Basic Sales Training Manual

Basic Sales Training - ManualAll Rights Reserved - http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

Talking To A Prospect

Tactics On Dealing With People Wisely In Network Marketing.

Have you ever felt uneasy or inarticulate when speaking to a prospect? You recognize the moment of

truth is upon you . . . it's time to recruit this fresh prospect -- but how?

With practice this procedure will be easy. For now, abide by these steps to making headway in

conversations with prospects.

Know Your Target Market

Prospecting

The opening move of having potent conversations with prospects goes on before you meet the candidate.If you've expertise in your market, tap into your insider knowledge. Otherwise explore what motivatesthem.

The most successful small businesses realize that only a limited number of individuals will purchase theirproduct or service or sign on. The task then becomes ascertaining, as closely as possible, precisely whothose individuals are, and 'targeting' the business's marketing efforts and dollars towards them.

A great way to start your internal preparation is with a stock of your capabilities. That means connectingwith your strengths as well as your failings. You'll find it really empowering to discover, and list out,what you have to provide. It's likewise a great idea to know what your short- and long-term goals are.

As well you need to understand communication, both spoken and unspoken.

Ask your prospect meaningful open-ended questions. Reply briefly with gratitude for them, validation fortheir feelings, and endorsement for their thoughts. If you begin by asking what is working well in theirlives, their hardships will arise by nature.

Remember -- they're able to resolve their own issues. Resist the temptation to make suggestions unlessthey ask you directly. Listen and reply with understanding. Let them have the floor. Be curious.

All Rights Reserved - www.InstantStressManagement.com

Page2 Of 57

If you do everything beautifully up to this point and then miss the ball here, it may cost you all the effortthat's gone before. Always follow up inside twenty-four hours or the lead might go cold.

Speaking to prospects may be one of the hardest aspects of getting prospects at first, but practice and theright mindset will ease the way.

Interview some people in your market by asking: What is working well for you today?

What are your top 3 hardships?

What are the 3 things you want most?

What are you learning about today?

What is missing for you?

Tailor your services to supply solutions based on their answers. Practice discussing a bulleted list of

particular benefits that you offer them. Never discuss vague concepts like helping them accomplish goals

and fulfill their dreams. These have no selling power.

The 1st Steps

The most successful small businesses realize that only a limited number of individuals will purchase their

product or service or sign on. The task then becomes ascertaining, as closely as possible, precisely who

those individuals are, and 'targeting' the business's marketing efforts and dollars towards them.

You, too, may build a better, stronger business, by identifying and serving a specific customer group –

your target market. Among the first things you have to do is to refine your product or service so that

you're not attempting to be 'all things to all individuals.' Become a specialist!

Following, you need to comprehend that individuals purchase products or services or sign on for 3 basic

reasons:

To meet basic needs.

To resolve issues.

To make themselves feel great.


Page3 Of 57

You'll need to ascertain which of those categories your product or service is the solution to, and be

geared up to market it accordingly.

Your product or service might fit more than one category, also.

The following step in producing an effective marketing technique is to home in on your target market.

First of all, is your product international or national in range? Or is it more probable that you'll sell it

primarily in your own area or community?

Let's suppose that your primary market is local or regional, and that you live in an area with a population

of 35,000 individuals. The first things you'll have to do is research the 'demographics' of your area, and

divide it into market sections:

Age: youngsters, teens, young, middle, aged

Sex: male, female

Education: senior high, college, university

Revenue: low, medium, high

Marital status: single, married, split up

Ethnic and/or spiritual background

Family life cycle: recently married, married for years, with or without youngsters.

This data ought to be available to you through your local town hall, library, or Chamber of Commerce –and the more detail you may get, the better.

Following, you have to segment the market as much as conceivable utilizing 'psychographics' as your

guide:

Life-style: conservative, exciting, trendy, frugal

Socio-economic class: lower, middle, upper

Belief: easily led or opinionated

Actions and interests: sports, fitness, shopping, books

Mental attitude and beliefs: environmentalist, security conscious.

If you are a business-to-business company, you'll likewise have to consider the sorts of industries

available to you, and their number of employees, yearly sales volume, location, and company stability.

Additionally, you may wish to find out how they buy: seasonally, locally, only in volume, who makes the


Page4 Of 57

choices? It's crucial to note that businesses, unlike individuals, purchase products or services for 3

reasons only: to better revenue, to sustain the status quo, or to minify expenses. If you fill one or more of

these corporate needs, you might have found a target market.

By now you ought to have a picture coming forth of who you think your 'ideal' lead is … or who you

wish it to be. Depending upon the nature of your business, you may even be able to write a description of

your lead. "My target lead is a middle-class woman in her middle years who's married and has

youngsters, and is environmentally conscious and physically fit." Based on the numbers you exposed in

your research, above, you might even know, for instance, that there are about 9000 of those potential

leads in your area! It might well be that 3000 of them are already loyal to a rival, but that still leaves

6000 who aren’t, or who haven't yet bought the product from anybody. Do the research!

Lots of times prospective leads don't know about your company, or can't tell the difference between your

company and others. It's your job, once you recognize who your best leads are, to 'target' the group that

you've identified – even if you have rivalry.

Additionally, you might decide, utilizing the example above, that you'd likewise like to extend your target

market to include women a bit older. If you go back to the basic reasons why individuals buy goods or

services or sign on, and may find ways to target your efforts to that age bracket, you might be successful

in capturing a greater share of the market!

On the other hand, what if you 'narrowed down' your product or service and then researched your target

market, only to find that there are likely less than 75 individuals who will be interested in what you have?

First off, if those 75 are corporate leads who will spend 100s on your product or service yearly, then

you've nothing to fear. But if those 75 are only going to produce 10 people who like your product or

service – then you have to go 'back to the drawing board' of designing your business and possibly

determining a wider target market – but at least you're armed with all the data you need to begin again, or

go in another direction.

Really – there's a market, and a target market, for everything.

If you don't think so, think about snuggies?

Demonstrate Confidence


Page5 Of 57

A great way to start your internal preparation is with a stock of your capabilities. That means connecting

with your strengths as well as your failings. You'll find it really empowering to discover, and list out,

what you have to provide. It's likewise a great idea to know what your short- and long-term goals are.

As well you need to understand communication, both spoken and unspoken.

Some Insight

A easy exercise that will help you answer these questions will likewise help you have a look inside

yourself and start to consider what you want "more of" and what you want "less of" in your life.

Individuals commonly perform at a higher level if they're satisfied with what they do.

It's a fact: people are pulled to self-confident individuals. The reason is that it signals a high status. And

we all know that people are highly attracted to status. The significant thing here is that nearly 90 % of

your approach-success depends upon your body language, your tone and timing.

That means you have to dominate those areas first. Only a strong and lucid body language may

demonstrate confidence. But what does "strong and lucid body language" mean? It implies that you:

1) Stand up straight.

2) Smile. You're alpha, but you also need to demonstrate you're friendly.

3) Keep your shoulders and head up

4) Don’t lean against the wall. A strong person doesn't need protection.

5) Don’t hold anything in front of your chest.

6) Always speak loud and clear.

7) Lean back. You're the one getting information. Never lean in.

8) Take up room. Live big.

9) Take your hands of your pockets. Rather than looking cool it looks like you're insecure.

10) Move slowly. Never pause. Take your time.


Page6 Of 57

11) Speak slowly. Your voice is a mighty weapon.

12) Look individuals straight in the face.

13) Don’t touch your face.

14) Don’t use stupid hand gestures.

15) Know how your body language resonates.

You may be surprised at how your phrasing may imply either confidence or insecurity. Many people

version politeness with insecurity. They use words such as if, might, could, and maybe in an effort to be

polite when those words frequently ring of insecurity.

Rather, choose words that send signals of confidence: when, will, would, and certainly. It’s crucial that

people get the sense that you believe in yourself. After all, if you don’t, why should they? The following

illustrations contrast insecure and confident styles:

Insecure: If I don’t hear from you, I’ll call to see if we may meet.

Confident: I’ll call you next week to see when we may meet.

Insecure: I hope that you'll find my business suitable for you.

Confident: I’m confident that I can help you.

Insecure: I may be a good choice for you.

Confident: I’m the one for you.

Insecure: Hopefully we may get together to talk.

Confident: Let’s meet to talk.

Insecure: maybe I might meet with you.

Confident: I’d like to get together with you.


Page7 Of 57

Insecure: perhaps sometime next week we might find the time to meet.

Confident: Next week is a great time for me to meet with you.

Get the point? If you’re tempted to use a word or phrase that rings of insecurity, resistant opt for the

confident manner.

Showing sincerity may be a tricky thing. You need to utilize words and phrases that imply sincerity

without you sounding artificial. These 7 tips will help you express sincerity:

1. It’s all right to begin a few sentences with I, but don’t overdo it. A conversation that becomes too

I-focused, is apt to draw a response like, “I, I, I! Doesn’t this guy ever consider anybody except himself?”

2. Utilize concrete terminology. Refer to particulars you’ve learned, research or may version from your

own experience. If appropriate, utilize precise numbers, names, and places rather than generalities. For

instance, “I can envision a ten percent growth in sales” is much better than “I can envision sales growth

in your business.”

3. Speak specifically to the prospects goals, challenges, mission statement, or anything that’s relevant to

the company. For instance, “I’d like to be a part of opening your eyes to what you can accomplish.”

4. Use the prospects name.

5. If you have a humorous tone throughout, break that tone from time to time with a comment like

“Seriously, I know I can …” or “Joking aside, there are several issues ….”

6. Utilize an assertive (but not aggressive) tone in your closing that lets the person know you’re sincere

about wanting them to sign on. For instance, “I’ll contact you next week to follow up on this proposal.”

7. Say thanks in a simple and honest way toward the end. Let your potential prospect know that you

appreciate her attention.

Communication


Page8 Of 57

Communication is an important form of getting information across to the other party. However good,

quick and effective deliverance is just as important as the attention span of most people today is very

short, and this is especially so if the material being communicated is rather boring. Get all the info you

need here.

Tips on getting your strongest message across in 1 minute

Communication Basics

Since our minds are crammed with so much of information, there is very little time or space to indulge in

frivolous and irrelevant information thus the need to be precise and quick when communicating. With

hectic schedules and distractions to contend with, it is often quite hard to take the time to stop and pay

attention to what is being communicated.


Page9 Of 57

The Basics

The following are some recommendations on how to ensure the information being communicated is

done so in the shortest possible time frame, and yet fully understood by the receiving party:

• Perhaps the most effective way of communicating information and having it understood is to

ensure there is constant eye contact with the recipient, throughout the length of the communication

session. This should also be done in a precise and quick time frame where the information is

presented as concisely as possible.

• Getting the recipient to summarize and repeat, what has been communicated is also another

method of ensuring the information is both heard and understood. This is also another way to ensure

the content of the information stays the same as it was presented and there are no additions or

distortions to the content.

• The language design and phrasing should also be in line with the recipient’s capability and

understating levels. Talking to someone who is not savvy in the technical jargon used will not only

be a waste of time and effort, but it would also seem pretentious to those around. This type of

communication would not effective at all.

