We're not talking about the kind of motivator who arrives and excites everyone and then leaves. That is not motivation. Real motivation lasts longer than twenty-four hours. Real motivation is the key to effective leadership, and leadership is the key to effective motivation.

When organisations establish quotas for their sales teams, they should involve their sales people in the process of the setting of their targets.

Effective sales managers give their teams, an overview of the full picture and what the company is trying to achieve. Then, they work with each person to establish individual targets that will meet or exceed the corporate objectives.

Every target must be specific and detailed, then, your people can visualise its outcome. Make the target important to the person who is responsible for achieving it, if not, they may lose interest, particularly if it is a longer term objective.

Targets should have a good chance of being achievable while still challenging the individual to push themselves beyond their existing comfort zone. Each target must be relevant to the main objective of the organisation and relevant to the overall success of the company.

Set a time frame and deadline for each target and ensure the deadline is realistic but, at the same time, challenging.

Work with your team members to help them determine the targets that would be most appropriate for their development and growth and work with them to develop the appropriate action steps to achieve these targets and you will see a noticeable improvement in their performance

Communicate and tell your team what is happening, sales people are hungry for information and from my experience, can be trusted with company details. Unfortunately, too many corporations and their middle managers feel that people should only be given information that is relevant to their specific job.

Keep them aware of the progress you are making in achieving your targets, people are naturally curious and want to know how they are doing. Do not reveal confidential information, but share information about the overall status of the company.

If sales are down and you need your people to focus on generating new accounts or business then tell them. If costs are climbing then advise your employees that they need to be aware of their expenses.

Regular update meetings, email correspondence, broadcast voice mails are just some of the ways you can communicate with your team. Another effective method is through casual discussions.

Communication must be clear and concise, employees want to know where they stand and, all but a few, want to do a good job. They want to know how, you, as their manager, view their performance. That's why it is critical that you give them direction and feedback on a regular basis.

Experience has taught me that people will work harder for someone who praises them and recognises the effort they put into their work. Acknowledge their energy and performance, their effort and commitment, how hard they worked and how involved they were with it.

Your sales people have a lot of knowledge and information and can often contribute valuable suggestions to improve the business. If you really want to create a team of highly motivated sales people take the time to listen to their comments and ideas.

Foster an environment that encourages the open sharing of information. Great leaders are always open to new ideas and methods of improving business and some of the best ideas come from the customer facing employees.

This last point is the most important. If you want a highly motivated sales team, then you must lead by setting the example. You must demonstrate enthusiasm, energy, team cooperation, honesty, integrity and commitment.

Treat people with respect and dignity, give them the tools to excel, grow and develop and encourage them to participate and get involved. Ask them for feedback, listen to their comments, and act on suggestions that will help your business succeed.

Set and communicate high standards, provide positive reinforcement when your team members perform and involve them. You will soon see a team that will do almost anything to help you succeed.

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Customers and clients are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the merely adequate. For them, extraordinary service is the rule, not the exception. Anything less and they're happy to vote with their feet and their wallets.

That makes extraordinary service necessary, not just desirable. And that, in turn, mandates a strategy to help ensure that your business matches that standout service standard on a daily basis.

For business success you need to help your business establish and maintain an ongoing climate of service excellence.

Define What Extraordinary Really Means

It's an easy term to toss about, but knowing what exceptional service entails is essential to establishing the procedures and the mindset with which to achieve it. So, delineate what extraordinary means, is it lower price? Keeping appointments on time or making certain that telephone service reps always say "please" and "thank you"?

By knowing precisely what is merely good enough, and what takes your business beyond that, you get a firm handle on what you need to do to hit that goal on a consistent basis.

That means calling a customer to let them know that the van they are expecting is going to arrive on time. "We pledge to arrive on time, in a clean shiny truck, with two friendly uniformed drivers," but so can anyone.

What makes it unique is if the truck crew call the customer 15 minutes ahead of time, and let them know they are on time. This has a huge impact on the customer. Calling ahead sets exceptional expectations, even if they are running late, the customer appreciates the call in advance.
Ask If You Are Not Sure

Many companies may find it understandably difficult to genuinely pinpoint what extraordinary service really entails. So, do some legwork. Conduct focus groups with customers to see what they really value. Ask your complaints department, if you have one, to identify topics that are frequent targets of dissatisfaction.

Often, you may find extraordinary translates to a holistic grouping of issues, not just one product or service. Being extraordinary means offering someone a truly exceptional experience. The quality of something may be good, but it's the overall experience that will really define customer loyalty.

Allow Your People To Be Extraordinary

Saying you would like to have extraordinary service and actually carrying it out is a tough nut without the necessary authority.

One of the biggest challenges of providing a consistently top-drawer performance is shifting conditions. What's appropriate for one customer may not work with another.

