The LuxMob Info Tags

Here are seven additional factors to consider as you define the parameters that produce success in your company’s sales job. If you are a salesperson, you can also benefit from considering these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects and further refine your sales approach.

9. Administration

• Which sales job functions require attention to detail? (Examples include making accurate forecasts, providing timely updates to the corporate CRM system, analyzing customer records to determine sales strategies, and ensuring regulatory compliance.)

Some companies have support personnel that perform administrative tasks on their salespeople’s behalf. Other companies expect their salespeople to deal with a certain amount of administration. If a tolerance for process, detail and administration is necessary for success in your company’s sales job, some amount of Tolerance for Administration is desirable in your salespeople.

10. Communication

• How important are verbal and written communication skills to sales success in your company?
• Are your salespeople required to make presentations?

• Are they required to compose letters or proposals?

Sales roles that rely heavily on high quality verbal and written communications require salespeople that have healthy doses of the attributes Communication Skills and Reasoning Ability.

11. Pre-Sales Support

• What support resources are available to help your salespeople manage specific steps of the sales cycle?
• How effective must your salespeople be when managing these resources?

The availability of support resources has a significant impact on the attributes required for sales success. If your salespeople have access to quality internal (employed by your company) or external (employed by suppliers or partners) technical resources, they don’t need to invest a lot of time learning technical details. This frees them to focus more time and energy on prospecting and opportunity qualification. By the same token, if your company employs technical writers who can assist salespeople with large proposals and bid responses, there may be less need for your salespeople to have strong Communication Skills.

12. Post-Sales Support

• Are your salespeople expected to provide technical or operational support to customers, or do other personnel provide this support?

If your salespeople are required to deliver post-sales support, it would be desirable for them to have a lower Sales Drive, be less Competitive, and have a higher Service Drive.

13. Training

• What kinds of training does your company provide to salespeople?
• How much training does your company provide?

Companies that provide a lot of training may have the luxury of being able to hire inexperienced sales candidates and “train them up from scratch”. This is extremely valuable in markets where highly qualified sales candidates are scarce and/or prohibitively expensive. However, if your company is going to employ this approach, you should seek candidates with strong Learning Rates.

14. Sales Manager’s Style

• What are your sales managers’ styles?
• Do they lean in the direction of being Field Generals (who prefer selling to coaching) or Administrators (who excel at mentoring and administrative duties)?

The desired levels of the attributes Sales Drive, Service Drive, Assertiveness, Competitiveness, Independence and Tolerance for Administration will differ based upon each sales manager’s style.

15. Career Path

• What is the career path for your sales position?
• From small ticket item sales to big ticket item sales?
• From sales to management?

If your sales team is a source of candidates for other positions in your company, you may want to consider whether your salespeople and sales candidates have the attributes required to be successful in those other positions. Why? Because the attributes required to succeed in those other positions may not be the same as the attributes required for sales success!

Consider this example: Most small ticket item sales cycles are shorter than big ticket item sales cycles. Per Question #7, the desired amount of Sales Drive differs based upon the frequency of opportunities for presentation and persuasion. A successful salesperson in small ticket item sales is likely to have a strong Sales Drive. Will they become frustrated by the reduction in opportunities to present and persuade that could result from a “promotion” to big ticket item sales?

Similarly, the attributes required to be an effective manager are often quite different from the attributes required to be an effective salesperson. Success in management can require more attention to detail and the willingness to delegate and mentor. These requirements impact the target ranges for the attributes of Sales Drive, Service Drive, Assertiveness, Competitiveness, Independence and Tolerance for Administration.

If you keep the fifteen questions discussed in this two-part article in mind, you will be able to more accurately define the parameters that will lead to success in YOUR company’s sales job(s).

Copyright 2005 — Alan Rigg

Sales performance expert Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don’t Perform and What to Do About It. His company, 80/20 Sales Performance, helps business owners, executives, and managers DOUBLE sales by implementing The Right Formula for building top-performing sales teams. For more information and more FREE sales and sales management tips, visit http://www.8020salesperformance.com.

