These three essential telesales tips are sure to increase sales and maximize time spent on the phone. Improve telesales skills and leverage the power of the Internet to reach your target market.

Phone sales can be an overwhelming business task, but by incorporating a few basic telesales tip you will likely find that you become more and more comfortable making the calls. Just like any other kind of sales, telesales takes preparation and solid sales know-how in order to achieve success. Going into a sales call unprepared and behaving haphazardly is like going into war without your gun. Enter unprepared, and you have a very dangerous situation on your hands. However, if you are prepared and know what you are doing, you can survive and even thrive.

Use the following three telesales tips to help you improve your approach and methods, and turn a call or a visit into a highly effective sales tool:

Telesales Tip # 1: Preparation

This is where you must put on your thinking cap and get down to business. The preparation portion of any telesales campaign is vital to its success. It starts with building a good list of qualified leads for what it is you are selling. You also need to know who to ask for when calling and more importantly how to pronounce the contact’s name. There have been countless sales lost due to the mispronunciation of someone’s name. Also, use the preparation time to learn about the person or the company you are calling. This way, you will know in advance the details about their business and whether or not your solutions can meet their needs.

Telesales Tip # 2: Execution

Even the most well thought out plan means nothing if you are unwilling to execute it. This all starts with nailing your sales pitch. Words like “umm” and “ahhh” will have you hearing dial tones instead of seeing dollar signs. Keep in mind it is important to deliver your sales pitch at a normal pace and sound as natural as possible. If you pitch too fast then the sales lead will miss the whole point of why you called. Speaking unnaturally gives the vibe that you are reading off of a script. Be calm, cool, and confident and speak your mind coherently before it is too late.

Telesales Tip # 3: Follow Up

This is perhaps the most overlooked exercise in the entire sales world. If you have piqued a sales lead’s interest, even just a little bit, then you have to follow-up. Some sales leads will scream no, and some will do business with you right away, while others will be on the fence uncertain about which way to go. As a salesperson, it is your job to gently push those people onto your side.

Telesales can be a technique that requires plenty of Pepto on hand as the stress can be daunting whether you are working for yourself or selling for someone else. Many shoppers are shifting their thinking when it comes to how they will spend their discretionary dollars; it is more challenging for many people to part with their hard earned money.

Because more and more shoppers are going online to spend their money, it requires a resourceful salesperson to know how to leverage Internet marketing in order to take advantage of this changing tide. If your sales skills on the phone and in person are strong and you have an interest in learning how to use the Internet to increase sales, you should consider making the most of your skills for yourself rather than for someone else’s business. If this sounds interesting to you check out Local Business Money Machine.

For information regarding more telesales tips and for finding new ways to change your life using your sales and business skills, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

Need to know more? Seek out sales training to help you uncover valuable secrets of the trade.

Nearly every salesperson roaming the earth has gone through some type of sales training. Typically, a business bringing a new salesperson onto their team will provide in-depth training to ensure the rookie is well prepared and knows what he/she is doing. However, the training shouldn’t stop after that one time. A top salesperson who knows what it takes to stay relevant and achieve success will seek out as much sales training as possible. Simply put, a salesperson should be a life-long learner.

If you are just breaking into sales, it is likely you will have to start at the bottom of the pile and work your way up. It is also likely part of your sales training will include shadowing or following a seasoned sales rep within the company. How can you ensure you make the most of these important training times? You want to do more than just take mental notes and go on your merry way. You are in this to win it, so you want to ensure you are learning as much as you can and searing the information into your brain so you can become the best salesperson you can be.

Here is how to get the most out of your beginning sales training:

• Look: Observe everything that your sales elder is doing. Try to see how he or she reacts to the different situations that arise with the customers or clients.
• Listen: When your sales senior speaks you need to listen. There is a reason that you are shadowing this person; your employer thought this person could teach you a thing or two about the business. Try to absorb everything that is said to you and take notes so you have a reference to utilize down the road.
• Ask: When your sales training instructor or mentor is done talking then it is your turn to speak, but instead of useless chatter ask them relevant questions. If you took notes then you will no doubt have a number of questions you will want answered. Don’t be afraid to ask a question for fear of seeming like too much of a newbie. You are there to learn, so make the most of the time.

The same holds true of even the most seasoned sales veteran. Though you may believe you know everything there is to know about selling, by attending sales training opportunities as they come up you can continue to broaden your horizons. Even if you only get one more sale out of it, isn’t it worth it? Sales training becomes an added value if you work for someone else and they are the ones paying for your training. In that case, you should be volunteering to get as much sales training as you can.