You Must First Understand Yourself And Your Message

Problems usually arise when information dispersed is not really understood by the individual doing the

dispercement exercise. This has a lot of negative connotations to it as the said information content may

not be dispersed as it was first designed to represent. Here in lies the problem of good communication


Page10 Of 57

that is faced by any level in society, which more often than not, results miscommunication or

misinterpretation of the said information.

Understanding

There are three main components of communication, which affects the overall understanding of what is

being communicated.

These would include the verbal, nonverbal and paraverbal platforms used.

The following are some tips on how to ensure the information is first thoroughly understood by the

presenter before it is presented to others:

• By understanding the content of the message intended to be shared with others the individual presenting

the message will ideally utilize either all three of the communications components, or at the very least

two components at any given time. This will allow the recipient of the message the opportunity to fully

grasp, both the content and its impact meant to be made through the communication session.

• When the content of the message is completely understood by the individual, he or she will be able to

design or choose the suitable verbal, paraverbal or nonverbal messaging style that would effectively get

the message across to the receiving party. Without this initial understanding factor, the individual would

be hard pressed to make the presentation of the message impactful enough to get the desired results.

• Another important effect that is desired from thoroughly understanding the message content before

presenting it, is that the consistency in the message itself will be presented in a way that is less confusing

and inconsistent according to the perception of the recipient.

Learn To Use Terms That Invoke Emotions

For most, the effective impacts desired out of a communicating exercise, comes from the importance of

being able to invoke some level of emotion both from the presenter and the listener.


Page11 Of 57

If the communication is well designed, with this important aspect dominantly featured, then the eventual

results of the said communication exercise will bring forth the desired effects.


Page12 Of 57

Emotions

Learning how to identify and include terms in the speech pattern and body language will be very useful

when trying to focus in invoking some sort of emotion from all involved.

Using appropriate trigger works and phrases is one way of achieving this emotional impact. “Painting” a

picture with the choice of words used is the main idea behind the emotion invoking communication

technique.

This is very important for the presenter who is focused on making the desired impact on the listener in

order to get the results intended.

However it should be also noted that the use of invoking emotions can be something that causes the

opposite of the intended impact meant.

Therefore it is very important to identify beforehand the emotions that are being sought after, through the

communication exercise, so that the words chosen will rightly describe the actual content of the message

intended to be divulged.

The following are some recommendations as to the best use of words that will ideally invoke emotions:

• Using descriptive words and visual words to make it easy for the listener to “see” the picture in the

mind’s eye would be one way of invoking the desired emotions.

• Using smiles and metaphors is another effective way of invoking the desired emotions into the content

of the message to make it more impactful.

• There are also actual words that can be used to invoke strong emotions both in the presentation material

and in the overall content intention.

The Right Questions


Page13 Of 57

When you've introduced yourself, ask your prospect meaningful open-ended questions. Reply briefly

with gratitude for them, validation for their feelings, and endorsement for their thoughts. If you begin by

asking what is working well in their lives, their hardships will arise by nature.

Remember -- they're able to resolve their own issues. Resist the temptation to make suggestions unless

they ask you directly. Listen and reply with understanding. Let them have the floor. Be curious.

When it's your turn to talk, be concisely enthusiastic about what you do. Weave in a short success story

or two about your customers (no names) that relates to the challenges your prospect has just told you

about.

Do It The Right Way

We require data from others daily. Techniques we utilize to gather that data may have great impact on

both its quality and quantity. Open-ended questions are not only friendlier, but they get the desired

result-data- more quickly and are easier on the individual answering.

Curiously, many individuals don't know why open-ended questions are better or how to ask them, yet

they may be the easiest part of conversation imaginable.

Understand the difference. An open-ended question calls for an answer greater than a single word or two.

A closed-ended question may be answered with a simple "Yes," "No," or additional really simple answer.

For instance, if you wish to know what happened after you left the party, you may ask,

"Did you talk to Bob?" or

"Did Susan leave with John?" or

"Did they finish all the bubbly?"

Open ended questions are, you may simply ask "What happened after I left?" Chances are you'll hear

what you wish to know somewhere in your answer. If not, you may follow that up with another

open-ended question, "What happened with Susan and Jim?"


Page14 Of 57

Let's say you wish to know why a date was cancelled. Was it something you had said or done? Did

someone get sick? Did somebody with a pressing need call? You could ask any of these particular,

closed-ended questions or the very simple and open, "Why did you cancel our date?"

If the answer was vague or too general, my next open-ended question may be just slightly less

open-ended.

Me: "Why did you cancel our date?"

You: "I wasn't feeling well."

Me: "Oh? I hope you're feeling better now. What was wrong?"

After you've asked your open-ended question(s) and haven't gotten the particular information you want,

it's now effective and acceptable to ask more particular questions like, "What happened to the bubbly?" A

major mistake individuals make is to start with particulars, which wastes a lot of time. End with

particulars, if essential.

Follow up with "Why?" or "How?" A different technique that may help you get particular information

and a lengthier answer is to ask a closed-ended question followed up with "Why?" or "How?"

For instance, if I wish to know whether I might find a class useful, I may ask someone who took it.

Me: "Did you like that Sociology class?"

Him: "Nope."

Me: "Why not?"

Him: "Oh, well, it was a lot of reading and theory without much practical application, for one thing."

Be narrow and then open. If you're fighting to get the individual to open up with broad open questions,

attempt narrowing the questions first and then make them broader after getting them into the

conversation.

Illustration of this would be when talking to your youngsters after school and you ask, "What happened

today?" "Nothing" is the response. Go to something like, "What assignment were you assigned?" Likely

you'll get an answer and from this start opening up the question further.


Page15 Of 57

Listen! Occasionally we're guilty of formulating the next question without attentiveness to the answer to

the first. You miss excellent opportunities for follow-up questions if you do this! Make an effort to listen

to the reply you asked for!

Generating Leads

Appointment setting and leads

One of the best strategies that you can have when you are trying to get leads is to use set appointments tomeet with the prospective customer.

When you make an appointment with someone who may become a future customer, there are severaltraits you should look for. i.e. that...

1. You are speaking with a person who makes decisions.: When you set an appointment, you are cuttingthrough the middle man. This saves a lot of time and you won't have to worry about having to come backto talk to the right person.

2. There's a time to meet: When you have an appointment to meet with a lead, you can prepare and youknow exactly what you are going to say. The other thing is that you know exactly how much time thatyou have for your presentation, so you can make sure that you utilize it to the best of your ability.

3. It cuts down on time that is unproductive: Just the fact that you have an appointment with someonemeans that they are mildly interested in what you have to say. You know you're not going into themeeting blindly and wondering whether or not you will be wasting your time.

4. You know something about your audience beforehand: Appointments give you ample time to doresearch on your prospective clients and understand what their needs are so that they can be addressedduring your meeting. This offers an advantage because you will go into it being able to offer somethingthat they need.

It's always a good idea to be prepared and to know your audience. Making an appointment with yourprospective client helps you to do both.

Lead Generation Evaluation

One thing that people in business should remember is that it's important to take time once in a while andsee how leads are being generated. There are a couple of ways that you can do this.

1. Website -


Page16 Of 57

Take a look at your website and see what kind of traffic it is getting. How many people are coming, howlong are they staying once they get there? Are they subscribing to your newsletter, taking surveys,leaving feedback on your guestbook or forums?

If your traffic is low, take a look at the content that is offered on it and see if there is something that canbe done to bring more visitors in. You might want to pay someone who is specialized in Search EngineOptimization to write some content for your website.

2. Leads -

It's a good idea to talk to people who contact you so that you can find out where they got theirinformation from. That will let you know what is working and what isn't, and allow you to get rid of thedead weight that isn't bringing any new business in.

It's essential that you know where your leads are coming in and what isn't working. It's not cost effectiveor wise to use mediums that aren't working. They should be changed so that there are more leadsgenerated, in the case of a website, or done away with altogether, in the case of a newspaperadvertisement.

The medium that you dispose of right now can always berevisited in the future.

Putting the customer first

A mistake that is made on many websites and in dealing with prospective customers in general, is thatthere is a lot of the word 'we', and that can turn prospective customers away.

It's understandable that you want to tell your customers all about the company and what it can do forthem, but it's better to have the customer be the center of the focus, not the company. Let the customerknow that they are your main focus, and that you put their needs above everything else. Customers don'twant to read about how great your company is – they want to see results. They want to see what you aregoing to do for them.

Something that websites offer is an anonymous poll, so that they can see what it is that their customersare looking for. This gives the customer the chance to give their opinion without offering any otherinformation.

A good way to get a customer's attention is to have something like, -Let us know how to serve youbetter-. This makes the customer centric and lets them know that you value their opinion.

Something to remember is that when a customer sees a website full of praise about the company, theymay think that the company doesn't really care about their customers and makes them wonder what willhappen if there's a mproblem.

But when a website puts the customer at the forefront right away, this shows them that they are importantand that the company cares about them.


Page17 Of 57

Research and Lead Generation

Something that a lot of business owners don't consider is the fact that sometimes you have to do researchbefore you can know what it is that your prospective clients need and want from their company.

One of the best things that you can do to help you draw clients to your website is to take a look at yourcompetitors and see what it is that is, or isn't, working for them. Chances are good that if people have aproblem with what they see on that website, they aren't going to like it any better on yours.

If your competitor has a guest book, or a message board, this is a good place to start. This is wherepeople will leave their thoughts, questions and suggestions about the website. See what people have saidabout it, and take notes.

Don't copy your competitor's website - the last thing that you want to do is to have someone mistake youfor them, and have an upset competitor on your hands.

But as a part of the market research you want to know what it is that your prospective clients are lookingfor, and what they don't like.

Remember, the better that you know your audience, the more successful your business will be. After all,a doctor goes to medical school to learn about the human body before they can treat patients.

You have to know what is wrong and what your clients need before you can fix it.

Strategies for home based leads

When you have a home business, you want to be able to create a good amount of leads, because withoutleads you don't have a business.

But unfortunately a lot of people don't know how to generate leads effectively. Here are some tips onhow you can generate your leads and see where your business goes.

1. Keep track of your advertising campaigns

If you are a part of a large home based business that has a corporate office, many of them have a way thatallows you to do this. See if your home business has this, and take advantage of it if it's available.

If you aren't a part of a big home based business, or if this isn't something that your company offers, askthe leads how they came upon your information and what part of your advertisement drew them to yourcompany.

Keep track of the results and this will help you know what is working and what isn't.

2. Choose a market to target


Page18 Of 57

Sit down and figure out what part of the market you want to target, and concentrate on that. Otherwiseyou will find yourself targeting peoplel who may not ever be interested and wasting a lot of time andmoney.

3. Offer clients incentives

Everyone loves to get something for free, so the best thing that you might do is to offer your currentclients incentives for bringing in new clients.

It doesn't have to be money, it can be a small token of appreciation. The point is that they know that youappreciate what they have done.

Even if you do offer them something like a percentage of the sale in free gifts, remember that youwouldn't have gotten that sale at all if they hadn't brought you that client. You come out ahead no matterwhat.

Talk to your customer, not above them

One of the biggest things that turns off prospective clients is when someone is talking way above theirheads.

It's insulting, it's confusing, and it shows the client that the business person doesn't care about them ortheir feelings. All they care about is making money.

A good way to generate leads is to talk to prospective clients in a way that they can understand. The lastthing that anyone wants to do is to feel like they are dumb, and when they don't understand what you aretalking about, that is how they feel.

