http://samsilverstein.com Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 13 May 2008 16:58:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I was watching a basketball game this past week and the winning team missed almost two out of every three shots they took. How can you win a game shooting only 35.9%? The opposing team only shot 28.9%! Later, I decided to look into what was going on in ... http://samsilverstein.com/13/05/2008/articles/the-law-of-fractional-advantage/ In a recent G-8 economic summit a large concern for the group of major world leaders is the proliferation of nuclear arms in Iran and North Korea. Additionally, the peace process in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians seems to take two steps back for every step ... http://samsilverstein.com/06/05/2008/articles/g-8-level-communnication/ Last week was an interesting week. Three sales people didn't call me back, and it was only Wednesday. Monday I spoke with a hotel sales representative, a web services company, and a bank Vice-President. They all said they would call back that day. I must have moved, because I am still waiting for their calls. Guess ... http://samsilverstein.com/06/05/2008/articles/too-much-lost-business/ All around the world there are businesses failing. In the United States alone, almost 200 businesses fail every day of the week! You may see companies that are doing great, people prospering, and business booming. But don't kid yourself. There are also markets that are collapsing, industries that ... http://samsilverstein.com/29/04/2008/articles/three-reasons-your-business-will-fail-this-year/ Do you have a brand? Do you know what it is? Perhaps, more importantly, do your clients know? And what about the marketplace? All great questions, but they are not always easy to answer. Your brand is your promise to the market place. When someone does ... http://samsilverstein.com/22/04/2008/articles/enhancing-your-brand/ There are many ways to grow your business. You can increase sales to existing clients, you can add additional products and services to your offering, and you can even merge with another organization. The easiest and fasted way to grow your business is through referrals. Cold calling is a proven ... http://samsilverstein.com/15/04/2008/articles/refer-your-way-to-more-business/ Two years ago John's business was down ten-percent, but he figures that the economy was a bit slow and he would make it up the next year. Last year, John's business was off another ten-percent. He was not very happy with the way things were going, but he ... http://samsilverstein.com/08/04/2008/articles/which-direction-is-your-business-heading/ It’s 5:11 AM and I’m about to make a left hand turn onto I-270 and head to the airport. I have a 6:35 flight (yes, I know I’m cutting it a little close) to Phoenix. There is a car facing me at the light, and I wait for ... http://samsilverstein.com/01/04/2008/articles/it%e2%80%99s-511am-do-you-know-where-your-car-is/ We depend on those around us to produce at a higher level. If you manage a sales team, your success is the cumulative success of your team. If you are in an office setting, then the productivity of others in your office will support your goals and eventual success. If you can ... http://samsilverstein.com/25/03/2008/articles/three-secrets-to-increase-the-productivity-of-your-team/ I had barely turned the lights on and sat down the other day when my phone rang. It was Ray. Ray had been in my mentoring program for about thirty days and was facing a perplexing problem. He said, "I made three sales calls yesterday but didn't make a ... http://samsilverstein.com/18/03/2008/articles/three-steps-to-overcome-price-objections/ In his 37 years as a head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina Dean Smith won more games then any other coach (879). He also won two national championships and had the coliseum on campus named after him. He was able to enjoy overwhelming success at ... http://samsilverstein.com/11/03/2008/articles/success-on-and-off-the-court/ How many times have you heard, "Oh he's a born salesman," or, "Her dad was in sales. She's a natural?" My father is the greatest salesperson I've had the privilege to see in action and to learn from. When he was a young man he was so shy it was painful. ... http://samsilverstein.com/04/03/2008/articles/four-steps-to-close-your-next-sale/ I'm sorry that I can't participate. I just don't have the time. http://samsilverstein.com/27/02/2008/excuses/no-time/ Creating a strong competitive advantage in the marketplace requires you to focus on what's happening today that can be improved. But you should also take time to look into the future. Many times people look back on their professional and personal lives and think, "I wish I had done this," ... http://samsilverstein.com/27/02/2008/articles/your-happiness-hierarchy/ Many times someone goes into business so they can "control their own life." In reality, unless you understand how to build a strategic business, you usually end up with less control than you started with. Instead of having all of the headaches of ownership on top of getting your "job" done you ... http://samsilverstein.com/19/02/2008/articles/strategic-thinking/ I drove into the Budget car rental lot at 8:35 a.m. last Sunday. A very pleasant young lady scanned the barcode on the rented car, entered the mileage and told me that I could get my receipt inside the office. I pulled my suitcase along with me into ... http://samsilverstein.com/12/02/2008/articles/stay-connected-to-those-you-serve/ A few months back my brother and his wife went to look at a house that was for sale. It was just what they wanted; the perfect size, the right number of rooms, and in a subdivision that they loved. They recently completed some major remodeling on their home and had no plans to ... http://samsilverstein.com/08/02/2008/articles/tell-it-and-you-will-sell-it/ Mitsubishi is developing a system that will automatically download real-time information about train and subway delays as well as estimated time of arrival whenever you wave your cellphone in front of it. Apparently, this system—which will be installed by the train car doors—is also capable of uploading a “delay certificate” ... http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2008/excuses/the-train-was-late/ I don’t care if both yours and the pharmacies records show it’s ten days early for my refill, one of you is lying. http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2008/excuses/early-refill/ Please excuse Mary for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we thought it was Sunday. http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2008/excuses/newspaper/ Why do some people succeed and others fail? Are there genetic differences between those who fail and those who succeed? Is success a result of luck or traits that are learned and developed? These are just some of the questions we continually ask ourselves as we seek our own success. Does ... http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2008/articles/the-four-secret-characteristics-of-successful-people/ I went in for my annual check up recently. Everything looked good, except my doctor was a little concerned that my cholesterol level had risen. "I know you exercise like a demon," he said, "But have you thought about having a glass of wine with dinner each evening?" There ... http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2008/articles/wine-oatmeal-and-other-variables/ In part one of this article we discussed the seven organizational resources that are critical to optimize, and three questions you must answer in any prospects mind if you are to successfully market and sell your product or service. In part two we talked about the four groups you should consider marketing to. Now ... http://samsilverstein.com/03/02/2008/articles/strategic-marketing%e2%84%a2-part-iii/ In part one of this article we discussed the seven organizational resources that are critical to optimize and three questions you must answer in any prospects mind if you are to successfully market and sell your product or service. With that information in hand, it is not time to look at whom you should be ... http://samsilverstein.com/02/02/2008/articles/strategic-marketing%e2%84%a2-part-ii/ Sales are often referred to as the lifeblood of an organization. But, it is impossible to have an effective sales program without a corresponding and effective marketing initiative. Most organizations just start trying things in the hopes that one will generate some leads and resulting sales. Like all facets of your business, ... http://samsilverstein.com/01/02/2008/articles/strategic-marketing%e2%84%a2-part-i/ Over the years I've been blessed to have worked with some great sales professionals. I looked at these older and more experienced sales pros as my personal mentors. They taught me a lot, and they really made a big difference in my ability to build my businesses. One such pro, Mike, taught me three critical ... http://samsilverstein.com/24/01/2008/articles/sales-lessons-from-a-mentor/ Recently I had a speech for a large home-builder. It was an annual meeting, and they wanted to send their management team off with a bang. I arrived at the Westin Hotel and was greeted warmly at the front door. The doorman escorted me to the room ... http://samsilverstein.com/17/01/2008/articles/are-you-easy-to-do-business-with/ Ultimately, if you are going to sell any product or service, there are three questions you must answer in your prospect's mind. This is true whether you are selling face-to-face or running a display ad. No sale has ever been made without these questions being answered either directly ... http://samsilverstein.com/10/01/2008/articles/three-questions-you-must-answer-to-make-the-sale/ You close your sales opportunities 100% of the time when you make a presentation, right? You don't? Why not? It's a simple question with a simple answer: objections! People don't buy because they have objections. If, and only if you can overcome all of a potential customer's objections can you ... http://samsilverstein.com/02/01/2008/articles/eliminate-objections-and-increase-sales/ I recently registered a new URL. (It is http://www.samstips.com for those of you who are curious.) I used DomainBuddys.com to handle the transaction. When I purchased the URL, a screen came up that asked if I would like more information on tools that would add value to ... http://samsilverstein.com/19/09/2007/articles/give-them-a-chance-to-buy/ At the beginning of the year, many business professionals set sales goals as a way of building their business.  