You're stuck. you could not have ever notional this might be you. You and your fellow are chemical analysis for extended than you care to admit. You waited with patience for months for him to pop the all vital question and gift you with a wide ranging diamond band, however the wait is not over nevertheless, is it? He appears no nearer to proposing nowadays than he was on your initial date. It's frustrating. It's demoralizing and it's confusing. If he loves you the maximum amount as he perpetually claims he will why the resistance? on the far side that, what do you have to be doing? you have been caper with the thought of giving him Associate in Nursing demand. you are thinking that since he is withholding the one issue you actually wish that may be a committed future, you must play that game too and withhold the one issue he very needs. however is taking off intimate contact very the thanks to get the marriage of your dreams?
Why Associate in Nursing demand will not Get You What you would like From Him
The moment a girl threatens her man with Associate in Nursing demand that's designed to urge her a commitment, she will say au revoir to the dream of being his married woman forever. Most men do not had best after they square measure at bay showing emotion, significantly in respect to one thing as life dynamic as Associate in Nursing engagement. If you tell your fellow that you just are not attending to do it him till he becomes your bride-to-be, you'll further begin packing his things therefore you'll be able to ship him out of your life.
Men do things on their own schedule. it is the reason it takes a person 3 hours to require the trash out or six months to urge a space painted. after they feel it is the right time to try to to one thing they'll fain make out. thence the rationale you haven't been sporting a formidable diamond ring on your finger nevertheless. Your fellow is not able to raise you to be his married woman, and removing sexo from the equation actually is not attending to speed him on.
Big S, little m--What is the Right Mix of Sales and Marketing?
Don't worry; this isn't going to be an article about Sado-Masochism! Well, come to think of it, that term may apply to what some founders and senior managers in startups are doing to themselves and their companies. What I'm referring to is the VP who gets hired to manage both the Sales and Marketing functions. Oftentimes this turns out to be a job we call "VP-SALES & marketing". Thus the phrase "Big S, little m". The position is usually offered to a crack sales guy or gal, who also happens to have a marketing title somewhere in their job background.
JUST GO GET THE ORDERS
To high tech insiders the meaning is clear. The anointed candidate will be expected to go out and beat the bushes for customers, and bring in new orders quickly. Oh, and by the way, Mr. VP, you'll also be in charge of producing data sheets and attending a few trade shows. You know, all that marketing stuff!
In most of these cases, I would recommend that anyone being approached for a job like this run in the other direction as fast as possible. These positions are usually classic "traps". The attitude is "We've got a great new technology; all we need is someone to go knock on a few customer's doors and bring the purchase orders back to headquarters".
Hopefully, most of those reading will recognize that this is a recipe for a very unhappy outcome. The founders and senior management will be unhappy with revenue and profits, the VP will be unhappy because he's likely to get fired in 9-12 months. The other employees will be depressed and talking about how "Sales & Marketing" is the weak link in the company. And the investors, of course, will be very, very cranky.
Why does this occur? It often occurs when the key senior decision makers (CEO, CFO, Founders, etc.) don't have a background or appreciation for the difficulty of the sales function. And it's even more likely to happen when there is no key decision maker with a background in Marketing. The decision maker's attitude often includes an over-confidence in the role that superior technology plays in the overall success of a company.
IS TECHNOLOGY ENOUGH?
Certainly having a defensible technological advantage is a major factor in the success of a high tech company, especially when that company is in startup mode. The problem arises when management believes this is enough to "win". How hard is cold calling and knocking on doors for a sales force with an unknown company name? Not to mention an unproven product, which may solve a problem the customer may not yet know exists? I'll give you a hint--it's really, really hard!
Likely there is a lack of understanding of the crucial role marketing plays in establishing a new product in the marketplace. There may be a view that marketing is some theoretical, squishy function that is a waste of money, or maybe something that has value but the company just can't afford. Management thinks, we'll introduce the product, sell a bunch and build the marketing function later. Unfortunately, that thinking is as backwards as can be, and will usually lead to the unhappy results discussed earlier in this article.
Why IS marketing so important, and why is it such a critical mistake if it isn't a major part of the new product process? It's because marketing is crucial in every phase of introducing and growing the revenue of new products, from conception until end-of-life. In the beginning, an engineer may come up with a great new technology that appears to allow someone to do an existing task better. Or maybe it allows someone to do something that wasn't even possible before. But that's really just the beginning of the product development process. Product engineers aren't trained to closely match customer needs with the features of this whiz-bang new technology. Often they think it's easy - you just go ask the customer what he wants! But customers often don't tell you the truth; sometimes they lie, and sometimes they don't even know what they really want (this is the topic of a future column). And even if they tell you the truth, it's important to make sure that what these customers are telling you is representative of your entire target market segment. This is a task that looks intellectually easy on the surface, but for a lot of reasons, it's very difficult to get right.
Sometimes companies do get it right even without an experienced, professional marketing function in place. Let's assume for a moment that they do. There's still a very long way to go before those purchase orders start pouring in. The product must be positioned properly, relative to the direct and indirect competition in the market. It needs to be priced so that the market is willing to take a close look, but not so high or low that it retards the product's long-term profit potential. Will it be distributed only through the company's direct sales force, or should we court VARs, distributors, retailers or OEMs? What kind of pricing can we offer those partners without creating gray markets or channel conflicts? And please, let's not forget about creating a bit of demand for those poor guys and gals in the sales force. Cold calling really does suck! It's not good for anyone, the sales reps or the company's profitability. It will "burn out" your sales force in no time.
Marketing programs that generate hot leads, or even complete sales, are much more cost-effective than relying on highly paid (but beleaguered) sales reps to do their own inefficient "door to door" marketing. And how should we generate those leads? Via PR, Advertising, Direct Marketing, Partnering, Search Engine Optimization, Paid Search Engine Ads, Trade Shows? The Marketing folks are the strategic quarterbacks of the organization who should be driving the answers to these questions--as well as executing the strategy within the required parameters.
IT MIGHT WORK--BUT DON'T BET ON IT
So does "BIG S, little m" NEVER work? Well, in some cases it not only works, it is even appropriate. Take the example of a semiconductor company selling a very niche chip to a vertical segment. They might have only 50 potential customers. In this case you REALLY CAN go ask the customer what he wants, and easily ask enough of them that you will end up building products that will apply to your entire target segment. With respect to lead generation, the target market is so small that traditional outbound marketing programs don't make sense anyway, and that "door to door" marketing by your sales force might work just fine.
But I propose to you that this example scenario is the classic "exception that proves the rule". In many, if not most cases, "BIG S, little m" will lead to failure - or at the very least, suboptimal performance. That's my view--as always I'm very interested in hearing yours.
