Success Isn't Free

Success Has a Price

Why are some people successful while most struggle? Are they lucky? Are they just at the right place at the right time? Is it because they are highly educated? Or, is it because they just learn how to perform better and are faithful to their practices?

Ben Feldman was arguably the best salesman ever. He was a High School dropout. Scratch higher education as a key requirement to success. That said, most successful people are subject matter experts. Product and industry knowledge are essential to succeed.

No matter how it looks, successful people are neither lucky nor just at the right place at the right time. Winners make their own luck. They are at the right place at the right time because of careful planning and execution. No surprises for peak performers. They knew the results going in.

This is a good time to take a step back and invest some time and thought into your business, your career and your life. What I do is go to a quiet place and reflect on what happened and decide what I need to do in the future. Not a complicated exercise. It’s not perfect, but without a serious personal assessment, how can you improve your outcomes?

I offer seven tips to tune up your business, your career and your life. There are more, but these seven are a good start.

Become a Peak Performer in 2011

Seven tips to tune-up your business, career and life in 2011

1. Renew your vows
2. Confirm your destination
3. Analyze results
4. Create a plan, welcome change
5. Optimize your time
6. Measure outcomes, make adjustments
7. Work relentlessly

Renew Your Vows

You were sincere and focused when you started on your journey. If you are like most people you have not reached your goals. That’s normal. Things, life seem to get in the way of the best laid plans. The good news is that you have made progress. The future is still ahead. Put yesterday behind, clean the slate, renew your commitments and focus like a laser beam on your tomorrows.

Confirm Your Destination

Are your goals defined well enough that you will know success when you get there? Is the desired outcome clear? Is it happiness? Is it personal freedom? Is it financial freedom? Or, is it all of the above and more? What is your end game? Is it written? If not, write it down. Keep it handy. Look at it often. Never lose track of your destination. If you do you will be unable to get there.

Analyze Results

How have things been going lately? What happened as a result of your efforts in the last twelve month? Can you identify things that worked? What didn’t work? Where did you succeed and where did you fail? Going forward, it is important to look back and draw conclusions. This exercise will result in the obvious. Continue to do what works, just do them better. Stop what doesn’t work.

Create a Plan…Welcome Change

Create a plan for success in 2011. Build on past successes. Review emerging strategies, tactics and tools to get ahead and stay ahead of your competition. Everything changes all of the time. If you don’t welcome change you will have no hope to grow or to even maintain your current status. Put it in writing. Read it often. Make changes when necessary. Your plan is a living document. Your plan is your blueprint for your success. It is your road map to the future.

Optimize Your Time

Is time optimization hard to do? Not really. If you do not prioritize your tasks and manage your time, you will have no chance to be a peak performer. Time is a valuable asset, possible the most valuable asset you have. Squandered time is lost forever. It can’t be recovered. How do you spend your time? Do you put aside important things to do menial, easy stuff? If so, you are impairing your ability to perform. Keep a diary for a few days. You will quickly see where you can improve your time management.

Measure Outcomes, Make Adjustments

Don’t wait until the end of the year to figure out the shortcomings of your efforts. Be accountable to yourself. Know your milestones. Review them often. If you miss a goal, figure out why not and fix it. It might be a simple as calling a lost customer and asking “why?” The answer might be as simple as doing more. If you optimized your time you can use the time saved for more activities. If things are going wrong figure it out and adjust.

Work Relentlessly

More than anything you can do to become a peak performer in 2011 is to work relentlessly toward your goals. This is by far the most essential tip I can offer. The truth is as simple as “more sales calls equal more sales”. If you do your best at all times you will notch a lot of victories and eclipse your competition. Those that have gone before us are a testimony to this truth.

2011’s Peak Performers

I would say good luck, but there is no luck involved. You make your own luck. You will be in the right place at the right time because you planned it.

