By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Sales are the life force of any business. Here’s an outline of the key factors in getting them for your business.
Persistence
Business owners and decision makers are typically very busy people. Often, the difference between making a sale and not making a sale is catching the decision maker at the right time. One of the best ways to catch a decision maker at the right time is to catch him or her many times. Of course, you do not want to be contacting a prospect so often that you become an annoyance. Still, using a combination of phone calls, emails, faxes and snail mails you can ensure your prospect remembers your company when the time comes to purchase the product or service you sell.
Organization
One of the most important aspects of following up is being organized. There is a great variety of software to help you get your lead management in order, but all lead management software is not created equal. One feature to look for in lead management software is portability. Web based systems allow users to access their leads from any Internet connected computer. Another feature to look for is built in document management. Ideally, your lead management software will allow you to easily send emails, faxes and snail mails and document the contact automatically. A good scheduling tool is also a great asset to lead management software.
Follow Up and Consistency
Once you have contacted your lead, make sure to let them know when you will follow up again and follow through. Setting a time and day to follow up and then following through will build trust with your prospect. Just doing what you say you'll do is a huge source of confidence to prospective clients. After following up several times at the same time and day of the week, your prospect will come to expect your contact. Use this to build rapport. Become involved in your prospect's life and you are much more likely to make a sale. Use your lead management software to make notes about your conversations. Other wise, it is very difficult to remember the details of every conversation you may have. By following up and staying in front of your prospects, you will make more sales. The more familiar your prospects are with your company and products or services, the more likely they are to choose your company. Using the right lead management software can make the task of following up a breeze.
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Simple, Achieve more sales!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Business Cards Are Excellent Salesman
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Since the 19th century business cards were widespread among people of all classes with a business to promote. The earliest form of business cards, known as tradecards, were used as advertising materials and as maps used to direct the public to the merchant’s store. Today business cards are among the most important marketing material that every business must have.
The business card is perhaps the best salesman that you can have. That is why it is essential that it contains much more than your name, address, and contact numbers and services. It should be designed keeping its purpose in mind – that is its being a powerful sales tool. So let’s start with the design. If you want to create a business card that contains a photo with gradient colors you can try using a glossy paper to ensure that the cards are printed as good as they look on the screen. Or else, you can get disappointed with the print out.
In addition, if your card design contains background color or images, you can use papers that have gaps between them as these gaps will allow you to make up for the unavoidable elusiveness of the printer paper feed system. However, most stock cards don’t have gaps so if you don’t want to have trouble with printing, make sure your photos, images and text are at 3mm off the edge of the card. This way the minor printer imprecision will not destroy your business cards.
When it comes to printing, make sure that the paper stock that you will use is compatible to your printer. As inkjet and laser printer uses different technologies, it is important that you only feed paper type that is attuned to your printer choice. So for instance you will be using a laser printer, using a paper with glossy coating can cause damage to the printer. Hence, the right choice of paper stock will greatly affect your business cards print out.
Now let’s come to the strategies you can utilize in business card distribution. Aside from the usual handing out of your business cards during tradeshows, conventions, meetings and the like, tucking them in your products before delivery can be a good idea. Say you are a florist. You can consider tying your business card around the flowers. Or if use bags in packaging your products, you can staple or tie your card on the outside of the bag. You can also include you cards in your letters and invoices. And if you are really crafty you can slip in your cards into your designs – you can include them in your greeting cards, emboss them with your rubber stamps or blend them with your other artworks.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to designing and handing out your business cards. You just have to know how to utilize these possibilities to your advantage. Remember that your business cards can be your best salesman, so make them represent you effectively.
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Since the 19th century business cards were widespread among people of all classes with a business to promote. The earliest form of business cards, known as tradecards, were used as advertising materials and as maps used to direct the public to the merchant’s store. Today business cards are among the most important marketing material that every business must have.
The business card is perhaps the best salesman that you can have. That is why it is essential that it contains much more than your name, address, and contact numbers and services. It should be designed keeping its purpose in mind – that is its being a powerful sales tool. So let’s start with the design. If you want to create a business card that contains a photo with gradient colors you can try using a glossy paper to ensure that the cards are printed as good as they look on the screen. Or else, you can get disappointed with the print out.
In addition, if your card design contains background color or images, you can use papers that have gaps between them as these gaps will allow you to make up for the unavoidable elusiveness of the printer paper feed system. However, most stock cards don’t have gaps so if you don’t want to have trouble with printing, make sure your photos, images and text are at 3mm off the edge of the card. This way the minor printer imprecision will not destroy your business cards.
When it comes to printing, make sure that the paper stock that you will use is compatible to your printer. As inkjet and laser printer uses different technologies, it is important that you only feed paper type that is attuned to your printer choice. So for instance you will be using a laser printer, using a paper with glossy coating can cause damage to the printer. Hence, the right choice of paper stock will greatly affect your business cards print out.
Now let’s come to the strategies you can utilize in business card distribution. Aside from the usual handing out of your business cards during tradeshows, conventions, meetings and the like, tucking them in your products before delivery can be a good idea. Say you are a florist. You can consider tying your business card around the flowers. Or if use bags in packaging your products, you can staple or tie your card on the outside of the bag. You can also include you cards in your letters and invoices. And if you are really crafty you can slip in your cards into your designs – you can include them in your greeting cards, emboss them with your rubber stamps or blend them with your other artworks.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to designing and handing out your business cards. You just have to know how to utilize these possibilities to your advantage. Remember that your business cards can be your best salesman, so make them represent you effectively.
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Monday, December 20, 2010
Tips for Successful Negotiating by Phone
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Most of us negotiate something every day. Whether it's getting our kids to willingly clean their rooms, or hammering out an elephant-sized contract with more details than a politician has “special-interest” donors, our ability to haggle effects our results. Here are some useful negotiating tips.
1. Define Your Negotiables Other than Price. Inexperienced, unconfident, or plain old lazy reps take the easy route and drop price at the first sign of the other person seeking to get a better deal. Instead, first determine what you could offer, if needed, that has high perceived value to them, but little cost to you. For example, moving up the delivery date if they need it quickly, extending the warranty period . . . some distributors and suppliers like to throw in some products the customer isn't buying. This has high perceived value, and gets the customer to test the new product, which might pay off with future purchases.
2. Analyze Your Strengths, Their Needs. Before calling, list what you know they require and emotionally want, what you have, and what you want. You might know that this buyer always tries to pound you on price, but you also know you're working from a position of strength because you're the only one who has the quality of product he needs.
3. Set Your Objectives. Just like every call, define, “What do I want them to do as a result of this call, and what do I want to do?”
4. Aim High, Set Minimums. As part of your objectives, swing for the fence! Think big. Set the most favorable objective possible (one that is within reason). The richest sales reps I know can't believe anyone would think otherwise. Likewise, set minimums that you're willing to accept. You'll know how much you have to play with.
5. Prepare for their Possible Tactics. It's easier if you know the person. For example, knowing that Joe always starts with an outrageous request helps you prepare your counter-tactic. Otherwise, you need to dry-run through possible demands and tactics along with your responses so you're not blindsided into giving away something you didn't intend to.
6. Gather Information. As with all sales calls, the more you know the better.
7. Don't Give More Information (or Anything Else) than Necessary. I've seen sales reps offer price concessions that weren't asked for (“The price starts here, but I might be able to do a little better.”), and give up information that the customer used to ask for more concessions (“You mentioned another customer had additional training manuals thrown in free. I want those too.”)
8. Don't Split the Difference. It's human nature, but it costs you money. Let's look at the math. Your asking price is $50. They offer you $30. You counter with $40 and they figure splitting the difference is fair. Your tactic: come back with a pained tone of voice, “I might be able to do $46 or $47.” It's more likely you'll end up better than $40.
9. Trade Your Concessions. Get something in return. If you get them the better volume price, ask for a commitment for a blanket purchase order. One-sided giving rarely makes for a healthy relationship.
10. “If I, Will You?” A tactic to accomplish the previous point. Before agreeing to what they want, get commitment on what they'll give in return. “If I'm able to move your request to the front of the line, will you increase the order by 500?”
I believe I read this in an ad in an airline magazine for a negotiation seminar: “You don't get what you deserve; you get what you can negotiate.”
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Most of us negotiate something every day. Whether it's getting our kids to willingly clean their rooms, or hammering out an elephant-sized contract with more details than a politician has “special-interest” donors, our ability to haggle effects our results. Here are some useful negotiating tips.
1. Define Your Negotiables Other than Price. Inexperienced, unconfident, or plain old lazy reps take the easy route and drop price at the first sign of the other person seeking to get a better deal. Instead, first determine what you could offer, if needed, that has high perceived value to them, but little cost to you. For example, moving up the delivery date if they need it quickly, extending the warranty period . . . some distributors and suppliers like to throw in some products the customer isn't buying. This has high perceived value, and gets the customer to test the new product, which might pay off with future purchases.
