D'zesire™ for Success

If you sell to Sales Executives...

2007-12-13T15:04:00.000+08:00

If you sell to sales executives... Change your fiscal year to January or February.Why make life unnecessarily harder on yourself by trying to close deals with the very people that are trying to close their own deals at the same time?And by the way, Salesforce.com, a company that knows something about selling to sales executives, ends their fiscal year January 31st.

New offshore oil fields to help?

2007-11-02T09:30:00.000+08:00

Today saw the price of oil reach the $96 a barrel mark. We are not too far away now from seeing the price reach $100 as many analysts have predicted. But could there be some relief to all of this for South Africa? Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, today officially opened a new plant in Saldanha Bay, on the west coast of South Africa, which aims to service the booming offshore oil and gas

10 Ways To Improve CRM Adoption

2007-10-26T07:14:00.000+08:00

Salesforce.com is a great tool, but like any tool it's only as valuable as proficiently as its used. As easy to use as salesforce.com is, many companies still struggle to increase adoption rates. Here are some tips. This post is a little wordy for now, but at some point I'll simplify and repost it. Someday...I believe that tools can shape behavior more than just ideas. I would love to hear from

New Thread: Fear, Corporate Culture, Potential

2007-10-14T01:56:00.000+08:00

As much as better processes, such as sales processes, can help an organization improve short-term results, the best strategy for systemic long-term growth depends entirely upon your people and management philosophies. For example - do you reward risks and failure, or punish them? (You might say you reward risks, but what have your actions communicated to your organization? What did you do to the

Three Ways To Increase Revenue

2007-10-08T19:04:00.000+08:00

There are only three core ways a business can increase revenue: You can acquire more new customers (assume this includes new types of customers too)You can increase the revenue per customer (new and existing) Increase the renewal rates of customers When businesses get into heavy-duty customer acquisition mode, they often lose sight of their current customers and their needs. Sales gets headcount,

Tangible Credibility

2007-10-07T02:35:00.000+08:00

Click here to view Guerilla Consulting post.Here is a comparison between advertisements between two different consulting firms, as an example of the power of credibility:Consulting Ad 1:Experience has shown us that if we define measurable objectives and setrealistic schedules together, build joint teams, and above all, anticipate andmitigate risks together, we can improve our chances.Consulting

Email Attention: Human Resources

2007-10-01T02:58:00.000+08:00

E-mail oneAttention: Human ResourcesJoe Smith, my assistant programmer, can always be found hard at work in his cubicle. Joe works independently, without wasting company time talking to colleagues. Joe never thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and he always finishes given assignments on time. Often Joe takes extended measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee breaks. Joe

Door to Door Salesman

2007-09-22T01:12:00.000+08:00

A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day, only to be confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum cleaner.Good morning," said the young man. "If I could take a couple of minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the very latest in high-powered vacuum cleaners.""Go away!" said the old lady. "I haven't got any money!" and she proceeded to close the door. Quick as a

"Manufacturing" New Business

2007-09-19T22:50:00.000+08:00

An effective, easy-to-use sales automation or CRM system makes it convenient now to use a simple idea, the assembly line, as an initial model to "manufacture new business", which implies a sales organization that can measurably, consistently and predictably produce revenue.Salesforce.com's outbound teleprospecting team calls into F2000 companies to generate new sales opportunities for the field

CEOs: 4 Inside Sales Fundamentals

2007-09-17T23:45:00.000+08:00

A predictable inside sales machine depends heavily on process, metrics and common sense across four main areas.A STRATEGY THAT MAKES SENSEThis point applies most to new companies just figuring out their initial revenue strategy, as well as field sales-driven companies considering selling a new product with an inside sales arm. Does the company have a product that buyers need (not want), in a

Art of Questioning

2007-09-15T05:47:00.000+08:00

Jack and Max are walking from religious service. Jack wonders whether it would be all right to smoke while praying.Max replies, "Why don't you ask the Priest?" So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I smoke while I pray?" But the Priest says, "No, my son, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion."Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told

