Making a Sales Business Plan - Get the Key Success Factor

I recently reviewed my sales business plan and assessed what strategies were bringing in the business sales and which ones were not. While in the middle of the assessment I happened per chance to stumble across a guy who redefined for me the term sales. To say the least it turned my thinking around and kicked me into high gear.  When I went back to my sales business plan I reoriented the strategies around this new key understanding.

We've all heard it said that when it comes to sales you should be in the seat of your customer and think in terms of their view rather than what you want to say.

We've all heard of the term new sales now, which is rather old, infact about 15 years old now. New sales takes the sales out of selling and puts the understanding and helping into the sales process. So what we do now when we sell is come from the perspective of the customer and help them make a decision rather than sell directly to them.

So that's the sales process. What about this key then that turns your sales business plan into something live rather than something the sales agent ends up wearing out through the hard sell? How is it that this new perspective changes the way we look at business planning particularly the sales and marketing aspect of it? Most people don't even include a sales plan in their business strategies. In fact most business plans stop at marketing thinking that sales is covered. Yet the number one reason small businesses struggle is "not enough business sales".

As business people large or small we need to consider carefully this aspect of our business plan and actually have a section dedicated to the sales business plan. To do that we best understand this key, get our head around this simply idea. That is to redefine what sales means. If you don't understand the term how can you use it least of all master it and even plan accurately for success without it?

Traditionally the word sales has meant:  the total dollar amount collected for goods or services provided; the exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling.  In short sales has meant money, exchange and hard sale. Small wonder sales agents have to work hard. With this concept it also makes it difficult to implement a successful sales business plan because you, as a business owner can't control any of those process and guarantee business sales.

How can you plan for cash if you can't control the process? You can't coerce cash out of someone for too long without gaining a barracuda reputation. Exchange is hardly sales because you haven't made on the deal by much as you've lost something that cost you money to gain something. Hopefully you made enough of a profit to cover your costs and grow. For many this is not the case. The act of selling has no control what so ever and dependent on the good will of the person selling.

What if we were to understand sales from this new perspective, according to the man who opened my eyes, sales would be redefined as choice plus yes.  If your customer doesn't say yes you have no sale. Customers don't like being bullied into or being sold to especially if it's something they don't want. Every customer wants choice. If you don't offer your customer choice its a monopoly not a sale.

Nowhere is this more successfully demonstrated than with infomercials.  They are very clever in their offers. There are two options in any sales transaction. Either the choice between two products or add -ons for acting fast or the choice between winning a good deal and losing out.

So I applied this new found knowledge to my actual sales business plan and looked at the strategies I had in place. I changed one thing - the actual communication message itself. One thing from this new perspective and my entire sales business plan came to life and a month later I can see the increase in business sales because of it.

So as you look at your sales business plan or think of adding sales to your existing business plan ask yourself "What choice are you giving your customers?" "Can you offer a choice between products or successfully communicate win/loose as a choice?" Is the pain of not having your product or service greater than the pain of paying for the product or service? All customers perceive loss when they hand over their money unless you can successfully communicate to them the gain. And that's the key you want to apply to increase your business sales. So make sure you reorient your sales business plan to include the is communication message and then strategize on how you are going to communicate it.

Janet Jeffrey's is a small business owner having had several businesses in her career over a wide variety of industry's from health and beauty to internet sales and marketing. She has put together a number of writers to help small business owners, particularly women in business at http://www.womensbusinessplan.com

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Cold Calling Tips For Making Sales Appointments to Grow Your Small Business Sales

Cold calling tips can help small business sales people to make effective sales appointment calls, and grow their business. Anyone can build basic cold calling scripts in just a few minutes and start making sales appointments today. Many sales people fear or hate making cold calls, but with these basic appointment setting tips you'll gain confidence and soon become skilled at making sales appointments

Think of your cold calls in three stages: The introduction where you present you, and your small business. Sales questions to qualify the prospect as someone you could sell to, and the third stage is where you ask for their agreement to meet with you. Now look at these cold calling tips for each stage of the call and add them to your cold calling scripts for making sales appointments.

Cold calling tips for the Introduction stage of the calls

When you introduce yourself and your product or your small business, keep it brief. Only use the necessary information to communicate who you are and what your small business sells. They don't need your life story or the full history of your company. If your small business sales have something unique to offer then make sure you include it. Phrase it as a benefit to the prospect. Write down your own cold calling scripts for each stage of the call and stick to only the information you need to include. Practice how you will present you and your business to the prospect. Then, when your introduction sounds right, add it to your cold calling script.

The most important of all the cold calling tips is to include a really good reason for your cold call. Take your time developing this line for your sales appointments calls. It is the line that will motivate the prospect to listen to you. If you get this wrong you can lose the chance of making any sales appointments. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself what would you want to hear? What potential benefits can your small business offer a buyer that will make them want to meet with you?

Cold calling tips on how to ask qualifying sales questions

Don't make the mistake of writing a list of sales questions to ask the prospect. When you ask questions from a list you lose the relationship with the buyer. People soon tire of having to think of a new answer between each question they are asked. Instead of a list of questions, use this cold calling tip. Write a list of the information you require from the customer. This is the information you need to decide if you can sell to this customer and that you want to make a sales appointment with them.

Then use your list of information as a checklist while using normal conversation skills to gather the information that you need. Start by asking wide open questions such as, 'Tell me about... or, Explain to me...' Then use more specific questions to pin point the detail. This sales questioning technique works really well in cold calling scripts because it keeps the prospect talking and uses the questions to direct the conversation.

Asking for commitment to the sales appointment

Getting the customer's attention during the introduction stage of a cold call is important and sales people invest in learning sales skills for that stage of the call. But many people fail to build an effective cold calling script for the agreement gaining stage of the sales appointment call. When setting appointments by telephone you have to have an agreement gaining strategy that will work. Try these cold calling tips on asking for the appointment.

Don't ask if they will agree to a sales appointment with you. Instead ask when they are available to meet with you, or if they are available on a specific day or at a certain time. When making sales appointments give the buyer a great reason why they should meet with you. Explain about the possible benefits to them that your small business could offer. But do not get further into the sale than you want to. If your product or service is better sold face to face then hold back on the selling until you meet with them. I've always found it a bad idea to get into conversations about price on the sales appointment call. Use the price as a reason to meet with the buyer. Tell them you need to meet to discuss price and think of a good reason why.

What you are saying to the prospect is, so that I can show you the full benefits, we should meet and I can give you all the information you need to make a decision on whether to take it further. As with all good sales appointment training you should put that last sentence into your own words and write it into your cold calling script. You are not asking for a buying decision on your appointment cold call. You are only looking to secure the appointment. When you have given a good reason for meeting with you, ask them if they are available at a specific time. You are not asking if they will meet with you, you are presuming that because there is a potential benefit for them, the sales appointment is the next logical step.

I'm Stephen Craine and I'm a working sales manager. These cold calling tips are the basics of building effective sales appointment scripts. To add more sales skills to your calls, and grow your small business sales, you can get a free sales training workbook course on how to cold call to make sales appointments at http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com/free-sales-training.html

There's no cost, no need to register or leave any details, just open it, start using it today, and you can even save it and pass it on to others. For more sales training on all other stages of the sales process you can click around my website at http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com

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Sales Training For Small Business Owners People That Sell Their Own Products and Services

Sales training for self employed and small business sales people is often not available or overlooked. You can be an expert at what you do or know everything about what you sell, but do you really know how to use that knowledge when selling. Let me give you a real example that I recently experienced.

I had new windows fitted in my house by two very good and experienced window fitters. Throughout the day I saw many people that were passing my house stop and ask them questions. They wanted prices, information, and the benefit of their knowledge on windows and having them fitted. For a salesman these passing sales prospects would have been like winning the lottery. To actually have sales prospects queuing up to talk to you is every sales person's dream. To the window guys these people were just getting in the way. This is where small business owners and trades people can learn a lot from sales training by learning to see people as sales prospects and opportunities not distractions.

I overheard one lady ask the guys for a price to do the same job on a house similar to mine. I wanted to yell, stop! But it was too late, without further questions the window guy gave her an approximate price and then said nothing. There was a short silence and he gave her a business card. She said she would call him and she walked away. Will she contact them, who knows, and I didn't see him take any information to follow up this red hot sales lead. As a sales manager and trainer several thoughts rushed into my mind. Firstly, don't give her a price. Arrange an appointment and get round to her house. You want to make sure you are talking to all the decision makers. At her home you can do a really effective sales presentation and secure the sale. This is basic sales training on how to close a sale.