2. Analyze Your Strengths, Their Needs. Before calling, list what you know they require and emotionally want, what you have, and what you want. You might know that this buyer always tries to pound you on price, but you also know you're working from a position of strength because you're the only one who has the quality of product he needs.
3. Set Your Objectives. Just like every call, define, “What do I want them to do as a result of this call, and what do I want to do?”
4. Aim High, Set Minimums. As part of your objectives, swing for the fence! Think big. Set the most favorable objective possible (one that is within reason). The richest sales reps I know can't believe anyone would think otherwise. Likewise, set minimums that you're willing to accept. You'll know how much you have to play with.
5. Prepare for their Possible Tactics. It's easier if you know the person. For example, knowing that Joe always starts with an outrageous request helps you prepare your counter-tactic. Otherwise, you need to dry-run through possible demands and tactics along with your responses so you're not blindsided into giving away something you didn't intend to.
6. Gather Information. As with all sales calls, the more you know the better.
7. Don't Give More Information (or Anything Else) than Necessary. I've seen sales reps offer price concessions that weren't asked for (“The price starts here, but I might be able to do a little better.”), and give up information that the customer used to ask for more concessions (“You mentioned another customer had additional training manuals thrown in free. I want those too.”)
8. Don't Split the Difference. It's human nature, but it costs you money. Let's look at the math. Your asking price is $50. They offer you $30. You counter with $40 and they figure splitting the difference is fair. Your tactic: come back with a pained tone of voice, “I might be able to do $46 or $47.” It's more likely you'll end up better than $40.
9. Trade Your Concessions. Get something in return. If you get them the better volume price, ask for a commitment for a blanket purchase order. One-sided giving rarely makes for a healthy relationship.
10. “If I, Will You?” A tactic to accomplish the previous point. Before agreeing to what they want, get commitment on what they'll give in return. “If I'm able to move your request to the front of the line, will you increase the order by 500?”
I believe I read this in an ad in an airline magazine for a negotiation seminar: “You don't get what you deserve; you get what you can negotiate.”
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Be Persuasive When You Sell
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
When you are selling your products to clients, you don’t want to be pushy about it, you want to be persuasive.
Have you ever been around a sales person who seems to have everything going for him?
He has no problem talking to people, people like him, he seems to meet all of his sales goals so effortlessly.
This is not because he is lucky, or he was born with a natural gift when it came to selling. It is because he took the time and effort to make sure he went into the field well trained with the appropriate sales skills and product knowledge to make his sales seem as though they come without any effort.
This sales person, through hard work and sales training, has given himself the power of persuasion because he has the ability to find out what it is that his customers need.
When a sales person is being pushy with their product, it is a turn off to the customer. The last thing a customer wants, is somebody they just met up in their face who won’t stop talking. Pushy sales people come off rude, unprofessional and unknowledgeable.
From a customers point of view, a pushy sales person comes off as someone who just arrived from a one day sales training course on one particular product. Who is then sent out into the world to sell that product to anyone that will listen.
Most consumers can see right through this.
Persuasion takes subtlety. In fact, it is much easier to persuade someone to buy your product than to actually sell it.
Persuasion involves getting your customer to “buy in” to your product, or to see things from your point of view.
You must first get to know your customer. Take some time to ask a few personal questions. Such as where they live, what their occupation is, do they have any pets, etc.
People love to talk about themselves, so ask questions.
Once you get to know your customer, find out what their needs are. You can than match up your products to their needs.
Explain the benefits of your product, and give them a visual in their mind of themselves using your product. If you are selling baseball bats, give them the visual of using the bat to hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth too win the ball game.
Don’t do all the talking, listen to your customer. Listening is perhaps one of the most important sales skills you can posses. You can find out so much about your customer just by listening.
To persuade your customer to buy your product is to find a common ground with your customer. Smile, be courteous, answer their questions, learn what their needs are, listen to their concerns and try to alleviate them.
Once you have established what their needs are, tell them about the products you have that could satisfy their needs. Remember, don’t sell the product, tell them about the product, and what it can do for them.
Don’t think of it as selling, think of it as a normal conversation that you would have with one of your friends. Your sales will become more enjoyable, and they will also increase. Good luck.
This article may be reproduced by anyone at any time, as long as the authors name and reference links are kept in tact and active.
Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry, He is the owner of http://www.jconners.com, a mortgage resource site, he is also the owner of http://www.callprospect.com, a mortgage lead company.
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
When you are selling your products to clients, you don’t want to be pushy about it, you want to be persuasive.
Have you ever been around a sales person who seems to have everything going for him?
He has no problem talking to people, people like him, he seems to meet all of his sales goals so effortlessly.
This is not because he is lucky, or he was born with a natural gift when it came to selling. It is because he took the time and effort to make sure he went into the field well trained with the appropriate sales skills and product knowledge to make his sales seem as though they come without any effort.
This sales person, through hard work and sales training, has given himself the power of persuasion because he has the ability to find out what it is that his customers need.
When a sales person is being pushy with their product, it is a turn off to the customer. The last thing a customer wants, is somebody they just met up in their face who won’t stop talking. Pushy sales people come off rude, unprofessional and unknowledgeable.
From a customers point of view, a pushy sales person comes off as someone who just arrived from a one day sales training course on one particular product. Who is then sent out into the world to sell that product to anyone that will listen.
Most consumers can see right through this.
Persuasion takes subtlety. In fact, it is much easier to persuade someone to buy your product than to actually sell it.
Persuasion involves getting your customer to “buy in” to your product, or to see things from your point of view.
You must first get to know your customer. Take some time to ask a few personal questions. Such as where they live, what their occupation is, do they have any pets, etc.
People love to talk about themselves, so ask questions.
Once you get to know your customer, find out what their needs are. You can than match up your products to their needs.
Explain the benefits of your product, and give them a visual in their mind of themselves using your product. If you are selling baseball bats, give them the visual of using the bat to hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth too win the ball game.
Don’t do all the talking, listen to your customer. Listening is perhaps one of the most important sales skills you can posses. You can find out so much about your customer just by listening.
To persuade your customer to buy your product is to find a common ground with your customer. Smile, be courteous, answer their questions, learn what their needs are, listen to their concerns and try to alleviate them.
Once you have established what their needs are, tell them about the products you have that could satisfy their needs. Remember, don’t sell the product, tell them about the product, and what it can do for them.
Don’t think of it as selling, think of it as a normal conversation that you would have with one of your friends. Your sales will become more enjoyable, and they will also increase. Good luck.
This article may be reproduced by anyone at any time, as long as the authors name and reference links are kept in tact and active.
Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry, He is the owner of http://www.jconners.com, a mortgage resource site, he is also the owner of http://www.callprospect.com, a mortgage lead company.
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Saturday, December 18, 2010
A Favorable Juncture Of Circumstances
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Whenever decision-makers are willing to meet with you, you have reached a favorable juncture of circumstances. If you are then prepared to take advantage of this opportunity by building a level of trust with these individuals, there is a good chance that they will tell you enough about themselves so that you can easily recommend the appropriate package of your products and/or services that will meet their express needs.
Many top sales representatives feel that the sale is as good as closed if they can just obtain an appointment or meeting with a decision-maker. Their feeling is that their prospective customer must need their products or services or they would not be willing to set an appointment in the first place. The following checklist has been developed to help you make the most of a favorable juncture of circumstances and build the trust levels that are vital to your overall sales success:
Smile! No matter what kind of day you are having, if you will smile it will give those people you contact a feeling of acceptance. It will also help you feel better about your day. Tape a smiley-face or the word “smile” on your desk or telephone to remind you of the importance of a smile on your face and in your voice. Top sales professionals use the technique of thinking of a funny story or the latest joke they have heard just before meeting a prospective customer. Thinking about the story or joke almost assures them of having a smile on their face as they meet a decision-maker for the first time. Make sure you are smiling as you call for appointments or are conducting a sales presentation.
Shake your client’s or prospect's hand. A warm, firm, friendly handshake goes a long way in building a trusting relationship. It tells your clients or prospects that you are a friendly person and that you are glad to see them. If your handshake is limp it can leave a negative impression. It can be equally as bad to grip someone's hand too hard. Remember you only have one chance to make a great first impression.
Ask an open-ended personal question. (Open-ended questions require an explanation and can rarely be answered with a “yes” or “no”). Psychologists tell us that when a person reveals something personal about themselves, it builds trust.
It’s vital for you to practice using open-ended questions to create a short period of small talk (the prospect doing 80% of the talking), at the outset of your presentation. Remember, people buy from people that they trust. When people start to talk about themselves, they start to build a trusting relationship with you so that later, as you discuss your products and/or services, the things you say will be believed.
