Is making a sale a random event, like throwing a dart at a dartboard?

I work in a sales environment. Four of us do outbound phone sales as inside Account Managers with three outside Territory Managers who are out on the road over 20 weeks a year.  The other day I was logging a call into CRM software and one of the outside sales guys came in to our inside sales area and began chatting with my colleague on how sometimes his job of finding quality clients is like the random chance of throwing a dart at the dart board. My colleague told him since I throw darts competitively, that he should talk to me about his dart analogy.

Periodically, I hear the analogy that getting something is luck, as random as throwing darts at a dartboard.  I know they are completely incorrect!  Seneca, a first-century Roman philosopher, allegedly said, "Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet."  
 

A person that is great in dart-throwing just doesn’t throw a dart at the dartboard - and just hope to get a Bull’s-eye.  A great dart-thrower knows exactly where the dart is going to be after a couple of seconds after it is thrown from about 7 feet. Being a great dart-thrower also takes many hours of preparation and practice, as well as, physical and mental discipline.

A great dart-thrower has to know the playing field. This playing field is not only knowing the competition but also the type of dartboard, either bristle board or electronic, and what game that is being played on the board, like 501 or Cricket. With any type of dart board or dart game, a great dart-thrower needs to adjust the objectives, tactics and tools that are available. There are much different objectives and tactics to assure a win in 501 than there is to win a game of Cricket. For example, a great dart-thrower would use a different, heavier dart on a bristle board dartboard than electronic dart board. As I said, a great dart-thrower would change the objective, tactics and tools based on the game environment.


Being a great sales person also takes hours of preparation and practice to address the answers to any questions and objections the client may have and be able to create value to their product or services that would outshine any objection. As in dart throwing, top salespeople need both a physical and disciplined mental approach to assure the sales presentation relates value and is flawless and the message is not misunderstood by the audience.

A great sales person, like a great dart-thrower, also has to know the playing field. A great salesperson must know what the competition is bringing to the game. Both the competition’s weaknesses and strengths have to be known. A great sales person must be able to have insight about the competition’s product or service to relate a higher value of their product or service to the customer - than the competition has.  Know thy competition.

To a sales person there is an assortment of audiences. There are people in the sales audience who are drivers, analytical, amiable or expressive.   The great sales person should know the audience and adjust the objectives, tactics and tools to communicate ideas effectively to each type of personality in the audience.

Sales and darts are quite similar in the process of getting the win. At the same time, both great dart throwers and great sales people do not believe in random chance or luck. Success is when both opportunity and preparation meet. Now, go get those bull’s-eyes!

By: John A. Stefani

Employee Motivation Programs - Top Reasons Incentives Work

Employee motivation programs - more than likely you have known of them, however if you are not implementing them inside your small business, you are making a dangerous mistake. You see, while you will observe that these reward programs will require a monetary investment on your part, they might bring you fantastic returns in the extended run. From incentives to unique prize giveaways, there are so many assorted ideas that you might get your own employee motivation program started and here are a few of the best reasons to do so.

Reason #1 - Increase Your Sales - One of the major reasons that incentives work for businesses is because they might assist you to boost your sales. There are days inside businesses that even your greatest salespeople may well be experiencing a moment of decreased sales. Now, if you are approaching into the 3rd or 4th quarter and sales have been down, associate motivation programs may perhaps be just the way to start improving your sales, bringing your associates out of a slump.

Reason #2 - Boost Employee Productivity - One more reason that employee motivation programs work is since they might assist you to increase employee productivity. Implementing programs, such as holiday incentives, can assist to push the run of the mill achievers inside your small business to boost their performance. As you observe common achievers start to drive towards these rewards, You will notice that your overall associate productivity will start to increase, that leads to extra cash for your small business.

Reason #3 - Enlighten Your Company's Customer Service - Customer service is essential to the achievement of every small business. First impressions are so essential, and customers base create their judgment of your small business based on your associates. Implementing employee motivation programs is a interesting way that you can enlighten your organizations customer service in a explicit manner, increasing sales and returning customers repeatedly.

Reason #4 - Employee Motivation - Finally, you will observe that implementing employee motivation programs additionally helps to multiply employee motivation as well, which is chief. Employees who are not driven do not perform well, however visualize how you may possibly intensify the drive of your employees by offering vacation incentives or some different type of reward to them. These programs assist to keep associates on top of their game and also serve as encouragement for intense performance.

As you can envision, there are numerous examples that incentives can work for your small business, and there are numerous advantages that you can enjoy as a small business. Employee motivation programs are an investment that you just will not lose. You will intensify sales, improve employee productivity, enlighten your customer service, and motivate your employees to perform. All of those advantages lead to profit and accomplishment, which are two things your small business just can not live without!

Author: Samantha Jacobsen

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/employee-motivation-programs-top-reasons-incentives-work-1701357.html

Make People Ask For Your Card

Here is great article from Promotional Consultant Today. I think it's a great way to know if someone is interested in how you can help them.

John
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You walk into a meeting of five people, and the instinct is to immediately hand them your business card. Don't do it! Why? Because they didn't ask for it. Promotional Consultant Today shares these strategies for making people ask for your business card.

Let me explain why that's important. What happens when we give out our business card before someone asks? We announce: This is what I am doing. And maybe even: I want you to buy from me.

By giving out our business card when people don't ask for it, we put ourselves and our businesses in the spotlight-- this might be gratifying for our egos, but it's not good for our positioning.

