Texsox

QUOTE(Soxy @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 02:37 PM) Unless it's a hooker, I hope no one gives his valentine money. That's what I was thinking. Wait, I just did send someone cash in a Valentine's card Doies my kid count?

In twenty five years of business to business sales I've never had someone even mention calling the police and frankly have never heard of it in business to business selling. The guys with perfume and the non business stuff, yes, but never business to business. But, hey there is a first time for everyone. I understand the many small order concept, electronic components was like that. For every very nice memory order was twenty for resistors, capacitors, etc. And the chemical business was very similar. I know without appointments in Illinois and Texas I rarely had a day with less than 10 contacts, usually many more. But I was selling stuff I knew they needed and had something I knew could help them, so why wouldn't they want to see me? You know your industry and even with 25 years sales and marketing experience, I'm still learning. Have you considered, for bang for the buck, hiring independent rep firms who you pay on a commission basis? Especially for out of the territory stuff. Or, another thought, since the sales seem to be face to face, hire a high school kid or college kid to work the phones for a couple dollars a day for minimum wage and perhaps an appointment bonus and keep your outside sales guy face to face?

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 01:59 PM) So religion is too sacred to make fun of? Not at all, but you were not making fun, you were insulting, demeaning, and ignorant.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 01:34 PM) I haven't been, the screen has. So you would rather not take credit for your ideas and thoughts. At least you do have some measure of shame.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 01:31 PM) Respect from me doesn't mean I can't make fun of it. I respect Cub fans and make fun of them all day. No, you've been insulting.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 01:21 PM) And I respect people's right to religious freedom Not even close. Respect by comparing God to Santa Clause and the Bible to Seventeen Magazine?

74 phone calls resulted in 3 appointments. And hopefully those three will see you. Three more agreed to another phone call. So if I'm understanding the system correctly. They are out pounding the pavement giving away samples and making contacts, but not trying to see the decision maker. Then the salesrep is taking those contacts and making 74 phone calls to set 3 appointments. You are also making a lot of mailings to these people in the hopes that they will open the letter and actually read the information. And in the end, there may be a $300 sale which the sales rep may make what $40 - $50? How many sales dollars per day would the sales rep need to make to earn a mid thirties income? And the goal isn't to talk to people over the phone, it's to get a sale. How many of those people could you sell over the phone? If you are talking to the decision maker, are you asking for an order?

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 12:29 PM) I'm far from a bible thumper. Haven't been to church in a couple years, but I think thats a pretty ignortant thing to say about something that a whole lot of people keep in high regard. Some people are very excited when their issue of Seventeen arrives

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 10:39 AM) Seventeen magainze...the bible...what's the difference? For you, no difference at all. It would be difficult for some to understand why In God We Trust is on our currency and not In Seventeen We Trust. It would probably be difficult for some to understand why we formally used a Bible to swear in witnesses in court, instead of an issue of Seventeen Magazine. Perhaps centuries from now, Seventeen will have the same impact on history that the Bible has. I doubt it, but for those that can't see the difference, they probably would believe it.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 11:06 AM) Yeah, getting past the gatekeeper is hard. And for some products the in-person approach with samples in hand is the best. Trust me, for printing, it is not. That is what the prospecting visits are for. Drop off some notepads or pens, grab a business card, say hi to the gatekeeper then leave. Follow up with an addition to our monthly mailing, or mail a separate introduction letter, saying that you will call at a certain time and ask for an appointment. Then actually call at that time. You can even say that he/she is expecting your call and be correct. But even if you still get nowhere, it is a numbers game. You can reach 50 people on the phone for less effort than it takes to visit 20 in person. And no, you can't just go from door to door in an office building anymore. Security finds you pretty fast, and I can't run like I used to! So you are cold calling in the first step? You are calling them prospecting visits. How many telephone calls are you making to reach those 50 people, and is that just to make an appointment? Bottom line how many face to face visits with decision makers per day were you expecting from your sales rep?

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 10:43 AM) 10:45, still not here. I would talk to him but I truely believe in this case it wouldn't do much good. Once my other peeps found out I fired him, they expressed their reservations about him and shared some conversations they had. He seemed to think it would be a lot easier than it is, that each order would be thousands of dollars (when in reality the average is less than $300) and that he apparently hated the phone. In the interviews I let him know that phone work is key to getting appointments since people hate it when you show unannounced, and showed him a large selection of 'typical' orders. He is 24, and just needs to grow up and be an adult. The appointment assumption can go either way. I've worked for a couple companies that are broad usage and they found that cold calling with samples in hand was more effective (more customer contact) than telephone work. Many times it is much easier to brush off the salesperson on the telephone, more gatekeepers, more voice mails. Both companies are Fortune 500 entities that have been in business for a long time.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Feb 12, 2008 -> 10:46 AM) Can I get the award scaled down to use as my avitar? That would be cool. Typical righty, wants someone else to do it for him, and for free

Naked Lunch by William Burroughs

Great job Thought for next year, the top graphics winner should design the trophies.

At some point you will want to know what it did not work out with and for that salesperson. Many people will just assume he was a jackass and that the job and your company were 100% perfect in the situation. And you may be correct. Still, listening to him and what the problem was may be in your better interest.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 03:00 PM) I can't wait till people start praising L. Ron Hubbard when they win something. His sci-fi writing is just as good as the bible. To some. People chose all sorts of ways to fill their brains and to believe in.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 02:58 PM) .....and God does this all while helping singers, (including rappers) and actors win awards. Amazing. And the rappers and pornographers help the athletes, equally amazing.

eBay announced they will buy back the stolen documents, about $66,000 worth. I was thinking about who to protect on eBay and if having honest buyers or sellers was more important. The seller can wait until he gets paid to ship, this avoiding 99% of the scams. The buyer can not wait until he has the item to pay. Having honest sellers and a system to determine that, is far more important that buyer feedback.

And to be fair, every candidate wants it bad enough and will stretch their, and those around them, ethics and morals in the process. It's the game, and everyone plays it that way.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 02:53 PM)

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 02:51 PM) Well, I think that's the point. If there is a God, he probably doesn't care about your strikeout, your HR, your team winning the WS, your rap album, etc. etc. Or, if he's going to get the credit for the good, he has to take the blame for the bad. A pitcher and a hitter both pray that they will perform to the best of their ability. God answers their prayers. At that moment someones best is better than the other guys. No mystery.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 12:44 PM) Here's the question. Would she promise Edwards the VP slot to beat Obama in the primary if she thought it would kill her in the general? Tough call. You have to get past B to get to C. And perhaps Edwards is selling her on his experience and how he knows the mistakes that were made and will do better this time.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 12:34 PM) I dunno about that. All of the reports I've read about the 2004 race have said that the Kerry campaign was particularly unhappy with the way Edwards performed as a VP candidate, not to mention the fact that he seemingly didn't even make a single state competitive for them. *IF* he could get her elected.

QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 12:29 PM) Hillary wont pick Edwards for VP. She wants a Clintonite. Probably a "yes man" If it could get her elected, she'd grab him in a second. The Constitution keeps the VP in line, I've read a number of references to where the President and Vice President do not meet for months.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 11, 2008 -> 12:25 PM) I don't know if there could be a president ticket that I would dispise more than that duo. If someone could get that ticket elected, scholars would be writing books about them for a long time.