Is It Time To Make More M.O.N.E.Y?

By Lynn McKenzie

Way too often, spirit-rich, heart-centered entrepreneurs struggle with making enough money. For some, it's a challenge to make ends meet, let alone live comfortably, and it's simply not meant to be that way. Think back to why you got into business in the first place, of course it was to bring your unique brand of transformation to the world, but wasn't it also to create a decent income for yourself while doing so?

Besides the obvious, you'll know you're ready for a money breakthrough if: 
- You are having trouble attracting enough clients 
- You are attracting only low paying clients 
- You're attracting moderate to high paying clients but they're burning you out

If any of these scenarios is present for you, you won't be able to maintain your business in the long run. Whether you're a coach, healer, intuitive or consultant, it takes an investment of guts, money and a huge amount of energy to start and stay in business, and you deserve to be richly rewarded for your efforts. Otherwise, what you've got is an expensive hobby.

The problem here isn't just that you're not making enough money, doing what you love (as if that alone wasn't a big enough problem!); it's that it's taking you out of energetic integrity in a BIG way. Having the clients and making the money you deserve is about so much more than just the money. It's about who you'll become, and the personal growth and transformation that you'll go through to step into your place of power, it's about the energetic vessel you'll create to hold the energy required to truly shine your light in the world, and it's about creating a clear channel to receive the spiritual downloads and divine guidance you're meant to bring forth to the world. None of this can happen when you're playing small and struggling to pay the bills.

So how DO you make great money doing what you love? Here are 3 of my secrets to help you create your money breakthrough, so you can stop struggling, start thriving and stay tapped into your vision and mission, for the long haul.

Secret #1: Value the Deep Transformation You Offer

Self-worth and value issues come up for nearly every heart-centered, spirit-rich woman entrepreneur I've met. One way to quickly abolish these feelings is to allow yourself to really bask in the value of the deeply transformative work you've already done (testimonials are a great help here). Then ask yourself: What were the results? How did your clients transform? What was the value for them?

Secret #2: Create Surefire Systems

Systems help you to create the outcomes you're looking for, over and over again, and they free you up to do more of the creative, transformative work that you love. Every entrepreneur needs systems, whether they want them or not. Here are some of the systems that I help my clients put in place: a client attraction system, a client enrollment system, a product or program development system, an implementing and launching system. What systems will you commit to putting in place for yourself?

Secret #3: Position Yourself as the Expert

When many clients come to me they have the belief that they have to achieve expert status before they can make great money and they also believe that it must happen externally. Did you know that as a soul-inspired entrepreneur, it's your job to create your own expert status? All it involves is a mindset shift, that and a system (see secret #2) with tasks to whittle away at daily, and before you know it, voila, you'll be the expert!

We all know that what's in our bank account is a physical manifestation of what's in our 'spiritual bank account'. If yours isn't where you want it to be, implementing any of these secrets will point you in the direction of your next money breakthrough.

Lynn McKenzie Lynn is a certified Money Marketing and Soul® Coach, Niche Breakthrough Secrets Coach, and is a member of the International Association of Women in Business Coaching. She is also a certified graduate of Coach Training Alliance. Visit http://theprosperityalchemist.com to receive your free audio: 3 Simple Steps to Making & Keeping Way More Money, Doing Work You Love While Delivering Awesome, Life-Changing Results for Your Clients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_McKenzie

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7195703

How Do I Get More Customers?

By Fergus G Doyle

It's a common enough question "how do I get customers?" or indeed "how do I get more customers?" The answers to these questions are not as complex as you might think. We have found that the barrier to these straight forward questions is often ourselves as business owners.

How do I get more customers for my business?

Whether you are a start up or a long established business the solution is very simple and here are the steps:

1. Who is your customer bulls-eye, i.e. who is your prime target that could buy if they knew you were selling. All too often we hear owners tell us that "anyone who is a... " The problem with this type of an answer is that the word "anyone" is too vague. You need to be specific, spell out exactly the type of customer, the size of their business, what the ideal annual turnover is, maybe their geographical location. The more specific the better.

