flat-out that my price was my best price and it could not come down any more. I explained that I feel it's unethical not to give my best price up- front because anything else would be an attempt to rip the prospect off. Prospects identified with this and appreciated my honesty and frankness. I got lots of sales this way.

In addition to angering prospects, quoting your full price will also cause you to lose more sales than you know. Prospects will consider your quote to be "out of the ballpark" and assume that even if you can negotiate, you still won't be within their budget, and as a result they won't return your calls when try to offer that lower price. Quoting a fair price up front gives you a much better shot at the sale.

Having said all this, quoting a fair price doesn't mean giving your maximum discount on every proposal. Find the right balance where your price is fair and competitive but where you're still making a good commission. If your proposals are within that range, you'll win plenty of sales and have a generous commission check to show for them!

4 Marketing Myths Threaten Your Sales

These 4 marketing myths can cause you to lose sales if you base your marketing decisions on them. But the related marketing tips I included with each myth will boost your sales if you act on them instead.

Myth 1:
People Always Buy Where They Get the Cheapest Price

If this was true, only businesses that charge cheap prices would exist. Some people buy where they get the cheapest price. But most people are more interested in getting value for their money than in getting a bargain.

Tip: Look for some low-cost ways you can enhance the perceived value of your product or service. Then test raising your price. Don't be surprised if both your sales and your profit margin go up.

Myth 2: v Offering Your Customers Many Options Will Boost Your Sales

Presenting your customers with options usually reduces your sales. Here's why...

When confronted with several options, most customers have difficulty making a clear decision. They often react by procrastinating - and never making a decision. When this happens, you lose a sale you already had.

Tip: Try to limit your customer's decision making to either "Yes. I'll buy." or "No. I won't buy". Don't risk losing them by including "which one" decisions.

Myth 3:
Everybody Needs My Product/Service

That's what YOU think. Most of them don't think they need it ...and most aren't ready to spend their money for it.

The hazard of this myth is that it causes many marketers to believe they can succeed without doing much marketing or selling. They think their product or service is so special that it should automatically generate hordes of paying customers. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen that way.

Building a successful business is hard work - most of it devoted to finding customers. Even if most people can use your product or service, you still need a marketing strategy to reach them and a persuasive sales message to close sales.

Tip: Look for narrowly defined niche markets where your product or service solves a unique need of the customers. Focus your marketing on them instead of trying to reach a broadly defined general market. You'll generate more sales and enjoy a better return on your advertising expense.

Myth 4:
Keep Changing Your Advertising or Your Sales Will Decline

This sounds logical but it's not true. Never abandon advertising that's working. I know many businesses that have been using the same advertising for years and they're still growing. Here's why...

The goal of most advertising is to attract new customers. Once someone becomes a customer, they won't respond to that advertising again. But you can use different (and cheaper) advertising to generate additional sales from them.

But there's still a large population of non-customers who didn't respond to your regular advertising. Most have not seen it yet ...and those who have usually need to see it numerous times before they will respond.

Don't abandon advertising that's working - but keep trying to improve it. And regularly test new things to see how they work for you. If you never make any changes in your advertising, your sales will eventually decline.

Tip: You can automatically keep your advertising up to date by allocating 80 percent of your budget to proven promotions and 20 percent to testing new things. When something new works better than your proven promotions, move it to the 80 percent group and start testing something else in the 20 percent category.

Don't believe these 4 marketing myths. They're not true. Marketing based on them will cause you to lose sales. Instead, apply the related marketing tips I included after each myth to boost your sales.

How to Organize a Seminar or an Event

Seminars and events have always been implemented as a holistic experience to participants. Thus, organizing an event requires extensive planning and preparation with most work implemented at least a few months before the actual event. Most of the time, seminars seem to run like clockwork with all events flowing smoothly according to schedule. In reality however, much groundwork has been worked on with the purpose of developing the right atmosphere in addition to a beneficial experience to partipants.

1. Establishing the theme of the event

Each event follows a theme and purpose which will drive the event set-up, the target audiences or the participants, the guests and the marketing approach. In general, a business event such as an international conference for a particular industry will appeal to participants conducting businesses within that industry as well as sponsors who gain mileage out of publicizing their products during the event.

Apart from that, the theme of the seminar will also determine the type of marketing channels to be used to for publicity. This also holds true for the seminar marketing team who will need the event theme to correctly identify target participants and companies to sell the event to.

2. Selecting a venue

Venue selection is highly dependent on the scale of the event. Usually this is determined by the number of participants, the presence of any guests of honor (such as royalty or politicians) the activities during the event, or if there are additional floor space required for exhibition purposes.

