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Value Your Own Time And Others Will Do The Same

time

As an entrepreneur, you know how important it is to manage your time wisely and make good decisions regarding your how you spend the hours you have in the day. It can be beneficial to learn not just time management strategy, but to respect time as well. When you are aware and respectful of your own time, you will do the same for others. It is also more likely others will do the same for you.

Even the most disciplined of people will face unexpected interruptions. Minutes lost from unexpected phone calls, little conversations here and there, and unplanned stops throughout the day can take up a significant amount of your schedule. While you cannot completely eliminate these kinds of interruptions in your life, it is possible to strike a balance between allowing people to unintentionally steal your time and making room for life’s little disruptions.

One way that you can learn to respect your own time is to implement new management practices. From precise scheduling to avoiding social media during work hours, there are many ways you can add more positive disciplines and gain more from the hours you have. One habit that you can develop is learning to say no. This can be uncomfortable, but this is an important step in learning how to protect your time and stay on track with your priorities.

It’s also okay to give yourself permission to leave conversations and disruptions that are not necessary and invaluable. For example, excusing yourself politely and asking to reconvene a conversation later is often both appropriate and reasonable. You can value your own time without being rude, but it’s critical to learn how to walk away from things that are not a priority.

When you protect your time, you may find that you are more productive and effective in your day-to-day obligations. This may allow you to enjoy your free moments more fully and engage in your personal life away from work more often. Learning how to use the hours you have wisely is a critical component of your success as an entrepreneur or professional.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Supercharging Your Sales Strategy

sales

The confidence and skill that it requires to be successful in sales is not something that comes naturally to everyone. Even if your business is not sales- or commission-based, having the ability to make a sale is a useful tool in any type of business. From negotiating contracts to dealing with difficult clients, your ability to effectively makes a pitch and close a sale can be of great benefit in many areas.

Not everyone is naturally gifted in this area. Some people have the gift of communication and persuasion, but fortunately, if you do not, this is a skill you can hone and build over time. Whether you need to boost your sales or you simply want to sharpen your ability to navigate important business relationships, the following may be helpful to you:

  • Offer value. It is never easy to make a sale if you are not offering something of value. Your customer must feel that he or she is getting great value out of any money spent. Skilled salespeople are able to offer more to the customer than what they are asking in return. Offering free products or bonus services with a sale is a simple yet effective way to offer increased value to your prospective clients.
  • Offer trials. People are often reluctant to make a significant investment of their financial resources if they are not sure they will be happy with the product. By offering a trial period or trial product samples, people may be more likely to commit to a sale since they are already familiar with your product.
  • Offer reviews. In some cases, clients want to speak with others who have tried your products or benefitted from your services. Find a way to connect prospective clients with satisfied current customers or allow clients to access product reviews and company ratings.

Closing a sale hinges on what you have to offer to the prospective client. Focus on offering value and benefit to the other party rather than just getting your money and moving on to the next sales call. With a client-centered strategy, you may see a boost in your numbers and enjoy the benefits of greater customer satisfaction.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

How To Learn The Give And Take Of Negotiation

negotiation

Regardless of the specific job you have or type of business you own, you will have to master the art of negotiation. You may not think that your job requires you to negotiate, but ultimately, you have to figure out how to convince people to do what you want them to do. Whether that is your employees, your partners or your prospective customers, you have to communicate clearly and work for a positive outcome. You may not be in literal negotiations, but it is helpful to learn how to be persuasive when it is necessary.

Learning how to negotiate is not about manipulating circumstances or people. Negotiation is about learning how to communicate well, get your point across to the other party and pursue a beneficial outcome to your situation. In the give-and-take of communicating with others, it’s important to remember to focus on persuading the other party, not pushing the other party. Forcing others to see things your way or pressuring people to make a decision or spend money is ultimately not healthy for your business. Even the best communicators strike out sometimes. Your job is to attempt to persuade, not steamroll people.

There is a certain skill to negotiating and persuading people to do what you want. These skills are particularly handy when dealing with difficult clients, stubborn partners or intimidating sales pitches. There is an art to leading conversations and presenting your case, even while engaging with others and listening to the other party. It is also important to remember that negotiation involves give and take, and you will likely have to make concessions and comprises on your way to a reasonable negotiated agreement.

Negotiating is difficult, and regardless of what your specific day-to-day obligations require, it’s a beneficial skill to have. These skills can help carry you through difficult professional relationships and help you take steps that are necessary for the good of your company.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Using Social Media To Build Better Connections

social media

Social media is a great tool for marketing purposes, but it’s also a great way to have conversations and make connections with your customers. Using social media is not only a smart method to gain exposure and spread the word about your company, it is a way to build rapport with the people who may potentially patronize your company. If your only objective to using Facebook, Instagram and other platforms is to simply get your name out there, you could be missing out on a prime opportunity to build genuine, strong connections.

When using social media, make sure you are communicating clearly. Keep your messages short, sweet and to the point. If you are posting large blocks of text or using terms that most people are not familiar with, they will likely just keep scrolling. Keep posts accessible, easy-to-understand and interesting to read. People are more likely to engage with you if they enjoy your posts.

Implementing video content is also a good way to connect with your followers and potential customers. Video is one of the best ways to market through social media, and it is a fantastic way to build your brand with minimal time and financial investment. Your company may also find it helpful to buy ads or pay for boosted or promoted posts within social media as well. While much of what you can do on these sites is free, many companies find that paying for ads is a great way to expand the reach of their posts, thereby gaining better exposure within their market.

Ask questions, take polls, post engaging and interesting content and continue to look for ways to build connections through your social media pages. Using these tools the right way will help you gain exposure and connect with your market in a way that other marketing methods do not allow.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC