April 6th, 2011
What’s new these days in business? Let’s take a look at the current trends.
Giving Back
Many businesses are jumping on the altruistic bandwagon, donating a portion of profits (or a portion of sales of certain products) to charitable causes. In addition to receiving a tax break, it is believed that consumers feel good knowing part of their purchase is going to a worthy cause.
 Going Green
What was once a forward-thinking initiative is rapidly becoming a necessary step in social responsibility. More and more businesses are finding ways to run cleaner, greener operations, as well as cutting back on excess packaging and finding less impactful, less wasteful materials for packaging and shipping. Admit it, wasn’t it a brilliant idea to trade styrofoam peanuts for those little air-filled baggies?
Being Sneaky
Not all new trends are altruistic – in fact, some are downright sneaky. Perhaps the most widespread example of this is the new trend towards “downsized packaging.” No, not the eco-friendly efforts to reduce waste in product packaging, but rather, the shaving off of ounces or grams of product, without any change in price.
Ice cream may be the most recognizable example of this new trend. You may or may not have noticed that your favorite brand of ice cream is no longer available in a gallon size – the package may look the same as always, but now, it’s likely only three quarts that you’re buying (at the same old price, to boot!) Similarly, many half-gallon sized ice cream containers now only contain one and a half pints (but with price tags you’re accustomed to paying for a half gallon). Blue Bell ice cream is one exception to this new trend, and on the package itself it says “still a full gallon!”
Of course, ice cream is not the only product taking a cut – just check out sizing on staple products you buy all the time: cereal, deodorant, sodas, orange juice, and more. Savvy consumers are getting wise to these sneaky practices and we can expect buying habits to change accordingly.
The Next Trend
Why not set your own trend? Click here to rent a projector from Projector123.com and be the first on your block!
April 1st, 2011
This month, we continue our ongoing series on the Psychology of Sales, and this time, we address a core underlying issue: personal integrity.
But what does personal integrity have to do with succeeding in sales, you ask? Excellent question!
 You have likely met (at some point in your lifetime as a consumer) the kind of sales person who made your skin crawl. Whether they smiled too much, came across as fake or sleazy, or just weren’t likeable for some reason you “couldn’t quite put your finger on,” you did not want to spend any more time than necessary with this kind of sales rep. On the other hand, you may have had the pleasure of meeting the kind of sales rep who made you feel as though he/she genuinely cared about your problem and authentically wanted to solve it. You may have instantly felt a sense of trust, comfort, or ease with this kind of sales person.
In many cases, the sales professional who instantly comes across as trustworthy and honest is the one who possesses a high level of personal integrity.
According to Wikipedia’s definition, integrity refers to a “perceived consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcome.” Personal integrity refers to this same level of consistency and congruency within a specific individual.
When a salesperson practices consistency of actions and values, it means that a sales rep who values honesty will speak, act and conduct business accordingly. Now can you see why you instantly feel at ease and trusting of certain sales professionals, but not of others? It has everything to do with their personal integrity.
But how can an individual sales person increase their level of personal integrity? This is certainly easier said than done. Increasing one’s personal integrity involves bringing consistency and congruency into all areas of life.
Some examples might include:
- keeping your car and home neat and clean
- practicing honesty in all your communications and relationships
- not stealing office supplies
- etc.
Can you see how these appear to have nothing to do with sales per se (it is unlikely that a prospect would ever see a sales person’s home), but have everything to do with maintaining a high level of consistency and congruency across the board.
It is not possible to maintain personal integrity part of the time. In other words, you can’t be honest and forthcoming in your job, but not your personal relationships, and expect to maintain personal integrity. It’s about demonstrating consistency across the board (especially when no one is watching).
Truly great sales personnel are always striving to improve themselves and raise their level of personal integrity.
Likewise, the best sales professionals know that audiovisuals can make or break a sales presentation. For your next major client pitch, why not rent a projector from Projector123.com? Our professional grade rental projectors are easy to set up and really take your presentation the extra mile with high quality outputs, total portability, and a sleek and streamlined appearance. Click here now to rent a projector today.
March 25th, 2011
As we round out the first quarter of 2011, you may find yourself looking for ways to boost your sales in a hurry to reach your quota or beat last year’s results. Never fear – there are plenty of ways to increase sales, and you won’t have to spend a fortune on advertising to do it.