Whether you are making a flyer, a brochure, or your website. write it in layman's terms so that peoplethere can understand what it is that you are saying.

It's easy to think that clients will be impressed by the vast knowledge that you show, but it can have justthe opposite affect if they get turned off by terms that they don't understand.

If there are terms that you have to use, consider including a glossary so that people know that youthought of them when you were creating the information.

This will not only impress them but it will also show that you really care about them being wellinformed.

Don't assume that everyone will know what you are talking about, or will be impressed by big words anda lot of jargon. Depending on who the target audience is, it may make them decide to turn around and gowith your competitor.


Page19 Of 57

Tips for generating leads

The reason that a lot of businesses fail is that they don't focus on what is really important - the client.

Most people will say that making money in the most important, and money is important, but withoutclients you don't have money. So here are some tips for generating leads.

1. Meet your clients' needs

Clients aren't going to buy your product or make use of your service unless you appeal to them and offerthem something. Instead of focusing your advertisements on what you do, focus on what they will get outof your product or service. This shows your clients that you are focusing on their needs instead of onsimply making money on a product or service that no one can really use.

2. Get rid of waste

When you talk to clients, find out where they found the information about you and your company. If oneform of advertising is working well, and the other one isn't working as well, consider getting rid of theone that isn't working.Depending on what it is, it can be costing you money without giving anything backin return.

3. Make use of your website

Take a look at your website and look at it with a critical eye. Try and see it as a customer sees it andmake sure that any questions that they might have are answered.

4. Ask questions

The last thing you want to do is to ask questions. When people see a question, it makes them think. Theymay not have thought about it before, but it helps them take a look at themselves and they might just findthat they do have a need for your product or service, or want to get more information.

Using a website to generate leads

These days, most businesses have a website. Prospective clients enjoy going to websites because they gothere on their own terms and they can browse it at their leisure without feeling as if they have someonelooking over their shoulder.

Here are some ways to make your website user friendly, and one of your biggest lead generators.

1. Keep it simple

Make sure that the website is easy to navigate and people can find what they are looking for quickly andeasily.

2. Don't blind your customers


Page20 Of 57

Don't use a lot of flashing lights or color schemes that can be painful to view, or else you may find thatyour customers close the window before they have a chance to see what you have to offer.

3. Offer advice or tips

It's always a good idea to offer visitors something free, like tips or advice. Make sure that the advice andtips are pertinent to y our business.

4. Encourage feedback

Have a guestbook or a forum that people can go to and leave feedback with suggestions or commentsabout your website. Even if they aren't things that you want to hear, any feedback is valuable. Follow upon the feedback and thank them for taking the time to leave it.

All of the above tips put the customer first and show that you care about what they think. When visitorsknow that you are putting them first, they are more likely to become a customer and encourage others todo the same.

Using surveys to generate leads

One of the best ways that you can generate leads is to have people fill out surveys. This gives you a goodidea of what they are looking for, what their age group is, and so on. But there are a few things thatshould be considered when you are composing surveys.

1. Keep it short

You don't want to ask too much information of the clients because it may scare them off instead ofmaking them interested in your company or product.

2. Respect their privacy

Assure them that the information that you collect is going to be for your eyes only, and that it won't besold to another company. This is something that is important to people and when you make this promise,it shows that you respect them and their wishes.

3. Offer them a thank you

Let them know that you appreciate the time that they took to do the survey and offer them a thank youpresent. It doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive, but people like to know that they are appreciated.

When a survey is done right, and in the right manner, it can be a very useful marketing tool. The thing toremember is that in order to make them work, people have to be willing to fill them out.

Respect their time, respect their privacy, and respect their effort, and you will find that people will giveyou answers that will be useful and helpful to you and your company.


Page21 Of 57

Website content and lead generation

One of the best ways to get leads through your website is to give the visitors information that they needwithout them knowing that they need it.

Let's face it - people don't like to feel as if they are dumb. But if you give them information that is usefulwithout them feeling as if they are being talked down to, it can really make them sit up and take notice.

For example, take a company that sells jewelry. Most everyone knows what the birthstones are for thedifferent months of the year.

But someone who has a jewelry website could offer a chart for different anniversaries. For example, the40th wedding anniversary gemstone is ruby.

Another thing that a jewelry website could offer is cleaning tips for different types of gemstones, becausenot every method can be used on every type of gemstone. But that is something that can be offered on thewebsite as well.

Both of the examples above are things that people may not know that they want to know, but it'sinformation that is quite useful and people are going to be happy that it's available.

People like to know that the company is offering them information that is useful to them, because itdoesn't make them feel as if the company is only trying to make a sale.

The more useful information that you offer people, the better chance you have of making a sale. Peoplelike to get things that are free, even if it is only free information.

Time Management

Time Management Overview

Throughout the course of history mankind has sought to develop new ways to record, track and makebetter use of time. From the invention of the sundial to the introduction of the modern calendar, the needto responsibly understand and manage time has been a concern to individuals, both in their professionaland personal lives, for thousands of years.

Modern methods of time management incorporate various ways of recording time, to help an individualidentify barriers to the effective use of time. Long and short term goal setting is encouraged. The term


Page22 Of 57

time management also applies to any number of methods which may be employed to help an individualorganize and prioritize the goals to be accomplished.

Popular methods of time management practiced in the 21st century include the Parento Analysis, thePosec method, and Time Boxing, among a myriad of others.Each method proposes its own uniquesystem to help the individual user manage time in a more orderly and productive fashion. Tools used intime management may include either traditional or digital resources, such as planners, organizers, andorcalendars. Additionally, goal setting outlines and specific formulas, which include various methods forprioritizing and organizing goals, are also used to assist in the effective management of time.

Time management techniques may also assist individuals in pinpointing and eliminating habits thatinterfere with the productive use of time.

At the same time, many methods provide insight into the development of new and better habits, whichincrease the rate of performance, and the ability of the individual to achieve goals on a regular basis.

3 Simple Tools For Time Management

There are no hard and fast rules about what tools you must own, if you are going to embark on a missionto improve your time management skills. The following simple tools, however, are inexpensive, and canhelp make the process of tracking, planning and organizing your time easier and less burdensome.

Time Monitor Journal- This resource comes in both the digital and traditional varieties. It is useful inhelping you to monitor and record your own use of time, in order to identify key areas for change.

While a special journal is not needed, you may find that a ready made one saves you time in the long run,by doing the majority of the work for you prior to the actual recording of your activities.

Planner- Available in digital and traditional formats, planners are wonderful for recording goals, makingnotes, keeping track of appointments and more. A planner is a must have to help you stay organized andon target, when working toward your goals.

Select a planner that allows you enough room to keep track of a number of appointments and daily goals,but that is small enough so that you are able to carry it with you at all times.

Organizer- These can be useful for planning a specific project, or managing a number of projects all atthe same time. Digital and traditional versions of project organizers are available that can help you stayon top of the job.

Identifying Obstacles To Effective Time Management


Page23 Of 57

When you first begin to undertake a time management program it is beneficial to record your dailyactivities for no less than one week. One option for doing this is to keep a journal or notebook with youthroughout the day, for the period during which you will be doing the recording.

Using both the front and back of a plain sheet of paper in your journal draw 12 rectangles, several incheswide. (You will have 6 on each side.) Each rectangle will represent an hour of time, in a typical 12 hourday. Label each rectangle with hour increments, such as 700 to 800 am for the first, 900 to 1000 am forthe second, and so on. You will do this everyday for one week.

Each block is reserved for you to record the activities that you perform during that specific time period.An example of a block of time could be; "7:00 to 8:00 am, Monday- Showered. Brushed hair, teeth.Made and ate breakfast. Dressed for work. Applied Make-up. Balanced check book. Drove to the office."

Make notes as often as you can, and be specific in the details that you record. At the end of the week lookback through your journal and make note of any blocks of time that you could have made better use of.Some amount of fun and free time is important to your overall health and well-being, but if you noticethat there are continuous blocks of time that are not being managed wisely, this is a good place to start tomake some changes in your daily time management habits.

The Importance Of Planning For Long Term Goals InOrder To Ensure Better Time Management

Learning time management skills often requires the setting of long, medium and short term goals. Whenevaluating the number of goals to be completed, planning when, exactly how you will meet your specificgoals is one of the most important steps in the process.

One example of a long term goal might be to build a home of your own. Simply setting this goal is notnearly enough. If you really hope to accomplish your goal you must have a detailed plan in place to helpyou achieve it.

Effective time management skills include setting deadlines for when you will meet your entire goals, aswell as thinking through all of the small steps that you will need to take along the way. This is theplanning process and it requires that you make commitments to yourself, in order to meet your long termgoals.

If your goal is to build a house within the next two years, then the next step is to detail all of things youwill need to do in order to accomplish that goal.

It is also important to set shorter deadlines for each phase of this process. In this case some of the thingsyou might to need to accomplish in order to fulfill your goal, and the deadlines you might apply could befind a piece of land on which to build by December; blueprints for the home complete by March; hirecontractors by June; purchase materials by July etc...

In this way you break down complicated, long term goals into smaller, more manageable pieces.


Page24 Of 57

The Pareto Analysis And Time Management

Pareto was an economist who theorized that 80 percent of all problems result from 20 percent of allcauses.

This may seem like a complex theory which is too difficult to apply to such a thing as time management,but the Pareto 80-20 rule, as it has come to be termed, can be very beneficial when applied to problemsolving in any form.

One of the first steps in learning to effectively utilize time is to identify repeated patterns in your dailyschedule that may be interfering with productivity.

In looking over daily records of your time you may notice certain blocks of time which are not being usedto their fullest. Once having identified these blocks of time, you can begin to make changes in your dailyroutine.

Pareto’s 80-20 rule basically means that if you can identify and change only 20 percent of the causes ofproblems in your current time management system, you can subsequently fix 80 percent of thoseproblems.

An example of this would be to identify only two 15 minute blocks of time in your normal day when youfind that you are being the least productive. By changing the way you currently use these 2 small blocksof time, theoretically you should be able to increase your productivity by up to 80 percent.

Better time management does not mean giving up all free time, or all the time you currently spendrelaxing, or enjoying your life. Instead it helps you set priorities for managing time, eliminate wastedtime, and gain more control over how you use this valuable resource.

The Posec Method Of Time Management

One popular method of time management that has proven to be effective for many people is the posecmethod. Posec stands for "Prioritize by organizing, stream-line, economizing, and contributing."

To prioritize means to put first things first. The Posec method is loosely based around Laslow’s theoriesregarding the "Heirarchy of Needs". It gives the individual a realistic tool for setting priorities as theypertain to ones own unique needs and life goals.

Organizing involves making a plan to work on goals that will help the individual feel more stable andsecure. (This is a plan for meeting the individuals most basic needs, including food, clothing, shelter,safety and especially for love and acceptance.)


Page25 Of 57

Stream-lining applies to those "dirty" little jobs that no-one wants to do, but everyone must do, such aswork and chores. (This involves managing and maintaining one’s stability and security.)

Economizing refers to things that should be done, or things that are enjoyable, but which also may not beurgently in need of being done. (Lower on the list of priorities.)

Contributing involves social contribution. What you give back to the world (when other goals are metthen this becomes more feasible based on Laslows understanding of the human psyche).