One of the other thoughts I had was, ask her some questions. Get her to tell you about her house, her windows, how she made her last decision on home improvements. Get her to build a picture of how great her house will be with bright new windows. She has come to you and she's a red hot prospect that wants your help. This is the advantage small business owners and skilled trades professionals have over the average sales person, they know their product, trade, or service better than anyone. The buyer wants that knowledge and experience. They see it as a benefit and will pay for it. Think about it, who would you ask about which new windows you should have fitted, a salesperson in an expensive suit and a flashy car, or a guy in overalls that actually fits them for a living?

Self employed and small business owners can take advantage of how they are viewed by potential customers. The customer sees them as a benefit to them, the buyer. Often buyers see sales people as wanting a benefit only for themselves or the company. To make the most of this great advantage you self employed trades professionals and small business sales people need to do two things. 

1. Maintain your image as a working professional that knows your products and services.  

2. Invest in effective sales training that you can use to increase sales, grow your business, and earn more money while maintaining your friendly non-sales image.

I'm Stephen Craine, I'm a working sales manager and sales trainer. If you sell your own products or services, or own a small business, and you want effective sales training that will increase your sales and grow your business, you can see more information on the sales training I give my working sales teams at Sales Training Workbook Course. My job is to manage and train working sales teams. To do this, and get the best results possible, I look around the world for effective sales training techniques and sales skills and share them on my website. You can see free sales training courses, free sales skills information on selling and motivation, and get the free newsletter packed with sales tips, by visiting http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com.

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How to Cold Call and Make Sales Appointments to Increase Your Small Business Sales

How to cold call and make sales appointments is a sales skill that will benefit your small business, or cost you a lot of time and resources if you get it wrong. Many small business sales people have a cold calling script, either written or mentally rehearsed, that isn't effective and doesn't get the results. It's not their fault, they haven't got the sales training resources that many large sales organisations have. One of the most common mistakes I hear and see small businesses making when they make sales appointment calls is that they use a cold call script but don't build it around a proven effective cold calling process.

If you use an effective sales appointment making process as a plan of the path you want the call to follow, you can then build your own words and phrases around that process and your results will multiply. You will have more selling opportunities and your business will grow.  Consider some of the ideas and sales training in these 3 stages of a sales appointment call. Try them out and measure the results you achieve.  

The cold call introduction

You have to grab the prospects attention, and make the possible benefits they could gain a real motivator for them to continue with the conversation. This is where small businesses have both an advantage and a disadvantage compared to the big well known companies.  

The disadvantage is that the big companies are well known. The buyer recognizes the name and has an idea of what they can offer. If there is any spark of interest the buyer is likely to listen to the caller from a large well known organization. When making cold calls for appointments from a small business you have to get into your cold calling scripts, who you are, what you do, and most important of all, the reason for your call. You have to grab the buyer's attention.  

The advantage that a small business has is that they can quickly adapt and be flexible with what they can offer specific sales prospects. Small business sales operations can also target niche markets, and change to meet the market and customer demands and trends.  Because of this a small business, or self-employed person, selling their own products can make the calls more personal to each prospect.  

Include questions in your cold call to qualify the prospect

A good large scale tele-marketing operation will have a tick list on screen of the information they need to ask a potential customer. The ones that use rigid scripts have set questions for the caller to ask. In both cases the questioning stage of the sales appointment process can sound like an interrogation if not done with some flexible sales skill, or if it is at the end of a long shift in a call center.  

The really effective technique, which I include on the sales training I present to my teams on how to cold call, is to include in the conversation the questions that you need to ask. Simply record the information as you talk, and I mean talk not interrogate the buyer. Use motivators in your conversation to move smoothly into the questioning stage of the call.  

Phrases such as, 'So I can see if you could benefit from this offer.' You could even be honest with them, now there's a refreshing change, and say, 'To make sure I am not wasting your time can I ask you.'   Make your appointment setting call a conversation. This is one of your big advantages as a small business as you are not confined to rigid cold calling scripts and company rules.  

You don't need linguistic tricks and manipulative sales techniques

Up to this point in the call process you have crammed in benefits that the potential customer could gain from doing business with you. Now add more benefits, especially those specific and unique to doing business with your small business. You want to communicate several messages to the prospect that will influence, not manipulate, them to meet with you and discuss what they could gain.  

A message that my sales teams learn to use when learning how to cold call, is that the prospect will only really know whether they could gain, or are missing out, when they have met you. When you cold call to make a sales appointment you are only gaining agreement to meet you. You are not asking for agreement to do business with you. When they have met you, and heard what you can give them, they are then in a position to decide if they want to buy. Use any possible benefits that you have heard hit a sweet spot during the call with the buyer as a reason they should agree to a sales appointment. If when you spoke about saving money, increasing production, or that you are a local company, you heard a positive signal from the prospect, you can use this when you try and arrange the appointment. For example, 'So that I can show you how I can protect your investment while still giving you a good return, are you available on Monday evening?'  

A simple question coated in benefits is all that's needed. No double talk or sales tricks that you and your staff are probably not comfortable with, and that get your company a bad reputation in the long term.

This is a small part of the sales process I use when training my sales teams on how to make a cold call sales appointment. It's a starting point on which to build a cold calling script. It can be added to by the individual using it both in techniques and sales skills, and the words and phrases that are used. You can get more free appointment training and information by going to Appointment Setting on my website.

One of my aims is to make the sales training that has been developed and aimed at large sales organisations available to small and medium size businesses. Often the high cost of effective sales training is too high an investment for some companies, and individuals working for themselves. Buying training books and sifting through hundreds of pages is a poor use of your time just to find a few nuggets of worthwhile information.

On my Sales Training website you can find free sales training that will benefit small and medium businesses. All the techniques and skills have been tried, tested, and developed, by the sales teams I manage and train. Have a click around the site. You can even send in any questions you have, or obstacles to your sales success, and I, and sales people around the world will give you some answers.

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Increase Sales by Leveraging Down Economic Times to Build Your Business Results

Are you thinking that the economy is terrible and sales are going to the dogs? Guess what? Many of your competitors are thinking this exact thought or something very similar. Did you know that down times are the best time to increase sales not to mention to improve your own sales skills.

Of course, by taking this attitude means that you will need a plan of action by knowing your existing sales statistics. Small Business Sales Coaching Tip: : Do not confuse motion with progress and activity with results as a close friend of mine has often stated.

What are you sales numbers or sales stats?
Do you know how many dial ups you need before you can reach someone?
Do you know how many people you reach to secure an appointment?
Do you know how many appointments turn into requests for presentations?
Do you know how many presentations actually convert into earned business?
Do you know the sales value of your customers?
Do you know your average sale?
Do you know how much time was required to earn the sale?

Small Business Sales Coaching Tip: If you answered No to any of these questions, you need to reread the previous coaching tip. Also, it helps to calculate your numbers based on 100 call ups or contacts.

Why so many professional sales people give up during down economic times is that they do not know their sales numbers. This ignorance is a killer and probably stops most sales professionals from reaching their goals to increase sales. Small Business Sales Coaching Tip: Knowing your numbers is part of your sales skills.

There is an old adage if "you cannot measure it you cannot manage it." When you consistently measure your actions, you can track your results.

For example, I know that every time I speak, I secure one client within 6 months. The average value of the client ranges depending upon the needs of the client. However, if I want to increase sales, then I need to increase speaking engagements.

Years ago, I constructed a simple business model, MSP, that helps to keep my focus on my sales numbers and consequently sales skills. For example, a speaking engagement is a Marketing activity. This specific action for me generates one Sale at XX Dollars. If I want to increase my income (Profits), then I must increase the number of speaking engagements. When you understand and more importantly use your sales statistics, you will not only increase skills, but probably improve your own sales skills.

Take this free sales skills assessment to help you increase sales.

Is your business facing inconsistent or insufficient cash flow, lackluster sales to poor productivity? Maybe some exercise at the sales coaching training gym will get you to where you want to go?

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, Chicago Sales Coach, helps small business owners to C Level executives from Chicago to Indianapolis to worldwide who are truly tired of struggling to unlock the sales and business results that they want. Call 219.759.5601 to schedule a free business coaching training or sales coaching strategy session to begin to quickly unlock tomorrow's solutions today.

