Industry Guides Toolkit Industry Contacts Events & Expos Publications Blogs Newsletter
ManageSmarter - Sales Incentive Programs - Sales Marketing Management Skills - Employee Motivation Articles
Members Sign-in
Not a Member?
Sign-up
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
Sales and Marketing Management Subscribe




Feature Stories
The Minister of Culture: Bobby Grisham
May 06, 2008 Bobby Grisham, CSO of EDS, works sales magic through incentives, coaching and recognition.
Be a Value Merchant
May 06, 2008 A value merchant recognizes the supplier's own costs and the market offering's value to the customer and works to obtain a fair return for both the supplier firm and customer firm.
Brian Tracy University: Destroying De-motivators and Fostering Ambition
May 06, 2008 Other than a poor relationship with his manager, nothing derails a salesman's drive as effectively as the various forms of de-motivation a company can inadvertently create.
Lessons from the Sales Master: Mahan Khalsa
March 28, 2008 Mahan Khalsa, VP of the FranklinCovey Sales Performance Group, rewrites the selling playbook.
In This Issue
THE PITCH


SALES STRATEGY
The Forgotten Element: Mixing Communications
May 06, 2008 A focus on the top-line should be top-of-mind when designing integrated marketing communication programs. Unfortunately, the sales function is often an afterthought in many marcom campaigns undertaken by B2B and B2C marketers today.
Sealing the Selling Cracks
March 28, 2008 Lead generation has come a long way from business cards in a fishbowl.
The CEO as Salesperson
February 25, 2008 There is no doubt that involving the CEO or other senior management in sales can break an impasse or raise the level of the sales conversation. But just because the CEO leads the organization doesn't necessarily make him or her an effective salesperson.


MARKETING STRATEGY
Building Buzz with a Personal Touch
May 06, 2008 Customer loyalty seems to be declining across many industries. To cultivate loyal customers, try an old-school approach.
Escaping the Trade Show Money Pit
March 28, 2008 More business technology marketers use trade shows to generate leads than any other marketing tactic. According to a 2007 CMP survey, over 75% of respondents use trade shows for this purpose. Yet the inability to generate enough leads for the sales force is the biggest problem these marketers face.
Putting Customers First
February 25, 2008 "Customers first." It's the mantra of businesses everywhere. Yet the average company still loses 10% to 15% of customers each year.


MANAGEMENT
Keeping Your Cool
May 06, 2008 Making good decisions is tough enough when things are going well, so adding a recession to the mix can make a job that was previously difficult truly excruciating.
Secrets to a Successful Comp Plan
March 28, 2008 A good compensation plan doesn't start with cold, hard figures, says Dave Stein, the CEO of ES Research in West Tisbury, Mass. Rather, it all starts with having—and then keeping—the right people.
Supe Up Sales Performance
February 25, 2008 Growth-oriented companies face myriad challenges in their pursuit of high performance: more demanding customers, tougher competition and shorter product life cycles, to name a few. Yet one of their greatest challenges comes not from outside the organization, but rather, inside it.


MOTIVATION AND INCENTIVES
Forget Cash, Show Me the Goods!
May 06, 2008 There's a special place in salespeople's hearts for high-end merchandise.
Performance: It's in the Cards
March 28, 2008 Employees get paid salaries and commissions to do their jobs, but in many circumstances, that's not enough to encourage specific behaviors today.
The Gift Card That Keeps Giving
February 25, 2008 Sometimes, there's just nothing like good ol' instant gratification. In many ways, it's the easiest and best way to positively reinforce the behaviors you want your sales team to perform, making gift cards a key tool in any sales manager's motivation and incentives arsenal.


MEETINGS
Streamlining Business Travel? Don't Cut Too Deeply
May 06, 2008 The ever-increasing pressure on reducing expenses has some managers thinking of scaling back on their teams' travel.
An Uneasy Mix for Travel Booking
March 28, 2008 Companies with a long history of using self-booking tools are finding it harder to integrate them with expense management systems than late adopters.
Brand Loyalty Goes Global
February 25, 2008 Can a brand inspire loyalty from customers in China, India, France and the United States with a single program? The answer comes in many languages, all translating into a declarative "yes."
On the Road: Santa Fe
February 25, 2008 When you're looking for a business destination that's more majestic than metropolitan, Santa Fe simply annihilates the competition.


TRAINING
The Missing Ingredient: Building Business Acumen
March 28, 2008 Try this experiment: Ask your customers what type of knowledge they most want your salespeople to have. Odds are the answers you get will surprise you.
Stop Hiring Poor Performers
February 25, 2008 Unfortunately, while all sales managers are aware of the need to hire quality workers, many consistently end up hiring second-rate employees.
Q&A: Compensation Conundrum
February 25, 2008 When sales are sagging, don't just turn to the usual culprits.


TECHNOLOGY
Not Your Father's Presentation
March 28, 2008 The person who's never slept through a presentation may cast the first stone—maybe that ought to wake up the guy snoring in the fifth row!
Swell Your Sales With Speech Analytics
February 25, 2008 From cross-selling in the contact center to online marketing campaigns, companies today are always looking for ways to generate new revenue. But how do you know if a marketing campaign is working?
Gadgets & Gear: In the Lap(top) of Luxury
January 25, 2008 For peak performance in a small, stylish package, you can't go wrong with any of these portables.
Sales…Marketing: Blurring the Lines
January 25, 2008 Remember when buying a list of names was the pinnacle of "lead generation," and seeing how many coupons were actually returned defined "metrics"? Thankfully, the evolution of the Internet has made the process a bit more sophisticated.