The posec method offers clear guidance for assisting an individual in prioritizing goals. Theoretically thismethod should encourage movement upward on the "hierarchy" charts.

Since Laslows theories are intricately related to this method of time management it is helpful if theindividual applying this method is familiar with his research in regards to "the Heirarchy of Needs."

Time Management - About Time Boxing

Time boxing is a system of time management which breaks down a long and complex task into smallerpieces. Each piece of the task must be accomplished by a specific deadline. In time boxing deadlines arenot flexible, but everything else in the project is.

In time boxing a large task is broken down into several sections. Each section has specific guidelines forits completion. When the boxes are first "laid out", along with their deadlines, the project may be verydetailed. As each deadline approaches, if the tasks first pinpointed in the time box are not near tocompletion, certain aspects of those tasks may be scraped.

One example of this type of time management system might be to consider a script for a motion picture.

The scenes are laid out in boxes, with 5 or 6 scenes to be completed at each deadline. As the deadlineapproaches one of scenes may be dropped, in order to finish the completion of that section of the projecton time.

Time boxing does not work in every instance. The key element to this system of time management is thedeadline. In some cases if the deadline is not met, the entire project is scraped as a result.

The system works best when a strict budget must be adhered to, thus preventing the extending ofdeadlines, in order to finish the work.

Time Management - Goal Setting

Time Management methods most often incorporate some element of the goal setting process, as a keyingredient for overall effective use of time. Whether in the personal or professional realm, goal setting isan important aspect in becoming a productive individual, who effectively manages time.


Page26 Of 57

When speaking of "goals" this term will include any number of specific tasks which need to becompleted, from household chores to major business proposals. Tasks to be performed are referred to aseither short, medium, or long term goals, depending on the available time the individual has to completethem.

Short term goals may be thought of as daily goals. These often include everyday chores, as well asprojects which need to be completed immediately. In effective time management a list of short termsgoals is formulated, and each goal on that list is completed, on a daily basis.

Medium term goals are often goals that need to be completed within one week to one month of time.Depending on the amount of time required to complete the goal, a medium term may be broken up intosmaller pieces, to be accomplished daily. For instance, a project which will take 6 to 7 hours to completecan be broken into pieces, requiring only 1 hour per day.

Long term goals can reflect major undertakings, such as obtaining a college degree, building a new home,or any number of other such goals. These goals are broken down into daily, weekly, monthly and evenyearly goals.

For instance, to obtain a college degree in 4 years the individual will need to research financial options,register for classes, take and pass specific subjects, complete homework assignments etc... Long termgoals are best managed when broken down into small sections, each one a step toward completion of thefinal goal.

Time Management - The Importance Of Delegating Tasks

One way that many people can increase their productivity, and thereby improve upon their overall timemanagement skills is through learning to delegate responsibilities to others. Whether in personal orprofessional life "no man is an island unto himself."

When time constraints and looming deadlines threaten, it is not the weak person, but the strong one, thatcan assign some of the burden to others.

Many people with time management difficulties simply have taken on too much. In one’s personal life itcan be difficult to say "no" and in one’s professional life it can be downright impossible. An angry bossor supervisor is not something anyone wants to deal with.

If you find yourself in a crunch that you can’t possibly get out of, this may be the time when you simplymust call in the reinforcements. Whenever possible a team approach to large projects and difficult tasksshould be adopted in the professional world. While some people may have a difficult time trusting othersto carry their share of the load, learning to delegate can be an important step in to more effectively usingyour time.


Page27 Of 57

Decide upon what skills you have, and which aspects of the project are most suited to your own level ofability and creativity. Assign smaller tasks, such as running copies, doing research work, to others. Thisfrees up your time and energy to concentrate on the more important aspects of the job.

At home tasks can be delegated to other family members. Even the youngest child can learn to do somechores, such as picking up toys, or putting towels on a shelf.

By requiring children to share some of the burden of household chores you are also teaching them to beresponsible, and helping them prepare for adulthood.

Time Management - Viewing Time As A Non-Renewable Resource

When time is viewed as a non-renewable resource it often becomes easier to understand the importanceof managing it wisely. As with any resource, there is a direct relationship between the supply of, and thedemand for, that resource.

When there is an overabundance of time, it is more easily wasted. Likewise, when there is a shortage ofthe resource - in this case, of time - it becomes necessary to more effectively manage even the smallestamount of it.

Beginning to effectively manage time often begins with a change in perspective regarding time. Each dayprovides only a specific number of hours, minutes and seconds, in which to accomplish goals, andcomplete tasks.

When working under a deadline, then, every minute or hour is considered a resource which one couldfeasibly use to the full extent, in order to meet a specific goal. The resource is non-renewable. Eachmoment or hour that is used up is a percentage of a resource which will not be replenished.

When there is a shortage of any resource it becomes important to closely monitor its uses. Consider theresponse to a shortage of water. Certain activities are eliminated from use, such as watering plants,whenever there is a state of draught.

Limited activities make the most use of the resources available. The individual undertaking a timemanagement program then, will need to learn to identify the ways in which even the smallest amount oftime is wasted, as well as to carefully oversee their own limited supply of this valuable resource.

Goal Setting


Page28 Of 57

How to Achieve Your Goals

Each person has goals, regardless of the size, which is why they strive to reach these, depending on theirown capabilities and resources. If you truly want to become successful, you need to have the rightattitude and mindset to achieve. There are several ways to do this and you may be surprised that you hadeverything you needed all along.

Importance of Visualization

The goal starts from within. You need to have full desire and passion over the things that you want toachieve. This way, you will constantly store the thoughts and ideas in your mind that will lead to success.If your desire is weak, the results and the paths to success will also be weak or delayed. The primary stepis to create dreams. You may take a pen and paper and list down the items that you want to do.

Visualize yourself being successful in your objectives. The attitude of the mind is highly important tosubconsciously control your actions towards the achievement of your set goals. You can keep pictures ofthings to help you visualize. Try surfing the internet and look for the right images that will put you on theright track. You may want to consult a professional to help you visualize if you have difficulty.

Creating Your List

Next, you need to create a list to achieve your goals. It is vital that you create the action steps that willultimately lead to your main goal. For example, if your goal is to get rich, you have to set steps such assaving money, investing, working extra hours, building connections, etc.

It is always recommended to make your list more specifically, such as writing down "To earn 1 milliondollars", instead of just "Being rich." You should also be specific about the action steps. You can writedown "Save 10 dollars everyday", instead of just "Save more". You should also create a time linewherein you can finish tasks right on schedule. You will avoid the hindrances if you push yourself moreby setting deadlines.

Think of Benefits or Consequences

Aside from writing down the list of your goals and action steps, you will also want to include theadvantages and consequences once you reach them. For example, you can put "Buy a new Ferrari","Managing my main office nemesis", etc. These specific advantages will motivate you more. You canalso include the consequences should you fail or delay by writing down things like "Lose my house","Disappoint my wife", etc.

The Right Attitude

You need to have the right attitude that will help you stick to your goals. The most important areconsistency, patience and discipline. Consistency describes the work you put in to achieve the resultsyou've always desired. Patience talks about waiting for the right opportunity and persevering despite


Page29 Of 57

some disappointments. Discipline means giving up some immediate gratifications so you can get biggerand long lasting benefits in the end.

You can practice the right attitude by talking to very successful people and finding a partner who canmotivate you during times of trouble. It is important that you check your list every now and then andmake the necessary adjustments over time. Changes may occur but you have to stay with the goal, even ifthe plan is flexible and altered.

The Right Way to Set and Achieve Your Goals

People set their goals differently, depending on their current situation, resources, physical capacity andother factors. You can, however, follow some guidelines to make sure that your goals are credible andpossible. Too many individuals set their goals too high unknowingly, only to lose and get disappointedfor life. Here are some tips for you.

Being Specific

Goals need to be specific, so that you know which part of the process you're currently in and theparticular ways on how you will achieve it. Most people have goals to get promoted, get rich, improverelationship and the like, but these are very vague and your mind can become confused about what youtruly mean. General descriptions usually do not have boundaries, so you always leave room for mistakesand compromise. If you want results that you can be proud of, be specific.

To be specific, you need to include the full details. Write down something like, "I want to get $1 millionby October of this year." or "I need to become key supervisor of the sales division by next week." or "Iwant my kids, Taylor and Chad, to become best friends beginning tomorrow." Include the names, theposition, the amount, the date and everything else needed to train your mind to start working towards thatgoal.

Being Measurable

Goals need to be measurable so that you can gauge how well you have done lately. To help measure yourpaths and goals, you should include measurable details. For your job, you can include details such as thenumber of hours you're working, the amount you're earning, the staff you're handling, etc. For the goal ofmoney, you can include details such as the amount you want to have as a whole, the number ofcompanies or businesses you own, your contact persons, etc. Always have things and items to bemeasured so you can understand how close you are to getting your goals. If your goal is to earn $100,000a month, then you know you're halfway there if you're already earning $50,000 a month.

Being Attainable and Realistic

Only set goals that can possibly be accomplished. Some people set goals that are too high to reach, thatthey are almost setting up things that are impossible. Make sure you only set objectives that you canreach within a given amount of time, provided the current resources and capabilities you have. Someexamples of impossible goals are doubling your salary overnight, getting a promotion higher than your


Page30 Of 57

boss's position, etc. Some goals can be achieved faster compared to others if you have some strengths andpaths to back these up. Always include a strategic plan for big objectives.

Time-Bound

Set deadlines to achieve your goals or else you'll never going to finish anything. Stay specific whensetting timelines and schedules. For example, indicate things like "To spend an hour with my wifeeveryday starting tomorrow (indicate exact date and year)". Setting the exact time and date will spur youto start working on your goals, instead of putting it off for another available time. Some goals can takeyears to accomplish so it is wiser to break these down into smaller objectives, still complete withdeadlines. You can finish everything in a sequence to finally reach the biggest one.

The Right Attitudes to Achieve Your Goals

If you want to be truly successful in how you achieve your goals, then you need to harbor the right habitsand attitudes that will keep you on track. There are a number of good traits you have to keep for life todiscover that more opportunities and good things are bound to happen, if only you allow these. Here aresome of the features that great people had.

Being Industrious

Hard work always pays off. There is no single famous individual person in history who achieved severalgoals in life without working it off. Being industrious means working harder than anyone else, studyingmore than anyone else and even suffering more than anyone else. You have to understand the importanceof delayed gratification as you work towards your ultimate goal. To begin hard work, you can begin byfixing your schedule, writing down tasks and functions of the day and finding the right people andresources that can assist you. Keep in mind that you have to be as independent as possible to finish morein the long term.

Discipline and Consistency

Discipline is what separates the leaders from the followers. If you truly want to make changes in yourlife, you have to understand doing things even if you do not want to at times, and maintaining excellentquality and optimum performance each time. Being consistent is intertwined with patience, wherein youcontinue performing well, regardless of the situations and hindrances, to render the results you want inthe end.

Discipline and consistency are also interrelated, in the sense that discipline breeds consistency. If youcontinue practicing good habits and sticking to the functions that lead to your main goal, you will find iteasier to do over time. You will change as an entire person and experience the opportunities that comewith being dedicated.

