A good conference experience can have a powerful influence on your work. You may have gathered useful insights and new strategies, or maybe you’ve made some great contacts or even gained a few sales leads. For a conference planner, putting together a good conference means est Read More »

For many businesses that are looking to expand and grow their revenue stream – it’s all about finding new opportunities. Growing your sales team is one way to broaden your client base if you’re in the B2B space, but this means investing in new resources and training new hires. Meanwhile, many organisations in certain service industries are realising that they already have an invaluable resource to expand their revenue stream – their non-sales employees.

“Up-selling” their roles

This doesn’t mean throwing your IT staff on the phone and getting them to rake in the dough – they’ll likely resent you for this and will be looking for a new job before long. However, if you encourage all of your employees to keep an eye and ear out for new opportunities – you’ll be surprised at what they’ll bring in the door. In fact, non-sales people can be amazingly effective at up-selling and cross-selling across your entire range of services.

Here are some guidelines to motives your non-sales staff to support your sales process:

- Keep everyone informed - everyone talks about their jobs outside of work, whether it’s at home with their partners or at a function or party. Capitalise on these situations by educating everyone in your staff on the features and benefits of your products and services. Be sure the company’s history, profile and mission is known by all.
- Have processes and resources available to pass on information - have resources such as brochures, samples and presentations readily available so anyone can access what they need. Establish a process for individuals to funnel helpful sales information to the appropriate individuals.
- Supply everyone with business cards - even those with non-client facing roles should have a card, even if it’s a generic one. This will ensure your brand gets around new circles.

- Share good news – pride facilitates conversation – so share your good news such as important milestones, media coverage and other events that are worth boasting about.
- Be transparent – major announcements such as mergers, acquisitions and other significant developments within the company should be announced and communicated in a timely and formal manner. A positive public profile of the company relies on employees feeling confident about the information they have and the future direction of the organisation – it will also assist them in identifying additional opportunities that are in sync with new developments.

Encourage all of your staff to support sales in a positive way. This could mean offering bonuses and incentives or organising events to boost team performance and morale. Meanwhile, you can also consider basic sales training for all of your staff to familiarise them with the process of finding leads and following up on prospects – courses and workshops are also available for “non-sales” people.

Everyone at some point in his life will feel that he has an incompetent boss – whether it’s an immediate supervisor or the business owner himself. There are plenty of reasons why someone could fall short in his or her management responsibilities – it could be arrogance, indecisiveness, an unwillingness to be held accountable or a refusal to participate in the team.

While a bad boss can be difficult to deal with, there are many lessons that can be garnered from your experience – turn your frustrating situation into the perfect learning opportunity. Here are some observations you can look out for:

- Pay attention to their efforts - if your manager is ineffective as a leader, chances are he’ll be expending a lot of effort to achieve very little results. Consider what changes you would make to address these inefficiencies.
- Note how they’re received – observe how superiors receive a less productive manager. They’ll often be put under more pressure to deliver satisfactory results – and that will have an impact on their performance and review.
- Know that even the best bosses can sometimes be bad - all employees, managers and executives will have moments where they make the wrong decision or perform poorly. Effective leaders know how to address their shortcomings and correct their mistakes in a professional manner. Some might pursue leadership coaching opportunities to develop themselves professionally and improve in their roles.
- Learn to work with them - most importantly, an employee can take the opportunity to learn how to address, approach and how to work with an ineffective manager. By being proactive in your dealings and taking the initiative to support your team, you can get a better understanding on how to work with similar individuals in the future.

Meanwhile, if you think you could be more effective in managing your team, or if you’re ready to take the next step up in your career, executive training can help you develop your skills – so you won’t be that bad boss you dread.

For many managers, letting staff go – no matter whose decision it is, can be a challenging process especially if you’re new to your role. While it may seem easier to devote your time to hiring and training new staff, experienced team leaders know that the exit interview for departing employees is equally important. Learn how to conduct an exit interview and what valuable information you can garner from them.