For instance, one customer may be so dissatisfied that a partial refund may be in order. By contrast, other customers who are a bit less peeved may be happy with a problem solved without any sort of refund.

So, allow employees reasonable freedom of choice to read a situation and react accordingly. For instance, giving employees a budgetary allotment which they can use, as needed, to address refunds or other unexpected costs associated with giving customers the benefit of the doubt.

While we all experience highs and lows in our business, successful enterprises expect to succeed over the long run. For such enterprises, success is the only option.

To what extent do you expect to succeed in your business? What less empowering expectations currently undermine your success? Make a decision today to succeed.

Make Your Mission Statement Your Life Force

While most businesses have crafted a mission statement, it is not enough just to have one. Successful enterprises live and breathe their mission statement, in every goal, every strategy and every project of their business. It is the life force and the reason for everything they do.

Do you have a compelling mission statement for your business? Do you communicate it, both in words and actions, to every client, every prospect and every employee? If you asked any one of these stakeholders what is your mission, would they know what to say?

Post and read your mission statement daily. Include it in all your collateral materials. Live and breathe your mission statement in every goal, decision and action. This one principle will make your business a compelling magnet for greater levels of success.

Where Is The Opportunity In This Situation?

Within every business challenge, there is an opportunity for a huge breakthrough. Even with the most difficult challenges, successful enterprises never see challenges. They only see opportunities. They constantly ask: 'Where is the opportunity in this situation?'

Where is your focus right now in your business, on the challenge or the opportunity? Make it a habit with every challenge to ask: 'Where is the opportunity in this situation?' that one question will open the doors to new solutions, new strategies and new possibilities to take your business to the next level.

Become a Business 'Romanticist'

Successful enterprises are constantly 'in love'. They love their customers. They love their employees and vendors. They love their visions. They love everything about their business.

This principle is not something you get from a book; it comes from the very heart and soul of why you are in business. When you are 'in love', it shines forth in every client interaction, every exchange with a prospect, every dealing with a peer or vendor.

Are you 'in love' with your clients and prospects? Are you 'in love' with the benefits you offer? Are you 'in love' with every aspect of your business? What do you need to change about your attitude, beliefs or actions to become the Ultimate Business 'Romanticist'

Marketing Is A Perpetual Process, Not An Event

Contrary to conventional business thinking, marketing does not end with a sale. Successful enterprises know that marketing is a perpetual process. And, contrary to most business practices, these enterprises focus most of their marketing efforts, after the sale, such as 'post sale' follow up, repeat business incentives, backend selling, referral marketing, etc. They know that the greatest revenues are generated, after the sale.

How do you see and practice marketing in your business, as an event or as a perpetual process? What post sales and prospect follow-up activities can you incorporate as the focus of your marketing efforts? This one shift in your marketing focus alone can increase your revenues more than any marketing action you can take in your business.

Business Success

Constantly 'Market Up'

Within every target market, there is a high end and a low end market and everything in between. Large enterprises will constantly stretch their marketing sights and target prospects that most businesses would think impossible to acquire as clients. They constantly 'market up' to high end prospects, a strategy that catalyses their business to a much bigger game.

What specific prospects, or kinds of prospects, would you love to have as clients or customers but think it is impossible? Think outside the box and think big. It could be celebrities, politicians, admired companies, leaders in your community, role models, etc.

Pick one high end prospect to start. Build a marketing campaign to reach that person or company. This strategy requires persistence, yet is well worth it. 'Marketing up' can increase your revenues and business exposure instantly and multiply your profits for years to come.

Adding Value, Your Top Priority

Successful enterprises are in the business of creating value. They have a strong conviction to contribute more and more richness to their clients' lives and businesses. In everything they say and do, they let clients know 'you matter'. Your well-being and success is important to us. They focus on, what do I have to give, not what do I have to do to get a sale?

Where is your focus right now, on adding value, or making the sale? Make a list of at least ten ways you can increase the value of your products and services. Implement the easiest ideas, starting now. Make 'adding value' a routine business priority. When you do, your products and services will sell themselves.

Maximise Performance

Successful enterprises are masters at achieving the greatest return at the lowest possible risk. They constantly look for ways to reduce the amount of time, money and energy to achieve their ultimate goals. They take what works and see if they can make it better, faster, cheaper. They know the 'what if' implications of every new strategy, goal, product or service. They are pros at maximising performance tradeoffs.

Do you know the profitability of each product or service you offer? Do you know which client is the most expensive, demanding or time consuming to serve? If you doubled your client base, do you know the implications on costs, revenues and the operations of your business?

To optimise your business results, think highest and best use of your time, energy and money.

The Power of Leverage

Most businesses build their enterprises in a haphazard way. Successful businesses grow their businesses from a place of leverage. They look for new ways to convert their current assets, strengths and opportunities into new revenue streams. They constantly take inventory and seek ways to profit from untapped capabilities and underutilised resources. They integrate marketing activities into a single business strategy to maximise results.