2. Sell to your existing clients - Seems silly doesn't it, duuhh! It's been our experience that if you ask your existing customers, most of them do not know your full product range. The like you, they buy off you and they are the most likely to buy more off you, you just have to tell them to.

3. Get customers for your customers- this is the most overlooked and simple source of new business for you. Think of it, if you get new clients for your customers they will be healthier as a business and you'll be surprised that over time you too will get referrals from them.

4. Who knows your customers before you do? - This takes a bit of getting your head around. But think about it, if you can become a trusted partner of a company who deals with your ideal prospects then you will have an endless supply of more customers for your business. So look through your contacts in your email or in your phone and see who might fit, and call them up today and have a coffee and a chat, maybe you know their customer before they do and you can refer new business to them.

5. Don't put off 'till tomorrow - we find that the single biggest block to getting more customers for your business is not taking immediate decisive action. Too often business owners get busy making lists, making details plans, looking for excuses to almost not take action. It should take no longer that an hour to put a simple plan together then go make some calls and set up some meetings, get into action, get results.

The list above works, the flaw in the model is you'll probably do nothing with it. Stop now and think "how do I get customers?" You must take action. If you can't or don't know how, we offer business advice and business help to owners to help them take the necessary steps.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fergus_G_Doyle

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7190345

10 Trends That Will Impact Your Business

By Meridith Powell

We all know that the most important issue to be discussed, kept front and center and consistently focused on is the customer. But once you make sure you have that base covered, you need to devote your time and energy to taking a look at what is happening outside of your business. What is going on in the world, in society, and with the economy could impact your business--negatively or positively.

This economy, the Trust & Value Economy, is fast-moving and volatile. If you do not pick your head up and look outside now and then, you may get blindsided by a potential landmine -- or miss an amazing opportunity that could mean a whole new level of success for you and your company.

Whether I am coaching with a client one-on-one, or I am consulting with their entire company, I insist they look at trends and outside influences at least once a quarter. In fact, I do it for my own business. Then based on what I find, I put together my list of trends: those opportunities I see just waiting for professionals and business owners to take advantage of.

Here is my list!

The Empowered Consumer - You have heard me say it time and time again: consumers are running this economy. They are in charge and they are flush with personal power. They have been infused with control, they know it, and they are well on their way to getting more of it. Today's consumers have a multitude of options to buy products and shop for services. They are knowledgeable and have all the information they need at their fingertips. They have a voice to share what they think and feel, and thanks to chat rooms, blogs and YouTube, that voice can be heard by millions within moments. YES, personal power is on the rise, and in the next ten years, technology, global interconnection and increased competition will create a consumer that is larger than life!

Frugal Movement - Value anyone? Yes, this new economy has given way to a newly empowered consumer, but also to a new type of consumer: a frugal consumer. More than just this economy has changed; so has the consumer. Gone are the days of abundance and overspending. Today's consumers are smart, savvy, and seeking value for their money. They know they can get it cheaper, so you have to convince them they can get it better from you. Gone are the days of wasteful spending; it is hip to be frugal!

Welcome Gen Flux -If you love change, this is your economy! The most desirable employee today is one who embraces innovation, drives change, desires personal growth, and loves a challenge. Want security in your job? Sorry, those days are gone. Companies can't provide it, the experts can't predict it, and the economy certainly does not guarantee it. No worries: today's most desirable employees would run from a job that offered it. The most important skill you can have in today's economy is the ability and desire to learn new skills. If you expect to be doing your job just like you did it last year, then plan on finding a new job, because your company and your co-workers can't afford to have you on the team anymore.

Boomers Boomerang - They're back! Here comes this crazy generation again; they just won't go away. Aren't they supposed to retire? No Way! The opportunities for this generation are endless - they have money and are willing to spend it. More than 62% of boomers approaching retirement age plan to work at least another ten years. They want to live active lives and they are ready to spend to invest in their health, stay in their homes, travel, and create new experiences.

