| |
| |
|
Advertising Information |
|
|
|
Generous Donor Refused (how qualified business slipped away)
Generous Donor Refused Picture this. You are a fund development director for a respectable school at a well-known state university. Someone calls and says they wish to donate $25,000 for a special scholarship fund in honor of her deceased brother, an alumnus of the school. What would you say? If you think like we do, you'd say, "So sorry about your brother. Thank you for selecting us. When can we get your check!" In this case, the fund development director responded, "Sorry, we have a minimum donation of $50,000." The prospective donor then said, "In addition, I have a huge bequest in my will for your school. That would put you well over your minimum. Surely that would satisfy your requirements." The development director stuck to her understanding of the rules and let the donor ?and her money?go. Instead of reporting the regrettable situation to the dean of the school (the fund development director's boss), the donor changed her will and has designated all of her money elsewhere. What are the chances that the dean - the boss - will ever hear about the sizable scholarship and donation that didn't make it into their bank account? Actionable Improvements Every executive should have ongoing discussions with those they supervise to make sure they have a healthy understanding about what it takes to be creative when prospects call. It may also include occasional mystery shopping from an outside resource. If you are one of the People at the Top, how confident are you that no qualified business is being turned away? Darcie Davis, President of Davis, Kingsley & Company. Darcie is a management consultant, speaker, author and trainer. She works with companies to secure genuine feedback from their clients before advising them on strategic decisions about sales, marketing, and operations. Her advice will keep your clients out of the jaws of the competition. Learn more about Darcie and the services offered at her firm at: http://www.DavisKingsley.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Improve Your Management Procedures Usability Are your people consistently following your procedures? Each year, organizations lose thousands of dollars through common mistakes and lapses in usability. But what does that mean for business owners and executives?Ask yourself:Are your required actions described thoroughly and accurately, or are the details left open to interpretation?Is your content consistent and complete, or are your writers leaving gaps no one has noticed?Are revisions controlled, or are different people using different versions?Are your procedures compliant with regulations? Are you sure?Are all documents written to produce clear, measurable results?If you're unsure about any of the answers to these questions, there is good news: you can make your procedures clear and complete without combing through all of them yourself line by line. How to Sell Strategically If you want to maximize your sales performance, take a strategic approach to selling. After all, wouldn't you agree that "the 80/20 rule" applies to customers, where approximately 20 percent of customers produce approximately 80 percent of sales?The starting point for strategic selling is figuring out a) which customers produce the bulk of your sales, and b) what they are buying. Make Time, Not Excuses There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in on an ongoing basis. These are Prospecting (45% of time), Presenting (20%), Product Knowledge/Malleability (20%), and Professional and Personal Development (15%)Recently we were presenting this information in a workshop on Prospect Management, when one of the participants raised his hand and said: "That's great. Project/Program Management Best Practices for Success in ANY Industry! Where is our success? Although there have been improvements, over 60% of projects/programs failed and many were canceled in 2003 (ref:The Standish Report CHAOS)! Our goal for 2004 and beyond is to contribute to a 60% and better, project/program success rate! STOP THE MADNESS-MANAGE AND CONTROL PROJECTSWITH THE FOLLOWING:Best Practice Processes for Project/Program Success(Outline):Program/Project Management (and Business Management) (Integration)Use of Experience and Knowledge (Integration)Planning and Scheduling/WBS (Scope/Time/Cost)Communication Planning (Communication)Status & Earned Value Reporting (Communication)Performance (metrics) Reporting (Communication)Risks Identification and Management (Risks)Project Repository/DB (Communication/Lessons Learned/Knowledge Transfer)Change Management (Integration)Subcontractor/Vendor Control (Procurement)Team Building (Human Resource)Development Process (Integration/Solution/Scope)Selection of the appropriate model/technique (e.g. Increase Your Sales Accept Credit Cards, Part 2 In part two we will discuss overcoming objections, which credit cards to accept and using the check paying option. If your business is home-based or has been in operation for less than two years, you're likely to face objections from the bank. We Will Make It Back----- A Fictional Story Based on Fact About Sales Management Success Bill Borders stepped up onto the podium. He had just been introduced as the new Vice President of Sales for Kiechler Building Supplies. How to Win Over the Man in the Chair Salesmanship, Repetition, and Direct Mail In a classic business-to-business print ad from the late 50's for McGraw-Hill Magazines an imposing looking executive sits in his chair. He has both feet planted firmly on the ground, a scowl on his face. Shorten Sales Cycles in Complex Sales Environments Help buyers discover the answers they need to understand and align all of their decision variables.In complex sales, salespeople often find themselves negotiating their way through a web of decision influencers, conflicting initiatives, and multiple priorities. Back-to-School List - 10 Tips for Trade Shows There's a new year beginning now - the school year. Whether you have children attending for the first time or finishing university, it's always hectic to get into the back-to-school routine. Your Extended Shadow And Successful Sales Management In a small midwestern town, the local high school of 878 students recently produced its first state championship basketball team in over 90 years. The community has had an organized city basketball league for its younger boys for many years. Moving a Business Relationship from Free to Fee: Turning Strangers to Friends with Power of Freebies In the last issue I shared with you a technique for getting permission to follow up with people who have seen you speak on stage. This was just one example of a tactic for filling your pipeline. 14 Top Lead Generation Tactics According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical marketing practices are not only inapplicable for professional service firms, but they may be dangerously wrong.Often professional service firm principals tell me they are frustrated with the quality of their marketing materials, they are concerned with their firm's low profile or they feel pressure because their efforts are not generating enough new client leads. Never Trust a Silent Customer Imagine you run a pizza parlour. You have all these neighbourhood families that pop in at least once a week for some pizza, garlic bread and Coke. Do You Know How to Fire Up Your Sales Staff (When Money Isnt Everything)? Money is the only thing that motivates a salesperson, right? Well, maybe it is time to give your sales staff a little more credit.If you are like most sales managers, you were probably promoted to your current position because you were a great salesperson. Speed-up Your Sales Cycle This week's article is my response to a question by David Cohen of Bridge-Soft. "Quite a few prospects have told me that business is stagnant at the moment, but they are hopeful towards the 4th quarter. Sales Plan? Whats a Sales Plan? In the past, if you said the word "plan" to me, I would bolt and run. I'm the "creative type," a former ballet dancer and choreographer-I'm terrible with details. The Differences Between A Commercial Collections Agency & Lawyer If your letter writing and phone calls have all failed to resolve a debt issue, it is time to call in a professional - a commercial collection agency or a lawyer specializing in commercial debt collection.The most obvious choice to collect an unpaid debt is a commercial collection agency. 6 Common Mistakes in the Sales Hiring Process Is lack of sales results, more sales training costs, months of unearned salary and damage to your company's image or reputation your company's method of NOT finding good salespeople? For most companies it is!The "trial and error" method of hiring salespeople is very costly to a business. Without a viable way to hire quality sales people everyone in the same organization is negatively affected. Stop Drowning: Nine Strategies For Managing Your Priorities I just got off the phone with Susan. She is a well-meaning, big-hearted, caring, effective and creative sales manager. 8 Procedures to Take Control of Sales and Marketing The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Three of SeriesWe're sprinting toward that million dollar mark..
|