Sales Reps Can't Talk To Infinite Accounts

2007-09-14T06:05:00.000+08:00

If a sales rep can only touch 20 new (early stage prospect) accounts this month, or 5 new accounts this week, or 1 per day... how do you help them understand and prioritize the highest-potential accounts to spend their time on? Salespeople have a limited number of accounts they can touch each day / week / month.It doesn't matter how many accounts a rep can call on if they're calling on the wrong

The Joy Of Weekly Pipeline Metrics

2007-09-12T02:29:00.000+08:00

Besides closed sales, do you know weekly how well you're tracking towards making the month or quarter? What kind of predictive progress metrics do you track? Will it be a total surprise at the end of the quarter if you hit a wall and miss your number?I'm a fan of tracking weekly or monthly pipeline progress metrics (how much was created, how much do we have, what is the quality of it?) If you

Two Horses

2007-09-10T07:18:00.000+08:00

Just up the road is a field not far from here, with two horses in it.From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.Looking into the eyes of one horse will discover that he is blind.His owner has chosen not to have him put down,but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening,

Great Post On Building A List

2007-09-07T21:44:00.000+08:00

If you're thinking about putting a marketing list together:"On building the Lists for B2B Lead Generation Programs"

The Luck Factor ...

2007-09-06T14:57:00.000+08:00

Ten years ago, I set out to examine luck. I wanted to know why some people are always in the right place at the right time, while others consistently experience ill fortune.I placed advertisements in national newspapers asking for people who felt consistently lucky or unlucky to contact me. Hundreds of extraordinary men and women volunteered for my research and, over the years, I have interviewed

Windows Vista : Error

2007-09-05T02:00:00.000+08:00

The following are new Error Messages planned for Windows Vista:1) Smash forehead on keyboard to continue.2) Enter any 11-digit prime number to continue.3) Press any key to continue or any other key to quit.4) Press any key... no, no, no, NOT THAT ONE!5) Press Ctrl-Alt-Del now for IQ test.6) Close your eyes and press escape three times.7) Bad command or file name! Go stand in the corner.8) This

Pricing Complexity Must Be Less Than Sales Cycle Complexity

2007-09-03T02:29:00.000+08:00

Pricing is almost always a pain to decide on.Among many issues, one important one is striking a balance between: Simplicity, which reduces sales cycle transaction costs such as time spent on pricing education and negotiation, and Complexity, which enables you to maximize revenue per contract. This leads me, and hopefully you, to a simple conclusion: Pricing complexity should never be greater than

Team Work

2007-09-01T11:49:00.000+08:00

At one point during a game, the coach called one of his 7-year-old hockey players aside and asked, "Do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is?"The little boy nodded in the affirmative."Do you understand that what matters is not whether we win or lose, but how we play together as a team?"The little boy nodded yes."So," the coach continued, "I'm sure you know, when a penalty is called,

A Final Sales Rep Interview Challenge

2007-08-29T05:39:00.000+08:00

Here's an exercise idea you can use as a "Final Challenge" in the sales rep interviewing process. Note that it's not a good exercise for sales executive.This is especially relevant to young companies, or mature companies beginning to sell a young product, where the sales playbook isn't clearly defined yet. When the sales tools, messages and process keep changing, testing for what works, companies

If You Sell To Sales Executives...

2007-08-28T07:03:00.000+08:00

After a conversation with Andrei Stoica and Ilya Druzhnikov, the founders of Nomea.netIf you sell to sales executives... change your fiscal year to January or February.Why make life unnecessarily harder on yourself by trying to close deals with the very people that are trying to close their own deals at the same time?And by the way, Salesforce.com, a company that knows something about selling to

Visa Interview

2007-08-27T08:09:00.000+08:00

An Arab was interviewed at the US Embassy for a visa.Consul: What is your name?Arab: Abdul AzizConsul: Sex?Arab: Six to ten times a weekConsul: I mean, male or female?Arab: Both male and female and sometimes even camelsConsul: Holy cow!Arab: Yes cows and dogs too!!!Consul: Man... isn't it hostile?Arab: Horse style, dog style, any styleConsul: Oh... dear !Arab: Deer? No deer, they run too fast!

How Should I Organize My Salesforce?