Research shows that people decide whether to follow the advice and buy from a sales professional in the first two minutes of the conversation. By following the track outlined above, you can make the most of your initial contact and truly turn each meeting of transaction into a favorable juncture of circumstances (a sales opportunity).
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Whenever decision-makers are willing to meet with you, you have reached a favorable juncture of circumstances. If you are then prepared to take advantage of this opportunity by building a level of trust with these individuals, there is a good chance that they will tell you enough about themselves so that you can easily recommend the appropriate package of your products and/or services that will meet their express needs.
Many top sales representatives feel that the sale is as good as closed if they can just obtain an appointment or meeting with a decision-maker. Their feeling is that their prospective customer must need their products or services or they would not be willing to set an appointment in the first place. The following checklist has been developed to help you make the most of a favorable juncture of circumstances and build the trust levels that are vital to your overall sales success:
Smile! No matter what kind of day you are having, if you will smile it will give those people you contact a feeling of acceptance. It will also help you feel better about your day. Tape a smiley-face or the word “smile” on your desk or telephone to remind you of the importance of a smile on your face and in your voice. Top sales professionals use the technique of thinking of a funny story or the latest joke they have heard just before meeting a prospective customer. Thinking about the story or joke almost assures them of having a smile on their face as they meet a decision-maker for the first time. Make sure you are smiling as you call for appointments or are conducting a sales presentation.
Shake your client’s or prospect's hand. A warm, firm, friendly handshake goes a long way in building a trusting relationship. It tells your clients or prospects that you are a friendly person and that you are glad to see them. If your handshake is limp it can leave a negative impression. It can be equally as bad to grip someone's hand too hard. Remember you only have one chance to make a great first impression.
Ask an open-ended personal question. (Open-ended questions require an explanation and can rarely be answered with a “yes” or “no”). Psychologists tell us that when a person reveals something personal about themselves, it builds trust.
It’s vital for you to practice using open-ended questions to create a short period of small talk (the prospect doing 80% of the talking), at the outset of your presentation. Remember, people buy from people that they trust. When people start to talk about themselves, they start to build a trusting relationship with you so that later, as you discuss your products and/or services, the things you say will be believed.
Research shows that people decide whether to follow the advice and buy from a sales professional in the first two minutes of the conversation. By following the track outlined above, you can make the most of your initial contact and truly turn each meeting of transaction into a favorable juncture of circumstances (a sales opportunity).
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
Friday, December 17, 2010
3 Easy Ways To Crank Up The Sales Volume
By Sales Tracking Portal [ Free Online Sales Tracking Software]
1. Supersize It!
Okay, okay... the real marketing term here us upsell it, but the word association takes me to McDonalds. You've been there... you pull up to the window, place your order and they always say... "Would you like to supersize that?"
What bugs me is that I instinctively say, "Yes!" After all, for a few cents more I'm getting nearly twice the amount of fries and beverage. We won't discuss the fact that a person with normal size kidneys couldn't possible drink the supersized drink before it goes flat... and that if I were to eat all of the supersized fries I'd be perfect advertisment for an acne medicine company... but hey, I got a good deal!
When your customers have their wallet out and are reaching for their money, they are ripe for shelling out just a few more bucks to sweeten the deal. In fact, about 50 percent will say yes without a second thought. It's the perfect time to offer an upgrade or an extra warranty.
2. After The Sale Offers.
Have you noticed that novel sequels seem to go like hotcakes? Once the author has caught the audiences attention with the first book, they can't wait to get their hands on the follow up.
The same idea carries over with your customers. A customer who is happy with the product and service you provided the first time, is much more open for a second experience.
The backend product you offer doesn't even have to be your own. Affiliate marketers are rolling in proceeds on ebooks that cover material associated with their products. It's an easy and painless process to market this way... the affiliate handles all the sales, while you collect the commission.
3. Reward Referrals
Customer surveys that ask 3 basic questions: What did you like best about the product?, How can we improve the value of the product?, and Who do you know that would benefit from the product?
In a nutshell, you are letting the customer know that his needs and opinions are important to you, and that you want to help someone else fulfill their needs too. You'll gain valuable insight into customer satsifaction, provide material for valuable testimonials, and get tips on potential customers.
Upselling, backend selling and referral selling work together to increase the number of sales you net, without increasing advertizing budgets. Try it... you'll be surprised at how easy it is to increase your marketing effectiveness within your current customer audience.
1. Supersize It!
Okay, okay... the real marketing term here us upsell it, but the word association takes me to McDonalds. You've been there... you pull up to the window, place your order and they always say... "Would you like to supersize that?"
What bugs me is that I instinctively say, "Yes!" After all, for a few cents more I'm getting nearly twice the amount of fries and beverage. We won't discuss the fact that a person with normal size kidneys couldn't possible drink the supersized drink before it goes flat... and that if I were to eat all of the supersized fries I'd be perfect advertisment for an acne medicine company... but hey, I got a good deal!
When your customers have their wallet out and are reaching for their money, they are ripe for shelling out just a few more bucks to sweeten the deal. In fact, about 50 percent will say yes without a second thought. It's the perfect time to offer an upgrade or an extra warranty.
2. After The Sale Offers.
Have you noticed that novel sequels seem to go like hotcakes? Once the author has caught the audiences attention with the first book, they can't wait to get their hands on the follow up.
The same idea carries over with your customers. A customer who is happy with the product and service you provided the first time, is much more open for a second experience.
The backend product you offer doesn't even have to be your own. Affiliate marketers are rolling in proceeds on ebooks that cover material associated with their products. It's an easy and painless process to market this way... the affiliate handles all the sales, while you collect the commission.
3. Reward Referrals
Customer surveys that ask 3 basic questions: What did you like best about the product?, How can we improve the value of the product?, and Who do you know that would benefit from the product?
In a nutshell, you are letting the customer know that his needs and opinions are important to you, and that you want to help someone else fulfill their needs too. You'll gain valuable insight into customer satsifaction, provide material for valuable testimonials, and get tips on potential customers.
Upselling, backend selling and referral selling work together to increase the number of sales you net, without increasing advertizing budgets. Try it... you'll be surprised at how easy it is to increase your marketing effectiveness within your current customer audience.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sales Tracking Portal Forum is Live
Sales Tracking Portal Forum is live now. You can now share your idea with our community or request any help from Sales Tracking Portal support team easily on community.
Forum address : SALES TRACKING PORTAL FORUM
Sales Tracking Portal Home page : Sales Tracking Portal Home
Friday, December 3, 2010
Choose a software client relationship management (CRM)
In the Internet era, it is important to understand the expectations and needs of your customers. Especially if you bet on the web to grow your business. A dissatisfied customer can switch to the competition with a click. To limit this risk management software customer relationship management (CRM English) help you better define your business strategy. And words, to increase your profits. So how to choose the CRM is right for you?
· What is a software client relationship management (CRM)?
· Of what CRM professionals?
· Features and benefits of a CRM
· The functionality of a CRM
· Benefits of CRM
· Things to know before installing a CRM
· CRM software: which to choose?
· Office Software
· CRM-mode external or internal?
· CRM few generalists in external mode and / or internal
· Benefits of SaaS CRM
· The CRM thematic oriented SMEs
What is a software client relationship management (CRM)?
Solutions Customer relationship management is a major strategic asset for your business. They help you identify your best prospects, retain and keep track of your personal customers. The CRM solutions are especially suitable for sale on the internet or any other rapidly evolving business environment.
Of what CRM professionals?
Software for customer relationship management adapt to several categories of professionals:
- Finance
- Technology Products
- Pharmaceutical products and well-being
- Distributors (wholesalers, retailers)
- Customized products and crafts (in mail): customizable clothing, etc. gastonomiques products.
- Professions / Independent
Features and benefits of a CRM
The functionality of a CRM
CRM software has a specific role in each step of the sales cycle (pre-sales, sales, after sales).
CRM software will allow you, among others:
CRM software will allow you, among others:
- Manage your contacts (customers, prospects, partners)
- Identify and define the profile of best customers
- Organize communication with customers
- Track orders and invoices
- Anticipating the evolution of a market reports (marketing)
- Organize a personalized technical assistance
Benefits of CRM
The advantages of a manager of customer relations are primarily economic. CRM allows to:
- Increase company profits (margin on each client)
- Increase the rate of customer loyalty (which costs 5 times less expensive than win new)
- Save time by automating certain tasks (increase productivity)
- Optimize collaboration between the various company departments (sales, marketing, customer service)
- Improve responsiveness to a specific problem (eg declining sales figures)
Things to know before installing a CRM
A preliminary evaluation of your needs is essential before choosing the right software for customer relationship management. The installation of a CRM is a complex choice that changes in work organization and relations among company employees.