The Best Salesman Ever

I recently came across an old issue of Selling Magazine (June 1994). The featured story was about Ben Feldman, arguably the greatest salesman that ever lived. The article was titled “The Best Salesman Ever”. Ben died in 1993, but left behind an incredible legacy. He sold over $1.6 billion dollars of life insurance in his career. He represented New York Life. His annual sales were greater than the sales of many life insurance companies. After he learned his products and the essentials of the sales profession he ramped up a fabulous career and made over $1 million per year. Not bad for a son of Russian immigrants from rural Ohio.

All Things are Essentially Equal

The beauty of the sales profession is that Ben Feldman or anyone else has the same opportunity to rise to the top. There is nothing standing in the way of success that can’t be learned, mastered and conquered. Everyone’s sales career starts out about the same, little revenue with unlimited potential. Where it ends up is totally the responsibility of each individual salesperson. Ben Feldman got in the game, learned how to play and was driven to win, posting results unheard of in his industry. He was referred to as the “Babe Ruth” of insurance sales.

Get Your Game On

Another year is coming to an end. How did you do? My challenge to you is to reflect on your performance and figure out what worked and what didn’t. Make a list. Improve what worked and eliminate what did not work. Do some things different. Ask around, seek out top performers. Get motivated, get moving and dedicate yourself to making 2011 your best ever year in sales and income. Ben Feldman did it and so can you.

Buying and Selling on Price

The lowest price is not always the best deal. I suggest it is rarely a good deal for buyers or sellers.

A Good Deal?
When all things are equal, buying on price is a good decision. The problem I have with price shopping is determining if the playing field is level. Are all things equal? Is the lowest price item an apple for apple comparable product to the higher priced product? I guess if you are buying a brand named product in a box with a model number the low price wins. In that case, I have concern about the vendor who makes the least money on the sale. Will they be around to stand behind my purchase?

If I am selling on price, particularly if I am the lowest price, I am probably not making enough money to justify making the sale. I might be able to get away with it once in a while, but in the long run, consistently being the lowest bidder is a threat to my company and my livelihood.

My Experiences
I have had to deal with pricing pressures over my career.

Start with the premise that a sale or purchase is made up by a blend of three factors, price, quality and service. If one of the factors moves, it causes the others to change. If I can’t get my price, how can I maintain top quality and responsive services? They cost money. This is just reality. If I give low prices and lousy service the customer will quit. Likewise if the quality is low, the low price doesn’t matter to the customer.

When I was much younger and dumber, I sold prepared culture media to local hospitals. These biological agar dishes were fragile, sterile and had a shelf life of a few weeks. If a shipment were broken, contaminated or out of date, I actually reminded the complaining Microbiologists that they got a great price (the consolation). In other words, they got what they paid for. Needless to say, I quickly stopped using that line.

When I sold computer systems to doctors, many would howl about the price. I held my ground, noting that someone had a Mercedes Benz (insert your favorite luxury car name) in the parking lot. “I think it’s you!” The message was clear. “If you want quality you have to pay for it and you obviously appreciate quality.”

Recently, when I sold computer consulting and programming services, I ran into the same objection. My hourly fee was $150 per hour. They would object.
“My last consultant only charged $85 per hour.”
“Where is he and why am I here?”
The answer was simple; the discount consultant took more hours to work on projects and didn’t deliver satisfactory results. $85 per hour was a bad deal for the customer.

Value is the Key
Real selling and buying is a blend of value. The seller needs to make money to provide value and the buyer is almost always disappointed at some level after the discounted sale. The best transactions are always based on a fair exchange of value.

Why Daddy?

Kids Can Sell

Kids are natural at selling. When a child wants or does not want something to happen they can be formidable opposition that sometimes only gets subdued by threats. If you are a parent or close to parents raising children you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Kids dig in on topics that matter to them. They become highly motivated, extremely focused and ready to give you a run for your money. They don’t take no for an answer and will pepper you with endless questions until you give in or go away.

My daughter Amy was the queen of getting her way. She never stopped asking questions and never gave up. She was a relentless toddler and child. More often than not her first response to anything I asked her to do was “Why Daddy?”

