Stocks And Businesses

Archive for the ‘Impact Sales’ Category

Having a sales contest for employees can help motivate them to sell. ?Having a little competition between employees can improve morale, help them to avoid boredom, and also help you to identify weaknesses and strengths in your staff. ?Train your staff to help them be successful. ?Use their customer interactions as coaching moments to improve the level of customer service that your employees provide.

First, get your employees interested in seeing the business succeed. ?Let them come up with promotional ideas, window displays, and have input in what inventory you sell. ?Not only will you benefit from the new ideas, but your employees will feel involved and start to see how their hand in the business is paying off.

Once they care about the business, explain how the success of the business is dependent on the customer experience. ?Providing customer service that exceeds expectations will ensure that the customer raves about your boutique to friends. ?Word of mouth is most definitely your most effective form of advertising. ?You can’t pay for a customer’s respect, you have to earn it. ?Once you have it, you could have a customer for life, plus a walking, talking, texting, advertising machine.

Teach your employees some basic ways to exceed customer’s expectations. ?Never point out where something is if a customer asks. ?Always say something to the effect of, “Let me show you where that is.” ?Never brush off a customer and say, “It’s over there by the shoes.” ?When you’re helping a customer, avoid distractions and store responsibilities. ?The display that you were straightening will be there when you’re done.

Give your staff selling tips or special deals to offer your customers. ?Once they are helping a customer, they can engage in conversation. ?Your staff could find out that this is the customer’s first visit and then inform them that if they provide their e-mail address at check out, they can receive 10% off of their entire purchase. ?When a customer feels like a deal is being made specifically for them, they are way more likely to purchase.

Reward employees for providing this type of service by incenting them. ?You could say that whoever accumulates the most e-mail addresses of first time customers in a month’s time wins $100 bonus. ?The extra sales, customers, and good customer experiences that you create in that month should far exceed the bonus money that you pay out.

Another way to improve the customer experience is to have your staff constantly move around the store. ?They can straighten and restock your displays and garment racks instead of looking bored at the register. ?Customers hesitate to “disturb” the staff if they look bored or involved in conversations with one another. ?Your employees should always approach customers and offer help. ?Moving around the store, managing clothing racks and displays, and offering help will further ensure that your customer’s every need is met.

If you make cold calls or follow up calls then you are probably well acquainted with voice mail.  Voice mail is a vicious sale stopper and it isn’t going to go away any time soon.  Knowing how to manage this electronic screen is vital for your calling success. The key is to leave a message only as a LAST resort. In the meantime, here are ten creative, proven and effective ways to get past voice mail and reach more decision makers.

1.  Find an Ally and Gather Intelligence

By doing some intelligence gathering before you call the decision maker can make voice mail a non-item.  One of the best tips is to call your prospect’s sales department and speak to a sales rep.  Ask for their help and explain that you are a sales rep and trying to reach a certain decision maker. Ask if they could give you the decision maker’s direct number, their e-mail address and most importantly, if they know a good time to reach that individual.  The sales rep is in the same boat as you and will empathize with you and understand your plight. You will be amazed at what you get.

2.  Use a Master List and Make a Pile of Calls

Get a yellow legal pad. List 25 or 30 contacts plus their numbers. Start at the top of list and dial. If you encounter voice mail hang up and go to the second name. And so on and so on, never leaving a message. The idea is to quickly dial until you reach a live person. If you complete the list, cycle it again.  No luck? Try it one more time. Call it elbow grease but you’ll be surprised at how many times you get through on the second or third go around.

3.  Listen and Learn

When you encounter voice mail take the time and listen carefully to the message. Sometimes you can get a good feel for the decision maker’s personality, which might be beneficial if you have to leave a voice mail message later on. Sometimes you learn the decision maker is out of the office. Don’t leave a message because it will be lost  with all the other accumulated messages. Another tip:  all back one or two days AFTER the decision maker has returned. They won’t be nearly as busy catching up and may have the time to take your call.

