by Lynne Cunningham, MPA, Studer Group At some point, you will have to have a difficult conversation at work. There's just no way around it. Whether you're giving not-so-positive feedback to an employee, broaching a sensitive issue with a coworker or even confronting a moody employee, there will come a time when you need to bite the proverbial bullet and just say what needs … [Read more...] about In Tough Conversations, Seek to COMPLETE, Not COMPETE
Sales & Marketing
Five Tasks a Company Website Should Accomplish
By Marc Gordon According to a study commissioned by GoDaddy, 60 percent of small businesses don't have a website. Factor in that, according to Google, 97 percent of consumers search online for businesses and products before making a purchase, and it could be argued that having a professional website is essential for success. Regardless of its industry, a company's website … [Read more...] about Five Tasks a Company Website Should Accomplish
Be a Customer Service Contender: Why Most Customer Service Isn’t as Good as It Could (or Should) Be and What You Can Do About It
by Katie Zabriskie, president, Business Training Works, Inc. Too often, organizations recognize they have a service issue, yet their efforts to address shortcomings fail to solve the problem. In the worst cases, customer service initiatives backfire and motivate people to do less. So, what's going on? Usually, a few things are to blame. Typically, there's an organizational … [Read more...] about Be a Customer Service Contender: Why Most Customer Service Isn’t as Good as It Could (or Should) Be and What You Can Do About It
Direct Mail: Seven Ways to Save in 2017
by Kim Mauch, Satori Software We're still waiting for notification of a 2017 price increase, but the USPS already has announced its plans for mailers to save money next year. With postal prices already a big cost center for mailings, any way to cut down on postage spending can make an impact on your company's bottom line. That's where the USPS mailing promotions can come in. … [Read more...] about Direct Mail: Seven Ways to Save in 2017
Industry Survey Notes Declining Sales and Investments
PostPress Semper International, a Boston, Massachusetts-based supplier of skilled talent in the printing, pre-media and marketing industries, released its Third Quarter Economic Insight Report, which found a stark slowdown in overall industry profits and sales forecasts. The economy returned to the forefront of industry threats in this survey, with 32 percent of companies … [Read more...] about Industry Survey Notes Declining Sales and Investments
Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Customers Happy
by Brittany Willes, PostPress Your customers are the lifeline of your business. Their satisfaction with your products and services determines your revenue stream. Happy, satisfied customers mean a more profitable business. How can you make sure your clients are happy, and remain that way, to boost your bottom line? Here are five ways to show your clients that you value their … [Read more...] about Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Customers Happy
Top 5 Reasons to Fire a Customer
by Brittany Willes, PostPress The customer is always right. We're all familiar with the old adage and rarely think to question its authenticity. Sometimes customers are wrong, and some even create more problems than profit. When customer relationships no longer are mutually beneficial, it's time to let those customers go. So, how do you determine if a customer needs firing? … [Read more...] about Top 5 Reasons to Fire a Customer
Using the P.L.U.S.H. Sales Process Methodology
by Chuck Reaves In the history of recorded time, no customer has ever said, "The price is too high," and meant it. Even though it is the most frequent objection that salespeople hear, the price objection is never valid. So, when the customer mouths the words, "The price is too high," what are they really trying to say? It can be one of a number of things, such as: "I … [Read more...] about Using the P.L.U.S.H. Sales Process Methodology
Get the Most Out of Chargeable Extras
by Mark Porter, Dienamic MIS Software Inc. When was the last time you produced a job without any changes? Are you capturing the revenues for these legitimate extra charges, or are they falling through the cracks? If you're not gaining more revenue, then you should at least be avoiding costs. If a job is changed during production and you did not collect the extra revenue for … [Read more...] about Get the Most Out of Chargeable Extras
Make the Sales Pipeline a Priority
by Leslie Groene, Groene Consulting Every prospect, no matter the stage of the sales cycle, is part of the sales pipeline. A salesperson's ability to juggle these prospects, often in differing points of the sales cycle, is referred to as "pipeline management." Balance is the key to maintaining a continuous flow of opportunities. The sales pipeline consists of all prospects … [Read more...] about Make the Sales Pipeline a Priority