Cord blood banking is a kind of insurance for parents who want to protect their child from possible future illnesses by storing the child’s cord blood in a cord blood bank. The embryonic stem cells in the cord blood have the power to differentiate. This is a process in which the embryonic stem cells divide and multiply and the new cells created may become many different kinds of cells. This makes embryonic stem cells special and many parents consider their worth when deciding to do cord blood banking or not.

Cord blood banking takes place between the mother of the newborn and the cord blood bank, or storage facility, she chooses. Once the transaction takes place, the cord blood is either owned by the parents (or parent) of the child or the bank, depending on the kind of bank the parent(s) choose for cord blood banking.

Private cord blood banking allows the parents to own the cord blood, and they pay a fee that can be one to two thousand dollars for the storage. Public cord blood banking is essentially a donation of the cord blood to the bank. The bank then sells the cored blood for transplants or grand funded research. A third option for cord blood banking, new this decade, is research cord blood banking. Research cord blood banks own the cord blood that is essentially donated to them by the parents, and they sell it to grant funded or other researchers. Public and research cord blood banks charge approximately $35,000 for each collection of cord blood that they sell.

Kevin Anderson is the owner and operator of http://www.cord-blood-resources.info a site developed to give users the most updated information, articles, and news related to the Cord Blood and stem cell research.

Polly’s story

Polly had a four year old child who nearly every day would scream at her: “I want to kill you!”

Polly tried her best to keep her cool but predictably, the point was soon reached when she would feel herself almost bursting with rage every time she heard the offensive words.

One day when he said them, she locked the child in his room for an hour. He yelled his lungs out all the while, but it didn’t stop him from later saying the same thing again.

Another day, Polly poured black pepper on the kid’s tongue, and another time she tried washing his mouth out with soap. All these “remedies” may have helped her little son understand who the “boss” was, but for all that, he went on informing her regularly, in a nasty tone, that he wanted to kill her.

In desperation, Polly phoned up a friend who was already an experienced mother and asked her what she would do in such circumstances.

“As the oldest of three children, he probably feels left out of things,” advised the friend. “I would say he’s not hateful, he’s just in pain. Don’t respond to the words. Only respond to the pain.”

The next day, true to form, the little chap shouted out the four dreaded words.

Acting on her friends advice, Polly hugged him, smiled and said: “Even if you want to kill me, I love you more than anything in the world.”

Once the boy had recovered from the unexpected “shock” and the atmosphere was calmer, Polly tried to find out what was bothering him. That was the last time he ever uttered those words, or anything similar.

If you’re like most people, you react almost every day to situations you perceive to be threatening in much the same way that Polly would respond to her little one’s painful verbal jabs - only to get nowhere for your trouble!

Credit card blues

Let’s say that a man gets really hot under the collar while checking the family credit card statement, after noticing that his wife had bought some big ticket items without his knowledge.

If she decides to give in to her first impulse, the lady might well yell back at him: “You old skinflint!” (or an even less flattering “compliment”) and continue: “What’s the matter with you? Aren’t I entitled to a few decent clothes like any other woman?”

Alternatively, she resist the temptation of an impulsive response, calm down a little and say: “You’re right. Neither of us should make a purchase without first consulting the other. You know, I’m really sorry. I didn’t intend to hurt you.”

And hopefully, that’s the end of the incident.

(Note that I’m not talking about abusive personalities - emotionally disturbed souls who will continue to insult and manipulate you no matter how gently you respond to them. With such people, you’re probably better off keeping your distance. Here, though, we’re presumably dealing with a rational, well disposed gentleman, just feeling the stress of having to be continually vigilant in the ongoing struggle to balance the family budget.)

Martha vs. Sid

Martha was an idealistic young lady young lady who lived more for other people than for herself. In fact, one of the reasons why she was attracted to Sid, the man who was to become her husband, was that for many years he had been very involved in community activism and welfare work in his spare time.