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Increase Sales By Changing The Title Description on Your Business Cards

Something insidious has happened during the last 10 to 15 years within the best position of any in the business world. Sales professionals have co-opted their roles by embracing titles such as:

Business Development Strategist
Project Development Consultant
Customer Relations Specialist
Business Development Consultant
Closing Transaction Specialist
Regional Accountant Specialist
Marketing Consultant

Rarely do you read the following title in a business card:

Salesperson

Sales Executive

Sales Specialist

Sales Consultant

Sales Representative

And how often do you read the following:

Professional Salesperson?

What happens when something is not clearly defined? The results are usually muddied and require far more resources to achieve.

So what is the problem with being called a salesperson or having the word sales in the job or title description? I believe that many in sales truly do not want to be in sales and by changing their title they can change what they do and focus on other aspects of business building. Then what happens is that sales results are marginal at best.

These reasonably intelligent individuals fail to realize that business building is about attracting new customers (making sales) and developing loyal customers (making sales). For without sales, a business will not be a business. Sales Coaching Tip: Sales are the goal!

Imagine for a moment a baseball team and everyone is called football players. What would happen? The reason baseball players are called baseball players is because they play with a baseball. So why would those in sales who make sales be called anything other than a sales person.

Until individuals including small business owners to C Level executives understand that hitting a moving target (undefined target) is very difficult, the goal to increase sales will continue to allude most of these organizations. And what is more frightening due to the lack of competent sales professionals, many small business owners to C Level executives allow these titles such as business development specialist to continue to proliferate the business world. Sales Coaching Tip: Sales managers have your sales people called sales representatives, sales specialists or sales professionals. This will increase their focus.

Being in sales is the best profession in the world. If you do not want to be in sales, then get out and find a job that works with what you want out of life.

What other actions have you taken to increase sales? Take free sales skills audit to help you crystallize the what of your sales skills.

Do you need some additional sales coaching tips but cannot afford a sales coach? Then visit the sales coaching gym.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith helps sales professionals & organizations through business coaching training services (locations near Chicago & Indianapolis) to increase profits to productivity. My clients quickly double results in 30 to 90 days. Call me at 219.759.5601 to schedule a free business coaching consultation.

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Business to Business Sales Acid Test: How Could You Improve Sales Performance?

What could you do to improve sales performance in these very demanding times? An important first step in your b2b sales strategy is to identify the primary skills and attitude issues that are having a negative impact on your company's sales performance. The majority of these will be associated with what I often refer to as "comfort zone selling". This article is primarily aimed at companies selling business to business solutions, services or consultancy.

Do You Have An Effective Business to Business Sales Strategy?

Many b2b salespeople go through the same tired old sales process time and again, without every really understanding the psychology or dynamics behind the complex buying decisions that involve value add or business critical solutions or services. Sometimes they get lucky and very often they don't. Yet there is another breed of b2b salespeople who would seem to experience more sustained "luck" in this area. The reality of course is that they make their own luck through a more intelligent and strategic approach to complex sales scenarios.

This sales acid test looks at the top 20 business to business sales growth killers that tend to defy a company's efforts to improve sales performance and it applies as much to large corporates as it does to small or medium enterprise (SME). Engaging an experienced sales coach can bring a valuable external view with fresh ideas to catalyse your sales strategy.

Business to Business Sales Acid Test - A Health Warning

This b2b sales acid test sets out to highlight only those business growth killers that are directly sales related. A separate article will focus on other "people related" business growth killers. These two areas are obviously closely related with many interdependencies and it may be beneficial to consider them collectively for your sales strategy to succeed. Some of the sales issues described here will have a direct impact on other business areas and vice versa.

There is a health warning with this b2b sales acid test in that any changes it may inspire you to make are best carried out as a sales evolution, rather than a sales revolution. In other words, beware of trying to address too much too soon or you may end up with a confused and revolting sales team (pun intended). It is advised that you consider engaging an external b2b sales coach with relevant experience to assist you in determining what to tackle (importance), when to tackle it (urgency), and how to tackle it (best approach).

Salespeople Are at the Heart of Both the Problem and the Solution

The market tends to place expectations on the role and function of a salesperson and how they should and shouldn't behave and weaker or less experienced salespeople largely tend to conform to this unfortunate stereotype. Therein lies the core challenge as conformance will ensure mediocrity at the very best. No key influencer or decision maker wants to spend time in the company of the stereotype salesperson as they recognise that there is little value in engaging with such people. Many will however choose to spend time with that rare b2b salesperson that really brings value as a trusted advisor.

There are strategies and approaches that may work for retail sales, business to consumer (b2c) sales and others that may work for business to business (b2b) commodity sales. However these are all guaranteed to fail miserably when selling b2b value-add or business critical solutions, services or consultancy. When a key influencer or decision maker knows their career may depend on the supplier selection they make, there is no room for a salesperson whose primary interest is in trying to flog them something. Such complex scenarios require a far more credible and considered b2b sales strategy, winning credibility and the confidence of senior players in order to create a decent chance of success.

Some b2b salespeople will be more receptive to change and have the potential to modify their attitudes and behaviours, learn new skills or adopt new approaches. These people are more likely to be worth investing in as you seek to raise the bar on sales performance. However, there will always be others that will either lack the potential or be unwilling to move out of their comfort zones. It would help to improve sales performance if the latter were to be encouraged to pursue their sales careers elsewhere, being replaced by those more willing and able.

And Now to the Sales Acid Test Itself

What follows is a summary of the top 20 "sales related" growth killers that I have come across in recent years. Any one of these will impact a company's overall sales potential and many companies suffer a combination that tends to exacerbate the negative impact, causing the sales growth of some to slow down, stand still or even recede. It's all too easy to hope such things will simply go away and many managers may want to avoid any potential confrontation that might arise if they tried to address such issues. That's where the support of an experienced external b2b sales coach comes in.

Top 20 Business to Business Sales Growth Killers (in no specific order)

Concerning Prospective or Existing Customers: Note: "client" is used below to represent prospects or customers.


Poor returns from presentations, demos, trials, proposals or bids.
Regular sales forecast slippage or forecast order value reduction.
Suffering late stage disappointments with key forecast opportunities.
Some clients become unresponsive after proposals are submitted.
Being used for free consultancy by people with no intention of buying.
Investing time bidding on client projects that fail to gain funding.
Difficulty getting in front of key influencers or decision makers.
Difficulty in gaining client commitment to progress to next steps.
Clients holding us at arm's length preventing any real relationship.
Clients not keeping us well-informed of changes that might impact us.
Clients not being straight with us by withholding information or lying.
Clients see us more as a product supplier than a strategic partner.
Clients expecting our key value-add at little or no additional cost.
Our pricing or terms are too often compromised in sales negotiations.
Salespeople too frequently requesting client discounts or concessions.
Reluctance of existing clients to meet us on a regular enough basis.
Sales reluctance to involve management in key client relationships.
Inconsistent or weak sales strategy failing to gain enough traction.
Some salespeople failing to meet expectations or hit sales targets.
Inconsistent overall sales performance leading to feast or famine.

Relating the B2B Sales Acid Test to Your Company

Your sales entity may suffer a combination of these issues that will serve to weaken any strategy you might implement to improve sales performance. No company is or ever will be perfect and in reality most of these sales issues will apply in some degree or other to every business. Therefore it's important to focus on those proving most detrimental to your company's sales strategy rather than shooting for overall sales perfection.

You may benefit significantly from taking a pragmatic look to understand how many of these sales issues apply to your business and don't despair if its more than one. At least you will have started the process of sales evolution by identifying these as key change focus areas. If we first identify and then look to address the most important and urgent and aim to do this over a period of months rather than weeks or days, we will have a far greater chance of success. Engaging an experienced external sales coach may be critical if you are serious about evolving your b2b sales strategy for growth.

More sales and business articles by Harry Hayden

About the Author

Harry Hayden provides sales management training and sales coaching. In his previous career he led multinational sales groups across Europe for several large and medium sized corporates. He now helps SME business leaders and sales managers with the development and execution of their sales management strategy.

Harry is MD of Perform Business Coaching and can be reached directly at harry@pbc-hh.com or through the website above.

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Free Sales Training For Sales Beginners, Self Employed, and Small Business Sales

Free sales training is the ideal way to start if you are a sales beginner. When you move to a sales role, or start a small business, sales techniques can appear complicated. Looking for sales training courses can be confusing with all the latest buzz words and technical terms in their adverts. They can be expensive and maybe that's not what you need at this stage of your sales career. You need to consider which type of training will work for you, and where should you start your sales skills training?

