Sales Ground Hog Days

Posted on February 2, 2016 by savi0043

Sales Ground Hog Days
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Colleen_Stanley]Colleen Stanley

Does anyone remember the movie Ground Hog Day?  Here are the cliff notes of the movie.  Phil is a grumpy, pompous weather forecaster who finds himself trapped in what science fiction refers to as a time loop while covering the ritual of ground hog day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  Phil quickly realizes that if he doesn’t change his ways or behavior, events will keep repeating themselves.  Hence, the name of the movie.  The movie has a happy ending and Phil changes to become a more empathetic and positive person.

Salespeople and sales managers are caught up in their own version of Ground Hog Day. They keep using the same approach, having the same conversations, which are leading to the same outcomes.  Here are just a few examples.

#1:  Sales Activity:  It would be nice if all companies provided a plethora of leads.  However, the reality is many salespeople need to source their own opportunities.  Here’s where the ground hog day movie starts. The sales manager badgers, begs or threatens the salesperson to do what he is paid to do. The salesperson promises to do better, however, he doesn’t calendar block.  The result is another week where “other stuff” takes priority over prospecting.

Sales managers can stop the bad rerun by setting and measuring key performance metrics for their sales team.  Work with each person on your team and create a business development plan that measures all activity leading to a first, exploratory phone call. Change your old, tired script of, “I hire veterans… I don’t need to set expectations.”  Veterans need metrics and measurements just as much as your rookies.  NBA or NFL coaches recruit and hire veterans all the time.  And those veterans have metrics in place that keep them at the top of their game.

#2:  CRM System:  Salespeople, do you really need to hear another lecture from your sales manager on the importance of logging your conversations and meetings with prospects and customers?  Instead of ignoring and hoping your manager will give up, make suggestions, recommendations or ask for additional training.

Sales managers, toughen up, and put in consequences for no entry of information into your CRM system. It’s time for you to show a new movie scene to your team. For example, if a there is no activity logged into a prospect’s account, that opportunity is up for grabs and can be reassigned to another salesperson-preferably one that is using the system!  It’s amazing how quickly salespeople adapt and change when there is a financial hit to the checkbook.

#3:  Sales Meetings. It’s time for a big yawn on this movie scene.  The sales team comes into the meeting with their sales pipeline report. A few are on time, a few roll in late.  Roll call begins and group denial sets in.  Salespeople go over their opportunities using words like, “I think ABC company is going to do something this month.”  (How would you like to be the CFO at your company, trying to handle cash flow, with an “I think” strategy?)

Sales managers, put on your coaching hat and make the sales pipeline reviews a training opportunity.  Test the salesperson’s opportunities with basic questions such as, “What is the prospect’s pain? How much is it costing? What is the unspoken objection? What is their number one criterion for changing?”  Instead of having roll call meetings, hold sales meetings where learning and earnings improve.

Model the behavior you expect from your sales team. If you expect them to show up early to sales meetings with prospects, start your sales meetings on time. Stop penalizing the organized and prepared sales person.

It’s time for a new movie. Put on your producer hat and create a new Oscar winner by changing your sales and sales management approach.

Colleen Stanley is president of SalesLeadership Inc., a business development consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training. The company provides programs in prospecting, referral strategies, consultative sales training, sales management training, emotional intelligence and hiring/selection. She is the author of ‘Growing Great Sales Teams’ and ‘Emotional Intelligence For Sales Success.’ Reach Colleen at 303.708.1128 or visit [http://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com]http://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com.
Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or electronically as long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to  [mailto:team@salesleadershipdevelopment.com]team@salesleadershipdevelopment.com. Thank you.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Sales-Ground-Hog-Days&id=8408364] Sales Ground Hog Days

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Pizza Recipes: How To Make Easy Bread Machine Pizza Dough Recipe

Posted on January 27, 2016 by savi0043

Many people all over the world love to make and serve pizza. It is a family favorite in many homes throughout the world today. Finding and using different types of pizza recipes can be fun for the whole family whether they are helping to make pizza or simply enjoying the great flavors and aromas of a great tasting pizza.

Pizza Recipes: How To Make Easy Bread Machine Pizza Dough Recipe
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christine_Szalay_Kudra]Christine Szalay Kudra

Many people all over the world love to make and serve pizza. It is a family favorite in many homes throughout the world today. Finding and using different types of pizza recipes can be fun for the whole family whether they are helping to make pizza or simply enjoying the great flavors and aromas of a great tasting pizza.

Pizza is Versatile

Pizza is versatile since there are so many different things you can do with it. You can make so many different types of pizza that it might be overwhelming when you begin to consider all the different types of recipes for making it. You can make a spicy, savory pizza. You can also make a sweet and tempting dessert pizza. It just really all depends on what you and your family prefer while eating this delicious dish. One of the best things about making the pizza dough for the crust is that you can use them whether you include spicy and savory ingredients or if you use delicious and sweet ingredients.