2007-08-25T08:07:00.000+08:00

What Kind of Inside Sales Team Do I Want?Most b2b direct sales teams can improve their productivity by segmenting into four major types of roles: Inside sales reacting to inbound leads (high-volume, simple leadgen process) Inside sales proactively prospecting into specific target markets (low-volume, complex leadgen process) Inside quota-carrying sales (high-volume, simple closing process)

Secrets of Elite Marketers package

2007-08-21T08:05:00.000+08:00

I have super gift for you today. Over 120+ Hours of MP3 audio files featuring today's most successful & well-known Internet Marketers …This is your BIG chance to leave those who are scratching their heads wondering why their online money-making attempts aren't working behind and INSTANTLY join a select group of marketers who are consistently earning BIG MONEY online!The special audio files wchich

Define A Clear Target Customer Profile; Who Is Your Match?

2007-08-19T07:03:00.000+08:00

Sales and marketing teams are most effective when they have a crystal-clear picture of who they're targeting and how their offering can help that target. Any fuzziness in the definitions of the target industry or prospect will slow down the marketing cycle.If your Chief Spousal Officer told you to meet them at a Starbucks in New York, but couldn't tell you what street it was on, you'd waste a lot

Help Wanted

2007-08-18T05:28:00.000+08:00

A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: "HELP WANTED." "Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer." A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside.He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign,

Different Inside Sales Roles: Qualifying & Closing

2007-08-17T08:16:00.000+08:00

One important aspect of inside sales is usually breaking out into separate jobs the functions of... "Sales development" - sales reps who are dedicated to qualifying inbound leads or generating new opportunities, from Quota-carrying reps that close deals. This is important to making it profitable to work small orders (perhaps down to $1000). The "closing" reps can focus purely on working sales

Important news from Web CEO: our discount offer expires soon

2007-08-15T02:58:00.000+08:00

A week ago I posted about the Web CEO Special Offer. This summer is an unusually busy season, so you might want to get down to work right now and grow your web business with our SEO/SEM tools and training.In LESS THAN 72 hours the offer for the special discount ends but if you react quickly, you still have a good chance to upgrade your Free edition of Web CEO at an excellent price.Get the

Improve Call Effectiveness Without Scripts

2007-08-13T12:04:00.000+08:00

Call scripts have been a classic tool in telemarketing and sales, but executives and business people have become much more tuned to canned questions. We use two simple but much more effective tools to plan and execute calls: AAA Call Planning and Call Flows."AAA Call Planning"Even if a sales person take just five minutes, they can quickly generate a list of objectives for their call:What Answers

The Dream

2007-08-10T20:58:00.000+08:00

A man lay on his bed at the end of his life waiting to die.His dream came to pay his last respects and bid farewell to the man who had never used it.As it entered the room the man looked down in shame."Why did you not realise me ?" the dream asked."Because I was afraid," the man said."Afraid of what," said the dream."I was afraid I would fail.""But haven't you failed by not attempting to use me?"

Web CEO Special Offer: build your SEO skills at half price

2007-08-09T04:23:00.000+08:00

Have you gotten a feeling recently that the Earth is spinning faster than ever before? This summer has shaken my sense of reality. A typically idle season turned to be so hot with all these major IT players' sky-high acquisitions and unexpected alliances.The busy summer leaves little time for leisurely reflection, and impels us to action. Being right in the heart of the industry that literally

4 Methods to More Effective Client Testimonials

2007-08-07T03:55:00.000+08:00

Client Testimonials make prospects trust you thus are essential for getting more business.But are your testimonials the best they can be? Do they really inspire trust in your prospective customers? Below are 4 ways you can improve the power of your testimonials to get even more business.Method 1: Include the Client’s PhotoPost a photo of your client above or beside his or her testimonial. People

Why Some People Almost Always Make Money Online...