4.  Try Different Times

Try different times of the day. Top decision maker are typically in early so call then. Try late in the day and at lunch. The point is, do not leave a message without making several attempts at different times of the day.

5.  Call Different Departments

Often the real culprit is not voice mail but call display.  Try calling a different department before you call the decision maker. Call the customer service department or someone in sales or maybe the office of Chairman. Ask for your contact. Sometimes (but not always) when the call is transferred the decision maker will see “Chairman’s office” or some other internal department’s number instead of yours. If they are there, they’ll answer it.

6.  Try Neighboring Extensions

This is powerful tip. If your contact is at extension 110 try calling extension 109 or 111. Sometimes the extensions and offices are in sequence and you will get a neighbor.  The best thing about this tactic is that the neighbor can “see” if your contact is in their office. Ask the person if they could peak around the corner to see if your contact is available. They often do and then transfer the call.

7. Use Your Cell Phone

Again, if you suspect that call display is the reason why your call goes unanswered and into your contact’s mail box, try calling from your cell phone. The number will be unfamiliar and if the decision maker is there, chances are they will answer it. (You can also use *67 which screens your number but this is a pay for use feature. Check with you phone carrier).

8. Use a Pay Phone

Here’s another great idea. If you think your number is being screened find a coffee shop that has a public phone. Get yourself a triple grande latte, grab your master list and a handful of quarters and make some calls.  If the contact is there, he’ll probably see “pay phone” and answer. Heck who wouldn’t’? If they ask you about the tactic, don’t deny it. Say that you went for a coffee (true) and used the pay phone to make calls (also true).

9. Leverage Other Media

If you have an e-mail address, you can prime the contact that you will be calling. The e-mail is less intrusive and if you have a good subject line you might get noticed. Tell them  when you will be calling and that you ‘hope’ the contact will take the time to answer your call.  Another route to take, albeit more costly, is to use a dimensional mailer. Send a bulky package – e.g., sending a book- and attach a note to say you’ll call first thing in the morning.  Sometimes this will get your call answered if only because the contact wants to say thank you. But more significantly, if you have to leave a message, most contacts feel compelled to reciprocate your gesture by calling you back.

10. Last Resort- Leave a Message

If you have tried four or five of these tactics (or all of them) you have earned the right to leave a message. Make it short, benefit oriented, and polite. But be sure to follow up.  Wait three business days and leave another message.  Do this a couple of more times and wait three business days before leaving each message.  If there is no rely by then, discontinue the calling.

Summary

These are some creative ways to get past voice mail and it’s actually fun to see which one works best for you. Give them a shot before you ever leave a message. This will increase your odds of getting through and reaching more decision makers.

Writing sales copy is both an art and a science, and your sales copy can have greater impact simply by following a few time-tested principles. This article examines 6 powerful selling words that you should incorporate into your work the next time you write sales copy:

You. If you are unable to personalize the copy by incorporating your audience’s name, “you” is the next best option. “You” enables customers to take the benefits you describe in your copy and apply them (in their imagination) to their lives. That makes them want to buy the product. Example: Instead of “this computer is easy to use” write “you won’t believe how easy this computer is to use”.

Own. Forget the words “buy” or “purchase”. These words turn off potential customers because it reminds them of the upcoming transaction and links your product or service with them handing over their money. Instead, substitute “own” to link your product or service with them enjoying it. Example: Instead of “buy it now” write “own it today”.

Free. People love this word because everyone loves free stuff! If you have a product or service and you’d like to sell more of it, consider packaging it with a free product or service. Make sure the free product has perceived value to your customer but isn’t so costly to you that your offering becomes unprofitable. Example: “When you invest in this SUV today, you’ll also receive this free hitch and winch package.”

Secret. This word is very magnetic; people love secrets. They are drawn to secrets and enjoy knowing what other people do not know. Consider how your product is either the best kept secret or perhaps reveals a secret that successful people have always known… then market that revelation. Example: “You are about to learn an astonishing technique which has been the best kept weight-loss secret of 2007″.