Choosing a CRM is not the same if you want to refine your communication strategy, or simply manage your contacts. An audit can be very useful to help you choose.
Choosing a CRM is not the same if you want to refine your communication strategy, or simply manage your contacts. An audit can be very useful to help you choose.
CRM software: which to choose?
So it depends on your type of activity, and the look you wish to expand. There are simple solutions, and other more complex
Office Software
A simple Excel spreadsheet or a database manager for relational data (such as Microsoft Access) may be sufficient to act as an accounting application / tracking orders or collect customer data.
Major drawback : the software has limited options (eg collaborative features, communication tools).
Major drawback : the software has limited options (eg collaborative features, communication tools).
CRM-mode external or internal?
You'll have to choose between outsourced CRM, that is to say, available via Internet on a remote server, and CRM internalized, that is to say installed on your corporate server:
- Selection criteria
If your priority is cost control, flexibility of use (eg on the move) and if your customer service has many employees, you will opt instead for outsourced mode in "SaaS".
The internal mode is best suited to newly established SMEs. Anyway, you can always upgrade to the external mode.
The internal mode is best suited to newly established SMEs. Anyway, you can always upgrade to the external mode.
- CRM external mode (SaaS)
The external mode means that applications are available on a remote server, accessible via the Internet. Multiple users can view and edit data simultaneously. SaaS involves the payment of a subscription to the hosting services.
Benefits of SaaS CRM
- Choice of formulas : Sales Tracking Portal, customer relationship and made to measure (custom applications).
- Best opportunities for collaboration and updates / upgrades instant data. use while mobile optimized.
- Economic : no installation costs (purchase of license), or mobilization of resources of the company
- Possibility of free trial.
Cons : Access to a remote server is the problem of data privacy, and that the dependence on external service.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Monday, November 29, 2010
Bain trial: cost pressures in the IT is changing the business models of enterprise software provider
In spite of the suggestive end the crisis continues to IT cost pressures is to the companies. The accelerated changes in the IT industry to on-demand services. In future, software will be offered more frequently than online platforms that will change the business model of enterprise software provider sustainable. This is the result of the recent study by Bain & Company "Preparing for the Game On-Demand in the Enterprise Software Industry". Four trends influence this development strongly: 1) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) licensing revenues distributed to longer periods, 2) increasingly integrated IT provider, the boundaries between hardware, software and services to increase, 3), the service share of IT value increases and 4) open source is establishing itself as a real alternative to traditional software offerings. The success of a SaaS provider to decide a solid platform strategy, the management of software and service partners, and the timely and long-term occupation of the customer interface.
The economic crisis has led to massive IT budget cuts. Same time, the demand on IT development and redevelopment in the company. The recent study by Bain & Company "Preparing for the Game On-Demand in the Enterprise Software Industry" shows that IT managers in companies respond primarily to the conversion of fixed costs into variable costs. Thus increasingly come on-demand software is used, which is paid to usability and needs no large initial investment. Accelerated this trend by vendors of software-as-a-Service (SaaS) such as Sales Tracking Portal - a specialist in customer Releationship management. In the SaaS model takes over the service provider installation, operation and maintenance of software and servers in its data center and provides the use as a service available on call. Customers do not charge for software licenses, implementation, maintenance and hardware. You only pay the usage-based service fee.
For software companies is about to grow with this development, a revolution that threatened their traditional business model. Because they typically earn first by a royalty on the sale and then long term maintenance, ie the regular troubleshooting and software updates. The annual maintenance cost is an average of 18 percent of the original license fee. For providers of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) maintenance costs have averaged 30 percent of sales and 40 to 60 percent of income. "To a result of the crisis increases the risk that many ERP customers negotiate their fees again, do not renew maintenance contracts, or switch to third parties that offer this service for half the price," Matthias Budde, partner and IT expert at Bain & Company. "A price decline in the maintenance of just one percentage point would cost ERP vendors worldwide about 750 million euros and 300 million € income." For this reason, it is for software vendors established even more important to invest in customer loyalty in the they increase the value of their maintenance service for the customer visible.
Four major IT trends will determine the future
The Bain study predicts that the software market over the medium term can not build on past growth rates of ten to 15 percent annually. The growth in 2015 will amount to less than five percent a year. Bain founded the four major trends:
1. SaaS is growing, however, reduce the margins of the software industry: software-as-a-Service enables the acquisition of new customer groups that have not been made complex software. In addition, existing customers can test new features without making large investments have to. SaaS will initially be used primarily on customer relationship management, content management and human resources management. SaaS raises additional revenue potential in new hybrid areas of product and service, but also substituted existing software sales and shares in smaller cash flows. High installation and operating costs for the software provider while price pressures threaten the income of the industry.
2. Back to integrated IT vendors: The differentiation of the industry in hardware, software and service provider begins to dissolve. Companies are, increasingly present in adjacent segments of IT and offer - as Oracle after the Sun acquisition - to integrated IT products. As in the 1960s, when IBM sold its server systems, including software, customers have less and less in the future take care of itself to the integration of components in its own data center. Buy server performance together with the required operating system or completed usable database server, without even match the hardware, operating system and software to another must.
3. Existing IT environments continue to increase the software maintenance costs: Customers who follow the traditional model of separate server architectures and applications that deal with the increasing complexity of their application landscape. Service-oriented architectures could prevail in reality have not felt as leverage to IT simplification. Therefore reinforces the growing complexity of business on the complexity of IT. The cost for the implementation and integration of new software is in relation to the licensing costs continue to rise.
4. Open source is becoming a real alternative: On operating systems and databases has open-source software already has a high double-digit market share. For business-critical and complex applications such as ERP still dominates the closed-source software support and maintenance fee by the provider. But even this model is increasingly under threat from open-source ERP such as Compiere and Openbravo, enabling, in particular in combination with flexible uses on-demand infrastructure services ("cloud"), massive cost reductions and today's enterprise software provider by sales and put pressure on margins.
Opportunities and risks for software vendors
On-demand software is undoubtedly the next evolution of the software industry. But the model is also associated with significant risks. SaaS requires high initial investment by providers, as initially set up an online platform and marketed to be. These high installation and operating costs are paid by the regular user fees only slowly. Sales Tracking Portal took ten years to be profitable. On average, it takes a year to generate the distribution costs for SaaS customers.
Bain & Company anticipated due to the high investment requirements that the SaaS market will consolidate relatively quickly to a few software providers per segment. The companies will be successful, their existing hardware, software and service customers can turn into productive SaaS customers. Many other IT vendors are suppliers of SaaS providers with a large buying power for servers, network infrastructure, software and systems integration.
Software vendors have two options in the medium term, to position themselves in the SaaS market: either they are suppliers of a SaaS platform, which is operated by a third party or develop itself into an integrated SaaS provider. Anyone who embarks on the path of a SaaS provider, must build a strong position as a software supplier, not to be replaced in the medium term, for example, by open-source or completely displaced from the market. Those who positioned themselves as SaaS providers need to build infrastructure capacity, or buy and acquire skills for managing a SaaS ecosystem, such as the integration of third-party or usage-based billing. In addition to an aggressive acquisition strategy for new customers, it must also have a migration strategy for existing customers from traditional license and maintenance business to the SaaS model type, aimed at possible long-term commitment to the more profitable, classical model.
IT service companies that want to join the SaaS business need, in addition to their existing skills - provision and management of IT infrastructure - capacity and skills in software development. End, they may enter into partnerships with leading software vendors, or take a software provider.
"Software-as-a-Service is to establish itself as an important segment in the enterprise software market. As the future landscape looks like and whether prevail primarily software companies or IT service provider, is still completely open, "says Bain expert Budde. In addition to developing start-ups such as Sales Tracking portal of software vendors like Oracle and SAP established in the direction of SaaS, as well as infrastructure and service providers such as T-Systems. "Ultimately the industry will probably develop over SaaS out," predicts Matt Budde. "It is likely that the existing business process outsourcing as a process-as-a-service was resumed and on-demand services. Thus, the SaaS cards would reshuffled. "
SaaS ISV Forum subnet: "Should I or should not I ...?"
For software companies or IT service providers who are faced with the question of whether and how to model business software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to enter this in the offers in the SaaS ISV Subnet forum with valuable information,
Article Source : Kenny Blog
The economic crisis has led to massive IT budget cuts. Same time, the demand on IT development and redevelopment in the company. The recent study by Bain & Company "Preparing for the Game On-Demand in the Enterprise Software Industry" shows that IT managers in companies respond primarily to the conversion of fixed costs into variable costs. Thus increasingly come on-demand software is used, which is paid to usability and needs no large initial investment. Accelerated this trend by vendors of software-as-a-Service (SaaS) such as Sales Tracking Portal - a specialist in customer Releationship management. In the SaaS model takes over the service provider installation, operation and maintenance of software and servers in its data center and provides the use as a service available on call. Customers do not charge for software licenses, implementation, maintenance and hardware. You only pay the usage-based service fee.
