How Leaky is Your Sales Pipeline?

Written by Greg Chapman


Copyright 2005 Empower Business Solutions

Does your Sales Pipeline leak? If you answered no, you don’t even understandrepparttar question. Every business’ Sales Pipeline leaks to some extent. The question is: Have you done everything you can to ensure that it does not leak excessively? Do you even know what your Sales Pipeline looks like?

Very simply, a Sales Pipeline starts with an initial enquiry and ends with a sale. Whilerepparttar 148739 Sales Pipeline looks different in each business, there are still some similarities between them. In all businesses, there is a need to generate enquiries. This can be done through advertising, cold calling, public relations or word of mouth. This enquiry may be a phone call in response to an ad. Or, in retail, a customer may walk in your front door attracted by your shopfront marketing. This isrepparttar 148740 first step ofrepparttar 148741 Sales Pipeline for any business. However, there are usually a number of steps from receiving an enquiry to generating a sale.

The next step might be getting an appointment withrepparttar 148742 prospect to establish their needs. In a retail situation,repparttar 148743 sales staff will ask: Can I help you? Once need is established, a second appointment may be made to present a proposal, or a quote may be provided. The final step in this generic Sales Pipeline would be to closerepparttar 148744 sale.

It is essential that every business owner understands their Sales Pipeline and where it leaks. Usingrepparttar 148745 generic pipeline above, what percentage of enquirers agrees to an initial appointment? How many of those agree to receive a formal proposal or ask for a quote? And finally, how many who receive a formal proposal or quote, are converted to sales? By understanding each step in your Sales Pipeline, you can measurerepparttar 148746 success in moving prospects alongrepparttar 148747 pipeline, and spot where your sales process needs to be improved.

6 Steps To Effective Management During Change

Written by Karin Syren


Copyright 2005 So-lu'shunz Management Services

Takerepparttar pain out of gain and decreaserepparttar 148728 upheaval surrounding change by following six commonsense steps to effective management.

Step 1: Establish Objectives

The process must begin with a clear and detailed statement of objectives and move from there to goal design. Goals must be directly accountable torepparttar 148729 vision while remaining in alignment withrepparttar 148730 stated purpose ofrepparttar 148731 organization. This requires constant interaction with team members to determine thatrepparttar 148732 they are on track, and with all internal clients to insure thatrepparttar 148733 goals and objectives are pertinent to their needs, as well as torepparttar 148734 organization's greater purpose.

Step 2: Organize & Plan

Efficiency in this area requiresrepparttar 148735 ability and resources to develop and effectively communicate design/redesign plans and realistic schedules, while maintaining a balance betweenrepparttar 148736 broad view and day to day operation.

The existing departmental structure inrepparttar 148737 case of a redesign is all-important torepparttar 148738 success ofrepparttar 148739 plan, as isrepparttar 148740 ability for leadership to delegate responsibility, while continuing to monitor and control outcomes. Structure, though transitional, must take precedence, often a challenge in an atmosphere of change.

Step 3: Communicate

Great communication,repparttar 148741 delivery of clearly stated information onrepparttar 148742 true state things, is timely, pertinent, and requires confirmation thatrepparttar 148743 message has been understood. The more ways in which information is given,repparttar 148744 more believable it becomes andrepparttar 148745 more likely to initiate action. By means of clear communication, a course of action is determined, pertinent information is provided and goals are met.

Step 4: Motivate

Motivation isrepparttar 148746 purpose provider,repparttar 148747 impetus for action. It is complex at best and takes more than one form, depending onrepparttar 148748 level ofrepparttar 148749 individual or team,repparttar 148750 level ofrepparttar 148751 manager, andrepparttar 148752 product or service provided. Experts acknowledge thatrepparttar 148753 feelings ofrepparttar 148754 individual or team towardrepparttar 148755 motivator are key torepparttar 148756 degree of motivation achieved. It becomes ideal then to haverepparttar 148757 full cooperation of those directly affected byrepparttar 148758 process and for leaders to have a good understanding of and rapport with teams and team members, knowing what makes each tick.

Change is disturbance ofrepparttar 148759 status quo, and will always involve a degree of resistance. Involving key staff inrepparttar 148760 design and implementation process, particularly when it involves drastic structure changes can be extremely productive.

Step 5: Develop Staff

Developing people ought to be a primary goal of any organization, and developing existing staff during a period of transition is practical and profitable. Leaders haverepparttar 148761 power to provide an environment rich in opportunity and resource, in which employees are encouraged inrepparttar 148762 area of self-development.

Place staff appropriately is critical to insuring staff become long-term contributors who can be counted on in periods of growth and transition. An effective leader understands that discerningrepparttar 148763 right fit of individual to position is critical to all present and future endeavors. Ignorance in this area can be a costly flaw surfacing during periods of change.

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