Business Advice from our Experts - Sales and Marketing

Sales Tips for Small Business

by Eric Laffoley

Sales tips that can be applied by small business owners to increase their sales.

May ENews - Converting Sales to Profits

by Donna Stevenson

At first blush “converting sales to profits” seems like a simple equation. Conventional wisdom has it that Sales drive revenue, which in turn generates profit; straight forward and obvious. But is it? Just how cost efficient and profitable is your sales force? How many of us have taken the time or have the inclination to determine the actual cost of a sales call, or better yet the real cost of a sale? Adjusting for inflation, research consistently shows most business to business sales calls cost $250 to $350 per visit, while a pharma sales call can cost as much as $1800. Obviously, costs vary depending on a number of factors including the industry, base salaries and the overall compensation package, support, training, advertising and promotion. But this only begs the question, how important are traditional sales calls in a world of social media, interactive web sites and on line selling that can, supposedly, greatly reduce actual selling costs? Today the Internet provides a level playing field where a small to mid-size business can compete with businesses ten times their size or greater. In other words the larger question central to the whole notion of selling in general, is “How is it changing and where is it going?"

Marketing Expertise for 2012 - Creating Your Brand

by Donna Stevenson

What's in a Brand?

by Ginette Herald

Is Branding dying with the advent of social media marketing?

Why Branding is Critical to Growing Your Business

by Michael Ford

From consumer products and services to the B2B world, even to the world of political parties, in every case the product, service or the organization carries with it the promise of what impact it will have on someone's experience should that person choose to embrace it.

Branding At A Bargain

by Loretta Levinson

Anyone who ever started a business, or decided they had a product or service they wanted to sell and make a living at, has probably had run through their minds at some point: "What does branding mean...?

Branding Initiates the Power to Succeed

by Brenda Turino

The value of branding is found in how quickly one associates a feeling to a product or service.

Sometimes Little Things Win the Day

by Carl Cassidy

When competition is fierce and margins razor thin it’s: 1. Great customer service, 2. Attention to detail, 3. On time delivery and product diversity, and 4. Competitive pricing, that will drive business success.

20 Things You Need To Do To Improve 'Cold Call' Sales Results

by Carl Cassidy

Mastering the art of cold calling can be done if you prepare properly and follow these steps.

10 Steps to Increase Your Sales

by Carl Cassidy

I am sure everyone is familiar with the concept of the 30 second elevator pitch, but here is an update; you don’t need the elevator.

If You have to Enter A Trade Show, Here’s 12 Ways to Get the Most For Your Money

by Carl Cassidy

Many companies enter trade shows year after year as if by rote with little or any forethought as to what they want to communicate, project or achieve. Because they don’t give their decision the critical assessment it demands and because they fail to establish measurable business objectives, I would venture to say, based on my own experience, that as many as 90% of Trade Show expenditures are wasted money. I find most companies with whom I have worked give soft responses as to their reason for participation; such as we participate in order to showcase our products or services, talk to potential customers, increase sales. Not good enough. Be specific. Make it measurable.

Smart Strategies for Your Small Business

by Carl Cassidy

Successful businesses see these trying times as a time of great opportunity. As competition pulls back and retrenches, smart business people increase their marketing and sales efforts. Opportunity and problems are the opposite sides of the same coin. Now is the best time to look for effective ways to boost short term gains and build for long term returns. Everyone knows it’s difficult to run a small business in today’s environment, most small businesses aren’t spending, yet most are hoping to stay the course and make it through the down turn. This may be your strategy, but you might wish to consider a different course.