If you are new to sales, or starting a small business and selling products or services, you need a basic sales training course that starts with the sales process. The sales process is the path your sale will follow from the introduction to the prospect, to closing the sale. You can find free sales techniques to build onto the sales process throughout the Internet. Once you understand these basic sales skills then you can look for more advanced sales skills training. Let's start with a simple selling technique that you can start using today. It's a simple sales training program that will show you how to sell in minutes.

Don't underestimate this free sales training. These free sales techniques are the basis of all selling and are really effective for sales beginners and small business sales people. The process starts with your introduction to the prospect. There will be small talk, and a few minutes getting to know each other and feel comfortable. But once you get into the sale there are key sales techniques at each stage. Model your sales with your buyers on these stages of a sale.

Sales Introduction

Tell the buyer who you are, what your business is, and why you are there. No waffle, no talking excessively about yourself or your experience. The buyer wants information so they can decide if talking to you could be of benefit to them. Another key piece of free sales training advice is, don't try and close the sale, or even present your product, at this stage. That comes later when you know what they want.

Sales Questions to find their needs

Ask them sales questions to find out what they want. Don't ask them about the product or service that they want. Ask them about the end result if they made the ideal purchase. What are the benefits they are looking for?  If a buyer wants to save money that's an end result. Customers that want others to admire their purchase are telling you the end result they desire. Don't get involved in talking about your product yet. This stage of the sale is all about them and what they want.

Sales Presentation

This is it, the sales pitch. This where many people new to sales, or just started in small business sales roles, present everything they know about their products or services. At this stage of this free sales training course I recommend that you should only present the parts of your products and services that will give the buyer the benefits they told you they wanted. Use the list of what the buyer wanted from the sales questioning stage as a guide to what you should present to them. Tell, and show them, how you can meet their wants and desires. It's not about the features of your product, they are just a mechanism for delivering the required benefits.

Closing the sale

There is a lot of complicated rubbish written about closing sales. It can be very off putting to the sales beginner. There are sales books, and sales training courses, that talk about assumptive closing, alternative closing questions, and there's even a George Washington close.

Here's a free sales technique to close any sale, including small business sales. At the end of your sales presentation simply ask two questions. The first is to ask if your sales presentation has shown the buyer how you can meet the needs and wants they expressed in the sales questioning stage. If it hasn't, go back and ask more questions and find out what else you need to do. If it has, move on to the next question. The second question is to ask the customer if they want to buy from you. They have agreed that your presentation met their requirements, so why wouldn't they go ahead and buy from you?

Each stage of the sales process should be put into your own words and you should use phrases that sound natural coming from you. Too many sales training courses tell people what to say instead of showing them the objective of each stage and letting them choose their own words. Use the above sales process in this free sales training course and build your own words around it.

If you are new to sales, starting a business where you will have to sell, or want to see a good place to start basic sales training, there's more free sales training available to you. There is a full section written specifically for you, and a free sales training course that you can read or save. Open Basic Sales Training and you'll find more detail on using the sales process, and if you like that you can open the free training course and get even more ideas and sales techniques. You can get the free training with no catches. No registration and you don't have to leave your email address.

I'm a working sales manager and sales trainer. My website offers you sales training that has been proven in real sales situations by working sales people. We rely on the results of the training to keep our jobs and make our living. The training is focused on getting results with simple, practical sales skills. No fancy classroom techniques, no complicated methods that you can't remember when you get in front of a customer. Just simple selling skills developed from real experience. You can see more by opening the Sales Training Sales Tips website

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Using Business Cards For Sales and Marketing Literature

One of the most effective means of bringing your products and services to market is your business cards. Business cards are the most effective marketing tool because they can to be carried anywhere you go. As a simple material used for campaign and advertising they carry a powerful marketing feature that persuades and keeps your clients in tact. They are used to impart important information to customers and are a very inexpensive way to promote a sales campaign. In today's market, business card printing can be printed in cheaper rates and discounted prices. By using a state of the art printing service full color business cards are discounted and have never been cheaper. Your cards can be simple yet impressive depending on the print quality, the card stock and finish chosen for advertising your business products and services.

Even though they are just a small piece of paper, a 2" x 3.5" size business card has the power to gain the attention of those receiving them. At the end of a presentation, they are the last material you give your clients or potential customers. By using a state of the art printing service full color business cards are discounted and have never be cheaper. Therefore you have to make them attractive and appealing enough for your customers to keep. There are several factors you need to consider in order to achieve this goal. The first is design. You need to have an eye catching good graphic design or artwork. Colors are important as you want to increase your chances of getting the attention of the beholder. And then, there is the important element which is the content. Your content should reflect what important information you want the reader to remember. Whether it is the vital information about your company, such as name, address, and contact information or a sales message, you need to project to your customers that you stand out from your competition.

You separate your company from others by impressing them with your design as well as the quality of your card. Be sure to chose a sturdy durable and long lasting card stock such as 14 point or the extra heavy 16 point. You want a card stock that will endure wear and tear. Many printers offer these stocks at no additional cost. Next, be sure to chose a finish that will produce a stunning and brilliant card such as a glossy UV coating or a "Wow Factor" effect such as a spot UV or use metallic colors. Chose a online printing company that will give you different options of paper, finish and Wow Factor printing effects so that your choices are widened. Using spot UV coating and metallic colored ink effects can create inexpensive yet impressive print attention getter for advertising your businesses, products and services.

With the many printing services offered online, you can significantly search the web and look for online printers offering cheap business card printing. However in choosing for your printer see to it that although cheap printing of business cards is offered, the quality of the card stock has the best weight and feel. Whether you pick a glossy UV coating or a Wow Factor special effect to add to your card, you must keep in mind that your card represents you and your company or service. To be sure, the impression you send is expressed in the quality of your business card.

There is no doubt that business cards are one of the most effective means of bringing your products and services to the market. They are among the simplest marketing tools and yet have "more bang for your buck" than any other advertising, sales or marketing literature to keep you in contact with your customers. These cards are the cheapest marketing tool that can easily reach a targeted audience, be carried and given out at trade shows, networking and meetings. They can easily be kept by your customers for future reference and use. Using a business card that stands out from the crowd can help your business to get more and faster response from the receiver.

In order to meet the goals you have for a successful business card that can be used as a sales and marketing tool, you should look for an online commercial printer that provides printing service that offers choices. In choosing the right company for your printing projects, you have to be observant enough to choose good quality, service, and product as well as a cheap price.

Doug Graves has been working in the printing industry as an expert sales and marketing executive for over 20 years. Presently head of sales and marketing, he is now also using his years of experience as a consultant and freelance writer for Color Printing Pros, a top online printing services leader. They are committed to the best valued QUALITY and SERVICE and CHEAP PRICES while providing unique Wow Factor effects so you will standout and be noticed. Check them out!

Tired of getting lost in the crowd-Want to be more than just plain plain vanilla - Add the Wow Factor to your advertising, sales and marketing color printing. For free samples and more information about the Wow factor and how to get it, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.

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Business & Literature

Is there anything new under the sun? When I searched for the saying I found that the original came from the Bible: it appears to be a phrase adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes;

"the author complains frequently in the book about the monotony of life. The entire passage reads, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (1)

Whether you think that there is or there is not anything new under the sun, it influences your attitude to change and perception of what is going on in the world.

At different times some books get more attention than others. The nice thing about literature is that it is timeless. What you read and learn - from Dickens, Alexander Dumas, Scott Fitzgerald or Mark Twain -- often offers a universal truth. But we tend to forget what they were about or we haven't read them. Some are in favor of the literary canon and others not, and the truth lies probably somewhere in the middle: some books are a "must read."

When searching the internet for The Great Gatsby and Allan Greenspan I found this statement:

F. Scott Fitzgerald ultimately not only defined the Jazz age, but unmasked the corrupting influence of wealth."(2)

I have not read the book myself, but I would have liked to, and wonder how it would have influenced me. Sometimes it is hard to imagine how books influence people.

Leadership is another example, I currently read the three musketeers by Alexander Dumas "Father". How did D'Artagnan become the leader of the group?

Literature is important, even more in the often grey and rough business. Is it possible that people start reading again? And is that due to the time we currently experience?

