There is a huge grocery store in Ohio called Jungle Jim’s International Market. From what I hear this is the best and most interesting grocery store in the world! Yes, you got that right… grocery store. And that store has the best restrooms in the world. They pride themselves on their restrooms and how well […]
Questions To Ask Potential Sales Reps
The problem with finding and hiring the right sales person is that, well they are sales people, they know how to sell, they know how to talk a good game, in fact so good a game that it’s hard to figure out if they are in fact really good or just great talkers! So you […]
YES! Finally, The State Department Shows Its Teeth About ITAR
I love it! A good friend of mine sent me this article he received in an email announcement from the law firm of WILLIAMS MULLINS. Read it and weep ITAR offenders! Law abiding companies rejoice! Check this out: State Department Announces Another Major ITAR Enforcement Case and $30 Million Penalty By: Thomas B. McVeyOn April […]
How To Beat The Big Guys
Author’s note: while this post is geared towards the Printed Circuit Board industry, most of the ideas are applicable to other industries. There has for some time now been an ever growing gap in annual revenue numbers between the large international board shops and the smaller local board shops. While most of the smaller North […]
When Customers Stop Complaining, You’d Better Start Worrying.
A few years ago, I worked with a client that won and then lost thirty customers all in the span of ten months. The deal was they had bought the customer base of a company that as going out of business. They also hired a few key people from that company to help with the […]
My 10 Principles Of Networking
In sales and in life for that matter you are only as good as the people you know, work with and are friends with. You are only as strong as your affiliations. You have to know and be willing to work with everyone if you are going to be successful life. So with that in […]
Great Vendors Ask Questions
Many of my exceptional clients, and they are all exceptional of course, are getting negative feedback from their customers because they ask too many questions. Questions, mind you, that are focused on making a better product for those customers in the end. Questions, that are meant to clarify some of the questionable data that the […]
Demanding Customers Driving You Crazy? Good Problem To Have
There is nothing dumber you can do than getting mad at a customer. What is the point? These days when it is harder than ever to get a new customer and even harder to keep that customer amidst the barrage of competition coming for all sides there is nothing more counter-productive than getting mad at […]
The Cost Of Keeping A Customer
Experts estimate that we spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars acquiring new customers. When you think of all the money we spend on marketing, advertising, trade shows, websites, sales people, and their travel and other expenses you know these experts are right. I’ve read that one single sales visit will cost over five hundred […]
The “We’re Behind Quota Already!” Emergency Crash PCB Sales Plan
So the year has started badly. You thought all that start of year pent up demand would have you rocking. But sales are thin and the funnel is pretty darn dry. You’re beating on your outside sales team and they are doing everything they can with their customer base. Or worse yet you don’t even […]