Healthy Investment - The health industry both in this country and around the world is exploding, and you can expect to see it keep rising. We are obsessed with our health -- all of it -- from eating and drinking our way into disease and obesity, to the rise of home gyms and preventive medicine. The health care industry is growing and in both directions. Alternative medicine has nearly doubled in the last five years. More than 36 percent of Americans are seeking preventive health care, and that number is expected to double again in the next five years. At the same time, there is no slowing the obesity rate and onset of diseases associated with it. In 1990 not a single state had an obesity rate in adult population greater than 14%; today only one state (Colorado) has less than 20% obese adults. Businesses and organizations on both sides of the health and wellness industry are going to grow and expand. No pun intended.

Go Grow Green - Social consciousness has gone mainstream. With population growth rates out of control, issues such as water quality and air pollution have become a global problem. More than 50% of CEOs say being green is important, and government funding for green initiatives remains one of the few programs not suffering from government cutbacks. If you want to grow, go green!

Rabid Collaboration and Connection - In a world that is becoming more fragmented, and with competition at an all-time high, we are seeing a rise in the desire of people to get and stay in touch. Even former business rivals are finding ways to work together. More than half of the world's population reports being active in social networking sites, and in third world countries you are more apt to find a cell phone than food and clean water. Former competitors are going the way of cooperation. This "if you can't beat 'em then join 'em" mentality finds competitors becoming fast frenemies.

Internet Shopping - Google has become a "real" word! Enough said. Before we buy it, we Google it, and often we buy it online. A National Report of holiday shoppers shared that 87% of respondents reported they prefer to shop online. Wake up - reaching, talking to and ultimately selling to consumers is changing drastically. Are sales professionals a thing of the past? No. Just as the radio wasn't destroyed by television, the professional sales person will always be around. However, consumer passion for internet shopping is greatly changing the game.

Love 'em/Leave 'em Consumers - Don't look now, but if your customer service program is not front and center in your business, then you are in serious trouble. Why? Because there is no room -- I repeat -- no room for error; one slip, one mistake with your customers and they are outta there. When you combine a frugal consumer with an empowered consumer, you have a consumer who wants not only a quality product but expects a quality experience. And giving them what they expect? Well, it is just not good enough. You need to be continually, consistently and regularly questioning the level of service and quality you provide your customers, at every level in your organization, at every touch point and with every person. What you did last year - well, it is just so last year!

Total Chaos - Welcome to the Trust & Value Economy. Charles Darwin said it best: It is not the strongest species that will survive - it is not the most intelligent - but the one most adaptable to change. Face it: we are living in a time of total chaos. How many people are using the same cell phone they did five years ago? How many people ten years ago had even heard of Skype? Today's economy is global, diverse, and constantly changing. The variables are limitless. Predicting what is going to happen is a waste of time, and planning for the future is a guessing game. Get ready - the ride is bumpy, shifting, and you need to be flexible!

So, if those are the trends... why do we care? What does it matter to me? Why do I need to be aware? Whether you own a business or just work in one, these trends are going to impact your life. Not only are these changes happening to the economy and to your company, they are happening to you. We have entered the Age of Personal Responsibility, and you have a choice to make. Do you want to survive in this economy or do you want to thrive? Because make no mistake: it is a choice, and a choice only you can make.

"High energy, high impact and highly motivating" -- that is Meridith Elliott Powell, founder and owner of MotionFirst. A certified coach, speaker, author and business development expert, Meridith is known in the industry as a catalyst and woman who makes things happen! Work with Meridith to build your network and change your life. Learn more athttp://www.motionfirstnow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meridith_Powell

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7195137

It Takes Time to Build a Strong Team

By Richard Highsmith

Dysfunctional relationships on teams create factions and disharmony which will slow any team in its work objectives. Here are five steps your team can take to build strength in relationships and achieve their desired goals.

1. Good relationships build strong teams over time. "The glue that holds all relationships together - including the relationship between the leader and the led is trust, and trust is based on integrity." - Brian Tracy. Most meaningful things in life take time to build. Integrity must be demonstrated multiple times before trust evolves. The larger the group, the longer it takes. If two or three people form your team, you can learn about your teammates fairly quickly because your interactions are more frequent. Integrity will or won't be demonstrated rapidly. With five or ten teammates, it can take a significant period of time for all of them to come together. Relationships with integrity and trust still take time to build and become strong.

