To make sure a sales team is working efficiently and making great sales they need to have effective sales management. Small business owners and sales managers in large companies should ensure that their sales team is supported, organised, motivated and performing at their best. Below are some top tips for better sales management…

1) Be approachable as a manager

Being a manager does mean that a person will have authority over the team but this doesn’t mean that a sales manager should flaunt this power by being too controlling or arrogant. It’s important to get the balance right between approachability and authority. One way sales managers can achieve this is to be a true team leader by setting an example for the sales team to follow by being positive, energetic, motivated and always true to their word. By being approachable to the team, sales managers will increase their team’s confidence in them so that any issues can be aired and overcome more easily.

2) Encourage the sales team to not be emotionally involved

Losing a contract, having a misunderstanding with a client or being told ‘no’ one too many times can leave a sales person feeling pretty low. It’s important for the morale of the team that individuals are able to bounce back from rejection or criticism instead of arguing, sulking and bringing a negative atmosphere to the office. Good sales management means encouraging the team not to become emotionally involved with clients and customers so it’s much easier for them to be able to handle stressful situations. Continue Reading »

The Fallacy of Open Questions

Open questions versus closed questions. This battle has been fought for years and no one is the clear winner. However a good open question does lend itself to a fuller answer from your customer. But the trick is to know how to follow up.

Anyway here’s a reminder of the six open questions from Rudyard Kipling’s famous poems:

“I keep six honest serving men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who” Continue Reading »

Learn about how to make an effective presentation is a powerful ability, skill and may be essential to help you achieve your professional and personal goals. If you’re pitching your business idea to a venture capitalist, hoping to land with blue chip clients or convince the customer at the counter that their product is what you need – a good presentation is key to closing the sale.

Before going into any meeting room or shake hands, is its your presentation up to scratch? Consider these five important tips to deliver an effective step:

1. Think of the structure – as the presenter, his role is to guide citizens through its main points. One of the key components of good presentation skills is being able to arrange delivery. The structure of how to present his argument to lead his listeners through the presentation is critical to effectively communicate their core message. Continue Reading »

Internet marketing using commonly divided tests to measure the effectiveness of a campaign to offer. It is a scientific method to determine exactly what changes in individual elements of a web page can increase your conversion ratio (the percentage of visitors converted to sales).

Several test methods divided

1) A / B Split Test

It ’s the easiest. Basically are the visitors at random to one of two different versions of a web page and results (sales, leads or click-through) are monitored. Continue Reading »

Customer security is one of the prime considerations of any retail outlet today. Whilst implementing key marketing strategies in order to promote products and increase sales, retail managers also need to be thinking about how safe their customers feel in-store and ways they can improve the attractiveness of their space for shoppers.

Lighting

Good lighting is a key aspect of the customer experience. Stores require lighting that allows customers to see what they are doing and to ensure that no area of the shop is dimly lit or dark, as this is where thefts or attacks could occur. This is particularly important in fitting room areas and in toilet and baby-change facilities where customers are out of the general flow of the shop and there is a reduced staff presence.

CCTV systems

Customers are comforted by the presence of CCTV systems in retail stores. They know that these systems are designed to prevent crime and automatically feel safer in an environment where cameras provide a deterrent to would-be criminals. A CCTV system also often means at least one member of staff dedicated to security and this also makes customers feel more at ease.

Space

The retail environment is one that’s constantly under threat from petty crime – from shoplifting items to pick-pocketing customers. This type of crime is easier to commit in small, crowded shops, where people are more tightly packed into a space and it is difficult for staff, security cameras or general shoppers to see what is going on. It’s easy for people to put goods in their bags without paying for them or to steal a handbag and be out of the shop before anyone’s realised. A key way to defeat this type of crime is by arranging your goods so that there’s more space in the store. This makes it immediately more obvious if someone is acting suspiciously, and customers are more likely to be aware if someone is too close to them or demonstrating threatening behaviour.

There are various other ways that you can make your customers feel safe, but lighting, space and visible CCTV security go a long way to reassuring customers that they are shopping in a safe environment. The safer and more confident your customers feel, the more likely they are to spend money in your store.