Exclusive. Similar to secret, people are drawn to things that they feel might normally be out of their reach. In fact, many popular brands are only popular because there was a time when not everyone could get them. And when that happened, everyone wanted them! By narrowing your niche you can exclude many people… and therefore, your product becomes so much more attractive. Example: “This beautiful painting hangs in Buckingham Palace but the artist has agreed to an exclusive, limited release of 100 signed prints”.

Guarantee. This can make a sale if it’s there or break it if it’s not. A guarantee is a great way to convince the fence-sitting prospect to try your product. Have a good guarantee that lasts a long time. The better guarantees offer more back to the customer (like 110% or 120%) and don’t have a lot of restrictions. Example: “You have nothing to lose. If you’re not completely satisfied, our rock-solid guarantee ensures that you’ll receive back your entire investment and you can still keep the set of wrenches”.

Right words are just the start. Your sales copy will succeed when you combine the right words with the right format and sell the highest value product to the most appropriate customer. These words will give your sales copy some added punch to make it more effective.

Introduction

Improving sales force efficiency continues to be an ongoing quest for every business. This is hardly surprising given the potential cost of a sales call, and the fact that the sales force can be one of the most expensive human resource investments. Popular initiatives include sales force automation, account management programs, and customer relationship management systems. While all of these have their merits an often overlooked productivity tool is territory optimisation, which can have a massive impact at a relatively low cost.

Imbalances in territory alignment can have a huge effect on performance, resulting in too much effort being spent on low potential customers and too little on those with a higher likelihood of purchase. Consequently, a lot of time is wasted and many prospective sales remain unrealised. In areas of extremely high potential there is a real danger that the salesperson will not be able to manage all valuable customers and prospects effectively, targets being met simply by focussing on straightforward accounts while key sales opportunities are overlooked. In contrast, where potential is low, too much time can be wasted with unproductive customers and poor prospects. Balancing sales territories more evenly can improve customer coverage, increase sales, lower travel costs, and help to develop fairer incentive schemes.

There are often massive variations between the highest and lowest amounts of sales commission within a company which do not translate to actual differences in ability. Frequently it is the territory that is being rewarded rather than the salesperson. Territory optimisation can help address this issue. Optimising territories can also lead to travel time reduction, and associated cost savings. For example in some low potential, remote locations it may be more beneficial to employ promotional channels such as telemarketing or direct mail, leaving the sales force free to concentrate on more positive areas.

Although there are many factors in favour of the process, territory optimisation is not always without obstacle. Resistance to change can be caused by incentive scheme issues and geographical difficulties, and lack of essential data impedes some companies. Perceived business risks can inhibit managers, and change can also cause difficulties among salespeople who may have to give up comfortable customer relationships and establish new ones.

Provided that a good relationship transition program is implemented, however, a change in salesperson can have a positive impact. Overall, if carried out in a structured, professional manner the benefits of territory optimisation far outweigh the risks.

Territory Optimisation Process

Initially it is important to determine which criteria are to be used in the optimisation process, and to be clear about objectives. At this stage it is useful to rank criteria such as ‘balance workload’ and ‘minimise disruption’ in order of importance, to provide a clear indication of what is to be achieved. Once this has been completed a database can be developed. This will usually include customer and prospect locations, travel time data, and attributes such as market potential, sales and workload.

It is important to establish ideal sales territory centres, or salesperson locations before creating territories. These centres should be audited and finalised by national and regional managers. Following this, management can start making staffing decisions. The number of territories within a network may increase or decrease or salespeople may be required to relocate. It is important that these factors are addressed early on in the project.

Next, initial territories can be created based on well-defined, objective criteria. These will be audited and finalised by senior management. Once these territories have been agreed, and any amendments made, the optimised network should be presented to sales managers for review and response.  Each stage will be reviewed in greater detail in the next section.

Criteria and Objectives

The four most common optimisation objectives are:



Balance workload across territories to equalise sales force coverage of customers and prospects. Balance potential to allow fair incentive and reward systems. Minimise disruption of relationships to facilitate a smooth transition to redefined territories. Reduce travel times and costs by building geographically compact, workable territories.