They might say, “I’m going to increase sales by 10% this year.”  If you want to make significant strides in your business this year I would suggest a different approach. There are ... http://samsilverstein.com/17/08/2007/articles/synergistic-sales-growth%e2%84%a2/ A recent Gallop poll revealed that 71 percent of workers are "not engaged" in their work. The longer a worker stays with a company the more disengaged they become. They begin to sabotage the company's efforts, look for ways to hide out rather than produce, and lose interest ... http://samsilverstein.com/02/05/2007/articles/staying-focused-in-a-fragmented-world/ I'm sorry I was late to work. My right hand blinker is broken and I had to make left hand turns all the way here. http://samsilverstein.com/10/04/2007/excuses/blink/ My son is under a doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him. http://samsilverstein.com/10/04/2007/excuses/execute/ SIX STEPS TO BETTER CHANGE MANAGEMENT In a theology class at a major university a professor told her students that each week they would study a different piece of ancient text. On Monday, the professor would give her interpretation of the text, and on Wednesday, one of the students would ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/change%e2%80%a6-the-order-of-the-universe/ The American Heritage Dictionary defines marketing as: The commercial functions involved in transferring goods from producer to consumer. Simple enough. As marketers, we know it goes much deeper than that. To be successful, one must find ways to surpass just transferring goods. What adjective could accompany marketing to define what ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/smarketing%e2%84%a2-creativity-counts/ CREATE YOUR MEMORABLE MARKETING MESSAGE Knowing exactly what business you are in may be the single most important factor in jump starting your marketing efforts. So often, companies see themselves as selling specific products or providing specific services. These specificities, in effect, become blinders on their vision and greatly limit the ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/smarketing%e2%84%a2/ Quality is required. There is no longer a question of whether or not to implement a quality program. You must have one to survive. Yet, many are failures. The question is why? Quality is like any other business process. It must be managed to be successful. Too often, a business will ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/quality-requires-measures/ MEETING PLANNER HAVE PROBLEMS ALSO It looks great on paper. Tomorrow's annual convention in Scottsdale is opening with a keynote speaker and all the fanfare of a Hollywood movie premier. One thousand of your association's finest members have arrived. They are excited and chomping at the bit to get underway. Then ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/when-all-goes-wrong-in-paradise/ Values, veneration and vision are the three elements of quality leadership. Used individually, your organization can expect to see a minor impact. Used together, these concepts create a powerful synergistic force that can turn failing organizational environments into profitable and marketable companies. This synergistic force is the difference between the ... http://samsilverstein.com/05/04/2007/articles/v3-%e2%80%a6-the-power-of-synergistic-leadership/ Where would you like to be in six months? One year? Two years? How do you get there? The first step is to clearly define what it is you want to achieve. The next step is to determine what you will have to change to get to where you want ... http://samsilverstein.com/03/04/2007/articles/the-paradox-of-change/ Change is the essence of progress and in order to have growth at work and in our personal lives we need to be willing to commit to change. However, change can only be initiated as the result of a primary desire. Lasting change is possible only when the need and ... http://samsilverstein.com/03/04/2007/articles/embracing-change/ We become what we become because of the way we choose and will ourselves to think. Our choices affect our thoughts and our thoughts affect who we are, what we stand for, and the footprints we leave on this planet. Throughout our lives, we are faced with a myriad of choices. ... http://samsilverstein.com/02/04/2007/articles/the-power-of-choice/ I'm sorry I can't come into work today. My wife is going to get pregnant and I want to be there. http://samsilverstein.com/22/03/2007/excuses/my-dog/ I just returned from the winter workshop of the National Speakers Association. It is a great opportunity to renew friendships, share ideas, and hear the latest buzz. I had particularly been looking forward to the Saturday morning keynote, delivered by Harry Beckwith, the author of “Selling The Invisible.” ... http://samsilverstein.com/04/02/2004/articles/selling-the-invisible/