2. Practice the patience plan. "Never cut what you can untie." - Joseph Joubert. Developing patience requires you to appreciate how other people think. Every person believes their situation is different, their problems are bigger and their faults are not impactful. In other words each of us thinks our circumstances deserve special thoughtfulness and our teammates should be more patient with us. To overcome this we must turn the tables. When we put ourselves in the other person's place, it makes it easier to untie issues instead of emotionally cutting our teammate.

3. Recognize your teammates have and will create problems. "A relationship, I think, is like a shark, you know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." - Woody Allen. Your teammates will be the source of your greatest joy at work and your greatest distress. Top executives spend seven out of eight hours in a day dealing with the complexity of people problems. In moving your team forward keep in mind it involves positive and negative relationship issues. You don't get to enjoy only the good without the bad. Every teammate has weaknesses they don't see, poor work habits and personal issues. Give your teammates the same grace you would like to receive for your deficiencies and keep your relationships moving forward.

4. Understand where you create a need for patience in others. "Before you try to change others, remember how hard it is to change yourself."- Bill Bluestein. It is important for us to know our own shortcomings. Ask someone close to you to list a few of the areas where they see a need for patience with you. Accept the list and don't be defensive. You don't have to agree with the entire list, but recognize it is how you are perceived. It is the things you say and do. The key for your growth is to look behind the list and ponder if it represents who you are. If you are perceived as gruff, but don't believe yourself to be so then you need to work on the perception. If you realize you truly are angry, you must work on the source. By keeping in mind others are exercising patience with you, it helps you remember to be patient with teammates.

5. Recognize all relationships create opportunities. "Little kindness and courtesies are so important. In relationships, the little things are the big things." - Stephen Covey.

Initiate positive action with your team and the teammates closest to you. Offer these four things to grow opportunity.

·         Support. Allow teammates to lead and demonstrate their ideas. Assist them when it is needed, but never in a condescending manner.

·         Mentor. Be an example. Answer their questions, but give direction only when it is genuinely needed.

·         Appreciation. Respect their ideas and listen. Never undermine their efforts through criticism.

·         Repayment. Make sure you have closed the loop on the Golden Rule. Payback their efforts and kindness toward you.

Here's the bottom line when it come to building a team. If you travel alone, you can probably go faster. Every journey requires patience. But taking these concrete steps will help build a strong team around you and carry the entire team forward in their careers.

Richard Highsmith, rick@qualityteambuilding.com, is President of Quality Team Building. He has twenty-five years experience training and coaching. He has built and sold two successful businesses. To learn more about becoming a team leader visit our website at http://www.qualityteambuilding.com or call Rick toll-free at 1-888-484-8326 X101.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Highsmith

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7195744

Our Dreams Can Make Things Possible

By Richard Brody

Unless we are willing and able to have a self- motivating dream that is personally significant and moving, there is generally little change of us achieving to our potential. Those that diminish the significance of dreams are generally individuals who easily abandon taking significant action, stands, or direction, because they tend to lack the motivation and vision to look forward to. Robert Schuller stated this in his inimitable manner, when he said, "The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking." Every important and great development, invention, or action began with an essential dream, that was important enough to drive individual or individuals to persist while those lacking dreams often quit early.

1. When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, or Thomas Alva Edison invented the phonograph, light bulb or several other things, think about how often they must have been told that what they wanted to do was impossible. These individuals, like nearly every great person in history, persevered because they were personally motivated by their dream and their vision of what could be, and why it was so very important. Imagine what might not have been if Ray Charles had listened to those that consistently and persistently said that a blind man could not be a successful musician, and certainly not a musical genius?

2. Our dreams are the guiding lights that bring us to our essential visions. Because of these, we are able to set meaningful and important goals. We are also motivated by our dreams to persist when others give up, and to overlook and/ or overcome the obstacles, adversities and challenges that might block others, but simply propel dreamers to further heights of achievement and accomplishment.

3. When it comes to our leaders, dreaming is perhaps even more significant. Think about the famous dreams and visions of individuals such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy, and one realizes that these men left a legacy because of what they dreamed and envisioned, and not solely because of accomplishments. When one's dreams drives him to try harder, do more, be more persistent, care more, better handle adversity or obstacles, and still be able to focus on the future, the odds of creating something truly meaningful and significant are exponentially enhanced.

