Monday, July 30, 2012

Article of Interest: How to Build a Great Sales Team

Let's face it, we all want a winning sales team.  But why is it so many of us fall short of building one?  Is it "us" or is it "them?"  Or is it something else?
Clearly, the best sales forces have both excellent salespeople and excellent managers.  A team of ...
Read the entire Harvard Business Review blog post here.

A few interesting reader's comments:
•  You need to get the right person at the driving seat and let him or her run with it. A great manager will get great people working for him and ensure the organization is benefited.
•  Few organizations have any substantial programs for sales managers, much less real sales leadership.  Yet, sales team leaders and sales “managers” are the most critical element for success because they define and drive the culture for each sales person and the sales team.
•  What were great managers before they were great managers?  As far as I know, you don't just get promoted into a management role - you have to earn that right, build that experience and then win the position.  I would disagree and say that all great managers, at one time or another, were great sales people.  "You can't know where you're going, unless you remember where you came from."
 What's your experience?  How have you developed a best sales force?  We welcome hearing from you!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Article of Interest: Mobile Commerce Booms

New data from IBM shows mobile commerce in 2012 is booming, representing 15.1% of all online sales.  Social commerce, on the other hand, is declining 20% in Q2 2012 - just 1.9% of online sales (down from 2.4%).

As a business owner, how are you leveraging technology to perform better for your customers?
... it’s clear that mobile commerce is growing bigger and faster than social commerce.  Why?  Well, mobile-enhanced commerce has a clear value proposition that hits one of the core 4C’s of marketing (as shown above) – convenience.
Read the entire article and view the slideshare here.

Illustration credit:  Social Commerce Today

Monday, July 16, 2012

Article of Interest: Why Emotions Matter in the Business World

What to do with negativity in the workplace?  How do you handle a chronic complainer?   Every once in a while we hire a key person who seems ideal for a job - only to discover later on that they are a big time energy drainer within the firm.

What can you do?  The article below is a good example of how one executive handled a very similar situation.  Once he took action, a cloud had lifted and the sun came out.

Read the entire article:  Emotional Contagion Can Take Down Your Whole Team

Monday, July 02, 2012

Books of Interest: Great Summer Reading for Business Owners

Photo courtesy:  ©Laurel Delaney 2012, "Steve Jobs"
Start up or beyond, these books will help you brush up on everything from modern marketing to leadership to innovation.  A terrific book list.

A List of Must-Read Books For Startups and Entrepreneurs

Photo -- "Steve Jobs - Biography" -- courtesy of Laurel Delaney and featured as No. 5 on the book list under Inspiration.


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