Game On

Here is how a typical exchange would go:

Me: “Amy, please get your pajamas on.”
Amy: “Why Daddy?”
Me: “Because you have to go to bed.”
Amy: “Why Daddy?”
Me: “Because you have to get to sleep.”
Amy: “Why Daddy?”
Me: “Because you have to get up and go to school.”
Amy: “Why Daddy?”

You get my point. No matter what the topic, night or day, if Amy had a vested interest in something, I was immediately engaged, like it or not.

Act Like A Child

This brings me to adults who sell for a living.

I know a lot of salespeople who would do a lot better and make more money if they would ask more questions and not concede to prospects too early in the sales process.

Asking probing questions is a fundamental skill of a consultative salesperson. If you are trying to fill a need, solve a problem or fix something, you have to know what the problem is. You get there by asking questions and listening for answers.

If you have a good solution, present it and are rejected, you can say thanks and leave or you can start asking more questions. Why? Why not? I don’t understand? Can I clarify a point? etc. You owe it to yourself to hang in with your prospect, probe for answers and keep probing until you get what you want or are asked to leave.

Software is the Answer

Thirty or so years ago the emergence of the micro processor and the disc operating system brought computing to small business and to ordinary people. I remember my first IBM-PC like it was yesterday. Computers and software applications have come a long way since then. I now have more computing power in my Blackberry than it took to send Neil Armstrong to the moon.
For three decades I made a career of selling computer systems and application software to small businesses. It was a great career.

Software is Good Business

The way I figure it, I sold well over one thousand systems in a thirty year run. The reason businesses gave me money was that I showed them how buying software from me would solve business problems for them. Buy software from me (the computer hardware came with it most of the time) and solve a business problem, gain efficiency and save money. Nice.

An Easy Sale...Every Time

In the early 80’s I sold a lot of systems because accounting software modules were integrated. It went down something like this: The scene is a business office. A handful of accountants were at their desks with columnar pads, adding machines, desk lamps, pocket protectors, pencil sharpeners and green shaded visors on their heads. Their job was doing the “books”. The process was labor intense and mistake prone (thus the pencils).

Me: “If you write checks using my software they will print on a computer printer.”
Her: “Huh…what about my typewriter? I just got a case of ribbons.”
Me: “And, the check will automatically post to the General Ledger.”
Her: “What? Get out. You are kidding. No way. Louise, come over here and see this. You won’t believe it. What will they think of next? How can we get this? When can we have it?”

And so I did my part to extinguish the use of typewriters, columnar pads, desk lamps, shaded visors, and pocket protectors and made a great living while doing so.

No Looking Back

Software revolutionized the accounting profession and a lot of others. There was some thought in 1999 that we would have to go back to the old manual systems because of the millennium and two digit dates, but we made it through that scare and haven't looked back since. Those of you that know me will remember that I stocked up on food, water, wood and ammo. I just wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to take the chance that the power grid or other essential systems would fail. Anyway, except for the ammo, everything got consumed eventually. It’s really hard to use up bullets and shells.

What Did We Miss?

You would think that after all of these years and all of the applications that were developed that the software revolution would slow down. After all, every possible software application has been created and deployed. There is nothing left to automate. Not true. Not even close to being true.

And Then Came the Clouds

A while ago we added the Internet to the mix (thanks Al) and a whole new world of software applications from way up there in the clouds arrived to keep solving problems for us and to continue to make us happier.

Buy Software - Save Money

For instance, I have a friend who has software that can monitor your UPS and Federal Express bill to find out when and how you were overcharged. He saves his customers about 5% on their bill every week. There is some real tangible value in that code.

Buy Software - Save Time (Which is Also Money)

Another associate provides software as a service that scans the Internet for information on topics of great interest to you, packages it up in concise e-mail format and delivers it to you at pre-determined intervals. This software does a better job of searching for relevant content than you can and, of course, then you don’t have to spend your time searching endlessly for haystack needles of information in the big old world wide web. That software delivers value.