All of the greats in history believed in the infinite possibilities and were thus possibility thinkers, and did not permit what others said was impossible permeate their inner mind. Positive mental attitude may, in fact, be the most essential of all important traits and characteristics.

Richard's owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, and Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has professionally run events for over 30 years. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Brody

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7182137

How I Started to Manifest Abundance

By Christina T Moore

When I first learned of the Law of Attraction I was able to utilize it to completely change my life and my mind from the inside out. Every aspect of my reality was filled with misery. My emotional scale was in the red. Less than one year later everything had changed.

With the eyes of a child I saw this concept as a way out, as salvation. I began to read everything that had anything to do with the Law of Attraction. As my hunger for knowledge grew so did the information that became available to me.

The first important step to creating your own reliable process is to create a strong foundation. I did this by opening my eyes to who I AM, and take responsibility for my thoughts. That was a big undertaking! My mind was like an undisciplined and spoiled five-year old child. Moment by moment, thought by thought, feeling by feeling I guided myself to feel and think just a little bit better. That sounds trivial, but it's not. A history of negativity had me in a fast-moving spiral to nowhere. Slowly I began my addictive withdrawal process to clean up my mind.

Secondly, you must build a framework for your belief system. Do you understand who you are? You are an infinite being, the Created and the Creator. Your imagination when reinforced with emotion builds the environment you experience physically. Your feelings create a vibration that attracts similar vibrations. Hence the Law of Attraction. So if your attention to unwanted things can bring you more misery the opposite is equally true. You must also understand that you aren't creating events out of nothing. Everything that exists already exists. It is your attention to them that brings the energies into focus for your current reality.

The third concept is probably the simplest and yet the most difficult. There is nothing you have to do, but to know that your wish is already a reality. In order to experience it, you must ignore the current reality, as it is just an echo and feel the new reality before seeing it. You can do this by letting go of the thought process and fill your heart and mind with joy. Follow your highest excitement moment by moment in the smallest of ways throughout your day and keep your mind off of the absence of your manifestation. By following your excitement you will be guided by your higher mind gently and most directly on to your path.

Let me give you a personal example of how this worked for me using one of my first experiences with the Law of Attraction.

I wanted to find a new job and move as far away as I could. I set my intention as if I was asking a magic Genie for a wish. "Universe, I want to get out of here. I want a good job somewhere else." I left it and all the details up to my magic Genie. Soon I was struck by an awesome idea. I followed that idea which lead me to a contact and a job 1800 miles away from home. I had to be there in two weeks. All I did was set it and forget it until I had an inspired idea and followed it out as far as I could.

The trick to achieving instant manifestations is to keep it as fun and simple as possible. No thinking, just playing. Rub a magic lamp, make a wish. Get your mind off of it and it can happen. Only when you are joyful and inspired should you spend anytime dreaming and visualizing. Every process you choose to follow, follow it because it is fun to do.

Stay tuned for more manifestation examples and what little things I did to bring it into my reality.

Visit my facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/leopardhunting

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christina_T_Moore

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7177826

Coaching For Better Performance - A Definition And Its Implications

By Peter J Fullbrook

Coaching has become the skill that is spoken about nowadays when the discussion turns to middle management effectiveness. There is nothing wrong with this; it is absolutely correct that the development of staff should sit primarily with their management and they need the tools to do the job.

But like any area of business improvement that comes under the spotlight around the world, it attracts an unreasonable amount of charlatans. There are those out there who would have you believe that attending a seminar, training course or online learning event will give you good coaches and a coaching culture in your business. Of course they are wrong - but pointing out shortcomings is easy. What is more valuable is knowing what is right.

This article looks at a considered definition of performance coaching and the principles under which it becomes a useful tool to change performance.

A definition: "performance coaching is a set of practices, tools and skills which, when used consistently and effectively in an environment that is both conducive and accountable, leads to improved business performance and competitive differentiation.'

Let's deconstruct this definition and look at the implications.