In the first weeks and months of marriage, she was apparently quite surprised to see some major changes in Sid’s after-work routine. Very understandably - at least, many people would have thought so - he cut back sharply on his community volunteering in order to spend time with his new wife.

Martha, for her part, was flattered enough by his attention and grateful for his devoted help around the house. Unfortunately, her pleasure was marred by an inner conflict: what she had wanted in a husband was a sort of public hero - a man whose life revolved around his community, not around his hearth and home!

Martha tried to persuade him to return to his communal endeavors. This only served to alienate him, since took it as a sign that Martha didn’t really appreciate all the attention he was showering upon her.

Eventually, Martha also turned to an older and more experienced friend for advice.

“Lay off! Leave the poor man alone,” counseled her friend. “Concentrate on improving yourself, not him. Work every day on refining and perfecting your character traits. And in particular, always try to think of new things you could be doing for your husband - things that will make him a little happier, his life that much easier…”

From that day on, her marriage went from strength to strength.

Now, what do Martha, Polly and the lady whose husband didn’t like her spending habits all have in common?

Who’s in control?

If you think about it, it boils down to this: each of them controlled their Ego!

They subdued it, they harnessed it, they molded it to their advantage. Each of them had their own inner struggle, certainly. But ultimately, they did not allow the Ego to control them. Absolutely not!

It’s a well known fact that when a person senses danger, the body pumps out stress hormones such as adrenaline. Adrenaline then cause the system to release fat into the bloodstream, which provides the extra energy the person needs to fight off the danger.

It’s also well known that when a person gets angry, the body receives a false signal and starts producing adrenaline even in the absence of real danger. If this happens often enough, it can cause irreversible harm to the body.

The fascinating thing is that this pattern of events operates not only on the physical level. When you smell danger around the corner but none, in fact, exists, and you start to panic for no good reason, you unwittingly inflict on yourself real damage on the emotional plane as well.

And, as if the personal damage isn’t bad enough, sometimes your relationship with someone close to you somehow gets caught up in the firing line.

Let’s say you’re standing in line at the supermarket checkout when somebody behind pushes you aside and strides up to the cashier. His very act of queue jumping is a red light for you and you get hopping mad. But before your blood pressure has even had time to rise, the offender has already finished his transaction and you’re free to proceed.

You stop to think. “Hey, my body and my emotions have just taken a terrible pounding, but why? Was I in any type of danger? No, it appears not. Then why the heck did I get so hot under the collar?

“On second thoughts, though, there was a part of me that came under threat. But which part? Only my Ego, actually…..And for the sake of a bruised Ego I’m willing to get so excited over an inconsequential delay of precisely eighteen seconds?”

It’s only your Ego that’s hurt when you pass an acquaintance in the street and she returns your greeting with a blank stare. It’s only your Ego that’s hurt when a clerk at a government office yells at you for not bringing the right forms.

It’s only your Ego that’s hurt when you do something beyond the normal line of duty at the office, but nobody seems to appreciate it. And it’s only your Ego that’s hurt when you go out of your way to prepare something special for dinner, but as far as you know, your family don’t even notice it.

Once you have learned to distinguish between real danger and mere ego-danger, you will have the key in your hands for vanquishing the troublesome Ego and confining it to its proper place for ever.

Azriel Winnett is creator of Hodu.com - Your Communication Skills Portal. This popular website helps you improve your communication and relationship skills in your business or professional life, in the family unit and on the social scene. New articles added almost daily.

What 7 most distressful situations to kids that divorced parents should avoid? Learn them to spare your kids from the painful consequences.

1. Carrying Message Between Parents

A child doesn’t like the feeling that he or she must act as a messenger between hostile parents or carry one adult’s secrets or accusations about another. Children want parents to talk with each other so that the messages are communicated the right way and so that children don’t feel like they are going to mess up.

Parents must take the responsibility to talk directly with each other, especially if the topic is likely to anger the other parent. It is unfair to make your child carry messages to your “ex” because you find it too awkward or aggravating to do so yourself. It is also poor parenting to show by example to your child that you can resolve a problem with another person by not communicating or to suggest to a child that the other parent is such a monster that you cannot speak or be civil with each other.

