Face-To-Face Meetings Help Improve Sales Rates

The Sales Profession Saved My Life -- and Made My Company Millions

“(…) Prospects who refuse to make a final decision even after being held accountable to their previous declarations are politely telling you “no.” And keep in mind, “no” is a perfectly acceptable answer because “no” will not kill you in sales — “I don’t know” will destroy you with false hopes of commissions that will most likely never materialize.

This selling method can be applied to any number of excuses you are likely to hear at the end of your sales presentation. By addressing “I want to think about it” or “I don’t want to change suppliers” or “I need three bids” proactively, you will be in a very strong position to get a final decision about you and your company.

Never be caught flat-footed when it comes to objections and stall tactics. Proactively anticipate and prepare for whatever excuses may come up.

The key is to combine basic psychology and sales fundamentals to proactively eliminate the inevitable excuses prospects will raise to postpone making a decision. By removing the excuses ahead of time, the prospect will be more likely to make that final decision in your presence, which will dramatically increase the probability of a successful outcome.”

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The Smart Espresso Profiler (SEP) Adds Flow and Pressure Profiling to Virtually Any Machine

Smart Espresso Profiler (SEP)

“Until recently, it has required thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of specialized equipment to accurately measure and act upon several of the more important factors in espresso brewing — factors such as the duration and force of pre-infusion, the pressure profile for the rest of the shot, and the cutting-edge tweak du jour: the flow rate.

These barriers to entry might be disintegrating, however, now that espresso accessory-maker Naked Portafilter has developed and launched a new tool for home and professional baristas that appears to be breaking the field wide open.

See more here.

TripAdvisor Plans A Social Network Via New Feed, Site And Partners

“TripAdvisor wants to be a one-stop-shop for consumers to share, plan and learn about trips. To reach that goal, the Needham, Massachusetts-based travel site is unveiling a new website and mobile offering later this year that gives consumers the option to connect with friends, influencers, brands and publishers to build social feeds and plan trips.

“One size fits all becomes a personalized trip for you,” said Stephen Kaufer, chief executive and co-founder of TripAdvisor at an unveiling event in New York on Monday morning. “I’m an individual, I’m unique,” he added, noting that consumers want to hear what other voices are saying, and then pick and choose accordingly. According to TripAdvisor data, 66 percent of trip planning incorporates reviews from other travelers, and 62 percent comes from friends and families sharing tips.”

Read more here.

FSMA Status Update: Compliance Requirements and Upcoming Deadlines

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“One of the most notable pieces of federal legislation addressing food safety in the past century, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), was enacted on Jan. 4, 2011 — amending section 415 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Companies that manufacture, process, pack, or store food, including coffee, must comply.

The FSMA requires companies in the United States with these food facilities to submit additional registration information to the FDA. It also requires companies to renew the registration on a biennial basis, providing the FDA with authority to suspend the registration of a food facility in certain circumstances.”

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Pita bread is simple to make and worth the wait.

Homemade pita bread is so much better — and easier — than you might think

” (…) Given the current renaissance of Middle Eastern cuisine, it seems a good time to master the bread that is the traditional accompaniment to so much of that food. Because if you’re going to make or source all the excellent stuff that you put inside a pita, it seems a bit mournful to use the store-bought bread — often stale and tasteless as cardboard — when it’s so easy to make it yourself.”

“And watching the pitas rise in the oven, a few minutes worth of culinary magic, is a trick that never gets old.”

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How to Create Facebook In-Stream Video Ads

“Because Facebook in-stream video ads interrupt what people are viewing, your video needs to capture your audience’s attention quickly.

One way to do this is to tell a story and make the narrative something that your audience will respond to. If the first 5 seconds of the story grabs their interest, they’ll likely want to know what happens at the end. To go one step further, include a call to action so people can visit your website to find out what happened next.

Another tactic is to show something that’s a shock/surprise in the first 5 seconds. Teach your audience something, make them laugh, or say something controversial and explain it (if it’s appropriate for your brand). At the beginning of the video, explain the problem and promise a solution.

Consider using text overlay for viewers who are watching your video with the sound muted. This may also be a good solution if you don’t have the resources for an expensive media production. You can create a video slideshow instead.”

Read more here.

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https://paigepapers.com/2018/08/30/17054/

Fast Casual vs. Fast Fine Dining Trends

“Take one of the latest casual dining trends as an example: fast fine dining. Not to be confused with fast casual, which refers to places like Chipotle or Five Guys, who distinguish themselves from fast food by offering high-quality ingredients and less of an assembly line atmosphere. Although the economy brought down spending at higher-end restaurants over the last several years, the love for creative food has been growing at a rapid pace, enabling fast casual and fast fine restaurants to thrive. And let’s not forget food trucks!”

“Diners who are health-conscious, but still want speed, find themselves searching for options where they can pay a little more and wait a tad longer for food that is healthier. This is exactly what fast casual restaurants offer.”

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Starbucks launches community-based program to help local causes

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“Starbucks and Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, have launched Starbucks Service Fellows, an employer-led service program inspired and informed by national service, according to a press release. The initial six-month pilot, launching this month, includes 36 Starbucks store partners (employees) from 13 cities across the U.S. who will serve with a Points of Light affiliate in their community, collectively providing more than 17,000 hours of community service.”

View more here.

Save time, save money: Run your small business from your smartphone.

“In the last few years, there has been an explosion of cloud-based, mobile apps (or mobile versions of desktop software applications) that make it easy to stay on top of most of your business operations right from your mobile phone. And that’s great for today’s small-business owner, because you’re more likely than ever to be on the go: meeting customers, traveling to trade shows, balancing work life with family needs.”

Useful apps:

• Money management and accounting. Send out invoices, track time, pay bills, run payroll, track mileage and more: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Intuit Online Payroll, Harvest, Wave, Bill.com, Shoeboxed, Everlance

• Payments: Receive payments instantly from customers. Square, PayPal Here, QuickBooks GoPayment

• Make sales: Turn your phone into your storefront and make sales directly to customers. Shopify, Etsy, Facebook, Instagram

• Scheduling: The apps take bookings and appointments, accept upfront payments, send clients reminders and more. Square Appointments, HouseCall Pro, Acuity Scheduling, Timely, Eventbrite Organizer

•Document storage and sharing: Store, share and access your files from any device. Google Drive, Zoho Docs, Dropbox, Box, Hightail Spaces

• Communications: Communicate with customers and manage your team back home. Skype, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, Join.Me, Webex

•Newsletters: Manage and monitor newsletter campaigns you’ve created in advance on your desktop. MailChimp, Constant Contact, Emma, Aweber

(…)

View more useful apps to run you business here.