(1) - http://www.bartleby.com/59/1/nothingnewun.html

(2) - Allan Greenspan, The Oracle behind the Curtain (through books - Google, page 160)

© 2009 Hans Bool

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Literature Dispensers - An Ideal Tool for Business Advertisement

It is well established in today's world that what is seen is what is sold. The western concepts of departmental stores and shopping malls have brought about this concept. Gone are the days when one had to go through the shopkeeper to inquire about the product or what are the varieties of those same particular products available. A person can get over the awkwardness he has to face when he would just want to inquire and not buy, but in a shopping mall you can go through the whole stock, and their related information reaches directly to them. There are many products which have a lot of information to provide. This information is found in their literatures or brochures. Instead of keeping these literatures in stacks or piles, which can get messy, literature dispensers are the need of the day.

Literature Dispensers can really be useful for big markets or shopping malls, because it can reduce the need of labor. This is how it works. For example, we presume that an exhibition cum sale is being held. Just like a mall. Items for sale are decoratively stacked all over a huge hall. Now, to help the customer, a salesman should be facilitating the customer by waiting on him or her i.e. attend them. But in a busy day it is not possible to attend all the customers. But it can be compensated by displaying a literature dispenser. A customer can go through the literature to check out the catalogue or the latest trends, surely keeping the chances of a sale open even without an attendant.

Now comes the part where we have to decide where to place the literature in your exhibition. Most important part is that the literature dispenser should not be kept in a very sophisticated manner. But that does not mean that it should be a mess. It should be placed eloquently, but it should not loose it casualness. The entire attitude of the literature dispenser should be very warm and welcoming. It should give out the message to the customers that they can easily go through them and they are for free. One must not have the doubt in their mind while reading the literature that he might have to pay for it. They should be sleek, smart but customer friendly.

Nowadays these literature dispensers are also getting fashionable and fantastically designed. They are made out of various kinds materials: from paper to metal. They also come in various shapes and sizes. Many times a customer's mind will be attracted just by the design of the literature dispenser. Keeping it next to the cash counter can be useful as a customer who has already purchased can be interested to go through the literature to find something more from the shop next time. This would help the business to build a loyal clientele.

Moreover these come in various colors shapes and sizes, and in many types of materials such as acrylic, plastic, wire etc. These look trendy and classy. They can not only be useful in showrooms, but they can be used in libraries, schools and many other places.

John Rowbotham the owner of Stand-store.co.uk is the leading supplier of Literature Dispensers in the United Kingdom.
For an extensive range of Literature Stands to help you in promoting your business, be sure to check out our store for your business display solutions.

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Facebook for Business - Free Facebook Training and Traffic Leads

Using your Facebook for business can be advantageous. Facebook is very popular and why not take advantage of the traffic you can generate, while getting your message out.

Some Facts:

Over 600 million users on Facebook.
50 percent of the users log on daily.
Half of the users are out of college, and working, which means they have a greater spending capacity.
18 to 24 years old age bracket is becoming the most avid Facebook users.
More than 30 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, photo albums, etc.) shared each month on Facebook.
People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook.
250 million active users are using mobile devices to access Facebook.
Every month 250+ million engage with Facebook on external websites.

The business opportunity Facebook presents cannot be ignored. Facebook is a free way to improve your online presence. To increase your success online, your business must be part of this popular activity.

There was a time when companies were honestly considering if they should or shouldn't get involved with Facebook for business. Now, most business owners are confident that Facebook is where customers are making their presence.

With Facebook your audience comes to you, and it's rather effective. I would guess active users check their Facebook account a couple times a day. Imagine how seamlessly put your sales efforts can be when you have an updated account. Your message can be seen by a huge portion of your audience daily. Facebook, keeps you in sight instantly which is a challenge in advertising awareness and promotion today.

If you are a business, that does have an advertising budget, Facebook for business can be a tool to cut costs. As more people today are turning to on-line presence, you do not have to have trimedia presence (print, radio or television) or even high priced web site development. Places where you can cut costs and still get the message out is common business sense.

You can advertise on Facebook and it is very similar to the popular PPC that Google uses. You have to go where you can receive the most bang for your buck and Facebook's popularity is surely to bring in traffic to your business. Facebook, as an advertising tool, is very concise at pointing out a specific demographic.

The shift in the way we obtain and share information has brought about a new set of opportunities and concerns for internet utilizers. Those who question the value of Facebook risk the possibility of falling out of visibility altogether. To succeed you must stay up with the times and where people hang out. Facebook is where a huge segment conglomerate.

A Thought - Business Facebook Page

A business Facebook page is different than your personal Facebook page. You have fans instead of friends. The business Facebook page is a representation of your brand and you have more customization of privacy settings. You can access traffic demographics much easier.

The business page is built off of the personal account and has tools to reach the growing network of Facebook users. Ads on the Facebook sidebar are available and demographics of your page traffic can be utilized. Facebook Insights, creates a badge or fanbox for promotion. Discussion boards with fans, adding company information and events, are just some of the features.

I hope I have presented some information to gear you towards improving your Facebook account or for that matter, even starting one. A great way to get your message out to a target audience. One word of caution: Please do not overuse your personal Facebook account for hammering your friends, with your business. You will lose friends quickly. If used wisely it is an incredible tool.

Remember the statistics and get a segment of the over 250 million monthly that engage with Facebook on external websites.

If you are looking for SUCCESS on the Internet, it is staring you right in the face. Just have a look in the mirror. Check out YahSuccess for some moral support and a free education. Free Exclusive Facebook Training

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How to Create a Facebook Business Page: A 6 Step Guide

How to Create a Facebook Business Page

Also as Facebook changes regularly - this guide was written in April/May 2011.

This guide will take you through how to create a Facebook Business Page (aka Facebook Like Page).

Since the demise of the Facebook 'Static FMBL' application, it has been confusing for users of Facebook to create an effective 'Like Page' for their business, organisation or interest. I wanted to write this eBook guide to show that it is still easy to create a great Like Page with other, similar applications to the original Static FMBL application. I was confused earlier this year when these changes on Facebook occurred and found it very difficult to find direction on this. I did my own research and have condensed what I found into this guide. I hope it is useful.

This guide will show you how to create a Facebook Like Page for your business or organisation, including how to set up an initial Landing (or Welcome) Page (or Tab) to give a new visitor a great experience. Subsequently we will be writing other informative articles in this area about Facebook Like Page design and engaging with your Fans.

Step 1: How to Create a Basic Facebook Business Page:

1. The first stage in how to create a Facebook business Page is to set up a basic Business Like Page and then customise:

2. From your personal profile, go to any other company's or person's own Like Page.

3. Click on 'Create a Page' (located in the bottom left of the page)

4. The best choice on the next page for an effective Like Page is 'Brand or Product'; this can be fine-tuned later if necessary.

5. Next, you can choose the type of business/organisation you are, under 'chose a category'.

6. Then you can type the name of your brand (and name of your new Like Page) into the 'Brand or Product' box.

7. Your basic Like Page will now be created - ready for customisation.

8. The first 'tab' within your new Like Page that you will see is the helpful 'Get Started' page. Click the 'Update Category' button.

9. The 'Get Started' tab guides you through some of the things that you will need to and we will revisit this in a later guide. Our first priority is to customise your Like Page with a page known as a 'Landing' or 'Welcome' page (or Tab).

10. After you have confirmed the Category of your page ('Update Category'); you have created your basic Like Page.

11. You now have a basic Like Page set up; all ready to customise and make it more effective.

Step 2: Switching Between Your Personal Profile and Your New Like Page:

1. Now you have a new (basic) Like Page, you can switch between it and your Personal Page.

2. This is a new feature in Facebook. You can use Facebook as yourself (your Personal Profile) or as your business/organisation/interest (your Like Page).

3. To switch between the two, click on the 'Account' tab at the top-left of the page, then 'Use Facebook as Page'.

4. You will then be presented with all of the Like Pages that you have created (or that you are an administrator for - we will come on to administration of pages in another eGuide) see above.

5. Click on the 'Switch' button for the Like Page that you want to switch to.

6. You are then back to the 'Get Started' tab within your Like Page.

Step 3: Customising Your New Facebook Like Page:

Now that we have created a Facebook Business Page, we want to make your Like Page more appealing and more effective for you to build your Facebook community around your business/organisation/interest.