Sales And Marketing Recruiting Business Growing Rapidly
Here at Cube Management the demand for our recruiting services has risen rapidly over the last several months, and we expect for it to continue to grow. Why? Many of our clients have a hard time finding and retaining top sales talent. So we're focusing on helping them through that process as an engine for growth of their companies. On the other hand we also have found that lots of top candidates are having a difficult time finding great job opportunities, and so the mission of helping people to find great work is one that's important to us - we like helping people find great jobs.
There are lots of people out there searching for top sales and marketing jobs right now who come to us because we're uniquely positioned as a sales and marketing recruiting firm. The reason why they come to us is because we also provide sales and marketing consulting, outsourcing and interim management, and so our recruiting services fit very nicely with the rest of our service offerings, focused on helping companies in the technology, manufacturing, health care and business service sectors.
We expect the economy to continue to stay on an even footing and move even closer towards full employment, which means that more and more companies are going to be fighting for fewer and fewer sales and marketing people who are actually looking for jobs. Candidates who are engaged in a job search are going to find it easier to entertain multiple offers, which means that they can be more selective about the kind of positions that they are looking for and how well those positions match their core skills and core interests.
Since the job market is going to stay tight like this for the next several years, what it means is that companies that are looking to recruit salespeople, marketing specialists or marketing management are going to have to do a better job of finding, locating and extracting potential employees from their competitors or from other companies. This means that they're going to need to engage executive search firms, recruiting and staffing firms that specialize in sales and marketing to do this very job. Candidates as they become more selective are going to want to spend more time focusing on points of leverage in their search. A great point of leverage that search firms can offer is that they have multiple job opportunities under one roof, where a candidate can interview once and then be considered for a multitude of positions.
That's exactly the situation that we have going on at Cube Management right now...we have several searches going on for senior sales representatives where we're able to interview one candidate for multiple job opportunities and then place them accordingly.
So, the landscape has changed a lot when it comes to recruiting and staffing in sales and marketing. The economy is roaring and we don't expect it to change anytime soon. Cube Management is strategically growing it's sales and marketing recruiting functions in order to keep up with the demand and also fulfill this important mission.
How a Better Economy Will Affect Sales and Marketing Jobs
It started the first day of the New Year when my company got in more hiring inquiries in a day than we have since I was working out of an apartment. We totaled in at the double digits.
This is great, but the most telling thing was the types of jobs that were coming in and what they were paying. All of the sudden, the "70k's became 90k's and the 90k's became "We'll pay market price if the person is worth it."
What Is the Effect?
For the most part, a heightened employment rate brings positive change, but for many it can also bring a heightened amount of urgency, thus creating a heightened amount of stress and tension to get the right person hired.
Moreover, it can also change the scope of many sales, sales management and marketing jobs.
What Are the Changes?
Sales - A better economy obviously means more sales opportunities, but it also means that small, cheaper competition is going to try to push itself into the market.
Also, sales professionals typically deal with bosses inflating their expectations, usually in the form of a quota much more than what is humanly possibly.
After all, many sales managers feel the pressure from above and are not economists. I cannot judge, as I slept through economics in college (if it was such as perfect science, world hunger would not exist).
Regardless of quota changes, sales personnel are going to make more money both in base salary and in gross take-away.
Marketing - Marketing personnel are one of the last to be hired and first to be fired, and consistently ignored during bad economic times. Companies who are short on cash need quick fixes via hiring sales professionals with a Rolodex, not reprogramming their website.
I am an outlier who believes marketing should always be at the forefront. But if you have to choose between marketing and sales, marketing is not going to pad a bank account during tough economic times.
Marketing jobs are not popping up readily as of yet, but my firm is working on a few high level marketing jobs, which is a lot better than last year which was all sales.
Management (Sales and Marketing) - If the job market continues to improve, then management is going to shift from hybrid sales and sales management roles to more pure management positions. The more subordinates a manager brings on, the more need for day to day management functions than if the individual is only responsible for a handful of people, thus needing to moonlight as a sales or marketing rep.
Therefore, in this type of economy, many management jobs and, subsequent day to day activities, shift towards recruiting employees, training new employees and ensuring proper management of the ones that are under him or her.
In the End
I do think that hiring will continue to improve just yet, at least not drastically. But then again, I'm not an economist. But even yet again, does an economist know better than someone who lives and breathes the job market for a living?
Be Your Own Boss in Sales and Marketing Jobs
Being your own boss, it does sound interesting? Well a sales career can actually give you the autonomy to make an impact, be independent and decide your pay check. India is fast rising as the corporate hub of the world and marketing is an important aspect of all companies. The opportunities in the field of marketing are abundant with so many multi nationals and domestic companies vying to dominate the market with their products and services.
The jobs available in the field of sales and marketing are marketing executives, market researchers or analysts, sales marketing manager, brand or product manager etc. One can reach the pinnacle with hard work, dedication and the enthusiasm to sell and the want to serve.
A sales or marketing professional must possess the ability to sell his ideas, tangible products, services or business to business (B2B) sales that include pharmaceuticals, health-care, insurance, manufacturing etc. Good executives sell what the customers really need. Some companies also deal in direct selling that is a marketing medium to bring products directly to consumers through demos. Rejection, disappointment and failure are a part and parcel of the field of marketing but a can do attitude helps to sail through.
As the career graph rises one can become sales manager. The sales managers job is to organise and lead his team by encouraging and setting precedents. Most managers have entire area under their command where they have to reach set targets with their teams. Once the seniority increases sales marketing managers also get involved with product development, tapping new business opportunities and developing strategies.
A Sales marketing manager must be aware of the latest trends in the field. Nowadays every company is using the medium that everybody is hooked onto i.e. the World Wide Web. The advancement of technology has opened new channels of interface with the customers.
Marketing through Internet sites, portals, blogs, search engines and the popular social networking sites is a big rage. Social media marketing can nurture relationships as well as provide quick solutions to any issue. Mobile marketing can also be a useful marketing tool but the path needs to be chosen carefully. A sales marketing manager while devising strategy should be aware of these latest fundas without forgetting the basics of the field i.e. to forge strong ties with the clients.
A career in marketing can be very rewarding and the incentives astounding based on individual performances. Although companies need qualified marketing executives with an MBA, B.Com or M.Com, yet a graduation in any stream can get you a job in marketing. However, you must possess social skills like the ability to communicate well and study intently the needs and trends of the market.
Hiring for Outbound Lead Generation - 4 Tips for Sales and Marketing Management
When hiring for lead generation, candidates who are a good fit for outbound prospecting share 4 key qualities. Over time, experience confirms that these traits are still important today. Sales and marketing management may find itself with an ample candidate pool. Here are four qualities to keep in mind as you hire employees to build leads through outreach.
1. Outbound Prospecting Ability and Willingness
Many sales and marketing managers believe that inbound lead generation representatives can easily take on the duties of outbound prospecting. More often than not, this doesn't work out because the skill set required for outbound prospecting is different than the skill set required for inbound response. Be sure your candidate is capable, experienced, willing, eager and hungry to prospect proactively and take on outreach activities.
