Business To Business Telemarketing Advice

Make fewer telemarketing calls and close more sales. Telemarketing is a valuable tool for increasing business. Break down the process to improve your results. A little attention to a few areas can have a profound impact on results. Telemarketers will have more success in fewer calls. Success makes everyone involved happy.

Three areas to evaluate:

Call script

Presentation style

Do your closing questions match your objectives?

A good cold call script will increase the amount of genuine sales conversations. Whether your objective is to set an appointment or have a substantial sales call a good calling script can help. Most important is the benefit statements used and the engaging question at the end of the introduction.

Telemarketers have about 30 seconds for the prospect to decide if they will take a few minutes to engage in a discussion. If your benefit statement strikes a chord the call is on the way to a successful conclusion. The prospect wants to know WIIFM (What's In It For Me?) before proceeding. Take time to write out several statements and read them aloud. It's easy to clutter up a concept. Keep statements simple.

When making a telemarketing cold call the initial presentation is crucial. One of the biggest mistakes telemarketers make is talking too fast. Slow down! Speak clearly and enunciate. When sales calls feel rushed a prospect is more likely to dismiss the call. No one wants to feel like they are one in a million routine calls. When a prospect feels she is call ten thousand she won't feel guilty about shutting a call down quickly.

Talking too fast often does not allow the prospect to register what was said. Speed matters. When a telemarketer speaks slowly and clearly they sound more authoritative. Use a deep voice and sit up straight. The combination of these few small techniques will improve performance. Telemarketers are more apt to engage a prospect in a serious discussion when the prospect understands what the call is about.

Once you've decided on your goal, and how to qualify your prospect design at least nine closing statements. Closing statements have different purposes. Closing statements help telemarketers gauge if a prospect is ready to buy. Effective statements sometimes require a 'Yes' or 'No' response.

Great telemarketers let their questions move the process forward. When a prospect sees value and feels inspired to buy the telemarketer has done an excellent job. We all like to believe we're logical consumers. The truth is we all buy more stuff than we need which is not logical. Good telemarketers sell on value and benefits, not price.

Business-to-business telemarketing is a thoughtful methodology that delivers tremendous results. Small modifications are important. Experiment, practice, and test call scripts prior to using them live. Record your delivery style, listen and evaluate. Would you want to talk with someone who sounds frantic and unprofessional? Present benefits, engage and listen to your prospect. Don't force a sale. Create value and prime prospects so they want to buy!

Knowing how to sell is about perfecting your sales techniques and your sales process. Sales skills evolve. A conscious and continual effort reaps big rewards. Most sales people encounter call reluctance during their career in sales. Erase it! Kimberly Schenk is an Executive Recruiter/Sales Trainer with over 20 years of experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7388006

Online Business Referral Program For You

Depending on the nature of a business, individuals can most likely seek out and find a relevant online referral program to match their needs. However, an online referral program can also be detrimental to a business if it requires time-intense responsibility that no one is available to manage. For this reason, finding the most ideal online referral program may take a bit of research time.

Product-Based Business

If you have a product-based business you are actually in luck. There are several reputable and high-quality online referral programs to take advantage of. These are most commonly referred to as Affiliate Programs.

- Amazon Associates Program 

- Yahoo Affiliate Program 

- eBay Partner Network 

- Travelocity Affiliate Program

These famous networks are available to those who have product offerings. The sign-ups may be a bit detailed and require working knowledge of each product available, but the payouts are the source of income for many product-based businesses. Once your products are submitted to these networks, the affiliate marketers on their sites will begin to share your products with others. Although sign-up may take time, the passive income will inevitably improve a bottom line.

Publisher-Based Business

If you offer services or are a web-based business owner, you would want to look into all of the available e-commerce sites, SaaS and perhaps even content subscription services that offer online referral programs. Joining some of the larger affiliate networks can also be a great way to share your name and your service offerings.

- LinkShare 

- ClixGalore 

- ClickBank 

- Max Bounty 

- NeverBlue

Regardless of what is available, all business owners will need to weigh for themselves whether or not their business is ready to begin an affiliate program. What signs should one look for to know if it is time to dive into the world of product and service marketing?

Is Your Business Ready?

- Are you earning a substantial income from your current product offerings? 