Problem Fixer

What business problem is bothering you? Is there some process that just isn’t working right at your place? If so, I can say with certainty that there is some software out there that will solve your problem(s).

Software is Good For You

I know that we’re in a recession. I know that you aren’t in a spending mood, but consider my proposition. A strategic software purchase can make things better, shrink processes and deliver efficiencies. Now as much as ever, software can make your organization stronger and better equipped to beat back the effects of the current economic climate. Think it over.

Software is the Answer.

Closing The Revenue Gap

Consultants, particularly independent ones, face the same issues a start-up Entrepreneur has to deal with. They get work, they bill their client and at some point the engagement ends. They then have to hustle up another job. Sometimes it takes a while to get billable again. The gap in revenue is a scary and dangerous place to be.

Apply Pressure

I am against start-ups hiring salespeople too soon for a bunch of reasons already noted. The answer to keeping the revenue gap closed is for small business owners and consultants to continue prospecting for business at all times, including, and most importantly, during the billable periods.

Get Control

It takes discipline, great time management skills and a priority system to juggle your week, wear numerous hats and keep a sales pipeline full.

Be Faithful

My suggestion is to reserve some time to hunt for new business each week. Do it without fail and you will keep your income wheel turning. Specifically, make a commitment to do a number of business development activities each week, without fail.

Try Everything

Try writing a newsletter, writing a blog, sending out some mail, making some phone calls, attend relevant networking events, work a trade show, host a lunch and learn or even host a weekly Webinar. And, always speak to groups whenever possible.

Gap Closed

Once you get this system tuned up, you can make adjustments, depending on what is working for you. The most important thing is to spend some time each week on business development. If you faithfully continue prospecting, the next job will start when the last one ends.

Good Hunting!

Start-Ups: Don't Hire Salespeople

Salespeople are the heart and soul of business. No sales calls = no sales. It’s hard to imagine a business growing and thriving without a competent sales force. More salespeople, making more sales calls, landing more orders is a formula for success. That is unless you are an Entrepreneur getting a start-up business off the ground.

Wait

My advice is to wait until your company is off the ground and running before entertaining the idea of building a sales force. There are a handful of reasons to be careful beefing up your sales department.

They Don’t Understand

First of all, most businesses are founded on a great idea. The great business idea is typically a byproduct of the founder’s subject matter expertise. Most start-ups know something that others don’t. They solve problems and are then paid to deliver their products or services. Over the last few years, I have worked with dozens and dozens of new businesses and most of the founders, owners, entrepreneurs do not understand the ins and outs of employing salespeople. They shouldn’t hire salespeople because they don’t know what they are getting into.

Risk

The risk facing a company when hiring salespeople early in the life of the enterprise is great. First of all, like other employees, they want to be paid. Unlike other employees, there is no guarantee that a salesperson will deliver a return on investment. An investment in recruiting, hiring, and training, equipping and managing a salesperson is a one that can backfire on a start-up company. The setback in money, time and lost opportunity could be fatal.

Disruption

When a salesperson is hired the first thing an entrepreneur will find out (the hard way) is that salespeople are needy. They will make work for their bosses. That’s just how it is. So, instead of relieving some of the workload burden they become extra burden on their time and checkbook. Again, not only will the entrepreneur be answering questions, asking questions, helping with proposals and running sales meeting with their new salesperson, i.e. doing it all themselves anyway, but there is still no guarantee that he or she will sell their products or services anytime soon, if at all.

Message

Unless a salesperson is schooled in the subject matter being sold, it is unlikely that they will be able to correctly tell the story or the value proposition. They won’t likely be able to answer questions and could probable get some facts distorted. Again a start-up business doesn’t need problems like this.

Later Than Sooner

Make some sales, get some traction, get off the ground and then hire salespeople.

Home Grown Tomatoes

I took Friday off and planted my vegetable and flower garden.