2. Client and Relationship Orientation
Another important sales and marketing management trait to evaluate is representative's ability to engage with a potential prospect. Warm or otherwise, they must guide a conversation with people they have never spoken with previously. This is not an easy task. It requires skill, knowledge and finesse, at the very least. It is truly an art to make a connection with a potential prospect early on, and to establish a relationship. An individual who values and demonstrates strong client relationship skills is key to success in generating leads through outbound prospecting. This is especially true if the outreach campaign includes engaging with senior level executives.
3. Strategic and Focused Mindset
A hunter mindset, combined with a consultative approach is crucial for outbound prospecting success. Especially when focusing on targeted, more complex accounts, it's essential for the representative to understand the account and key players in a strategic, managed, organized fashion during the engagement process.
4. Industry Knowledge: Quick Study and Sponge-Like Absorption
To connect and engage at high levels, a lead generation outbound prospecting representative needs a sponge like ability to quickly grasp and retain industry knowledge, key target market and pertinent target audience information.
At Exceed Sales, we are passionate about lead generation as an art and science. We help you achieve results beyond your expectations with our lead generation services. CEO Elisa Ciarametaro is author of the Exceed Sales blog, and the free Focused Outreach Lead Generation E-Book.
1. Outbound Prospecting Ability and Willingness
Many sales and marketing managers believe that inbound lead generation representatives can easily take on the duties of outbound prospecting. More often than not, this doesn't work out because the skill set required for outbound prospecting is different than the skill set required for inbound response. Be sure your candidate is capable, experienced, willing, eager and hungry to prospect proactively and take on outreach activities.
2. Client and Relationship Orientation
Another important sales and marketing management trait to evaluate is representative's ability to engage with a potential prospect. Warm or otherwise, they must guide a conversation with people they have never spoken with previously. This is not an easy task. It requires skill, knowledge and finesse, at the very least. It is truly an art to make a connection with a potential prospect early on, and to establish a relationship. An individual who values and demonstrates strong client relationship skills is key to success in generating leads through outbound prospecting. This is especially true if the outreach campaign includes engaging with senior level executives.
3. Strategic and Focused Mindset
A hunter mindset, combined with a consultative approach is crucial for outbound prospecting success. Especially when focusing on targeted, more complex accounts, it's essential for the representative to understand the account and key players in a strategic, managed, organized fashion during the engagement process.
4. Industry Knowledge: Quick Study and Sponge-Like Absorption
To connect and engage at high levels, a lead generation outbound prospecting representative needs a sponge like ability to quickly grasp and retain industry knowledge, key target market and pertinent target audience information.
At Exceed Sales, we are passionate about lead generation as an art and science. We help you achieve results beyond your expectations with our lead generation services. CEO Elisa Ciarametaro is author of the Exceed Sales blog, and the free Focused Outreach Lead Generation E-Book.
Core Small Business Skills - Sales and Marketing Management
As a business owner and entrepreneur it is important to develop a set of key management skills upon which you can build your business. Even more so when you consider research into Australian small business failures, has identified that in 90% of cases, a lack of management skills has been a key reason for small business failure. Being able to effectively market and sell your products is one of the core skills required to operate your business effectively. We will take a look at the specific sales and marketing skills you need to master for profitable success.
Market Research
Strong sales and marketing skills are vital in the promotion of your small business and its products and services. You need to be able to undertake market research which will help you to identify where your markets are, the total market size and the size of each of its key segments. You should also be able to profile your customers, identify their needs, wants, behaviours and ambitions and parlay the information into powerful and effective marketing campaigns and sales techniques which will help to drive sales revenue.
You also need to develop the skills required to undertake primary research. Primary research is research that you undertake yourself. i.e. feedback, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers ever-changing demands and the business environment in which you operate and to identify the threats and opportunities that may impact on your small business. Inability to adjust to changes in the market place was identified by market research as one of the key skills lacking in small business operators.
Customer Segmentation
Customer segmentation is the practice of analysing your customers in your customer database and grouping them according to their gender, age, education, geography, income, life stage, behaviours and aspirations. Developing your customer segmentation analytical skills provides the foundation for better understanding your customers so that you can target each segment with specific campaigns designed specifically to speak to them, thereby increasing the response rate of your marketing campaigns. It can also help you identify where potential customers with similar profiles might be found.
Marketing Planning
Successful entrepreneurs and small business owners need strong marketing planning skills. You need to be able to take your marketing strategy and communicate it to all relevant stakeholders. Usually the vehicle that is used to formally communicate your marketing strategy is your marketing plan.
Marketing planning skills will help you create a clear, concise document which defines your strategic business intent and the marketing approach you have chosen as the most effective method of achieving your overall business goals.
Creating Value Propositions
Customers buy when the perceived value is greater than the price. Marketing involves the development and creation of innovative value propositions that puts your product or service offering ahead of those of your competitors. You need to learn to harness the primary research from your customers, competitors customers and potential customers to continually strive to improve your offering.
Effective Campaign Development
Developing effective marketing campaigns relies on having completed the market research, the customer profiling and segmentation, developing a marketing plan that aligns to the organisations' strategic intent and developing innovative value propositions. Campaign development takes all that information and designs appropriate messages and determines communication delivery channels in order to directly appeal to your target segment.
Sales Techniques & Processes
It definitely pays to develop effective sales processes, including the preparation and planning of your sales approach. You need to master your sales pitch, learn how to handle objections and refine your closing techniques. As the small business owner you also need to be able to teach each of your employees how to sell effectively.
Customer Fulfilment
Delivering to your customer should be a well planned, well prepared and well executed process. After all, you are aiming to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Having the ability to define the process, so that it can be repeated time after time, with each and every customer, takes skill. Exceptional execution or customer execution. Exceptional execution will earn you happy customers. Happy customers tell their family and friends and also remain loyal. Customer execution results in no repeat sales and no referrals.
Developing sales and marketing management skills will help you achieve sales and marketing success and help you to drive increasing sales revenues in your small business. Keeping abreast of changes in the marketplace and in consumer demands and having the ability to respond to those changes will ensure your business grows, thrives and survives.
Market Research
Strong sales and marketing skills are vital in the promotion of your small business and its products and services. You need to be able to undertake market research which will help you to identify where your markets are, the total market size and the size of each of its key segments. You should also be able to profile your customers, identify their needs, wants, behaviours and ambitions and parlay the information into powerful and effective marketing campaigns and sales techniques which will help to drive sales revenue.
You also need to develop the skills required to undertake primary research. Primary research is research that you undertake yourself. i.e. feedback, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers ever-changing demands and the business environment in which you operate and to identify the threats and opportunities that may impact on your small business. Inability to adjust to changes in the market place was identified by market research as one of the key skills lacking in small business operators.
