2. Nature of the Offering

• Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
  
  
• Are they tangible or intangible?
  
  
• Do they consist of stand-alone products o
  Standards for Dry Washing and Pressure Washing in Mobile Car Care
  The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car and removing the dirt so it is clean as promised to the customer. Some would say this is not a standard but rather the minimum required. The environmental standards for run off are simple in that no used wash water is allowed to enter a storm drain. Which is fairly simple and straightforward. Customers obviously prefer a clean car.So should you use a product such as Dry Wash n’ Guard or use a pressure washer to clean the automobile? There are competing methods and theories here and each side has valid points and the debate is often quite heated if your follow the
  Wouldn't you agree that every sales job is unique? Aren't there significant differences in products and services sold, target markets, target geographies, company cultures, lead sources, sales cycle lengths, and more? Given these many differences, how can you accurately define the parameters that will produce success in your company's sales job?

  The questions asked in this article do not identify every possible factor you should consider as you analyze your company's sales position(s). However, reviewing these questions should spark useful thoughts concerning desirable salesperson characteristics. At minimum, if you carefully consider each question, you will become more consciously aware of key requirements than you were previously.

  If you are a salesperson, you can also benefit from considering these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects and further refine your sales approach.

  1. Nature of the Customer

  • What are your target markets?
    
    
  • Are they horizontal or vertical?
    
    
  • Do you sell to consumers, corporations, schools, state and local governments, etc.?
    
    
  • What level(s) in the organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)
  Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility with prospects and customers. Wouldn't you agree that selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

  2. Nature of the Offering

  • Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
    
    
  • Are they tangible or intangible?
    
    
  • Do they consist of stand-alone products or
    Public Relations: Power Tool for the 21st Century
    I address this article to businesses, associations, non-profits and public entity managers seeking a direct connection between the money they're planning to spend on public relations, and the achievement of their organizational objectives.We can save a lot of time - you and I - if we can agree on one point: I believe that deep down - and I mean DEEP down - most chief executives understand that doing something about the behaviors of their most significant external audiences can rank in importance right up there with increased sales and earnings. Whether they do anything about it or not is another question. But I beli
    cle do not identify every possible factor you should consider as you analyze your company's sales position(s). However, reviewing these questions should spark useful thoughts concerning desirable salesperson characteristics. At minimum, if you carefully consider each question, you will become more consciously aware of key requirements than you were previously.

    If you are a salesperson, you can also benefit from considering these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects and further refine your sales approach.

    1. Nature of the Customer

    • What are your target markets?
      
      
    • Are they horizontal or vertical?
      
      
    • Do you sell to consumers, corporations, schools, state and local governments, etc.?
      
      
    • What level(s) in the organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)
    Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility with prospects and customers. Wouldn't you agree that selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

    2. Nature of the Offering

    • Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
      
      
    • Are they tangible or intangible?
      
      
    • Do they consist of stand-alone products o
      Email Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Business
      Email is both a blessing and a real annoyance to businesses. It allows you to send a quick message to your clients or to your employees in a branch office hundreds of miles away. But it can also leave you vulnerable to viruses that can cause your server to crash, spam that can eat away at huge parts of your day, and can put confidential company information out into public cyberspace. What should you be doing to protect your business?1. Mistake #1 – You do not have any policies in place for the use of your email system. If you do not want your employees using company time and company resources to send pornography, bad jokes
      strong>, you can also benefit from considering these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects and further refine your sales approach.

      1. Nature of the Customer

      • What are your target markets?
        
        
      • Are they horizontal or vertical?
        
        
      • Do you sell to consumers, corporations, schools, state and local governments, etc.?
        
        
      • What level(s) in the organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)
      Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility with prospects and customers. Wouldn't you agree that selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

      2. Nature of the Offering

      • Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
        
        
      • Are they tangible or intangible?
        
        
      • Do they consist of stand-alone products o
        Getting Closer to Your Customers
        The increasing complexity and breakneck pace of running any organization has had the effect of pushing executives, managers and staff farther away from the clients that use your services. Ask yourself honestly: how many days can go by without ever thinking about your clients? We can balance the need to effectively manage our operations, without losing sight of our clients. Clients can’t be top-of-mind all the time, but there are actions you can take to keep them at the forefront.Put Your Executives in the Trenches Implement a mandatory program for all senior executives to be exposed to clients, and their issues, s
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      • What level(s) in the organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)
      Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility with prospects and customers. Wouldn't you agree that selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

      2. Nature of the Offering

      • Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
        
        
      • Are they tangible or intangible?
        
        
      • Do they consist of stand-alone products o
        Holiday Season: More Opportunities for Savvy Job Seekers
        Are you thinking of slowing down or stopping your job search activities during the holiday season? Many job seekers do. Which means better opportunities for those who do not.Here's why:Less competition! Jobs don't disappear during the holidays, but many job seekers do. Whether it's due to family vacations or just an attitude of "I'll relax a bit now, then double my efforts after the New Year begins," fewer people will be competing for your dream job this time of year.New openings! Many companies interview during November and December for new positions starting at the first of the year. The hiring ma
        selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

        2. Nature of the Offering

        • Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
          
          
        • Are they tangible or intangible?
          
          
        • Do they consist of stand-alone products or services, or bundles of products and services?
          
          
        • Does your company have a small portfolio of offerings or a large portfolio of offerings?
        The nature of the offering(s) will determine the most effective Sales Style (see item #5), the importance of Learning Rate to sales success, and desired prospecting and opportunity qualification approaches.

        3. Sales Environment

        • What kind of environment do your salespeople work in?
          
          
        • Are they office-based or home based?
          
          
        • Is most of their selling done over the telephone or in person?
        Salespeople that work from a home office usually perform best if they are independent self-starters, whereas office- based salespeople may have the option of receiving more frequent direction and support from their sales manager.

        4. Geography

        • How many sales locations does your company have?
          
          
        • Where are they located?
        Different sales approaches are usually required to sell successfully in different locales such as downtown Manhattan (NY), Baton Rouge (LA), and Los Angeles (CA).

        5. Sales Style

        • Which sales styles (Consultative, Relationship, Display, Hard Closer) are most effective in your target markets?
        The nature of the customer and the complexity of the offering(s) should be considered when answering this question.

        6. Relationship Preference

        • Is your company more concerned about:
          
          
        • Fi