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Home » Business And Finance Articles » Business Is Business The World Over

Business is Business The World Over

If you are already in business it is hardly likely that you will agree with my title. Aren't all businsesses different?

When you think in broader terms, yes, of course you're right. I want you, however, to look , for the moment, only at the basics.

All businesses are about turnover, profit margins and overheads. Basically that is all there is to it. All three must come together in perfect harmony for a business to succeed.

No matter what the experts say, and no matter what anti spam filters are in place, running a business on the web is basically the same as running any other business.

Turnover

In any business, turnover comes from the numbers who buy the goods or services. With a small retailer, the numbers that walk past the shop. An accountant, the numbers that find him in the yellow page, or whatever.

So despite the difficulties of modern internet marketing, we have to drive sufficent numbers past our premises. If less e-mails get through, you have to send more e-mails. To send more e-mails, you need to find more prospects and that means doing more advertising.

Recently, I started a new campaign. I had no list; I started from scratch. Five days later my list numbered over 400. If I am lucky 4 will buy one of my products. That's not fantastic, but a much better start than most internet marketers manage.

The point is, that I am really driving potential customers past my shop window. How did I manage such good results in only five days? Take a look here and you will see. http://profitinfo.com/cgi-bin/lb.cgi?PI5707

Make them enter the shop

In business image is important. A retailer usually has an attractive shop front, a factory a business-like reception area.

Your shop front is your web-page. A badly designed page is a turn-off and professionally designed pages cost an arm an a leg.

My page http://www.prestigiousprofits.biz is professionally designed and cost me nothing. It generates valuable business for me 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No matter what I'm doing, it is making money for me.

How did I mange to have this site created professionally and not pay a penny? Look here for your answer: http://www.pluginprofitsite.com/main-4416

Suspects, Prospects and Customers

When they are walking past the shop they are suspects. When they enter they are prospects. What turns them into customers? That's right, you've got it; superior products. You can get superior products here: http://www.madisondynamics.com/index.php?54900

Profit Margins

If normally you are an off-line trader and you want to expand through the web, you really need to keep a close eye on your profit margins. It is amazing how many business-people don't know the difference between mark-up and profit-margin. Make sure you're not one of them.

It reminds me of a little story; not true but with a moral. A retired teacher was out walking and met one of his old students. This young man was about the most stupid student he had ever met, he wasn't any good at anything. Couldn't count to save his life.

The ex-teacher asked him how he was doing and he answered that he was now a multi-millionaire. But you could never even count at school, how did you manage that. Very easy said the young man. I buy this item for $1 and sell it for $10. I live on that 10%.

Now, if you want to trade without worrying too much about profit margins, the answer is to sell electronic products; e-books, software etc. All you have to do is search the web and you will find them.

Overheads

When you're working from home your overheads are much reduced, but there is still plenty on which you can spend your money. Keep a close eye on your expenditure; monthly payments are particularly dangerous. Keep it all under control.

Please excuse the cliche, but we are indeed now all global players and one area that can eat up your profits is international telephone expenditure. I have managed to control this problem and here is where you'll find the solution: http://www.ichatglobal.com/taffyw

So business is business the world over!

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Keeping Your Sales Team Motivated

Sales managers frequently approach me for advice on how to keep salespeople motivated, especially when sales reps get into a rut - and seem to keep slipping deeper into it. Telling managers what not to do usually solves the problem. Most managers do things to de-motivate salespeople without even knowing it.

Let's take the idea of funnels and forecasts, for instance. Funnels and forecasts are important aspects of running any sales operation. Both salespeople and managers need to know where they stand in terms of potential opportunities, and funnels serve to track those opportunities. No successful business can operate and properly plan for the future without accurate forecasting. In theory, these are absolutely essential to the success of any operation. In reality, however, few words strike terror in the hearts of salespeople like "funnel" and "forecast."

For most salespeople, the term "funnel review" equates to micromanagement, probation and performance improvement plans. Just hearing the term is enough to shift a sales rep's frame of mind from positive to negative. He or she suddenly loses enthusiasm and doesn't know why. Many managers increase funnel reviews as performance slips, which causes performance to slip further, and in the end nobody wins. Endless funnel reviews, especially if they're not positive, only serve to reinforce salespeople's self-doubts and limiting beliefs.

Forecasts are a similar problem, but in different ways. Few salespeople forecast accurately. Nobody wants to fall short on their forecast, so they embellish, exaggerate and make sure the numbers add up to where they should be rather than where they really are. This results in managers who expect those numbers, and salespeople who dodge managers because they know they aren't going to perform as forecasted. Then there are salespeople like myself who do the exact opposite - since I hated nothing more than having a manager constantly ask me, "When is this one going to close? When is that one going to close?," I intentionally left good deals off my forecast. While it eliminated the problem of constantly being asked when all those deals would sign, it created another form of stress in having to deal with the consequences of a funnel that fell short of expectations.

Another word that instantly de-motivates salespeople is "activity." Unfortunately, in the absence of any other viable advice, most managers simply blurt out, "You need to increase your activity" to anyone who isn't at quota. This accomplishes nothing other than setting up the rep to believe that a series of funnel reviews and performance improvement plans are soon to follow.

Finally, I see entirely too many managers pushing too hard to spend extra time with salespeople who are falling short. While it's necessary to spend time with these people, it's not a good idea to keep asking them what they need help with and to insist on riding along with them. This only turns up the heat another notch on an already stressed-out rep. Nobody who is having trouble likes to be singled out, especially when the extra attention easily can be mistaken for micromanagement.

To keep a struggling salesperson motivated:

1. Keep the talk of funnels, forecasts and activity to a minimum.
2. Offer help without being overbearing.
3. Put your trust and confidence in that salesperson.

Stick with these guidelines and you'll not only do a better job of helping those who are having difficulties, but you'll see an overall increase in your sales team's motivation and enthusiasm.