Customer Segmentation
Customer segmentation is the practice of analysing your customers in your customer database and grouping them according to their gender, age, education, geography, income, life stage, behaviours and aspirations. Developing your customer segmentation analytical skills provides the foundation for better understanding your customers so that you can target each segment with specific campaigns designed specifically to speak to them, thereby increasing the response rate of your marketing campaigns. It can also help you identify where potential customers with similar profiles might be found.
Marketing Planning
Successful entrepreneurs and small business owners need strong marketing planning skills. You need to be able to take your marketing strategy and communicate it to all relevant stakeholders. Usually the vehicle that is used to formally communicate your marketing strategy is your marketing plan.
Marketing planning skills will help you create a clear, concise document which defines your strategic business intent and the marketing approach you have chosen as the most effective method of achieving your overall business goals.
Creating Value Propositions
Customers buy when the perceived value is greater than the price. Marketing involves the development and creation of innovative value propositions that puts your product or service offering ahead of those of your competitors. You need to learn to harness the primary research from your customers, competitors customers and potential customers to continually strive to improve your offering.
Effective Campaign Development
Developing effective marketing campaigns relies on having completed the market research, the customer profiling and segmentation, developing a marketing plan that aligns to the organisations' strategic intent and developing innovative value propositions. Campaign development takes all that information and designs appropriate messages and determines communication delivery channels in order to directly appeal to your target segment.
Sales Techniques & Processes
It definitely pays to develop effective sales processes, including the preparation and planning of your sales approach. You need to master your sales pitch, learn how to handle objections and refine your closing techniques. As the small business owner you also need to be able to teach each of your employees how to sell effectively.
Customer Fulfilment
Delivering to your customer should be a well planned, well prepared and well executed process. After all, you are aiming to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Having the ability to define the process, so that it can be repeated time after time, with each and every customer, takes skill. Exceptional execution or customer execution. Exceptional execution will earn you happy customers. Happy customers tell their family and friends and also remain loyal. Customer execution results in no repeat sales and no referrals.
Developing sales and marketing management skills will help you achieve sales and marketing success and help you to drive increasing sales revenues in your small business. Keeping abreast of changes in the marketplace and in consumer demands and having the ability to respond to those changes will ensure your business grows, thrives and survives.
Karen L. Paiyo is an Australian Small Business Counsellor, supporting and nurturing the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Asia Pacific Region. Karen empowers small business owners by transferring to them the skills and expertise needed to help them take their business ideas from creative concept to profitable reality, faster and with less risk.
The Role and Responsibilities of a Sales Marketing Manager
For building a prospective and lucrative career, jobs in sales and marketing are traditionally considered as an evergreen job option. There are huge career scopes in sales and marketing jobs in different sectors, including manufacturing, finance, retail and pharmaceutical sectors. Among all the types of jobs in sales and marketing, the jobs of a marketing manager sales are regarded as the most challenging and glorious jobs in the field of marketing and sales. Nowadays services based companies feel the necessity of employing various marketing professionals or sales marketing manager for increasing their product sales and marketing management.
Sales management is regarded as a very vital component in a marketing management procedure. It actually converts different marketing plans into the marketing performances. Proper sales management is the backbone of a good marketing management procedure. The sales marketing manager in a company has to plan and control the selling attempt of a company. His task does not end with the success of target sales quotas. He is totally liable for bringing the ultimate profits in a business. In addition to that, he at the same time responsible to create a good and reputed image of the company and its services and products. In other words a modern sales marketing manager has to handle the total marketing jobs rather than only selling products.
A sales marketing manager handles the four major areas that include marketing sales, advertising, product promotion and evaluation of business data. He has a responsibility for building the sales organization. He also handles all types marketing jobs on behalf of the company that include preparing and implementing various marketing sales plans in association with the sales department of a company. He is also responsible for managing the budget of a marketing department and conducting research on market and portraying specifications for new service or product.
To hold the post of a marketing manager sales in a private company, a person must have MBA degree in marketing. The person who has diploma in marketing is also eligible, but having a MBA degree will help you to get a job with good remuneration. Except the educational qualification, to be a good sales marketing manager, one must have some additional skills or abilities, like outstanding verbal or written communication skills, to work under pressure and a good knowledge of making as well developing innovative marketing strategies.
Sales management is regarded as a very vital component in a marketing management procedure. It actually converts different marketing plans into the marketing performances. Proper sales management is the backbone of a good marketing management procedure. The sales marketing manager in a company has to plan and control the selling attempt of a company. His task does not end with the success of target sales quotas. He is totally liable for bringing the ultimate profits in a business. In addition to that, he at the same time responsible to create a good and reputed image of the company and its services and products. In other words a modern sales marketing manager has to handle the total marketing jobs rather than only selling products.
A sales marketing manager handles the four major areas that include marketing sales, advertising, product promotion and evaluation of business data. He has a responsibility for building the sales organization. He also handles all types marketing jobs on behalf of the company that include preparing and implementing various marketing sales plans in association with the sales department of a company. He is also responsible for managing the budget of a marketing department and conducting research on market and portraying specifications for new service or product.
To hold the post of a marketing manager sales in a private company, a person must have MBA degree in marketing. The person who has diploma in marketing is also eligible, but having a MBA degree will help you to get a job with good remuneration. Except the educational qualification, to be a good sales marketing manager, one must have some additional skills or abilities, like outstanding verbal or written communication skills, to work under pressure and a good knowledge of making as well developing innovative marketing strategies.
The Marriage Between the Sales and Marketing Divisions
The Symbiotic Relationship Between Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing need each other; they are married. Though, in this case, a divorce wouldn't mean a 50/50 split, it would probably mean a business. However, I have always found it ironic that marketing and sales are two totally separate divisions; this is most prominent in some mid-size and larger companies. One would have to ask themselves, why? This is an important question which often needs answering.
There are many tell-tale signs when marketing and sales does not have the sweeping romance which they should. The first sign that things are not great is when marketing is spending a lot of time focusing on print marketing. Unless you are a drug company trying to convince somebody to take your drug, print marketing is useless. Even worse, the marketing professional or professionals who are actively hiring the print marketing professionals are, dare I say, useless and expensive. In a company, having someone useless and expensive is a one-two knockout punch (and not to the other team). Getting back to drug companies, hiring someone who is very good at print marketing may not be useless, but the ethics of it hovers in the air.
One example I like to provide regarding the necessary relationship these two divisions should have is that sales people are the frontline soldiers while the marketing team is comparable to the tanks, ammunition and supplies. Without the supplies, the troops cannot fight and without the troops, the supplies don't do much good. So, why do they not have weekly meetings or why are the two divisions not sitting next to each other? I would presume it's bad theories on marketing and management's behalf.
What most marketing divisions do not understand is that their sole job is to feed the sales professionals leads. These days, incoming leads are almost the only type of leads which have a closing rate of over 50%. There are some exceptions such as when your company hires a real superstar who comes equipped with a lot of business connections and can truly close a high rate of business. Marketing divisions need to keep track of the number of incoming leads to the sales force. However, the sales team also needs to be cognizant of these numbers as well.