Resilience


Page31 Of 57

Problems are a part of every man's life, but it is the resilient person who always prevails and achievestheir goals. You need to learn from your past mistakes and convert these into more productive actions thenext time. Learn to pick yourself up after each fall and put in double effort to become better. Some of themost successful people, as well as those who truly left a mark in history are known to have faced bigdifficulties and resentment before they let others understand their own way of doing things.

Optimism

You need to stay positive about your situation, regardless of the problems that you face. It is vital thatyou stay optimistic and always believe that you will get to your goal, no matter what. If you tell yourselfthat you will reach it sooner, chances are you will. It might help to believe in the powers of the UniversalLaw of Attraction which draws opportunities toward you just the way you intend to, and in the rightintensity as you desired.

Patience

Some goals are very big and will take time to accomplish. Do not allow yourself to think that some goalsare just too huge to be possible. Be specific and set goals that are attainable to your current situation andstart working to achieve these. You can break it down into smaller tasks that are much easier to do withinthe given timeframe that you have.

Habitual Developments to Achieve Your Goals

People may be successful or fail in their goals alternately, simply because they have not adopted the righthabits that ultimately make winners. You can stay successful for life and achieve your goals, regardlessof the type and challenges, by having the right mindset and attitude. Start building healthier habits for awell-rounded lifestyle you can be proud of.

Motivation Matters

Motivation is the first step in starting your quest towards your goal, as well as making sure that you stickto it no matter what. The best person who can motivate you for life should be yourself. Always visualizethat you are a strong, capable and wilful individual who can achieve anything as long as you put inenough time, work and heart into it.

You can also find a support system that can motivate you should you lose steam alter on. Some of thebest persons include your family, your best friend, your spouse and your kids. Having a partner cangreatly help so that you can both inspire and push each other, when one is not feeling that good or lacksencouragement.

Progress and Review

Establish schedules to check your progress, using a calendar system. You can also include tools like ahandwritten list, a PDA or a day planner. When setting goals, you need to be specific and include thedeadlines for each objective and goal. You need to develop the plan over time as you go over and review


Page32 Of 57

the items carefully. Some items will have to be revised later on as you'll soon realize. The more importantthing is that you stay on track and do not lose courage and motivation.

Progress should be reviewed regularly. You can hire a coach or talk to a professional online to help youanalyze things that might be hindering your progress. Check items that seem to be delayed or disturbedthen analyze the possible affective factors. It is important to review your desire and passion for your goalevery now and then too, so that you can always find the right persons and resources that will get you backon track.

Practice Makes Perfect

It takes time and practice to develop the right habits in becoming successful and achieving your goalsevery time. Some of the things you need to practice include discipline and patience. Discipline involvesgiving up some pleasures to get a more permanent result in the end. For example, you have to give up thecake for dessert or eat delicious fast food meals, just so you can enjoy the benefits of having a fit andbeautiful body come summer. Set a timeline to develop habits too. You will find that your habits becomemore consistent through constant practice.

Optimism Pays

Make it a habit to stay optimistic at all times too, so that you can draw positive energy from othersaround you. That way, you get to find a lot of extra help, support and tips that will ultimately lead to yourmain goal. Even if you come across some difficulties, make sure you stay positive in everything that youdo. Pick yourself up after each fall and determine to become better the next time. Experience is the bestteacher so learn and repeat. Stay positive and get positive results for a lifetime.

Getting Help to Achieve Your Goals

A few people are capable of handling challenges and reaching their goals alone. However, majority ofcases always require other people's support. You cannot always expect to finish bigger tasks on time ifyou do not trust others, especially when you belong in a team. You can accomplish more and becomeresponsible over bigger things if you get help.

Start with Trust

It is important to start trusting other members of the team. Although you may be better off doingeverything yourself, you know you cannot actually finish all of these on time. Every individual in thegroup certainly has strengths and weaknesses. You can alleviate potential problems by choosingindividuals that are best for the task at hand. If you're stuck with someone who is a bit incompetent, youcan ask another to supervise and review the work for better results.

Give other individuals time to finish their work and to give out creative ideas that can be beneficial toeveryone's best interests. Creativity greatly enhances if there are several people included in the mix.Learn how to see your teammates in a whole different light.


Page33 Of 57

Delegation is Vital

When you delegate tasks to achieve your goals, you need to assign the right missions to the right persons.This means that you should understand the individual first before giving out a certain task. You canreview your list of their strengths and weaknesses then delegate accordingly. Delegation is an importanttechnique used by many leaders. Only a number, however, has a gift in delegation. Appointing the wrongperson for the job can cost you money, time and the entire project.

If the Problem Starts from Within

If you are the one having problems or doubt your only own capabilities of finishing the job, you need torely on a professional to gain more confidence. You may want to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist tohelp you boost your ego and motivate you as a good leader. Joining groups and seminars aboutself-confidence is also ideal. Always make it a point to talk to leaders and other successful people thenbegin following their examples. There are also guidance counselors and experts available online who cangive you exercises, tips and guidelines to follow.

Some programs are meant to help people develop trust in others, as well as make teams work moreeffectively. There are several changes that can occur while trying to achieve your goals, so you also haveto learn how to curb the team efforts to continue being successful. Good habits take time, dedication andpractice to become regular. Work on a good habit each week or month then continue adopting new skills.

To Be Led

Not everyone is capable of becoming a truly effective leader. Anyone, however, can be quite adept inleading a few good men. There are times when projects are just not in sync with your own personalstrengths and traits. These are the moments when you have to pass the work on to a leader and allowyourself to function as a follower. By working within the team, you can achieve great things. This is stilltrue to the principle of assigning the proper person for the proper function. You do not always need toshine in the spotlight, but you still get the job done.

Bad Traits to Avoid If You Wish to Achieve Your Goals

A lot of people stay unsuccessful or have alternating experiences with success and failure, simplybecause they do not know that they have many bad traits. Bad traits pertain to habits and personalcharacteristics that ultimately lead to failure. Some of the things you've been so used to doing for severalyears may be the main reason why you struggle much.

The Basic Bad Habits

Laziness is one of the negative habits that a loser has. The worse thing is, lazy people usually do not wantto get rid of the problem. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to understand the value of hardwork and perseverance. Some of the greatest people in the world are known to work way more than thosewho did not leave a mark. The greats work longer hours, sleep less, eat less, wake up earlier and suffer


Page34 Of 57

more than anybody else. It takes sacrifice to reach your goals. The most important thing to know is thateverything you have ever wanted is just outside your comfort zone.

Another bad habit that people have dealt with for several years is fear. They fear things and eventswithout even trying. Some people are even afraid of success subconsciously in a way that they refute anyopportunity that can make them great. Some people do not realize that they just do not or cannot handlethe bigger responsibilities that achieved goals come with. You should understand that once you reach acertain goal, it can mean that the bar has just been raised for you to accomplish more.

Personal Bad Traits

Selfishness is a bad trait that you need to get rid of to achieve your goals. There are individuals who donot want to get help from others because they do not want to share their expected success. What's sad isthat most of them do not actually reach their goals. There is so much joy and celebration for everysuccess that can be shared between several individuals. There is even so much money in the world foreveryone to stay rich. Even if you may be better off doing some things yourself, still you cannot doeverything.

Being Negative

Pessimism is a trait of losers. Losers always find a reason to lose, even if the situation or opportunity isalready presenting itself. In most cases, pessimism is tied up to fear. Seeing things in a negative light willresult to bad results too, most of the time. If you start your day negatively, everything else will alreadyseem bad, so you will focus more on the little things that do not matter and let them bother you, insteadof keeping your mind on your goals.

Seeking Help

The first step to treating bad habits to achieve your goals is to look at yourself as a confident, capable andstrong individual. You are responsible for whatever happens in your life. Although problems are boundto happen, you know that you always have the ability to stay successful in life as you choose. Minorsetbacks are supposed to be a means for you to become better and stronger.

Write a list down indicating all your weaknesses and bad traits. Next, put the opposite trait for each. Theopposite traits are now your new characteristics to be adopted. Start practicing one good trait per week ormonth, then add another one for consistency. Over time, you will realize that success follows youbecause of your positive aura.

Problems to Expect When You Try to Achieve Your Goals

Every person may not be fully aware that all successful people have experienced problems that, at morethan one time, demotivated them enough to decide to quit. Hindrances are inevitable in every successfulperson's life, so you should always expect several to come your way as you try to achieve your goals.Here are some of the things to expect soon.


Page35 Of 57

Financial Setbacks

Money is often the main problem that hinders people from achieving their dreams. There are challengesthat arise that require a lot of financial capital or support. The problem for most individuals is that theycan't seem to find the proper source to adequately maintain their needs for a variety of projects.Politicians are one of the most common people who need financial support all the time to fund theirprograms, campaigns and donations.

The main idea is to learn how to wait for the right opportunity, to avoid exhausting your resources toosoon and unwisely. It is important to consider other things that will help you survive for the long term. Ifyou're going into business, you should prepare for the startup capital, as well as operational expenses tosupport the company until it is ready to stand independently. Make sure you plan and review everythingbefore investing.

Problems with People

Even though you may already be ready for different types of challenges at different times, others may notbe as cooperative or as capable as you. Each person has unique needs and aspirations, so as a leader, youneed to focus on these first to gain their interest and help. People who are selfish or unwilling to workwith you can have traits that can cause the company to collapse. Some of the negative characteristicsinclude dishonesty, being rebellious and laziness. All these can hinder your progress and keep you fromreaching your goals.

It is important to develop leadership skills, so that you can adequately encourage and motivate all yourpeople to help you reach certain objectives. Give them missions and functions that best suit their ownstrengths and capabilities. Understand and get to know other people better so that you can expand thenetwork fully, opening more opportunities in the process. Talk to other successful individuals and learnfrom their own experience, mistakes and personal techniques. These people usually are more than willingto share their wisdom with you.

Problems with Nature

The forces of nature are truly inevitable so you always need to have a second or third backup plan readyfor these. Some of the things to expect are bad weather, accidents, disease, economic crisis, death, theft,fraud, scandals and change in the system or government. Try to create plans and objectives that areflexible. You can set deadlines for your projects, but make sure that you still have other ways around ifthe unstoppable occurs.

Natural forces are part of life so you will encounter these as long as you have goals. Even those withoutgoals need to deal with these aspects. The most important thing is that you do not lose steam and staymotivated and fired up to reach your goals, no matter the cost. Find alternatives and other people who canhelp you deal and cope during setbacks. Learn from your experience and stay prepared for repeatincidents.


Page36 Of 57

Motivation

Simple Rules of Motivation

You can drag yourself up the same way you can drag yourself down. It is a choice you have to makeevery, single day. Whenever you are faced with this conflict of choices, bring with you these tiny nuggetsof wisdom on motivation.

Never mind that you're not this or that.

It all begins with little excuses like 'I don’t feel good', 'I am not that smart', 'I don't have enough faith inmyself'. Then you start believing in these things like they are written in stone, then these negative beliefsbecome a part of your system, a part of who you are.

Don’t give a second's worth of recognition on these negative self-talks. Whenever you hear that part ofyour brain tell you things that can pull you down, shut it out and listen to that less powerful, butoftentimes ignored voice that says 'you can!'.