2007-08-06T00:36:00.000+08:00

Sunday, August 5, 2007From The Offices of Michalis "BIG Mike" Kotzakolios & Diego HernandoListen, we're not going to lie to you and tell you this is some big secret industry. You've seen it, you've participated in it, and we would bet our own houses that you know (or at least know OF) someone who has paid thousands of dollars into it - if you haven't done that yourself.Until now, this opportunity

The Most Common Sales Bottleneck: Lead Management

2007-08-03T00:29:00.000+08:00

The most common bottleneck I've seen in companies is lead management, or crossing the chasm between marketing and sales by establishing efficient methods for capturing, filtering, routing and qualifying leads before they're passed to the salesforce. It's one of the easiest areas to improve, and can return a fast ROI for the time invested. The low hanging fruit is to increase revenue from the

Can Outsourcing Lead Generation Make Sense For Your Business?

2007-08-02T01:40:00.000+08:00

There are innumerable companies, domestic and overseas, who promise to help your company generate more leads and appointments. For all the noise, it's by no means a certain or cost-effective way to improve your sales or leadgen productivity. In fact, most companies have had little success in trying to outsource major lead generation activities. Also, Gartner recently published a report showing "

Stop Measuring Calls Per Day

2007-08-01T21:54:00.000+08:00

Perhaps the most classic sales manager question, to another, is "How many calls a day do your people make?"Back when you couldn't measure anything else easily, this was useful. But compared to measuring: "Call connects" per day (conversations with prospects) Scheduled appointments set per day Quotes or new opportunities per week $ of pipeline generated per week ...or other 'results' metrics that

How Do Your People Feel About Their Work?

2007-07-31T00:06:00.000+08:00

I have a personal theory about people and their interest level in talking about their work outside the office. (I'm referring to what they do and the culture, not gossip.)I think that people who are stressed out, frustrated or just don't care about their jobs want to avoid talking about work outside the office.People who love what they do, are engaged in it, or who are just plain interested in

The Danger Of Success

2007-07-30T22:37:00.000+08:00

How a company handles success can determine if success breeds more success... or if it breeds failure. Does it generate arrogance in the company, or can the company stay hungry and humble?Depending on the tone the CEO and leadership team sets, success that generates arrogance and a sense of infallibility is a path to failure. When you begin taking customers and employees for granted is when

2007-07-28T06:45:00.000+08:00

SubmitWolf v7.0You may have the best web site in the world, offer the best products or services, but all of that means nothing if no one knows about you.When your site is competing with over a billion other web pages, you need an unfair advantage. SubmitWolf and SEO Toolkit can give you that advantage.SubmitWolf v7.0 is an easy to use, professional website promotional

A New Thread: Fear, Organizations & Potential

2007-07-27T21:16:00.000+08:00

Visionary Or Crazy?

2007-07-26T19:07:00.000+08:00

The key to management is to get rid of the managers.The key to getting work done on time is to stop wearing a watch.The best way to invest corporate profits is to give them to the employees.The purpose of work is not to make money. The purpose of work is to make the workers, whether working stiffs or top executives, feel good about life. Ricardo Semler (CEO Semco, author of "The Seven Day Weekend

Your Team: Salespeople Or Business People?

2007-07-23T08:02:00.000+08:00

Many companies today want to move from selling products at a manager level to selling value at the executive level. It's easier said than done, but part of that transition is a mental one from "selling" to "helping"/"problem solving".Can your sales people help improve the businesses of their prospects and customers? Can you develop your reps to refocus in this positive direction? Will prospects

Clarity = Sales Success

2007-07-20T20:53:00.000+08:00

A very big part of helping your sales reps succeed is just creating simple rules and expectations. Anything confusing will lead to wasted time and energy by the rep.Some examples of what should be crystal clear:A clear territory (& ownership rules) A clear compensation plan & goals A clear profile of the target customer(s) A clear process to generate opportunities at these targets A clear sales

Jokes - 8 Corporate Lessons

2007-07-19T13:05:00.000+08:00

LESSON 1 A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss are on their way to a meeting. On their way through a park, they come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears.The ghost says, "Normally, one is granted three wishes but as you are three, I will allow one wish each"So the eager senior manager shouted, "I want the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas, on a fast boat

Get A Job!