It truly doesn’t matter if you are a rookie or a tenured pro, everyone can learn new techniques and strategies during sales trainings. While you have to learn to walk before you can run, you can also learn to sprint even if you are a strong runner.

The smart salesperson will take advantage of as much sales training as possible, especially if someone else is paying for it. This type of salesperson will also have the foresight to see the ever changing ways of the sales business and will know when it is time to take advantage of sales training opportunities. Many salespeople who have been learning and developing under an employer for years may find with all of the additional knowledge learned from their various sales training courses that they are ready to go out on their own and create their own business utilizing their sales skills and work experiences. If you have the drive and determination to put your sales skills to work for you, then take a few minutes to check out Local Business Money Machine.

For more information on what to take away from sales training and finding ways to put your sales skills to use for your own business, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com/.

Are your sales slumping? There are three vital factors you should be certain you are covering through your sales process. If you aren’t including these top three sales jewels, it may be costing you in the closing department.

When it comes to sales there is always more to learn. Of course, it is always easy to find some person or expert who is ready and willing to offer their personal sales tips. If you are serious about being a top salesperson and want to do all you can to avoid a sales slump, you will want to make sure you are including three specific behaviors in your sales process.

Check out these top three tips below and do a little self-reflection and determine where you can improve in an effort to maximize your sales:

Sales Tip #1: Tone of Voice

This is often an underestimated point, but the tone of your voice can be a key factor whether your sales are average or exceptional. In a busy business world where much interaction is conducted over the phone, it is important that your emotions and enthusiasm are delivered properly in the tone of your voice. In addition to the tone you use, focus on speaking clearly and concisely. You want the person on the other end of the line or right in front of you to enjoy speaking with you and fully receive your message, which is why the way you communicate is so important.

Sales Tip #2: Appearance

What does your appearance say about you and your sales? First impressions are very important in sales so take a good hard look at yourself before you go into a meeting with a prospect. Is there any hint of sloppiness? Even a little bit of careless appearance can be costly to your sales. Often, a prospect will judge you first by how you appear and by what you say second. Make your first impression count.

Sales Tip #3: Body Language

This is especially important when going into a face to face meeting with a prospect. As you are likely to sit down, be sure not to slouch. Also avoid looking at your watch excessively; if you have a habit of doing so leave your watch behind. If you look as though you are in a hurry to leave, many prospects will grant you that wish. Always make the prospect feel as though there is nowhere you would rather be than in a meeting with them. Remember that you are on their time not the other way around.

Each of these points is vital to growing your sales and maintaining a good sales record. Overlooking even one of these points can greatly diminish your sales results, so it is always wise to self-reflect and identify areas for improvement.

Because the business environment is so competitive these days you have to give yourself every advantage possible in order to succeed and beat out your competitors. Perhaps you are finding that you are ready to focusing on perfecting your sales skills but would rather do it for your own business, rather than for your employer. Why not consider starting a business of your own? In today’s market, you can incorporate your sales skills and the power of the Internet to reach a greater market more effectively. Now is a great time to consider taking your sales to another level by starting your own business.

To learn more sales tips and to learn how to use your sales talents to create a business of your own, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

Sales force training should be conducted on a regular basis in order to achieve the most production out of your sales team. However, to maximize sales force training, you want to ensure you are using the right techniques and forms of motivation.

Successful sales force training largely depends on how you present yourself and your ideas to your sales team. Sales force training should be conducted a few times a year. Even if your sales force is achieving their sales goals, it still makes sense to have sales force training regularly in order to keep everyone on the same page and establish new goals.

Sales force training is all about motivating your sales team to use new and innovative ways to help increase the overall sales of the company. While that is the outlying goal, in order to effectively reach your team members you must make the training more about your team and less about the business. As you build the best sales force training possible, consider these questions:

What’s In It for Me?

When asking your sales force to embrace new ideas and techniques in order to increase sales they will naturally wonder the age old question, “What’s in it for me?” Therefore, it is important to let them know exactly what is at stake for them. Use phrases such as, “If the company makes more you make more in commissions,” or “for the salesperson who closes the most sales using this new technique you will get…” By speaking to them directly and making the new methods about what they can earn, you are shifting their attention from corporate benefit and replacing it with personal incentive

Is This Thing On?

Sales force training can be boring and if you can’t keep the attention of your sales team while you are going through your presentation and training, how can you expect them to retain any of the new information? Make the presentation fun and lively. Make a game out of it. Incorporate team building activities. Utilize music and movie clips. Do what you must to keep their attention.