Create a Buzz
One of the easiest ways to increase sales is by creating a buzz of some sort. You can do this via social media outlets (by running a promo for Facebook fans or Twitter followers, encouraging them to spread the word), inventing a contest (name our newsletter, give us your feedback, etc.), offering a reward for referrals (refer three friends and your next visit is free) or giving people some other reason to talk to their friends, family, and colleagues about your product or service.
Get Competitive
If you’ve got sales staff, it definitely pays to create a sales competition and offer a killer prize to the winner. This helps to motivate your sales folks and thereby increase sales. It can be as simple as a one-week closing contest, a one-month highest new sales contest, or even a one-day sales contest (depending on the nature of your business and how sales are conducted).
/>Incentivize!
One of the easiest ways to boost your sales fast is to give people a reason to buy today. Rather than relying solely on scare tactics (limited time offer, limited quantity available, don’t miss out, etc.), you can use incentives to give people a real and compelling reason why they must by today. Even if you conduct outside sales for a company and have no control over the prices or special offers associated with that company’s product or service, you can give prizes of your own (every new customer who buys today gets a free massage, lunch, consultation, car wash, Starbuck’s gift card, etc.) The prize should make sense both in terms of your product/service (don’t give a restaurant gift certificate if you’re selling a weight loss product, for example) and with regards to your commission (don’t give away a $100 gift card for a sale that only earns you $20 in commissions).
While you’re getting creative and implementing new ways to create more immediate sales, remember to count on Projector123.com for all your rental projector needs. Making a sales presentation? Trust the professionals at Projector123.com to provide a reliable, affordable LCD rental projector and put your best foot forward. Click here to learn more.
March 14th, 2011
Welcome back to the final installment of our series on creating powerful action plans. If you’ve been following our steps, you are already well on your way to having the key to successful accomplishment of your goal. In this segment, we wrap up a few loose ends and prepare you for leaping into action.
Schedule out Your Accomplishments
Now that you’ve created your action plan and shared it with your team, here is a simple tip you can use (and you can share with your organization) as an added measure to ensure that milestones and tasks get accomplished on time. Have each person grab their schedule or day planner or smartphone and schedule out their accomplishments.
For example, the person who is in charge of creating and overseeing the employee sales contest would take their specific action items and tasks and schedule them out in their planner. If the sales contest is scheduled to begin on April 1, the responsible employee would schedule an action item like this on the morning of March 31: email sales staff with an enthusiastic reminder about tomorrow’s sales contest. If each responsible party does this, you will be amazed at the success rate of your action plan.
/>Work Your Plan and Don’t Stop Until It’s Complete
Once your plan is established, shared with the team, and accomplishments are scheduled, the next step is simple: take daily action and follow up with responsible parties to ensure that everyone is doing their part. This step is absolutely critical to the success of your project and the achievement of your goal. Without follow-up, too many things can slip through the cracks and get missed. In some cases, missing just one milestone can be enough to set your entire project behind, which means missing the mark for your goal. Regular follow-up is essential in order to prevent this.
Change the Date if You Must, but Never Give up on the Goal
Occasionally, circumstances or unforeseen events can arise that throw a wrench in your ability to meet deadlines, complete tasks and achieve your goal. If this happens, do not get discouraged – revise your plan and continue working to meet targets and move forward. This is the key to maintaining momentum! Remain solution-focused and find a way to get there, no matter what. If you absolutely must, you may want to extend the target date for your goal, but never give up on the goal itself. In many situations, things shift in the final hours that create the possibility of a miraculous eleventh-hour achievement of the goal, but unfortunately, many people miss out on these “miracles” by giving up too soon. Stick with it and keep your team motivated!
We hope you have enjoyed this series on powerful action plan creation. Be sure to share your results with us – we love hearing from you!
Remember to reserve your rental projector from Projector123.com. This is perfect for sharing your vision, and for celebrating the achievement of your goal. Click here to reserve a projector right now.
March 11th, 2011
Welcome back to part two of our three-part series on creating effective action plans. In this segment, we give specific tips for choosing the action items in your plan, keeping everything relevant and manageable.
Once you’ve created measurable milestones, the next step is to create a list and accompanying timeline of specific action items or tasks to complete in order to hit those milestones. This can be accomplished quite easily by starting at the end (the accomplishment of the goal) and working your way backwards to present day and circumstances. Just as we did with our prior example, we looked at the total goal of $200,000 in sales, and we evaluated our current progress thus far ($20,000) and then we calculated how much more we needed in sales, and allocated that monthly to figure out what we’ll need to accomplish each month in order to hit the target. This can be done with any project or goal, over any time period.