2007-07-18T08:28:00.000+08:00

Moving The Ball Every Day: '3 Goals'

2007-07-17T03:54:00.000+08:00

It's very easy, both as an individual and a team, to spend time doing to-dos and activities rather than making definable progress towards a goal.I'm a big fan of taking some time in the morning or night before to write down three goals for the day - "If I can only do three things today and nothing else, what would they be?" It's surprising how hard it can be to even get three important goals (not

The Magic Quadrant of Time Management

2007-07-16T09:53:00.000+08:00

Take this test...My post around "Aligned Execution", and one I'll do shortly - "3 Goals per Day", will move you and your team into the upper-right magic quadrant of time management.

My Two Favorite Sales Diagnosis Questions

2007-07-14T07:38:00.000+08:00

When I initially dig into understanding a company's customer / sales model and according bottlenecks, I have two favorite questions of employees working directly with customers: To understand how things work: "What's a day in your life look like?" To get a sense of what doesn't work: "What's the biggest waste of your time and energy during your day?" However you phrase it, the second question

Best Practices: Online Demonstrations

2007-07-13T13:45:00.000+08:00

Here are the best practices and sample questions to make sure your online demonstration goes smoothly.1. The Demo Is NOT About Your Product:Prospects don't care about you or your product. They care about their business - can you demonstrate how you can create value for them? If you ask a prospect ahead of time about how their business works and what they need, they will tell you. Make it

Prospecting Mistakes: Top 5 in "Response Handling"

2007-07-12T23:11:00.000+08:00

Salespeople constantly receive email replies from prospects, and there are some too-common mistakes made in handling them efficiently. I found that by reviewing how salespeople handled email responses from prospects, in just 5-10 minutes I could get a sense of if the salesperson was stuck on a part of the prospecting process. It was one of the most insightful and efficient coaching methods I

Every Action Needs an Objective: Calls

2007-07-11T01:49:00.000+08:00

Don't confuse rep (or your) activity with results. Unfortunately, people get into routines and stop thinking before doing. In sales, everyone especially needs to make it a habit to define the desired outcome of sending an email, making a call or joining a meeting.Example: calls Do your reps know beforehand what outcomes they want from each call they make? A plain cold call can have a variety of

Conversational Sales Questions

2007-07-10T02:57:00.000+08:00

Here are the best questions for conducting a "conversational" sales call - one that seems natural and that just 'flows'. Each question is powerful yet non-threatening, making it easy to both ask and answer.About the first question: people have a natural inclination to say 'no' to questions, especially if they don't know the other person. If you phrase the question in a way that a 'no' answer is

A Sales Drumbeat

2007-07-09T05:53:00.000+08:00

Do I set quotas annually, quarterly or monthly? This helps determine the pace of the sales drumbeat. There isn't necessarily a single answer per sales organization - it will vary by individual sales team and their target customers. One company, with different sales teams, can have multiple drumbeats.Is the sales cycle several months? Quarterly quotas might work best. Is it 15-30 days? Go for

How to Generate Real Leads from Tradeshows/Conferences?

2007-07-08T03:57:00.000+08:00

Conferences and tradeshows have a bad (ok, terrible) reputation for generating worthwhile leads. For good reason! However, it's not the tradeshows' fault - the responsibility for lead generation falls to the attendees, who have to carefully think through the whole lead generation process (including prior preparation and post-event follow through) on how to generate business from events. You need

"Where Do I Hire Great Salespeople?"

2007-07-07T02:59:00.000+08:00

I'm asked this all the time. Of course it's always hard to find great people, whether in sales or any other function. The best long-term source of salespeople is to grow and develop your own.Combine one part veteran with 2-3 parts young, smart and adaptable...and mix in a system that keeps challenging people to learn new things and stretching, step by step. The best salespeople are the ones that

Discovery Questions

2007-07-06T04:18:00.000+08:00

Example Discovery Questions For Larger Accounts:Why are we talking to you today? Can you tell me about your business? How are the relevant teams and/or divisions are organized? Who is the decision maker? Who else is involved? What is your current system/situation? Pains: what do you need to do to improve your business? What is a "Day in the Life" of someone affected by the project? Evaluation

Flaws

2007-07-05T14:08:00.000+08:00

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the masters house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering

Aligned Execution

2007-07-05T13:43:00.000+08:00

In working with various growing companies, I've seen one very clear theme. Every organization (both commercial or nonprofit) has great potential, but is looking for better ways to harness it.There's a Chinese proverb "binding your own feet to prevent your progress". Teams often hold themselves back through some very common wastes of time and energy: "Cross Purposes": Individuals on a team haven't

Tailor

2007-07-04T02:55:00.000+08:00

It seems that a man had gone to the tailor to have a suit made cheaply, but when the suit was finished and he went to try it on, it didn't fit him at all. Complaining that the jacket was too big in back, the right arm was too long, one pant leg was too short and three buttons were missing, the man was justifiably upset."No problem," said the tailor, "just hunch your back, bend your arm, walk with

Do You Take Sales Sales Complexity Seriously?

2007-07-04T02:34:00.000+08:00

Companies are used to a simple view of the world: sell to small companies or to large ones?With the growth of on-demand business models, more companies are trying to deliver products and services to both small and large customers (including departments of large customers).There's a potential complexity trap here. In evaluating your customer segments, consider complexity to sell and deliver the

Optimist

2007-07-03T01:38:00.000+08:00

There is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist. "Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. The other twin was a sad and hopeless pessimist. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist.He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins" personalities. "On their next birthday, put

Remember "Pass The Phone Message Game?"

2007-07-03T01:33:00.000+08:00

Every time information is passed through someone or a level in a company, it's filtered and changes. As a CEO or executive, how often do you talk directly with employees on the front line for unfiltered feedback? What do your salespeople tell you is their #1 bottleneck in growing their numbers? According to the front line customer service employees, what are the top customer complaints? Or from

Anger

2007-07-02T22:05:00.000+08:00

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper

Do You Think In Customer-Centric Ways?

2007-07-02T21:59:00.000+08:00

People tend to have self-centric worldviews, that is, they view everything in how it matters to themselves. "What do I need to do today? Why should I do this?" Since companies are made of people, companies tend to view the world in ways it matters to the company... not necessarily their customers.Company-centric questions:"What kinds of customers do we want? What do we want to build? What do we

Peace

2007-07-01T03:05:00.000+08:00

There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All

Dealing With Issues Over Email

2007-07-01T03:02:00.000+08:00

I personally find it irritating trying to address important or sensitive issues over email. There's just too much opportunity to misinterpret or miscommunicate, resulting in unnecessary anxiety or drama. What about scheduling an impromptu meeting? Or calling the person? If you can't do either of them, is it something that can wait until the morning?Email is also asynchronous - it's an erratic

Wisdom

2007-06-30T05:21:00.000+08:00

An old country doctor was celebrated for his wisdom. "Dr. Sage," a young man asked, "how did you get so wise?""Weren't hard," said the doc. "I've got good judgement. Now, good judgment comes from experience," he continued. "And experience - well, that comes from having bad judgement."

Accelerate your site performance

2007-06-30T05:20:00.001+08:00

The Road

2007-06-29T02:30:00.000+08:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow woodAnd sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long as I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth,Then took the other as just as fairAnd having perhaps the better claim;Because it was grassy and wanted wear,Though as for that, the passing thereHad worn them really about the same.And both that morning equally layIn

Motivation Through Fear or Aspiration?

2007-06-29T02:11:00.000+08:00

Who did you work harder for: managers who motivate through fear and 'lashing the whip', or managers that inspired and encourage you and your team? The most productive, energetic committment comes from having a shared vision + alignment with your team and company.Driving sustainable committment and energy takes: A shared vision to aspire to, A organization structure and goals that aligns people's

Hearing

2007-06-28T02:36:00.001+08:00

Two old acquaintances, who hadn't seen each other for years, were walking down the street together, renewing old times. "Just a minute," said one, "I think I hear something," and turning a loose paving stone over he liberated a cricket which was chirping merrily away."Why, that's astounding. Of all the people on the street at this hour, hurrying from work, you alone hear the cricket above all the

6 Responsibilities Of A Manager

2007-06-28T02:11:00.000+08:00

A No-Nonsense management model:Choose people carefullySet expectationsRemove obstaclesMotivate your peopleDevelop your peopleImprove it next time Choose People CarefullyIt often makes sense to hire for talent and adaptability than for experience. Over time, the best employees are ones that can adapt to changing circumstances and roles. A fast-learning, hungry hire can make up a reasonable lack of

Story

2007-06-27T03:26:00.000+08:00

This is a story about four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it.It ended up that Everybody blamed

The Very Best Salespeople...