A typical seminar of about 100 – 200 can be comfortably implemented in a hotel seminar room, possibly in a theater style setting or classroom setting. However, larger scale events with participant numbers scaling between 500 – 1000 may require a large hall, ballroom, auditorium or a convention center.

The location and quality standard of the venue is also important especially if the event involves the participation of VIPs. With this, a reputable location would be imperative, including good quality and wide range of seminar facilities available. It is always wise to explore the possibility of a few venues and examine their location suitability, level of services, ambience, and costs before coming to a decision.

3. Seminar Marketing and Publicity

Seminar marketing is by far the most critical and often most challenging task in event organizing, and is often regarded as the most critical factor of an event’s success. This is because the number of participants turning up for a seminar is highly dependent on the strength of marketing activities and publicity. Whether or not the event achieves its objective or whether the organizers will walk home with a profit or loss largely depends on the marketability of the event. This means that the right marketing strategy and seminar positioning must be adopted in order to draw adequate event sign-ups.

Most of the time, event organizers who have large budgets will turn to above the line marketing such as newspaper and magazine advertisements as well as radio and television advertising to publicize the event. Press releases may also be sent in to major newspapers, in order to create the awareness of the upcoming event. Additionally, large advertising media banners and posters can also be purchased to advertise the event in high human traffic areas. When using print advertising, the specific magazine or newspaper used must have the target audience of your event as their primary readership base. Also all print media should be copy written with an enticing approach, highlighting the extensive benefits of participation.

However, if budget is a problem, then below the line marketing may also do wonders. If the event is industry specific, mass faxing to companies belonging to the industry would be feasible. Telemarketing is a very effective marketing channel to create awareness within the right participant group. Additionally, dispatching sales personnel to attend to the requirements of large participant groups is an ideal and effective strategy. Mass emailing has become one of the most cost-efficient methods to reach out to large target audiences. This would be really useful if the event organizer already have an existing database. Otherwise, a list of names can be rented from database companies to attain the same results.

4. Collaboration with sponsors

Getting reputable sponsors to participate in an event will help boost the creditability of the event, as well as reduce costs. Sponsors can also help with marketing, as they also help publicize your event to their customers. Apart from that, some of the sponsors can chip in on venue rental in exchange for exhibition space or publicity for themselves. Some sponsors also require a short message of their company to be given to the participants during the event. Others give away sample products or door gifts to participants.

5. Managing People and working with speakers

A seminar will not be successful without the people running it, as well as the speakers sharing their knowledge to the participants. Invite speakers who are of caliber and reputation to the event, and who will provide the participants with relevant information to their work, industry or business. Prepare the speakers beforehand and work with them on their Power point presentations as well as pre-inform them of the logistics processes, timing as well as the expected audience size. Check with them on any special requests, such as the requirement for an overhead projector or additional microphones to be used for question and answer sessions.

All events require a good team of people handling tasks on ushering, registration, customer service as well as handling financials. Familiarize the team with any required event protocol to eliminate the possibility of confusion or error. In order to ensure smooth implementation, each person should be familiar with their individual roles. This can be ensured through a preparation of a detailed schedule of events coupled with roles and responsibilities for each person. Ideally, a project manager should control the whole team and ensure that everyone is carrying out their duties efficiently. Apart from that, the project manager also has the delegated authority to deal with all parties such as the venue management as well as the sponsors and event exhibitors.

6. Actual Day – Preparation, Registration, Ushering, Feedback

All seminar planning and preparations, constituting 80% of total work involved, cascade to the actual event which may last only for a few hours or a few days. On the day before the event, visit the venue to ensure that everything is in order according the requirements and specifications. Microphones, projectors, audio and video systems must be all checked to be in excellent working order. Over at the office, have a packing list prepared and get all require items transferred to the actual venue at least a day before the event. Event staff should be dispatched to work on site preparations, including setting up booths, decorations and posters, the day before the event.

On the actual day, staff should be present at the venue at least 1 ½ hours before commencement. They should report to their duty stations and must be ready to receive participants half an hour before they are scheduled to file in. Registrations must be made at the door to ensure authorized access. Name tags, door gifts and event schedules or booklets will be given out at this point and ushers will show participants to their seats in the event hall.

Staff will also be responsible for providing advice or help to participants during the event. Finally, feedback forms should be distributed and then collected from participants to determine the satisfaction level on all aspects of the event experience. This is in order to receive pointers, ideas and advice for future improvements.