For software companies is about to grow with this development, a revolution that threatened their traditional business model. Because they typically earn first by a royalty on the sale and then long term maintenance, ie the regular troubleshooting and software updates. The annual maintenance cost is an average of 18 percent of the original license fee. For providers of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) maintenance costs have averaged 30 percent of sales and 40 to 60 percent of income. "To a result of the crisis increases the risk that many ERP customers negotiate their fees again, do not renew maintenance contracts, or switch to third parties that offer this service for half the price," Matthias Budde, partner and IT expert at Bain & Company. "A price decline in the maintenance of just one percentage point would cost ERP vendors worldwide about 750 million euros and 300 million € income." For this reason, it is for software vendors established even more important to invest in customer loyalty in the they increase the value of their maintenance service for the customer visible.
Four major IT trends will determine the future
The Bain study predicts that the software market over the medium term can not build on past growth rates of ten to 15 percent annually. The growth in 2015 will amount to less than five percent a year. Bain founded the four major trends:
1. SaaS is growing, however, reduce the margins of the software industry: software-as-a-Service enables the acquisition of new customer groups that have not been made complex software. In addition, existing customers can test new features without making large investments have to. SaaS will initially be used primarily on customer relationship management, content management and human resources management. SaaS raises additional revenue potential in new hybrid areas of product and service, but also substituted existing software sales and shares in smaller cash flows. High installation and operating costs for the software provider while price pressures threaten the income of the industry.
2. Back to integrated IT vendors: The differentiation of the industry in hardware, software and service provider begins to dissolve. Companies are, increasingly present in adjacent segments of IT and offer - as Oracle after the Sun acquisition - to integrated IT products. As in the 1960s, when IBM sold its server systems, including software, customers have less and less in the future take care of itself to the integration of components in its own data center. Buy server performance together with the required operating system or completed usable database server, without even match the hardware, operating system and software to another must.
3. Existing IT environments continue to increase the software maintenance costs: Customers who follow the traditional model of separate server architectures and applications that deal with the increasing complexity of their application landscape. Service-oriented architectures could prevail in reality have not felt as leverage to IT simplification. Therefore reinforces the growing complexity of business on the complexity of IT. The cost for the implementation and integration of new software is in relation to the licensing costs continue to rise.
4. Open source is becoming a real alternative: On operating systems and databases has open-source software already has a high double-digit market share. For business-critical and complex applications such as ERP still dominates the closed-source software support and maintenance fee by the provider. But even this model is increasingly under threat from open-source ERP such as Compiere and Openbravo, enabling, in particular in combination with flexible uses on-demand infrastructure services ("cloud"), massive cost reductions and today's enterprise software provider by sales and put pressure on margins.
Opportunities and risks for software vendors
On-demand software is undoubtedly the next evolution of the software industry. But the model is also associated with significant risks. SaaS requires high initial investment by providers, as initially set up an online platform and marketed to be. These high installation and operating costs are paid by the regular user fees only slowly. Sales Tracking Portal took ten years to be profitable. On average, it takes a year to generate the distribution costs for SaaS customers.
Bain & Company anticipated due to the high investment requirements that the SaaS market will consolidate relatively quickly to a few software providers per segment. The companies will be successful, their existing hardware, software and service customers can turn into productive SaaS customers. Many other IT vendors are suppliers of SaaS providers with a large buying power for servers, network infrastructure, software and systems integration.
Software vendors have two options in the medium term, to position themselves in the SaaS market: either they are suppliers of a SaaS platform, which is operated by a third party or develop itself into an integrated SaaS provider. Anyone who embarks on the path of a SaaS provider, must build a strong position as a software supplier, not to be replaced in the medium term, for example, by open-source or completely displaced from the market. Those who positioned themselves as SaaS providers need to build infrastructure capacity, or buy and acquire skills for managing a SaaS ecosystem, such as the integration of third-party or usage-based billing. In addition to an aggressive acquisition strategy for new customers, it must also have a migration strategy for existing customers from traditional license and maintenance business to the SaaS model type, aimed at possible long-term commitment to the more profitable, classical model.
IT service companies that want to join the SaaS business need, in addition to their existing skills - provision and management of IT infrastructure - capacity and skills in software development. End, they may enter into partnerships with leading software vendors, or take a software provider.
"Software-as-a-Service is to establish itself as an important segment in the enterprise software market. As the future landscape looks like and whether prevail primarily software companies or IT service provider, is still completely open, "says Bain expert Budde. In addition to developing start-ups such as Sales Tracking portal of software vendors like Oracle and SAP established in the direction of SaaS, as well as infrastructure and service providers such as T-Systems. "Ultimately the industry will probably develop over SaaS out," predicts Matt Budde. "It is likely that the existing business process outsourcing as a process-as-a-service was resumed and on-demand services. Thus, the SaaS cards would reshuffled. "
SaaS ISV Forum subnet: "Should I or should not I ...?"
For software companies or IT service providers who are faced with the question of whether and how to model business software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to enter this in the offers in the SaaS ISV Subnet forum with valuable information,
Article Source : Kenny Blog
Friday, November 26, 2010
SaaS ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a computer-based system that handles both internal and external resources. These resources could be financial resources, human resources, materials and capital goods. The architecture is designed to provide information throughout the organization - from department to department - and outsiders who have a stake in the company. Run on a central database, ERP consolidates all so that is very streamlined and uniform throughout the company.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
SaaS vs. Traditional ERP ERP
There are a number of reasons why ERP SaaS is better and worse than traditional ERP. Finally, when you choose one for your business, these differences should be weighed heavily. They will provide insight into which product is right.Flexibility
Traditional ERP can be customized and optimized the way you want, because it is installed directly on the server. SaaS ERP is not. So when it comes to SaaS, you have less customization techniques and, therefore, need less technical skill to run it. However, due to the decrease of customization, if there is something specific you want a do, SaaS may not be able to let that happen.Simplicity
As mentioned above, since it is not as flexible, SaaS is easier to use because you do not need much in technical expertise. Since SaaS is not just, you do not have to worry about putting up new servers or something like that. However, because it is so easy, you might run into some complex that would not otherwise incur when trying to implement various aspects of ERP.Control
Going hand in hand with the flexibility and control. For small businesses that do not have a team of great technique, giving up control for ease of SaaS is not a bad thing. However, for medium to large companies that can afford large technical teams, having more control over the ERP is beneficial and, therefore, ERP is a traditional favorite. For small businesses, however, SaaS is ideal.Accessibility
It is a fundamental. SaaS requires Internet. Traditional does not. In the event of a crash of the Internet, you lose access to the ERP. Traditional, provided that the company has an internal network, you can access at any time.Cost
SaaS is cheaper to implement in the short term. However, since you're leasing the annual costs may well become high when you add more employees. Traditional is a cost single time because you own the software after it is installed on the server. Thus, in the short term, SaaS is definitely cheaper. The long-term traditional is more convenient.Article Source: Kenny Blog
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
SaaS CRM
What is SaaS CRM?
CRM software is designed to ensure that your relationship with customers is strong. It ensures that, through sales and communication, there is a growing relationship between the various parties. The general hope is that the customer will be comfortable returning to the company time and again for their business. SaaS CRM, then, is the software that you rent this power relationship.
The name of the software as a service shows that the software can take the part of customer service in some cases. In this case, the software takes care of keeping the customers happy. It provides information to the customer. The overall objective is to attract new customers, retain existing customers, convince customers to go above all by reducing marketing costs.
The benefits of SaaS CRM
The benefits of SaaS CRM are great. To begin with, because you pay as you go, you do not have to worry behind the actual software. They can not manage the server. Therefore, the cost of entry is very low. And 'cheap to start using this CRM. Another advantage is that since it is not in management, the program is ready and faster and can be used first. This means more profits. Finally, security of infrastructure and power to put behind the CRM SaaS by the seller has no rivals. So, you've found a very strong product.
SaaS CRM Disadvantages
For starters, you are in rent. While it is cheap to enter and use at first, will be perpetually pay for CRM. If you decide to stop paying, you lose the CRM. If you went with a more traditional formula, you have to buy it, but do not pay a monthly, quarterly or annual fee. Sometimes, you can not go CRM SaaS specific field. If you had an expert working for the company and a traditional CRM, you would be able to specialize the CRM. Unless you have clear objectives, SaaS will be a waste of money. It's not magic. Without goals, it will simply drain resources from society.
The decision to go with whom, however, is fully in society. For the most part, if the company has the funds to run a traditional CRM package, they will. Otherwise, you can choose to go with a CRM SaaS and spend it later.