2007-06-27T03:21:00.000+08:00

Hire and promote carefully. The best salespeople are more like consultants or business people than salespeople: Listen much more than they talkAre problem-solversUnderstand their customers’ industry / business / needs (key to both building trust with customers as well as understanding how to help solve their problems)Believe in their product and company Demonstrate unquestionable integrity Can

Window

2007-06-26T04:11:00.000+08:00

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service,

Should You Consider Commission-Only Salespeople?

2007-06-26T03:54:00.000+08:00

Each executive understands what's best for their unique market and business, but it's hard to imagine a situation in which I would hire commission-only salespeople. Creating an environment of success is critical to help your people succeed and 'commission-only' doesn't demonstrate commitment by the sales leadership or the company that they're really there and incented to help their salespeople

I've learned

2007-06-25T18:47:00.000+08:00

I've learned - that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.I've learned - that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.I've learned - that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.I've learned - that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.I've learned

Atomic Blogging - Try It!

2007-06-25T18:41:00.000+08:00

Many people asked me how in the world I got into Internet Marketing and why and when I started blogging.I started blogging last May 2007 when I was introduced to a seminar in Singapore. I met a young guy who was only about 26 years old. Coming from the Infocomm industry, I am aware that it is the youngsters that know the new stuff, and blogging is a trend to me. Alvin Phang who unselfishly talked

Season, Reason and Lifetime

2007-06-24T02:50:00.000+08:00

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.When someone is in your life for a REASONIt is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.They may seem

Here's A Video Tutorial On Blogging

2007-06-24T00:54:00.001+08:00

I am real excited to show you what you can expect to get from Atomic Blogging.Click Here To Claim Your Free Report or Click Here To Find Out More

Change

2007-06-23T03:44:00.000+08:00

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had

Internal Training Builds A Better Salesforce

2007-06-23T02:37:00.000+08:00

Ongoing training can be the cheapest and easiest (yes, easiest) way to improve your team's peformance. It takes committment and focus, but is always a great investment of your time.The Best & Cheapest Investment In Your People & Productivity......is consistent, regular training and coaching (especially new hires). I see again and again what a difference regular training makes in improving sales

Let Go

2007-06-22T05:47:00.000+08:00

The following is a very meaningful story which is called "Let Go", and written by Dr. Billy Graham.A little child was playing one day with a very valuable vase. He put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. His father too, tried his best, but all in vain. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, "Now, my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers out

Weekly Training "-- University"

2007-06-22T05:24:00.000+08:00

A regular drumbeat of training is the best way to create lasting results. We run a weekly, self-organized training session modeled after the Toastmasters format, but customized for our specific business needs.A Simple FormatThere is a regular format, with a variety of roles that are rotated through the team. Each role is filled by a team member, and at the end of the meeting the next week's roles

Mother

2007-06-21T17:59:00.000+08:00

There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that lived in the lowlands and the other high in the mountains. The mountain people invaded the lowlanders one day, and as part of their plundering of the people, they kidnapped a baby of one of the lowlander families and took the infant with them back up into the mountains.The lowlanders didn't know how to climb the mountain. They didn't know any

Retaining Star Employees

2007-06-21T17:36:00.000+08:00

Your company's long-term success will always depend on maintaining and developing great people. Are you at risk of losing any star employees? Would you even know if you were at risk, or will you find out when they tell you of a new offer they just received?There's a great way to measure the satisfaction of your key employees. Buckingham & Coffman's book, "First, Break All The Rules: What The

Heaven and Hell

2007-06-20T01:51:00.000+08:00

A man spoke with the Lord about Heaven and Hell. "I will show you Hell," said the Lord. And they went into a room which had a large pot of stew in the middle. The smell was delicious and around the pot sat people who were famished and desperate. All were holding spoons with very long handles which reached to the pot, but because the handles of the spoons were longer than their arms, it was

Do You Believe In Theory X or Theory Y?