Gardening Joy

There is something very special about taking a handful of seeds and watching them grow to become a robust crop of vegetable goodness that everyone enjoys and remembers. Guy Clark’s song “Homegrown Tomatoes” says it well. There is nothing as good as homegrown tomatoes. “There are only two things that money can’t buy…true love and homegrown tomatoes”. Yes, there is magic in a vegetable and flower garden.

Tradition

I am very grateful that my dad taught me how to grow a garden. I’m carrying on the tradition, but I am also passing it on to my children and grandchildren so that they can enjoy the experience and yummy fresh vegetable harvest. I’m hoping that they will continue the garden tradition with their children and grandchildren.

It's a Process

So, let’s see. You start with seeds, cultivate the ground, plant, fertilize, water, weed and watch the seeds grow into a plentiful harvest. If you do the right things at the right time your garden will be a success.

Just Like Sales

This story could easily be about selling. If you take a step back, you will see a lot of similarities between growing a garden and building a sales pipeline. If you follow a process, work hard and stay focused, you will be rewarded with a harvest of business.

Any Road

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there” George Harrison.

I’ve gotten real tired of talk radio lately. I am even tried of music on the radio. It seems like they say or play the same old stuff over and over again. Garrison Keiller, where are you when I need you?

For my sanity, I started to dig out old CD’s from my cabinet. I have a stack of music that I haven’t heard in a while. Since I purchased this music, every CD represents something or someone I enjoyed hearing. I am delighted to have a cabinet full of happiness to help me on my way from stop to stop, now day-to-day.

Last week, I traveled with George Harrison’s “Brainwashed” in my car's CD player. The title of the first song was “Any Road”.

The message hit a nerve. The reason is simple. I continue to meet business people who really don’t have a handle on where they are going or how they are going to get there. The importance of a simple question that I ask, “When you arrive at your destination, where will you be?” was bolstered by George’s clever lyrics.

What bothers me is that too many people that I speak with don’t really have a workable game plan or even clear thoughts about what they really need to do, how they are going to do it and what the destination looks like. It’s sad.

If you really don’t know where you are going, please stop everything and get that question answered. When you do, you can get on a road that will take you there.

Your e-Mail Address

The Equalizer

Everyone that has a website has a home page. They have one home page, just one. General Motors has one home page, I have one home page, and every website has one homepage, just one. That fact creates a default level playing field. Now, what we do with the rest of our websites can tilt the scales one way or another, but we all start out equal with one home page each.

I like the dynamics. I can be working at a table at my favorite Internet cafe sipping coffee, gazing out the window wearing shorts, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes and still be in the game with anyone because of my website and Home Page. That is cool.

An Active Community

I work with a lot of Entrepreneurs. I also work with many well established operations looking to scale up sales. I speak at public meetings, and have had the pleasure of speaking at Ann Arbor Spark, TechTown SmartStart and Kauffman FastTrac classes. I get around. I meet a lot of great people with great ideas and the energy and means to reach their business goals. It’s a great place to be.

The Problem

This is a real business image killer. More often than not, when I gather business cards at meetings, the Entrepreneurs have e-mail accounts at gmail.com, yahoo.com, Comcast.net and other public services. When I see e-mail addresses other than those from their business websites, I think “small time”. If you are working on your corporate image but still receive e-mail at a public e-mail service, you are working against yourself.

Change it Immediately

If you have a website and home page, I guarantee that your vendor can set up e-mail using your website address. If you have a website, get an e-mail address up and operational as soon as possible. If you don’t have a URL and website, you can get one up and running in minutes for as little as $10 a month.

Don’t Give Back

Please, your website creates and even playing field, don’t give it back by using a public e-mail service for your business.

Sales Burgers

Somewhere in the mid-1980’s I was enlightened to learn about the consultative sales process. Someone gave me a Brian Tracy cassette tape and the message opened my eyes to something better. The beauty of consultative selling is that your prospect does the talking. You lead them along with probing questions and they will tell you what, why and when they are going to buy. This style is brilliant. I became a consultative salesperson at that moment and have never looked back.