Article source: Kenny Blog
CRM software is designed to ensure that your relationship with customers is strong. It ensures that, through sales and communication, there is a growing relationship between the various parties. The general hope is that the customer will be comfortable returning to the company time and again for their business. SaaS CRM, then, is the software that you rent this power relationship.
The name of the software as a service shows that the software can take the part of customer service in some cases. In this case, the software takes care of keeping the customers happy. It provides information to the customer. The overall objective is to attract new customers, retain existing customers, convince customers to go above all by reducing marketing costs.
The benefits of SaaS CRM
The benefits of SaaS CRM are great. To begin with, because you pay as you go, you do not have to worry behind the actual software. They can not manage the server. Therefore, the cost of entry is very low. And 'cheap to start using this CRM. Another advantage is that since it is not in management, the program is ready and faster and can be used first. This means more profits. Finally, security of infrastructure and power to put behind the CRM SaaS by the seller has no rivals. So, you've found a very strong product.
SaaS CRM Disadvantages
For starters, you are in rent. While it is cheap to enter and use at first, will be perpetually pay for CRM. If you decide to stop paying, you lose the CRM. If you went with a more traditional formula, you have to buy it, but do not pay a monthly, quarterly or annual fee. Sometimes, you can not go CRM SaaS specific field. If you had an expert working for the company and a traditional CRM, you would be able to specialize the CRM. Unless you have clear objectives, SaaS will be a waste of money. It's not magic. Without goals, it will simply drain resources from society.
The decision to go with whom, however, is fully in society. For the most part, if the company has the funds to run a traditional CRM package, they will. Otherwise, you can choose to go with a CRM SaaS and spend it later.
Article source: Kenny Blog
Sunday, November 21, 2010
How Does Cloud Computing Work
Cloud computing is a phenomenon made possible from the increasing speed of broadband Internet and the ability for people to access web pages at lightning speeds. Without these lightning speeds, people would never access to compute in the clouds. In order to better understanding of mechanism of cloud computing, it is vital to understand what it is.
Cloud computing is a grid or farm of computer servers that provide software and data to other computers(users). Its purpose is to deliver software and the software functionality that might be put on the farm by a company to individual computers connected to the Internet. For example, Google Documents is software that is “in the clouds” that delivers a word processing software to people without software installation required on their computer. And, with the power of Google’s servers, they can then save those files right “in the clouds” without requiring to store on their own hard drive.
How Does Cloud Computing Work?
To understand how it works, it is important to think of cloud computing in two levels. The front level is the user level which is what you use such as your Google Email or the webpage where you are downloading the latest version of Flash or even a Sales Tracking Software. The other level is the backend which is all of the hardware and the software architecture in the Grid. It’s here that the actual Gmail or Facebook or Sales Tracking Software is held waiting to be accessed by you.
Because all of the different servers in farm are running together in cloud computing approach, one application can have the computer power of multiple servers. This allows something like Facebook to run and able to serve million of users.
Thus, the cloud brings together a large collection of server computers to operate a single service application. And anything that is stored anywhere other than your local hard drive is labeled as being in the clouds.
One of the main advantages of cloud computing is it enables companies to deliver files or services to customers without having to send an physical disk or CD. For example, if you are using a HP laptop and you need to get a patch for your Driver. Instead of having to have it sent to you, HP can deliver to you over the Internet. If HP wants to sell you a new piece of software, they can do that over the Internet and have it installed without needing the physical CD. It saves time and money both company and customers.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 3
Previous article: Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 2Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 2
Today, automated sales tools, which help to increase success and improve the sales process. Tools for small business a person may be different from the forces of the emergence of a hundred people. Before taking control of sales and customer service, you must understand exactly what is covered.
Having started several businesses, I found one or two person company, simple tool, the better. For a company, I started with Outlook contact information and business. As we became more sophisticated and had to share knowledge, we used a free online CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. This allowed more people to follow the customer information and tracking input from our telemarketing team rented. I know that other start-ups have been using Wiki, or shared spreadsheet. The more customers you have and the more your business the most advanced tools to improve the effectiveness of your sales effort.
automated tools are wonderful as successful marketing and / or promotions. Maybe you start with a newsletter (using tools such as rapid and constant contact page). This is followed by a special offer on your blog. Then you can send an updated offer announced on Twitter. Monitoring the success of this campaign may be linked to your automated sales tool and to help you to renew the program for better focus and achieve spectacular results. To start using a CRM tool, start with the simplest tools and easy at first. Next, find what you like and dislike.
Extract the sales process, you reveal what the minimum requirements, and you can remove some of the tools are too simplistic for your needs. It is each department and / or the person who touches the customer to contribute, as he uses the instrument. Use a small portion of their sales staff if you can segment them, one solution is to test the short period of time. Then you can add a couple of other units being tested. Finally found a tool everybody can use and accept. The usefulness of the tools are only as good as the information is stored, and everyone must participate.
With the right tools, you can listen very carefully to what the client says and touch them when necessary. Can provide the right information when they want and create a desire for your product. Automated tools can help track sales and keep your company name at the top of the minds of customers. The result is more sales, and sales efforts more effective.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Today, automated sales tools, which help to increase success and improve the sales process. Tools for small business a person may be different from the forces of the emergence of a hundred people. Before taking control of sales and customer service, you must understand exactly what is covered.
Having started several businesses, I found one or two person company, simple tool, the better. For a company, I started with Outlook contact information and business. As we became more sophisticated and had to share knowledge, we used a free online CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. This allowed more people to follow the customer information and tracking input from our telemarketing team rented. I know that other start-ups have been using Wiki, or shared spreadsheet. The more customers you have and the more your business the most advanced tools to improve the effectiveness of your sales effort.
automated tools are wonderful as successful marketing and / or promotions. Maybe you start with a newsletter (using tools such as rapid and constant contact page). This is followed by a special offer on your blog. Then you can send an updated offer announced on Twitter. Monitoring the success of this campaign may be linked to your automated sales tool and to help you to renew the program for better focus and achieve spectacular results. To start using a CRM tool, start with the simplest tools and easy at first. Next, find what you like and dislike.
Extract the sales process, you reveal what the minimum requirements, and you can remove some of the tools are too simplistic for your needs. It is each department and / or the person who touches the customer to contribute, as he uses the instrument. Use a small portion of their sales staff if you can segment them, one solution is to test the short period of time. Then you can add a couple of other units being tested. Finally found a tool everybody can use and accept. The usefulness of the tools are only as good as the information is stored, and everyone must participate.
With the right tools, you can listen very carefully to what the client says and touch them when necessary. Can provide the right information when they want and create a desire for your product. Automated tools can help track sales and keep your company name at the top of the minds of customers. The result is more sales, and sales efforts more effective.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 2
Previous article: Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 1
The focus of your selling cycle is to match the buying cycle of your customer. The first step the customer goes through is identifying that they have a need to solve a problem. Your sales force must identify the customer's problems before they can start their selling. Listening is an important attribute at this stage. By listening to what the customer says, types in an email, posts on a blog or a tweet, or places in printed material, you can learn plenty about your customers.
Once the customer has found that they have a problem, they gather information. During this stage of the buying cycle, specific information must be fed to the prospect. Too much irrelevant information forces the prospect to look elsewhere for a solution. The whole company can be involved in providing the right information such as product benefits and features, demonstrations, trials, customer support, referrals, etc. During this gathering stage, the desire for a solution builds within your prospects, as they want a solution. Experienced sales people will build upon that desire and direct it towards their solutions. Tracking the interaction with an automated tool will increase the efficiency of your sales process.
Knowing the buying cycle is paramount for success and you need to map this cycle to your unique customer. Some significant points to know about your ideal customers are:
As you touch your customers, you need to understand who else touches them (departments and other employees in your company). In addition, it is important to know how and where the touches take place, and how these touches correspond to the buying cycle (need, information gathering and desire). Tracking this process is helpful for success, and today's automated tools can do just that.
You know your customer, you know their buying cycle, and you know what your company strategy is. The interaction between you and your customers is a series of touching and listening. Listening to your customers and prospects is getting more complex every day, as you must track what they are saying verbally as well as electronically (websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Do you have a process in place to listen to your customers? The more listening you do, the better you can touch the prospect and provide what they need and want. The goal is to create a great flow of the appropriate information to capture a larger share of your customers' wallets.
You need a proper tool to help you track your interaction with customer. History of message flow between you and your customers should be logged which will help you achieve your goal. A simple sales tracking tool like Sales Tracking Portal will help you greatly. Check out and register for free at its official website.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
The focus of your selling cycle is to match the buying cycle of your customer. The first step the customer goes through is identifying that they have a need to solve a problem. Your sales force must identify the customer's problems before they can start their selling. Listening is an important attribute at this stage. By listening to what the customer says, types in an email, posts on a blog or a tweet, or places in printed material, you can learn plenty about your customers.
