Sunday, September 28, 2014

Octafuge Plus - A Durable and Safe Laboratory Centrifuge

Centrifuges are essential instruments for any lab as they are used to separate substances of different density or particle size in a fluid in an efficient manner. A high speed centrifugal force separates the mixtures and liquids. Buying a device equipped with advanced features is a valuable investment for any clinical or research laboratory as it can ensure precise and accurate results within minimal time. Leading lab equipment suppliers offer versatile models of this device. Octafuge Plus Centrifuge is a premium quality device that delivers quick and accurate test results.Used for testing liquids, blood and other substances in medical and clinical trials, laboratory centrifuges work on the principle of sedimentation. Their capabilities include spilting up of lipoprotein sections, steroid hormone assays, blood plasma analysis, urine analysis and exclusion of chylomicrons from bodily fluids. By increasing the speed of the rotational mass, the separation process time can be increased or reduced based on the requirements of the application.Octafuge Plus Centrifuge - FeaturesThis laboratory centrifuge can perform various centrifugal applications with precision and consistency. It comes with an 8-place tube capacity and can accommodate test tubes ranging between 3ml and 15ml. The device features an auto-off 30-minute timer with bell. Here are some of the features that make this device a safe and efficient choice for clinical laboratories:


Angled head rotorFixed speed of 3,300 rpm for blood onlyAuto-off 30-minute timer with bellMaintenance free, brushless motorBlue LED power indicator lightMaximum RCF=1,350 gThis durable medical centrifuge features a wide stance that eliminates vibration during operation. Its suction-cupped feet prevent slipping. The brushless motor (110V only) is maintenance-free and the lid port enables convenient viewing of specimens while in use.Octafuge Plus medical centrifuges are available in two different models - Octafuge Plus 110V Centrifuge and Octafuge Plus 220V Centrifuge.PurchasePurchasing the Octafuge Plus Centrifuge offers many advantages:Competitive pricingPrompt and efficient post-sales support including maintenance services by qualified techniciansConvenient payment and shipping optionsQuick deliveryIt is important to purchase your lab equipment from a trusted dealer that can offer a wide range of such products. A reliable lab equipment supplier can offer a full line of centrifuges from leading brands such as Beckman Coulter, Benchmark Scientific, LW Scientific, Sorvall and Unico. These include mini-centrifuges and high speed centrifuges. Clinics, schools, and research facilities can choose from new as well as recertified centrifuges at affordable prices.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Art of Throwing Darts and B2B Sales Forecasting

The art of throwing darts is a difficult and highly skilled talent. To stand 7 feet 9.25 inches from a target which is 12.7milimetres in diameter (the bullseye) and perfectly aim a pointed projectile so that it lands in the centre of said target takes a lot of skill, hours of practice and a finely honed technique. Now take a total amateur at darts, blindfold them, spin them around 5 times and challenge them to hit that bullseye with a single shot! The odds? It's fair to say... a very long shot! Our B2B Telemarketing company's research has indicated that for many companies B2B sales forecasting can be akin to that blindfolded amateur trying to hit the bullseye. Hitting the target can realistically be put down to an extreme dosage of luck. The more likely outcome is a wild miss with a potentially ominous outcome.Sales forecasts impact on every area of the business, having both short term and long term implications. Not only do they affect your projected revenue, they also have operational implications, purchasing implications and impact upon supply chain, marketing activities and so on. There are many unforeseen circumstances that can impact on your forecast revenue, so it is fundamentally important to implement some best practice procedures. In this article let us focus on the building blocks required to enable you to generate sales forecasts with greater accuracy.Analyse your historical sales data.The most important and relevant source of information regarding your sales forecast is your own historical data. By analysing past sales and identifying trends and patterns you will gain an understanding of your customers' purchasing characteristics and align your sales strategy accordingly. This is not an easy task by any means. There are many highly effective applications and tools in the marketplace which can assist you with this exercise.Understand your customers buying process (as opposed to your preferred selling process)Not understanding the buying process of your target audience is a common mistake made by many companies. Your sales cycle is dictated by your customers buying process and, depending on your product or service area, you can identify common milestones in the purchasing process that should be used to determine a key aspect of your sales process: how you define your sales stages.Define Specific Pipeline Stages