If these lead generation numbers were to drop, and the economy was continuing to get better, both parties have a problem and need to determine where the loose ends are. Also, the head of sales should step in and approve all marketing material (both online and print) which goes out to the public. You could run into a problem if the marketing material is saying y and the sales team is pitching x. Additionally, if pitching x is working for the sales team, the marketing division should not fight the sales division and ought to adjust according. Simply stated, if the two divisions do not have a symbiotic relationship with one another, your company is opening its guard up to getting beaten by the competition. We all know that staying on top is a lot better than playing catch-up.
The best advice I could give is to merge the two divisions and have a "sales and marketing" division.
Exploring The Best Sales And Marketing Jobs
Among the most popular positions for graduates in the UK today are those in sales and marketing departments. The reasons for this are plentiful, though the most obvious reason is that new graduates have the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication needed to succeed in these high pressure fields right after their university days are over. As well, sales and marketing jobs allow graduates to speak with a diverse group of people on a daily basis. Graduates are also interested in these jobs because they allow for creativity and "outside the box" thinking. In all, the sales and marketing positions available in the UK are ideal for the average graduate.
Perhaps the most alluring area of sales and marketing in the UK, and the world for that matter, is sports franchises. Football clubs, hockey, basketball, and other sports leagues in the UK and Europe bring in huge money from advertisers and need plenty of people in the seats to pay for the high costs of operating a franchise. As such, sales and marketing jobs are plentiful in sports management. Sales and marketing departments with franchises and sports leagues help sell season ticket packages, apparel, and advertising to the general public.
There are plenty of sales and marketing jobs in the telecommunications field in the UK. Telecommunications companies in the UK and Europe are competing with Asian and American companies for international clients and the increasingly global consumer. As such, UK telecommunications companies need sales people to package their products and sell them to a new client base.
Marketing professionals can find work with telecommunications companies in a variety of capacities. Many telecommunications firms have street marketing teams, which require clever ideas to get the attention of the general public. As well, marketing professionals can work on Internet marketing plans and improving the company website to bring in more business. Finally, marketing graduates can work with telecommunication companies on print, radio, and television advertisements that are clever and informative.
A final area in which sales and marketing professionals can find work is in the automotive field. Automotive companies, after all, are in competition with dozens of other companies around the world that have set up camp in the UK. Sales professionals can work in show rooms and dealerships or provide training and insight to these professionals. Marketing graduates can find work in advertising departments, helping get the word out about a new product line or an improved model already on the market.
Sales and Marketing Consultants: Why Is Professional Assistance a Good Decision?
Sales and marketing consultants cover a broad range of tasks involving the development of internet promoting strategies. Web-based advertising sometimes requires different strategies. One strategy might be focusing site generation on increasing sales at the physical retail location. Another strategy might be to implement changes that would advance the existing online presence. Sales and marketing consultants have a specific focus on how current activities can be altered to heighten Internet presence. The professional will assess where the website is lacking, suggest beneficial tactics, and changes for improvement.
An assessment begins with the hired expert learns what services or products the business offers to its consumers. The online presence is then evaluated to determine where the company stands in regards to reaching its consumers via the web. Sales consulting services become successful when the service has a basic understanding of the desired results of the customer. The information provided by the customer allows the professional to generate intelligent strategies geared toward achieving the stated Internet driven goal.
Sales Consulting Services: How do They Improve Internet Branding?
Sales consulting services focus on the needs of the client, which means a plan, with defined objectives, is developed based on what a business is capable of managing. For example, a business with multiple retail locations across the country will need a way to promote those stores. Online tools can be included as part of a plan for creating awareness of these locations and the offered products. Another common goal is to create virtual processes that provide central ordering, pick-up, or direct shipment options to consumers. Professionals perform these three basic steps when providing consulting assistance:
- Developing An Understanding of Client Needs
- Evaluating Reasons for a Required Process
- Completing Strategy Development Based on the Goals
A sales and marketing consultant should have a thorough advertising background, experience in information technology, and knowledge of website design to be effective. Firms supplying this assistance typically specialize in certain areas of marketing including:
- Web-Site Design
- Search Engine Optimization
- Video Services
- Social Media
- Site Content Quality
- Infrastructure Enhancements
Sales consulting services involve getting companies to the points where they can continue making improvements on their own. Search engine optimization and content quality require continued updates to maintain online presence. The company has the option of hiring a professional to redesign the website to promote optimization or maintain prospect interest. An expert is able to point out existing flaws that are preventing a company from reaching a desired goal. These identified flaws are used to create a dependable strategy.
Internet presence has become a significant desire among organizations wanting to reach a larger customer base. Everyone goes online today to find products, services, or general information and a business loses out when they are not easy to find or follow. Sales and marketing consultants make a business noticeable among the plethora of options consumers have when searching online. A well-designed site, viable content, and social media techniques allow a company to become known amidst a widespread audience. These services are capable of heightening sales and putting an organization in a position for consistent future success. An experienced firm is a good decision for any organization wanting to reap the benefits of web-based advertising.
How to Find the Right Sales and Marketing Consultant
The process of advertising to the general market through traditional means is one many companies have mastered. It is the transition to online methods that often baffles an organization because of the countless details involved with internet advertising. Choosing to hire sales and marketing consultants is a good idea when a company is lacking experience in how the processes involving search engines, social media, and website creation work. An organization must select an experienced provider to make this marketing endeavor work in their benefit. A solid strategy must be created before an organization can dive into the world of internet advertising. Sales consulting services are a resource for developing a dependable plan and selecting the appropriate implementation tools. A business can perform the process without professional assistance; however, the proven tactics used by experts reduce time and costs. Their knowledge can be used to derive a successful plan for entering online advertising and maintaining presence once the desired level has been reached.
Sales Consulting Services: What Experience is Essential?
A few aspects must be carefully checked before selecting a provider for sales consulting services. Experienced professionals can use what is referred to as white hat or black hat techniques. White hat techniques are methods that are considered to be the correct approach toward gaining online presence through website promotion. Effective and appropriate actions include:
- Blogs
- Articles
- Link Building
- Video Postings
- Social Media Bookmarking
- Website Optimization
A company should have the possible professional for hire explain what methods are to be used and how they will be applied to promote the business. Qualified experts will suggest a planned out combination of these tactics based on the product or service being offered. It helps to learn about black hat techniques to ensure the chosen provider is not using them in an effort to promote the site.
An organization seeking this type of assistance should also evaluate how familiar a sales and marketing consultant is with today's social media. These are popular sites for reaching out to current customers or new marketing bases:
- YouTube
- Tumbler
The selected company should be familiar with the social aspects of online marketing. While the area is fairly new for advertising products or services, it offers countless advantages to the company who manages it correctly. The presented plan should include this form of outreach in addition to all other common methods of increasing website noticeability. Take the time necessary for defining what is expected from utilizing sales consulting services. A professional cannot fully meet expectations unless an organization knows what it is seeking. Having a grasp on this information upfront is helpful in determining if a possible provider can deliver desired results regarding a set marketing plan.