Once the customer has found that they have a problem, they gather information. During this stage of the buying cycle, specific information must be fed to the prospect. Too much irrelevant information forces the prospect to look elsewhere for a solution. The whole company can be involved in providing the right information such as product benefits and features, demonstrations, trials, customer support, referrals, etc. During this gathering stage, the desire for a solution builds within your prospects, as they want a solution. Experienced sales people will build upon that desire and direct it towards their solutions. Tracking the interaction with an automated tool will increase the efficiency of your sales process.
Knowing the buying cycle is paramount for success and you need to map this cycle to your unique customer. Some significant points to know about your ideal customers are:
- Industry
- Geographic coverage
- Size (revenue & employees)
- Company history
- Lifestyle
- Psychographic (Values)
- How do they buy?
- What problems do you solve for them?
- Who are their ideal customers?
- What are their key products?
- Who else sells to them?
- Why would they buy you over your competitors?
As you touch your customers, you need to understand who else touches them (departments and other employees in your company). In addition, it is important to know how and where the touches take place, and how these touches correspond to the buying cycle (need, information gathering and desire). Tracking this process is helpful for success, and today's automated tools can do just that.
You know your customer, you know their buying cycle, and you know what your company strategy is. The interaction between you and your customers is a series of touching and listening. Listening to your customers and prospects is getting more complex every day, as you must track what they are saying verbally as well as electronically (websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Do you have a process in place to listen to your customers? The more listening you do, the better you can touch the prospect and provide what they need and want. The goal is to create a great flow of the appropriate information to capture a larger share of your customers' wallets.
You need a proper tool to help you track your interaction with customer. History of message flow between you and your customers should be logged which will help you achieve your goal. A simple sales tracking tool like Sales Tracking Portal will help you greatly. Check out and register for free at its official website.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Sales Success Requires a Tracking Process Part 1
The most challenging task in business is selling. Everyone in your company should be selling, as they are an ambassador for the company, no matter where they are. This is very evident in today's social media world, where employees need to heed what they post on a public web site.
When we talk with CEO of a company, we tell them that they must be selling all the time, or they are just overhead. The head of a company must constantly sell to customers, partners, suppliers, bankers, investors and employees.
Today's companies need a tool to track their successes, failures and interactions within organization. Creating a process with a sales tool will increase your success, plus improve the efficiency of your sales force. This article describes a series of steps to take as you evaluate different sales tools.
Selling is perceived to be difficult. Selling is just a process that you establish, follow and track. Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth, has shown that everyday people create wildly successful companies with processes. One of the most important processes in sales is the follow up. Follow up should occur any time you and your customer interact. An interaction happens when you are either listening to them, or reaching out to touch them. Success comes from making sure that the right information flows to your customer at the right time.
Your customers go through a buying cycle. This buying process may vary, but the primary steps are need, information gathering and desire. Throughout the whole buying decision process, emotions direct the customer. People buy with their heart and then justify the decision using the gray matter between their ears. Therefore, all information that flows to your prospects and customers must guide their emotions at that particular point in time. Follow up is critical at each step. Good Sales tracing system will be valuable for your sales force in helping you achieve this critical process.
As you provide information to potential buyers, you must focus on them. You need to please their requirements and wants. The sales cycle will focus on your customer and their buying cycle. You must identify their process, and find the steps your customer goes through. Then get the right information and right people involved to please your customer. It is not easy to keep track and get the right correspondent to your customers at all time. Different customers possess different buying process. You need to have an efficient tracking system to aid your sales operation to keep up performance.
Most of us provide more than one product to a customer, as we can usually sell ancillary products and on-going services. Every customer should be looked upon as a future referral. The result is that we must focus on all customers for the long haul.
From the owner's or boss' point of view, critical indicators to track include sales increases, number of customers, sales efficiency, and sales per customer (or better yet, profit per customer). Sales managers want metrics to measure their sales force efficiency - calls per day, close ratio, new calls, etc. Your customer only has so much money to spend, and you want as large a share of his wallet as possible. An effective sales reporting system should be put into place to track these vital indicators, plus others that you deem important.
Increased efficiencies for sales people usually mean more sales per day or week. The more that you can automate the tasks of the sales force, the more time they spent pleasing the customer, and more time in front of them. All sales tools must be easy to update from any wireless devices. Sales people want efficiency in their lives and they will spend as little time as possible entering data.
Part of the tracking process is capturing information about the customer. Customer information includes customer dynamics, demographics, history of interactions between your companies, customer needs, buying habits and how often the customer is touched. Touching a customer or prospect includes face-to-face discussions, phone calls, emails, ordinary mail, your website, blog postings, tweets, and other information your customer can find out about you. Do you know what your customer is posting on their blogs, websites or in tweets?
In conclusion of this part 1, you need to know buying cycle of your prospects and organize your tasks properly to response with right action in the right time. You need to know how to gather customer information properly in order to help they solve problem. A good sales tracking system will be like your magic wand in helping you do these jobs. I will discuss more about how to take into next step in order to seal the deal in Part 2 of this article.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
When we talk with CEO of a company, we tell them that they must be selling all the time, or they are just overhead. The head of a company must constantly sell to customers, partners, suppliers, bankers, investors and employees.
Today's companies need a tool to track their successes, failures and interactions within organization. Creating a process with a sales tool will increase your success, plus improve the efficiency of your sales force. This article describes a series of steps to take as you evaluate different sales tools.
Selling is perceived to be difficult. Selling is just a process that you establish, follow and track. Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth, has shown that everyday people create wildly successful companies with processes. One of the most important processes in sales is the follow up. Follow up should occur any time you and your customer interact. An interaction happens when you are either listening to them, or reaching out to touch them. Success comes from making sure that the right information flows to your customer at the right time.
Your customers go through a buying cycle. This buying process may vary, but the primary steps are need, information gathering and desire. Throughout the whole buying decision process, emotions direct the customer. People buy with their heart and then justify the decision using the gray matter between their ears. Therefore, all information that flows to your prospects and customers must guide their emotions at that particular point in time. Follow up is critical at each step. Good Sales tracing system will be valuable for your sales force in helping you achieve this critical process.
As you provide information to potential buyers, you must focus on them. You need to please their requirements and wants. The sales cycle will focus on your customer and their buying cycle. You must identify their process, and find the steps your customer goes through. Then get the right information and right people involved to please your customer. It is not easy to keep track and get the right correspondent to your customers at all time. Different customers possess different buying process. You need to have an efficient tracking system to aid your sales operation to keep up performance.
Most of us provide more than one product to a customer, as we can usually sell ancillary products and on-going services. Every customer should be looked upon as a future referral. The result is that we must focus on all customers for the long haul.
From the owner's or boss' point of view, critical indicators to track include sales increases, number of customers, sales efficiency, and sales per customer (or better yet, profit per customer). Sales managers want metrics to measure their sales force efficiency - calls per day, close ratio, new calls, etc. Your customer only has so much money to spend, and you want as large a share of his wallet as possible. An effective sales reporting system should be put into place to track these vital indicators, plus others that you deem important.
Increased efficiencies for sales people usually mean more sales per day or week. The more that you can automate the tasks of the sales force, the more time they spent pleasing the customer, and more time in front of them. All sales tools must be easy to update from any wireless devices. Sales people want efficiency in their lives and they will spend as little time as possible entering data.
Part of the tracking process is capturing information about the customer. Customer information includes customer dynamics, demographics, history of interactions between your companies, customer needs, buying habits and how often the customer is touched. Touching a customer or prospect includes face-to-face discussions, phone calls, emails, ordinary mail, your website, blog postings, tweets, and other information your customer can find out about you. Do you know what your customer is posting on their blogs, websites or in tweets?
In conclusion of this part 1, you need to know buying cycle of your prospects and organize your tasks properly to response with right action in the right time. You need to know how to gather customer information properly in order to help they solve problem. A good sales tracking system will be like your magic wand in helping you do these jobs. I will discuss more about how to take into next step in order to seal the deal in Part 2 of this article.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Forrester’s analysis: profitability (ROI) of software-as-a-Service
In a "Total Economic Impact ™, the market research firm, examined in July last year, the long-term benefits that companies in the use of software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions can take. Almost always - according to the Forrester analysts in the introduction to the Report of the investigation - considered as undertakings Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) due to the short implementation period and the pay-as-you-go principle (PAYG) a cost advantage over site-own solutions.
Many companies introduced the long-term value of SaaS but questions because they do not know exactly whether the SaaS model in comparison to the site's own solution inevitably has a cost recovery point, and if so when?
Particularly important, according to Forrester, be it in a first step, the profitability indicators for the use of software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to determine solutions. be employed would also be required depending on the scope of the ROI assessment, different considerations.