Each sales stage represents a step forward in your customers buying process. Do not over-complicate this process hence creating too many stages, but Be Specific. Typically between 4 and 6 key stages will suffice. Commonly used examples of these stages are 1) Exploring Needs; 2) Value Proposition; 3) Resolving Issues; 4) Final Proposal/Negotiation; 5)Closed Won/Closed Lost. A good CRM will offer you the ability to create these sales stages and manage your live opportunities in a structured manner.Identify "at risk" OpportunitiesSales which are ultimately lost can spend up to 50% longer in your sales pipeline than those which are won. This has massive implications for you if you are preparing your sales forecasts. Identifying these "at-risk" opportunities will serve as a reality check and assist you in refining your forecasts allowing for a more accurate reflection of your forecast revenue. This reverts back to building timelines around your sales stages. If an opportunity is stagnating and spending too long in any one stage it may indicate that your prospective customer has stalled and there is a risk that you could potentially lose the deal.A steady stream of qualified sales leadsLet's face it - B2B sales forecasting is a futile exercise unless you have a healthy sales pipeline from which to pull your forecast data from. A certain percentage of the deals in your pipeline will not close - FACT! The importance of having a steady stream of qualified sales leads being fed into your sales pipeline cannot be emphasised strongly enough. Outsourcing this aspect of your business to a specialist lead generation company who offer a cost effective and results oriented solution can help you achieve this. Defining your key lead qualification criteria and implementing a consistent sales lead generation process is your ultimate goal. Maintaining a healthy sales pipeline and strategically progressing these leads through your sales pipeline stages will most certainly lead to the generation of more accurate sales forecasts, which in turn, of course, will mean achieving your sales goals in a far more efficient manner.So it is time to remove the blindfold, stop spinning around in circles and focus your efforts in a strategic, structured and analytical manner. Go forth and forecast!

Monday, September 22, 2014

5 Lessons You Can Learn From Corporate Sales Training

The need for ongoing learning is why the corporate sales training industry is so large. If you want to know what kinds of things people learn when they go through these programs, let's take a look at five actionable lessons right now:Understand Your Customers' GoalsTaking the time to gain insight into your customers' goals can enable you to be significantly more effective at your job. By knowing what lifestyle and other goals someone has, you can create a sales proposition that directly appeals to them.Personalize Your Business CardSeasoned sales professionals know to never go anywhere without a handful of business cards. When you're planning to print your next batch, you may intentionally want to leave a piece of information off. Whether it's your cell number or an email address, the reason this strategy can work so well is it gives you a chance to write that information down in front of someone before handing your card to them. Completing that action is a proven way to add a very personal touch and start a new relationship off on the right foot.Birthdays MatterRemembering details like someone's birthday is an example of what separates a good salesperson from a great one. Since this is something that can now be managed by a computer program, there's really no excuse for not remembering. Just keep in mind that although there are some situations where it may make sense to offer a special deal for a customer's birthday, as a general rule of thumb, simply wishing them a great day will do more to build a beneficial ongoing relationship. The same holds true for anniversaries.


Use Umbrella QuestionsIn case you haven't previously heard this term, it refers to a question that works in any selling situation and enables you to extract additional information from the prospect you're speaking to. Tell me more and please explain further are both examples of umbrella questions. By getting in the routine of using them, you'll find that you are able to keep prospects talking and ultimately get a lot of useful information from them as a result.Create a Prospecting TimelineThe more you understand exactly how long it usually takes to close a sale, the better you'll be at optimizing your working habits. Not only can this help you create a very efficient schedule, but it's also an effective way to find bottlenecks in your process that you can then fix.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Are You In Sales, Or Do You Sell?