- Are you often told that you should be sharing your products or services with the world? 

- Are you confident about your success? 

- Do you have capital saved for business expenditures? 

- Would your knowledge on your products and services be considered "Expertise"? 

- Are you ready and willing to continue to learn?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, it is most likely time for you to expand on your business.

There are many ways to delve into online referral marketing as well. There is Social Referral Marketing to consider.

- Extole 

- SocialTwist 

- NextBee 

- CureBit 

- InviteBox

Customer Referrals will also be a huge part of any great online referral program strategy. This critical element of business growth can be expanded upon in online formats but will also still always require the word-of-mouth style of marketing referrals that have been so traditionally successful for decades, even if they are often carried out digitally today.

Don't forget to utilize fun, entertaining and interactive dialogue in any style of affiliate communications and remember that even the online referral program you choose can say a lot about your business. Make the decisions about who your business 'affiliates' with wisely.

Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Joint Venture and Referral Marketing firm. He exemplifies how to profit from Joint Venture and Referral relationships by creating profit centers with minimal risk and maximum profitability.

Secrets of Donald Trump Revealed

If you're like most of the television-watching public, you're hooked on Season #2 of "The Apprentice" and the flamboyant entrepreneur in the "starring role."

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Donald Trump is one of the world's most intriguing success stories... arrogant, conceited, and an absolute lightening rod for wealth of the largest magnitude. Trump is a billionaire! His accomplishment speaks for itself.

I like the man a lot.

One of the "big guns" leveled at "The Donald" is that he's boastful and egoistic. But while his attitude may or may not make him good company in a lifeboat, I think a "super" ego is a great characteristic to have in business.

I'll admit it: sometimes I have a big ego myself. My "ego strength" comes naturally out of the fact that I absolutely, positively believe 100% in what I do.

I have a little gadget on my desk saying, "I might be wrong, but I am never in doubt."

If that makes me an egoist... so be it. Because if you show me a person with low self-esteem, I'll show you a loser.

Self-esteem is the foundation of all achievement. You gotta love yourself. You gotta stand up for yourself. You gotta believe in yourself. And don't be afraid to toot your own horn!

Many people are conditioned that "bragging" is unseemly. But seriously, if you don't shine the spotlight on yourself, who will?

In most businesses, the owner is the "face" of that business, and he must sell himself as well as his products and services. Trump understands the concept, and what's why you see his brand "Trump" on everything.

"The Donald" knows that you've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day...because nobody else will!

Especially if you're an entrepreneur.

Starting a new business is like having a new baby. In the first weeks and months, you're surrounded by support and encouragement...love from friends and family eager to help you with your "newborn."

But how long does that last? Not very. Suddenly you're out there on your own, and you've got to trust yourself. If you don't have confidence in yourself and in your decision-making abilities, you'll be paralyzed...unable to move.

Here's something huge: you have to believe that you'll be able to bounce back no matter what comes your way. Trump certainly has! And you can bet it was his unshakable ego that made the difference.

So, before you judge "The Donald" for being arrogant and full of himself, consider how having an over-developed ego can be a real asset.

One of the most important lessons I've learned in business is - don't criticize the negative traits of super-successful people. Instead of looking at their flaws and mistakes, say...

"What can I learn from this guy? What are some of his characteristics? How can I adapt this concept to my business?"

Frankly, if you can't pick up at least a good idea or two from a billionaire, you're pretty hopeless.

OK, enough of this "appetizing" chitchat. Let's get to the meat...

What I'd like to do is share some of the key insights I've learned from Donald Trump and successfully applied to my own life.

I'll give it to you Trump's way... then, I'll "Lok and load" it with my own personal spin.

Fasten your seat belt, because this first insight is probably THE concept that completely changed my life.

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Trumpism #1: Making It Big

"I like things big. I always have. To me, it's very simple: if you're going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big."

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Several years ago, I set a goal for myself: to make a 6-figure annual salary as a copywriter. What a small thinker I was!

Today, I've more than achieved my goal, but I didn't get the fulfillment and satisfaction that I expected. It's more like, "OK, I've achieved my goal, now what?"

What if I had set the goal to become a millionaire copywriter?

What if I set the goal to utilize my marketing and copywriting and build a $10-million company?