'A set of practices, tools and skills'- managers need to know what to coach as well as how. This means there must be practices that are documented and are observable and measurable. Otherwise we end up with one persons' opinion of how well someone else is doing the job. When was the last time you agreed with an unsubstantiated, subjective criticism of your work? And worse, how do you react when this happens? Tools are needed to ensure uniformity of process, irrespective of the areas being coached. And skilful coaches understand the huge difference between feedback and coaching - feedback tells someone where they went wrong. Coaching helps a person build a plan to maximise strengths and improve areas for development.

'Consistently and effectively' - this is probably the area where most managers need more discipline and companies need to support their management better. What must happen is regular and skilful coaching for everyone. (Recognising that some need more than others, but no one is omitted). Our observation is that managers tend to look upon coaching as a fire-fighting exercise. We coach when performance is an issue. Apart from the fact that this makes coaching stigmatised, resented and unpopular, it misses the point that coaching is a very important tool in the development and retention of talent, not just helping to deal with performance issues. We had one client who was stunned when a top performer left because they got no management time or input. The manager told us, 'she didn't need it.' He was wrong.

'An environment that is conducive and accountable' - a conducive environment means both the physical setting where coaching takes place, as well as the atmosphere and approach created by the coach. You will not get people to be honest and open about the areas they find difficult if they know it is going to be used in evidence against them.

Accountable means that the coach is accountable for making sure the coaching happens and has valid outcomes and that the person being coached is accountable for acting on the agreed areas to work on and develop. And both are accountable for making sure the process is leading to improved business performance. This implies measurement of coaching, changes in performance and changes in results.

What is evident from this deconstruction of the definition is that the management of coaching in the workplace has significantly more impact than the any training. In addition there are a few other principles of good business practice that are particularly applicable to good coaching.

It is said that what gets measured gets done and what gets rewarded gets done properly. We have a client that used a simple 360 degree feedback process to measure the effectiveness of coaching and set a company standard. They also stated that if any manager did not meet the standard, they could not get more than an average rating on their performance appraisal. The change was phenomenal, in both attitude and performance - managers coached well and insisted on being measured accurately. You must embed coaching into HR, induction and training and performance management systems.

We believe that senior management communicate what is important in the company by the questions they ask. All too often the questions are about figures. You can't manage a figure. What you can manage is the quality of the performance that produces the figure. Senior management should get religion about the techniques used to improve people effectiveness and relentlessly ask about how well this is happening.

I founded Prosell Sales Training because I saw the importance of people's potential contribution to a business and also saw how many companies missed the biggest opportunity they were presented with; the challenge to fully engage their people and to achieve high productivity and overall business performance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_J_Fullbrook

Three Reasons Your Goal May "Fail"

Three Reasons Your Goal May "Fail"

By Jeannine Clontz

I put the word "fail" in quotes in the title because I strongly believe that you never REALLY fail if you've learned something from having tried. There's a difference between a good goal and a good outcome - sometimes, despite your best efforts, you can't make it work.

In my experience, there are three main reasons for this.

Your goal was bad for the outcome you wanted to achieve.

You did all the right things, but you were aiming at the wrong target. For instance, let's say you wanted to do something to help people (your objective) so you decided to go to law school (the goal).

Unfortunately, you find you hate to study, read, or write. And you don't like being in conflict with people! There's an inherent mismatch between your personality and the goal you chose.

Have you "failed?" No. Your goal was wrong. You may have spent time and money that you wish you hadn't, but think about what you learned: You are a doer, not a studier. Yes, you still want to help people, but now you know you need to look at other ways that focus more on your own personality and style.

That's great information to know about yourself. Many people don't find out what they really want to do with their lives until they're in the corner suite, and miserable! Treat this setback as a valuable learning experience. Then, as the song goes, "pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again."

Your process to achieve the goal was wrong.

Sometimes you have a great goal, but you just pick the wrong path for getting there. That's like knowing where you want to go on the other side of town, but picking the road that's under construction, full of detours, and jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic. There's nothing wrong with your goal; you just picked the wrong road.

