Monthly Newsletter Articles from Baker Communications http://www.bakercommunications.com/rss/newsletter.xml 2013 Baker Communications en-us Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 December edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on negotiations, management, and customer service. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec13/ Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 The thing to remember about such busy times is that even though you are in a rush, you should never rush your customers. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec13/customerservice120113.html Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Get ready for your upcoming negotiations with these tips for securing positive relationships with vendors, customers, employees, and other business partners. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec13/negotiation120113.html Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Management teams everywhere are working on year-end planning, setting strategic goals for the next year, assessing performance, forecasting, working on budgets, and preparing for a new year of opportunities, challenges, and hard work. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec13/management120113.html Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:00:00 -0400 July edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on presentations, sales training, time management. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul13/ Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 There is still time to register for this special for only $1,500 (valued at $5000). http://www.cloudcoachinginternational.com/ultimate-sales-performance-program/?campId=70140000000g1lP Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Walter Rogers, CEO of CloudCoaching International and Baker Communications will speak at the Enterprise Learning! Conference & Expo in Anaheim California August 26-28. http://www.cloudcoachinginternational.com/ultimate-sales-performance-program/?campId=70140000000g1lP Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 You are great at prospecting and finding new customers. You excel at networking and building relationships. Your pipeline is bursting at the seams with active prospects. But all your managers seem to care about is how many sales you've closed. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul13/sales070113.html?campId=70140000000g1lP Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Procrastination is an extremely common time management problem. For some people, it's habitual; for others, it's something that only occurs occasionally. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul13/timemanagement070113.html?campId=70140000000g1lP Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 To design and deliver an effective presentation, it is not enough to stand up and reel off a series of facts and figures. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul13/presentation070113.html?campId=70140000000g1lP Wed, 10 July 2013 11:00:00 -0400 June edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on negotiations, management, and customer service. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun13/ Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 The first 1,000 customers are able to register for this special for only $1,500 (valued at $5000). http://www.cloudcoachinginternational.com/ultimate-sales-performance-program/?campId=70140000000fxo7 Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 We are delighted to be featured in a Special Edition dedicated to Sales Performance and to share the cover with one of our partners, Marc Benioff, CEO of salesforce.com. http://content.bridgemailsystem.com/pms/vlanding/kzaqwLc26Dd17Fc20kbhui/?campId=70140000000fxo7 Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 As a manager, you could easily spend all day returning phone calls, sending e-mail and doing paperwork. Please don't. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun13/management060113.html?campId=70140000000fxo7 Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Negotiations are often a bit like the Energizer Bunny - they just keep going- and going- and going. Sometimes, with all the haggling and swapping concessions and bargaining and stonewalling and nibbling, it's hard to figure out when and how to wrap things up and call it a done deal. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun13/negotiation060113.html?campId=70140000000fxo7 Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 There are special challenges associated with conducting business of any kind over the telephone or other remote communication device. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun13/customerservice060113.html?campId=70140000000fxo7 Wed, 12 June 2013 11:00:00 -0400 May edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on presentations, sales training, time management. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may13/ Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Tony Robbins and Walter Rogers, co-founders of CloudCoaching International (CCI), today announced an exclusive strategic European partnership with UK performance consultancy The Mentor Group. http://www.cloudcoachinginternational.com/tony-robbins-joins-forces-with-uk-partner-to-launch-groundbreaking-new-venture/?campId=70140000000fqnS Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Join CCI and Hubspot on May 22 to Uncover Sales Secrets to Maximize Business Growth. http://offers.hubspot.com/maximize-business-growth-webinar?source=hscm-liz-maximize-business-growth-20130429&buffer_share=52f14&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer%253A%252Becrosenthal%252Bon%252Btwitter?campId=70140000000fqnS Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 One anecdote that is commonly cited in discussions of time management recalls a lecturer who was working with a team of trainees. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may13/timemanagement050113.html?campId=70140000000fqnS Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 One of the most effective presentation techniques is illustrating your content with a rhetorical device. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may13/presentations050113.html?campId=70140000000fqnS Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 There are three components to effective communication: Verbal (the words that are said), Vocal (the tone and delivery) and Visual (body language, gestures, eye contact and facial expression). http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may13/sales050113.html?campId=70140000000fqnS Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400 April edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on negotiations, management, and customer service. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr13/ Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400 A negotiation tactic, as compared to a negotiation strategy, is a single maneuver to be employed in the heat of battle; a move, countermove or adjustment employed as you work to gain the best possible outcome at any given moment. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr13/negotiation040113.html?campId=70140000000flkz Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Managers often feel reluctant to delegate. It's very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you must do everything yourself if you want it to be done right. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr13/management04013.html?campId=70140000000flkz Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Customer service can be complex. Not only must your organization anticipate customer needs and attempt to meet them, you must also ascertain when and how those needs are not being met and work to rectify the situation. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr13/customerservice040113.html?campId=70140000000flkz Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400 March edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on presentations, sales training, time management. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar13/ Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0400 In many ways, we are only beginning to understand all of the ways in which mind affects body, and body affects mind. Modern research has found that our body language and posture exercise a powerful influence on our own mental state, as well as communicating a great deal to others. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar13/presentation030113.html?campId=70140000000fe95 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Everyone hates to be sold, but everyone loves to buy. It's an inconvenient truth for sales professionals, but one that must be addressed. The "hard sell" approach is simply not as effective as helping the customer feel like he's solving his own problem and making a wise choice by buying. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar13/sales030113.html?campId=70140000000fe95 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Commitments, appointments, errands, tasks, projects - call them what you will - the busyness of our lives is comprised of a wide variety of activities that quickly expand to fill up every available minute on our calendar. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar13/timemanagement0113.html?campId=70140000000fe95 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0400 February edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on customer service, management and negotiations. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb13/ Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Baker Communications' blog titled, "The Fuse" has launched several new series. http://www.bakercommunications.com/blog/ Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Customer service is integral to your company�s success. Satisfied customers and repeat business are the lifeblood of most companies. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb13/customerservice020113.html Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Most of us start the new year with a resolve to make changes and to improve over the prior year. Unfortunately, it�s very easy to fall back into old patterns. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb13/management020113.html Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Whatever your level of negotiation expertise, there is always room for improvement, and no time to work on change like the start of a new year. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb13/negotiation020113.html Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0400 January edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on sales, giving presentations and time management. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan13/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=rss&utm_campaign=jan13 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 -0400 The editors of the salesforce.com blog page recently announced that readers have ranked a blog by Baker Communications CEO Walter Rogers as the third most popular posting for all of 2012. http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2012/12/top-blog-posts-for-2012.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=rss&utm_campaign=jan13 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 -0400 One of the most effective tools in the salesperson�s set is the FAB statement. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan13/sales010113.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=rss&utm_campaign=jan13 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 -0400 It�s a new year and everyone is making plans. It�s likely that you are spending the first few days of 2013 setting goals, making resolutions, and trying to figure out how to accomplish more this year than you did last year. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan13/timemanagement010113.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=rss&utm_campaign=jan13 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 -0400 Presentations can either succeed or fall flat depending on many factors. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan13/presentations010113.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=rss&utm_campaign=jan13 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:00:00 -0400 December edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on customer service, negotiation and managing employee training http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec12/ Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0400 We have all heard this so many times that we probably don�t stop to think about it anymore. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec12/negotiation120112.html Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0400 One of the most important tasks of a manager is to ensure that employees are properly trained. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec12/management120112.html Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Most employers have some understanding of how this is done, whether or not they effectively put that knowledge into practice. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec12/customerservice120112.html Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0400 November edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on creating contacts, time management and presentations tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov12/ Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0400 In these challenging economic times, developing new business is more important than ever. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov12/contact-tree.html Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Presenters, speakers, and anyone who has ever stood in front of an audience knows how awkward you can suddenly feel about your hands. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov12/presentation110112.html Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Most people have experienced those moments (or hours, or days, or weeks) when life become so complicated and overwhelming it�s impossible to decide where to start. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov12/timeanagement110112.html Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0400 October edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on CRM, management and negotiations tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct12/ Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0400 We are excited to introduce a new workbook written by Tony Robbins and Walter Rogers called Pathway to Growth. For a limited time, we are offering it to you as a complimentary download. http://www.coachinginthecloud.com/ebooks Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Anthony Robbins stops by the Salesforce Live Dreamforce '12 Studio to talk about his work as a performance strategists and how salesforce.com products like Sales Cloud, Chatter and Chatter for Communities have helped his businesses. He is joined by CloudCoaching International's CEO Walter Rogers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKlrGNd7kIo Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Many companies try to encourage their employees to stay with generous compensation packages, stock grants, and other perks. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct12/management100112.html Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Most negotiators are familiar with the negotiating rule that you never accept the other party�s first offer. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct12/negotiation100112.html Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0400 September edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on CRM, presentations and time management tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/sep12/ Wed, 12 Sept 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Robbins Research International (RRI), the world�s leading peak performance coaching organization, founded by entrepreneur, author and peak performance strategist Tony Robbins, and Baker Communications, one of the world�s leading sales performance improvement companies, have announced a joint venture focused on driving peak performance for sales organizations and helping them unleash the sales potential of their teams as they deploy salesforce.com. http://www.bakercommunications.com/press/Robbins-Research-International-and-Baker-Communications-Unveil-CloudCoaching-International.htm Wed, 12 Sept 2012 11:00:00 -0400 CloudCoaching International�s award-winning service, Coaching in the Cloud� (www.coachinginthecloud.com), today announced it will be a sponsor of salesforce.com�s Dreamforce 2012 conference http://www.bakercommunications.com/press/Tony-Robbins-and-Baker-Communications-Joint-Venture-CloudCoaching-International.htm Wed, 12 Sept 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Whatever the topic of your presentation, whatever audience you are addressing, and whatever you hope to accomplish as a result, the primary goal is the same: to make your message heard. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/sep12/presentations090112.html Wed, 12 Sept 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The first step most people take toward managing their time is also the most obvious - making a list of all the things they need to do. However, if this is as far as you get, it�s not likely to get you very far. Read on to learn some strategies for making your to-do list work for you. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/sep12/timemanagement090112.html Wed, 12 Sept 2012 11:00:00 -0400 August edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on the customer service, negotiations and management tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/aug12/ Wed, 8 Aug 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Customer service is a critical component of your organization�s success, and obviously, employee motivation is key to the success of any department. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/aug12/customerservice080112.html Wed, 8 Aug 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Management poses a number of challenges for most people, the first of which is often adjusting to the management role as one begins to supervise those who are doing the manager's former job. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/aug12/management080112.html Wed, 8 Aug 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Negotiation is often viewed as a game, a sport, a competition, an intellectual struggle, or a contest of wills. The old-school negotiator knows that at the end of every negotiation there is a �winner� and a �loser� and is determined not to lose. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/aug12/negotiations080112.html Wed, 8 Aug 2012 11:00:00 -0400 July edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on the Key Performance Indicators, customer service and time management tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul12/ Wed, 11 July 2012 11:00:00 -0400 One of a sales manager�s most important tasks is to monitor the sales production of each of sales team member. After all, the success of the entire organization depends on making sure the sales team is generating new business and driving revenue at an ever increasing rate. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul12/sales070112.html Wed, 11 July 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Here are some guidelines for creating and presenting with a truly powerful PowerPoint deck. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul12/presentation070112.html Wed, 11 July 2012 11:00:00 -0400 In some ways, time management is all about organization. Something that is sometimes overlooked is the value of physical organization to managing time. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jul12/timemanagement070112.html Wed, 11 July 2012 11:00:00 -0400 June edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on the Ultimate Sales Coach, negotiations, time management and presentation tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun12/ Wed, 13 June 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The Ultimate Sales Coach is a comprehensive sales management coaching program that includes a pre-workshop coaching assessment, a two-day workshop, and four 90-minute post-workshop virtual coaching sessions to help lock in retention and drive permanent behavior change. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun12/UltimateSalesCoach060112.html Wed, 13 June 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Depending on the circumstances, negotiations can be direct or complex, adversarial or collaborative. In the modern business world, it is often desirable to conduct a collaborative, non-adversarial negotiation with a �win-win� outcome in order to build and preserve cordial relationships between business partners. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun12/negotiation060112 Wed, 13 June 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Visual aids can reinforce and clarify key points in your presentation. Engaging both the eyes and the ears of your audience members improves both their understanding and their retention. Good visual aids create a sense of consistency and balance, and inspire a greater level confidence in the legitimacy of your message. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun12/presentation060112 Wed, 13 June 2012 11:00:00 -0400 One of the most pervasive problems most people have with time management is procrastination. It�s like some sort of law: if anything can be put off until later, it will be. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jun12/timemanagement060112 Wed, 13 June 2012 11:00:00 -0400 May edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on Key Performance Indicators, customer service and presentation tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may12/ Wed, 9 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400 If you want to effectively manage your sales team and help them grow business, drive revenue and outperform the competition year after year, you must decide right now what numbers are the most important to you, and how to communicate those numbers to your team so they understand why they are important and what to do with them. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may12/keyperformanceindicators052012 Wed, 9 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Conducting a customer satisfaction survey can help you to discover ways to improve many aspects of your business. Asking the right people the right questions in the right way can elicit valuable feedback about product performance, employee behavior, customer loyalty, and your position in the industry, among other topics http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may12/customerservice052012 Wed, 9 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The modern workplace has evolved alongside modern technology and methods that facilitate a more diffuse and varied work environment. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/may12/management052012 Wed, 9 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400 April edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on Cadence and Consistency, management and presentation tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr12/ Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Once upon a time, sales success was defined by the high-energy, entrepreneurial sales rep who relied on his own set of tricks and strategies, personalized and honed over time, to help him land and keep big accounts. Sales managers might not have much control over them, nor did they always understand what they were doing, but as long as these �top gun� sellers kept retiring quota, it didn�t really matter... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr12/cadenceconsistency042012.html Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Project management sometimes seems like juggling, with a number of balls that must be kept in the air during any project. The project manager has many concerns: controlling scope creep, maintaining quality, staying under budget and on schedule, measuring progress. Your resources, time, and money must all be managed effectively. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr12/management042012 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0400 When you�re planning a presentation, you want to effectively communicate your ideas in a way that the audience understands and responds to. Organization and structure are key to getting the effect you want from your presentation. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/apr12/presentation042012 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0400 March edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on Spark!, negotiations and time management tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar12/ Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Baker Communications announced that DePaul University has added SPARK! � authored by Baker Communications President and CEO Walter Rogers - to the curriculum of the Center for Sales Leadership of the College of Commerce. http://www.bakercommunications.com/press/DePaul-University-Adds-SPARK!-to-Business-School-Curriculum.htm Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Even in principled negotiations, situations sometimes arise that are daunting to the negotiator. You have your objectives, you have a plan, and you know what to do if they�re playing dirty� but what do you do if the other side asks a question you can�t answer? http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar12/negotiations032012.html Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:00:00 -0400 How can anyone work with email, IM, cell phone, and voice mail constantly pinging? How can you get anything done with your boss and co-workers dropping by every five minutes with questions? http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/mar12/timemanagement032012.html Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:00:00 -0400 February edition of the Baker Communications newsletter featuring articles on Linkedin, presentations and management tips. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb12/ Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The Sales 2.0 revolution - spawned by innovative Internet-based technology solutions that support sales activities - is constantly creating powerful new tools to help sales professionals become more successful. One of the simplest and most effective of these tools is LinkedIn . http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb12/Leveraging-LinkedIn-to-Grow-Business.html Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0400 In order for goals to be viable, they have to be actionable. One of a manager�s most basic jobs is to break down general objectives into goals and activities that the team, through the efforts of individual employees, can do. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb12/management022012.html Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0400 One of the biggest public speaking blunders is poor pacing. Inexperienced presenters often do not give a lot of thought to the pacing of their speech, but this is a factor that can make or break your presentation. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/feb12/presentations022012.html Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The fact is that most people never follow through on their New Year�s resolutions. If it means trying to do something new on a regular basis, most people don�t last a month. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan12/timemanagement012012.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Negotiating, like chess, can a predicable event, with rules, planned moves, and counter-moves. In both chess and in negotiation, those with some experience learn various strategies, and how to work with or against them to reach their ultimate goal... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan12/negotiations012012.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0400 Here are the top five bad choices that negatively impact your customer service... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/jan12/customerservice012012.