In my over three decades of training literally thousands of individuals to become better, more proficient and more effective salespersons, I have come to realize that one of the greatest challenges is often that the person himself merely sees himself as being in sales, rather than someone who is selling. Isn't that somewhat strange since each of us sells regardless of what our field of endeavor or occupation may be? We either SELL a product, a service or ourselves. The key differential in how we perceive this is that being in sales acknowledges that something might be sold but tries to separate ourselves from what we perceive as a somewhat perhaps savory endeavor, which far too many people consider selling. However, the reality has little to do with one's negative perception but rather relates to how professionally we perform our duties and whether our attitude is one of being value oriented, or rather is merely self serving.1. Are you expressed attitude in sync with your actual behavior? Is your focus about service to your customers and clients, or is all about you and what's in your personal self interest? Do your actions and whatever you sell geared to best satisfy what is best helps others?2. How empathetic, energetic and enriching are both your proposals and intents? Do you truly believe in whatever you are selling, be it either a product or a service, and do you honestly believe what you are telling others is what you really believe? Are you committed to earning the trust of others over and over again, and will you proactively be involved in enhancing some aspect of other people's lives?


3. Do you just hear, or do you effectively listen to what others are telling you, both with words as well as in non verbal manners? It is far easier to feel good about being in a selling frame of mind when you do all you can to fit their needs to whatever you sell.4. Learn all you can about all relevant aspects. That includes the product or service you provide, as well as what others want and need. It is somewhat a simple and common sense concept, yet nevertheless an essential and true one, that when you better understand what's going on, you become far more capable of finding the hot button that creates that crucial common ground that is often the inevitable deciding factor.Those who feel good about selling, for whatever reasons, invariably become the most successful doing it. It is nearly always a red flag warning when someone creates a personal mindset of referring to themselves as being in sales rather than selling!

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Some Tips To Keep In Mind To Increase Your B2B Sales Transactions

Businesses that are involved in or practice B2B sales and marketing strategies have a lot more to contend with than those that employ or are focused on B2C techniques. Although both categories or areas are effective and reliable in different ways, depending on the business you own or manage, companies that focus on B2B marketing and sales strategies usually have a lot more work cut out for them. This is because in B2B sales, all the staff have to really work hard to establish and build relationship with their customers. The employees really work hard to gain the trust and confidence of their customers since they need to have an ongoing good relationship with them. In addition, B2B sales persons usually have more experiences and undergo more trainings than the B2C ones. This is due to the fact that they need to be prepared well and be highly competent and skilled to work and deal with senior decision makers from other companies. And they have to do this while being fully adept as well with all their offered products and services.As such, it really takes a lot of work to establish and continue using B2B sales techniques. And to further increase your business' B2B sales, below are some simple helpful tips you should keep in mind:• Make sure your marketing and sales units are aligned. Both of these units should share the same goals and all their actions should complement one another. It is also important to both have teams or units communicate and coordinate properly and regularly to make sure that all the marketing and sales plans are always followed accordingly. When both units are fully coordinated, you can successfully increase your business revenue, and eventually, its growth in the market.


• Find out and understand what is specifically important to your customers or clients. You need to have all the details about what your clients or customers require or want. When you know and understand what is important to your clients or customers, your business can also come up with tailor-made and effective marketing and sales efforts. This will also allow you to invest in the right campaigns and spend wisely in other highly suitable marketing and sales strategies.• Get expert training. Whether you want to undergo refresher trainings or to send one or more of your employees to learn more about B2B marketing and sales strategies, this is an investment that pays in tenfold which can secure a more lucrative future for your company and for your employees. In addition, these trainings will usually reveal newer, perhaps better strategies that are perfect for your business.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Exceptional Sales-People's Qualities