How Do You Use That?

When teaching new techniques and methods to your sales force be sure to cite specific examples of when and how these new innovative ways worked. Either tell a compelling story that involves you or share case studies involving real companies and sales people.

Pick me, pick me!

Sometimes the best way to have your sales force learn a new technique is by having them actually do the new technique. Make your sales force training interactive and be sure that everyone participates in the activities.

Take One and Pass the Rest Down.

Most sales force training attendees appreciate having a written reference to go back to should they need a refresher on the training material. To meet this need, prepare an information packet to be handed out at the end of your sales force training. Let your team know that everything that was covered in the training is contained within the packet. This will not only give them a reference to view on their downtime, but it can also get them out of a pinch if they are one the phone and forget how to implement the new techniques.

Conducting successful sales force training is a challenge at times, but if you can train a team of salespeople to perform better for the company you work for then it is a true testament to your leadership abilities. While making the upper management at your company happy is always a good thing, you could also take your leadership skills and apply them to your own business. Many who have led at the managerial level find that they can lead at the business owner level.

To learn more sales force training techniques and how you can turn your leadership skills into your own business, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com/.

Sales skills are a must-have for a successful business, but many salespeople are underachieving and missing the mark with their performance. Learn to self evaluate and you will be well on your way to improved sales skills which lead to increased sales.

Sales skills are essential if you want to achieve success in the business world. Many salespeople have a good foundation of practical sales skills but do not use their skills to the fullest potential. If you feel as though you may not be making the most of your sales skills and have room for improvement, a self evaluation of will likely help you to identify weak points and develop your overall knowledge and ability.

A sales skills self evaluation will allow you to look at what is and is not working in your sales methods, and it helps you to do determine what you can do differently. When conducting your self evaluation, ask the following questions:

Sales Skills Question 1: Am I an effective communicator?
The art of sales is all about communicating with people and building relationships. To determine how well you communicate with others, record yourself while talking to a client and listen to the recording at another time. How do you sound? Are you confident or does your voice reveal uncertainty or nervousness? While you do not have to be the “Speaker of the House,” you should be able to effectively communicate your thoughts in a clear and concise manner.

Sales Skills Question 2: Am I a good listener?
As important as it is to know how to speak well, you also have to know when it is time to listen. Focusing on what you have to stay rather than listening to what the client is saying will cost you the chance to find out what they need. A good salesperson knows their place and never cuts off a potential sales lead while they are in the midst of speaking.

Sales Skills Question 3: Do I ask good questions?
Listen again to the recording of your sales call. Are you asking questions that lead the customer lead the customer to realize their problem and your solution? When you make a sales call you are out to solve a problem for the person on the other end of the phone or are you just on the call to tout your benefits? Knowing the right questions to ask is essential to the success of your conversation with a prospect. In fact, listening may be one of the most important sales skills you can possess.

Sales Skills Question 4: Am I organized?
For a salesperson, being organized goes beyond file folders and a clean desk. Organization is a must-have sales skill, including the ability to organize a sales plan prior to speaking with a new client. Being well organized also means you have the ability to analyze and reanalyze problems and statements as they arise from the potential client.

Self evaluation is always a bit of a challenge, but if you want to make the most of your sales career then you need to know and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Whether you are just getting started in sales or are a seasoned salesperson, analyzing your sales skills provides you with the information you need to continue to build your career and avoiding the risk of becoming stagnant and ineffective.

Many salespeople realize that their sales skills can only take them so far if they work for someone else. These same salespeople can see the changing business environment and recognize the fact that Internet marketing is the latest sales skill to acquire. More and more salespeople are finding that their sales skills are best utilized when put to use for their own personal gain and not that of an employer.

To learn more about self evaluating your sales skills and discovering how to make your sales skills work for your own benefit, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

In a touch economic environment, sales are becoming more difficult to achieve, but question based selling offers a fresh perspective on the age old art of selling a prospect.

Question based selling is the new approach to selling, and as the name implies you use questions to guide the prospect to the point in which they realize their problem and how you are offering the solution they need. This method is also known as spin selling and consultative selling, but whatever you want to call it, the method is customer-focused and effective at driving home the sale.

Typical sales methods involve what is known as AIDI—an acronym for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Close. This process requires you to make contact with the prospect, set up an appointment with the prospect, make your presentation or sales pitch, and then close, close, close, and close!