Wherever possible, communicate directly with the other parent about matters relevant to the children, such as scheduling, visitation, health habits, or school problems.

2. Getting Involve With Money Issues

Avoid arguing and discussing child support issues in front of the children. How would you feel if you are that child hearing mom and dad arguing about your financial support? Most children upon hearing these things feel that their existence is some kind of parent’s burden.

Who will pay for what and how available money should be spent are adult issues that the parents must discuss directly. Do not put your children in the middle of your child support disputes.

3. Hearing Criticisms Of The Other Parent

It hurts a child very much to hear one loved parent criticize the other loved parent. Children see themselves as half of each parent. When children hear bad things about one parent, they hear bad things about half of themselves. If they hear bad things about both their parents, they feel that both halves of them must be of little worth.

Even if you are sure you’re right, try to avoid criticizing the other parent around the kids, and try to find good things to say, or don’t say anything at all.

The following is a list of destructive remarks that you should not make to your child. If you find yourself saying words like these, stop and think about their impact on your child.

• You’re lazy/stubborn/bad tempered, just like your mother/father.

• Your mother/father put you up to saying that.

• Your dad/mom doesn’t love any of us or he/she wouldn’t have left us.

• You can’t trust her/him.

• He/she was just no good.

• If she/he loved you, she/he would send your support checks on time.

• Someday you’ll leave me too, just like your father/mother.

All of these remarks raise fear and anxiety in children.

4. Quizzing Children About The Other Parent

Do not make your children a spy in the other parent’s home. It is very difficult for a child of divorced parents to cope with feeling “caught in the middle”. If they want to tell you about time spent with their other parent (and they usually don’t), listen closely and politely, and then stop. If they don’t volunteer any information, try simply, “Have a good time? Good.”

Encourage your children to love both parents. They must not be burdened with having to align with one parent’s anger against the other.

5. Taking Sides

Your child wants to love both of his or her parents. Asking your child to take your side in any situation regarding your ex-spouse can create a tremendous amount of stress for your child.

Avoid putting children in the position of having to take sides. Allow your children to continue to love both parents without being made to feel guilty or disloyal.

6. Dealing With Parent’s Feeling

Complaining to your child about how lonely you are after the separation makes a child feel guilty and sad and want to “parent” you. It’s not healthy for them to be consumed with worry for their parents’ ability to survive.

Let your child be a child. They need the freedom to be children. It’s easy, but wrong, to make your adolescent child, or even your adult child, a confidant in dealing with your recovery, your dating life, or your fears. Even if children seem capable of handling these concerns without ill effects, they rarely are.

7. Threatening To Cut Off Contact With The Children If The Other Parent Doesn’t Do Or Stop Doing Something

The kids hear these threats and fear more loss in their lives. Such conduct hurts your kids and must not be continued.

Recognize that for your child to have the best chance of growing up to be a functional human male or female, he/she will need both parents as role models and nurturers. This means that there should be some pathway of getting through to the child whatever good that parent has to offer.

Anything that puts a child in the middle of dispute is unhealthy, and causes the most problems for divorcing families. If parents don’t work issues through, those issues have a huge effect on their kids.

It can be hard to do, but parents can improve a situation by recognizing their divorce is from each other, not the children. Kids need to see that even though their parents might not love each other, they are committed to staying connected because of their responsibilities as parents. At time, this may seem absolutely impossible, because the parents can’t tolerate the idea of being connected. Yet the child needs both of them, psychologically if not in reality.

About The Author

Copyright by Ruben Francia. All Rights Reserved.

Ruben Francia is an author of an indispensable divorce parenting guide ebook, entitled “101 Ways To Raise Your ‘Divorced’ Children To Success”. Discover the ways to raising healthy, happy and successful children even if you’re on divorced. Visit his web site at http://www.101divorceparenting.com

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included. subscribe@101divorceparenting.com