Try to have a little faith - in yourself, in what you can do, and the things you believe in. It doesn't matterif you fail, everyone goes through that hurtful process. What matters is that every time you do, youbounce back, rebuild yourself, and give the world a better you.

Be very careful when choosing your side.

You can either talk yourself into doing the task or not, which means you can either be a part of successthat one part of your head says you can be, or take part in the downfall the other side of your head tries togo to. Always take that side of your brain that believes in you, that cares about your well-being, andpushes you to be the person you are trying to be.

Try to win the debate with yourself every time. Remember that sometimes, the act of doing something isnot really difficult. It's the few minutes of mental chatter leading up to doing the act.

Hold on to that something that matters to you.

There is nothing more meaningful in life than that something that we dearly hold on to. Some people callit their passion, others call it their cause. What do you call yours?

Cause, passion, or whatever it is that propels your inner drive to accomplish something is a very powerfulsource of motivation. It never runs dry. It flows so long as you hold on to that thing you care about.Sometimes, it is what makes people do the impossible in the face of difficulties. And it is that thing thatgives them the courage to face and get through the biggest difficulties life throws at them.

Dream big.

Big dreams inspire. It makes people work harder, with even more passion. What would happen to peopleif they have nothing to shoot for? Nothing. If there are no Olympic medals and several hundred


Page37 Of 57

Olympians to compete against, the champions will never exist. If Mount Everest is not the highestmountain, there will be no mountaineers and hikers who struggle everyday to reach the peak.

If you don’t dream big, you would stay forever in that nook of the world where everything is mediocre,where sense of achievement is an abstract concept, and where success is all but inexistent.

Compete with yourself.

Competing with others is good, but oftentimes it is sure-fire way to demotivate yourself because you willstart to compare yourself with others each and every time. Run your own, personal race. How many timeshave you heard the saying, 'you are your worst enemy'?

On Staying Motivated

Life has a way of interfering us while we are going after our dreams. It distracts us from pursuing thingsthat really matter and even convinces us that nothing really matters. It can attract us to adopt a defeatistattitude – lacking on enthusiasm and interest – ultimately sapping out our sense of purpose.

But there are ways to stay motivated, no matter how you feel about everything around you. These are noteasy, far from that, but are nevertheless very helpful in keeping yourself fired with motivation.

Develop the attitude of interest. Find the thing you are most passionate about. The happiest people, theysay, are those people who do the things they love the most. It is not coincidental that they are the mostmotivated people as well. After all, passion and motivation go hand in hand. They are closely intertwinedto create a person who is full of zest about everything.

Nearly every successful people are very passionate about what they do. Why do you think LanceArmstrong, despite of having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, went on to win 7 consecutive Tour deFrance trophies? It is not only because he refused to give in to life's cruel joke, but because he is alsovery passionate about cycling. We are not saying that it has to take some forceful circumstances in ourlives before we find the thing we are most passionate about. In most cases, this very thing is right at thetip of your nose. You just don’t want to see it, to accept it.

Find the thing that can spark and sustain your enthusiasm. Then channel all your energies towards thatthing. This sparks motivation, productivity and satisfaction.

But what do you do when you are stuck with things that you are not truly passionate about? In times likethis, when passion is lacking and your zeal is at its all time low, interest will suffice. Be interested ineverything you do, no matter how boring, tedious or nonsensical it may seem. Find meaning ineverything. Take the time to be engrossed, to be interested. Otherwise, your life will seem and feel like aliving hell.


Page38 Of 57

Having said that, always find reasons to be happy about the things you do, the goals you are pursuing, thedreams you are trying to realize, and the life you are trying to live. Never lose sight of happiness andnever let it slip away.

Maintain an elevated level of energy. The mere act of smiling at yourself can recharge your energy.Having no energy almost always ensure that you won't feel as motivated as you need. Always take thetime to recharge yourself – sleep, eat, breathe, relax, and rest. Do whatever it takes to always keep yourenergy high, if not sustained.

Act like it. Translate positive emotions into actions. If you are not feeling positive about anything, try toact like it. Sometimes, despite of lacking motivation, you can still feel motivated when you deliberatelyact with enthusiasm.

Motivation - Practical Tips To Get Yourself Up and Going

People have different issues with motivation. Some people find it hard to begin, while others find itexcruciatingly hard to finish. Both ends of the tasks are often the hardest to accomplish. It could bebecause the task is unpleasant, uninteresting, or lacks the thing that makes you feel motivated to get offyour butt and start working. When having troubles with getting or staying motivated, try these followingtips.

Kick the habit of procrastination - Procrastination is very enticing, that is why many people are led to itspath. But, never for a second believe that it is satisfying. Procrastination eats up a lot of your time whileleaving nothing for you to get ahead with your task. Procrastination also leaves that lingering, powerfulguilt feeling that saps the energy out of your body.

The unwashed laundry. The unfinished business plan. The project that lays idle on your table. All theseare reminders that you haven’t done anything with your habit of procrastination. And all these producethat same sense of half-pleasure, half-guilt feeling produced by not doing the task on time.

Push yourself – Over pampering yourself is a bad habit, and a fatal one too. You may not lose your lifewhile procrastinating, but you can lose your job, opportunities and the chances of success whenever youhesitate and delay your tasks. No one wants to miss out on these things, so just do the opposite ofpampering, try to push yourself.

If you think you can do a task in one hour, try to finish it in 30 minutes. Add more outputs every day.Make yourself extra productive. There is a certain sense of pride and accomplishment in being able todefeat your worst enemy – yourself.

Be careful not to push yourself too hard though. Always leave time for rest and relaxation as these cancharge your mind and body to keep your energy and interest in the things you do at the highest.

Stop talking yourself out of it - There are always two parts of your head that are battling for yourattention. One part convinces you to start working on your task; the other gives you all the convincingarguments to delay your work. In most cases, the second part wins. But for people who have no serious


Page39 Of 57

issue with motivation, the good, inspiring side always wins out the debate. Always try to listen to thatpart that talks you into doing your tasks, not to the one that pulls you back to that cozy bed where you cansteal a few minutes' worth more of rest.

Envision the completion of the task - Think like you have already finished your task. Few peopleappreciate the benefits of creating mental images of finished tasks. The reality though is, this can help agreat deal in motivating you to get on with it. Think of the euphoria of not having anything to make youfeel guilty. Or the sense of pride in being able to accomplish something. The more you think of thebenefits of finishing your tasks, the more convinced you will become to get ahead with it.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

The Benefit Of Implementing CRM

There are many benefits to implementing a CRM solution into your company. Many of the benefitsinclude synergy, sales, and a happy customer.

Most cases of the implementation of a Customer Relationship Management solution have improvedprocesses, flow, and the customer experience. Synergy is one of the biggest benefits of implementing aCRM system into your business. You might have a company and it seems as if the departments aredetached and they don’t talk to each other.

Maybe one department thinks they are more important than the other. This type of attitude happens all ofthe time and by creating a CRM strategy with your entire organization it can improve these attitudes.

This will give everyone the knowledge how important each department and position is and how theyprovide an excellent customer experience.

When you make a job important to the employee who is working in the position they tend to want to do abetter job. This is because they feel important as an employee.

When your employees have a clear understanding of the importance of CRM then you will seeimprovements across the organization.

Sales will improve also because customers notice a big difference when an employee is working for acompany and they don’t feel their job makes a difference.

When employees are happy it rubs off on the customers. They will want to return and they willrecommend your business to other people too.

The biggest benefit of implementing a CRM strategy within your organization is by improving theoverall employee morale. When morale is improved with the employees then so is their performance andtheir attitude about their impact on the company.


Page40 Of 57

The Role Of Customer Facing Operations With CRM

Customer relationship management is a strategy focusing on the customer making their experienceexcellent with the business. The customer facing operations aspect of CRM is vital because these are theindividuals the customers have direct contact with.

People can be the customer facing operations portion and provide the experience the company desireswhen they work in positions as customer service, sales, or any position that has direct contact with.

When you have direct contact with a customer and you are polite and courteous then you are creating agood experience for them and it makes them want to come back. This includes answering any questionsthe customer might have and if you don’t know the answer then finding someone who does.

When you are rude or discourteous to a customer then you are creating a bad experience and potentiallylosing a customer for life.

Computer systems and other forms of technology might be the responsible for CRM also. This mightinclude data terminals in a book store you use to look up books, public computers at a library, or thewireless access you would like to use in your bedroom.

If the equipment you offer to a customer for use doesn’t work then this too is creating a bad experiencewhich may also cause you to lose a customer. Especially, if you offer wireless Internet in a hotel roomand it is not working.

This is because many people will stay at your hotel because they need to be able to get work done whilethey are traveling. You will lose them as a customer if your equipment isn’t functional.

CRM is a strategy that focuses on every aspect of the business to create an outstanding experience foryour customers.

The customer facing operations is the portion of the business that has the most contact with the customer.

CRM Strategy

The strategy for Customer Relationship Management may differ within each company. Depending on thecompany needs and focus they might consider the entire workplace responsible for total CRM or only thesales team.

Most companies who take Customer Relationship Management seriously believe it is the entireorganizations responsibility to ensure total customer satisfaction. It is believed every job workshand-in-hand and everyone is working toward the same goal.


Page41 Of 57

That goal is an excellent customer experience for every customer that walks in the door. Each departmentworks together and when one link in that chain breaks then the entire experience can be tattered.

Everyone must work together toward the same goal of customer satisfaction to provide the best resultsfor Customer Relationship Management possible.

Many companies who rely entirely on their sales team looks at Customer Relationship Managementdifferently. A company who might look at it differently is a life insurance company sales team. Everyonein the sales office might believe that the customer experience isentirely up to the sales representative.

They are responsible for getting their own clients and making their own sales and if they lose a big client,no one is to blame but the sales rep themselves. This can ring true for car sales businesses and the like.

Companies view CRM or Customer Relationship Management differently. Not all companies believe it isthe entire organization’s responsibility to keep the customer happy and provide an excellent experience.

It usually depends on the business and how they are setup.

Collaborative CRM

One of the goals of Customer Relationship Management is to provide an infrastructure of support that iseffective and responsive to support questions raised by customers, complaints, and any other issues.

The Collaborative portion of the CRM is to coordinate a multi-channel service and support system withinthe company that can take care of these issues.

A technical support department has interaction with customers. It is common for customers to submitquestions or complaints about things to the technical support team.

For example, customers are often asking for an online system to make purchases or check the status oftheir order.The technical support team will take these customer issues to the Collaborative CRM who canuse this information to provide better customer service and create this online need.

The ultimate goal of the Collaborative CRM is to improve the customer service experience and ensureeveryone is happy. They might distribute surveys out to their customers or send them by mail if a mailinglist has been established to find out answers to certain questions.

Surveys are often used to find out about customer satisfaction regarding certain products or the shoppingexperience.

Surveys often provide a lot of useful information to the Collaborative CRM team when the receivecomments like the bathrooms are filthy, the sales girl was very rude, or maybe someone couldn’t find acustomer service representative for over ten minutes.


Page42 Of 57

Collaborative CRM gives management an idea how to make changes within an organization or whatthings are not being done so they can ultimately improve the customer experience.