Exceptional sales people are distinctive from others because they largely possess 10 qualities. You can imagine how anyone possessing these qualities easily outperforms others:1. Emotional Intelligence: Exceptional sales people have a high emotional intelligence. In their article, "Key Skills for Raising Emotional Intelligence," Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Melinda Smith, M.A. describe emotional intelligence as "the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence impacts many different aspects of your daily life, such as the way you behave and the way you interact with others." As Salespeople's lives involve constant interaction with others, all with unique personalities and problems, emotional intelligence is essential for success. The great representatives possess and nurture this quality.2. Communication: Successful sales people communicate effectively. They listen to their customers, what their customer's say in both words and speech. They also listen to what customers do not say as well as read their body language. Then they check to ensure they understood. Expertly, they speak the customer's language. Great sales people enhance their communication with effective body language to ensure customer's understand.3. Likable: Successful sales people are naturally personable, empathetic and skilled. They make a great first impression since first impressions are lasting and challenging to change. They know and actively practice the art of rapport building from their very first meeting. As such, customers feel a strong bond with their representative and a corresponding desire to help him/her.4. High Ethical Standard: Successful sales people value their reputation and are highly ethical. They see their employer and customer's as an extension of themselves. As such, successful are trustworthy, truthful, and naturally compliant to a strict personal code of conduct. They would never compromise regardless of the cost, either personal or otherwise. They believe in their products or services, and the value they provide everyone. Therefore, they come to serve.5. Confident: Successful sales people believe in themselves and their products or services, and their value. This shows in the way they speak and act. However, they are not so overconfident as to be presumptuous. While they communicate confidence to others, they have humility to maintain a proper balance.


6. Flexible/adaptable: Life is always changing, especially for the sales person. Products, partners, companies and products are in constant motion. On a day to day basis, representative maintain productivity despite cancelled appointments, emergency customer needs, and rejection. Even in cases of work force reductions, the successful sales person can take it in stride and is ready for his/her next success story.7. Goal Setters: Successful sales people have short and long range goals that drive them and keep them focused. These are not just words written on some paper that they soon forget about. Rather, these goals come from deep within; they are desires and yearnings that truly motivate them to accomplish what some consider the impossible.8. Enthusiastic: Successful sales people are positive and excited about life. Not only do they look at the glass as half full rather than half-empty, but they are eager to fill it the rest of the way. Their excitement naturally elicits warmth and enthusiasm from those around them, just as their smile does.9. Self-starters: No one needs to plan their work or tell them what to do. They are up and doing what they should because they want to; it's part of who they are. Most are fiercely independent. Managers of exceptional sales people just let go of the rains and let them work unhampered.10. Hard workers: Exceptional sales people have strong work ethics that compel them to make the most of their time on the job, working both hard and smart. Whether they make 1 sales call or 100, they can look back and take pride in their accomplishments. Laziness is not in a successful salesperson's vocabulary. Although they maintain their work life balance, they take their work seriously with the aim for maximum productivity. They are often are at their first and last calls, well before and after the lazy representatives, not for the competitive edge but because it's what they do. As a result, their stats and numbers are better than others.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

What Is Your Selling Style?

Every business owner and self-employed professional is in addition the organization's primary sales representative. Organization leaders must be effective and enthusiastic sales professionals. The leader's selling skills and communication style play a pivotal role in customer acquisition and retention.Sales process gurus claim that only three selling styles consistently produce sales. In fact, based on observations of 800 sales professionals engaged in various types of selling situations, 63% of selling styles are prone to undermine the process and result in fewer sales. Ouch!You may realize that there are two discrete parts to every sale. In part one, the seller establishes that s/he is a competent and trustworthy professional who is able to meet the prospective buyer's expectations. In part two, the seller persuades the prospective buyer of the value of the products or services offered and convinces him/her to buy now.It is imperative that sellers develop first-rate communication skills. Presented here is an overview of several typical selling styles, some top-notch and others less so. Do you recognize your style?THE BESTExpertThese pros make selling seem effortless. They have superior product knowledge. They are on top of what is happening in the marketplace and they are aware of how their product compares to the competition. They understand the customer's objectives and concerns when using their product or service. Experts communicate precisely the features and benefits that have the most meaning to the customer. They effectively answer questions and objections that the customer may pose. They earn the customer's trust and respect. As a result, they generate more sales than most.CloserDepend on the Closer to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They've got the magic words that can salvage a sale that is in danger of going down the tubes, because they are particularly adept at finessing tough questions and objections. On the flip side, their smooth-talking style can sometimes turn off clients.ConsultantSales professionals who employ this style are known for superior listening and problem solving skills that earn them trust and respect. Consultants excel at positioning their product as the solution that will meet client needs. Their shortcoming is that they tend to neglect valuable case studies and client success stories that can help clinch still more sales. This type has the greatest potential to ascend to the Expert group.THE REST


