Human Resource Development

Medical and dental insurance are very important to people right now. People can’t afford to pay for hospital stays or doctor appointments so they search for companies that offer benefits to their employees and usually when they find one, they stick with it. If you don’t offer benefits to your employees, you need to consider it so your employees are happy and willing to stay with you for the duration.

Offering benefits is not easy to start, but worth it in the long run. There are a number of ways to make this happen, but you must do your research in order for it to happen. One of the first things you need to do is make appointments with several insurance companies in town to see what they offer. You’ll want to make sure you talk to different insurance agents that work with different companies so you have different options to offer your employees. United Healthcare, Aetna, and Kaiser Permanente are just a few of the companies you’ll want to consider.

Before your appointments you’ll need to sit down and decide how much you can afford to pay each month. You don’t have to pay for any of the premiums each month, but your employees may be more willing to sign up for it if you pay for part of the monthly amount. This amount will help you in deciding which plan to go with for your employees.

You’ll also need to consider the health of your employees so you know which plan to go with. If your employees have children, you’ll need to find a plan that offers children’s health. If your employees are young, you’ll want to consider one that offers pregnancy and children’s health.

Once you decide on a plan to go with you’ll need to give your employees all the information they need to decide if they’re going to join or not. You’ll also need to make sure they know when it will start and how much money they’ll need to pay out of each check to cover the cost of the premium. You should also consider offering auto pay from their check to cover the cost of the plan.

When your employees have health insurance they’ll likely go to the doctor when something is wrong. The healthier they are the more likely they’ll be to show up every day for work and the less likely they’ll be to cheat on you with someone else.


By: Josh
http://www.coursepark.com/blog/2012/08/tips-for-offering-benefits-to-your-employees/

When you run a business it’s important to be on top of the game in your industry. This means you need to continually be on the lookout for ways to learn and grow within your business. When you also know the latest and greatest things you’ll stand out above your competition and before long your market will continually come to you for what they need.

When this happens you’ve done what you need to do and your business will grow to levels you may have thought were never possible. Your market will get to a point where they won’t go anywhere, but to you when they need to make a purchase and that’s exactly what you want.
When you continually learn new things you’ll get to this point, but you must take the time to do the learning or it won’t happen. While you may be very busy, there are ways you can still learn the things you need to know about so you share your business with your market and have success.

One of things you can do is ask if the training will be recorded. This will help if you don’t have the time to attend the class at that exact time. This will also give you the ability to listen to it over and over or rewind as necessary for  you to understand what they’re talking about and how you can help your customers.

Another way is to have your assistant attend the training and take notes for you. This will help you to have the information you need and not have to attend when it’s scheduled. If your assistant knows you and your business they’ll be able to take notes and share the most important information with you which will be a huge benefit to you and your customers.
One last way to make the most of your training sessions is to either ask the presenter to transcribe each session or have your assistant do it for you. This will give you the ability to read it when you have time. You can take it on the go and read it on your cell phone or on your iPad.

Continually learning will help you grow your business. You’ll have the ability to help your customers more and you’ll be able to add more products or services to your business which will give you the ability to learn and grow business.

By: Josh
Source: http://www.coursepark.com/blog/2012/09/3-suggestions-for-growing-your-business-through-training-sessions/

In many companies, work has become a place of disillusionment. Employees start with enthusiasm and creativity, but day after day they feel more and more helpless, as if they don't have any real choices anymore. Employees are overwhelmed, exhausted and bored. They feel like they have been shot down. Complaining and ridiculing others becomes the norm. The ""romance"" is gone. If this scenario sounds like your company, don't despair. Deep down, employees are begging to gain a sense of hope and enthusiasm again, but they need your help. If you make a genuine effort to follow these ten tips, you will not only notice attitude shifts, but real changes in behavior among your employees. Give it a shot, and watch the fun return!

1. WALK YOUR TALK. Instead of talking about better communication, start communicating better. By developing open two-way conversations that are energetic and contagious, your employees will feel comfortable to speak their mind. Make sure you listen to what is not being said. Include employees in meetings to get their perspective. Make your meetings interesting by surprising your employees with a new incentive or a message of appreciation. These ideas show that you are not just the leader, but one who really cares.

2. BE SUPPORTIVE. Discuss the weaknesses in the system without blaming individuals. Look at employee wish lists and follow-up with their requests. Ask them what they need from management to feel more valued. Employees need to know that their concerns are being heard. They need not only constructive feedback, they also need positive comments. When employees meet deadlines or suggest creative solutions that positively affect the bottom-line, recognize the behavior immediately. Include their names in a company newsletter, write a personal note and send it to their home, or place an advertisement in the local newspaper showing how much you appreciate your great people.

3. BE A LEADER WITH VISION. True leadership requires foresight, integrity and trust from both sides. Leadership liberates employees, by giving them direction and letting them do the job. Set up periodic reality checks to evaluate their progress, to make sure they are moving in the right direction. They need to know you are willing to hear about ideas they have - to make the company better than it already is today. Share your vision with them so they feel in the loop. Employees tell me rumors and back- biting would stop if only leaders would share future goals and visions of the company.

4. USE STRAIGHT TALK. Straight talk means being able to communicate without alienation or hurt feelings. Many managers have found straight talk to be very difficult. They cannot communicate criticism or compliments without feeling uncomfortable. Managers and employees need to learn to be direct and truthful. Encourage straight talk by thinking about what you really want to say, writing it down and practicing it. After you've practiced, how do you feel about yourself? If you feel good, try it with your employees. If you still are not sure, start from the beginning and figure out a better way to communicate your message. Make straight talk a habit. The more you use it, the more comfortable you will feel. It is important to tell others what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. I encourage leaders to tell their employees that constructive feedback is a gift. This is an area that some people still feel uncomfortable with, however, necessary in order for us to continually improve and grow.

5. BUILD SUPPORTIVE TEAMS. Build teams within departments, and throughout the entire company, to allow an open discussion of dreams and obstacles. Remove job descriptions that keep people stuck in a box. Reward employees who help others and contribute to the company as a whole. There are many exercises that can help teams to find their strengths and weaknesses. These exercises can remove barriers and blind spots and move the team forward. The ""we versus they"" attitude must be eliminated in order to make the team work. We don't need tolike each other. We do need to respect each other's differences. The most successful teams are the ones with diverse members. They bring in different ideas and a variety of strengths.

6. ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY AND LAUGH AT MISTAKES. When employees aren't afraid to take risks, their creativity will soar. Feeling ""in"" on things is still a major concern of employees. They have great ideas, yet are afraid to voice them. This is such a waste of possible solutions to key challenges of a company. Front line employees have a different perspective and must feel comfortable to share their ideas. Encourage this creativity on a regular basis. Les Wexner from The Limited has meetings called ""The Hall of Shame,"" where he tells his employees the biggest mistake he made during the week. He then asks each employee to reveal his or her biggest mistake, and encourages them to describe how the entire group can learn from that mistake. This idea works wonders when the leader begins the process. The question following this exercise is, ""What did we learn from it?"" Make sure to add some fun in order to make people feel comfortable with this idea.

7. EMPOWER EMPLOYEES TO FEEL LIBERATED. Managers and employees need time alone, time to think creatively. Intense and important work requires reflection. Companies that are obsessed with productivity usually have little patience for the quiet time essential for profound creativity. An element of fun lifts morale and increases productivity. Have each employee bring in his or her favorite dessert one day, and listen to the laughter begin. Ask them what they need to do in order to improve morale.

8. HELP EMPLOYEES FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH CHANGE. Learn how to start over and let go of ideas that may have worked in the past, but are no longer effective today. Remind your team that status quo is the kiss of death. We need to constantly look for new ways of doing business. The minute that someone says how good you are is the minute you need to improve. Companies that fail start believing in their own hype! Confront today's challenges while simultaneously probing new opportunities. Eat change for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

9. INSIST THAT EMPLOYEES ALWAYS KEEP THE CUSTOMER IN MIND. You have a lot of competition. Make sure your employees know why customers keep signing your contracts. Realize that curiosity will always lead employees down new paths. Ask employees ""How can we exceed our customers' expectations by knowing their needs, emotions and wants?"" Get employees involved with customers. This way employees feel like part of the team. They will be able to get into the customer's shoes and hear what ""keeps them up at night."" They can take the ideas back to the team and figure out how to go the extra mile to help the customer. An employee with a customer focus will naturally be creative and intuitive.

10. KEEP EMPLOYEES FOCUSED ON THEIR CHEERLEADERS AND FANS. Have your employees make a list of ten clients or co-workers that are thrilled with them and the way they conduct business. Ask your employees to figure out new ways to service their clients to help them in any way they can. Employees will shape their own future as they build relationships with their fans.

These ten tips will WOW your customers and make your competition drool. Your employees will feel like they are part of the company, as they come to work energized and full of passion. Have fun being an intuitive and creative leader. Encourage others to follow in your footsteps. Don't be surprised if YOU end up falling in love with your job again.

Source: http://www.cpsa.com/knowledgecentre/SRCArticleRead.aspx?articleID=159

Almost all employees want to do interesting work, secure a good salary and earn recognition for their contributions. But motivating employees takes more than money and an occasional “thank-you.” It requires a strategy tailored to each worker’s needs.

In HR, you work with your company’s managers to get the most out of your employees. Here are 10 ways to make your motivational techniques work for every employee.

1. Ask what they want out of work. Just knowing that an HR manager or boss is interested in a worker's goals will make many employees feel better about their jobs. It can be difficult to get a quick and accurate answer to this question, however. Some workers may say that they want to work on a prestigious project, for example, only to discover once they have been assigned to the project that it isn’t what they expected.

It may help to ask a more specific question. Have workers describe a previous project that they felt good about, then see what aspects of that can be repeated, suggested Michael Beasley, a career-development and executive coach who owns Career-Crossings in Portola Valley, Calif.

2. Consider each employee’s age and life stage. There are exceptions to every generalization, of course, but workers nearing the end of their careers are often less focused on the next promotion than those who are just starting to climb the corporate ladder. Younger workers may also be less accustomed than older ones to waiting patiently in a job they don’t find interesting.

3. Match motivators to the company or department culture. Again, there are exceptions, but engineers are likely to be motivated by working on cutting-edge projects. On the other hand, sales professionals tend to use money as a way to measure how well they’re doing.

4. Pinpoint each employee’s personality. Some people love public praise; others are mortified by it and would much prefer a sincere, in-person “thank-you.” Make sure you take this into account if you are planning a ceremony to give awards or other recognition.

5. Use flexibility wisely. Allowing employees to telecommute some of the time or to set their own office hours can have big benefits. It makes employees’ lives more manageable — and it shows them that they are trusted.

Still, as with other motivators, one size does not fit all. Some jobs simply can’t be done effectively outside the office. And some workers actually like going in to the office to escape the distractions of home or to preserve a line between home and work. “As long as the commute is not bad, some people would rather go in to work,” said Marianne Adoradio, a Silicon Valley recruiter and career counselor.

6. Put money in its place. How well does money motivate workers? The answer isn’t simple. An employee who demands a raise might really be unhappy because his or her suggestions are being ignored, for example. And surveys and experts offer different answers about how important money is, depending on how the question is phrased.

Dee DiPietro, founder and CEO of Advanced-HR Inc., described money as “a baseline”: too little of it can make workers feel unappreciated and resentful. “You don’t want compensation working against you as a motivator,” she said. “People just don’t want to feel like their employer is taking advantage of them.” However, motivation to work hard rarely comes solely from money. If your employees are being paid fair salaries and still seem unwilling to go the extra mile, throwing more money at them is unlikely to be the answer.

7. Don’t rely on stock options. If money is an unreliable motivator, stock options are even less likely to motivate most workers. Employee worth goes up and down with a company’s stock price — something very few workers feel they can control.

DiPietro considers options “more of a retention tool” because they vest over several years. But she said that most employees simply lump them together with their salary when they consider how much they’re being paid for their work. “People tend to look at the whole cash package,” she said.

