Logitech Harmony Link – small but packs quite the punch

Logitech Harmony Link – small but packs quite the punch | Ubergizmo window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '139683546053659', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; e.async = true; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); Network:Ubergizmo English, French, SpanishUberphones Subscribe to RSS Ubergizmo ReviewsMobileGamingAndroidAppleComputersGadgetsConceptsPhoto/VideoEvents |  Jobs Home > Gadgets > Logitech Harmony Link – small but packs quite the punch Logitech Harmony Link – small but packs quite the punch Edwin Kee 09/20/2011 02:51 PDT

Mother always said not to judge a book by its cover, and in this case, not to judge a device’s capability by its size. The Logitech Harmony Link is a tiny device that was specially designed to sit comfortably next to your HDTV, while “speaking” over Wi-Fi thanks to the free Logitech Harmony Link App for iPad. Once you go through the painless setup process, the Logitech Harmony Link and the Logitech Harmony Link App will play nice with one another, allowing iPad users to browse through a personalized schedule of their favorite shows, channels and genres in order to select something that will provide passive entertainment after a hard day at the office – with but a single touch, of course.

This is much more than just a personalized program guide for iPad users – leveraging Logitech Harmony technology will enable activity- and device-based control in a jiffy, and the Harmony Link will automatically switch your devices to the right settings so that you need not fret about trying to remember which remote is for what, or manually switching inputs.

Capable of hooking up to your current wireless network at home in order to receive Wi-Fi signals from the Harmony Link App, transforming them into IR commands which are easily recognized by home-entertainment devices, the Harmony Link will be able to control up to eight devices. Being roughly the size of a hockey puck, it can integrate neatly and discreetly with your home entertainment system.

Expect to pick up the Logitech Harmony Link sometime next month in the US for $99.99, alongside the corresponding free app downloads in October. [Press Release]

Add a Comment 

Follow Ubergizmo's founders on    Eliane Fiolet  Hubert Nguyen  Topics: Gadgets | Articles by keywords: harmony link, logitech, logitech harmony link Reviews Epic Touch 4G ReviewGalaxy S2 ReviewDroid Bionic ReviewHP TouchPad Review - With Our Deepest CondolencesHTC Wildfire S ReviewBlackberry Bold 9900 ReviewMotorola Photon 4G Review
ArchivesIf you want to dig deep into Ubergizmo's past, and check what was going on previously, check our archive page. It's great for random browsing, but a search may be faster to find something specific.
TrendingOpen Forum: Gender – Getting to Equal – online discussion Sept 20-21Epic Touch 4G ReviewPS3 3.72 system software update coming your wayCase-Mate's iPhone 5 casing leaked?iPhone 5 case points toward thinner, larger handset?iPhone 5 might not see change in home button Related Articles
User Comments Privacy PolicyTerms of UseContactAbout|  Q: 10  ID: 89086  

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.