Sunday, November 24, 2013
7 Signs You Need A Strategic Sales Plan
Let's face it,
strategic sales planning doesn't sound fun...
It is the kind of thing most salespeople go into kicking and screaming, at least mentally.
Often, sales planning is one of those "I know I should do this but really don't want to" items on a to do list.
Not every salesperson needs a strategic sales plan. Here's a quick checklist to see if you do:
It is the kind of thing most salespeople go into kicking and screaming, at least mentally.
Often, sales planning is one of those "I know I should do this but really don't want to" items on a to do list.
Not every salesperson needs a strategic sales plan. Here's a quick checklist to see if you do:
1. EXPENSES vs. OUTCOMES
If you look at your expense report and you cannot trace each expense to a desired outcome, you need a plan.
Having a strategic sales plan ensures that you determine ahead of time what you'll be spending money on and that all expenses are aligned with a specific purpose for your sales. With a plan you will stop wasting money in the wrong places.
2. YES vs. NO
If you look at your calendar and to do list then feel overwhelmed, you need a sales plan.
Sales planning is really just a process of deciding what you most want and laying out specific steps to achievement.
A good plan will tell you what to say "no" to as well as what to say "yes" to. Having a strategic sales plan will eliminate wasted time on low-value tasks and focus you on the things that drive real sales and value.
3. CONFIDENT DECISIONS
If you ever wonder if you're making the "right" decisions on a day-to-day basis, you need a sales plan.
A strategic sales plan will allow you to prioritise each action in your day to ensure you know right decisions from poor decisions not just in the short-term but in the long-term as well.
With a good sales plan, "wondering" is replaced with "knowing" what to do.
4. BLUEPRINT
If you've wanted to hire someone to help you do the small things so you can focus on the big things, you need a sales plan.
Imagine you are a general contractor and you have a team of subcontractors
building a house for you. Could they do it without a blueprint and a punch
list? Of course not! If you want to hire someone, they need to know exactly
what to do to grow your business.
A strategic sales plan is the blueprint for your future career and a good strategic sales plan leads to a punch list of tasks that your team accomplishes to turn the concept into reality.
5. DIRECTION
If you consistently miss the goals you set for yourself, you need a sales plan.
A good strategic sales plan will align all of your time, money and other resources towards your goals. It will focus all of your energy in one direction, all but guaranteeing you will achieve the goals you set at the beginning of each year.
A great strategic sales plan will also ensure you hit your mid to long term goals as well!
6. ENERGY
If you find yourself feeling worn out and worn down, you need a sales plan.
A strategic sales plan will inspire and re-energise you each and every day. It will rekindle the spark you had when you first started and it will spread beyond you to each person you interact with.
Even your clients will notice the change!
7. BALANCE
If you feel like you can never get it all done, you need a sales plan.
With a strategic sales plan, you know exactly what it takes to reach your goals. You have a step-by-step guide to tell you what to do and when. Each day you will have a short, focused task list that drives the results you want in the short- and long-term.
When the list is done, so are you. You can go home each day relaxed. You can engage with your family and not think incessantly about work.
In conclusion… If you see yourself in one or more of the above, you need a strategic sales plan.
All the best with your future business growth!
A strategic sales plan is the blueprint for your future career and a good strategic sales plan leads to a punch list of tasks that your team accomplishes to turn the concept into reality.
5. DIRECTION
If you consistently miss the goals you set for yourself, you need a sales plan.
A good strategic sales plan will align all of your time, money and other resources towards your goals. It will focus all of your energy in one direction, all but guaranteeing you will achieve the goals you set at the beginning of each year.
A great strategic sales plan will also ensure you hit your mid to long term goals as well!
6. ENERGY
If you find yourself feeling worn out and worn down, you need a sales plan.
A strategic sales plan will inspire and re-energise you each and every day. It will rekindle the spark you had when you first started and it will spread beyond you to each person you interact with.
Even your clients will notice the change!
7. BALANCE
If you feel like you can never get it all done, you need a sales plan.
With a strategic sales plan, you know exactly what it takes to reach your goals. You have a step-by-step guide to tell you what to do and when. Each day you will have a short, focused task list that drives the results you want in the short- and long-term.
When the list is done, so are you. You can go home each day relaxed. You can engage with your family and not think incessantly about work.
In conclusion… If you see yourself in one or more of the above, you need a strategic sales plan.
All the best with your future business growth!
Posted in
Business presentations Presentation skills training Sales presentations,
Communication Training,
Conference presentations,
Leadership,
Presentation & Sales workshops courses & training in Sydney
by effectivecommunication.com.au
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
EC ON TV - GEOMETRIC BUSINESS GROWTH
Simple ideas & connections to help your business growth plans during 2014...
Recently John Rayner the Founder of EffectiveCommunication.com.au (EC) was invited to be interviewed by another Americas television program to talk about business growth.
John shared some simple ideas and connections which have helped many companies to date
This television program was recorded in South America and reaches 21 Spanish speaking countries via 800 networks. And for your convenience the entire interview was conducted with a professional interpreter in both Spanish & English.
To view this short 20 minute interview you are welcome to click on this link
To view John's profile you are welcome to visit this link
All the best with your future business growth!
Posted in
Communication Training,
Facilitating meetings,
Leadership,
Melbourne,
Presentation & Sales workshops courses & training in Sydney
by effectivecommunication.com.au
Monday, November 4, 2013
Become an Extraordinary Business Communicator
People who are
extraordinary communicators and presenters don't start out that way!!!
These people work at getting better. They take communicating effectively seriously. They practice. They learn the When, Where, How & Why to improving the way they communicate.