Would that make a difference? Would I be even more successful?

I think so.

As motivational speaker Les Brown said, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars."

My mother didn't raise any ignorant kids, and you don't have to tell me something twice. I've learned my lesson and adopted this philosophy in both my business and personal pursuits.

My long-term goal is building a $100 million-dollar company.

Isn't that pretty outrageous? Does it sound 'impossible'? Well, I've got a lifetime to work towards it!

And if I reach that goal, I'll set a new one!

You'll experience a paradigm shift when you think BIG. You'll look at things differently. You'll look at yourself differently.

And most of all, you'll approach your business differently.

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Trumpism #2: Accentuate the Negative

"It's been said that I believe in the power of positive thinking. In fact, I believe in the power of negative thinking. I happen to be very conservative in business. I always go into the deal anticipating the worst. If you plan for the worst - if you can live with the worst - the good will always take care of itself."

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More success, more wealth and more money are created out of knee-knocking, nail-biting desperation than out of "touchy/feely" positive thinking.

Positive thinking alone won't get you anywhere unless you combine it with practical plans, well-defined goals, follow-through, action, knowledge and persistence, etc.

I'm living proof.

I got into the copywriting business out of desperation. I still remember when I was to the world of business and no one would hire me. Feeling helpless and hopeless, I was motivated to become my own boss.

It was do or die for me...and I sure as hell wasn't about to die. And I found out that if I used the power of "negative thinking" in a good way, it was an extremely powerful motivator.

I always like to put myself in situation where I HAVE to grow, I HAVE to adapt, and I HAVE to change. I am constantly pushing the envelope and stepping outside of my comfort zone because...

The success that you want can only be found outside your comfort zone!

Any time you have a decision to make, ask yourself this, "What's the worst possible outcome? Can I handle it? Will it kill my business?"

Expect the best, but plan for the worst. Don't assume things will go smoothly because 9 times out of 10...they won't!

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Trumpism #3: Hiding Your Light Under A Bushel

"You can have the most wonderful product in the world, but if people don't know about it, it's not going to be worth much."

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I've pitched this concept until I am blue in the face to clients who stubbornly say, "I have a great product, so I don't have to advertise it."

That's insane!

No business can survive without a constant stream of qualified prospecting coming to your business. So it doesn't matter what industry you're in or what product/service you make available, whoever you are...

Essentially you're in the marketing business!

Having a good product or service is NOT enough...although it's certainly mandatory! Quality and value what brings your customers back for more.

But how the heck do they do how "wonderful" your stuff is if they haven't even bought from you yet?

In order to make a sale, you need someone you can sell to. To achieve that you need effective marketing systems to get these people in your "funnel" in the first place.

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Trumpism #4: Show Me the Money

"Don't believe the critics unless they love your work."

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I have a reputation for being blunt and aggressive. It's well deserved.

I am tough on my clients. I slap them around (figuratively, of course!). I use swear words when I write. I use even more "colorful language" when I talk.

I could be a real SOB sometime. I don't sugarcoat stuff and I definitely don't care about hurting someone's feelings. I've even fired clients on more than one occasion.

Because of my straightforward and tell-it-like-it-is style, I get a lot more criticisms than other marketing experts. Do you think I care what other critics say or think or about me? Not for a microsecond.

Because my clients either love me or they hate me. But regardless of how they feel about my style, all my clients put up with a manic like me because I make them rich, enormously rich.

And it's my satisfied clients that pay me... not dissatisfied critics.

The world is full of "naysayers" eager to find fault and point to the negative. You can't avoid them. They're a fact of life. Elbert Hubbard said it best, "To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing."

I am a firm believer that the best way to fail is to try to please everybody. So the only criticisms I take to heart are the ones from my mentors, my closest associates, and my advisors.

Period.

Remember...

Your critics aren't buying from you

Your critics don't want to see you do well

Your critics probably aren't qualified enough to criticize you!

Okay, I've "distilled" the essence of the four most intriguing concepts I've learned from Trump's books that have put money in my pocket. If you're motivated to go deeper "The Donald" has written seven incredible books (and you'll notice that each of them has "Trump" in the title!)