To bring this into the business world, it would be like knowing what result you want (let's say, more sales) but choosing a strategy that doesn't pay off (advertising at bus stops when your target customer has a chauffeur).

Sometimes you don't know you've chosen the wrong path until you're halfway down the road. You've invested a lot of time and money and suddenly there's that detour sign. You then have a choice to make - do you suck it up and keep going, hoping it will get better? Or do you cut your losses, backtrack, and start over again?

As much as you hate to hear it, you're usually better off heading back to a fresh start. If this makes you cringe, let me tell you a story.

Maxine Hong Kingston, the fabulous novelist, had almost finished a manuscript for a new book, "The Fourth Book of Peace." It was completely destroyed in the Oakland fires of 1991. Kingston went on to write a new book, "The Fifth Book of Peace," which included a rewritten version of the destroyed book. Now that is "rising from the ashes"... literally.

If you need to start over, glean the best of what went right before and add it to your knowledge banks. Then set the past aside and move forward!

Your execution was wrong.

The goal was right. The path was right. But, your execution? Not so much. Maybe your motivation started faltering. Maybe you started cutting corners. Or maybe you just gave up. Whatever the reason, the result was the same: Your goal remains out of reach.

If the reason for your "failure" lies at your feet, take a look at your why. Why did it drop? Did you try all the strategies we've already discussed? Are you still committed to this goal? Do you need additional resources? Figure out where the disconnect is, then try, try again.

"Failure" to me is just another word for "Things didn't turn out quite like I had planned." There are still plenty of lessons to be learned - sometimes more so than if everything had panned out just right.

Next week, we'll look at why sometimes it may be best to just let your goal go - and for good reason.

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: http://www.internetmarketingvirtualassistant.net, or contact her at info@internetmarketingvirtualassistant.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeannine_Clontz

How Is Sales Management Different From Just Plain Sales?

By Rima Hammoudi

There's no doubt about it, sales management requires a different skill set from traditional sales jobs. But what are some of those skills?

1. The ability to forecast and measure results

One of the differences between sales management and just plain sales is the need to forecast. Sales forecasting means looking ahead, i.e., determining:

- how much to spend (on what? in which regions?) 
- how many salespeople to hire 
- how much product to have on hand 
- how many new customers will buy the product or service 
- how many repeat customers will buy the product or service

Sales training teaches teams how to prepare macro forecasts, for the market at large, and micro forecasts, for specific units.

In addition to forecasting, teams must also be able to measure with accuracy the success of their forecasting efforts. How valid were their forecasts? Evaluation metrics is a key concept in this type of training.

2. The ability to coach

Often, people who are attracted to sales thrive in a competitive environment. It takes ambition to bring a sales strategy to fruition. But management teams must be able to see beyond their own ambition, to help the team members under their watch realize their own ambitions. Sales management training must prepare managers to coach their teams. They must make their teams feel accountable, to assume responsibility for the success of the organization.

Sales management training must prepare managers to provide coaching, but also to help them build a team that is open to coaching. A strong sales team is one in which mentorship can thrive.

3. The ability to motivate

Sales teams must always encourage their teams to do their best. This may involve organizing friendly competitions between salespeople or linking bonus pay to performance.

4. The ability to be present

Sales management teams must make time for their staff: they must be there to listen, to advise and to redirect. Managers must routinely schedule in time to review progress, both their own and that of their team.

5. The ability to implement and follow process

Sales management training must equip managers with the skills to implement efficient and effective structures. When should paperwork be done? When will prospecting calls be made? What days will be reserved for sales appointments? For team meetings? How often will salespeople file reports? They must elaborate a sales strategy that:

- reduces "out of stocks" 
- maximizes warehouse space 
- takes maximum advantage of peak sales season

6. The ability to distinguish between activities and results

The sales management team must make sure that the sales team is busy, yes, but busy doing the right things.

7. Setting goals

Sales management training should also prepare managers to establish goals for the entire team. For example, one goal might be to generate sales of x amount within a certain amount of time.

As you can see, sales management training must broaden a salesperson's traditional toolkit to include leadership skills.

Visit Fusion Learning for more information on sales strategy.

Rima Hammoudi is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rima_Hammoudi

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7174496