Top salespeople are finding that this is no longer as effective as it may have once been. In an every changing economic and sales climate, if you want to sell a prospect you have to earn their trust. The age old adage ABC, or Always Be Closing, still applies, you just have to go about it in a different manner, and that is where question based selling comes into play.

Let’s face it, today prospects are busier than ever and are bombarded by sales calls, e-mails, letters and advertisements dozens of times a day. Thanks to the Internet, prospects’ knowledge of what you sell is probably greater than you think, and many of the decision makers suffer from information overload. This is due to countless salespeople coming their way, cramming information down their throats with the objective of trying to score a sale. What today’s prospect needs is a solution to their problem. They do not want to know about how great you are and how awesome your product is. Rather, they simply want to know what you can do for them, and how you are going to make their lives easier, more productive, or more lucrative.

How to Utilize Question Based Selling

When you begin a sales call with a prospect, resist the urge to deliver your pitch immediately. Instead, ask questions that are on a broader level. Get to know the client, what they do and how they do it, as well as the types of challenges they face. Avoid making your pitch right away, and instead lead the prospect gently down the path that will have them asking you for your help to solve a problem. Asking broader questions first allows you to gain an understanding of what makes them tick and what keeps them up at night.

If you can control the conversation, you can begin to narrow your questions as you lead the prospect to the problem they have—the one you can solve for them. Once the opportunity presents itself in the series of questions, you are then in the right position to deliver your pitch. If timed properly, your pitch will come off as the solution to the problem and not a sales pitch at all.

If you don’t find an opportunity to deliver your pitch in the first meeting then don’t try. It’s important that you don’t force the issue and come across as a typical pushy salesperson just trying to make buck. Focus on earning trust and respect and you are much more likely to eventually earn another sales call at a later date.

When you come back to the prospect for another sales call have a new batch of questions to ask  that will lead the prospect in the direction you want them to go. If you truly can’t offer the prospect a solution then pull out and walk away. Most prospects will respect the fact that you are honest enough not to pitch them something they don’t need. The reward: a high possibility of referrals as they tell people they know about you. While you may have missed an opportunity with one prospect, you may inadvertently gain other opportunities as a result, especially if you have taken the time to offer value to the customer and have proven yourself to be a true consultant.

Question based selling is the new and innovative way to conduct sales one-on-one just as Internet marketing is the new way to use your sales skills to tap into an ever-growing market. Many salespeople who have the foresight to see how question based selling can help their careers may also begin to realize that there is so much more they could do with their business to keep up with the changing markets. Mastering new sales and marketing skills, especially quested based selling, are great first steps toward building a business of your own.

To learn more about question based selling and how your innovative thinking can be put to work for your own benefit, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

Effective sales management means having the ability to motivate your salespeople. If your salespeople are underperforming it is likely you need to try different motivational techniques.

Sales management involves many things, but a key component is your ability to effectively motivate your salespeople. It is not enough for you to simply want them to do a good job and tell them to bring in the sales; they need your guidance and your motivation in order to excel.

If your salespeople seem to be lacking in the closing department, then consider the way in which you are motivating them. Need some fresh sales management ideas to help you motivate your team? Check out these sales management tips below:

Sales Management Tip #1: Compensation
How well are your sales team members being compensated? If they bringing in money for your company then they should be rewarded. This may not be your call, but talk to your superior about offering a commission or other type of motivational incentive that your sales team can look forward to when they are making constant sales.

Sales Management Tip #2: Positive Overtones
Nobody likes to be yelled at or talked down to, but encouraging words and constructive criticism can go a long way, which is why creating a positive environment for your team is a great sales management technique. An aspect of your sales management is certainly going to be talking to your sales team members when they are doing something wrong, but be careful to use a positive and encouraging tone and the results will be better.

Sales Management Tip #3: Compliment Sandwish
When making a correction try starting off with a compliment first. For example, “Hey Bob, I really liked how you complimented that prospect’s car, but let me show you how you could have handled the conversation a little bit better.” Saying something in such a way sure beats, “Hey Bob, what the heck were you thinking? You need to handle the calls like this.” In both cases, the same point gets across just using different overtones.

Sales Management Tip #4: Have a Contest
Conduct regular contests with your sales team and set goals for the month, the week, or even just the day. Make it fun for your sales team to sell by incorporating a little motivation in the contest. For the person who performs the best and wins the contest, offer some reward. It doesn’t have to be a huge monetary gift; just some token to appreciate their efforts can boost morale and keep people motivated. For example, “The person who sells the most pens this month will win a gift card to ABC Restaurant.”

