銷售和市場營銷的管理和規劃

：李Salz

今天很多車告訴司機，當它的時間來執行維護。 更妙的是，有些人說，維修是在1000英里，一路上更新需要的驅動程序。 作為業務主管或小企業的老闆，如果你有這種技術在您的指尖，這將是巨大的。 不幸的是，管理一個銷售組織，將永遠是一本手冊的努力。 當然，標準物質和聯絡經理的幫助，但沒有技術，取代與銷售管理相關領導。 不知道從哪裡挖掘到您的銷售組織？ 這十二個領域，將顯示你是多麼遊戲準備。
1。 業務目標。 在你的能力，我敢打賭，你可以舉出易如反掌業務的目標，但做的銷售團隊的主要成員，了解他們嗎？ 更妙的是，他們知道當前的（S）？ 業務目標的變化。 重要的是，受變更影響的的人都知道了。 業務目標作為公司的銷售架構，它是整體的銷售體系框架的基礎。 如果不檢討銷售框架的基礎，是一個高風險無法實現的目標。 這是建設一個建立在錯誤的地方錯誤的材料，或者更糟，相當於。
2。 分化。 有人認為，差異化是營銷團隊的工作。 我看到作為銷售和市場營銷之間的共同責任。 底線是貴公司是否是成功的，在您想要的價格中標企業。 喬治卡林有這個偉大的。 “如果你釘在一起的兩個從未有過釘在一起之前的事情，有人會買吧！”分化我們的目標是永遠向前。 今天是獨一無二的，是過時的明天。 然而，銷售人員可以區分的產品超出自己是一個有價值的資源，為他們的客戶。 這是有競爭力的商品市場的關鍵。 問銷售人員，我最喜歡的問題之一是，為什麼有人從他們那裡購買。 我們的目標是看到他們看到，他們向他們的客戶帶來什麼價值。
3。 理想的客戶個人資料。 希望，你已經有了其中之一。 這是你理想中的客戶端的屬性，明確界定的文件。 想想在規模上，購買的情況下，預算，購買習慣等，這是一個配置的銷售團隊的每個成員應該記住，知道負責。 他們追求新的業務應與此配置文件。 由於業務變化的目標，此配置文件可能會改變。 確保它仍然滿足業務的需要。
4。 消息的一致性。 你花時間和金錢投資在一個新的運動的。 您的銷售人員地位的公司，使用這種新的消息，但打印材料和網站還傳達了舊的信息。 不好！ 出站消息的市場必須是一致的的。 如果銷售人員說，公司演示應加強。 印刷的質押物和網站應幫助消息的位置。 從本質上講，整個的做法應保持一致。
5。 智力資本。 那是什麼，你說呢？ 這些是你引用的客戶。 其他比你的員工，他們是你最寶貴的資產。 這個資產是你的銷售團隊的關鍵，幫助他們贏得業務。 你是如何引用的客戶越來越多的組合？ 你如何確保你最大的客戶是不超過銷售團隊充分利用這些目的？ 你可以說貴公司​​做的一切，從多個購買的情況下（新手，退伍軍人，等）的客戶嗎？ 引用的使用，可以作為您的銷售團隊的一個重要的競爭優勢。 重要的是不斷增長，管理良好的投資組合。
6， 銷售業績 。 執行團隊的成員是如何分配給他們的目標嗎？ 雖然你可能受到誘惑來衡量唯一的營收表現相對配額，這並不總是最好的辦法為長期購買流程。 在這種情況下，審查的性能，在購買過程中本身就是一個重要的研究領域。 這就是說，經驗法則是看升級的最底層的20％的銷售團隊。 招聘是一個健康的銷售任何組織正在進行的舉措。