Break Large Tasks into Smaller, More Manageable Chunks
Some tasks or milestones may seem more daunting to achieve than others. That’s when it makes sense to break larger tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks. For example, let’s look at how we would achieve sales of $20,000 per month (when so far this year in our example, we’re only averaging about $7,000). We might consider some of these options:
- upselling existing client base on complementary products or services that would benefit them at this time
- preselling future contracts at a discount or with some other benefit or incentive attached
- creating a powerful sales contest to motivate sales staff
- rolling out a new product or service
- etc.
Any or all of the above may or may not be feasible, and may or may not be the best course of action to dramatically increase our sales. Once this brainstorming session is complete, the next step is to select the most feasible ideas and put the corresponding action items into your plan. For example, if you choose to create a powerful sales contest to motivate sales staff, then the next step is to plan the contest, decide on the prizes and the rules, get approval from upper management, decide on the start and end dates, call a staff meeting to announce the contest to the sales staff, etc.
Put Timelines on Everything
No matter what action items you choose for which phase of your action plan, it is essential that a time frame be attached to absolutely everything. Without specific time frames and deadlines, work will definitely expand to fill the time allotted, and some tasks may never get completed.
Create a Visual Representation
Once you’ve created your action items and set a specific timeline, the next step is to create some type of visual representation of your plan. You might use a flowchart, a Gantt chart, a spreadsheet, or some other type of business tool to accomplish this. Then you’ll want to share that visual display with your team and ensure that each person understand their role in the accomplishment of these milestones.
Be sure to return for the final installment of our series on creating effective action plans. In the meantime, it’s not too soon to reserve a rental projector for the rollout of your vision. Click here to visit Projector123.com and reserve a projector for rent today.
March 9th, 2011
As we begin to close out the first quarter of the year, many business owners and working professionals are evaluating their goals and estimating whether or not the pace is on track to achieve their year-end targets. Here we will detail a step-by-step guide for creating an effective action plan – with a well-designed plan and daily action, you can achieve virtually any goal you set out to accomplish.
Know Where You’re Going
Successful leaders and professionals understand a simple core concept: if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re likely to wind up anywhere. Creating a powerful action plan always begins with having a clear purpose, vision or goal in mind. In fact, the action plan is designed to take you from wherever you are right now directly to the accomplishment of your stated goal.
Be Specific
Not only must your goal be specific, but you must also create a specific intention as well as very specific tasks or steps that will move you toward the completion of that goal. Here is an example. Let’s say that your year-end goal is to double your sales over last year’s figures. Suppose that equates to $200,000 in sales. As this first quarter comes to a close, you can see that you are approximately at $20,000 year to date. This means you’ve got to pick up the pace significantly in order to hit your $200k year-end target. Specifically, $200,000 minus $20,000 equals $180,000. April through end of year equates to nine months. Thus, we divide $180,000 by 9 and get a target monthly sales goal of $20,000 per month (or approximately $5,000 per week). Now we can specifically see what we are working towards each month in order to achieve the year-end goal.
 Create Measurable Milestones
Once you have a clear picture of what you’re out to accomplish, as well as what targets you will need to hit throughout the time span of the project or period, the next step is to create measurable milestones. This might include net or gross earnings, sales volumes, number of units sold, new product rollouts, employee training, incentive programs, etc. The point of creating measurable milestones is to give you and your team smaller, more tangible goals and targets to work towards. This way, it’s easier to stay focused and to be encouraged by tangible results (especially if your goal is massive, like doubling sales over last year). Using our example above, measurable milestones might include $20,000 per month, or $50,000 in total sales year to date, etc.
Be sure to return next time, where we continue our three-part series on creating an effective action plan.
Once you’ve created your action plan, you’ll certainly want to share it with your team, your superiors, and anyone else in your organization who can assist the group in hitting their designated targets. What better way to present your vision than with a rental projector from Projector123.com? Click here to learn more and reserve your rental projector now.
March 7th, 2011
Welcome back to another piece in our series on the Psychology of Sales. Today we tackle an all-important skill to master: acing the phone. Whether you are a professional telemarketer, a cold caller, or even if you receive warm leads to contact, odds are you have to do some phone work before you can close a sale (even if it’s just to book an in-person appointment!) Here are the best tips for nailing that time spent on the phone.