How performance will be measured is equally important when hiring sales and marketing consultants for web promotional goals. Providers are required to follow set reporting procedures. An organization should verify reporting frequency, formatting, and secondary plans designed to meet unachieved targets. These precautions will make certain the most qualified company is selected to carry out an Internet driven campaign.
Becoming A Sales And Marketing Specialist
Graduates who have a strong desire to become a sales or marketing specialist often fail to realize the hard work that goes into their field. No matter what industry they work in, sales and marketing professionals have to put in long hours and concerted effort to land major accounts and come up with winning ideas to help out their employer. In addition to this hard work, sales and marketing professionals need to maintain an upbeat attitude in order to win over potential clients. Finally, sales and marketing professionals throughout the UK need to stay updated on the latest issues in their field. In all, becoming a sales and marketing specialist can be a tough task for even the most committed professional.
However, sales and marketing graduates need to make an effort at knowing everything there is to know about their profession. The knowledge that they gain through these efforts can be invaluable in gaining the upper hand over the competition. As well, graduates and young professionals who show an interest in the general industry often receive attention and advancement opportunities from their managers. There are a number of ways in which a sales and marketing professional can turn themselves into a specialist.
The easiest way to gain expertise in a particular field is to observe the competition. Field sales professionals can keep track of sales numbers for competing companies, observe how competing companies present themselves at trade shows, and review websites in order to gain a better understanding of the competition. In marketing, there is perhaps a great emphasis on this type of knowledge. Marketing firms and advertisers need to know that their idea is fresh. Marketing professionals who look at the strengths and weaknesses of competing firms can develop original and creative ideas for their clients.
There are plenty of other ways to become a specialist in one's field. Marketing and sales professionals can undertake professional development courses offered by their employer, recruiting agencies, or local universities. Young professionals can also speak to their supervisors in order to understand how they were able to climb to the management positions they are currently in. Sales and marketing graduates can also consult with friends and family in a variety of industries in order to understand the general economy, an important aspect of success in the globalized marketplace. There is no silver bullet for the graduate looking to be a specialist in sales or marketing but there are plenty of resources available to the average graduate.
Difference Between Sales and Marketing
Sales & Marketing - The difference.
Many in the top management use 'Marketing' and 'Sales' as synonyms, even though there is substantial difference between both.
A successful management team must understand the differences between 'Sales' & 'Marketing'.
'Sales' and 'Marketing' bring different orientations to business; hence we are expected to follow different kind of strategies for business success.
'Sales' has a product focus and is mostly production driven. It is only a smaller part of Marketing and has its short-term goals of attaining certain levels of revenue, profit or market share.
'Sales' emphasize on 'price variation' to close a sale where the objective is to sell the product to the customer. 'Sales' has a short-term focus and that does not augur well for prudential planning and brand building.
'Sales' does not attempt to develop strategies for generating long-term competitive advantage. The 'Sales' activity ends with maximizing profits through 'Sales' maximization.
When the entire focus is on 'Sales' the management expects to start immediately on selling the product as the production schedule is complete and the task of the 'Sales' department is to sell whatever the production department has manufactured. Hence the aggression in 'Sales' follows to meet this goal. Needs of the customer and satisfaction levels of the customer are taken for granted. 'Sales' does convert the product into cash for the company in the short run.
Marketing is dynamic in nature and has a wider approach than Sales. Marketing focuses on the customer rather than the product. Sales revolve around the needs and interest of the manufacturer; Marketing revolves around the needs and wants of the customer. Marketing is the process of understanding and satisfying the needs of the customer. Production and Sales is to satisfy a customer at a profit. Marketing consists of all those activities that are associated with planning, product promotion, place of promotion, price of product and distributing the product or service.
Marketing starts with the identification of the customer needs, and if need doesn't exist Marketing creates that need. Marketing creates a customer. Marketing process does not end after Sales of product or service to the customer. Marketing continues to stay with the customer. Marketing is for a very long-term. Marketing involves building relationship with the customer and creating value for the customer. Marketing is a continuous process.
It is perceived that Marketing is a long chain of activities which contains production, packing, promotion, pricing, distribution and then Sales. Customer needs is the driving force behind all these activities. Profits are never ignored but in the process, the Marketer is able to generate a larger customer base, a loyal customer following, and generate profits for the organization. In Marketing the market share takes the 2nd position, the Mind share takes the 1st position.
A truly marketing minded organization tries to create value satisfying goods and services, which the customers will want to buy. What an organization offers for Sales is determined by the customer and not by the Seller. The seller learns from the customer, and the product offered for Sales becomes the consequence of the Marketing efforts.
Sales are concerned with the tricks and techniques of selling products in exchange of cash for the company's products and Sales does not concentrate on the value satisfaction that the exchange is all about.
Marketing on the other hand views the entire business as a creative tool to discover, crease, arouse ad satisfy customer needs.
Difference between Sales and Marketing
Sales -
- Emphasizes on the Product
- Management approach is sales volume oriented
- Planning is short-term oriented, in terms of today's products and markets.
- Stresses the needs of the seller
- Views business as a goods producing process
- Emphasis is on staying with existing technology and reduction in costs
- Different departments work in highly separate water tight compartments
- Cost determines price
- Sales views customer as the last link in business
Marketing -
- Organization first determines customers' needs and wants and then decides on how to deliver a product to satisfy these wants and needs.
- Management approach is profit oriented
- Planning is long-term oriented, in terms of new products, tomorrow's markets and future growth.
- Stresses the needs and wants of customer
- Views business as a customer satisfying process
- Emphasis on innovation in very sector, and proving better value to the customer by adopting newer superior technology
- All departments of the business operate in an integrated cohesive manner, with the sole objective of generating customer satisfaction.
- Customer determines the price; price determines cost.
- Marketing views customer as the sole reason for being in business.
"Marketing is all about insight. Marketing is much more an "art" than a science. Marketing is more about innovation and creativity and about understanding of psychology".
Hiring for Outbound Lead Generation - 4 Tips for Sales and Marketing Management
When hiring for lead generation, candidates who are a good fit for outbound prospecting share 4 key qualities. Over time, experience confirms that these traits are still important today. Sales and marketing management may find itself with an ample candidate pool. Here are four qualities to keep in mind as you hire employees to build leads through outreach.
1. Outbound Prospecting Ability and Willingness
Many sales and marketing managers believe that inbound lead generation representatives can easily take on the duties of outbound prospecting. More often than not, this doesn't work out because the skill set required for outbound prospecting is different than the skill set required for inbound response. Be sure your candidate is capable, experienced, willing, eager and hungry to prospect proactively and take on outreach activities.