• Trump: How to Get Rich
• Trump: The Way to the Top
• Trump: Surviving at the Top
• Trump: The Art of the Deal
• The America We Deserve
• Trump: The Art of Survival

Fundraising Basics

Today there are more non-profit and charity groups than ever. On the one hand, this is a great development (I hope) - it means that as a society we are becoming more aware of a need to give to others. We even see that people are taking the necessary steps to ensure that we help others. On the other hand, though, the presence of so many non-profits creates a unique problem - "donors burnout."
In short, did you realised that there are more donation drive running across your neighbourhoods, TVs and newspapers?
The increased competitiveness of fundraising has created a whole new business: The Fundraising Business. There are consulting firms that will help you fundraise more effectively - for a price, of course. There are also many companies that claim that their fundraising efforts or products will make money for your non-profit in exchange for a share in the profits.
Many people assume that fundraising is as simple as holding garage sales or some other activities until enough money is raised. If you only want to raise a small amount of money for a specific purpose (eg. student's fund for college), this may be fine, but for many groups using this approach is too uncertain and too limited to be very effective.
If your group will be around for a while because your organisation runs on donar's support, then you will want to raise money consistently in order to keep your group going. You will need to learn many things in order to keep enough money coming consistently: Fundraising is not an easy activity and it does requires skills to achieve the best results.

Planning Your First Business Meeting

Are you planning your first business meeting and want to ensure you cover all your bases? Don't run around like a crazed wedding planner. Have a strategy and stick to it.
First, set the date and establish the agenda. It's important to prepare the agenda well in advance. You want to ensure everyone has a chance to look it over to get prepared and give you feed back on areas that might need to be included. In preparing an agenda, envision the purpose of the meeting. How long will it last? How many speakers/presentations will there be? How will the meeting progress? How will you reach your goal for a successful and productive meeting?
Second, set a time for the meeting to begin AND end. It is imperative that you keep the meeting on schedule. You can always go back and revisit unresolved issues as time permits.
Third, find out who needs to be invited to the meeting. Identify people who must be there to accomplish the purpose of the meeting and include people you may need to invite because of their status. Make this step easier by setting up a meeting notification procedure whether is by email or regular mail. Attach the agenda to the note so everyone is on the same page from the start. Be specific if there is homework or advance preparation for the attendees. Ask all participants to respond to ensure everyone has received the communication.
Finally, pay attention to the details and logistics. This is where a checklist pays off:
Selecting the room and accommodations
Where is the meeting being held? Is it readily accessible (wheelchairs or disability access, comfortable room with plenty of sating?
Check the temperature. There is nothing worse to dampen a meeting than a comfortable room.
Identify where the rest rooms are. Locate a place where people can store briefcases and luggage should they be traveling to attend.
Make sure there are plenty of seats with room to spread out especially if this is a "working" meeting.
Will you need a translator/s?
Equipment
Will you need AV and presentation equipment at the meeting? Will the presenters need the same? (Check about microphones and podium preferences.) Be sure to find out this information well in advance so you can make the appropriate arrangements.
Test all equipment prior to the start of the meeting. If at all possible have a techie ready to handle any snafus that might occur.
Supplies
Have name badges, pencils, pads of paper and other necessary meeting supplies available.
Are documents required? Will there be handouts and materials that need to be prepared?
Have them done well in advance in the event of errors.
Assistance
Have a person sitting outside the room for the check in.
Distribute materials or documents at check in and register attendees.
Secure someone to take notes before the meeting starts.
If you plan to tape the proceeding tell everyone up front that you are recording.
Refreshments
Have water, juice, coffee and tea available. If the meeting covers a mealtime, you will also need to provide food. Make the arrangements in advance and have it delivered to the meeting so as not to interrupt the flow. Keep special dietary requests in mind. It's always best to order a couple of vegetarian items.
Breaks
Depending upon the length of the meeting one or more breaks may be required. Be specific about the time allotted for the break and resume the meeting on time whether all the participants have returned or not.
No matter how well prepared you are there is always some unanticipated problem. Don't let it get you flustered. Roll with the flow. If you have used these guidelines, you can feel confident that you have done your homework. If something does go wrong, be on the ready to fix it quickly and quietly. And remember, anything can happen even to the most seasoned meeting planner. Use the event as a building block to future successful meetings.

