Okay, so once again I’ve entered into a relationship with a business owner that got burned by a previous business consultant. It’s a wonder that they’re willing to give a second chance after wasting over $8,000 (for 2 days work) and having nothing to show for it. I once worked with a business who had actually spent $42,000 and received nothing more than a boiler plate report with typos, bad formatting and even “cut and paste” recommendations that were obviously intended for another business. I run into this situation frequently and it angers me each time I see a hard working business owner sucker punched when they reach out for help.

If you are interviewing business coaches, there are some critical questions you should be asking.

• If they are a QuickBooks Adviser, ask about their experience with the program. Although QuickBooks requires about 14 hours of training per year to certify, there are no prerequisites to becoming an Adviser. Therefore, there are many Advisers that do not actually use the program. Many of them certify in QuickBooks because they are trying to launch accounting or bookkeeping practices and they know that by certifying they can obtain exposure to the small business community because most small business owners use QuickBooks. They may not have any experience in business coaching itself.

• Ask about what type of clientele they usually serve. Some business coaches specialize in specific industries such as construction, law, or medicine. Because of the number of years I’ve been in business, I’ve been privileged to work in many different industries and I’ve learned that there are specific nuances to each industry that you must be aware of when you are providing guidance and recommendations.

• Ask if they have any qualifications in the area of financial counseling. Even if you don’t want personal financial counseling, when a coach is working with a business they should be able to “read between the lines” when it comes to interpreting financial reports. I call this the “Language of Business” and it is important that they “speak” the language of finance in a way that helps you to understand how to set goals and make important decisions.

• A good business coach is going to suggest changes and accountability in your business; otherwise, you probably wouldn’t need them. You should be prepared for those changes and they need to guide you through implementation of any changes. I have seen business owners spend literally tens of thousands of dollars where a consultant comes in, observes, and gives a report of findings with absolutely no recommendations on remediation of problems. Be careful of these people. Make sure before you hire them that you understand what you are getting. I’ve never experienced a business that solved all their problems with a few hours or a day of business coaching; it is a process. However, each step of that process should result in an accomplishment.

• Finally, make sure they have the heart of a teacher. All the observation and recommendations in the world will not help you if your coach cannot work with you in a way that you learn and grow through the process. If you don’t understand something, your business coach should be capable enough and patient enough to lead you through a process that educates you so that you feel confident in making decisions and implementing changes in your business.

Cynthia Alloway

Common Sense Business Solutions

813-661-0049

As we approach this Memorial Day, let us remember what the day is really all about. God Bless America!

Gary

Apollo Beach Community Church

www.apollobeachchurch.org

See the Proclamation below from President Barrack Obama…

Throughout our history, whether in times of great joy and thanksgiving, or in times of great challenge and uncertainty, Americans have turned to prayer.  In prayer, we have expressed gratitude and humility, sought guidance and forgiveness, and received inspiration and assistance, both in good times and in bad.

On this day, let us give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon our Nation.  Let us rejoice for the blessing of freedom both to believe and to live our beliefs, and for the many other freedoms and opportunities that bring us together as one Nation.  Let us ask for wisdom, compassion, and discernment of justice as we address the great challenges of our time.

We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their consciences.  Prayer has been a sustaining way for many Americans of diverse faiths to express their most cherished beliefs, and thus we have long deemed it fitting and proper to publicly recognize the importance of prayer on this day across the Nation.

Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those suffering from natural disasters in Haiti, Chile, and elsewhere, and the people from those countries and from around the world who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to render aid.  Let us pray for the families of the West Virginia miners, and the people of Poland who so recently and unexpectedly lost many of their beloved leaders.  Let us pray for the safety and success of those who have left home to serve in our Armed Forces, putting their lives at risk in order to make the world a safer place.  As we remember them, let us not forget their families and the substantial sacrifices that they make every day.  Let us remember the unsung heroes who struggle to build their communities, raise their families, and help their neighbors, for they are the wellspring of our greatness.  Finally, let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those people everywhere who join us in the aspiration for a world that is just, peaceful, free, and respectful of the dignity of every human being.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 6, 2010, as a National Day of Prayer.  I call upon the citizens of our Nation to pray, or otherwise give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings, and I invite all people of faith to join me in asking for God’s continued guidance, grace, and protection as we meet the challenges before us.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

When you make calls, whether it’s a brand new sales call, or a service call to a current customer, the level of the organization you call in to is a reflection of how you see yourself conceptually. If you make sure to meet the President, even if only briefly, then you believe you belong there.

Amateur sales people will only go as high as their self- concept will let them go; they’ll keep calling on purchasing agents and other non-decision makers time and again, even if they get nowhere.

Professional sales people technically know how to get invited in to see the President, and they also understand conceptually why they belong there. Where do you end up over and over – the President’s office or the Janitor’s closet?

Are You Ready?

copyright © 2010 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

Rusty Fox

813-751-9992

rfox@sandler.com

www.rfox.sandler.com

Does your company have sales people who won’t prospect, have call reluctance, don’t get in front of enough decision makers, or do too much unpaid consulting? If so, we should have a conversation.  I may be able to help.

