Your Facebook Friends are NOT Your Customers

Your friends could be your customers, but right now they are not, so don’t abuse that friendship by selling to them.  We all know someone who just doesn’t get how to Facebook and uses it to sell you whatever it is they are into.  I’m not talking about sharing of ideas (like posting this blog on MY wall).  I am talking about the ever-aggressive “buy something from me” blatant use of the social media platform.    It is the social equivalent of inviting someone for a coffee, and then trying to get them to give you money for some multi-level marketing idea.  Or coming to my house and asking me to pitch your business to all my friends.  NOT COOL.

 

5.1 steps to Get Marketing and Sales to Play Nice in the Same Sandbox.

History has always been filled with great rivalries:

• Dogs vs Cats
• Tom vs Jerry
• Pepsi vs Coke

And now in the 20^th Century – Sales vs Marketing. 

There has always been a disconnect between these two groups, and much blame gets passed to one another.  Marketing works hard to create a brand strategy that will make the phone ring and the website light up.   Sales gets leads but complains

 

You Want To Succeed in Sales? Give a Shit.

Don't be this guy.

Being in sales is a tough gig.  You don’t get “off-days” and you are constantly scrutinized.  It is no wonder that when you get into a slump, it is so terribly difficult to get back on track.  And many times, when you start feeling burned out, you begin to make excuses why you can’t sell – we have all done it.  Excuses like; the economy has changed, my price point is too high, we aren’t getting quality leads, etc.  So salespeople and managers begin to look for ways to drive their business with ideas on how to present their product, closing techniques, or even negotiation tactics.  Many times they forget there is one simple secret to success in business – especially sales. 

 

Do You Have a CRM Strategy? Or do Your Ten Spreadsheets Work Just Fine?

If your salespeople spend too much time on administrative tasks and not enough time with customers, you need a CRM.

What is CRM?

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) does more than just track customer interactions.  It is not just a database tool to store information, but rather it helps your company optimize your operations by automating routine tasks and it allows the company to capture best practices.  CRM should enhance your ability to acquire, manage, serve, and extract value from your customers.  It should have time-saving tools that allow

 

Five Fundamental Tips for Creating Business Success – Regardless of Experience or Education

Whether you are just starting out or have an established business, at some point you will hit a roadblock and need to re-focus.  It might be that you have ran too hard too fast and are overwhelmed, or you might be finding your sales are stagnant.  If you go back to basics and ask yourself the following five questions, you should be able to craft a clear idea on how to get  back on track.  If not, it might be time to ask for help from someone outside your organization.

 

How to Close a Sale in 6 Steps

BNET is an awesome resource for business professionals as well as students!  It provides great, updated content to assist those who seek to be the best they can.  Hopefully you find these articles as interesting as I do and feel free to post your comments about what else you would like to see!

 

Give First

I have been doing a lot of thinking about my personal and professional brand lately.  The struggle is trying to find what really makes me excited.

It seems that we get the most energy and productivity when we give value first.  That is, what we can do for others before we even think about what’s in it for us.  Think about it.  Isn’t it great to feel as though you have helped someone accomplish their goals?