8. Offer help with career goals. When you ask workers what kind of work they enjoy, also find out about what they’re hoping to do in the future. Giving workers opportunities to build the skills and make the connections they need to get ahead in their careers will build loyalty and motivation.

9. Help employees learn. It’s very important for workers to keep learning new skills on the job. With people changing jobs more often than they used to and companies no longer promising long-term employment, younger workers in particular realize that continuing to learn is the way to stay employable, said Leslie G. Griffen, managing partner of Career Management Associates, in Overland Park, Kan.

“Kids today are really under pressure to keep adding knowledge,” Griffen said. “I think learning is huge: the ability to gather new knowledge on the job.”

Organized classes and seminars are one way to help with this, as are tuition-reimbursement programs. But in many cases, it’s a matter of listening to what skills a worker is interested in acquiring, then giving the person a chance to work on a project that will develop those skills. 

10. Recognize that motivation isn’t always the answer. If your motivation efforts aren’t working, it may not be your fault. “Not everyone can be motivated for that particular job,” Beasley said. If an employee would really rather be doing something else, it may be best to encourage him or her to pursue something new.

Source: http://www.hrworld.com/features/ten-motivational-tips-112807/

There is nothing worse than having something bad happening at home and then bring it to the office to have others become involved because you’re taking it out on them. Personal problems are just that; personal and they don’t have a place in the office, so it’s important to find ways to keep them out of there.

While it’s hard to do, personal problems need to be left at home, so it’s important to find a way that works for you so you make sure this happens daily. There are several ways to handle it, but only one way will work for you. So it’s important to take a stand now and make sure you leave them at home every day.

One way to make sure your personal problems stay out of the office is to find a way to remind yourself daily to do this. You can put a reminder on your calendar or cell phone that tells you to do this. It doesn’t have to be anything long or detailed. The main thing is to word it in a way that’ll remind you of what you need to do.

Another option is to put a note somewhere that’s visible to you so you remember to leave the personal problems at home. You can put a note on the bathroom mirror, in your car, or on the computer monitor at work. The main thing here is to put it in a place where you’ll see it daily.

One last option to consider when you’re trying to leave your personal problems at home is to have a family member or friend help you to remember. This may be a bit of a struggle depending on the person you choose and what your problems are, but if you trust this person and you know how to control yourself so you don’t get upset with them, you’ll find the right way to keep them away.

Personal problems in the office can cause unwanted hate and discontent along with other things that could cause potentially hazardous work conditions for others. If you’re not focused on your job you could injure someone or you could cost the business thousands of dollars if you mess something up. It’s just not worth it when you can use these tips to help you leave them at home where they belong.

If you’re a small business owner, you may feel that Human Resources Management (HRM) only applies to large companies and corporations. But effective HRM provides strategies for managing employees in any size business. If your business hires employees on any level, HRM policies can help you improve every aspect of recruiting, safety, employee training, hiring and even firing. Gaining new skills in HRM can help you better deal with every aspect of your business’s human resources.

• Allow your employees to learn new job skills and offer training opportunities for those who want to improve. eLearning courses and online training may take your employee away from his job for a few hours, but what he gains in self-confidence and knowledge from effective training will more than make up for any inconvenience the business might feel.

• Let your employees work together, share ideas and develop a sense of ownership over their jobs and the workplace. When workers feel free to share ideas, it helps them to be more productive and more effective in their jobs. Give them the freedom to express their thoughts and utilize their creativity whenever you can.

• Build relationships with your staff, colleagues and managers. This is done by expressing concern for others, treating people with respect, trusting them to want to do their jobs well, and giving them your full attention when required.

• Create an environment that encourages your employees to perform better and recognizes their efforts when they do. It’s easy to overlook a job well done, simply because it’s expected that employees perform adequately. But if you have an employee who has been struggling to improve and she finally makes noticeable progress, let her know you noticed. It can help her to improve even more just to know you’re aware of her efforts.

• Learn to communicate clearly, whether in writing or verbally. Communication skills can be learned. In fact, if you struggle in this area, take a few eCourses to help you improve your skills. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve your HRM abilities.

• Lead your team by example rather than simply direction. This will help your employees respect you much more because they can see you’re not asking them to perform tasks you’re unwilling to perform.

Recognize what works and what doesn’t work in your HRM and eliminate ineffective procedures. Develop systems for monitoring success and learn to adapt your policies as needed to ensure your business is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

By: Josh
Source: http://www.coursepark.com/blog/2011/07/tips-to-improve-your-human-resources-management-skills/

Companies increase market share through innovation, strengthening customer relationships, smart hiring practices and acquiring competitors. A company's market share is the percentage it controls of the total market for its products and services. Market share is calculated by measuring percentage of sales or percentage of units. Using the percentage of sales method, if a company has $1 million in annual sales and the total sales for the year in its industry is $100 million, the company's market share is 1%. Under the percentage of units method, a company that sells 50,000 units annually in an industry where 5 million units are sold per year also has a market share of 1%.

Higher market share puts companies at a competitive advantage. Companies with high market share often receive better prices from suppliers, as their larger order volumes increase their buying power. Also, increased market share and greater production go hand-in-hand, with the latter decreasing a company's cost to produce an individual unit due to economies of scale.

Innovation is one method by which a company may increase market share. When a firm brings to market a new technology its competitors have yet to offer, consumers wishing to own the technology buy it from that company, even if they previously did business with a competitor. Many of those consumers become loyal customers, which adds to the company's market share and decreases market share for the company from which they switched.

By strengthening customer relationships, companies protect their existing market share by preventing current customers from jumping ship when a competitor rolls out a hot new offer. Better still, companies can grow market share using the same simple tactic, as satisfied customers frequently speak of their positive experience to friends and relatives who then become new customers. Gaining market share via word of mouth increases a company's revenues without concomitant increases in marketing expenses.

Companies with the highest market share in their industries almost invariably have the most skilled and dedicated employees. Bringing the best employees on board reduces expenses related to turnover and training, and enables companies to devote more resources to focusing on their core competencies. Offering competitive salaries and benefits is one proven way to attract the best employees; however, employees in the 21st century also seek intangible benefits such as flexible schedules and casual work environments.