• Don’t expect too much – departing employees are generally less than enthused about the exit interview process – unless they’re looking to really give you a piece of their minds! Most employees will give polite and the socially acceptable answers on why they’re leaving (“more money” etc). Organisations that have maintained a supportive work environment will be more likely to get honest and constructive feedback from leavers.
• Don’t ask too much - keep the interview short, formal and focused to a few key questions. Carefully consider the feedback that you receive, but don’t accept it purely on face value. If you notice a particular pattern emerging from your interviews, you will want to consider how to improve on these areas.
• Don’t offer too much - even though you want your employees to leave on a positive note, don’t offer help or assistance unless you can follow through. Managers who say to their prized employees “you’ll always have a job here” may come to regret those words a few months down the track when the employee’s new position doesn’t work out.
• Don’t forget about formalities - the primary purpose for an exit interview is to gauge feedback on ways that you can improve your organisation and for your own professional development as a manager. It’s also important to reinforce formalities that extend beyond the term of the employment – remind them of confidentiality agreements, non-compete clauses and intellectual property matters.

It’s not just for employees! – exit interviews are also important for the sales process. Sales training courses will encourage you to find out why you failed to win an account or close a sale. This feedback will be helpful to winning future business.

Whether it’s telesales or pitching to a venture capitalist – the sales process involves patience, perseverance and process. Too often, in our eagerness to close a sale, we can skip over critical steps and milestones that are important to laying a strong foundation to build confidence in the sale.

From the first phone call to the issuing of the invoice, always have one question in mind – what’s my next objective?

Key steps in the sale process

1. Make contact – most successful sales pitches start with a phone call – or perhaps, these days a well crafted email will do. Finding an appropriate initial contact to approach is important – it should be a person within the organisation who will be most likely to receive the benefits of your product.
   • Objective: Your goal for this first step is to set up a face to face meeting with this contact to qualify the prospective sale.
2. The first meeting: this is the first meeting with your contact – and it’s the perfect time to get as much information as you can about their needs, and then present your product as a worthwhile investment.
   • Objective: your goal will be to follow up this meeting up with one that includes key decision makers. This could be directors, managers or even just the partner of a small business.
3. The second meeting: For most sales processes, a single meeting is often not enough to push yourself over the line and seal the deal. The second meeting will usually include key decision makers within the organisation. Alternatively, some businesses may prefer an internal presentation from staff.
   • Objective: your objective during this meeting is to finalise any additional information you might need to put together a tailored proposal to suit the client. Even if your product is stock standard and out of the box – be aware of any supportive services, such as installation and training, that may be required.
4. The final proposal: at this stage, you’re securing the order and working out the logistics for the delivery. Set timelines, determine milestones and put together a project plan for deliverables.
   • Objective: this is where your potential client signs on the dotted line, close the sale – and go out for drinks!

Of course, the actual steps involved will depend on the product you’re selling and the organisation or individual you’re working with. Sales training courses can help you identify the indicators so you can determined what your next milestone should be; some sales might require two meetings to get to the decision makers, while others will be so enamoured with your product from the outset, they’ll sign right away.
Whether you’re a senior sales manager or it’s your first time working in a call centre, sales courses can give you a good refresher on the basic skills while professional development courses can help you to propel your career forward.

Who do you think would be the worst boss in the world to work for? Foul mouthed Gordon Ramsay, whose idea of constructive criticism is to chuck your work in the bin? Or perhaps it’s time wasting, attention seeking Michael Scott from The Office, who spends more time trying to get his employees to like him than running a business?

We all know what an ineffective manager is like, and how difficult it can be to work for one. However, once you’re on the other side of the fence, many of us realise that effective management is much more challenging than we had first envisioned. It’s okay to make mistakes – after all, managers aren’t super heroes, no matter what some may believe. However, get to know the signs of bad management and how to avoid the pitfalls:

Taking all the credit

Sure, as a manager you work hard and drive your team and that performance should be recognised. However, an effective manager distributes the credit and recognises the individual contributions of each team member. Be specific when you commend individuals for their work instead of passing it off as a generic “team effort”.

Buddying up with your employees

If you’ve been promoted to a new role, it’s hard to know how to handle previous relationships with your former colleagues. While the occasional after work drinks might be okay, a level of professional detachment will be needed in order for you to maintain your respect and position as a manager.

Being intimidated by your employees

Regardless of their age, experience or gender – an effective manager needs to manage all the members of the team. If you’re intimidated by one of your employees, you won’t be able to make demands on their performance which will reflect poorly on your ability to lead a team.

Not taking the blame

Even if he or she isn’t responsible for doing the actual work itself, a manager is held accountable for the performance of the entire team. Make note of where the weaknesses in your team are and think about how you can improve as a manager to minimise their effect.