 

These objectives cannot always be achieved simultaneously so it is important to prioritise according to individual company goals. The relative importance of various criteria will depend upon factors such as sales strategy, incentive scheme, and salespeople’s relationships with customers. Criteria should be agreed in advance by senior management with input from selected sales managers. This should highlight any practical issues and facilitate greater buy-in from field staff.



Database

The importance of the data used in territory optimisation cannot be over-estimated. A significant amount of time should be spent creating, evaluating and verifying any data that drive territory decisions.

Databases should typically include a mix of internal and external data sources. Customer lists and sales history reflect the company’s experience, whereas outside sources can provide an alternative perspective. Where available, market sales data are invaluable.

Territory Definition

Territory optimisation software uses algorithms to search the space of all potential territory iterations, and finds the best one based on the criteria provided. These are particularly useful for setting up territories for entirely new networks. They are also invaluable for merging organisations.

Following initial optimisation, sales managers have a chance to review and modify alignments where necessary. An optimised network can be compared with the current, and changes made based on knowledge of local conditions. This is often carried out as a group exercise, sales managers being brought together at a central location to finalise new territories. A facilitator can work with each sales manager to explore alternative scenarios. This inclusiveness means that any conflicts or border disputes can be resolved quickly and effectively. A finalised network of optimised territories can then be agreed.

Sales territory optimisation should not be viewed as a one-off event. There are many factors that will require companies to adjust their territory definition over time. Company restructuring or market changes can make a review necessary. Regional competitors may enter the market or new product launches can shift market opportunities. Demographic trends also affect optimisation and ideally territories should be reviewed on an annual basis.

Conclusion

Territory optimisation is an often overlooked productivity tool, yet research indicates that many companies are losing a significant amount of money each year due to territory imbalances. It is a fact that most territories which are arbitrarily defined are rarely the right size, and that optimisation enhances customer coverage and increases sales. Cost savings can also be achieved by reducing travel times.

When carried out in a structured, inclusive manner an optimisation project need not alienate any stakeholders. Recent software developments also mean that projects can be completed fairly quickly and economically. Defining the most appropriate criteria, being clear about objectives, and pulling together the right data should result in a successful optimisation project. There really is no reason for sales territories not to represent the best possible opportunity for any business.

Color can have a profound impact on your prospective buyers. The wrong colors can negatively impact your sales, while the right colors can trigger positive emotions motivating your visitors to buy from you.

Color can affect how we feel and influence what we think. In general, bright bold colors tend to stir us up, while the softer pastel colors calm and relax us. Responses to colors can vary by age, gender and cultural background.

Colors will affect how a potential buyer reacts to your ebook. Carefully select your color scheme for your ebook cover. Here are some guidelines to help you make good color choices. Bear in mind that these are guidelines, and that there are no hard and fast rules. Just use common sense. • Consider your audience. For example, if your ebook primarily targets men, then you will want to use strong, bold colors. If your target audience is women, then choose soft, pastel colors. If your focus is on children, choose bright, vibrant colors.

• Choose colors that are appropriate for your book’s topic. For example, green may work well for books about starting a home business, making money, and reducing debt.

• Use colors that match or complement the color scheme of your web site.

• Keep the number of colors down to two or three, and no more. This does not include photographs which can have a whole range of colors.

• When using photographs on your ebook cover, use colors that complement the primary color in the picture.

• Make sure that all of the colors you use work well together and do not clash.

• Communicate your message with easy-to-read text. Use colors for your text that contrast with the background color so your text is readable. For example, a dark font on a light background is easy to read.

• Consider the mood you want to create. Remember that emotions trigger sales. People buy what they want – not what they need. The list below will show you how colors can affect us in different ways.

Red – Action, energy, strength, passion, fire, heat, power, attention-getting. Can also mean love and romance. A strong masculine color. Red is a good color for a call-to-action. Red is cheerfulness, excitement, and warmth. Pink is a soft version of red. It is most associated with romance, calming affect; a feminine color.