External Collaboration Functions of CRM

An aspect of Customer Relationship Management that is extremely important is the external functions.This might include vendors, distributors, and suppliers. These relationships and processes support thecustomer’s experience in many ways. When a company has a good relationship with a desired supplierthen they are able to offer the customer certain items. If a business does not have a good relationship witha supplier then the customer can suffer if that is the only supplier that offers a particular item. This willforce a customer to go to another business who can give them what they want.

The relationship with vendors and suppliers also contributes to the prices a company might offer for acertain item.

If a company can only purchase certain merchandise from a supplier at a 5% discount then they may noteven shelf the item. This is because they don’t stand to make much of a profit once the item sells and it isa bigger loss to them if the item doesn’t sell and they have to mark it down as a clearance item.

If there is a good relationship with the distributor and the company gets a 40% discount on everythingthey purchase from them then they can offer the items at a cheaper rate because they will make more of aprofit from the sale.

The external collaboration functions impact the customer directly when they want to purchase a certainitem that is not offered or when they are offered an item at one business significantly cheaper than fromyou.

Implementing CRM in Your Company

If you think its time you take a customer focused view point with your company and you would like toimplement a Customer Relations Management strategy with your workplace, it is probably a good idea.

It is easy to do and you are sure to notice improved results in many different aspects of your business.Many of the ways you can implement CRM into your company is by using training sessions, meetings,and technology.

When you implement Customer Relations Management into your company you can begin by having eachof the employees take part in training sessions to teach them about the concept. These training sessionsshould teach the employees about the vision and the mission of the company and how each and everyemployee is all working toward the same goal. You should also teach each employee how their particularposition directly affects the customers.


Page43 Of 57

If an employee is an internal employee who doesn’t have any contact with the customers then they mightfeel the training is not for them.

They need to know that their position does have an impact on the customer and how the technology inyour company can be used to initiate Customer Relationship Management because there are manysoftware packages out there designed to help companies implement a successful strategy that providesresults.

There are learning and competency management systems you can purchase so your employees canpractice and take exams on them.

There are many ways you can implement a Customer Relationship Management solution into yourcompany including meetings and using the computer systems.

Improving Sales With A CRM Strategy

A big benefit to implementing a CRM strategy is the growth in sales. You will see your sales numbersincrease dramatically when you successfully put a Customer Relationship Management solution in place.

When you have bad customer service in all aspects of your company, then sales usually tend to be quitelow. This is because your level of returning customers is extremely low.

Customers can sense when employees are disconnected and not happy with their positions. This doesn’tnecessarily mean they are not happy but that they don’t feel the importance or the impact of theirposition.

Employees need to be working toward the goal of making a customer experience fantastic. When thecustomer service is not good then customers don’t even want to be in the business, nor do they want tospend money.The first response is to leave.

When you implement a strategy to provide an excellent Customer Relationship Management solution youwill increase your sales.

Your employees will have an idea of how their position contributes to the success of the company.

Your customers will sense and see good attitudes with the employees and they will be treated properly bythe staff.

Customers will spend the money and shop in your store. They will also recommend you to their friends ifthey like the experience that much.

Sales are sure to increase when you implement a CRM strategy with your business. This is because thecustomers are aware when the employees work together and like their jobs.

Employees should care about the customers and about creating an excellent experience for everyone.


Page44 Of 57

Internal Collaborative Functional Operations In CRM

The people who work on the back end of a business are ultimately responsible for the way things workfor a company. Although, to a customer their work and duties are not visible, they are the ultimatelifeline for CRM. Many of these positions include departments like information technology, billing,maintenance, planning, marketing, advertising and more.

The Information Technology department assists with internal collaborations by ensuring the employeeshave phone lines, computers to work on, and information processes in place. When these are notoccurring as they should be then the employees are unable to do their jobs.

An Advertising department also works behind the scenes for the customers to create an image for thecompany. They also create discounts and coupons for the customers. The advertising department is incharge of grabbing the attention of the customer in a positive way.

The manufacturing department is who is responsible for creating the customer’s products. Thisdepartment is usually noticed the least along with the maintenance department.

Although the customer’s primary purpose is to purchase the product coming from manufacturing theynever experience contact with these people.

Manufacturing ensures good CRM by creating a quality product and using quality assurance methods tobe sure the customer’s never get a defective product.

There are many departments that work behind the scenes to ensure the customers have an excellentexperience with a company.

According to the strategy and theory of quality CRM, the entire company and every department isresponsible for creating the experience.

Teaching New Employees About CRM

One of the best strategies a company can have is putting new employees through a Customer RelationsManagement training session before they begin their jobs.

Human Resources can make this happen and this will ensure the employees begin their positions the waythey should.

Human resources are the department that should be responsible for ensuring a Customer RelationshipManagement module is in place and working properly.


Page45 Of 57

They should work closely with management and employees to ensure everyone knows their role as anemployee and that they have a clear understanding of their job responsibilities.

Human Resources can help an employee understand how their position ties in with the entire companyand how they are important.

All employees entering into the company should immediately go through a CRM training program. Thiswill give the employees a clear understanding of the company’s goals and where they want to be headed.

An employee can also understand how their particular position is important for the company to meet thedesired goals and why the company needs them. It is important to instill a sense of importance into theemployee from the get go so they begin their new position with a sense of being needed.

When you don’t instill these things in an employee immediately, they may think they are just collecting acheck and have a bad attitude. Human Resources should work closely with the management and all of theemployees in a company to ensure everyone is working toward the company goals and they believe inthem.

New employees should immediately be placed in a Customer Relationship Management solution toempower the employee and give them an understanding of their importance.

Team Training

How To Build Powerful Corporate Teams That Win

The mere gathering of a group of people does not necessarily constitute to the effective beginnings of a

team training exercise that is going to be productive and successful. Several different aspects need to be

taken into careful consideration before such an exercise even begins.

Team Training Basics

The primary and most important element of team training lies in the ability of the leader to instill the

motto of working together towards the effective and successful achievement of a goal.


Page46 Of 57


Page47 Of 57

The Basics

Understanding the various elements involved, such as specifics of the theme within the training exercise,

the measurable and achievable standards set, the relevant processes that enable the afore mentioned items

and the time frame in which all this is to take place.

Discussions on project plans, schedules and budget should all be held at the onset of the training exercise

to ensure the overall performance of the team properly reflects the management systems in place.

Within the team training exercise elements like the results to be produced by the team and clear

objectives for measuring these results are outlined to be followed diligently and any deviations should be

monitored and controlled.

The communications mechanism should also be clear and concise as not all participants within the team

will have the same level of technical understanding. Such divulging of information can be done regularly

through different yet equally effective tools such as meetings, emails, collaborations, newsletters and

many other high tech avenues.

Developing staffing procedures that encourage team participations also allows for the platform where

only appropriate participants form the team. Randomly throwing together a group of individual and

expecting them to work as a team is not only ludicrous but it can also have disastrous results.

Assigning an individual within the team training exercise to be responsible in ensuring all the

participants are always kept abreast with all the relevant information is also important, as this ensure the

smoothness of the overall team participation.

Problem Solving

In the very competitive and cost conscious environments today, a lot of companies are beginning to

realize that most matters can be successfully dealt with within the company if there are workable teams

of problem solving expertise in place. By getting the most out of the resources available from the people


Page48 Of 57

already knowledgeable on the problem the company can problem solve more effectively and in a fraction

of the time.

Work It Out

The successful companies realize that by getting the employees to work in teams, ongoing challenges,

opportunities, improvements, re-engineering, product development and many other aspects can be better

addressed and solutions found simply based on the oneness effect of the problem solving mindset.

Being able to quickly deploy teams whenever there is a need, can only be done if the proper

complimenting tools and training are constantly available.

Some of the problem solving areas that should be covered within the exercise should be clearly defined.

These may include clearly defined goals, indentifying and priority listing the barriers pertaining to the

said goals, suitable development of solutions that are not only clever and cost effective but should also be

workable.

Not forgetting the cooperation of all involved, is another very important element that should not be

overlooked as this one element can derail any problem solving exercise.

When all this has been discussed and explored, the next step in the problem solving venture should be to

ensure the proper execution of the plan takes place.

Constant or periodic checks should be practiced to ensure the exercise is kept on track and the problems

are effectively solved or at the very least some success is shown in understanding the problem and

addressing it.

All this is done with the end goal in mind to ensure its smooth and speedy attainment. With the necessary

tools and techniques available, most teams can help to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the

company.

Personality Assessments


Page49 Of 57

In the process of trying to put together a team for any endeavor it would be most useful to carry out some

sort of personality assessment. This is because the eventual group that is formed has to be able to work

closely and competently until the goal of the project is achieved. When all the participants in the team are

on a similar wavelength or mindset then the various functions of the group will be easier and smoother.

Differences

In order to do this personality assessment exercise there are many ways available, some of which are

easier and straight forward while others may be a little more complex.

The choice made would really have to depend on the type of project and personalities involved. Simply

conducting common type tests like self-report inventories which involves the participant addressing a set

of questions is sometimes enough for the powers that be to make the decisions for team formation.

However there is also more complex test that may require a more in depth amount of information before

any decision is made. The different types of test may eventually produce the data in the form of

percentile ranks, z scores, sten scores and many other types of standardized scoring platforms.

When all the relevant data is collected then the assessments can begin and the best choices can be made

to form the team. Perhaps the most important elements most team leaders look for would be the

reliability and validity factors within the individual chosen.

This of course is over and above the relevant technical expertise that may be needed for the project to be

able to achieve its goal successfully and smoothly.

Though these personality assessments are a huge help when trying to determine the best people for the

team, it is not always a full proof method, as some individual react to different situations where there is

pressure from the need for collaboration. Thus these assessments can only be used as a guide.

Customer Service

Customer Service Woes

Regardless of what you do in life, at some point you will have had to offer a customer service of someform, if you haven’t had to offer it, you will have at some point been a customer.


Page50 Of 57

Customer service expectations are high. Even the smaller companies need to maintain a high quality ofcustomer service if they want to keep their business going. Nothing destroys a business faster than a badcustomer experience.

Customer surveys are conducted often to ensure their customers are satisfied. Mystery shoppers enteryourbusiness and will judge it for the customer service, among other things.

Customers have voiced their opinions on what they feel is not good customer service. Some of the thingspeople have complained about were;

1.Representative does not acknowledge them politely upon entering their store/restaurant.

2.Representative doesn’t smile or offer service in a pleasant manner. A mono tone or scowl on the facecan really put your customers off.

3.Representative is not informed. A representative who does not know what they are talking about canreally frustrate a customer.

4.Representative does not thank them for their patronage.

A few simple facts to consider; if you do not feel welcome or appreciated in the store/restaurant you’veattended, chances are you will not return and you will not suggest this location to others.

Keep in mind, the service you would want if it was you is what your customer deserves.

Customer Service Training

As a business provider you want to ensure all those working for you are supplying the same service. Thisis so that each time a customer enters your store or place of business they can expect the same servicequality.

Not all persons in your business will be the same, but, with training on how to properly ensure a qualityof service is incredibly essential.

Training your employees to do more than just take the money and put the purchased items into a bag willhave a huge impact on all involved. A well trained employee knows what they are selling/serving they’reable to greet their customers with confidence, and are able to maximize their service potential.

Training can be done as a seminar, manuals they’re required to review, or one-on-one training. Roleplaying is a great way of managing the way your employees will take care of your customers.