Lastly, one of the surest methods to increase market share is acquiring a competitor. By doing so, a company accomplishes two things. It taps into the newly acquired firm's existing customer base, and it reduces the number of firms fighting for a slice of the same pie by one. A shrewd executive, whether in charge of a small business or a large corporation, always has his eye out for a good acquisition deal when his company is in a growth mode.

By: Investopedia
Source: http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/031815/what-strategies-do-companies-employ-increase-market-share.asp

For those of you who have already successfully started a business and are ready to take the next step, you may be wondering what you can do to help your business grow. There are many ways to do this, 10 of which are outlined below. Choosing the proper one (or ones) for your business will depend on the type of business you own, your available resources, and how much money, time and resources you're willing to invest all over again. If you're ready to grow, take a look at these tips.

1. Open another location. This is often the first way business owners approach growth. If you feel confident that your current business location is under control, consider expanding by opening a new location.

2. Offer your business as a franchise or business opportunity. Franchising your business will allow for growth without requiring you to manage the new location. This will help to maximize the time you spend improving your business in other ways, too.

3. License your product. This can be an effective, low-cost growth medium, particularly if you have a service product or branded product. Licensing also minimizes your risk and is low cost in comparison to the price of starting your own company to produce and sell your brand or product. To find a licensing partner, start by researching companies that provide products or services similar to yours.

4. Form an alliance. Aligning yourself with a similar type of business can be a powerful way to expand quickly.

5. Diversify. Diversifying is an excellent strategy for growth, because it allows you to have multiple streams of income that can often fill seasonal voids and, of course, increase sales and profit margins. Here are a few of the most common ways to diversify:

• Sell complementary products or services
• Teach adult education or other types of classes
• Import or export yours or others' products
• Become a paid speaker or columnist

6. Target other markets. Your current market is serving you well. Are there others? Probably. Use your imagination to determine what other markets could use your product.

7. Win a government contract. One of the best ways to grow your business is to win business from the government. Work with your local SBA and Small Business Development Center to help you determine the types of contracts available to you.

8. Merge with or acquire another business. Two is always bigger than one. Investigate companies that are similar to yours, or that have offerings that are complementary to yours, and consider the benefits of combining forces or acquiring the company.

9. Expand globally. To do this, you'll need a foreign distributor who can carry your product and resell it in their domestic markets. You can locate foreign distributors by scouring your city or state for a foreign company with a U.S. representative.

10. Expand to the Internet. Very often, customers discover a business through an online search engine. Be sure that your business has an online presence in order to maximize your exposure.

Source: https://www.sba.gov/content/ideas-growing-your-business

One of sales managers' biggest complaints is not having enough time in the day. When you dig down into the typical manager's schedule, however, you often find that time isn't the problem – it's how that time is prioritized.

Often, managers give first priority to those last-minute requests from the boss to pull together this or that report or send up a piece of data or sit in on this or that meeting. Complying with these requests can give you a short-term feeling of action, but it erodes your effectiveness, say Mike and Gary Braun, partners and founders of Pivotal Advisors, a sales-effectiveness consultancy.

To start, it's helpful to first understand how the best managers spend their time. A study of 300 managers and 2,500 sales reps found that just 20 percent of managers achieved plan three years in a row; the other 80 percent were inconsistent. What set the stars apart was that they spent the vast majority of their time in the following three areas:

Planning. Star managers spent significantly more time than mediocre managers setting targets, setting expectations for key skills, identifying and measuring the activities that led to sales, identifying the profile of the idea customer, and so on.

Coaching. Star managers spent more time in the field with their teams. Their coaching was structured, with agendas to measure specific skills, activities, or results.

Selling. No, top managers didn't jump in to save a deal; rather, they all had a deep understanding of where and how to insert themselves to influence a deal at key moments.

So where do the rest of managers – the inconsistent 80 percent – spend their time? Mostly on administrative issues, internal operations, meetings, marketing issues, CRM issues, and other non-customer-facing issues. Interestingly, that 80 percent also felt a need to do it all. "When we asked how they prioritize, invariably we got, 'Well, we have to do it all. We can't miss this and that,'" says Mike Braun. "No wonder they're working sixty to seventy hours a week!"

In a recent Webinar, the Brauns identified three steps managers can take to move from the core 80 percent to the star 20 percent with consistently high performance:

Step 1: Analyze your calendar. Understand exactly what percent of your time is spent doing what types of activities. Look for opportunities to purge. Do you really need to sit in on these upcoming meetings, or could you get the information via email? Is there work you could delegate? Reports you could consolidate? The test is in this question: "Is this activity more important than spending time in the field with my reps?"

Step 2: Determine your boss's needs. Star managers work closely with senior leaders to understand exactly what information and data they need to run the business. According to the Brauns, it's a good idea to go to your boss and say, "I need to spend more time in the field to make my team more effective, but I want to make sure you have what you need from me."

Gain agreement on the types of reports company execs truly need to run the business and the frequency with which those reports are needed, then eliminate the rest. "You'll be viewed favorably" if you do this, says Mike Braun.

Step 3: Learn to say no. When you get an "urgent" request for this or that data, remind your boss of the agreed-upon reports or point to information you've already provided. You should also ask whether this is information that will be needed on a continuing basis or something that is just a one-time request. Last, explain that you had planned to be on the road with Bill and Susan because you're at X point with the Acme Inc. deal, and ask if your boss would prefer that you prioritize the report ahead of that trip. "When you push back, a lot of the time you'll find things can wait," says Gary Braun. "More often than not, the report will suddenly become less important."


By: HEATHER BALDWIN

Powerfully worded and delivered presentations are an important prelude to a successful close. Unfortunately, such seemingly innocent phrases as "I think…" or "Yes, but…" may be sabotaging your sales.

When your language puts your audience on the defensive, your presentation becomes an impromptu debate, and your prospects become your opponents. Instead of using argumentative words to push prospects away, draw them in with these friendlier and more profitable alternatives.

