Importance of Customer Relationship Management to Sales

Sales in a simple and concise definition is an act of selling. A person that sells or carries out sales activities is a sales man. A sales person is key in sales because goods and products will not sell themselves. Someone is expected to serve as the brain behind the selling force.

The sales Person who without mincing words is the brain behind the sales is expected to exemplify some distinct characters and aptitude towards buyers and customers in order to drive home more order. In view of these, this article have decided to consider the importance of human relationship management in sales. Aside from PRICING which is a key factor in any activity that involves selling, human relationship is also another important drive in sales.

Human relationship management can be explained as the way a sales man relates with his customers putting in mind the saying that 'the customer is a king' and should be treated as one. The level of intimacy of a sales man with his customer can help sky rocket sales not withstanding the price because when confidence and trust is built buying from such sales man becomes inevitable. From my experience as a salesman, i have discovered that most people buy out of emotion and the love they have for me as a sales person.

Even when the price is bad, most of them could not resist placing their orders. Human relationship management is so key to sales because its a very useful mean of retaining customers. That birthday gift, the Christmas message e.t.c can make a lot of sense to some of your customers, thereby increasing your sales and building a long lasting business relationship between you as the sales man and your customer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Babatunde_Abimbola

6 Secrets to Becoming a Great Sales Manager

#1. Great Sales Managers Set Goals:

They are also masters at goal setting. Like top producers, they see an outcome and focus on it daily until it's been reached. This shouldn't be surprising. After all, nearly all-great sales are a result of having a great system, and working it consistently to hit targets. They know that small targets can turn into bigger targets, and that the only way to hit bigger goals is to hit all the smaller ones along the way. By manipulating their daily and weekly goals, they can guide producers to healthy and increasing annual figures.

#2. Great Sales Managers Know The Process:

Great managers understand the sales process, and know that each step is useful. Ask any of them, and they'll tell you that you can't skip any steps on route to a sale, and that to try means wasting time and energy. Without prospecting, you have no one to sell to. If the qualifying stage is rushed, you'll meet resistance when you close, and might experience problems after the sale. Closing itself must be done patiently, working with the client to overcome any fears or objections. For a sale to be made, all the pieces must fit. A strong manager will help his or her producers to keep this in mind, so that they aren't tempted to try to shortcut the selling process.

#3. Great Product Knowledge:

Another trait of top managers is that they understand the market for their products. They know where what they're selling fits in terms of price and quality, and use that knowledge to show clients the best options for a given situation. They can tell you anything you'd need to know about a product in their catalog, along with its price and perceived strengths and weaknesses compared to the competition. This sort of thorough knowledge gives them the ability to coach their producers through presentations, as well as preparing them to counter objections.

#4. Great Sales Managers See Training Is An Investment:

Great managers know the value of expanding sales skills. They are always advising those under them to read another book or go to another seminar. They understand that training is never finished. Whatever you're selling today, somebody else is out there training to sell it better and to more people. You can't rely tomorrow on the same skills you used today. You have to keep learning or you will become stale. A strong supervisor will remind producers to keep training their minds and always be improving.

#5. Great Sales Managers Have Clarity & Focus:

Another trait they have in common is focus. Have you ever noticed how sales managers are always focused on their quarterly numbers? That's not an accident. Simply put, great supervisors don't get distracted by what's going on around them. They know that they have a job to do - usually to help you hit a certain production goal - and will do whatever they can to help advance you to that point. Everything else should point toward that aim, and they'll try to be sure that your activities reflect that.

#6. Great Sales Managers Have Patience:

And finally, they have patience. Most of them have been in sales long enough to know that there are going to be ups and downs. Being on top today doesn't mean that you'll necessarily be in the same place tomorrow. Likewise, a bad week, a bad month, or even a bad quarter can happen to anyone. Like coaches, they've seen the wins and losses, and know that quality work will succeed over time, and that the lazy and noncommittal will eventually wash out. They emphasize doing the right things every day, because they know that over time, you'll be successful that way.

Carl Henry is a management consultant. He specializes in helping companies in the selection of top sales and customer service talent. Carl is also a Certified Speaking Professional and the author of several books and articles related to sales, sales management, and customer service. He conducts seminar and webinar for clients worldwide.

Get your mini e-Book (free download) 18 pages. "Are You Recovery Ready" at http://www.carlhenryblog.com

You can contact Carl at 704-847-7390
chenry@carlhenry.com
http://www.carlhenry.com

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Hyundai may extend car return program: U.S. CEO

Hyundai Motor Co Ltd (005380.KS) is considering extending its successful U.S. incentive program that allows consumers to return vehicles if they lose their jobs, its U.S. chief executive said on Wednesday.

The "Hyundai Assurance Program," which began in January and was widely copied by rivals including General Motors Co GM.UL and Ford Motor Co (F.N) contributed to the South Korean automaker increasing sales and expanding market share in a slumping U.S. market.

Hyundai North America Chief Executive John Krafcik told Reuters that the automaker will keep the car return program through the end of 2009, adding, "We're thinking now about how much further we should take it."