Blue – Confidence, travel, freedom, truth, professionalism, wealth and power. Also tranquility, dependable, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort, loyalty and security. It is one of the most calming colors and is associated with the sky and the sea, intelligence, reassurance, and trust. Blue has also been known to be an appetite suppressant, so it would not be good for cookbooks or recipes but you can consider it for diet books.

Green – Money, wealth, prosperity, calm, health, food, nature, hope, growth, freshness, soothing, sharing, and responsiveness. Green symbolizes spring, renewal, and fertility.

Orange – Health and vitality, autumn, youthfulness, fire, steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheerfulness, warmth, excitement and energy. Has been known to stimulate the appetite. Vibrant and warm, orange is associated with autumn and the earth.

Yellow – Light, purity, understanding, caution, brightness, intelligence, joy, organization, Spring. Yellow often represents sunshine, warmth, light, energy and happiness.

Purple – Dignity, sophistication, creativity, spirituality and mystery. Deep purple is associated with royalty and richness, while lavender is associated with romance and nostalgia.

Brown – Credibility, stability, the hearth, home, the earth, wood, comfort and strength. Brown can be used as a neutral or a warm color.

Black – Space, night, authority, dramatic, classy, committed, serious, power, elegance, and sophistication.

White – Purity, peace, perfection, fresh, easy, cleanliness, goodness, and spirituality. Worth noting here, white represents life and marriage in Western cultures, but it represents death and sorrow in Eastern cultures.

Grey – A conservative color, symbolizing security, maturity and reliability.

Take advantage of the impact color can have on your ebook sales and choose colors that will create positive responses.

There is little question as to the profound effect that there was on the retail sector in 2009, from the ever increasing international recession. Every economy in the world felt some impact from the recession that took the world by storm. America was seen to plunge deeper, while England still clawed at optimism, but had to relinquish its stiff upper lip to cautionary tales of bankruptcy and redundancy for those who had over stretched themselves. Retail was impacted hugely in the UK. Consumers tightened up their belts for the inevitably rough times they believed would be ahead and consumer confidence was at an all time low.

As a sector, retail finds itself entering 2010 with an array of somewhat mixed messages. On one hand, there is prediction for growth to return to the stagnant economy that’s been so worrying, yet on the other hand, strong rumors around needs to cut public spending hugely, in order to save the government from its incredible deficit, are still rife. The British Government, known for declining on forecasting “officially” on unemployment rates, has been reported to have some within its cabinet, believing that while unemployment figures will surely rise in the first three months of 2010, they will drop in the last quarter of 2010. All of these facts still motivate consumers to take a cautionary approach to their spending habits this year.

Consumers are acutely aware of the precarious positions that they find themselves in. Trends suggest that they have been cutting back on spending since 2008 and there is every sign that this will continue to happen. Larger purchases will be made with particular attention being paid not just to the payment amount each month, when credit is being used, but the overall interest rate and charges applied to such purchases. Consumers are more aware than ever of the pitfalls of interest being applied to purchase agreements and will be seen to be more selective in their choice of retailer and product, with price being a huge driving force, with quality and service lagging in their importance.

All of these factors will impact the “retail manager” in a variety of ways. Retail managers will need staff who are more highly trained than ever in product knowledge, customer skills and explaining financial agreements, with a particular attention to personal protection options that can be applied. The average retail manager will need to be aware of the market that he trades within and the advantages that his competitors may have over him. So when considering these issues, it’s safe to say that retail manager jobs may not be an area of growth in 2010, but will surely become more challenging. There will be less stability than ever seen in retail positions due to the suffering economy, high expectations of customers and increasing competition between retailers. All of these issues may present concern for many, but for those who experienced previous recessions, the same skills ingenuity and tenacity will definitely be required. For those who are new to the game, hang on and buckle up, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Group forms the basic unit of the social living and we experience and contribute to the dynamics of different groups by being part to family, society, and nation. Through out our life we tend to become part of many sophisticated groups to satisfy our personal and professional needs. Group has been identified and defined in different perspective, but the ingredients of group and its approach towards outcomes almost remains the same.  