7， 管道分析 。 有多麼大的銷售渠道應確保其產量足以滿足業務目標的各種意見。 面臨的挑戰是一個嚴格的量化值，最大限度地減少了質的重要性。 我已經看到了銷售人員與管線的兩倍，他們的目標完成年度配額的150％。 我也看到了其年度目標的五倍管道銷售的人，錯過了目標。 除了定量研究，最好的辦法是進行正式的，定期的管道評論，讓你和你的執行團隊，可以深入到管道，看看有什麼是真正的前景。 質量取代數量。 管道評語是學習市場趨勢和競爭情報方面的管理團隊非常有幫助。
8。 理想的銷售人員簡介。 希望，你有其中之一。 此工具定義為貴公司理想的銷售人的屬性。 你需要這個，如果你要升級的最底層的20％，您的銷售團隊。 此配置文件的變化，但是，由於業務的變化和成熟。 想想在黑莓上。 七年前，他們的銷售人員必須建立在微創競爭激烈的市場需求。 今天，黑莓是企業的主食，但購房者以外的黑莓品牌的產品選擇。 須在其業務成功的技能設置最初是比今天非常不同。 不要有一個配置文件？ 見我的文章，題為“銷售婚姻法”，以了解如何制定您的理想的銷售人員的個人資料。
9。 收入加速器計劃（RAP）。 同樣，你可能會問自己這個術語意味著什麼。 我剛才寫的“新員工培訓。”這並不傳達到生產力水平盡快得到銷售人員的重要性。 每一個銷售人員是在貴公司聘請的時間，有一個經營成本。 因此，一個程序集中，減少了銷售人員的時間來產生收入的發展是至關重要的。 為了有效地制訂你的RAP的，問自己的銷售人員需要知道有效地推銷自己的產品，他們什麼時候需要知道這些信息。 有些ERR使用消防水帶的方法。 “教他們在他們的第一個星期的一切，並告訴他們去賣！”根本的問題是，如何迅速有一個為此聘請投資回報？
10。 技能發展。 很多人認為銷售人才是天生沒有發展。 哦，如果這是唯一的情況下。 企業需要投入在他們的銷售團隊的發展，正如專業運動隊的每一天練習自己的手藝。 銷售是一門專業，持續的培訓不要求繼續履行中的作用的幾個專業之一。 但是，它是成功的關鍵。 其中最大的高級管理人員和銷售人員之間斷開時的銷售團隊是不是“賣的價值。”當高管詢問他們訓練的銷售團隊，證明這個值何時以及如何批評的是，一個空白的樣子出現在他​​們的臉上。 銷售人員將執行基於對他們是如何訓練和它們是如何補償。
11。 補償。 請問您的補償計劃驅動器你覺得協助滿足業務目標的銷售行為呢？ 這一切都回來經營目標。 銷售人員的祝福和詛咒的是，他們使用作為工作描述他們的補償計劃。 如果你支付他們做一件事，但期望另一個，你會失望的。 這也是一個非常敏感的領域。 該計劃必須改變為經營目標的變化。 但是，如果計劃的變化過於頻繁，銷售團隊將增長不信任，並期待離開。 接近真實的謹慎。
12。 度量。 銷售的美，只是一切都可以測量。 正是由於這個原因有些人喜歡銷售。 這是現任行政團隊創建，公司的銷售架構的各個方面，可以測量和分析的指標與預期目標等。 這是一個偉大的方式來使用您的CRM。 他們的目的是跟踪需要測量什麼。 我建議分析團隊成員的表現，產品線，並在總的銷售組織。 誰賣什麼樣的產品最？ 誰銷售最高的保證金交易？ 什麼產品賣的不是如預期？ 哪個銷售人員購買週期最短？ 銷售人員購買週期最長？
這十二個方面的審查將確保您的銷售組織是微調，並準備征服暢銷世界。