The Heinous "I" Trap

Your presentations should present your product or service in the most favorable light possible, but they shouldn't do it with a monologue of self-serving statements. Believe it or not, your buyer probably won't think your opinions are completely objective. When you stand to profit from singing your product's praises, accolades like the ones below – even if they're justified – are likely to leave prospects underwhelmed and unimpressed:

• Salesperson: I think this system is perfect for your needs. We can have it installed by tomorrow…Not only that, but its response time is terrific. We're really proud of that.

Would you expect the prospect to be impressed by your high opinion of the product you represent? When you feel the urge to blow your own horn, restrain yourself. Capture your buyers' interest more effectively by sharing what other customers have to say about your product. Use third-party or declarative statements followed by a checking question: "Research directors in other companies really like how easy it is to use this system. What do you think?" or, "The system is really easy to use. Do you agree?" or, "We think the response time is terrific. How does that compare to what you've seen?"

In each example, the salesperson puts personal opinion aside in favor of a third party's, then ends the statement by soliciting the prospect's own opinion. When your prospects agree with your statements or offer a favorable comment, you've brought them one step closer to a positive buying decision. If they disagree or object, you have a chance to answer the objection promptly so you can retain their attention for the remainder of your presentation.

The Argument Trap

The phrases many salespeople use to answer objections set up a contest of wills between prospect and salesperson. The series of "I think…Yes, but" statements that often follows only alienates and irritates prospects. Buyers often simply stop listening and begin to search for more ways to defend their right to their own opinions:

• Buyer: I don't think your program is right for my group.
• Salesperson: Well, I think it is. It includes…
• Buyer: Okay, but it doesn't have…
• Salesperson: Yes, but I can show you…
• Buyer: But I think…
• Salesperson: But I think…

The bottom line? No sale. An "I think" answer to an objection only prompts your prospects to counter with their own opinions, which they certainly hold in higher regard than your own. "I think" almost invariably kicks off a verbal tug of war, which only you can lose. Instead of starting an argument you can't successfully finish, escape from the argument trap by bridging the gap between you and your customer. Substitute combative "I think…Yes, but" language with words that build camaraderie:

          Buyer: I don't think your program is right for my group.

Here are some possible responses a salesperson could use:

• Let's take a closer look at that. The program has…
• Sometimes that seems to be so, only it isn't. Here's why…
• Buyer ABC said the same thing, but, when he took a closer look at the content, he realized how it could really improve his bottom line. Look at this…

In each case, the salesperson expresses sympathetic understanding for the buyer's concern, then uses nonadversarial language to explain – not argue – how the concern is invalid or secondary to the product's other benefits. Prospects want to buy from someone who's on their side. When your language sets up an argument with them, they probably won't want to offer you their business even if they do like your product. Remember, you're there to help your prospect – every word you say should reassure them of that fact.

Smart salespeople know better than to alienate customers, yet their words may push prospects away despite their best intentions. Boost your credibility and rapport with buyers by impressing them with third-party recommendations and by sidestepping a heated debate over your product's suitability to your prospect's needs. With the right words, a quality product, and sharp selling skills, your presentations should end with you and your prospects speaking the universal language of good business.

The Power of Positive Speaking 

To help lift your spirits and boost motivation and productivity, make some positive changes in your everyday language. In his book, Power Talking, communications expert George Walther offers these sunny alternatives to some common negative phrases:

• Replace "I'll have to…" with "I'll be glad to…"
• Replace "I can't…" with "I haven't yet…"
• Replace "I should have…" with "Starting now, I will…"
• Replace "Are you happy with…" with "How can we improve…"
• Replace "I want to sell you…" with "I recommend that you purchase…"
• Replace "I disagree…" with "I understand how you feel…"

The sales profession moves faster than ever today. In the blink of an eye, new competitors emerge, products similar to yours are released, and before you know it, it's a race to the bottom.

No matter what industry you're in, what worked well a few years ago isn't good enough today. This is no time for trial and error or order taking; this is a time to sell. Here are some basic steps you can take to improve your sales performance, reduce your cost of selling, and ensure your survival.

1. Clarify your mission.

Begin by understanding your business niche. What do you do best? Who needs what you do? How do you best approach these prospects? How much are they willing to pay? If these questions are not answered easily, campaign at the top for clarity and vision.

2. Break the mission into specific goals.

Write down the activity goals (calls per day, proposals per month, referrals per call, etc.) that you can control. Set results goals (sales per month, amount per sale, profit per sale, etc.) to measure your progress, and track them closely. Increase your activity and measure the results. Goals focus your attention and energize your action.

3. Sell to customer needs.

Always assume your prospects will buy only what they need. How can you convince them of that need? Emphasize the features of your product or service that reduce costs and solve problems for the customer. Sometimes you can reposition your wares. For example, you sold wool uniforms for their look and feel; now stress wool's durability and lasting value. Be creative in your sales and marketing.

4. Create and maintain favorable attention.

Effective marketing, referrals, strong sales skills, and strategic questions are the keys to creating favorable attention. Diligent follow-through and above-and-beyond customer service are the keys to maintaining it.

5. Sell on purpose.

Know both what to do and why you're doing it at every step along the way. Who are you targeting and why? What are you going to tell them and why? What are you going to ask them and why? What is your proposal going to look like and why? When are you going to ask for the order? If you don't feel sure of yourself at every step of the selling process, get some training or guidance.

6. Ask, listen, and act.

Better than any others, these three words summarize success in sales. Your questions must be creative, planned, relevant, and direct. Your listening skills must be highly developed. You must respond and take action that proves that you listened to the customer and want the sale.

7. Take the responsibility but not the credit.

Realize that you are the team leader. The company looks to you for direction and supports your effort. To build a strong support team willing to go the extra mile when you need it, give your team the credit for everything that goes right, and take the blame when it goes wrong.

8. Work on the basics.

Even the best of the best have room for improvement. Make a decision to improve your weaknesses, and set goals to force yourself to do the things you don't like to do. Be more creative in your prospecting, fact finding, and presentation skills. Imagine the perfect salesperson and compare yourself to the ideal.

9. Develop your attitude.

Your attitude is controllable. Conquer your fears. Change the beliefs that limit your success. Your thought habits control your commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, resilience, happiness, and confidence. Be aware of them, decide which ones are unproductive, and then make a commitment to change. With time and effort, you can become the person you want to be.