Robbins had defined group as – Group helps us to satisfy important psychological or social needs as those far belonging or for receiving attention or affection.

Where as Paulus defines – groups consist of two or more interacting persons who share common goals have a stable relationship and are some how interdependent and perceive that they are in fact part of a group.

Group helps us achieve various goals that we could not attain as individuals. It also provides a platform for knowledge and information sharing that would not otherwise be available to us. Group even provides an identity to its members. Still cooperative group is something that comes with lot of effort. The differentiator of a successful group is that the group members share sense of trust among themselves as well as feeling of shared responsibilities. This means ensuring one’s own progress/interest in the group while facilitating the progress/interest of others.

In a classic study- Schachter and his associates tested the effect of group cohesiveness and induction (or influence) on productivity under highly controlled condition. Cohesiveness was defined as the average resultant force acting on members in a group. Though the manipulations of cohesiveness and induction, the following experimental groups were created:

High cohesive, positive induction (Hi Co, +Ind) Low cohesive, positive induction (Lo Co, +Ind) Low cohesive, negative induction ((Lo Co, – Ind) High Cohesive, negative induction (Hi Co, – Ind)

As identified in the study -  High cohesive when aligned with positive induction gives the best productivity, where as when aligned with negative induction generates least productivty. Where as low cohesive aligned with positve induction or negative induction gives medium productivity.

Where ever there exist a group – there also exist some or other kind of a group conflict. Normally group conflicts occur because of differing view and non-flexibility and towards other’s view. . Other reasons contributing towards group conflict are leadership approach and the group size. The leader’s style reflects on any group’s behavior and its approach of appreciation/ non appreciation for the views of other group members. Group size is one of the other important factors of group conflict – group impact and leader’s control on the group members starts decreasing if the group size keeps growing beyond certain numbers. For example the leadership style makes best impact till the group size is 150 group members or less (Tipping Points – Malcolm Gladwell). The moment the group size crosses the mark of 150 the hold of the leader and impact of members on each other reaches threshold.

Conflict weather personal or professional impacts the way a group performs and the way it is been perceived by its competitors and the environment. Specially in professional set up conflicts are more evident as people have low need for group affiliation, and high orientation for individual achievement. At times conflict is also a by product of power struggle within the group members.

Irrespective of its source a conflicts makes group membership and the group performance less attractive. Conflict within group members impacts the group dynamics and its competitive propositions with respect to the other groups. Prolonged conflict impacts the performance of the group members at every step right from making decision and its  implementation It starts with group members getting polarized and non appreciative about other views. This is difficult situation for any group as decisions take longer than normal to be closed and it happens mostly after the leader intervenes form his power positioning. This in turn takes away leader’s time in handling internal issues and thus limits his time and energy for the external issues.

There are number of ways of resolving group conflict. Groups can be trained to identify the symptoms and handle this proactively. To do so groups should be able to appreciate the overall characteristics of conflict – mostly we all take conflict as a negative phenomena. According to my understanding of the subject conflict is an important and one of the positive things that can happen to a group – it provides the following opportunities to any group –

Revisit the game plan, Collectively Critically analyze the approach, Elaborate details and work on more fulfilling approach, An opportunity to group to craft a win-win situation for all. Address concerns and creates buy in from all the respective stake holders

 

Conflict should not be a no-no for any group, and should be seen as an opportunity to enhance group performance by identifying and respecting others perspective and approach.  The approach of handling conflicts always brings an opportunity for the group members to understand each other in a better manner and thus leads to high cohesiveness and induction among the group members- which in turn leads the productivity of any group to new heights. 

An impact wrench is a tool designed to allow mechanics to apply high amounts of torque to a nut and bolt fastening in order to loosen or tighten the fastening with a minimum of effort. Impact wrenches have traditionally required a connection to an air supply in order to generate the necessary power required to apply the necessary force to tighten and loosen nuts properly. One of the latest developments in the market is the release of a high quality cordless impact wrench that does not need to be connected with an air compressor to gain power.