作者簡介：
李B. Salz是銷售突突“的作者騰飛總統，儘管你的突突銷售經理。”他專門在幫助公司和他們的銷售組織的適應，並在業務不斷變化的世界中茁壯成長。 李是主旨發言，商務諮詢，銷售培訓。 他可以達到通過他在網站上銷售突突或致電763.416.4321。

由： 琳恩Saarte

營銷你的業務時，你沒有打破銀行，所以您可以有自己的促銷活動，可以創造商機。 這些正是時代要意識到你辛苦賺來的錢去。 因此，你必須要考慮可能的方法可以節省成本，你的營銷努力。

艱難歲月，你會發現自己的努力保持吸引新客戶，您的業務。 雖然這是相當誘人的，甚至不認為削減營銷預算 ，所以您可以入不敷出。 如果你想開始失去你的客戶群，然後向右走，前進，停止你的營銷活動。 但是，如果你想生存這些困難的時候，留在上面，你必須開始思考巧妙的方法來促進您的業務。

您不必經常來與更昂貴的抵押物，如目錄印刷或打印小冊子，讓你可以有盡可能多的信息。 還有其他成本效益的方式去營銷您的打印目錄以外。 下面是如何：

1。 市場感謝你注意卡。

你總是可以在折扣商店購買了一堆他們，然後將它們發送到你的忠誠客戶，只是為了讓他們知道你感謝他們為您提供的業務。 手寫的消息，使更多的個人。 他們的成功和福祉的願望和結束。

2。 成為專家。

寫上你的專業知識的文章。 如果您在目錄印刷，然後如何打印目錄的工作，然後在網站上提交這些文章寫的文章。 人越多，誰就能讀您的文章，您的專業知識更多的機會，讓您的信息您需要為您的客戶群。

3。 共享數據和信息。

這一次，如果你發現了一個偉大的文章，你可以分享與您的客戶會明白這些信息。 它會顯示你感興趣，以至於你都保持有什麼可以為他們提供解決方案，他們的一些問題的標籤。

4。 接觸的人。 與他們交談。

這是最基本的手段來獲得你的目標客戶接觸。 來吧，拿起電話，撥打該號碼。 詢問目前的營銷活動，你為他們做去年的反饋。 取得聯繫，您將能夠產生新的業務和振興的過程中舊。

5。 網絡，網絡，網絡

轉到事件和參加貿易展的展品。 但切記，網絡是不是得到，你可以盡可能多的名片。 網絡進行連接，並形成工作的關係，可以幫助您拓展業務。

有更多的方式推向市場您的業務不賠你一隻胳膊和一條腿。 你一定要找出你有什麼根據您的預算為您的企業產生的線索的手段，以促進創意。

關於作者

林恩Saarte是冰雹，來自得克薩斯州的一個作家。 一些年來，她一直在互聯網業務，專門從事網絡營銷和其他在線業務戰略，筆者邀請您來 參觀 。http://www.printplace.com

營銷涉及的廣告，產品管理，是擴大產品的知名度面向通信的各個階段。

營銷的其他屬性包括：
1） 市場營銷是一個綜合管理過程 ，通過經營活動的全過程。

（2）營銷組織滿足客戶的需求為中心的業務活動，並達到企業的利潤目標和developmentby滿足的需求。

（3）市場營銷的整體運作的手段，以適應需求和影響。
綜上所述，我們可以做出這樣的營銷總經理，營銷是客戶的需求為出發點，有計劃地組織企業的經營活動，為客戶提供滿意的商品和服務，實現企業目標和過程。

業務的發展，預計提供中期業績長期，例如開發一個渠道或合作夥伴戰略，銷售活動。 作為一個純粹的銷售活動，這是更短期和通常涉及直接銷售到終端客戶的反對。 營銷是一個函數，它支持，讓他們的目標材料開發，市場知識和銷售主張有關這些特定的垂直市場 /渠道/客戶，銷售和業務發展。 銷售和BD上去賣什麼營銷（通常伴隨著產品管理）放在一起描述，價格和位置的產品。

業務發展中的作用，是一種混合銷售和營銷活動，使您可以創建一個有效的方法和獨特的方法，目標公司，市場或想辦法。 這個角色是一個無所不包的作用，目的是幫助他們的目標行業，公司以“創造更多的業務”。

總之，營銷是獲得了這個詞 ..而業務發展和銷售出去的字！

由Ben Horowitz和大衛魏登

一個好的產品經理起著至關重要的作用，在一個成功的產品。 一個成功的產品是任何人都可以在PD組織影響最大的貢獻。 事實上，排名第一的標準是選擇副總統候選人的紀錄成功，成為他們公司的盈利企業的的產品（或缺乏）。

作為一個優秀的產品經理是這麼辛苦，要善於在大多數公司的大多數產品經理失敗 - 而取而代之的是壞的。 由於產品的管理是一個高度槓桿的位置，一個壞的產品經理，導致許多其他的不良後果，一般包括正在興建的錯誤的產品，一般有收入，士氣和聲譽產生重大影響-產品經理和他們的公司。