1. The first thing to do (as also suggested by the 'Get Started' guide) is to upload an image or logo.

2. This is straightforward: Click on 'Upload an Image'.

3. Then click on 'Choose File'.

4. This will then take you to a file explorer, allowing you to choose a picture or logo file from your own (local) computer.

5. Double-click on the photo that you want to upload.

6. This picture/logo (also sometimes known as an Avatar) is then published to the left-hand side of your Like Page.

7. Note: All pictures that you upload are also shown at the top of your 'Wall' tab also.

8. Steps 2 onwards on the 'Get Started' page can be carried out later, and we will be writing a further guide for these steps. We need to set up a Welcome page before these steps.

Step 4 continued: Setting up a Welcome Page.

Note: Part of how to create a Facebook Business Page is creating a Welcome Page. A Welcome Page is also sometimes known as a 'Landing Page' is it is where a visitor 'lands' the first time they access your Like Page.

1. From the 'Get Started' tab(page), click on 'Edit Page'.

2. You will arrive at the Manage Permissions tab.

3. You will need to go to the 'Apps' (short for 'applications') tab.

4. Facebook may ask you to switch back to your Personal Profile identity at this point. This is fine - click the 'Continue as You' button.

5. You will then be taken to the 'All Apps' (applications) part of Facebook.

6. Search for 'Static HTML'.

7. Then click on the 'Static HTML: iframe tabs' (with the star logo).

8. You will then be directed to the page for this App.

9. Click on the 'Go to App' button.

10. Facebook will then ask which of your Like Pages you would like to add this application to.

11. Choose the Like Page that you have just created.

12. Facebook will then ask you for confirmation that you want 'Static HTML: iframe tabs' to be added to your new Like Page; click on the 'Add Static HTML: iframe tabs' button.

13. Once confirmed, you will see that there is now a 'Welcome' tab included on the left hand side menu. This will become the page that all of our visitors see initially when they first arrive at your Like Page.

14. We can now go to our new Welcome tab and create some content for our Welcome page. Click on the Welcome tab to get Welcome Page screen.

15. We will come back to this page - so leave this internet explorer window open for now.

Step 5: Creating Content for Your Welcome/Landing Page

To create this content I use a company called Squarespace. Squarespace is a hosted web building tool that makes it very easy to create your own high quality web site(s). We are going to use it to create some HTML code to input into our Welcome Tab for our Facebook Like Page.

Note: You do not have to use Squarespace; there are many tools for doing this. What we are trying to achieve here is to create some content using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. This enables you to create content very easily - just typing in your copy (text) and inserting pictures, video, forms, et cetera, just the way that you would using Microsoft Word. Using these tools (or applications) you can then choose to view the HTML version of what you have created. You can then copy and paste this HTML code into your Welcome Page on Facebook and the Welcome Page will be created.

1. Once your Welcome Page content has been created in your WYSIWYG editor and you have viewed and copied the HTML version of that content, we are ready to past that HTML content into the Facebook Like Page Welcome tab.

2. We can then go back to the Facebook Welcome page that you should still have open (if not - don't worry, just go back to Facebook and open the Welcome page again).

3. Then right-click with your mouse and paste the HTML code into the top box from the two in the Facebook Welcome page editor.

4. You can then see the HTML code in the Welcome Page box.

5. Then click the 'Save and view tab' button to save what we have.

6. Then click on view your tab as a fan (or as a non-fan; it does not matter at this point).

7. You will then be able to see your new Welcome page as your visitors will.

8. We can still add more content in the form of pictures and video to make it more appealing, but the basic technical techniques have been covered here now.

Step 6 - Adjusting Settings For Your Welcome Page.

We now need to set our Like Page so that whenever a new visitor comes to our Like Page, they see the Welcome Page first.

1. From the 'Get Started' page click on the Edit Page button.

2. You will then see the 'Manage Permissions' page.

3. Currently the default Landing Tab will be set to 'Wall'.

4. Select the drop-down menu and change the option to 'Welcome'.

5. The Default Landing Tab is now set to 'Welcome'.

6. You can then click on 'View Page' to exit from the edit mode.

7. You can then navigate around your Like Page by using the tabs on the left of the page.

8. Each time you click on the Welcome page you will see the HTML version of the page. You just need to click on the 'Save and view tab' to see the page as your visitors will see it.

9. And view tab as a non-fan.

10. It is now possible to use a WYSIWYG/HTML editor (like Squarespace) to add further content to your Welcome page.

Watch out for subsequent guides, covering: Adding Video, Adding a Form Using an Autoresponder, Making your Welcome Page More Effective, Creating a Nice Username for your Facebook Page, Setting Up and Using Squarespace to create HTML and Effective Web Sites

(c) Copyright 2011 OrangeStamp Ltd

There are now more hits on average every day on Facebook than on Google. Facebook is a great way to expose your business to the world and your market place.

Martin Petts is the founder of OrangeStamp - a UK based consultancy that specialises in Social Media Marketing and helping business create an effective online presence. Focussing mainly on Facebook, it is relatively easy and very cost effective to use Facebook as source of traffic to your main web site and as a great lead generation tool.

Visit the OrangeStamp web site for more information on what we can help you with and advise you on: http://www.orangestamp.co.uk. Our Facebook page is also available at http://www.facebook.com/OrangeStamp.

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5 Great Ways To Promote Your Business With Facebook

If done correctly, you can use Facebook to promote your products & services, build awareness, research consumer opinion and much more! Here's a few ways...

Facebook Pages

You can create a free page for your business or web site with Facebook Pages which gives your business a presence on Facebook. You can think of it as the equivalent of your Facebook personal profile, only for your business or web site.

You can add your business details and logo and you can also spice up your Facebook Page with a range of applications.

Facebook users who become fans of your Facebook Page can post on the wall, buy your products, learn about special events or promotions, join discussion boards and upload photos and video content to your Facebook Page.

You can also send message updates to all your Facebook Page fans at once, which you cannot do with your Personal Profile.

You want to keep the social aspect of Facebook in mind as you create your Facebook Page for your business, and try to present the social, human element of your business as much as possible on your Facebook Page.

To create your Facebook Page...

Log into your Facebook home page and search for Create A Facebook Page via the search bar at the top of each page.

You might also want to have a quick browse through existing Facebook Pages in your niche before you create your own page. You can find these pages here...

You'll have various applications and options you can use once you've created your Facebook Page.

Here are some options you may want to consider...

Facebook Notes

The Notes Feature allows you to post notes in a similar way to blogging. You can add Notes to your personal profile or to your Facebook Pages.

Facebook users can subscribe to your Facebook Notes via RSS in the same way they would on any normal Blog. You can even import one external Blog into Facebook Notes via an RSS feed.

Facebook Events

You can use the Facebook Events feature to create events pages for launches, openings or any other online or offline events you are hosting.

You can invite the fans of your Facebook Page to your events and they will be able to accept, decline or "maybe" your invitation. Your friends will also see a reminder of the event when they log in to their Facebook home page.

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads allow you to use Facebook's platform for targeted advertising of your business. This is similar to AdWords content ads. You pay Facebook per click or per impression for ads which are displayed to your choice demographic among Facebook users.

You can target your ads to specific Facebook users according to age, gender, location and interests.

Should you consider Facebook Ads for your web business?

Paid web advertising can work for you when you provide high-profit goods or services.

You will therefore have the Return On Investment (ROI) to justify the expenses of advertising. You may want to consider keeping to free methods of exposure such as Facebook Pages and Groups should you not be in a high ROI situation.

You want to make sure to research the service well before you get started and then be sure to test your market at first with only small campaigns. You can always increase the size of your campaigns when you see which ads convert well.

You can get started with Facebook Ads by clicking the Advertising link at the bottom of your Facebook home page.

Facebook for Market Research

You will also find market research opportunities with Facebook...

Browse through Groups and Pages in your niche for a snapshot of the level of interest and activity.

How large is a group? How many members join each day? What are people's interests according to what they post on the group wall?

The answers to these questions can provide you with general data about the size of your niche and activity within your niche among Facebook users.

You can also create your own Facebook Group about a specific problem or issue in your niche and use it to ask questions to people who join. You can use the information you gather from the Group for content ideas for your web site or products you wish to develop.

Dave Lewerenz is owner of [http://www.marketing-for-people-who-hate-marketing.com] - a new site devoted to helping businesspeople and independent contractors find better ways to market their businesses. Written in a clear-cut format with no technical jargon and no sales hype!