10. Maximize your time.

Focus on your goals. Test every activity for its importance and urgency. Create an ideal schedule, and test your actual time use against it daily. Remember, just one hour a day used more productively adds up to more than six extra weeks of productive time a year.

By: JOHN H. DEAN
Source: http://www.sellingpower.com/content/article/?a=10089/10-tips-to-improve-your-sales-performance

If you want to succeed in the coffee business it helps to have been in the game for almost 130 years.

Algerian Coffee Stores in the heart of London's Soho has been trading out of the same shop since 1887 and in terms of word-of-mouth reputation, it has one of the strongest in the city.

"We don't really have to do advertising campaigns," explains Marisa Crocetta, 36, one of the directors at the business that has been in her family since 1948.

"You build up a reputation and being an old shop you appear in tourist guides, and of course everyone visits Soho and that's how they find you."

While Algerian Coffee Stores obeys the first golden rule of setting up a coffee business - find a great location - it has also nailed down the second essential ingredient; keeping the regulars coming back.

This it does by offering one of the best takeaway cups of coffee in London. And at just £1.20 ($1.80) for a cappuccino it's one of the cheapest, too.

Growing demand

"Our main business is in the bags of coffee beans, that's why our prices are so cheap for the takeaway coffee," Marisa explains.

The shop sells around 80 different types of coffee it sources from London-based brokers with beans that come from coffee-growing regions across the globe, including Ethiopia, Colombia and Queensland, Australia.

However, its most popular coffee is the espresso blend it produces in-house, a mixture of Brazilian and African beans. "We go through about half a ton of that a week," says Marisa.

Algerian Coffee Stores gets its names from its first owner, a Mr Hassan who was Algerian, though Algeria itself doesn't produce coffee, and the store has made a solid living for the Crocetta family over three generations - but recently it has been riding the coffee wave.

There were 18,832 coffee shop outlets in the UK with a turnover of £7.2bn in 2015, according to the Allegra World Coffee Portal, and the sector outperformed the entire retail sector with sales growth of 10.7%.

'Never a quiet period'

"Over the past 10 years it's really taken off," says Marisa, adding that online sales are now a growing part of the business.

"It used to be a case of come the summer months you were twiddling your thumbs because there was hardly anyone around. But now it's consistently busy throughout the year.

"It goes from busy, to chaos to mayhem and then back down to busy again. There's never a quiet period now."

The 10 staff in the tiny shop may have to fight for space, especially with its mail order business conducted straight from the shop counter, but Marisa says the shop is such an institution it would be foolhardy to move despite rising cost of rent in central London.

"The thing about the shop is that it's old and you can't buy that," she says. "I suppose you could start up somewhere else but the shop is the essence of the business.

"It's what everyone comes to see. Everything is falling down and wobbly - or patched up."

Time-consuming

For relative newcomers such as Gavin Fernback, 31, who has run The Fields Beneath by Kentish Town West railway station for just three years, the secret to running a successful coffee shop is finding good staff.

Even though he had worked as a barista three years prior to taking the plunge and running his own shop, nothing prepared him for how time-consuming certain small details could become.

"I still made so many mistakes at the beginning," he says. "I remember looking at other places, for instance at the way they had to keep re-writing price tags because they got dirty.

"I remember thinking, 'I'll never do it that way'. But it's a bit like having children I suppose. You judge other parents before you have your own kids and then make all the same mistakes yourself."

Training plan

"It's taken us two and a half years to get a training plan for our staff - that covers everything from how to make a good coffee to how to add salt to our dishwasher.

"If people are calling you all the time to ask you stupid questions - which aren't really stupid it's simply that you haven't shown them how to do them properly - it takes up a lot of your time.

"But you can't rush this type of thing."

While making a good cup of coffee with the best ingredients is the bedrock of the café business, good staff, he says, can turn a good business into a great one.

"There's a roastery called Square Mile in London which has done a lot to drive quality in London and they were asked what brings people back to a coffee shop and they said on average it is 40% coffee quality and 60% service.

"If the staff are friendly and recommend bands and ask how customers' kids are, that will drive custom more than the best coffee ever served by a stone-cold face."

Big-name competition

Large chains such as Starbucks and Costa may have a high profile, but their brands still only represent less than half the number of coffee outlets in the UK.

While Starbucks has made its name on replicating the independent coffee house experience, providing a home-away-from-home space where customers feel they can pass time, Starbucks vice president Rhys Iley says there's no getting around quality when it comes to selling coffee.

"The first thing is that you have to be really passionate about the quality of the beverages that you produce for the customers. We invest in the coffee farms so we source the best, roast the best, and then serve the best.

"If the product isn't perfect and isn't to the highest standards then people will soon see through that."

Criticism that the chains are squeezing out independent operators in an increasingly competitive market, he says, are misplaced.

'Don't accept mediocrity'

"Every statistic we see shows that the coffee market in the UK is growing every year, more and more people come into that and I think that's healthy," Mr Iley says.

"I relish competition because I think ultimately the customer benefits and everyone has to raise their game."

And what advice would he give those trying muscle in on the UK's increasingly vibrant coffee scene?

"Be curious about what's happening in the coffee world, be curious about the people you want to employ, be curious about the customers and learn from them.

"In anything you do be excellent, don't accept mediocrity and surround yourself with great people."

By Peter Shadbolt
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34650055

"Once you're selling everything you make, it's a licence to print money," says whisky consultant Jim Swan.

Mr Swan, who advises distilleries around the world, is talking about Scotland's prized single malt whiskies.

Considered by most whisky aficionados to be the pinnacle of the industry, single malts are whiskies made from a single distillery using only malted barley.

They typically command a premium price over blended whiskies.

Mr Swan says selling a popular single malt can be "very profitable".

"An entry level single malt whisky [from an independent distillery] might cost £45, with a profit of £15 per bottle," he says.

"And once people are spending money on more expensive whisky, then you could be looking at 90% profit per bottle."

Meanwhile the industry is continuing to boom - exports alone of single malt whiskies in the first half of 2015 totalled £406m, a rise of 5%, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.