Experiment with Different types of Pizza Recipes

Be open to experimenting with different types of pizza recipes, since there is just no telling what type of mouthwatering dish you may be able to create for your family and friends.
Recipe for Bread Machine Pizza Dough

What You Need

1 � cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 � cups bread flour
1 � teaspoon salt
1 � Tablespoons sugar
1 � teaspoons dry active yeast

How to Make It

Check your bread machine directions and then add these ingredients in the order listed in the user manual to get the best results.

After adding the water, vegetable oil, bread flour, salt, sugar and dry active yeast follow the directions of the bread maker you have available to begin processing these ingredients into a convenient pizza dough.

To prepare a chewier pizza dough for your pizza recipes you will need to remove the dough from the bread machine. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean dry surface. Place the pizza dough onto the prepared floured surface and then knead it by hand for about 5 to 10 minutes to achieve a more traditional type of pizza dough.

Alternatively, you can also place the bread machine pizza dough into a stand mixer that has a dough hook attachment and then process the dough more rather than by entirely hand kneading the dough. After mixing with the dough hook attachment, remove the dough and hand knead it for only a few minutes to achieve a chewier and traditional pizza crust.

After making your bread machine pizza dough, simply follow the directions of making your pizza by adding the different ingredients that you will include while making the pizza sauce, pizza fillings and pizza toppings.

You might also want to adapt this recipe by using 1 � cups flat beer rather than the 1 � cups water, if you choose to do so.

Christine Szalay-Kudra is an author, food expert and mom of four boys. She is the owner of the Recipe Publishing Network, a group of sites dedicated to fine food and information for cooks. When not busy with her business you can find her sharing on one of these social networks at her own URL: http://www.recipepublishingnetwork.org/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Pizza-Recipes:-How-To-Make-Easy-Bread-Machine-Pizza-Dough-Recipe&id=5731695] Pizza Recipes: How To Make Easy Bread Machine Pizza Dough Recipe

 

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5 Doors To Success

Posted on January 23, 2016 by savi0043

5 Doors To Success
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brian_Azar]Brian Azar

The five motivational doors to success in the future are:

Energy. Many people are on “overwhelm” today. Some of Brian’s colleagues have told him they’re somewhere between “tired and re-tired.” To have success, you must have energy! Part of maximizing your energy is to eliminate negative energy, shift it to positive. This is especially true in business on the net.

Put on your success costume and take a deep breath – you’re in for a roller coaster ride for the next two years.

Physiology. Not just how you take care of your body, but how you carry your self and what your body language conveys comes across on the phone. If you spend at least an hour a day on the phone, you must have a headset that will allow you to hold your head up, be flexible and spontaneous. Body shifting. Give yourself a physical cue – put on a costume, a hat, or take out a picture – something that you use to cue and start your day with and to step out of at the end of the day.

Attitude! Do you know anyone who hasn’t gone through major changes in their personal life? Brian was blessed with a new family, and moved from his familiar home in New York to a new area in the Southern U.S. Along the way, he experienced a good deal of gratitude and gratefulness. Attitude is so important to succeeding. If you’re not doing what you love, not finding the things you love to do that make you wake up in the morning and feel good, then you are already in trouble and it is going to get tougher.

Brian remembers that his great grandfather was always happy and always smiling. As a small child, he asked why. His grandfather replied, “Every day when I wake up, I stretch my hands out, palms up and as long as I don’t feel cloth or wood, I feel good.”

Belief systems. Unfortunately, today we have a lot of belief systems that are not true, healthy or appropriate. Your belief systems should include a positive approach to work: there are no failures, only feedback; and that you have a purpose to your activities – to help others. If you have a higher purpose to what you want to accomplish with your business, if you have specific goals, plans and action sets, you’ll have a belief system that works to support your efforts.

Create a statement of your purpose, keep one copy near the phone and carry another copy with you.

Behavior. How do you behave in business? In the community? How do you take care or yourself? Do you give yourself credit? How do you work for the betterment of others?

The key to success is not the number of sales or the amount of revenue, but how good a resource person you become for others. To get to these doors, you’ll need to use the keys – Five things that motivate and inspire people:

It’s NOT the money. People want to be recognized or acknowledged positively. As a nation, we are downsizing, cutting back, laying off workers, and the remaining workers are being forced to pick up the job responsibilities of the group pushed out, with no increase in income or control. Many people constantly say recognition and positive acknowledgment from staff, clients, vendors, and, yes, even your family on a regular basis is critical.

People want a participating role. They want to experience a part of being a decision-maker. Let your staff and even clients have input in decision-making situations. The Sales Doctor does not believe leadership is good today. The best leaders are those who lead by example. Autocratic, authoritarian people do not lead. Those who are resources for those around them, who give away their power, who allow others to have input around them, are the true leaders.

True winners want to collaborate. This is especially true of successful winning sales people and entrepreneurial people. These winners don’t want to compete and beat each other into the ground. When Brian was at Xerox, once he started winning the salesman of the month prize – he was ridiculed and sabotaged. This is not an unusual situation. No one feels good if they don’t win. When the Sales Doctor goes to companies that still have those awards for top salesperson of the month, this is our first target. The best one isn’t the one who needs the recognition. The team approach that collaborates is what works best.