Step 1: Focus Fully and Completely
Multitasking is simply not an option when you’re on the phone – you’ve got to give phone time your undivided attention. That means you’re not doodling, you’re not on Facebook, and you’re not watching your cubicle neighbor do his impression of a crazy monkey. You’re alert, attentive and fully focused on the person on the other end of that line.
 Step 2: Smile While You Speak
Yes, it may well be the oldest tip in the phone sales book (so to speak) but there’s good reason for it – it works! Consider that you’d never greet a friend or pop in on a business in person without a smile on your face, so why would you skip the smile via phone? Do it, it works.
Step 3: Pay Attention
Active listening is the key to successful phone work. Pay attention to the person’s voice (what does it tell you about their mood, how they feel about their job at the moment, their reaction to you and what you’re saying), their name (who were you speaking with? Can you effectively use their name when speaking to them?) and their message (is the person you’re attempting to contact unavailable because he or she is on vacation, or just at lunch right now? Is it best to leave a message or call back later? Can you reach that person now on their cell phone?). Many people overlook this step, and because of that, they can’t get far past a gatekeeper.
Step 4: Take Notes if You Must
If you have a short-term memory that’s lacking, take notes if you must. But keep your notes orderly or organize them (or enter into your contact management database) at the end of each call or block of calling time so you can make sense of them later.
Step 5: Skip the Autodialer (if Possible)
While it’s true that autodialers can make life easier, and that they’ve come a long way since their inception, they still have a long way to go and it’s easy to slip up or keep someone waiting (Hello? Hello? Can you hear me now?) if you’re not completely familiar with the workings of your autodialer, so it’s best to skip it entirely.
Step 6: Don’t Take a Quick “No”
Don’t take a quick “no” over the phone – practice overcoming objections so that you can execute each call smoothly and effectively. Whether you are calling to schedule a sales appointment, returning a call, or performing inside sales, this is an essential skill.
Step 7: Reciprocate
Remember to use these same tips whenever you answer your phone – not just when you’re making outbound calls. That will ensure that you ace every call back you receive.
When you do get the in-person sale, make sure to reserve a rental projector from Projector123.com to present a top-notch, professional sales presentation. Click here to rent a projector now.
March 4th, 2011
Lately it seems the hot topic in the business realm is “social media marketing,” but how can you tell if you actually need this for your business, and whether it will work for you? This simple guide should answer your most burning questions.
What Is Social Media?
Social media, or social networking, refers to the widespread use and popularity of sites like Facebook and Twitter. These free sites allow people across the world to connect and share information (such as photos, notes or blog posts, links and URLs, or simply “status updates” that allow people to know what’s on your mind at any given moment) and more and more people are joining social networking sites all the time.
What Does Social Networking Have to Do with Business?
As it is with any good medium or current trend, savvy marketers are quickly learning how to take advantage of ways to market on these popular venues. It’s been said that “money flows where eyeballs go” and social networking sites are certainly getting a ton of eyeballs following them these days. Some sites like Facebook have pay-per-click, pay-per-impression, or banner advertising opportunities for marketers, while others can only be used for marketing by embedding marketing messages in your posts and participation as a member of the site. But beware – excessive marketing can get you labeled a spammer, which can result in getting banned from the site.
Do I Need Social Marketing for My Business?
The short answer is, it depends. Consider whether or not your business is strictly local, vs. national or international. Do you tend to get new customers and clients from referrals and word of mouth? Can you create special offers and sales to entice new and existing clients to buy again (preferably today)? Are you willing to put some time into posting useful, informative information in addition to simply propagating marketing materials? These are all factors that can impact the efficacy of your social networking campaign.
/>While most any business can benefit from social marketing if executed properly, it takes some practice and some skill with each platform in order to devise the most optimal strategy. More and more consulting services and firms are cropping up who can assist you in creating your perfect social networking marketing strategy.
If you prefer to market the old-school way, be sure to contact Projector123.com for all your projector rental needs. From sales presentations to corporate events and employee training (and social networking “meetups,” a rental projector from Projector123.com is the ultimate choice among business owners and professionals. Click here for more info or to make your reservation today.
February 28th, 2011
We recently came across this article and felt it was valuable enough to share — just in case you might want to avoid a costly small business mistake!
The full article is posted here.