The Way it Used to Be

I formally learned to sell based on an old fashion method of product demonstration, value building and a subsequent close. I learned this method in 1970 at a series of Dale Carnegie Sales Training classes. This method worked well when done right. The key to the success of the product demonstration system is to build a number of small cases for your product or service during your presentation to get your prospect saying yes. After a few yeses, you get to ask for the order. If they say no, overcome their objection(s) and start again. We refer to the key tool of this sales method as “Sales Burgers”.

Sales Burgers?

OK, a burger has three parts. A burger is two parts bread and one part meat. When making a sales presentation the three parts of the Sales Burger represent 1.) Feature 2.) Benefit 3.) Trial Close.

Here’s how it Works

Let’s assume you have cornered some innocent, unsuspecting victim who has no idea of what you are about to do to him (or her). For the sake of this posting let’s do a man-to-man event.

“Bob, I’m Dave from Acme Sales.”
Bob: “What? Who? Why?”
“If you have a moment I would like to talk to you about our new security device, a personal money protector, or PMP.”
Bob: “What?”

Get Ready, Get Set, Sell

Sales Burger # 1:

Feature: “Bob, have you ever carried a large sum of money on your body and worried that your pocket might be picked or you would lose your wallet and your money?”
Benefit: “That type of theft or loss can easily be stopped.”
Trial Close: “Wouldn’t that be a great relief?”
Bob: “Yes” (If he says, no, ask “why not” and bring out news articles and statistics to scare him)

Sales Burger # 2:

Feature:”Crooks are everywhere Bob.”
Benefit:”They can pick your wallet clean and you would never know until it was too late.”
Trial Close:”If I could show you and easy, inexpensive way to protect yourself from that kind of loss would you be interested in learning more?”
Bob: “Yes” (If he says no, you answer with “Why not” and let him defend his position. He’ll talk himself back into yes eventually)

Sales Burger # 3:

Feature:”Bob, our product is a money belt that you wear on your pants just like an ordinary belt. It has a zippered pocket on the inside that you put your valuables in.”
Benefit:”It would be next to impossible for a crook to know where your valuables are and even if they did, they would not be able to steal them.”
Trial Close:”Would a product like that put your mind at rest and give you peace of mind and security?”
Bob: “Yes”

The “For Real” Close

“OK Bob, what size waist do you have?”
Bob: “40 inches.”
“Would you prefer black, brown or one of each?”
Bob: “I would like one of each.”
“Will you pay with cash or credit?”
Bob “I’ll pay with cash.”
“Great I’ll write it up and from this moment forward your money and valuables will be a lot safer. You’ve made a great decision. Thanks. By the way, could I have the names of a few of your friends and associates that might be interested in speaking to me? Thanks again.”

My Challenge

Those sure were simpler times. The beauty of the “Sale Burger” process is that it really worked and still works. Have some fun, give it a try and find out for yourself how sales were made in the old days.

No Tricks Allowed

By the way, there is still no tricking or lying to people allowed in sales. The money belt or whatever your prospect buys from you represents real, tangible value and when they do buy they are better off. Remember, real salespeople solve problems and help others.

Don't Look Back

All The Good Times Are Past and Gone

There is a song I heard years ago on Prairie Home Companion titled “All the good times have passed and gone” I liked the song. Great melody, great harmony, bad message.

Based on what happened in 2009, it would be easy to think that the best times are behind us. I’m just not buying it.

Incubating Recover

Between Wayne State University’s TechTown, Smart Start and FastTrack and Ann Arbor’s SPARK, I have met some terrific entrepreneurs with great ideas and real business potential. We are really lucky to have these organizations and their programs in our community. They are pumping out small businesses that are our future and are the basis for our recovery. These new businesses solve real problems and have tremendous growth and earnings potential.

My Personal Recovery

According to my business calendar, my personal recovery is in full swing. I am measurably busier in 2010 than I was in 2009. It’s just how it is.

We'll Be OK!

The message is clear to me. Things are getting better. Good times are still ahead of us. Just don’t look back.