"Get in touch with me when you need me" is a weak attempt to get someone interested in our product or service. Although most people will politely accept the card, they will seldom, if ever, call.

But that doesn't mean that you should leave everything to chance. Think in terms of earning the right to be in people's contact lists. This way you will be asked for your business card, which is an entirely different situation. As a result of your extra efforts, people will also keep your card, and maybe even refer to it instead of trashing it with the others they receive unsolicited.

First of all, strive to become a person that attracts others. That's very simple. It begins putting other people in the spotlight instead of ourselves.
Another necessary skill is active listening. Like it or not, people are much more interested in their own lives than in ours. And they love others who are genuinely interested in their plans, desires, headaches and values. If you encourage them to talk, you will be amazed at how quickly they will reciprocate and ask: "And what do you do?"

Isn't this a nice prompt for handing them your business card?

My favorite is asking for their card first. You simply say "Gee, this really sounds very interesting-- let's make sure we stay in touch. May I have your business card?" Usually this prompts them to say "Sure, and may I have one of yours?" It is that simple. And what if they don't ask? I do not offer mine.

Now, when I have their business cards, I also have permission to contact them. And that allows me to take the initiative, so most of the time I immediately follow up with a personal note and this time my card will be enclosed in the same envelope. Of course, that doesn't mean that person is going to call me. It doesn't mean that she will want to do business with me right away--quite the contrary. Most of the time it will take a lot more follow-up than that one note. But it is a pretty good way to begin a relationship, don't you agree?

Source: Wanda Loskot is professional speaker and business coach for small business owners and self-employed professionals who love what they do, but hate selling. She offers free business strategies, marketing tips, teleclasses and other valuable resources.

The impact of the earthquake disaster has been felt worldwide and extends to the promotional product business.

By John A. Stefani

From time to time I receive quote request from customers for Flash Drives. Here is an e-mail from one of the suppliers and, I thought I would pass this along.

Dear John,

We all watched helplessly as the nation of Japan suffered unimaginable devastation from earthquakes and tsunamis last week. The impact of this natural disaster has been felt worldwide and extends to the promotional product business.

Japan manufactures 50% of the circuit boards used to make USB flash drives. With Japan unable to manufacture these necessary components of flash memory, China has reported a 30-50% increase in flash memory prices overnight along with immediate shortages. We are working diligently to determine how to minimize the impact to you and are committed to communicating additional information as it becomes available.

Thank you for your partnership, and we look forward to working through this challenge together.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan for a speedy recovery.

To help victims of the Disaster, please visit the American Red Cross.

Sincerely...

(Note: Some editing on the e-mail had been done to protect the confidentiality of the supplier.) 

How to be Lucky

This video was made by Darren Rowse 
The video highlights good ways to take advantage of luck!

“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” What's your opinion?Feel free to comment!

One thing one a customer of mine learned from being married.

I was talking to a customer this afternoon and he was telling me about this kitchen remodel and how he was going to use a tool that he was buying to help him get it done. He told me that he has to get it done or he was going to get into trouble with his wife. He said, "One thing I learned about being married is that you can have countless black belts in martial arts, be the best at marksmanship with guns, and be the burliest, baddest guy, but when you go to bed your wife still has eight hours to kill you."

Tom Loses Challenge.

Tom M. "Tim" decided to challenge one of the stores that he could sell more extended warranties that the store. I guess he lost and here is is punishment. He delivered Divani's subs to our desks.

A Day off of work.

This new scheduling system had scheduled me today as my day off instead of Friday. I didn't check the schedule on Friday and came into work today. Of course, right now I'm at home writing this post.

Cindy Johnson 50th Birthday - At work

This morning it was Cindy's birthday. Julie D. brought in this chair for her. They also brought in Depends undergarments and also Cindy received a bouquet of Prunes that were placed on rose stems. Tom H placed the fake turds under Cindy's new portable toilet (throne).

Woody from Toy Story Visits Northern Tool + Equipment

The character from Toy Story visited NTE Saturday and even sat in to take some orders. Our call center went a Buz when he sat down.

It looks like Woody is a Chicago Fan!

$20,000 in Sales - Another Good Day

Today I had another good day with $20,000 in sales. $5000 of it being a 16k Watt generator. I felt that was going to be a good day from the start because my first call was an order for a $1200 log splitter.

$20,000 not as great as $42,000, as I did yesterday, but still a good day.

$42,000 In Sales.

Today I sold a total of $42,000 merchandise. The two main things that I sold were a 20 HP diesel tractor with a front-end loader and a 40K Watt generator and 3 phase transfer switch. The tractor was a call right out of the blue. I even sold the guy on a one year extended warranty for $1100. The 40k Watt generator with the transfer switch I had been working on for a week or two.

I was even able to sell 12 two year accidental damage extended warranties on an order of 12 water pumps.

When the boss goes on vacation.

When Mike (one of the bosses) goes on vacation this is what happens to his desk. That's his computer monitor wrapped in tissue paper. I believe this was done either by Juan or Tom.

The Cube Farm of where I work.

Here is a photo of where I work. A call center.

The desk I work at is right here.
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It's a true "Cube Farm." I have the green plant on the corner of my wall. That round thing hanging on my co-workers wall is a Dilbert Cubebell. When you push the button at the center is says, "Ding Dong", "Go away!" or "Leave me alone!" in a Dilbert voice .

Today I did some things to improve the functionality of this blog. I have added some links to other blogs and our websites. If you would wish to exchange links with our blogs please use the contact me link to the right that is marked: Contact Me!