2. Client and Relationship Orientation
Another important sales and marketing management trait to evaluate is representative's ability to engage with a potential prospect. Warm or otherwise, they must guide a conversation with people they have never spoken with previously. This is not an easy task. It requires skill, knowledge and finesse, at the very least. It is truly an art to make a connection with a potential prospect early on, and to establish a relationship. An individual who values and demonstrates strong client relationship skills is key to success in generating leads through outbound prospecting. This is especially true if the outreach campaign includes engaging with senior level executives.
3. Strategic and Focused Mindset
A hunter mindset, combined with a consultative approach is crucial for outbound prospecting success. Especially when focusing on targeted, more complex accounts, it's essential for the representative to understand the account and key players in a strategic, managed, organized fashion during the engagement process.
4. Industry Knowledge: Quick Study and Sponge-Like Absorption
To connect and engage at high levels, a lead generation outbound prospecting representative needs a sponge like ability to quickly grasp and retain industry knowledge, key target market and pertinent target audience information.
Core Small Business Skills - Sales and Marketing Management
As a business owner and entrepreneur it is important to develop a set of key management skills upon which you can build your business. Even more so when you consider research into Australian small business failures, has identified that in 90% of cases, a lack of management skills has been a key reason for small business failure. Being able to effectively market and sell your products is one of the core skills required to operate your business effectively. We will take a look at the specific sales and marketing skills you need to master for profitable success.
Market Research
Strong sales and marketing skills are vital in the promotion of your small business and its products and services. You need to be able to undertake market research which will help you to identify where your markets are, the total market size and the size of each of its key segments. You should also be able to profile your customers, identify their needs, wants, behaviours and ambitions and parlay the information into powerful and effective marketing campaigns and sales techniques which will help to drive sales revenue.
You also need to develop the skills required to undertake primary research. Primary research is research that you undertake yourself. i.e. feedback, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers ever-changing demands and the business environment in which you operate and to identify the threats and opportunities that may impact on your small business. Inability to adjust to changes in the market place was identified by market research as one of the key skills lacking in small business operators.
Customer Segmentation
Customer segmentation is the practice of analysing your customers in your customer database and grouping them according to their gender, age, education, geography, income, life stage, behaviours and aspirations. Developing your customer segmentation analytical skills provides the foundation for better understanding your customers so that you can target each segment with specific campaigns designed specifically to speak to them, thereby increasing the response rate of your marketing campaigns. It can also help you identify where potential customers with similar profiles might be found.
Marketing Planning
Successful entrepreneurs and small business owners need strong marketing planning skills. You need to be able to take your marketing strategy and communicate it to all relevant stakeholders. Usually the vehicle that is used to formally communicate your marketing strategy is your marketing plan.
Marketing planning skills will help you create a clear, concise document which defines your strategic business intent and the marketing approach you have chosen as the most effective method of achieving your overall business goals.
Creating Value Propositions
Customers buy when the perceived value is greater than the price. Marketing involves the development and creation of innovative value propositions that puts your product or service offering ahead of those of your competitors. You need to learn to harness the primary research from your customers, competitors customers and potential customers to continually strive to improve your offering.
Effective Campaign Development
Developing effective marketing campaigns relies on having completed the market research, the customer profiling and segmentation, developing a marketing plan that aligns to the organisations' strategic intent and developing innovative value propositions. Campaign development takes all that information and designs appropriate messages and determines communication delivery channels in order to directly appeal to your target segment.
Sales Techniques & Processes
It definitely pays to develop effective sales processes, including the preparation and planning of your sales approach. You need to master your sales pitch, learn how to handle objections and refine your closing techniques. As the small business owner you also need to be able to teach each of your employees how to sell effectively.
Customer Fulfilment
Delivering to your customer should be a well planned, well prepared and well executed process. After all, you are aiming to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Having the ability to define the process, so that it can be repeated time after time, with each and every customer, takes skill. Exceptional execution or customer execution. Exceptional execution will earn you happy customers. Happy customers tell their family and friends and also remain loyal. Customer execution results in no repeat sales and no referrals.
Developing sales and marketing management skills will help you achieve sales and marketing success and help you to drive increasing sales revenues in your small business. Keeping abreast of changes in the marketplace and in consumer demands and having the ability to respond to those changes will ensure your business grows, thrives and survives.
10 Steps to Success in Direct Sales and Marketing For Tough Times!
Here are some straight talk about direct selling!
No one is born a salesperson, any more than one is born a doctor or born a lawyer. Sales is a profession. To be successful in any profession one must learn not only the basic techniques, but also how to apply those techniques. Success in sales makes use of all the abilities one is born with, plus all those acquired through education and experience.
If you are looking for a career opportunity or "extra income" to help with the family budget, direct selling offers you dream-fulfilling possibilities. However, you must give yourself time to learn the techniques of sales. Ask yourself. "How long does a doctor to be study? A lawyer to be study?"
WHAT IS DIRECT SELLING?
Direct selling is marketing a product directly to the consumer with no middleman involved. Most reliable firms are members of the National Association of Direct Selling Companies. They bring to the public fine products that are modestly priced in order to insure mass consumption.
Most direct selling companies furnish their representatives with a starter kit and essential supplies below-cost prices. In many instances the investment is under $100.
There is an old adage which says "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
Many of them were able to change their lives for the better. They took their families on nice vacations. They purchased a piano or an organ and provided music lessons for their children. They saved money for college education. They redecorated their homes, bought needed furniture. One highly successful saleslady built a new home.
The rewards of direct selling are many
1. You can be your own boss.
2. You can set your own hours.
3. You can own your own businesses with little or no investment.
4. You can pay yourself more than any boss would ever pay you.
5. You can give yourself regular raises as your business grows.
It is only fair to tell you that there are failures, too. There are people who will not work for themselves. When working for a boss, they rise early, are well-groomed, and get to the office on time. However, when they are their own boss, they are still in a bathrobe, drinking one more cup of coffee at 11:00 A.M.
If you can be your own boss and discipline yourself to do what has to be done when it has to be done, direct selling offers a most unusual earning opportunity.
THE TEN STEPS
Here are ten steps that will assure your success:
1. BE A GOAL SETTER. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to save for college education for your children? A new car? A new home? You can have whatever you want, but you must want it enough to do the things that have to be done to get it. Whatever your goal, write it down and set a target date for reaching it. Divide the time period into blocks of achievement that are reachable. Work consistently toward accomplishing each day, each week, each month what you set out to do. Goal-setting is a must in every area of life. Little is ever accomplished without definite goals.
2. BE A LIST MAKER. Each evening list all the things you want to get done the following day. That gives you an organized approach to each day. As each task is finished, mark it off your list. It is amazing how much gets done when one works with a "things-to-do" list. Also, have a notebook listing appointments, potential clients, repeat clients, and referrals, and keep it with you at all times. You will be adding to it constantly.
