Colleen’s Blog

Want to know how to really motivate your team to perform at their best? I hear this phrase all too often "Motivate my team? I pay them!" Believe it or not, some sales managers believe that motivating their sales team is not a necessary practice. It's no coincidence that these sales managers are often leading extremely dysfunctional sales teams. It's an understatement to say that incorporating this type of philosophy is a huge mistake. On the other side of the coin, many sales managers base every reward on cash incentives, bonuses, trips and prizes. While this may seem appealing to some, making all recognition monetary is another big mistake that many sales leaders make. We've been tricked to believe that these forms of recognition alone motivate members of our team to perform at their best. Don't get sucked into this erroneous belief system!

My mantra remains “hire right or fire fast”. You have no place for negativity on the team if you want 2014 to be your best year yet!

Here’s the big fact: 98% of all dissatisfied customers were not dissatisfied because of a quality problem with the product or service purchased. In 98% of the cases their dissatisfaction was related to their perception of how they were treated by the people they dealt with.

Can you think of a few (or several) past clients that you would like to reconnect with? I know how it is, you may feel as though it's been too long to attempt to touch base, and as a result you decide that trying to reconnect is pointless. You may even dropped the ball or made a mistake with the former client, and therefore feel hesitant to re-initiate contact. I have some good news. Whether it's been six weeks, six months, or even six years, it's never too late to reach out directly to your client. In fact, it's essential to open dialogues with former clients as it provides you with valuable information as to why they may have fallen off the map. This way, you can be certain (and stop wondering) as to why you haven't heard from them, as well as gain valuable lessons from the past that can help you improve for the future.

When we receive positive testimonials from clients, it might seem difficult to ever find fault with them. After all, if they’re saying something positive, it has to be a good thing, right? The truth is, there are three vital components that make an effective testimonial. Without all three of these important elements, the testimonial may actually repel potential clients from working with you. Curious to know what these three important keys are? Your testimonial must be credible, current and compelling. When all three of these elements are present, the testimonial is most likely to convince prospective clients that you’re the real deal.