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0400 The sales field is full of people who consider themselves to be experts. They have many years of experience and they have amassed a great amount of product knowledge. In spite of that, many of them consistently underperform, and in many cases this problem is caused by the fact that they believe themselves to be such experts that they don�t feel any need to expand their skill sets or learn anything new... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec11/ Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 -0400 Back in the late 1800s, an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto made the observation that 80% of the world's wealth seemed to be controlled by 20% of the people. This handy little observation on the way commodities tend to be ordered and controlled soon developed into a handy rule of thumb for measuring all sorts of relationships: 80% of the church donations are made by 20% of the church members, 20% of the church members create 80% of the complaints (not the same people as in the donation groups!), 20% of the sales reps book 80% of the sales, and 80% of the resources go to address only 20% of the needs... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec11/timemanagement122011.html Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 -0400 I am still surprised by the number of people who come to us for negotiation training who fail to grasp even the most basic and obvious concepts of the negotiation process. For instance, one of the most common requests we hear from clients is that they want us to teach them how to convince a vendor or a customer to stopping pushing back on a particular price point and just accept the offer on the table. Folks, that is not a negotiation, that is a conversation, and probably not a very pleasant one at that... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec11/negotiations122011.html Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 -0400 Here are a few quick tips for preserving that sense of personal caring when you are interacting with customers... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/dec11/customerservice122011.html Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 -0400 CSO Insights has recently launched its 18th annual Sales Performance Optimization (SPO) research survey; the full report will be released 02/04/12. More than 1,000 companies have responded to this survey each of the past seven years, making it a standard reference for B2B sales. http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov11/ Wed, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0400 A brief video of Rogers describing how CRM can benefit all of your business activities, not just those related to sales and marketing. http://www.youtube.com/BakerCommunications#p/u/23/j2vrVTfKXzE Wed, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0400 There is a remarkable disparity in the way organizations handle the process of assimilating and training new employees. In large companies with highly evolved hierarchies, it is likely that the HR group initiates the intake and orientation process and supervises a new hire�s integration into the company up to a certain point. In smaller or more decentralized organizations, the entire welcome, integration and training process may be conducted informally, even randomly (if at all), leaving the employee to learn �on the fly,� so to speak... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov11/management112011.html Wed, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0400 The last PowerPoint slide has been displayed, the last line of your notes is finished, and the presentation is finally over, or is it? Not by a long shot! You have a great opportunity to keep the music playing and continue to make your case during that infamous time at the end of every presentation known as Q and A. At lot of presenters just go through the motions during the Q and A. Of course, they may be tired at this point, as the adrenalin begins to ebb. But also, they may feel a little bit out of control and vulnerable because they are off the script and people may ask questions that are hard to answer. But remember, you are still out front and people are still watching your body language and listening to your tone of voice... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/nov11/presentations112011.html Wed, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0400 During Dreamforce 2011, Kevin Price, host of The Price of Business on Bloomberg Radio, interviewed Walter Rogers about the release of SPARK!, Roger's new book featuring 11 clear, accessible best practices to help businesses leverage their CRM systems to grow business and drive revenue. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw6axfevpt0">Click Here</a> to view the video of the interview, filmed on location at Dreamforce 2011. <a href="http://www.bakercommunications.com/spark/">Click Here</a> to download a copy of SPARK! http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct11/ Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400 As a presenter, you must compete for the attention and goodwill of your audience against an enormous number of distractions and preoccupations. Your listeners have a lot on their minds already. They take in hundreds of other messages every day through email, newspapers, TV and other media. They are thinking about conversations with their spouses, problems with their kids, and meetings with their managers. How do you earn their attention and effectively deliver your message amidst all that noise? http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct11/presentations112011.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400 It has happened to everyone - you have a deadline on your calendar, and as it looms closer, you realize that you can't meet it. You haven't really thought through all the steps to get the project finished, and it's taking far longer than you anticipated. You stress out, you rush, you make excuses, and finally turn in something that is neither on time nor as well-done as it should have been. You're basically useless for the rest of the week, as you nurse your frazzled nerves and worry about what you should have done differently... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct11/timemanagement112011.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400 Even in the best of times, sales is a challenging way to earn a living. When economic conditions are uncertain and business cycles slow down, the pressure on sales professionals to perform is very intense. Competition becomes ferocious and margins shrink. Some sales professionals, looking for an edge to help retire quota and drive business, may be tempted to generate leverage any way they can, if it will help close deals. Unfortunately, in this drive to succeed, it becomes easy to cut corners, bend the facts and rationalize a host of unethical behaviors... http://www.bakercommunications.com/archive/oct11/sales112011.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400