Yet while an apparently attractive financial proposition, creating a new malt whisky business from scratch is not for the faint-hearted, or the cash poor.

It requires millions of pounds in upfront investment, but can take years to see any result, as you have to wait at least three years, or more often eight or 10, before the whisky is ready for bottling and sale.

"There's no point in even thinking about it unless you come up with at least £5m," says Mr Swan. "And then you need money to keep you going until the whisky is ready."

He estimates £250,000 per year is needed to keep a small commercial mash operating, and it is likely to be eight years before a whisky business breaks even.

Despite this, the number of distilleries in Scotland, the world's largest producer of single malt whisky, is growing. There are currently 117, up from 100 a couple of years ago, and 30 of these are small independents.

Here three new independent whisky producers explain how they started out, and the challenges they face.

'Extremely happy'

The time it takes to get your product to market can create challenges in securing the initial investment, as 38-year-old Kingsbarns Distillery founder Douglas Clement can testify.

He worked as a caddy in St Andrews for 20 years, and decided to start a whisky distillery after visiting golfers repeatedly expressed frustration at the lack of a nearby distillery. Mr Clement raised initial funds for Kingsbarns by approaching his golf clients then spent 18 months being rejected by venture capitalists.

"Most investors want a return in three to five years. The trouble with whisky is that they won't see much for about 10 years," explains Mr Clement.

The turning point came in 2012 when he secured a £670,000 grant from the Scottish Government. It was enough to convince one of the oldest families in Scotland, the Wemyss family which already own independent bottler Wemyss Malts, and gin brand Darnley's View, to invest £2.5 to £3m.

Mr Clement sold his interest in the venture to them, and he is now employed as visitor centre manager, though remains founding director, an arrangement he says he's "extremely happy" with.

"This project for me personally was never about profit. It was about taking my idea for a whisky distillery by the home of golf and the area I was born and raised, and turning it into a reality," he says.

It will be summer 2018 before the first release of Kingsbarns single malt. In the meantime, they are finding other ways to make money, such as the income from their visitor centre, shop and cafe.

Grant support

For the Shetland Distillery Company, a visitor centre was not a viable option because of the remoteness of their base on the Unst, the most northern of the Shetland islands.

Instead the four founders have opted to distil gin, as a means of generating income while they wait for the whisky to mature, due to the lower start-up costs of around £110,000.

Stuart Nickerson, 59, has worked in the whisky industry for more than three decades. To establish the Shetland Distillery he has his wife Wilma have joined forces with fellow married couple Frank and Debbie Strang.

The firm has been funded with their own money, and grants from the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency. They began selling gin in November 2014, and so far they've produced around 10,000 bottles.
Image copyright Shetland Distillery Company

Later this year they will build the whisky distillery at a cost of £1.5m, for the equipment, and another £250,000 each year to build stock. For this, they are looking at debt financing and more grants.

Mr Nickerson says: "Shetland is the only area in Scotland that [currently] has no whisky distillery. It's very remote on Unst, to get here, it's a 12-hour journey.

"There are cost challenges associated with that. Whatever we make has to compete at the higher end of the market because of our higher costs."

'Pretty hairy'

Anthony Wills, the 59-year-old founder of Kilchoman Distillery on the Isle of Islay, knows all about weighing up the options when it comes to getting the business started.

He ran his own independent whisky bottling company for eight years, but decided to start producing it himself.

Total set-up costs for the first distillery to be built on Islay for 124 years were £6m from 30 private investors, as well as £500,000 of Mr Wills' own money.

He says that raising funds was the most difficult part, and, when he found it hard to raise more than £1m, he opted to build the distillery anyway.

"It was a bit risky but I thought it would be easier to raise the balance once people could see the operation," he says. "It worked, but we've had times when it's been pretty hairy."

Production began in December 2005, and the first malt came on the market in September 2009 with 8,000 bottles on limited release - they sold out within two weeks.

In whisky terms, the distillery had success very early, making a profit in its fifth year. The whisky remains in high demand - the cheapest bottle costing £45 and the most expensive £80 - and, in 2014, the firm's turnover was £3.6m.

It's an undoubted success, but Mr Wills says it has not been easy.

"If I'd looked at it rationally, I would never have done it. It's been a lot of hard work and grief but, for us, it's been worth it."
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By Julie Griffiths
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35300685

 By most accounts the new biopic of Steve Jobs is an accurate portrayal of a man who shouted down colleagues at meetings, was visibly impatient and dismissive of others' contributions... and yet he is lauded as perhaps the most successful entrepreneur of his generation.

So does being rude, ruthless and self-absorbed give you an advantage when it comes to getting ahead in business?

Quite the reverse, according to Professor Christine Porath, at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University.

"I wouldn't recommend people try to emulate Steve Jobs' style," she says.

In her research, stretching back more than 20 years, respondents told her they worked less hard if managers were rude to them. In lab studies students given the brush-off by a professor were subsequently less successful at word puzzles.

She says uncivil behaviour from bosses and colleagues affects sickness rate and mental health, stifles creativity and above all affects staff retention. None of which reflects well on those in charge.

"The thing I hear a lot is - 'if I yell at them, doesn't it light a fire under them and I'll get more short term results?'

"But it robs people of focus and they don't perform. Cognitively you don't gain anything and you might lose out."

And she points out that even Steve Jobs mellowed when he returned for his second, and more successful, stint at Apple.

The boss

David Rawlinson, is founder of Restaurant Property, which manages sales and leases of restaurant sites in London.

The general atmosphere in his office is very positive, he says, when it comes to the nine people who work for him he's aware of the importance of getting the balance right between being friendly and being firm.

"It is difficult when you are working in the same room with people day in, day out, to be bad cop sometimes. But you have to. You can't just be nice all the time.

"Certainly I would like to be nice all the time. The reality is you just can't sometimes. If people aren't doing their job properly, or if you think people are taking liberties with sickness or something like that you, have to lay the law down.

"Mostly I start out with explaining things in a cool calm way. But, you know, losing your temper is a very powerful motivator sometimes, and that is something I have had to do in past. I don't enjoy doing it, and it's something I think you should use as final straw."