Fewer than 50 consumers have returned their vehicles under the program, Krafcik said.

Hyundai's U.S. sales rose 2 percent to 342,217 vehicles in the first nine months of this year from a year earlier, while overall U.S. auto sales fell almost 30 percent.

Hyundai, whose U.S. market share topped 4 percent this year, aims to increase its share further and in 2009 will be one of the few manufacturers to increase sales over last year, Krafcik said. He declined to give a target for increasing the market share.

Industry-wide U.S. auto sales are expected to be in the range of 10 million to 10.5 million units in the fourth quarter on an annualized basis, Krafcik forecast, adding that the market will improve to 11 million to 11.5 million units next year.

"We are being conservative for next year in our expectations," Krafcik said.

He spoke on the sidelines of a meeting on U.S. fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for 2012 to 2016 model year vehicles hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"We desire to be the No. 1 fuel economy brand in the United States, we are No. 3 right now. As quickly as possible," Krafcik said.

Hyundai has a fuel economy rating for its fleet of vehicles of about 28 to 29 miles per gallon, trailing Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Honda Motor Co (7267.T).

In improving its fuel economy average, Hyundai will rely mainly on four-cylinder cars and "hundreds of incremental changes" that will make the fleet more efficient, from turbocharged engines to improved aerodynamics to fuel injection improvements. Tweaking the systems to make them more efficient is a constant at Hyundai, he said.

For Hyundai, "Hybrids will play a role, but they're not going to play a significant role," he said. "They are very expensive. And Americans have shown, at least in the current gasoline price regime, that they are not able to make that cost-benefit trade-off."

Hyundai has about 785 U.S. dealers that sell its brands, a number he expects to hold flat in the coming year at a time when others are cutting dealerships.

Mayor gives property tax increase 50/50 chance

Mayor Lionel Rivera was cautiously optimistic yesterday when asked whether he thought Colorado Springs voters would approve measure 2C, a property tax increase on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Rivera said “most of the people” he talks to support 2C.

They believe the city government is underfunded and “imbalanced because of the reliance on sales tax, and the request for a moderate increase in the mill levy is responsible, and it’s something that they can afford,” he said.

“I’m going to support it, and it’s going to impact my pocketbook, but I can’t judge the entire community by the people I run into on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

“If I just judge it based on the people I talk to, I’d say, ‘Hey, it’s going to win 75 (percent) to 25 (percent.)’ But I know that’s not realistic. I know there’s plenty of people (among the city’s) 400,000 citizens that have different views than I do and a different view of the people I run into or associate with on a daily basis, so that’s why I say 50/50,” he said.

http://citydesk.freedomblogging.com/2009/10/21/mayor-gives-property-tax-increase-5050-chance/513/

Use Video Streaming to Increase Sales

Video streaming is definitely the internet's future. Presently, the internet would be the growing marketplace where video is considered as the most effective means of communication in the information super highway.

There are some people who have included images and pictures so that they would be able to add impact and appeal to their website. However, sometimes these are just not enough. People who do their business online would require facilities with fully integrated video streaming that they could use for their online communication. This technology is available in Video Instant Messaging, Video Email and Webcasting, as well as Streaming Web TV.

We are not longer limited to just text and pictures. We have the ability of generating more visitors and amazing them with the use of video streaming on our websites. In a way, video streaming has become an essential part in web building and design that would keep us on the forefront of the future communication revolution.

For web marketing specialists, videos are great and powerful selling tools. Placing videos on your website is a great way to create and establish a personal connection with customers which would appeal to their senses, which would ultimately result to more visitors-turned-customers.

Additionally, websites that have video streaming such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube offer interactivity to online users, thus increasing visitors to their websites.

Some live video would certainly be able to motivate customers to take some action now instead of skimming through the text and end up just clicking away to another website. Video streaming provides a way for the visitors of your website to appreciate whatever you are offering without having to go through a lot of effort reading and reading.

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Creating A Sales And Marketing Strategy

Small business owners who are concerned about their sales and marketing capabilities could begin to see improvement by breaking down the term "sales and marketing" into discrete, manageable elements. You end up with a checklist that can be reviewed in order to prioritize areas needing improvement - a checklist that will serve as the groundwork for an effective marketing strategy.

In the suggested list below, I will use examples from a retail florist business to make some points clear.

1) MARKETS. How much do you really know about your current markets or future market? Why do your customers buy from you? What could you offer that would attract more non-customers? How can you sell to more of the profitable customers? If you add features or services, will people pay more for them or will they attract more customers? Are there bulk, institutional, industrial, or corporate markets beyond normal retail that you are ignoring?

Florist: Have you thought about selling regular weekly arrangements to area businesses, especially car dealers, law firms, real estate firms, etc. at a reduced rate, but with a one year contract for 50 arrangements?

2) COMPETITION. Who are they and why are they after you? What is the overall market trend and how are you holding up in terms of market share and profit position? How do you really rank against competitors? What substitutes are there to your products and how much of a threat are they?

Florist: If your funeral business is dwindling, what cultural trends ("no flowers" announcements for example) are important here and how can you counter them (such as sending flowers or a fruit basket to the home of survivors, for example)?