3. BE ENTHUSIASTIC. Enthusiasm is the high-octane "fuel" that salespeople run on. Enthusiasm generates its own energy. Energy and good health are synonymous with busy, happy people, people who are achieving.
4. RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAGIC WORD IN SALES IS "ASK." In direct sales we don't have to wait for business to come to us. We create our own business by asking for it. Ask for appointments, then you can do business. Ask for business, then you will close sales. Ask for referrals, then you always have a full list of potential clients. Be quietly, yet firmly aggressive.
5. EXPECT NO'S. Realize that no's are not personal. In sales, as perhaps nowhere else, the law of averages works. Every no gets you closer to a yes. Keep track of your ratio. It will help improve your techniques. Are you getting ten no's to one yes? Is your ratio five to one? Remember, the yes's are your income. Also remember that "no" does not necessarily mean "no." Often a "no" is simply a stall for more time to think. It may be a request for more information about your product or your service. What your client is actually buying is assurance. Assure here by your helpful attitude and your complete honesty, that you want what is best for her. She will most likely respect you and do business with you.
6. SCHEDULE TIME WISELY. A schedule is the roadmap by which salespeople travel. It takes the frustration out of the day. It assures that the necessary things get done and get done on time. Plan your work then work your plan.
7. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR ATTITUDE. Success in sales, as in all areas of life is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent aptitude. All of us must work at developing habits of constructive thinking. I am proud to be a salesperson. Sales make the wheels of our economy turn. Bernard Baruch, advisor to several presidents, is quoted as saying, "If every salesperson sat down and took no orders for twenty-four hours, it would bankrupt our country!" Every company that manufactures any kind of product depends upon salespeople to move that product. Without salespeople business would be paralyzed.
Remember, sales is one of the highest paid of all professions. Statistics show that good salespeople enjoy incomes far above the average.
8. HAVE AN OFFICE AREA. Most direct salespeople work from their own homes, but it is essential to have a place where you can work in a organized and efficient manner. An office plus a strict working schedule gives you dignity. Both are absolutely essential for efficient operation and accurate record keeping, so important to the success of any business.
9. BE INVOLVED. Most sales organization offer contests to stimulate production. Include winning contests as part of your business goals. Contests make your business fun as well as adding considerable dollar value to your income.
10. LEARN TO HANDLE MONEY INTELLIGENTLY. A regular nine-to-five job usually means a paycheck at the end of the second week. Direct sales "reps" handle money constantly. Direct sales is instant income and constant income. Therefore. it is absolutely necessary to become an efficient money manager.
Deposit every penny collected from clients into a checking account set up especially for its business. Since bank statements show an exact record of all monies collected, and business expenses can be verified by canceled checks, record keeping becomes simple and accurate. Everything except a few "petty cash" transactions can be directly taken from bank statements.
Money saved regularly and put at interest, soon develops a second income in addition to earned income. A long-term goal, which is realistic in direct sales, is to be able to live in retirement off the interest earned on savings.
Would financial security mean a lot to you? If so, ask yourself these questions:
* Am I honest?
* Do I really like people?
* Am I willing to learn?
* Am I willing to work?
* Am I capable of being my own boss?
If your answers are yes, to find a good product for the direct sales market, one that you like, one that fills the need of a lot of people, and go to work for yourself! .You can turn dreams into reality.
Copyright (c) 2007, 2009 Dr. Howard Haller
Recruiting Sales and Marketing Talent in a Full Employment Economy
It's no secret that the economy continues to hum along and is growing at a very nice pace. Barring any catastrophe in the Middle East or any oil shock, we expect this to continue for the next few years at least. What does this mean for companies that are trying to grow their businesses? It means it's a tough sell out there to get top sales and marketing employees to make a job change. Why? All of the good talent is already working elsewhere, and making great money!
If your company is constrained in its ability to grow its revenue because of a deficit in its employee ranks, you've got to find new ways to think about how to attract and retain employees. Retention may be tough as well. If you're a sales and marketing employer, you're going to find more turnover happening amongst your sales ranks, particularly among employees that have waited out several years at your company while the economy has been slow. They're going to start looking for and finding great opportunities for increased pay, so there's going to be more churn in your employee ranks, meaning you're going to have to focus more of your time and attention on employee retention programs.
Bad managers and bad leaders will no longer get away with driving their employees at overly aggressive levels for too few rewards. Companies need to continuously attract their current employees to stay with them by offering a combination of strong leadership, great vision, outstanding go-to-market strategy, wonderful products and services that outsell the competition and a culture and environment that fosters employee growth. If your company is trying to hire more sales and marketing talent in order to grow its business, make sure that you're doing everything you can to retain the talent that you have, because you're more vulnerable in this economy to losing key employees.
Because the job market is so tight right now and so many firms are out trying to recruit and hire sales and marketing management and frontline producers, you are competing actively against those other employers for a limited pool of talent. This means that you need to have a very aggressive recruiting process...one that will allow you to outshine your competition. Outshining your competition is not just dependent upon the wages, benefits and incentives that you're paying, but also how strong your company's growth strategy is.
Also, it's crucial to create stakeholdership amongst potential employees so that they can buy into the vision and are passionate about what they do and love where they work. This is the job senior management in sales and marketing is tasked with: retaining top talent and in order to do so, you've got to have great strategy and great vision.
Find Freelancers for Sales and Marketing Projects
Today owning a small or large business organization can be difficult if you have no one to do the work that you need especially when it comes to sales and marketing. You used to find freelancers for your business by posting advertisements in newspapers and magazines. But now things have changed with modern technology taking over. Now you can find freelancers for your business online and businesses are now using this opportunity to find all the sales and marketing professionals they need to complete projects.
Using the internet to find freelancers for your business is the ideal way to go as it will save time and money and you will also have access to top business professionals in sales and marketing from all over the world. Now you can find someone that is highly specialized to work on your projects.
It doesn't matter what your business wants to be done. Many people look to freelancers for sales representatives and entry level marketing positions. To start trying to find freelancers for your business all you will need to do to find them is go to a search engine like Google and search for "find freelancers for your business".
There are a multitude of freelance websites out there that will connect businesses with the freelancers that they are looking for. Once you locate some viable websites, you can do a more specialized search on your exact needs. In fact, entire marketing firms sometimes advertise their services on these freelancer websites and you can find a company to do a job like managing an entire advertising campaign for a much lower cost than if you found a marketing firm through traditional methods.
One thing that businesses must keep in mind when working on projects with freelancers is that they do proper project planning when outsourcing to freelancers. If you find freelancers to help build brand awareness for your business, you should make sure that you carefully lay out the goals for the campaign and set up a series of deadlines to be met. That way a proper plan will be in place and both the freelancers and the business will be able to more successfully meet the goals.
You have the ability to do anything with a little project planning and outsourcing work to freelancers for sales and marketing. Now small businesses have an equal opportunity to become large giants with the help of these freelancing websites.
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