ARE YOU OR YOUR SALES PEOPLE:

• afraid to risk talking about the tough subjects?
• accepting too many put-offs and delays in the decision making process?
• clear on what makes top performers successful?
• aware of what holds back sales within your organization?
• showing signs of being overloaded with emotional baggage?
• reluctant to talk about money?
• baffled by what’s holding you back from success?
• aware of the #1 stumbling block that holds sales people back from success?
• frustrated because you put things off, and sometimes don’t complete tasks?
• too tentative in prospecting activities and sales calls?
• sadly victims of buyers’ power games and attempts to use you for free consulting?
• losing your nerve in sales situations and failing to hold your ground?
• waiting for “some day” to accomplish the tasks that you should have done today?
• afraid to act assertively because you fear others will see you as “pushy”?
• not where you want to be in your business or personal relationships, but not sure what to do about it?

If you answered “yes” to some of these questions, you are not alone.  Reaching higher levels of success is often an elusive journey. Sandler’s “No Guts, No Gain” program will help you find your way.

Call Rusty Fox at 813-751-9992 or just reply to this email to learn more.

Do you or your sales team struggle with any of the following?

• Call reluctance?
• Creating an effective Prospecting Plan and sticking with it?
• Getting in front of enough Decision Makers?
• Low closing ratios?
• Sales cycles which are too long?
• Getting too many “think it overs”?
• Frustrated with not getting enough referrals?
• Doing too much unpaid consulting?
• Challenged with too many “committee” decisions?

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS…………..IT’S FIXABLE!!

No longer do you or your sales people have to take a subservient position to prospects.  You’ll learn to establish an “upfront contract” with buyers, eliminate “think it overs”, stop wasting time with “suspects”, stop spilling your candy in the lobby, stop painting seagulls in your prospect’s picture, and much, much more.

To find out if you qualify for a scholarship for ongoing reinforcement training, call Rusty Fox at 813-751-9992, or just reply to this email.  Feel free to check out our website – www.rfox.sandler.com.  Let’s make 2010 your year to win!

Your Section 179 Deduction Questions Answered

Welcome to Section179.org, your definitive resource for all things Section 179. We’ve brought together a large amount of information regarding Section 179, and clearly and honestly discuss the various aspects of Section 179 in plain language - this will allow you to make the best financial decisions possible for your company.

Section 179 can be extremely profitable to you, so it is to your benefit to learn as much as possible. To begin, you probably have a lot of questions regarding Section 179. Questions like:

• What is Section 179?
• What equipment qualifies for the Section 179 Deduction?
• Can I lease equipment and still qualify for Section 179?
• What did the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 do to Section 179?
• 2009 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act and Section 179?
• How do I elect to take the Section 179 Deduction?

We’ll answer all of these questions, and make certain that you come away with all the knowledge you need to make smart business decisions in 2009 regarding equipment purchasing and Section 179 (because, truth be told, if you’ve been thinking about buying or leasing new equipment, 2009 IS THE YEAR TO DO IT, due to changes in Section 179 made by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and extended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

Free Tools that Make Calculating Section 179 Deductions Simple

Section 179 is really very simple – you buy or lease qualifying equipment, and then take a full tax deduction on it this year (also, there are a few other things, which we’ll go over, but in a nutshell, that’s the idea.) To give you an estimate of how much money you can save, we’ve included a Section 179 Deduction Calculator to make computing Section 179 deductions simple, and we’ve also detailed the changes in Section 179 due to the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 that have been extended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through December 31, 2009.

Successful businesses take advantage of legal tax incentives to help lower their operating costs. The Section 179 Deduction is a tax incentive that is easy to use, and gives businesses an incentive to invest in themselves. In short, taking advantage of the Section 179 Deduction will help your business keep more capital, while also getting needed equipment.

Bryan Taylor

813/494-3018

btaylor@productivitycorner.com

This information comes from the following website…www.section179.org

Bryan Taylor

813-494-3018

btaylor@productivitycorner.com

Bryan Taylor

813-494-3018

“I Want to Be Liked!”

We all have a social need to be liked, but is it necessarily what you should strive for as a business development professional? It’s a trick question – because if we are liked – that’s a good thing, as long as being a good guy doesn’t mean wimping out.

It’s a fact, some people would rather be liked than make the sale. Some people are afraid that if they ask the tough questions, disqualify a prospect or plant their feet on price, then they won’t be liked. On the other hand, professional sales people do this every day. Does that mean they aren’t liked? Maybe, but I’m betting they are given a greater attribute than being liked. They are respected.

When we analyze sales people’s weaknesses, we discover one of the biggest is ‘Need for Approval’. When sales people have a high need for approval, they can’t close effectively. Their need to be liked is stronger than the need to close. They feel confrontational when there is a difference between themselves and their prospect. They take things personally. They are likely to accept stalls, put offs, excuses and “think-it-overs.” In other words, they are allergic to “NO”.

When sales people overcome their need for approval, they can increase sales by as much as 35%.

Sales is a tough business. The rejection factor is high. Where else does the job description include getting rejected 10 to 20 times a day?

Sales people need to develop their ‘gut’ system, gain self-confidence and self-respect so that they are able to strive for the greatest attribute in this profession. That is the respect of their customers who buy and also the respect of the prospects who didn’t qualify to be customers.

Rusty Fox

813-751-9992                   

rfox@sandler.com     

www.rfox.sandler.com

Does your company have sales people who won’t prospect, have call reluctance, don’t get in front of enough decision makers, or do too much unpaid consulting? If so, we should have a conversation.  I may be able to help.