SubscribeSecuring brand equity in Recession
by Deepika Bajaj, October 26, 2009
Businesses cannot survive without listening to customers. The recession has put companies’ listening skills to test, resulting in some national retailers among others to down their shutters for good. What this highlights is that the old ways of listening to your customer is no longer relevant. Social networks have transformed the way customers engage with companies. Companies need to engage with their customers continually on these channels and react quickly. more…
Dirty Dozen #12 – Shortcut
by Rajesh Setty, October 26, 2009
This is the last in the 12 part series by Rajesh. Any endeavor, especially the entrepreneurial one, is never easy. You need discipline, hard work and a whole slew of other things. When things get tough, it is tempting to take shortcuts. They may save you time or money or some resource in the short run, but you will eventually pay for it in the long term. Analyzing it a little deeper, if there were ways to do something by taking a shortcut, lot more people will be doing it. This will make it a commodity and it will lose its value. So, forget about taking shortcuts in life. more…
Plan C for your business
by Vijay Peduru, October 27 2009
When you are starting a business, you will think that your idea is a winner and it is going to take you places. Of course you need to have this conviction to get started – if not you would not be on this journey. But, the reality is over 50% of venture backed firms fail. Among the ones that succeed, a vast majority of them end up with a different business model than the one they started with. So, be prepared to change your plan multiple times to reach entrepreneurial success. more…
What I Wish I Knew More About Sales #1 : Inspiring Your Customers and Creating Loyalty
by Robert Driscoll, October 27, 2009
This is the first of a five part series by Robert in which successful entrepreneurs share their perspectives about Sales.
In this segment, Compassites CEO Naveen Lakkur says sales is not about convincing someone or talking them into something. A sale can be made only by creating new possibilities that touch, move and inspire your customers. more…
Why Isn’t Anyone Listening To Your Presentations?
by Robert Driscoll, October 28, 2009
It is not an uncommon experience to feel like nobody is paying attention to your presentation or webinar. What was the problem – your material or you? In fact, it could simply be your techniques. In this article, Robert talks about some techniques that you can use to avoid these situations. more…
What I Wish I Knew More About in Sales #2: Know What To Quit
by Robert Driscoll, October 28, 2009
In this episode, Tom Batchelder Founder of Perficency says it is important to have the courage to weed people out. If you are new to sales, you are eager to talk to anyone. Your effectiveness and willingness to walk away from bad business will free you up to pursue and close good sales opportunities. more…
Watch out for Value Erosion
by Guy Ralfe, October 29, 2009
Innovations become commodities eventually. What is new and valuable at one point of time does not hold the same value at a later time. Simply stated, the value of any innovation erodes over time. And the pace at which it erodes is going to continue to increase. In order to stay competitive, you need to continue to innovate and at an ever increasing pace. In this article, Guy provides a great example from an event in his family. more…
What I Wish I Knew More About in Sales #3: Managing Your Time
by Robert Driscoll, October 29, 2009
Everybody has the same amount of time – nobody has more or less than anybody else. It depends upon each individual to manage their time effectively. Joe Shea, Founder of Shea & Associates says it is important for sales people to get trained in time management and sell cycle control. When people are not able to manage their time and commitments effectively, they become overwhelmed and busy. Overdue work starts interfering with current work and the downward spiral starts. Take a time management class and avoid this situation. more…
Dangerous Ground – Doing “It” Yourself
by Thomas Frasher, October 30, 2009
A common saying is “The proof is in the pudding”. Well, in business, proof comes after deployment/shipment – that’s when you really get to understand the viability of your product or service. But you may not have to wait that long. If you take the time to look, there are numerous places on the internet that provide valuable information. So, don’t fall into the trap of trying to do it by yourself. In business, like in life, you can do only so much – you need lots of very good help. more…
What I Wish I Knew More About In Sales #4: Just Pick Up The Phone
by Robert Driscoll, October 30, 2009
In this installment, Laura Lowell of 42 Rules says, the skill of picking up the phone and making a sales call has been very valuable for her. This could be an uncomfortable experience and so some people tend to rely on email. But making phone calls is an essential and integral skill for a sales person. This article provides some techniques you could use to improve your phone sales effectiveness. more…