Bloggertone

Hi Carmel,

Thanks for your comment. I think that many people do forget the basic principle that the audience is there to learn something.

Thanks for the comment Zoli. Prezi is great. I’ve really been getting into it over the last few weeks. Here is an example of something I put together earlier this week – http://prezi.com/szhxmdb22bpg/oracle-mix/

Thanks for the comment Niall. You use a phrase that is used all the time by the people who have given me training on presentations – The Talking Trade (http://www.talkingtrade.com) – i.e. it’s a performance. I like your advice on learning to deliver without tools. In fact when I get back from holidays I might check out our local Toastmasters group, and jump in at the deep end.

Great Blog Niall – really like the analogy and how right you are. Certainly gives food for thought!!

Good stuff Niall!!
The corner shops of old also provided a watering hole (aka pub), funeral parlour, child minding services (it took so long for the kids to choose their sweets) and a melody of other services, not least the ones mentioned above.
Small Businesses have wonderful advantages over larger businesses: the ability to listen, provide customised solutions, be spontaneous and improvise at short notice.

thats a great analogy niall. captures it perfectly. it should help the technophobes get it. ill send a few over as a test.

Niall,

How disappointed I am that in this absolutely incredible video and among all of the fascinating facts about Ireland, not one mention of Guinness, my favorite beer (though in actuality it is a “stout”). Shame! Shame! SHAME!

Yoni

Well done Niall, great start to my day, we all need to spread positivity both at home and abroad.

Wonderful video Niall. Well done to whoever commissioned and produced it. Such a different view from the doom & gloom we hear every day on news programmes.

Niall,
It is briliant ,I feel much better having viewed the video. Well done for sending it on.Need to get these facts out there to combat the negaive stuff

Great post and video …. because of the size of external investment it also reinforces the need to be careful with how our corporation tax rates are set and managed. Let’s make sure we don’t kill the golden goose.

Why not have RTE air this at prime time?

Thanks Frederique

Who is this aimed at? Was it made recently? What are Ibec doing with this? I agree with everyone so far in saying this is the message that needs to get out there. We can’t deny the position we’re in but we have got to hold our heads high and give a positive message and make a difference.

This is good to see, given the bipolar (‘manic-depressive’) swing from the Celtic Tiger (we’re masters of the universe / build like there’s no tomorrow) to the Celtic Mouse (most distressful country ever / we’re just useless Paddies after all).

The trouble is, though, that journalism is intrinsically focused on the negative. In wartime, the media are discouraged from even telling the truth in case this damages the national interest; in our crisis, the media exaggerate the negative, even though it damages our national interest and delays recovery.

Well you can always drop in to see me,,,

http://stores.lulu.com/jameshayes

I think the media should take some blame but ultimately surely they give us what we want and what sells newspapers etc etc?

Great set of statistics to bring out in conversation when speaking to people overseas. We need to get this message out to promote Ireland and promote job creation. Thanks so much for sharing.

Hi Richie, Maybe? Thanks for the share!

cant watch video here in the US for some reason : (

it think if we could get this sort of information and more like it out to more ,,, we weold find that it could more benificial than the looming budget, and most likly worth more to the finance dept. we need to stop the negativity… before we run ourselves into the ground… just a thought….

It’s a great video, but they really need to slow down the graphics especially towards the end, it makes the facts very difficult to read. But yeah, all constructive criticism aside, there’s some pretty impressive facts in there.

Thanks Kate, you’re not the first person to say that and I think they are going to make some changes

In violent agreement Sean, thanks

Superb uplifting presentation. To adopt the position of mean spirited carping critic* is always easiest option- * formerly known as “hurler on the ditch”. Keep up the good work Niall. Slan agus beannacht, P.Loftus

This great video has reached Australia. Could this be the time for another great Irish trait to step forward “orator” Is there a man or woman left in Ireland to lift the nation and tackle the elephant in the room “Ulster” Is this leader there to step forward and make a huge united push for all of Ireland to come from the downer it is going through financially and socially to once and for all banish this albatross that has hung over our head for 88 years. Could that person be this very media we are using today. Ireland has embraced facebook as many parts of the world have. Could a group of tech savvy people use the latest technology to bypass the usual biased media and raise the already willing 88% of the populations hopes for this as another long overdue achievement for IRELAND. Go Niall start today another great video for the one that unites and lifts us all weather we be from the 4 provinces or the 4 corners of the world.
Tony Dunne Sydney Australia

Hi Niall,

Superb post – with the increased uptake on internet in the country we should be using it as a low cost base to start setting ourselves up for business. Thinking even smaller within an individuals home you can self generate cash buying and selling online and build up a small seed fund. Using viral and social media you can then plug yourself into any network. Ideally what we need is an indigenous portal to encourage self promotion, provide help to new users and more importantly to start self funding. There is no money in the country, then we must look beyond it. Also the discipline in managing one’s own money brings a frugality we missed during the good times. Fair play for sending this and i have added on all my social accounts trying to bring it to prominence. Well done.

Brilliant Niall, this should be broadcast everywhere!