One of the biggest criticisms applied to traditional air guns is that they are quite an unwieldy tool to use – particularly in a restricted environment such as a workshop. An air gun or impact wrench has traditionally required a great deal of air pressure in order to give it the force needed to work properly, and this has meant it being connected permanently to an air supply or compressor, and having a large trailing air hose all the time.

With a cordless impact wrench, it is possible to entirely dispense with the air hose and air compressor, and give yourself the freedom to move around the workshop quickly and conveniently. Cordless tools are much easier to use and more comfortable. Rather than a stream of air, these tools work more like a traditional cordless drill and use a battery for power, although in order to apply the correct amount of torque to a bolt they do tend to have a great deal more control available.

Many manufacturers offer a range of cordless impact wrenches that are designed to suit every single user, depending on the budget and requirements if the individual. Most manufacturers produce a full range of tools to appeal to all individuals, from the cheap weekend tools designed for occasional use through to professional quality air guns that are destined for high levels of use every single day, and must be completely reliable.

Although the initial outlay for a cordless impact wrench often seems high when compared to traditional models, it is important to bear in mind that without the requirement for a full power air compressor, the total purchase price for the system is much lower, and more affordable to different people, making them accessible to home users.

Traditionally, despite offering a full range of tools, different tool manufacturers appeal to a different group of people. Manufacturers like Makita, despite their high levels of build quality and modern reliability are typically seen as being more driven towards the consumer market rather than more recognised toolmakers like DeWalt and Ingersoll Rand, which offer a much better reputation, and are traditionally the first choice for professionals.

Because Ingersoll Rand is renowned as the world’s leading air tool manufacturer, they have a reputation for producing the highest quality and most reliable air tools available. Their range of cordless impact wrenches is wide enough to allow for most uses to be covered, from automotive impact wrenches that are great for the workshop through to high powered industrial wrenches that can be used for heavy duty work in factories and other tough environments.

Ingersoll Rand has a constant policy of product improvement and research that allows them to pursue an ongoing development program. This means that IR air tools use new materials like titanium and advanced motors that are designed to make them even more reliable.

From professional quality tools like the StreetLegal ThunderGun 232TGSL, which is powerful enough for use trackside at a motor race through to entry level models like the 225 Impact Wrench, which are fine for the home mechanic, but still feature pro build quality, and reliability, Ingersoll Rand make a fantastic range of air tools that are suited to all purposes, and all users.

Using Sales Force Surveys & Sales Force Opinion Surveys to Gather Actionable Information and Insight for Increasing Sales and Reducing Sales Force Attrition

Sales are the lifeblood of your company. Your sales people know what your customers and prospects want and expect from your company and from your sales force. Sales force surveys gather your sales force’s collective knowledge and experiences about customers and about the support, information, tools, training and other resources your sales people need to boost sales significantly.

Sales force opinion surveys are employee opinion surveys that gather information and insight from a company’s sales force and sales managers only. The questions are customized to get at the important issues that drive the success of sales people and increased sales.

Many companies experience high sales force turnover. Companies spend a huge amount of money on recruiting, hiring, training, equipping and supporting sales people. When sales people fall short of their sales expectations and sales goals, it is a very costly lost opportunity. When sales people leave your company for any reason, it is also very costly. High levels of sales force attrition is an indicator that one or more things that impact sales force satisfaction, sales force engagement and sales volume is in need of immediate attention. Unfortunately, senior company managers and sales managers often guess at the reasons for poor sales and sales force attrition, and then take action based on these guesses, often with little or no results.

A much better way to identify the reasons for poor sales performance and sales force attrition is to conduct sales opinion surveys, learning directly from sales people about what is impeding their performance and causing their dissatisfaction and lack of engagement. Sales force opinion surveys are a version of an employee opinion survey targeted at sales people and their special performance issues. When sales people are given the opportunity to anonymously share their opinions, suggestions and insight based on their first-hand experiences in sales employee opinion surveys, they provide honest comprehensive information that enables sales managers to take action to increase sales employee satisfaction and engagement, sales performance and sales force retention.