Micro Managing

We all know about the micro managers – the ones that demand that every step of the project be done in a particular way, wants to approve every email that goes out and exactly when the staff takes a toilet break. Micro managers are often seen as a being “power hungry” looking to assert their authority at every turn. Leadership courses are helpful in learning how to assign tasks and hand out responsibility without micro managing.

Not chipping in

A manager needs to maintain a professional distance, but that’s no reason to not chip in. When the going gets tough, a good manager should be contributing to the long hours and working with the team to get the job done.

Getting employees to do your dirty work

You should never delegate a task that you yourself would be unwilling to complete. Always be there to offer support and guidance should your team have any questions or concerns about the job at hand.
New to management? Don’t make these rookies mistakes. Management training is an important part of learning to step up and into your new role.

They say there’s a sucker born every minute – but natural born leaders are much, much harder to come by. While leadership is often seen as an inherent quality, there are many learned techniques and skills that can improve the effectiveness of your leadership abilities.

If you’ve been put in charge of a team, whether it’s a couple of staff or an entire corporate division, an effective leader will know how to communicate with their team members and direct their operations in an efficient and strategic manner. Learn how leaders are made with some of these helpful suggestions:

Keep a level head - effective leadership is about steering and guiding your team to achieve your team goals. This means keeping a level head and staying calm even in the times of crisis. Be a good role model; by keeping a level head and maintaining a calm and confident demeanour – you’ll encourage your team to do the same and perform at their best.

Lead by example - an effective leader will only assign and delegate tasks that he or she is willing to do. Leaders provide their team with a vision and set the goals, but they will also need to work hard and contribute to the group’s efforts.

Give credit where credit is due – offer well deserved and immediate praise for a job well done. Your team members will work harder and be more committed to your vision if they feel that they are doing a good job. Be quick to praise and limit the amount of criticism. While you want your team to accept responsibility, you’ll be more effective as a leader for praising your staff when they handle a stuff-up well instead of laying the blame on your staff for causing it.

Communicate – from the beginning, you’ll be expected to keep the vision and drive your team to success. Like steering a ship through waters, good communication is vital to ensure your staff members are working together.

Delegate responsibilities – trust your staff to execute their assigned duties, but ensure that you are up to speed with where they’re at and offer any support that they may need. A good leader is always available to offer guidance, but individuals should be given the freedom to experiment and call their work their own.

When it comes to effective leadership, always have your team at the forefront of your mind. Leadership training courses can give you useful ideas and tips on motivation, team building and crisis management – by committing yourself to your team, you too can learn to be a great leader.

Youth activism as a social phenomenon in the United States truly became defined in the mid- to late-nineteenth century when young people began forming labor strikes in response to their working conditions, wages, and hours. Child laborers in the coal mines of Appalachia began this trend, with newspaper carriers, soon following. These actions isolated youths’ interests in the popular media of the times, and separated young people from their contemporary adult labor counterparts.

This separation continued through the 1930s, when the American Youth Congress presented a “Bill of Youth Rights” to the US Congress. Their actions were indicative of a growing student movement present throughout the US from the 1920s through the early 1940s. The 1950s saw the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee bring young people into larger movements for civil rights. This led to the outbreak of youth activism in the 1960s.

Source: Wikipedia.org

It is said that the future of the world is left in the hands of the youth. More than ever, young people are using the Internet as a tool for advancing social change. Recently, a coalition of youth-oriented nonprofits got together and demanded that they have had enough of extremism worldwide, and are now putting those who use violence as a method on notice.

Digital Tools Being Used: Facebook, blogs, video, wikis

What Are They Doing: Pioneering leaders of youth movements from around the world, and other prominent attendees, met for the first time at the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit in New York City last week to share and discuss how to change the world by building powerful grassroots movements. Their website features videos from how to launch a human rights blog to how to practice passive resistance. They are currently using their Facebook group to organize a worldwide march January 17, 2009 to protest the recent Mumbai terrorists attacks and all other forms of extremism.

Source: Digiactive.org

Lending to students has become big business, and students need to be cautious of predatory lending practices. Before signing up for credit, students can use this how much can I borrow calculator to find out how credit card debt can modify borrowing power and impede on real estate ownership. Resisting the temptation of credit and opting for property ownership is a much stronger wealth building strategy in the long-term.