Checked Google News for layoff information around the U.S. Here is what I found..
Micron announces a "headcount reduction".
The City of Tampa Bay eliminated a number of city jobs.
VOIP provider Sunrocket is allegedly planning a round of layoffs.
Banking and credit card company Capital One has announced 2000 layoffs this week.
And The San Jose Mercury News has a number of layoffs planned for employees.
Okay, so we have an established high tech company, a city, a start up, a financial company and a media outlet all announcing layoffs.
What is the point?
There are no safe jobs. I hear from job seekers frequently asking about industries with "safe and secure jobs" and "job security".
Answer: there are none. There are no "safe" jobs. Not anymore. And you know the reason why. Don't ask for "safe" jobs anymore because either they do not exist (as proven above) or they aren't worth the time to do.
Solution: Stop wanting work to be safe and start thinking about what your want to do. The golf pro who teaches part time at the municipal range is doing what he wants and is living his dream. There are no guarantees that he will have enough students willing to pay 60.00 an hour to improve their swing, but if he gets just enough, he will be making money just helping someone play golf - a game he loves anyway!
Think about what makes you happy and if there is a way you can make a living doing it. Once you get there, the real security begins as you start living your dream doing what you want.
Have a great weekend,
Thursday
Marketing Me! How to make sales
You are sales professional for a company with a real product (no vaporware reps, please).
You want to make money from commissions or compensation based upon sales.
Now that we have that established, I am going to tell you a few hints for making sales in today's consultive selling environment.
First, what I won't tell you is:
- how to get leads.
- how to make contacts, network or get referrals.
- how to market yourself for lots of inbound traffic (you should know that already by regularly reading Marketing Me!).
Now, how to make sales.
Love your product - sell it everywhere you go. Explain to anyone you meet (on plane, at events, picking up your kids at school, etc) what your products or services do and why you love what you do. This is practice which with repeated performances will make it easy when meeting real economic decision makers.
Talk and listen to your customers - Quit wasting time talking to the other sales folks, your secretary or friends. When working, talk with customers. Even if they have no intention of buying anything today, your customers and prospects will buy from you when they are ready IF you have invested hours getting to know them and understanding their needs.
Ask for sales - 99% of all sales fail because this simple rule is not followed by so-called sales professionals. Training, classes, consultive selling approaches and second guessing have decreased close rates for sales professionals. Practice asking for the sale. If you followed the second step and understand your customers and prospects, you will have no problem getting business when you ask for it.
Sell again - After the agreement is in place, thank youf customer and reassure them of their purchase. Do this frequently. Call (better yet, visit) your customer regularly and let them know the status of their order and when they can expect delivery. Let them know about upgrades, enhancements, new products and endorsements your product has received. Let their decision be validated repeatedly.
Sales is not hard. Closing is hard if you are not prepared. But sales is easy. Follow the steps above and make more sales every quarter.
Q2 is almost over. I hope you made your numbers. If so, congratulations. If not, go try harder next quarter.
You want to make money from commissions or compensation based upon sales.
Now that we have that established, I am going to tell you a few hints for making sales in today's consultive selling environment.
First, what I won't tell you is:
- how to get leads.
- how to make contacts, network or get referrals.
- how to market yourself for lots of inbound traffic (you should know that already by regularly reading Marketing Me!).
Now, how to make sales.
Love your product - sell it everywhere you go. Explain to anyone you meet (on plane, at events, picking up your kids at school, etc) what your products or services do and why you love what you do. This is practice which with repeated performances will make it easy when meeting real economic decision makers.
Talk and listen to your customers - Quit wasting time talking to the other sales folks, your secretary or friends. When working, talk with customers. Even if they have no intention of buying anything today, your customers and prospects will buy from you when they are ready IF you have invested hours getting to know them and understanding their needs.
Ask for sales - 99% of all sales fail because this simple rule is not followed by so-called sales professionals. Training, classes, consultive selling approaches and second guessing have decreased close rates for sales professionals. Practice asking for the sale. If you followed the second step and understand your customers and prospects, you will have no problem getting business when you ask for it.
Sell again - After the agreement is in place, thank youf customer and reassure them of their purchase. Do this frequently. Call (better yet, visit) your customer regularly and let them know the status of their order and when they can expect delivery. Let them know about upgrades, enhancements, new products and endorsements your product has received. Let their decision be validated repeatedly.
Sales is not hard. Closing is hard if you are not prepared. But sales is easy. Follow the steps above and make more sales every quarter.
Q2 is almost over. I hope you made your numbers. If so, congratulations. If not, go try harder next quarter.
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