Sales Tools to Consider in 2010

It is the second decade of the 21st century. The economy is slow and business is a challenge. As we search for solutions, I suggest that we take another look at technology.

Technology, when optimized, can make our lives easier, more efficient and can deliver positive results. Most of us have computers, software, web sites and are technically hooked up. Or, are we? In reality, most of us are not getting the full benefit from our investment in technology.

The answer is to evaluate your existing systems and determine how you can improve usage, performance and results. I have been a CRM user for years, but continue to be amazed at features and functionality that I didn’t know about or did not use. I continue to press the envelope with my CRM, but have a feeling that there is a lot more that I can do with it.

An investment in technology that isn’t fully understood is not properly configured and improperly used is equivalent to leaving money on the table. I am fortunate to have a support system to keep my business technologies current and optimized. If you need a referral, contact me.

Cool Things to Consider in 2010

Video

An infomercial video could positively change things for your business. Of course, that is if it is well done. You would be surprised at how affordable a professionally produced short video can be. Once completed, it can be viewed from your website, can be burned to DVD and distributed and can even be a hyper link on your e-mail signature line. If you have a great message, a professional video infomercial can put you over the top in 2010.

Audio

The next best thing to video is an audio commercial that can also run from your website, can be distributed on disc and can be hyperlinked to your e-mail signature. A professionally written and produced audio commercial will make your phone ring.

CRM

You may currently use a form of CRM software to manage your database and your business, but I can assure you that few salespeople or businesses are getting the maximum benefit from CRM. Ramping up the use of your current CRM or moving to a more powerful CRM platform will pay big rewards. I suggest a CRM assessment. This is clearly a “you don’t know what you don’t know” issue.

The Internet

Like CRM, most salespeople or businesses are not getting the most from the Internet, although they have made some type of investment. The World Wide Web is a terrific business tool that needs to be optimized for your business.


Websites

A great website, full of features and functionality provides a competitive advantage to sales and business. A poorly engineered, dated, website (or no website) can and will work against you. This isn’t about spending the most money; it is about getting the best website and outcomes for you and your company.

Internet Marketing Tools

Internet marketing tools, like the one I use to deliver this newsletter to you, are powerful outreach systems that can be used and managed by ordinary people and produce extraordinary results, including analytic reports that help you determine who responds to your message. An important consideration is ease of use and its ability to work with your CRM. This is a very important consideration.

Web Analytics

Web Analytics provide you with valuable information, business intelligence about who, when and why people visit your website. Analytics are your Internet website’s eyes and ears. There is some skill required to set up analytics. Once in place, analytics are easy to use and deliver valuable business intelligence.

E-Commerce

If you sell products, e-commerce is a good move. Selling things on the Internet is a main stream thing to do in 2010. There isn’t any down side. The Internet is always open for business and has no practical limits. If linked to your accounting and inventory control software e-commerce is a powerful, optimized business tool to increase sales and grow your business. This option will work best with the guidance of a trusted advisor.

Inventory Control Software

If selling products, the three things that most companies have in common are lack of tight inventory control, disparate business systems and are unsure of their cost of doing business. Get help to evaluate and fix these three prevalent business problems. An investment here can potentially deliver big returns. Making money is about selling more, but it is also about running a better operation.

Ad Words, Pay-Per-Click

This will take more than a paragraph to explain, but there is a way to attract buyers to your website by bidding and paying when Internet surfers click on your words and visit your website. This is very tricky and can be a disaster, but when correctly implemented “Ad Words” can drive a lot of business.

Social Media Sites

Last, but not least…social media is quickly emerging as an important tool for personal and business communication and promotion. Surveys tell us that LinkedIn is the best tool for business development. It’s a business to business tool to meet new people and leverage your existing relationships. It’s free and easy to use.

In Summary

I could go on, but won’t. If you are determined to make 2010 your best business year in memory, consider upgrading your technology tools and systems. And by all means don’t try to do it on your own. There a lot of educated and experienced professionals who are ready, willing and able to help you. Take advantage of the help.