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Facebook Business Applications and Marketing Tools - Even Create Your Own

The idea behind using Facebook as a venue for doing business is building a user base in the form of a community who respond to you as a person or to your product. If you just turn your page into one big advertisement, you are not going to get much in the way of a response. You need to educate people about the product without coming across as a hard sell.

You want to create the impression that you are here for socializing, not business. People will come to trust you and be more likely to buy your product or service if you can do this.

Facebook has built in tools which can be used to build your business. These include:

- Social Ads

- Pages

- Beacon

- Insights

- Platform

- Polls

These tools can help you to build awareness of your brand through Facebook and bring in potential clients. Needless to say, you are going to have to learn to use them effectively. Read on to find out how to harness these tools to build your business using Facebook.

You can learn how to take further advantage of these features by visiting the facebook website business section.

SOCIAL ADS

Social ads have a lot of promise for building your business since they can go directly to the news feeds of your Facebook friends. Anyone who is on your friends list will be able to get the word about your business right on their profile page.

This is also a very easy way of target marketing. You can control exactly who sees your ads - and target marketing is the way to get sales.

FACEBOOK PAGES

You can make a Face book page for a business, just as you would for yourself. This allows people to interact with and even become friends with your business. It is a great way to make a lot of people aware of your product and your brand who would not otherwise.

You know when someone becomes friends with your business on Facebook that you have a potential client; at the very least, they have shown some interest. People can interact with your business as they would with any of their other Facebook friends - they can leave comments and generally enhance the experience of a visit to your page.

You can use Facebook to your best advantage by adding features that will appeal to your target market and fit in with the brand image you are aiming to create. Quizzes, games, a Facebook group and so on.

FACEBOOK BEACON

Like social ads, Facebook Beacon gives you the ability to build your business by promoting yourself via your Facebook friends news feeds. You can set Beacon to notify all of your Facebook friends whenever you have a new product available, or any other sort of news or information you would like to disseminate amongst your Facebook friends. All you need to do is to add a little code to your Facebook page (this can be done by copy and paste, so no need to panic).

This encourages more interaction with your page, the website of your business and your company in general. This also helps get the word out about your businesses product or service.

Do not fret that you will be mercilessly spamming your Facebook friends and invading their privacy - they can opt out of these updates at any time they choose. You of course have the same ability for Facebook Beacon updates from others.

FACEBOOK INSIGHTS

If you are using facebook as a method of promoting your business you will of course want to know just who is checking out your Facebook page, clicking on your ads and joining your friends list. Facebook Insights is a tool which can give you a lot more detail on these sorts of statistics, which can help you to evaluate the efficacy of your campaign.

Armed with this information you can make the call as to whether viral marketing is working in your favor. Word of mouth is one of the best means of advertising and Facebook can facilitate it on a large scale. Facebook Insights lets you figure out what parts of your campaign are working and which are not as well as giving you valuable demographic information which will help you refine your campaign further.

FACEBOOK PLATFORM

Facebook Platform is an exciting tool for business indeed. Programmers can use this tool to build programs which will work with Facebook and add to the usefulness and fun of your Facebook page. If people like what you have on your page, they will spread the word and this build your client base.

You can add all manner of different applications to your site using this platform. Many opt for games, quizzes and other interactive features. You can have a look at the Applications page on the Facebook site to get an idea what sort of things others are using the platform for. These kinds of features can really help you build your brand image; take advantage of them.

FACEBOOK POLLS

Facebook polls can be a great way to gather demographic information from people using the site. Since you can make the poll interactive and fun to use, you'll have no trouble gathering data. Best of all, you can target your polling.

You can make sure your polls are targeted just where you want them to be since you already have access to some data such as marital status and age of your Facebook friends. This helps you keep your polling relevant.

Do not forget about these valuable tools - they can really help out your business.

Anyone who is willing to put in just a little bit of effort can make their own applications for Facebook. You just need to learn Facebook Markup Language - there are plenty of tutorials online which can help you learn the ropes of this quickly.

Remember to have a look through what is already out there in terms of Facebook applications before you develop your own. If everyone is already using a very similar application, not too many of your fellow facebook users will be enticed by it. Do something a little different if you want to grab the attentionof people.

CREATING APPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS

With just a little bit of programming know how, anybody can make and distribute their own applications. You'll be doing this to build your business and it can make a big difference. Applications can really draw in people and keep them on your site. Games are especially popular and can build your brand while keeping users engaged and entertained.

You would be unwise to neglect the use of these applications available to you through Facebook. They can help get the word out about your business - and that is why you made a Facebook page for your business in the first place, no?

You will also be building a sense of community amongst all of these potential customers which will help you get sales.

Here are a few tips for getting the best results from your applications:

1) Make it relevant

In marketing, relevancy is everything. If your potential customers can not get into it, or if it is unclear how the application ties into your product or service, rethink your application.

2) Privacy policy

Even if they are on facebook to socialize, people still want their privacy to be respected. This is why there are friend lists and groups, to which one must be invited. Privacy is a natural human desire and Facebook facilitates this while still allowing for socialization. Remember to respect the privacy of users and retain that trust you have worked so hard to build with them.

3) Free distribution

Once your application is finished and ready to go, you will distribute it. You can do this by listing it on the site along with all of the other Facebook applications and then invite others to install it. If your facebook friends like your application, they will spread the word.

Leon Edward helps people to start, build, market and promote internet based home businesses and ways to earn money at home

Learn More about Facebook Business Applications at http://www.homebusinessit.com/facebookaplications

Learn the secrets to awesome success and wealth from the greatest minds in the field of personal achievement..Leon Edward recommends personal development training at [http://www.PersonalAchievementOnline.com]

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How to Use Facebook For Business

There are a growing number of social media sites being used by businesses in their company marketing efforts. The secret to using social media effectively is not to be everywhere, but instead to have an online presence where your current and prospective customers are online. Contrary to what many believe- Facebook is not just for college students or for personal use. Facebook is increasingly being used by companies in many creative ways such as to build their brand image, to drive traffic to their website and blogs, to announce or get feedback on new products, manage their online reputation, attract employees, communicate company information, and as a means to intercept potential prospects. For many companies, this increased company communication is leading to enhanced relationships with current and prospective customers. In this article, I will outline how a planned internet marketing approach can lead to positive results for your business. I will begin the article by addressing a few common misperceptions about Facebook that I hear most frequently from my clients. Next, I will detail how to use and set up the various sections of a Facebook account. I will conclude with several recommended applications that will add functionality to your company Facebook page.

Common misperception #1: Facebook is only for personal use

Each time I give presentations on using social networking sites for business there is the perception in the audience that Facebook is only useful for communicating with friends and family. Facebook started as a closed community for college students, and has not been as effective as Linkedin at highlighting the business page and advertising features. However, Facebook continues to grow in use by companies looking to reach the more than 200 million active users, and has very powerful and targeted demographic tools that help companies to hone in on their target market.

Common misperception #2: Facebook is only for college students

According to the Facebook Press Room page, there are more than 200 million active users on Facebook and a million new members are joining each week in the U.S. alone. Contrary to what many of my audiences believe- more than two-thirds of Facebook users are not in college. According to comscore.com, more than 50% of Facebook's users in the U.S. are over 35; the single biggest age demographic in the U.S. on Facebook is now between 35 and 44, and Facebook's fastest growing age group is 55 and older. They also reported that Facebook ranks as the top social networking site in the majority of European countries.

Common misperception #3: I am too busy for this, and besides-it is not worth my time

Some of the reasons why social networking sites like Facebook are increasingly being used by companies is because they provide businesses the opportunity to easily and efficiently communicate regularly with the people in their network. Networks can include people with whom they are currently doing business, people whom they would like to do business, vendors, and potential business partners.

Social networking sites like Facebook are serving as an adjunct to, and in some cases, replacement for, traditional means of communication such as newsletters and direct mail. Facebook can be used to regularly announce or get feedback on new products, spotlight new employees or existing employees accomplishments or talents, reward customer loyalty, promote special events and special offers, as well as to create partnerships. According to a Forrester Research interactive marketing online research survey (March 2009): "40% of companies surveyed expect to cut direct mail budgets, while 35% will decrease newspaper spend, and 28% will slash magazine money in order to spend more in interactive media." Some companies have reported that by using these online means of communication they have reduced their marketing budget while at the same time increasing sales.