2007-06-20T00:55:00.000+08:00

Douglas McGregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y in 1960. These are two opposing perceptions about how people view human behavior at work and organizational life.THEORY XWith Theory X assumptions, management's role is to coerce and control employees. People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible. People must be coerced,

How To Flood Your Blogs With MASSIVE Traffic & Cash!!!

2007-06-19T02:51:00.000+08:00

Recently I have just met an underground expert blogger name Alvin Phang. He is a close friend of mine and he seriously is an expert at blogging!He get tons of free traffic at his blog at a rate of 700 visitors PER DAY! I don't know about you but that's INSANE for a blog that is only 8 months old!Alvin really walks the talk and recently he launches a brand new product call Atomic Blogging and I

Tell them...

2007-06-19T00:46:00.000+08:00

John Powell, A Professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below

Don't Delegate: Just Do It

2007-06-19T00:36:00.000+08:00

As a manager, do you feel entitled to delegate tasks to "less-important" people? How does it feel when your own manager asks you to do something that you feel is a waste of time? Or when your manager asks you to do something that you know would take them 10 minutes but will take you an hour?The point is not that delegation is bad, but that delegation is like any tool: it can be used efficiently

Battle

2007-06-18T22:43:00.000+08:00

There is a great battle that rages inside me.One side is the soaring eagle. Everything the eagle stands for is good and true and beautiful, and it soars above the clouds. Even though it dips down into the valleys, it lays its eggs on the mountaintops.The other side of me is the howling wolf. And that raging, howling wolf represents the worst that's in me. He eats upon my downfalls and justifies

Control without Controlling

2007-06-18T22:37:00.000+08:00

Executives and big companies love the idea of control - through in reality they never have real control, only the illusion of control. And the bigger a company gets and the higher the rank of an executive, the less control they have! (Though they have much more influence)People hate to be controlled, whether through arbitrary rules and regulations or management that is afraid of any kind of risk.

Colors

2007-06-17T02:46:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed that they were the best. The most important. The most useful. The favorite.Green said:"Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."Blue interrupted:"You

Work for Their Success, Not Your Success

2007-06-17T02:29:00.000+08:00

Mindset flipAs a manager, does your team work for you, or do you work for them?Do they work to make you successful, or do you work to make them successful?Do you ask people "what are you doing for me?" Or do you ask them "what can I do for you?"Traditional management and leadership models promote a manager stereotype of a powerful, strong and decisive authority figure. "We're climbing the

Strength

2007-06-16T03:32:00.000+08:00

Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one

Avoid Making Decisions

2007-06-16T03:14:00.000+08:00

If you're a "Missing In Action" manager that needs to make more, not fewer, decisions, ignore this section!Decision making skills, just like muscles, get better as you use them more often. As a manager, think about how much you've learned by exercising these muscles, and how you've been able to move the team forward with your confident (or at least confident-sounding) decisions.That makes sense,

Slow Down

2007-06-15T01:56:00.000+08:00

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,or listened to rain slapping the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,or gazed at the sun fading into the night? You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last. Do you run through each day on the fly, When you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with

Why We Want You to Be Rich???

2007-06-15T01:38:00.000+08:00

An exclusive look between the covers of our new book, Why We Want You to Be RichWhy We Want You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message describes a path to wealth that you won't find in other books. We'd like to share some of our unusual advice today on the Trump blog.You Need to Live Well to Get RichMost financial authors advise people to live below their means. One actually recommends taking your

Don't Ever Grow Too Old...

2007-06-14T03:54:00.000+08:00

Don't ever grow too old for birthdays,Fun-things that you used to do,Don't give up your dreams becauseYou feel that they have not come true.Don't forget the sound of laughter,Or the love in someone's eyes,Don't trade memories for pleasures,All that in a moment dies.Don't give up your zest for living,Saying you are much too old,Is this what you feel, or is itSomething that you have been told?