StorytellerStorytellers love to provide case studies because they are talkers and they love a good story! The downside is, they often talk past the sale and waste much valuable time in unproductive sales calls.FocuserMembers of this group are earnest, enthusiastic, know their product inside-out and believe in it deeply. Typically, Focusers are new to sales and therefore lack the experience that promotes confidence. Focusers are known to exhaustively detail every product feature and benefit, because they haven't yet learned to ask the customer questions about his/her priorities.NarratorNarrators know the product cold and they're well-versed in the nuances of the competitive landscape, but they are overly dependent upon a sales script, so they deliver the dreaded "canned" sales presentation. Many, but by no means all, Narrators are new to sales. They, too, lack confidence and cling tenaciously to marketing materials as they present. Members of this group do not respond well to challenging questions or objections.SocializerSocializers may initially charm clients with friendly banter about various interesting and amusing subjects, but these folks forget their objective and don't know how to get down to business. They make many friends, but few sales.AggressorAs far as practitioners of this selling style are concerned, a sales call is primarily a price negotiation. They are sometimes able to score big wins and they rarely concede much. Unsurprisingly, clients can be turned off by their often combative approach.So how can you join the Best Sales Professional group? Incorporate these strategies into your sales presentations and watch your success ratio increase:Stay on message. Every sales presentation should convey a single major theme.
While conveying the primary theme, limit yourself to three main points that focus on customer priorities and preferences. Let your words paint a picture of how your product or service will deliver what the customer values most.
Use case studies or stories that illustrate how a customer with a similar profile and objectives successfully uses your product or service. Present a case study that is clear, concise and compelling and will encourage the customer to envision meeting expectations and building a successful business relationship with you.Thanks for reading,Kim

Friday, September 5, 2014

How to Charge What You're Worth and Get It: Part 4 of 6 - Communicating Your Value (Continued)

In my previous article, we started looking at communicating your value to prospective clients and that in order to do this, you need to reflect both the value of your service and their pain back to them.So in this article, we'll continue looking at ways to communicate your value. Once you've found out what the client needs, then you can ask, "What will that mean to you when it's done?" In this way, they will be able to focus on the benefit of using your services, rather than just the features. I've noticed that in particular, technical-type people (accountants, lawyers, financial advisors and others) have a tendency to speak in features rather than benefits, because that's what turns them on. But it's not necessarily what turns everyone else on.Features are what your services are. Benefits are what the features of your service mean to the client. So to turn a feature into a benefit you can add the words "which means that".For example, if you tell a client, "I can do your compliance work for you" that's you describing a feature of your service. If you add, "That means that you'll have more time to work on your business which means that you'll be able to bring in more business, which means that you'll make more money." That's the benefit loud and clear. Then you can ask, "so what would that extra business be worth to you?" If you don't first demonstrate the value of what you do, prospective clients will always regard the quote you give as high, no matter what price you offer.You have to get them to shift from looking at the price to seeing the value of your service. Once they understand the value, the price you quote will actually seem relatively low by comparison.If a prospective client asks me what I charge, I explain that I only work with people who I'm pretty sure I can help so that the return on investment is worthwhile. This means that I must have a meeting to find out if I can help them. Before I quote them a price, I make sure that they understand the value of what I will deliver. If the need is great enough, they understand the value I provide, and they are ready for it, they will go for it. The cost is almost incidental.


