Never allow bluebirds to compromise performance
A bluebird is a beautiful and unexpected thing. When one flies in and graces you with its presence, enjoy it but don’t expect another one anytime soon. Whatever you do, don’t base your plans on...
View ArticleIf you have sell products and service ….beware the Transaction Trap
You say you want recurring revenues and you know that is the way to build equity in your business…yet you spend your time and energy on your product sales and somehow your service revenues don’t grow...
View ArticleLifetime commissions are a life sentence on profitability
I am happy to pay referral commissions to people who bring me business but I hate paying out commissions for longer than a year. This may seem like common sense, but I was very surprised during a...
View ArticleMake Your Best Dog Manager and Watch Him Bark
One of the most serious mistakes that companies make is to promote people who are effective in the field and bring them in-house to become a manager.
View ArticleSales Compensation
In small businesses there are as many mistakes as there are different approaches to sales compensation. Whether it is paying on revenues rather than gross margin, failing to match incentives to...
View ArticleSales Opportunity Grid
For any company that has more than one product or service, the best sales opportunities often lie in cross-selling different lines to existing customers. To focus attention on this area and to...
View ArticleTiming is the Himalayas; everything else is just the Poconos
Whenever you approach somebody, whether it is to sell to them or to interest them in an idea, you never know what is going on in their life at that point. They may be in an extraordinarily busy phase...
View ArticleAre you killing your profits with post sale discounts?
A Post-Sale Discount is one you voluntarily offer after the customer has already agreed to buy. Before you shake your head and say “I never do that”, think for a moment and analyze the way discounts...
View ArticleWhat to Do if You Lose a Key Customer
One of the most easily identifiable risk factors facing any company is the loss of a major customer. It is one of the most alarming things that can happen in business but as with any risk factor,...
View ArticleThe Sales Incentive Compensation Trap
You get the behaviors you pay for, not the ones you say you want. It is essential that your incentive compensation plan matches your marketing plan, and they must be kept synchronized during the year...
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