Nearly 3 Hours A Day

A recent survey by Salary.com shows employee productivity may not be all that employers would like. According to the survey, "the average worker in the US admits to frittering away 2.09 hours per eight hour workday". This figure does not include lunch breaks or other scheduled break-time.
In Wisconsin, for every eight hours work an employer pays for, the employee is likely to deliver less than six. Respondents admit to wasting 2.8 hours on activities such as:
o Surfing the Internet for personal use
o Socializing with co-workers
o Conducting personal business
Take out employer sanctioned time off such as lunch breaks, vacation time and sick leave and the productivity picture looks even worse.
"Never has the argument for outsourcing been stronger" says Yvonne McCoy owner of Swift Office Services LLC, a Virtual Assistant firm based in Eagle, Wisconsin. Virtual Assistants (VAs) are fast becoming the small business owner's preferred choice for administrative and marketing support. VAs can substantially reduce the costs traditionally associated with hiring talent; they bill only for time on task and work remotely from their own fully equipped office. "This makes administrative support more affordable for the business owner who no longer needs to furnish his assistant with a desk, computer, telephone and all the other paraphernalia that goes with a direct hire."
"Nor does he need to worry how to keep the assistant fully occupied during slack periods" says McCoy. According to the survey, the number one time-wasting excuse is "Don't have enough work to do," reason enough for many to consider outsourcing over hiring. Since a whopping 33.2% of respondents cited this as their biggest reason for wasting time, small business owners need to seriously consider whether they can keep a new hire gainfully employed before committing to that kind of expenditure.
Swift Office Services LLC is one of a growing number of virtual assistant practices, operated by seasoned administrators who left the corporate world to become entrepreneurs. As McCoy states, "with innovations in communications and technology, many administrative and marketing functions can be undertaken from just about any location, and the resulting work easily transmitted by email, internet, fax or more traditional methods."
Just for the record, Wisconsin is not the biggest time wasting state. It ranks number four behind Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky.

Communicate With Your Bookkeeping

Does the thought of doing the bookwork send you into a frenzy? Do you find anything to do other than get your finances in order? You may be missing some great communication with your books, which could ultimately guide you to success in your business and your personal life.
Now this may sound a bit bizarre communicating with your books, yet so many things are communicating a message to you. You see I recently took a bookkeeping course and then QuickBooks so that I could manage my finances easier. It also deals with repetition on forms and statements saving even more time.
I realized how bookkeeping is just another form of communication. Your books tell you, on so many levels how your business is doing.
They show:
* What trends are developing
* Where most of your money is coming from
* Who your best customers are
* Where you are spending the most amount of your money
* How much is outgoing (expenses) compared with incoming(sales and revenue)
* Who is getting behind on their payments
* How much interest you're paying
* Whether you can get that purchase you wanted
In fact, math seems to have little to do with it and with today's computerized programs. They have taken care of the additions and subtraction for you. You are doing more sorting and compiling than math.
Your books tell you how things have been proceeding or not and assists you at creating long-term plans. You are supplied with the information that allows you to make a more informed decision.
For many people putting aside the math part of numbers and seeing them in a new light helps them to overcome the fear of looking at and dealing with them. When you see them as your friend, it becomes a whole lot easier to work with.
First, let say you have a question. Am I doing well enough to buy a widget for the company? When you have your books in order, they are able to give you a clear picture of how you are doing which gives you the proper information to make a decision.
You can easily put the information into a bar or graph if you are a visual person. This also gives you the data needed right at your fingertips to take to a bank for a loan or line of credit.
Some people have said it is hard to remember what all goes on a financial statement.And lists just shut them down.
I find it easier to have a picture in my head and change things into metaphors or something that I can visualize.
For example:
A financial statement gives you a clear view of how you are doing.
And on the financial statement is your:
Capital
Liabilities
Expenses
Assets
Revenue
This helps me to visualize and therefore remember what needs to be included. So the better you can communicate the details to yourself, the better the numbers will communicate how you are doing to make an informed decision.
So, what are you waiting for, get on to your books, save your self some time, stress and anxiety, and see what they are telling you.

All the Best!
Maria Boomhower
Come to my website and sign-up for my Communication Mastery Ezine
P.S. If you like what you're reading in this ezine, you'll love the book, “Overcoming Barriers to Communication.”