Customer service doesn’t have to be complicated. Let your employees know the value of good serviceand show them how to; by your example. It’s a skill that develops with time and experience, but, it neverhurts to have refresher courses to maintain and/or improve customer services.


Page51 Of 57

Well trained agents will maximize the customer satisfaction scenario keeping them coming back formore.

Customer Service Jobs

Jobs that cover customer service can be found in the

following:

* Audio Equipment Salesperson

* Automobile Salesperson

* Car Rental Agent

* Clothing Salesperson

* Computer Salesperson

* Retail Counter Clerk

* Retail Department Store Clerk

* Furniture Salesperson

* Hardware Store Clerk

* Jewelry Salesperson

* Retail Sales Associate

* Retail Sales Clerk

* Retail Salesperson

* Restaurant Servers

* Restaurant Hostesses

* Hotel Clerks

* Housekeeping Hairdressers

Virtually any business that offers a service is subject to Customer Service standards.

Job descriptions may entail:


Page52 Of 57

* Greet customers and discuss type, quality and quantity of merchandise or services sought for purchase,rental or lease

* Seating guests, taking orders, making suggestions on orders

* Advise customers on use and care of merchandise, and provide advice concerning specialized productsor services

* Estimate or quote prices, credit terms, trade-in allowances, warranties and delivery dates

* Prepare merchandise for purchase, rental or lease

* Prepare sales, rental or leasing contracts and accept cash, cheque, credit card or automatic debitpayment

* Assist in display of merchandise

* Maintain sales records for inventory control

* Maintaining a clean and healthy environment

* Operate computerized inventory record keeping and re-ordering systems

* May conduct sales transactions through Internet-based electronic commerce.

There are many things you can do in order to ensure the best customer service possible. Knowing someof the basics of customer service is a good place to start.

Customer Service And First Impressions

Customers make instant impressions of a business from the moment they walk in. A messy anddisorganized store/business can leave a bad impression.

If you are a food establishment, the cleanliness of your location is the primary way in which yourcustomer makes their impression.

Even if they can’t see the kitchen, even if the kitchen is spotless, a messy dining area, serving area, andeven the bathroom can set the stage for complete dissatisfaction.

In fact many have walked out of a restaurant based on the cleanliness of the restroom (washroom).

Making sure your location is up to a general standard at minimum is important to your customer and toyour business.

When a customer sees the stores is busy or under renovations, they are more understanding of the‘disorderly’ chaos they see.


Page53 Of 57

Yet, if they enter to see a group of employee’s chit chatting when tables need to be cleared, the floorsneed to be washed, or a customer is waiting for their bill, it’s a really bad stage for business failure.

There are reasons why those businesses who are booming are growing so well. They understand thatcustomer service, cleanliness, and friendly staff make the experience one to return to.

Those companies who have failed missed one of those criteria if not more and the customers eventuallygo elsewhere.

In order to ensure the ultimate customer experience, address their satisfaction, from their entrance to theirexit.

Complaints Are Not Always A Bad Thing

Complaining customers are a scary proposition for many professionals, but the complaint situationrepresents an opportunity - not necessarily a problem.

If you deal with a person's concerns respectfully and helpfully, your effort and consideration will almostalways be appreciated, and former "complainers" will walk away feeling happy and valued.

Recognizing how you can benefit from complaints given by customers makes for an opportunity toimprove and grow.

Depending on the nature and severity of the complaint, it’s a good idea to really grasp what the complaintis, what went wrong, and what was done to resolve it?

Continue to meet with your team and review what the complaint was; consider approaches to ensure itdoes not happen again.

Complaints can be difficult to handle, but, don’t be afraid of them. Be grateful to the customer forbringing the complaint to your attention. Had they simply ignored their dissatisfaction and wentelsewhere; it would have been a lost customer. By their bringing this matter to you he is giving you theopportunity to correct it and to make future efforts on not letting the situation repeat.

Complaints + resolution = growth and customer satisfaction.

Choosing Your Staff

When you are hiring persons to work in your store/business, you want to ensure you are promoting yourideals through the right people. Having a person who is not approachable, doesn’t "look the part", is rudeor sarcastic, doesn’t smile, or is generally incompetent will hurt your business.

There are skills and attributes to consider when hiring staff, some of these are:


Page54 Of 57

* Congenial and fun personality; an outgoing individual who appears confident and posses a politedemeanor gives the customer a feeling of comfort. If a customer is comfortable with the agent they arespeaking with, they are more apt to stay and return producing the sales you are looking for.

* An aptitude for managing difficult situations is a good thing. If your employee takes everything toheart,it may be hard to keep that employee feeling comfortable, and this may reflect on the customer.

* An aptitude for presenting merchandise that will help your customer takes a great person. Customerswant people who are knowledgeable and can ensure they will get the item they need.

* A strong team player is a good quality in an employee. If your employee cannot work well with othersit will be hard on everyone, including the customer.

Consider who it is you are hiring, they represent your company. You will want to have people workingfor you who can bring your customers back again and again.

How You Can Improve Customer Service

Build a World-Class Service Organization

Today, as companies find it harder to differentiate their products and services, and customersdemonstrate less brand loyalty than ever before, the ability to deliver superior support is the key tomaintaining a competitive edge. With customer service software, companies of all types and sizes can:

Improve Service Delivery

Fast and efficient delivery of service keeps the customers happy. Their appreciation of this service willkeep them coming back for more.

Identify and Resolve Problems

Today's customers have little tolerance for poor service delivery. One small mistake in your supportprocedures and you can count the seconds that it takes for the customer to walk out the door with nointensions of returning.

Knowing where the problems lie is one thing, knowing how to resolve them is another. Listen to youremployees and customers alike, ideas will present themselves if you are willing to find them. Increase

Revenues

Work to improve what you have available for your customers to choose from. Don’t be afraid of changesthat will increase your revenue.

Just remember to let your customers be aware of the changes; if they come in and everything’s changed itcan cause confusion and discomfort in your customer. Something you want to recognize right away andensure you deal with correctly.


Page55 Of 57

Reduce Costs

Customers appreciate a bargain. Better quality and lower costs are what people are drawn to. Keep yourcustomers options compatible to their needs as merchants.

Gather Customer Opinions

Don’t be afraid to get feedback. It can guide you on the steps to make for improving the customer serviceyou provide.

Customer Service Tips

Ensuring the customer who keeps you in business issatisfied is crutcial. Here are some simple tips onhow to maximize your customer service:

1. Keep in mind the quality of customer service can never surpass the quality of the people who provideit. Keeping those who work for you happy will improve the quality of service your customers experience.

2. Do for your customer as you would want to have done to you. It’s an easy principle really, knowingthat your Employees take their cue from management. If you the employer don’t set the services expectedby example, you are nto going to find your employees doing as you would like. Don’t just tell them how,show them. Customers will notice it too.

3. Remember you regulars. Remember to acknowledge those who make regular visits. They appreciate itwhen you have an understanding of who they are. Their regular attendance pays your wages. Treat themwith the respect they deserve, you will keep them happy and returning again..

4. Make a good impression. When your regulars come in, they will seek you out again and again. Yourgood service makes them want to return for your service. There’s a sense of trust and contentmentknowing you’ve been a good representative of the company to them. Your smile and kind words willleave a lasting impression, and impression that will ensure they return..

5. Go the extra mile. Customers appreciate feeling like VIP’s when they are being served. Giving thenyou attention and any ‘special’ treatment will go a longway on how they view the service they received.Ensure you always thank the customer for their business and asmile can go a long way.

6. Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 seconds uponentering? Acknowledging your customer with a welcome and ahello, accompanied by a smile will have ahuge impact on the rest of your service. If a customer feels ignored they will leave and give their businessto another company.

7. Give customers the benefit of the doubt. The customer is always right attitude goes a long way. Evenwhen you believe they are mistaken, give them the courteously of listening go their complaint. Then dowhat you can to resolve their concerns.


Page56 Of 57

8. If a customer is looking for something specific, it goes a long way if you can go out of your way toensure you can provide their request. For instance a customer really wants an outfit you have in the store,but their size is sold out. Making efforts to bring in that item will really impress your customer. This willin turn bring about repeat sales.

9. Training staff on the proper customer handling procedures so all are on the same page will add anoverall good impression of the customer service you have in your store.

10. Talk to your customer, if you know a few things about them, you may be able to suggest items theycould use in addition to the products they are considering. Don’t be pushy, just suggestive. Keep in mindthat the big money isn’t as much in winning customers as it is in keeping your customers.

Handling Difficult Customers

The customer is never wrong - and some customers use this principle completely. What can you do whenfaced with a difficult customer?

Some customers make it their goal to ‘cause’ strife when they shop. Do you argue with them or do youlet them abuse the system?

The answer is neither. Knowing that a customer may have issues from time to time and being willing tohelp the customer with their concern is a good thing.

If however this is a customer who repeatedly "has issues", then it may be necessary to consider thesource.

An example of a customer who abuses the system is one who buys an item brings it back when it’s not"new" anymore only to replace it with the same thing, once isn’t too bad, even twice can be overlooked.

A customer, who brings their items back over and over again, may be looking at a chance to takeadvantage of your stores policies. Sometimes these are the very people who will cheat a company out ofthousands of dollars.

Before arguing with the customer, prepare to look into this matter deeper. It may only require a manageradvising the customer that this isn’t good practice or it may require a professional look into this person’srecord.

The business industry is full of scam artists just looking to make a buck. Knowing the difference betweena customer in need and a scammer may not be easy, but, you may need to consider how your companywill handle scammers.

After all the harm a scammer can cause not only affects your profits, it can also affect other customersfrom obtaining their needs.

Tactics to manage difficult customers


Page57 Of 57

* Listen

- Be a good listener if you hear the whole story it may help in determining what to how to serve theirneeds better.

* Think and respond

- consider ways to solve the problem, talk about them with your management.

* Empathize

- an empathy statement may defuse a customer who may otherwise be irrational.

* Resolve the issue

- Do all you can to rectify this situation and toensure the matter will not happen again.

The customer can make or break your business. Actingwith understanding and courtesy will go a longway.

Telephone Agent Customer Service

More and more companies are increasing their use of the telephone as the quickest and most convenientway of establishing customer contacts. Call centers and mail order is one of the fastest growingoperations among many industries.

It is essential that all employees represent their company with a professional and friendly manner. Clearand effective communication is essential to ensure that the business is not lost. If your staff is not trainedproperly on telephone skills, it can damage the reputation of the company.

Every customer calling should receive a positive and seamless service that is professional, efficient andresponsive. Customers who are handled well will notice the good service, bring more business andhopefully build a long term relationship with you. Customers who are not handled well damage yourreputation and take their business to the competition.

Working over the phone can be a challenge. You can’t see what they are talking about and they can’t seewhat you are trying to explain. Clarity is a must when offering customer service on the phone.

The need for customers to have answers for their questions and concerns is high, having the option ofcalling a customer service representative has proven to be appreciated as it does not require a customer toleave their home each time they need help.

If your company has not offered this service, it may be something to consider for the future. It’s a way tokeep your customers happy and coming back for more.

All Rights Reserved - http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

Date post:	30-Oct-2014
Category:	Documents
Upload:	abbas-abedi
View:	806 times
Download:	5 times

Basic Sales Training Manual

Documents