It's really about learning a new set of behaviours. To change any behaviour, you must first recognise what you're doing and why it's no longer working for you and then choose to do things differently. The behaviour can become so ingrained that you need someone like me to point out what you're doing and how doing things differently will improve your life.I know from my clients how easy it is to get stuck in one kind of behaviour or one pattern of thinking and not realise how it's impacting their businesses or their lives. For instance, one of my clients was not in control of her business because she wasn't taking responsibility for her communication with clients. She would go into meetings feeling fearful and expecting negative outcomes. However, since working with me, she has now taken control and this has had a significant and positive impact on her business and relationships with her clients. As a result, she's gaining more business at higher rates and feels more confident and relaxed.It's really important for you to realise that what you have to offer is incredibly valuable to your prospective clients. By hiring you, they can get on and do the things they're best at. You take care of the things they can't or don't want to do. They can do the things they want to do because they know their company is in a safe pair of hands. You give them peace of mind and that is priceless!In summary, to communicate your value to prospects, you need to:Understand your value
Reflect their pain back to them
Focus on the value you're creating, not on how much you're charging.In the next article, we'll be looking at getting comfortable asking for fees.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Selling Is Just Like Dating: The 7-Step Sales Process

Salespeople have gained a bad reputation over the years. Typical consumers will automatically shut them off when they hear that they're from that company selling this product. Now if this is the case, how are you going to be able to sell your products if most, though not all, consumers are not willing to listen to your sales team anymore?Luckily, selling can be compared to dating. Sometimes, you need to take it slowly but surely.Finding your prospectsIn dating, you don't go out and feel like dating everybody, right? The same goes with professional selling, you don't just venture in the field and offer your product to everybody. Though sometimes it can work. Just think of the time and effort you're going to waste compare to having your leads qualified into the people who really needs your product.Pre-approachOf course, the first date will always be the getting-to-know-each-other phase. The next step after having your qualified leads will be the pre-selling or the pre-approach which is more like having a first date with your potential customer. You have to know more about your consumer and determine their needs. This is an important part because this is where you will get the information needed for your presentation.Make a great initial impressionIn sales, this process is more known to be the approach. Obviously, it's just the continuation of the previous step. This is the part where you'll be confirming the needs you determined on the pre-approach. This is where you will make a great initial impression to your potential consumers since the pre-approach is usually done through calls. The ambiance of the place should also be considered thoroughly. The place where you'll be meeting your potential clients should give a look of professionalism and credibility. One good option is to set the meeting in an elegant and professional serviced office where you'll get a ready-made office for your company. Learning how to build rapport and making your audience feel at ease before starting the presentation is always a must. Otherwise, you'll probably look incompetent as a salesperson.


Present like it's now or neverIn dating, think of it as your first and last chance to win someone over. In sales, this is your only chance to make them see the unique selling proposition of your product. I'll leave you with a thought to ponder upon from Bill Gates, "You know how you survive? You make people need you. You survive because you make them need what you have. And then they have nowhere else to go."Absorb the rejections but bounce backRemember that it's better to hear questions from your prospects rather than hearing nothing at all because it means, at least, they're interested to know more about your offering. Don't worry. Having an objection in a presentation is just normal. It doesn't mean that you don't have a chance anymore to close the deal. There are different strategies on how to handle an objection and you should know which one is the most appropriate to use depending on the issue raised by the consumer.Close it properlyThis step requires a perfect timing. You should never be too early nor too late. Either of the two, you must never fail to close your sale. Make sure that there are no more objections from your potential customer and see to it that you've answered all their questions nicely. Don't be pressured on closing the deal but don't be too relaxed either.Commit to a long term relationshipIf you have already turned your potential lead to a customer, be ready to commit into a long-term relationship with them. Not because you're done with your selling, you'll leave them hanging in the air. Follow-ups should always be done to make sure that the promises made are not underdelivered. Remember to stay in touch, you'll never know you might get a referral from them too.So, there you have it! This step by step process may take a lot of time and effort but this will eventually pay off in the end.