WHEN
People who are fabulous communicators and presenters do what Tiger Woods does with golf - they work at perfecting their core communication game on a daily basis. They are always practicing or modifying some skill. They never say "I am good enough."
WHERE
Great communicators and presenters use every opportunity to practice their communication skills. They practice first in low stakes situations, like in emails, reports, round table meetings, trade shows, ‘lunch & learns,’ or conversations with one's peers.
They also practice off the job- in restaurants, at parties, at weddings or around the kitchen table. They don't wait for formal presentations. By the time a high stakes presentation comes up, they feel ready because they have been practicing all along.
HOW
First, serious learners get feedback, either from a communication's coach, their manager, or their peers.
Some join organisations, like Toastmasters or take a communication / presentation skills course with the express purpose of understanding what they do well and what needs improvement. Once they understand their strengths and weaknesses, they set realistic goals. Then, they tackle one skill at a time until it becomes second nature for them. They do not try to correct everything at once.
Maxwell Maltz says it takes “21 days to change a habit”. A lot of what we do when communicating is based on habit. Since some habits negatively affect people's perception of a speaker's credibility, it is important to change those things that undercut one's impact and to work on improvement on a daily, even hourly basis, for 21 days or longer.
To be perceived as a powerful business communicator and presenter a speaker must demonstrate both composure and energy. The skills for composure are:
- Posture
- Eye Contact
- Pausing
The skills for energy are:
- Movement
- Gestures
- Vocal Variety
- Facial Animation
To practice the composure skill of posture, notice your posture whenever you see
yourself in a mirror. If one shoulder is higher than another, you are not
balancing your weight. Also, notice your arms when at rest. Do they rest at
your sides, in your pockets or on your hips? Are they crossed on your chest?
The goal with posture is to look confident, but also approachable.
Each time you walk in front of a mirror or see your reflection in a window, correct your posture until you feel people will see you in a positive light. This is the first way you communicate with your audience.
Eye contact is easy to practice since you can do it anywhere. The thing to remember is that you want the eye contact to be sustained, not fleeting. You want people to feel you are talking just to them so practice by looking at an individual for a full sentence or thought. Do not try to include everyone at once by giving people a quick glance.
You can keep tabs on how you are pausing through your own voice mail system. Play back messages before you send them. Listen for non-words, speed and diction. Pay attention to how clearly and concisely you stated your message.
When you present an idea to people, their expectation is that you truly believe in it and are excited to share what you know.
To convey enthusiasm, it is important that a speaker gesture to emphasize ideas and help listeners to "see" it. If the speaker has the opportunity to stand up, movement sends an additional message as to how important the idea is.
When a speaker is moving and gesturing, he becomes real and demonstrates conviction. Moreover, when the speaker is gesturing and moving, the face lights up and the voice has a certain sparkle.
The best way for speakers to get feedback on the energy skills is by periodically videotaping themselves and noticing what they observe when reviewing the tape. Are the gestures repetitive, overdone, or too controlled? Does the movement seem purposeful and tied to a pair of eyes? Is the voice interesting or flat?
WHY
The answer to why one should get better at communicating is simple. It is the number one skill for business people today. It is essential for anyone who wants to move up the corporate ladder.
To be considered a good leader, one must be able to communicate effectively with senior level managers, one's peers and one's direct reports. Without clearly communicating the message, projects get scuttled, opportunities are overlooked and wrong decisions are made, costing the company market shares and profits. With "ordinary" communication skills, one's career stagnates.
Bottom line... To join the ranks of extraordinary communicators and presenters, be a continuous learner. Dedicate yourself to perfection. Pay attention to the many opportunities you have for growth.
Each time you walk in front of a mirror or see your reflection in a window, correct your posture until you feel people will see you in a positive light. This is the first way you communicate with your audience.
Eye contact is easy to practice since you can do it anywhere. The thing to remember is that you want the eye contact to be sustained, not fleeting. You want people to feel you are talking just to them so practice by looking at an individual for a full sentence or thought. Do not try to include everyone at once by giving people a quick glance.
You can keep tabs on how you are pausing through your own voice mail system. Play back messages before you send them. Listen for non-words, speed and diction. Pay attention to how clearly and concisely you stated your message.
When you present an idea to people, their expectation is that you truly believe in it and are excited to share what you know.
To convey enthusiasm, it is important that a speaker gesture to emphasize ideas and help listeners to "see" it. If the speaker has the opportunity to stand up, movement sends an additional message as to how important the idea is.
When a speaker is moving and gesturing, he becomes real and demonstrates conviction. Moreover, when the speaker is gesturing and moving, the face lights up and the voice has a certain sparkle.
The best way for speakers to get feedback on the energy skills is by periodically videotaping themselves and noticing what they observe when reviewing the tape. Are the gestures repetitive, overdone, or too controlled? Does the movement seem purposeful and tied to a pair of eyes? Is the voice interesting or flat?
WHY
The answer to why one should get better at communicating is simple. It is the number one skill for business people today. It is essential for anyone who wants to move up the corporate ladder.
To be considered a good leader, one must be able to communicate effectively with senior level managers, one's peers and one's direct reports. Without clearly communicating the message, projects get scuttled, opportunities are overlooked and wrong decisions are made, costing the company market shares and profits. With "ordinary" communication skills, one's career stagnates.
Bottom line... To join the ranks of extraordinary communicators and presenters, be a continuous learner. Dedicate yourself to perfection. Pay attention to the many opportunities you have for growth.
All the best with your future business communications
Posted in
Presentation Training,
Public speaking,
public speaking training,
sales coaching,
Sales presentations,
Sales Training
by effectivecommunication.com.au