EXPERT VOICES
Smart Marketing: The Rise of Trust and Authenticity
May 06, 2008 By the year 2020, corporate sincerity will trump marketing's "four Ps."
Smart Sales: Let's Go to the Videotape
May 06, 2008 It's time to come clean about your company's successes and failures.
Smart Management: The Compensation Paradox
May 06, 2008 How much to pay salespeople is a common challenge for management. Fortunately, it's one that can be solved through some simple principles, including rules for setting the right pay levels for outstanding performers.
Smart Marketing: I Am Spam
March 28, 2008 At the beginning of each year, we conduct our annual e-mail responsiveness survey. Our survey is based in the notion that every customer, at one time, sends an e-mail to a corporation with a customer service question.


THE CLOSER
False Assumptions
May 06, 2008 It's time to trash conventional corporate maxims
The Way I See It: Got Trade Show Troubles?
May 06, 2008 Getting the most out of your trade show marketing efforts necessitates making smart decisions from the get-go.
The Way I See It: End the Discounting Habit
March 28, 2008 Your products and services are an investment, not an expense.
Plugging Drains, Sealing Leaks: Stop Caving to Customer Pressure
March 28, 2008 Purchasing managers in business markets are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their strategies and tactics. Increasingly held accountable for reducing costs, purchasing and other customer managers don't have the luxury of simply believing suppliers' claims of cost savings.


Online News & Features
The Sales Dodo: Can Fear Motivate the Passive Sales Candidate?
May 16, 2008 Enticing salespeople who are not looking for a job to be receptive to another opportunity is challenging. The key is to figure out which of the two motivators springs them into action. Is it fear or greed? And if it's fear, how can you use it to your advantage?
Business in a Knapsack: Six Keys to Clear Virtual Communication
May 16, 2008 Can you run your projects when you're on the run? With clear communication you can, but you'll need to set the pace for the rest of your team.
On-Demand Lead Scoring Wins Sales and Marketing Game
May 15, 2008 Even after you greatly invest in driving and measuring response to your marketing, does your sales team still dispute the number of "qualified" leads your marketing team generates?
Marketing Lowdown: Leading Economic Indicators
May 15, 2008 Someone once said that economics is the merging of finance and fortune telling, but economists might be better at predicting the economy if they watched the advertising industry.
Pragmatic Business Strategy: Seven Ways to Make Marketing Work
May 14, 2008 In a challenging economy, you must find new ways to make marketing work more effectively, get more out of marketing investments, and measure and account for marketing decisions.
Chronicles of a Sales Leader: Tough Times Call for Solid Leadership
May 14, 2008 Here are some common pitfalls and insights that identify how to address or avoid sales pressure when facing tough economic times.
What's new on ManageSmarter.com



Top Manage Smarter Stories
Shopper Research Goes 360°
May 16, 2008
E-Learning Time: Benefits, Misconceptions and Challenges
May 16, 2008
The Sales Dodo: Can Fear Motivate the Passive Sales Candidate?
May 16, 2008

Find a Job -> SEARCH NOW!

Sales & Marketing Jobs
Pharma Sales Jobs
Finance Sales Jobs
Insurance Sales Jobs
IT Sales Jobs

 

Sales Incentive Programs - Sales Marketing Management Skills - Employee Motivation Articles


Our Editor Suggests
Research: Brand Placements in Reality TV
April 08, 2008 Are marketers taking advantage of the flexibility of genre?
Consumer Promotions Report
January 10, 2008 Incentive's latest research shows promotional marketing is still booming.

  
Senior Leadership Teams
May 16, 2008 What It Takes to Makes Them Great (Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation, $29.95)


The Exhaustion Cure
May 07, 2008 Up Your Energy from Low to Go in 21 Days (Broadway, $13.95)



  
Our Readers Like
MOST POPULAR | MOST EMAILED
Our Readers Like
MOST POPULAR | MOST EMAILED
The Bam Factor: Uncover New F&B Options That Will "Wow" Attendees and Add Value To Your Event
May 21 - May 21, 2008
Online

Join Successful Meetings and MeetingNews magazines for this live, interactive Web Seminar, sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, and hear from industry experts how to better incorporate the F&B component into your event. Attend this online-only event and learn how to creatively make F&B a memorable part of the success of your next meeting.

Top Trends for Lead Generation Tactics in 2008
May 28 - May 28, 2008
Online

Join Sales & Marketing Management on May 28 to hear Bob Hanson, president of Quantum Leap Marketing, share the findings of the recent QLM 2008 Marketing Tactics and Strategies Survey. Bob will present key findings, including which marketing tactics companies are currently using and the challenges and obstacles organizations face with taking their lead-generation efforts online. Register now for this free Webcast.

Driving ROI: Learn How to Bring Together All the Attributes of a Successful Meeting
June 05 - June 05, 2008
Online

Join Successful Meetings/Meeting News magazines and Palace Resorts and learn how to bring together all the attributes of a successful meeting that meets your ROI metrics. Attend this online-only event and learn from experts what key elements will increase your ROI and how to set metrics-driven objectives for your event.

Using Gift Cards The Right Way To Motivate Employees
June 24 - June 24, 2008
Online

Join Incentive Magazine and Amazon.com for this live, interactive Web Seminar and hear from industry experts regarding how gift cards can be a key component to your company�s reward program. Attend this online-only event and learn how to create a successful gift card incentive program that fits into your organization's overall reward program.