People want to be trained and educated, and not just technically. People want to learn about communication, technology and financial development. In-house training in matters professional and personal builds morale, loyalty and results in a more positive, more productive workforce.

Taking responsibility for growth. Gen Xers are already doing this, and the Boomer generation needs to learn from them. We’ve got to have flexibility, responsibility and accountability for our own growth, education and self-improvement. However you can help people grow and help them become stronger individuals, you will inspire and lead them.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Doors-To-Success&id=9257251] 5 Doors To Success

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2016 Calendar

Posted on January 19, 2016 by savi0043

 

One of the most unique calendars you will love.

I had a fun time taking the picture of the eclipse.

http://www.lulu.com/content/legacy-lulustudio-calendar/16126747

 

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Recipe Scrapbook Albums Are Fun

Posted on January 13, 2016 by savi0043

Recipe Scrapbook Albums Are Fun
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Anna_Hart]Anna Hart

What is your family’s favorite recipe? Where did you get it? Was it something Grandmother learned when she was a young bride? Was it a sushi recipe that won a prize for Uncle Lyle at the state fair?

A recipe scrapbook album would be a wonderful gift for family members. Imagine giving each one a collection of family recipes, each with its own bit of history, in a recipe scrapbook album.

You can make those recipe scrapbook albums following these steps.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Materials

Prepare to make your recipe scrapbook album by assembling the following minimal materials. You may want other things as well, but these 7 are recommended for a complete recipe scrapbook album.

* Family recipes, as many as possible – neatly written or typed

* Photographs of how the recipe looks when ready to serve

* Photographs of the person credited with creation of the recipe

* Notes of things people always say or remember about the recipe

* Scrapbooking paper (acid-free) reminiscent of cooking

* Food preparation stickers and charms

* Recipe “instruction” tags

Themes for Recipe Scrapbook Albums

Your overall theme is for a recipe scrapbook album will, of course, be recipes. In keeping with that theme, each page or section will have a specific theme in the category of recipes.

Browsing through your recipes and photos, look for natural groupings. If there are several recipes from Grandmother, theme a section of your recipe scrapbook album for those. If Uncle Lyle has more recipes than his singular prize-winning sushi, set aside a section for him in your recipe scrapbook album.

Perhaps you will find it easier to divide your recipe scrapbook album into themes such as appetizers, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and beverages. Each of those could be a page or section theme.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Page Layouts

Once you have your themes, you are ready to lay out the pages of your recipe scrapbook albums. There are many approaches to page layout, and you may have one you have used often. Here is one way of doing it.

1. Select the photo(s) to be used on a 2-page spread or single page. If they are colored photos, select scrapbooking paper to complement them. Be sure you use acid-free paper to protect your memories.

2. Lay out your scrapbooking paper to fit the page. Be creative with your paper. Nostalgic kitchen wallpaper is a good choice for old recipes. Italian recipes might find a home on red and white checkered paper reminiscent of a tablecloth. If your recipe scrapbook album includes a recipe for Fish and Chips, you might want scrapbooking paper on that page to look like an old newspaper.

3. Once you have placed your scrapbooking paper, begin to arrange the recipe and accompanying photos. Typed recipe cards are fine, but if your recipes are hand-written by the person who created them, it will give your recipe scrapbook albums a more personal touch.

4. Frame your photos and recipes after they are placed. You can find a wonderful array of frames in scrapbooking supplies stores. Or use your own creativity. If Grandmother always wore an apron when preparing that delicious chocolate cake, create an apron “pocket” of cloth or cardstock. Tuck into it one or more recipes. Another idea is to make fold-open frames for the recipes in your recipe scrapbook album. Simply cut an appropriate size piece of cardstock and fold it in thirds. Adhere the center third to your scrapbook, top it with the recipe, and fold the other two sides shut over it. You might even make the folded card look like cupboard doors.

5. Once your photos and recipes are framed on the page, add a few lines of journaling that capture the family memories associated with the recipe. In my own files, I have a recipe for cookies served by the host the evening my husband and I first knew we would become more than friends. Personal notes about such memories add immensely to recipe scrapbook albums. My mother’s fresh, home-baked bread is remembered as Dad’s favorite base for yellow mustard!

6. When each page layout is completed, each element glued firmly in place, you are ready to add stickers and charms – embellishments. You may use commercially made embellishments for your recipe scrapbook albums, and you may add more intimate touches as well. If Grandmother loved lace, and even crocheted her own, adding a touch of lace to her page will help family members remember that. Since Uncle Lyle always used that bright green “sushi grass” (baran) to separate his sushi, be sure you include a piece of it on the sushi recipe page.

Finally, you may want to leave a few blank pages at the end of your recipe scrapbook albums so that future recipes can be added later.

Recipe scrapbook albums can be made during a prolonged family reunion, giving everyone something to do with their hands while catching up on family news.

�2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com Anna is posting new articles every week on that site. You won�t want to miss her recent article on how to make exciting scrapbooking page layouts.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Recipe-Scrapbook-Albums-Are-Fun&id=516682] Recipe Scrapbook Albums Are Fun

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