Agreed!

Elaine/Niall,
Thanks for the feedback. I have always believed no matter whether it is sales, editorial, technology etc…. that meetings should be about results and not frequency. I have seen too many companies hold meeting after meeting just for the sake of meeting. Find a way to make meetings work, make them informative, and make them something workers want and not have to attend.

Dave, great insights. As one who has sat in many meetings as a participant and a facilitator your suggestions brought several memorable smiles to my face.  In sales meetings I would expect a need to address the topics, pace, and agenda to the behavioral preferences of the sales people to help them become more engaged, i.e. your suggestion about making meetings fun and not being preoccupied with numbers. Great team management starts with understanding the what, why, and how of motivating your team.  Thanks for the great tips.

Hi Tori, 

I started off my sales career as a cold caller and have managed to build a career around selling to this very day. Cold-calling may not be dead but sales people and sales trainers have for me it seems, done their very best to kill it! Ask prospects if they enjoy the process of being cold called, and I think it’s fair to say that the majority will say no, why: because cold-calling is usually a waste of their time and often just simply downright annoying. Prospects don’ care about your business, your products or your special offers. They care about their business, their products and their customers. So unless you’re in a position to have an intelligent conversation about what they actually care about, my advice is to not bother picking up that phone.We have to really understand that time is our greatest resource, both for our prospects and for ourselves. If you really want to make an impression and build a relationship, spend time wisely, researching your prospect, researching their business, researching their market and ensure that you have something of value to say when you pick up that phone.As an industry, and as sales leaders, we have to stop feeding young people in entry level sales roles,the drivel that passes for sales training/methodology. The majority of salespeople that enter into selling fail and the internet is now killing our industry slowly. The sales people that survive will be business experts and trusted advisers to their customers.    

Thanks Amber I love business development. It means I am always learning. Even leaning things like how different industries react to different BD methods. And immediate response is so valuable too thanks again for comment. Tori

That is so true Elish, I hate the term Cold-Calling, but actually love the task of doing it… I love connecting to people and sharing opportunities. I always smile when talking on the phone, an olden’ but golden rule
Social media has tried to take over that initial ‘cold call’ role but inevitably to take any relationship, business, customer, friendship or otherwise to a point of growing we must talk or meet.. I wish I could meet everyone I am connected to, maybe there is a tv programme there

Thank you for your comment T

Thanks Ruby,

My pleasure to share… Only way to let people know it works Tori

I love this post, and in fact had a very interesting conversation about this very topic at open coffee during the week. Both our consensus was that relationship building and nurturing, leads to better quality sales and longer lasting business relationships. Another word we used was trust – not the “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” kind but having prospected, conversed, building a relationship, and nurturing that relationship, that prospect may never actually buy, but they will trust you enough to recommend or refer.
Tori, Fantastic first post and a huge welcome to Bloggertone!

Oh wow, thank you Elaine *blushing*

Its so true, I have never viewed my work as prospecting, but always relationship building. Trust and nurturing is key. We have to be open, honest and as helpful as we can as sales people, it’s never just about the sales we make today but the sales in our future business. The initial stages of the relationship build the foundations for a strong future, once we trust the foundations are there we should always have lasting business and referrals.

Thank you again Elaine 

T

WOW, Thanks so much for your comment Larry,

I love your fish analogy, that’s it, the river is as important as the fish I am so glad my post has helped your plans.
It takes time and it’s not a process that will bring immediate results but it will bring firm results and good Business Relationships.

Good luck with your process, hope it goes well

Tori

I have always used a friendly and a genuine conversation to “explore” and common areas of “interest” and that has got many coffee meetings. I like the way you have put it in a more transitioning manner from the traditional cold calling to the new age business development discussions.

Tori, your post helps one regain their confidence on cold calling. The honest approach works and not all customers are irate, they would also like to listen to what is out there in the market. There should not be a restricted timeframe within which you would like to complete the cold calling activity. It should be an ongoing practice. I am sure there might be questions about Gatekeepers not allowing you to speak to the right contact, there are different timings when you can call the contact and also crisp emails do get the customers attention. This is a really good post.

Hi Tori, thanks for your perspective. I still see cold calling as important as well. It really is a good way of getting out there as long as you’re not being “COLD”.

I love this article and have posted on my FaceBook. Cold Calling is truly an OPPORTUNITY… a platinum opportunity to learn a great deal in a timely fashion. Thank you, Tori, for the GREAT article.
Francie

Lots of good tips here Thanks Aileen – they serve as a useful checkpoint for future reference too.

“Mark it down and change what you can.” A lesson for all of us, in any aspect of our business, Aileen Great pointers, and so easy to do with the right information.
In my endeavour to get online, my plan for 2013 is to get my accounts online also – exactly for the reasons you state above – ease of access for me and my collaborators (accountant, VA etc) and reducing data entry with receipt scanning and cash payments.

Thank god! I found some
useful tips based on accountancy and management strategy, I have been running a
company since over one year, so I found there are some errors in my business, this
information will help a lot to correct them and make my business success.