Result of analysis: "The companies surveyed by Forrester identified using a five-year cost-benefit analysis of long-term benefits of SaaS. While almost all companies see a short-term benefits of SaaS, many companies have calculated also a long-term benefits of SaaS. "
There are some SaaS providers that provide services such as Sales Tracking software for free such as Sales Tracking Portal. It is highly recommended for company that want to test the water if their business is suitable in adopt SaaS into business process.
Article source: Kenny Blog
Many companies introduced the long-term value of SaaS but questions because they do not know exactly whether the SaaS model in comparison to the site's own solution inevitably has a cost recovery point, and if so when?
Particularly important, according to Forrester, be it in a first step, the profitability indicators for the use of software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to determine solutions. be employed would also be required depending on the scope of the ROI assessment, different considerations.
Result of analysis: "The companies surveyed by Forrester identified using a five-year cost-benefit analysis of long-term benefits of SaaS. While almost all companies see a short-term benefits of SaaS, many companies have calculated also a long-term benefits of SaaS. "
There are some SaaS providers that provide services such as Sales Tracking software for free such as Sales Tracking Portal. It is highly recommended for company that want to test the water if their business is suitable in adopt SaaS into business process.
Article source: Kenny Blog
Saturday, November 6, 2010
As companies reduce IT costs.
Cost containment has become a watchword in IT environments because of the perceived conflict between the IT staff (who are often seen as a cost center to be checked) - and the financial officers and executive IT people see as an obstacle to improving IT skills.
The truth, however, lies somewhere in between: while the conflicts on costs and cash outflows occur, some common sense approaches to this issue can help solve problems and improve the bottom line of society, without affecting its efficiency and effectiveness. The following are some strategies for improved IT cost containment.
Find ways to improve and standardize procedures. There was a time when the pace of technological change was so fast that personal computers have been updated once or twice a year. This led many companies to resort to the development of processes and procedures on the fly. "
The pace of technology is apparently slowing, the changes that are happening are - broadly - 'improvements' to existing systems (eg wireless networks that replaces 'wired' networks). This is an opportunity for companies to slow down and establish more efficient procedures.
Be open to new technologies. A field of new technologies is virtualization software, which helps the server to do more tasks than originally planned. An expert in IT infrastructure you can use virtualization software to run eight cars outside a single server. For e-commerce company with 400 people, this may mean keeping the same people, but working out only 40 cars. It is true that the total cost savings are not that high savings due to virtualization are about 30-40%, but for larger companies, this can result in a significant amount.
On the other hand, it should be 'virtual' will also require expenditure, particularly for more powerful servers and increased network costs, but the long-term savings is worth it.
Be opportunistic. Options to reduce costs are not limited to new technologies and new management practices - it is also a mindset focused exercise and a healthy feedback to identify opportunities that arise.
Contract renewals are one such area of opportunity - especially for large enterprises with heavy IT requirements. Leveraging on these supply needs can translate into significant cost savings, if managed properly.
Moving into a new building is another. Rather than 'wiring' the building to use that network, wireless technology can be brought in. Before you say that this is a case for using new technologies, it should be noted that the transition from wired to wireless technology eliminates the cost of hiring people to drill and wire rope all over the place - not to mention the money saved from the distribution with wires and cables.
Involve IT staff in budget planning and establishing financial goals. Critics assume that IT managers and people have their heads in the clouds and rarely bothered to explain the objectives and concerns of the financial cost to them. What is overlooked is the fact that all people - like others - are concerned about the financial health of their businesses because their income and lifestyle depends on the business doing well.
Switching to SaaS instead of deploying traditional software is another company can reduce cost dramatically. SaaS required minimal implementation & maintenance cost gives you flexibility in managing your IT budget. Learn more about how SaaS should reduce your IT Budget.
If you are in Sales department, you may want to check out a SaaS Sales Tracking Software that might suite your need.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
The truth, however, lies somewhere in between: while the conflicts on costs and cash outflows occur, some common sense approaches to this issue can help solve problems and improve the bottom line of society, without affecting its efficiency and effectiveness. The following are some strategies for improved IT cost containment.
Find ways to improve and standardize procedures. There was a time when the pace of technological change was so fast that personal computers have been updated once or twice a year. This led many companies to resort to the development of processes and procedures on the fly. "
The pace of technology is apparently slowing, the changes that are happening are - broadly - 'improvements' to existing systems (eg wireless networks that replaces 'wired' networks). This is an opportunity for companies to slow down and establish more efficient procedures.
Be open to new technologies. A field of new technologies is virtualization software, which helps the server to do more tasks than originally planned. An expert in IT infrastructure you can use virtualization software to run eight cars outside a single server. For e-commerce company with 400 people, this may mean keeping the same people, but working out only 40 cars. It is true that the total cost savings are not that high savings due to virtualization are about 30-40%, but for larger companies, this can result in a significant amount.
On the other hand, it should be 'virtual' will also require expenditure, particularly for more powerful servers and increased network costs, but the long-term savings is worth it.
Be opportunistic. Options to reduce costs are not limited to new technologies and new management practices - it is also a mindset focused exercise and a healthy feedback to identify opportunities that arise.
Contract renewals are one such area of opportunity - especially for large enterprises with heavy IT requirements. Leveraging on these supply needs can translate into significant cost savings, if managed properly.
Moving into a new building is another. Rather than 'wiring' the building to use that network, wireless technology can be brought in. Before you say that this is a case for using new technologies, it should be noted that the transition from wired to wireless technology eliminates the cost of hiring people to drill and wire rope all over the place - not to mention the money saved from the distribution with wires and cables.
Involve IT staff in budget planning and establishing financial goals. Critics assume that IT managers and people have their heads in the clouds and rarely bothered to explain the objectives and concerns of the financial cost to them. What is overlooked is the fact that all people - like others - are concerned about the financial health of their businesses because their income and lifestyle depends on the business doing well.
Switching to SaaS instead of deploying traditional software is another company can reduce cost dramatically. SaaS required minimal implementation & maintenance cost gives you flexibility in managing your IT budget. Learn more about how SaaS should reduce your IT Budget.
If you are in Sales department, you may want to check out a SaaS Sales Tracking Software that might suite your need.
Article Source: Kenny Blog
SaaS
SaaS (Software as a Service) is an application hosted on a remote server and accessed via the Internet.
A simple and concrete example of SaaS are "free" e-mail (also known as web-based e-mail) systems offered on the Internet such as Microsoft Hotmail, G-Mail and Yahoo Mail. Each program meets the basic criteria of a SaaS application: a vendor (Microsoft, Google or Yahoo), contains all the programs, logic and data in a central location and provides access to end users of these data and the software runs and used during the world-wide web.
This "simple" application architecture can be applied to a wide range of software applications for use by companies or firms or individual users.
Two main categories of SaaS
SaaS is often divided into two main categories:
- The so-called "line of business services" which refers to business solutions offered to enterprises and businesses, and sold or made available to these companies on the basis of a subscription. Applications in this category include business processes such as supply chain management programs, applications, customer relationship and other
- Customer-oriented services that are offered to the public in general or on a subscription basis or (more often than not) offered for free but are supported by advertising. Web-based e-mail, such as those mentioned above fall into this general category.
Software Ownership
Traditionally, the user purchases a software package and license by paying a one time fee. The software becomes the property of the person who made the purchase. The software support and updates are provided by the seller or developer under the terms of the license agreement.
SaaS, on the other hand, did not have licenses. Rather than a single price, the payment for the use of software is by subscription. You access and use the software ends when you stop paying the subscription fees. In addition, the software is downloaded to your computer. In this example we used, G-Mail or Hotmail, it is not "resident" on your computer - to access and use over the Internet, but it is uploaded and stored on computer.
The main advantages for the user
- Lower costs. You should not pay a single (usually large) fee for licensing. He just needs to pay recurring subscription fees. An article about how you save money on SaaS implementation.
- Smaller storage requirements. You do not need to store the software or data stored on your computer so you do not need large data storage facilities. There is also the convenience of not having to constantly details backup - storage is the responsibility of the SaaS provider.
- Fewer staff. SaaS reduces the need for specially trained IT staff to manage the maintenance, monitoring and software updates. The SaaS vendor will provide a dedicated team to handle these tasks.
The main advantages for the seller
The main advantage for the vendor is in continuous stream of income that will amount to much more than can be expected in the traditional setup software licenses. Using SaaS also suppliers to mitigate piracy and without the use of software and reduce the losses associated with these activitie
One example of SaaS in market today is Sales Tracking Portal. Sales Tracking Portal is an Online Sales Tracking Software helping sales professional to track and manage their sales operations. The strong point of this service is their simplicity and affordable. The features is much enough to support most of sales operation while very cost effective.
Article Source: SaaS
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