Learning why some sales people outsell their peers by a wide margin:

Every company knows that some of their sales people consistently generate higher sales than their peers, while other sales people consistently sell well under the average for their sales force. Conducting a sales force survey / sales force opinion survey is an effective way to identify the reasons why some sales people outperform others by a wide margin while others are consistent underperformers..

Sales force surveys typically include 30-60 questions, depending on your industry, products and services. Here is a sample of the issues included in sales force opinion surveys:

Company image Marketing effectiveness Effectiveness of sales managers Communications and support from sales managers Sales manager treatment of sales people Recognition received from sales managers Availability of customer and industry business information Availability & effectiveness of administrative support Sales & product training effectiveness Sales tracking effectiveness Effectiveness of sales mentoring and performance feedback Satisfaction with & perceived fairness of sales compensation and benefits plans Adequacy/effectiveness of sales tools (smart phones, laptop computers, etc.) and programs Effectiveness of sales culture Empowerment of sales staff Effectiveness of customer problem resolution Product and service quality and reliability Fairness and timeliness of sales expense reimbursement Customer satisfaction with and awareness of products and services Satisfaction with the service environment and policies Likelihood of sales people staying with your company Willingness of sales people to recommend your company for employment

Sales force survey benefits – Sales force satisfaction surveys /sales force opinion surveys generate the following bottom-line benefits and a very strong payback:

Gaining insight for attracting and keeping customers Making breakthrough improvements in sales force sales performance Increasing sales and competitiveness Reducing costly sales force turnover Increasing sales manager effectiveness Learning about what customers like & dislike about your products and services & being your customer Gathering information about your competitors Eliminating obstacles impacting sales people and customers Learning about ideas for new products and services Gaining information for strengthening and creating new sales tools and programs Improving communications with customers Identifying and fixing recurring problems impacting customers Sending an important message to your customers and employees that your company cares about employees’ opinions customers

Final Thoughts About Sales Force Surveys / Sales Force Opinion Surveys:

Many companies are falling far short in achieving their sales potential, partially because their sales people are not fully satisfied and engaged in their jobs. This leads to costly turnover of sales people and reduced revenue and profit. Conducting a sales force survey /sales force opinion survey is a highly effective way to learn about what is causing your company’s sales force to fall short of their sales potential, and what is causing sales force attrition.

While companies can gather significant actionable information by conducting an employee satisfaction survey, an employee engagement survey or an employee opinion survey, a more comprehensive and focused way to gather information and insight for increasing sales force performance and for decreasing sales force attrition is to conduct a sales force survey or a sales force opinion survey.

The purpose of a sales letter is to convince people to put money on your product and service. To survive the cut throat competition on the web, effective sales letter writing has become indispensable to one’s business. If you can’t make a strong impact with your sales letter, you will never succeed in your online venture, no matter how great your products and services are. Your ads must be so persuasive that it will directly grab the attention of a visitor and he/she will not hesitate to pull out the wallet or credit card to buy your offer.

Writing sales letter that can bring you the desired results is actually a skill that can be acquired if you keep certain things in mind. The first and foremost important thing you must do before you start your ad campaign is to analyze your target audience. Determining your prospective customers will help you to create a sales letter that will suit them. Make them know how your product can solve their problems and make their life easier. Tell them about the many benefits they can have once they purchase your offer. Let them know how your product can save their valuable time and help them in making more money. Identifying your target audience and telling them how you can provide solution to the problem leaves the job only half done. You have to make them act fast and you can do this by offering discounts for a limited period. One of the most important parts of a sale letter is its headline. You must create a power packed headline to attract the attention of your readers and compel them to read it. The content should also be informative so that the reader continues to read it. You can also include testimonials and case studies to build a confidence in you among your customers. Adding a power phrase will make your customers visualize the benefits they will have once they become the owner of your product or service.

Don’t make false claim of your products and be genuine in writing a sales letter. Also proof read it several times to do away with any grammatical or language mistakes.