Sales Management Tip #5: Be a Cheerleader
What is the job of the cheerleaders who stand on the sidelines during a pro football game? They are there to pump up and motivate the crowd. Part of your role as sales management is to be the biggest cheerleader for your sales team. Conducting regular meetings and making them feel like pep rallies can provide just the encouragement and enthusiasm your team needs to push sales to the next level.

Sales management is never an easy job and with it comes great responsibility. Many salespeople think they will be happier managing a team of salespeople, but once they are in sales management they realize life was easier on the other side when they only had to impress the boss. Still, when salespeople have that urge to do something more, it could be a great time to consider using their skills, interests and ambition to start their own business.

While it takes hard work and know-how to start a business, a top salesperson is already one step ahead. Learning to utilize traditional marketing and Internet marketing can take you even further and help you to establish a solid business in which your time in sales management does more than fill your employer’s pockets. Many salespeople are finding that branching out on their own is a way to enrich their careers and their lives.

To learn more sales management techniques and how to use your management and sales skills to create your own business, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

A sales training seminar can be a great way for you to learn valuable skills and techniques to increase your performance. With so many sales training seminars available, finding the right one can be a challenge unless you know what you want in a training.

A sales training seminar can be 100% worth your time and your money, or it can be a complete waste of both. As with many things, all sales training seminars are not created equally. If you want to further your knowledge and sharpen your skills through a seminar, then you must know how to find the right seminar before you hand over your hard earned money for the seminar fee.

There are many companies offering sales training seminars and some are relatively inexpensive, but others cost a big chunk of change. Does more expensive mean better? Just looking at price alone will not help you identify which one is going to be worth your money. Here are some things to look for in a sales training seminar:

• Experience. How experienced in sales are the people who will be conducting the seminar? Many sales training seminars end up being nothing more than a costly pep rally and you may feel energized at the end, but you may also walk away with no new knowledge of the sales business. Before you decide on a sales training seminar find out how experienced the instructors are in sales.
• Seminar Focus. Many sales training seminars will promise to show you how to make more money that you ever have before. Your goal in attending a sales training seminar should not be to learn how to make more money, but rather how to sell more effectively. If you sell more effectively, the money will come. Beware of seminars that promise too much.
• Type of Training. Some sales training seminars are hands-on, meaning you actually participate in the training. Other training events are more of a classroom environment in which you take notes and listen to lectures. One way is not necessarily better than the other, but there is going to be one way that is better for your unique learning style. Decide how you will learn best and then choose your seminar based on your personal preferences.
• Endorsements. Some sales training seminars will carry endorsements from companies that have used them in the past. Great testimonials from real life people and companies who have used the sales training seminar can help you to determine that a seminar has value to offer.

Keep in mind when you are attending a sales training seminar you are there to learn how to make more sales. This can be accomplished through improving your sales process or through trying new techniques, so when attending be sure to take full advantage of the information. Take notes, create an action plan and set yourself up for success with your new information and skills.

Sales training seminars can be a wonderful way for you to learn the necessary tools to help make more sales for your company, but through the trainings you may also begin to realize you could benefit by using your sales techniques and skills to build your own business. Perhaps you are finding that you are ready to focusing on perfecting your sales skills but would rather do it for yourself, rather than for your employer. Check out Local Business Money Machine to learn how you can incorporate what you are learning from sales training seminars to build your own business.

To learn more about what to look for in a sales training seminar and how you can create your own business, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

Sales coaching has the potential to increase top-line revenuers, yet few companies incorporate this coaching into trainings for their salespeople. These five tips discuss how to use sales coaching to help your sales team grow their skills and increase their sales.

Top businesses utilize sales coaching as a way for sales managers to guide and assist their sales teams. The coaching is more of a one-on-one process than the more general sales trainings, and this individualized coaching helps companies to achieve the revenue results they are seeking, allowing them to build the business and appropriately compensate their salespeople.

The connection between better performance in the sales department and effective sales coaching is an obvious point, yet many companies fail to realize the full potential that could come with a commitment to provide sales coaching. This often means missed opportunities for top-line revenue growth, and other factors including poor sales rep retention.

Companies interested in providing sales coaching may not know the proper way to provide the service to their sales teams. To ensure a positive outcome for sales coaching here are five can’t miss tips:

Sales Coaching Tip #1: Content
In order for the coaching program to be effective it needs to be tailored to a company’s specific sales managers and team members. This will enable the program to link to the company’s sales model and thus address the individual sales manager’s needs on a one-on-one basis.