How can you leverage your current assets, (your client base, employees), your current strengths, (your knowledge base, processes), your current resources, (your business network, capital), to quickly grow your business?

How can you revamp your marketing activities so that your products and services sell each other? Leverage is one of the most underutilised principles for multiplying profits in business.

Develop Your Bias Towards Action

Successful enterprises understand that, in today's economy, windows of opportunity are often measured in months, not years and decades. They know they cannot wait for the perfect strategy, the perfect solution to capitalise on these opportunities. They must act quickly if they want to thrive in these highly changing times.

What new projects, strategies or opportunities are you stalling in order to achieve perfection? What new practices, support structures or habits will accelerate your bias toward action?

Business Success

Business Success Popular Posts

This is a summary review of the popular posts, as chosen by the subscribers, of Business Success - The Free Business Advice Service. To read more of these popular posts or any of the posts on Business Success, Click Here

Attributes of Business Success

Entrepreneurs practicing the art of business success know the power of networks. They take the time to identify and build relationships with key peers, mentors, and advisors. This inner network provides support, direction, and an increased number of people to assist.

Business Processes and the Leadership Decisions

Medium to large corporate organisations are having to change their approach to business because of the demands of their most important Customers, especially if these Customers are Industry Leaders and operate globally. These Customers are only willing to do business with the companies that have effective Business Processes and demonstrate good Leadership Decisions.

Boost Profits in Four Simple Steps

One of the most common mistakes companies make when they are trying to boost their profits is to try and get new customers. Typically this behaviour is a reflection of their history. When they were new, they probably had zero or just a few customers. To survive, they had to get more. Getting new customers made sense.

Business Results - Critical Success Factors

These are the critical success factors that will, if not performed properly, impede all organisations from achieving consistent results: Communication, Goal setting and Goal achievement skills, Attitudes and Alignment.

Customer Loyalty Brings Business Success

Customer loyalty is the foundation of any successful business. A successful business can be measured by the number of loyal customers that they have managed to retain.

Customer Relationships and the Important Element of Trust

Good Customer Relationships are sort after by all serious business organisations, who know that it is fundamental to their overall business success. And the most Important Element of a good Customer Relationship is Trust.

Five Qualities Needed For Business Success

What is it that sets a successful businessperson apart from an average businessperson? Is it down to pure and simple luck, or is it all about having an amazing idea and a successful and strategic business plan in place?

Good Decision Making

Ask yourself: What am I trying to achieve with this decision? What is the problem that must be solved? What are my options? Avoid looking at the decision in either/or terms. There are often three or more options to any decision, so think creatively and expand your options.

Leadership Skills for Business Success Part 1 & 2

In any business, exceptional leadership skills are needed in order to succeed. Whether you own the business, manage it or, you are an employee looking to make their way up the corporate ladder, the right leadership style is essential in order to reach your goals.

Providing Excellent Customer Service Part 1 & 2

Customers and clients are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the merely adequate. For them, extraordinary service is the rule, not the exception. Anything less and they're happy to vote with their feet and their wallets.

Sales Motivation and the Role of Leadership

We're not talking about the kind of motivator who arrives and excites everyone and then leaves. That is not motivation. Real motivation lasts longer than twenty-four hours. Real motivation is the key to effective leadership, and leadership is the key to effective motivation.

Secrets of Successful Businesses

While we all experience highs and lows in our business, successful enterprises expect to succeed over the long run. For such enterprises, success is the only option.

More Secrets of Successful Businesses

Within every target market, there is a high end and a low end market and everything in between. Large enterprises will constantly stretch their marketing sights and target prospects that most businesses would think impossible to acquire as clients. They constantly 'market up' to high end prospects, a strategy that catalyses their business to a much bigger game.

Secrets of Leadership Success

This is what 140 successful CEOs, coaches, consultants, professors, managers, executives, presidents, politicians, and religious leaders said that most helped them become effective and successful leaders.

Successful Sales Professionals

Being a successful salesperson does not happen by accident. Success is the result of diligent effort applied to a structured system with commitment and passion. Building on success to achieve your dreams is determined by how passionately committed you are to achieving the dreams of your customers.

The Basics of Business Success

Business is an art as well as a science. And it is a made up of practical experience, judgment, foresight and luck. To be successful in business, you need to master the basics of business success.

The Lifeblood of Business Success

Though cost cutting and efficiency contribute towards the success and growth of any business, it is innovation that is the key factor that drives sustainability and profitability. Only those businesses that continuously offer innovative products, services or processes can enjoy long term business success.

Three Rules for Business Success

Constantly analyse, test and improve every policy, system, procedure and business activity that affects your relationship with your customers. Clearly distinguish your business from your competition. Make strong customer relationships your most important business building tool.

Business Success