3) DISTRIBUTION. How can you get your products/services out to new outlets profitably? Are there unbranded opportunities? Can you bundle in your products with someone else's?

Florist: Can you partner with service providers for high school proms in the area (photographers, limo services) and offer a one-stop package for young people? This could become a good new sales channel for you.

4) SUPPLY CHAIN: Are you at the mercy of wholesalers for your raw materials or product components? How can you manage suppliers and gain more buying power over them? Can you simplify your products and reduce your supply needs? Can you buy in bulk and store them somewhere in a cost effective manner? Can you buy some things pre-fabricated cheaper than doing it yourself (or vice versa)?

Florist: Use the Internet to locate California-based rose growers who will air freight roses in volume for you and a loose consortium of other florists in your area. They'll give you greater variety at the standard market rate, versus reduced availability and price gouging during holidays from local wholesalers. Be prepared for friction from them, however.

5) POSITIONING. Where do your products/services fall in relation to the total market? Is this truly the position you want? Are you "all things to all people," or should you move more toward a high-end position (charging a premium for a differentiated service), or a low-cost position (undercutting others' prices but at a profit, due to high efficiency)? If you are truly "in the middle," you should examine how well you're doing regularly (with the help of a good accounting system).

Florist: Should you consider exiting no-growth "traditional lines" such as church flowers and move toward faster-growth lines such as silk flowers for weddings? Does your shop portray the position you want to be in?

Continue on to the next page to read more about the elements of sales and marketing that you need to consider as you build an effective marketing strategy.

6 Sure Ways to Increase Sales

Want to increase sales dramatically? Then shift your sales focus from attracting new customers to enticing your proven customers to buy again. The best sales prospect is a prospect that’s already converted – in other words, one of your current customers.

Think of it this way; if your business is located in a small town with a population of 1000 people and you sell a sprocket to everyone in that town, man, woman, and child, you’ve sold 1000 sprockets – and saturated your market. Your sprocket selling days are over. Is it time to pack up and move on?

No! If you start focusing your sales efforts on your proven customers, you’ll be able to increase your sprocket sales dramatically. And these sure ways to increase sales will help build customer loyalty, too. Try some or all of these ideas to increase your sales:

1. Set up a sales incentive program.

Give your sales staff a reason to get out there and sell, sell, sell. Why do so many businesses that rely on their sales staff to drive sales have incentive programs in place? Because offering their sales staff the trips and/or TVs for x amount of sales works. See Paul Shearstone’s Creating Sales Incentive Programs That Work for how to make your sales incentive program “sweet and simple and attainable”.

2. Encourage your sales staff to upsell.

Essentially, upselling involves adding related products and/or services to your line and making it convenient and necessary for customer to buy them. Just placing more products near your usual products isn’t going to increase your sales much. To upsell successfully, the customer has to be persuaded of the benefit. For instance, when I last had my carpets cleaned, the cleaner noticed a pet stain. Instead of just cleaning it up, he drew my attention to it, and showed me how easily and effectively the spot cleaning solution removed all trace of the stain. Did I buy the spot cleaning solution? You bet. He persuaded me that buying it was beneficial to me and made it convenient to purchase it. Result: increased sales for the carpet cleaning company.

3. Give your customers the inside scoop.

Recently I was shopping at a retail housewares store. I had picked out an item and was mulling over whether to buy it or not when a salesperson came up to me and said, “I see you’re interested in that blender. We’re having a sale next week and all our blenders will be 20 percent off. You might want to come back then.” Guess what? I did – and bought two other items as well. Lesson: if you have a promotion or sale coming up, tell your customers about it. They’ll come back – and probably bring some friends with them too. (And don't forget - you can give your customers the inside scoop by emailing or calling them, too.)

4. Tier your customers.

There should be a clear and obvious difference between regular customers and other customers – a difference that your regular customers perceive as showing that you value them. How can you expect customer loyalty if all customers are treated as “someone off the street”? There are all kinds of ways that you can show your regular customers that you value them, from small things such as greeting them by name through larger benefits such as giving regulars extended credit or discounts.

5. Set up a customer rewards program.

We’re all familiar with the customer rewards programs that so many large businesses have in place. But there’s no reason that a small business can’t have a customer rewards program, too. It can be as simple as a discount on a customer’s birthday or as complex as a points system that earns various rewards such as discounts on merchandise. Done right, rewards programs can really help build customer loyalty and increase sales.

6. Distribute free samples to customers.

Why do so many businesses include free samples of other products when you buy something from them? Because it can increase sales in so many ways. As the customer who bought the original product, I might try and like the sample of the new product and buy some of it, too. Or I might pass on the sample to someone else, who might try the product, like it, and buy that and other products from the company. At the very least, the original customer will be thinking warm thoughts about your company, and hopefully telling other people about your products.

Attracting new customers is a good thing. But attracting new customers is not the only way to increase your sales, and is, in fact, the hard way of going about it. Shifting your sales focus to enticing your current customers can make increasing your sales easier – and best of all, build the customer loyalty that results in repeat sales.