Sales Coaching Tip #2: Flow
Often sales managers consider their coaching a separate event from the other events the organization and this attitude can lead to disharmony. In order to fix this problem, conduct your sales coaching in a way that allows it to flow from one conversation to the next. This way, the flow is never broken and all sales managers remain on the same page.

Sales Coaching Tip #3: Separation
Managers should be coached separately from the actual sales team. Address this issue by giving a series of coaching sessions that are clearly different from typical sales training.

Sales Coaching Tip #4: Structure
To be successful following sales coaching, a company needs to measure the results over time. By creating a coaching structure that flows from upper management to the sales managers and finally to the sales team a company can ensure the lessons learned in the sales coaching program remain fresh in the salespeople’s minds and are not forgotten soon after the sessions are over.

Sales Coaching Tip #5: Observation
A good company will observe the behavior of the managers that receiving the sales coaching. Some managers will focus on what worked for them in the sales coaching and not as much on the new techniques they learned that they should be sharing with the sales team. Part of a successful sales coaching program is the ability to learn to observe these behaviors and quickly fix the problem.

Sales coaching can work wonders for a company but only if everyone remains on the same page while the program is in process and when the sessions are completed. By keeping these five tips in mind, you can be sure that your company will get the most out of its sales coaching experience and hopefully bring in more top-line revenues.

Being an effective leader is sometimes a daunting task that can be amplified when you are a sales manager who is working for someone else. Many sales managers have the confidence necessary to make their own business work, but they simply don’t know where to look to get started. The marketplace is changing seemingly every day, and companies are spending resources and time online. That’s why if you can learn to harness the power of online marketing and incorporate it into your leadership abilities, there is no reason why you couldn’t use your skills to build your own business and experience the freedom of self-employment.

To learn more about sales coaching and how you can use your existing skills to create a business for yourself, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.

Although economic climate can impact sales numbers, it is still possible to achieve success in your selling during challenging times. Check out these five tips for ensuring that your selling process is in tip-top shape in order to counter any negative impact of the current economy.

Selling when the economy is good poses its own unique challenges, which means selling when the economy is bad can seem like an impossible task. While no business is immune to a sales slump from time to time, when the economy goes south many businesses are left to fight for the same accounts and this is where you need to be on your toes to remain competitive.

Here we will discuss five key factors that will help you to maintain your selling ability when the economy is bad. By carefully incorporating them into your selling methods you can significantly increase your chance for sales success.

Selling Tip #1: Stick to the Basics
Any baseball player who is in a hitting slump knows this point. When the player is struggling at the plate he will go back to the basics. You too can use this strategy when sales are slumping. Are your leads quality leads that will lead to warm leads or are they lookie-loos? Does the product or service you’re selling really provide solutions for your prospects’ problems? Are you closing your sales in an efficient manner? When the chips are down, go back to the selling basics, fine tune them and focus on making them as sharp as possible.

Selling Tip #2: Trim Your Client Roster
Take the time to go over your client list. Do you have clients who use up much of your time and do little to no business with you? If so, you need to trim them off of your client list or hand them off to somebody else. When the economy is bad you do not have time to waste on selling to a client who doesn’t produce anything. The time you free up by cutting loose the high maintenance clients can be used to further your current efforts.

Selling Tip #3: Trim the Company Fat
If you are a sales manager you may notice when sales are abundant your sales team serves more as operators taking orders then they do as salespeople. However, when sales are down you can see who is and isn’t performing on your team. Single out the weaker salespeople on your staff and give them training and coaching to boost their selling performance or show them the door.

Selling Tip #4: Set and Work Toward Goals
Set goals for yourself and if you are a manger, set goals for your team. Conduct meetings with your staff or your co-workers so you can encourage one and other and share any selling practices that are working well.

Selling Tip #5: Re-Examine Your Product and Price
There’s no need to blindly start slashing your prices to be the cheapest in town, but do look over your products and their prices and determine if you are doing all you can to stay competitive. Offer incentives to customers over price cuts and focus on building long term relationships.

Many sales managers and salespeople will simply hold out and wait for the economy to get better, but you can never be sure of how long an economic slump will last. Instead of playing the waiting game you need to take action now. If you are finding that your current sales position just isn’t bringing in the money you need, now may be a great time to focus on using your skills to build your own business. Local Business Money Machine can help you learn how to incorporate your existing skills and gain new ones to develop a solid business in which you are your own boss.

To learn more about selling in a bad economy and discover how to use your personal talents to create your own business, visit http://www.localbusinessmoneymachine.com.