The 3 Most Common Small Business Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
By Bill Charles
Let’s face it, most small businesses are doomed to failure. No matter what you do, there will always be a risk of a business failure or less-than-expected financial return. Many entrepreneurs are so eager to get started that they neglect business planning and jump in headfirst with little more than a dream and an idea. Business consultants claim that 90% of new businesses will fail. There are many different paths to business success but all business failures share common causes. No one starts out thinking that it will happen to them, but inevitably it does. There are some common pitfalls that can lead to business failure and we are going to discuss the main three culprits. If you address the common reasons for failure up front, you’ll be much less likely to fall victim to them yourself. Let’s discuss each of these in more detail and offer some solid solutions.
Failure 1 – Lack of Knowledge and Planning (Expertise) – It sounds simple, but the number one reason why businesses fail is because the business owner did not take the time to learn his business. Some 71% of firms fail because of poor planning and a lack of specialized knowledge. Keep in mind though, that just because an entrepreneur does not have the knowledge, does not mean the knowledge does not exist. It simply means that entrepreneur failed to take the steps to find it. The first key to survival is to make sure you know what you’re doing when it comes to the business you choose.
Solution 1 – Get the best training you can find and write a solid business plan. The upfront investment in training will be well worth the money you will spend.
Failure 2 – Poor Management (Management) – The second biggest reason small business fail is poor or inexperienced management. Management comes down to two things: competence and experience. New business owners frequently lack relevant business and management expertise in areas such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees.
Solution 2 – First, work with an experienced mentor or coach to learn specifically how to manage the business you are getting into. Second, don’t start a business that immediately requires employees; learn to manage yourself first.
Failure 3 – Capital Deficiency (Money) – Everyone wants to be a big shot when they first start out, but before you can swing multi-million dollar credit lines, recognize the fact that your first and foremost goal should be business survival. And business survival means adequate startup cash and ongoing cash flow. Many new business owners severely underestimate what it will take to start up and continue to run their new business – huge mistake! When business owners underestimate how much money is needed and they are forced to close before they even have had a fair chance to succeed.
Solution 3 – Choose a business that has very low startup costs and minimal on ging costs. That way, it is not only easier to make the business profitable and successful. Also, if it doesn’t work out you haven’t hurt yourself too badly and you can move on to the next venture with good lessons learned.
**************************
Here’s an idea that is neither a mistake nor costly — for your next sales presentation, business meeting or corporate gathering, be sure to rent a projector from Projector123.com. We are the nation’s leader in rental projectors, providing professional grade rentals at competitive pricing. Click here to check us out.
February 4th, 2011
Welcome back to another installment in our Psychology of Sales series. This month, we tackle an all-important sales skill: mastering proper use of eye contact.
When used properly, eye contact can help you establish fast rapport, build trust, and close more sales. But if used inappropriately, eye contact can serve as a turnoff for your prospects, resulting in fewer closed sales. Here are some excellent guidelines to help ensure that you use eye contact properly, especially in sales presentations and face-to-face communication with prospects.
Be Natural
If you try, I’ll bet you can think back to a time when you had an in-person conversation with someone who made you uncomfortable. It might have been something as simple as a gaze that was too intense, or perhaps they were standing too close to you. More than likely, you wanted to get out of that conversation as quickly as possible, and had no desire to engage in conversation with them again. What was missing in their communication and body language was a sense of being calm, relaxed and natural.
Being natural is as easy as just relaxing and being yourself. This is not something that can be faked! Even actors must actually put themselves at ease in order to appear relaxed and “natural.” When you are being natural, you will find that eye contact is not something you have to think about or practice – it just comes easily. In contrast, when you focus on pushing eye contact to create more of it, the other person can actually feel as though you are invading their personal space, which is most unpleasant!
/>Don’t Stare
Remember, eye contact is a natural occurrence between two people who are engaged in conversation. Making eye contact does not mean staring at the other person. It is natural to make eye contact sporadically, as opposed to looking into your prospect’s eyes throughout the entire encounter. Eye contact is also important during key moments in a conversation, including: when you are making your sales pitch or call to action, when you are listening to the prospect tell you their issues or needs, and when you are wanting to gain their trust. Notice how you naturally use eye contact in conversations with non-business associates (people with whom you feel very comfortable) and apply these same mannerisms in your conversations with prospects.
Remember to Smile
Unless it’s a serious or dramatic part of your conversation, you should smile while making eye contact. A natural smile will help you to keep your eye contact authentic and appropriate.
In addition to using proper eye contact, it makes sense to incorporate appropriate audiovisual support in your sales presentations. To showcase images worth thousands of words, rent a projector from Projector123.com and watch how many sales you can close! Getting started is easy, just click here to learn more.
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