He says unlike in the old days when the mentality at some companies was to rule with a fist of iron, nowadays it's much more about looking after your staff.

He takes all his staff on a big night out once a month, so that the team can bond and he can get to know them better.

But showing off your cut-throat style - for example table-pounding at a meeting or a strategically-timed temper tantrum - won't always be the wrong choice, at least according to some.

Serial entrepreneur and now venture capitalist, Luke Johnson has overseen vast numbers of small and medium-sized businesses since he sold on his first successful enterprise, Pizza Express, in 1999.

"My observation, from my direct experience, is that to get ahead people have to have a glint of steel about them."

He says in his experience at the coal-face he has met plenty of successful entrepreneurs who aren't particularly polite but it's usually a symptom of the pressure they're under.

"I think all of us should respect basic social niceties and all of us who fail to do that - and I'm as guilty as the next man - deserve to be ticked off."

The employee

Sarah [a pseudonym] works for an international law firm. She says in corporate law it pays to be tough.

"This industry is one where being very self-centred is a help rather than a hindrance. In terms of charming your colleagues, it's a bonus rather than something that's necessarily important.

"The nature of the work is such that it really rewards hard-charging, it's not exactly aggressive but there are certainly very opinionated loud people, people who make their presence felt. That being the nature of the work, you don't see people progressing who don't conform to that."

"I definitely try and be one of the boys at the office lots of joking discussion with other people and I certainly have a slightly hard edge."

"But business is a serious affair and if you take on the mantle of running a company, the responsibility of employees and meeting that payroll at the end of the month and all the rest of it, you can't afford to spend all your time stopping at every desk and asking people how their weekend went.

"So probably there's a risk that you come across as uninterested or abrupt or impatient."

He says it is generally the egotists, those who like to take command, even to the point of arrogance, who succeed.

"Leadership is often about not caring whether you make friends or people like you, but doing the right thing.

"Putting people's feelings first and the right decision second is not what I call leadership."

Ben Dattner, executive coach and author of management book, The Blame Game, agrees.

"Even in the days of Machiavelli he said it's better for a leader to be feared than loved.

"If your ethics and integrity allow you to go the 'I want to be feared' route perhaps that can work in certain contexts. It might not get you any love [but] it's about achieving objectives.

He advises his clients to stick to their natural style but just adapt it where necessary.

Women v men

"The aggressive, contentious approach might help you achieve certain things in the short term, but over the long term, if people don't want to work for you, you might pay a price for having that kind of style."

But just as bad, he says, is making yourself very popular but struggling to get things done.

Mr Dattner says different leadership styles may serve better depending on whether you are facing the tough decisions involved in shrinking an organisation, or building creativity and innovation in a growing business.

The bad news is that both strategies, nice and nasty, carry an extra risk if you're a woman. Highly collaborative women are frequently viewed as ineffective leaders.

But as Mr Dattner also admits: "It's easier for a woman to be perceived as bitchy than it is for a man to be perceived as an ass."

By Lucy Hooker
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34604387

 Mairin Philips (not her real name) suffered from anxiety, so much so that it made the pain from a stomach ulcer far worse.

Then a friend suggested a handheld anti-anxiety device."I was keen to give it a try, but was not convinced it would be of benefit to me," she says.

The biosensor device, called Pip, is gripped between the thumb and forefinger, looks a bit like a small iPod, and measures sweat and electrodermal activity associated with stress levels.

People working to manage their anxiety can then play a number of games like Relax & Race, where relaxing confers a competitive advantage.

"After a couple of days," says Miss Philips, "I had stopped taking relaxing medication, which I had been relying on due to anxiety.

"This was a surprise to me. It was a great tool for helping to slow down your body and mind, a great substitution for relaxing medicine.

Pip is among a batch of new stress-management gadgets. It is produced by a Dublin start-up called Galvanic, with Trinity College Dublin psychology professor Ian Robertson as chair of its scientific advisory board.

The device, which connects by Bluetooth with smart devices, was originally researched and patented in 2007, but the company did not survive Ireland's downturn.

Mindfulness goes digital

Some 10.4 million days are lost annually to work-related stress in the UK, according to the Health and Safety Executive.

The World Health Organization says it costs businesses in the US $300bn (£187bn; €237bn) a year.

Mindfulness - meditation practices found to have an impact on anxiety, by focusing on the present moment - is newly in vogue, with an all-party parliamentary group last month recommending all new NHS medical and teaching staff be given training in it.

A higher-tech take on mindfulness, Pip is designed for users to pick up and make an effort at managing their stress, through instant biofeedback to learn what techniques work best, says Galvanic's chief executive David Ingram.

Another approach is wearable technology - such as Insight, part of the redLoop project and designed at Middlesex University.

Project director Dr Andy Bardill says, "[Anxiety has] various different parameters to it, some of which are measurable and can be indicated by reliable biomarkers, while others are more qualitative, more patient dependent."

Skin conductivity - tied to how much you sweat - is a biomarker of stress, part of the fight-or-flight response, but also goes down when there is high humidity, or up when you go up stairs.

"Getting baseline data is important: it could be it's gone down because you've done exercise or you're unwell, not because you're anxious,' says Dr Bardill.

Insight features wristbands, heartbeat monitors, and an iPhone app. With a log of when and where every heartbeat of a person takes place, Dr Bardill says analysing the data requires "episodic analysis, essentially data analytics used in the intelligence community".

Another wearable device, designed in Canada, is a headband called Muse.

"It's clinical grade EEG (electroencephalography, recording brain electrical activity) in this slim, sleek little consumer form factor," says Ariel Garten, a psychotherapist and chief executive of InteraXon, which developed the device.

With it, a person can track their brain activity in real time on a smartphone or tablet, and practise focused attention.

"It's like mindfulness on hyperdrive," she says.

Blocking anxiety

Stress tech has been bolstered by the ready availability of smart devices, to which devices like Pip, Insight and Muse can connect by Bluetooth.

A different approach invokes another recent trend, social networking.

Jennifer Hyatt founded Big White Wall, an anonymous social network to support people in managing mental health. Half its members use the site to relieve anxiety.
By Padraig Belton

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29742908