Why Social Networking works:

What companies that use social networking sites are finding is that these sites allow them to more regularly communicate with people, vendors, clients, colleagues, and prospects, which, in turn, helps business understand their customers needs better, increase trust, and therefore build better business relationships. Most people know that Facebook has been helpful as a tool for connecting or re-connecting with friends, family and co-workers. And most understand that even the personal connections have the potential to become new business opportunities-so it makes sense that Facebook can be used to communicate with those in the business milieu.

How to Set Up a Facebook Profile:

To make use of Facebook you need to set up an account. After registering you need to do the following in order of importance:

1. Create a Profile

In order to begin to use Facebook you must create a profile detailing information about yourself. Based on site policies, you can create only 1 profile, and it must be tied to a human name, preferably your real name, not a business name. We will review setting up your business page later in this article, but first you must set up your personal profile. If you are a married female, use your maiden and married names so more people can find you. Facebook has a "Friend Finder" feature that allows users to search for people by school, company, or organization. In order for people to find you -you must so be sure to list all of your previous schools, organizations, employers, in your profile. Thoroughly complete the "About Me" section to describe your business and what services or products you offer. In the "Information" box on your profile page, you need to include links to your website address, newsletter, blog and other business information such as your company contact information, logo and a photo of yourself. Your profile page should be considered your "branding" page or your marketing campaign. If you are working for a company-you don't have to list all your personal interests-just limit your entry to listing your professional interests. You can syndicate your blog on your profile page. By doing this you are enabling any post that you make to automatically appear on your profile page and all of those people who are connected to you will see it.

2. Build Your Contact List

Facebook was created based on the concept of connecting with friends. You can send and receive "friend requests" and once accepted, your friend can view your profile and you can view theirs. To begin connecting with people that you know, you can either import your address book/ contact database, or you can also search Facebook for individual people.

You can also view the friends list of each person with whom you are connected. If you know any of your new friend's connections, or you would like to know them-you can send a connection request. You can grow your friend list by inviting all your clients, business associates, customers, family, friends, co-workers, school alumni, neighbors, and anyone else you think would be interested in connecting. I would suggest also using the search feature on Facebook to look up people with whom you have lost contact. After befriending -your profile will show up on all your friends' pages. Therefore, the more friends you have- the more pages your profile will appear-leading to more people who will see your page and possibly get in touch with you.

3. Communicate by using Wall Posts

Each Facebook member has a "wall" where friends can post messages. In the business networking world, this is the online equivalent of calling them on the phone. You can send a complement to a colleague on their work by writing this on their wall, comment on their new service or product offering, or communicate an upcoming training or networking opportunity.

4. Update Your Status

At the top of your Facebook page is a status box. When you post a status update, everyone in your friends list can see your update on their home page. For business owners, this is the place to share tips, promote events, post blog updates, announce new products, links to your affiliate programs, links to interesting video or audio presentations, websites, articles, and newsletters.You can add updates as often as you are able in the " What's on you mind?" box. These will appear on all of your friends' pages so ensure that they are meant for everyone on your friend list, and are professional in nature. Otherwise, you risk people removing you from their list.

5. Participate in Groups

Online groups allow you to network virtually with potential clients and peers. You can also join Groups on Facebook that are related to your work. There are groups for therapist, teachers, coaches, and every conceivable profession. You can network, and learn from experts in the field. Another way to maximize the potential and relevance of these groups is to start one of your own. There is no cost to do this and this is a great way to improve your company's visibility. For example, I started a group for mental health facility administrators in Boston. This group is now a resource for sharing best practices and may over time lead to mutual referral relationships. To access groups, start from your Facebook home page, view the list of applications and click on "Groups." You can browse through thousands of groups by area of interest, by industry and geography. There are an incredibly varied selection of topics and professions all over the map.

6. Build Your Friends List

For business purposes, it makes sense to have as many friends as possible. One way to do this is to join a group and send connection requests to fellow members with a note letting them know of your interest in connecting with them on Facebook. Just as you would with an in-person business introduction, be sure to check out their profile and learn about what they are currently doing. Networking always works best when there is a two-way exchange. Find ways you can be helpful to them such as introducing them to a colleague or potential business partner and they may likely reciprocate and return the favor. Also, create your own events page, or post on the Facebook "Events page." You can even see how many RSVP and get feedback from attendees.

7. Create Fan Pages

Because Facebook requires that a profile be designated to a person, not a business, they have instead provided the ability to create fan pages. You can create a fan page for a business, book, product, author, speaker, celebrity or just about anything else you want. To create a fan page, scroll all the way down to the bottom of Facebook and click on "Advertising" (don't worry, this is free to set-up). Next, click on "Pages" at the top of the screen. You will find some helpful explanations about how pages work, along with the link that will allow you to create your own fan page. Once your page is created you can add links, events, discussion boards and other features that make them interactive. Your updates from your fan pages will appear on your profile so your friends will know about them. You can invite people to become a "fan" of your page as an alternative to sending friend requests which will help you to further cultivate an online community

8. Use the Marketplace

Facebook has an online marketplace that allows you to list your services and products at no cost. This is a great way for you or your company to get exposure. You can also use the marketplace to find items or services that you need.

How To Set Up a Business Page on Facebook

Setting up a business page is easy. Just log in to your profile page and scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Then click on "Advertising" or by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/business That will bring up a page with the blue links one of which is called "Pages." Click on Pages, and then click on the green "Create a Page" box on the right of the screen. You can now start filling this information in to create and customize your business page.

After you create your business page, Facebook will automatically add an application called the "Page Manager" which should be located on the top and left side of your log. Again choose Facebook Pages, then choose the best category for your business. Click this link to load your business page where you can then edit and add to the existing content.

It is important that you choose the name of your Facebook page carefully because the page name will become your key word search terms, and is the only text that is used in a search on a Facebook page. Once your page is in place, you can add applications that help to enhance how you represent your company in your own unique way. To find applications for Facebook, click on "Applications" in the upper left corner of your page, or search for them at this link: http://www.facebook.com/apps Applications are fairly easy to install and to set up. If you have difficulty with any one application-please note that there is often more than one application available to accomplish the same task.

Facebook Applications for Business:

Simply RSS : This allows you to display up to eight RSS feeds on your Facebook page and display the feeds from your business's main site and newsrooms.

Upcoming: Add all of your events to upcoming.org, and you can easily display them on your Facebook page with Upcoming's Facebook application.

My Flickr: Display photos from your Flickr account using this application. These photos can include logos, product photos, photos from events, etc.

Posted Items Pro: Allows you to embed multiple YouTube, Yahoo, and Google Videos, music mp3s, sites, files, and more onto your profile and Facebook pages. You can add any variety of these elements, making it great for a media center or press section.

Twitter APP: If you have a Twitter account this application will automatically pull your tweets into your Facebook status, and it automatically installs a Twitter-themed icon letting all you friends on Facebook know that you are on Twitter. It also saves you time in updating and ensures that you have some profile activity to keep you relevant. If you are not on Twitter yet-you can add this at any time.

By implementing these applications you will be creating an interactive page that gives visitors a more complete understanding of your business.

Make the Time to Stay Relevant

In order to stay relevant on Facebook, you need to continually update your Page and use the site. If you do not have the time needed to do this consistently- then I would suggest you hire a copywriter or social media consultant to help. The more actions you take, the more you appear in a fan's News Feed. This keeps you in their mind, and in their friend's feeds when they interact with you. But updating content will do more than keep you on the News Feed; it will also help make your Facebook Page one that people will return to by offering fans an incentive to continue to read your content and return to your page. There are many ways to do this such as providing exclusive content, special promotional pricing, exclusive contests, product previews, or privileged access to company events.

I hope this information has been helpful to you in getting started in using Facebook. Make no mistake about it-social networking is not a passing fad. Facebook, and other social media sites are here to stay. So regardless of whether you make use of all the social networking sites- you cannot discount the recent research indicating that customers are increasingly going online to gather company and product information, compare prices, and place orders. As with any new technology social networking will take time and effort for businesses to fully benefit from it; however, it is my belief that this time and effort, if done consistently and in a planned, thoughtful manner, will be time well spent.

Wayne Kessler

The author of this article, Wayne Kessler, is an Internet Marketing Strategist, speaker and behavioral change consultant focused on helping individuals and small businesses to increase online sales, strengthen their brand, and dramatically boost web site traffic through proven online marketing concepts. His business, Accelerated Business Services, is based in Massachusetts, and provides in-office, or remote services worldwide. Visit him on the web at http://www.waynekessler.com

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