有一些簡單的原則，產品經理可以按照編號，這將大大增加他們成功的機會。 令人驚訝的是，只有極少數的產品經理，遵循這些原則。 這些原則往往沒有明確闡明，本文件試圖解決問題的部分原因是。

最後需要說明的是，產品管理是一項艱鉅和高調工作。 個人應確保他們的挑戰。

摘要點：

• 產品的首席執行官
• 平衡各方面的重要因素
• 清除，書面交流與產品開發
• 明確的目標和優勢
• 重點對銷售隊伍和客戶
• 其他關鍵技能
• 真正優秀的產品經理

產品的首席執行官

• 行為像一個優秀的產品經理，並查看產品的首席執行官 。老總驅動器視野，並最終為自己公司的成功或失敗負責。 一個優秀的產品經理，他們的產品也是如此。 良好的產品經理，有一個現實的眼光和其產品的成功意味著什麼，他們確保這一設想變成現實 - 不惜一切代價。 良好的產品經理被視為整個產品團隊作為產品的領導者。
• 不好的產品經理認為自己的營銷資源 ，不好的產品經理定義為一種營銷資源的作用狹義：寫入數據表的人，安排新聞稿，得到客戶的反饋等不好的產品經理得到所有的時間由吸與他們一起工作，他們採取產品團隊分鐘的各種組織，他們是工程的地鼠。
• 不好的產品經理有很多藉口：沒有足夠的資金，工程經理是個白痴，微軟，10倍，它的工作許多工程師，我勞累過度，我沒有得到足夠的方向。 一旦失敗，不好的產品經理，他們指出，他們預測他們會失敗。 巴克斯代爾不使這些種藉口，也不應該一個產品的CEO 。

良好的產品經理平衡的重要因素

• 良好的項目經理考慮的重要因素。，作為CEO的產品，產品經理必須了解和平衡的各種因素，影響產品的戰略和執行。
  • 平衡的主要因素包括：
    • 公司的目標和能力 。良好的產品經理了解（或指導）尋求在這方面，公司的整體目標和產品策略。 良好的產品經理也明白他們公司的整體能力和局限性。 例如，一個好的產品經理知道如果他們的公司要最大限度地通過高端的直接銷售人員每幾百個客戶的交易收入或如果該公司希望最大化客戶一個易於使用的產品，為成千上萬客戶可以通過一個多元化的分銷渠道。 一個好的產品經理也知道大約多少和什麼樣的營銷資源 ，該公司將斥資對這些產品。 良好的產品經理總是不知道這些問題的答案，但他們知道足夠的詢問時，他們不 。
    • 客戶的需求
      • 聽取客戶良好的產品經理，但他們探測到的根本問題得到引人注目的價值主張，為客戶更深，如果你有一個嘈雜的車，你可能會問一個響亮的立體聲，但你可能會被一個安靜的幸福了一個好的產品經理車。獲取這種差異。 良好的產品經理也知道什麼樣的客戶可以及將支付（有時這比他們想要的東西略有不同）。
      • 良好的產品經理做定量研究。
      • 良好的產品經理是一定的，如果他們建立了一定的產品，客戶會購買它。 良好的產品經理明白，如果他們螺桿這，他們還不如包裝，所以他們多走一英里，以確保他們獲得這項權利。
    • 比賽。良好的產品經理了解建築和商業競爭的能力和了解競爭對手可以很容易地，並不能在所有。 良好的產品經理們知道他們必須更好或不同的，或者他們就死定了。 注意“不同”意味著產品的差異以外的東西，如整合或分發 ..
  • 知道你知道，你不知道的東西，是一個優秀的產品經理敏銳地意識到，他們所知道的，為什麼他們知道，以及他們不知道的東西。 一個優秀的產品經理理解意見，預感，與客觀事實之間的差異。 一個好的產品經理都知道，他們的工作就是要填補這些差距在知識，而不是捍衛或混淆。 說明他們的知識，一個好的產品經理不毀了自己的信譽。 注：蒂姆豪斯貢獻單詞“模糊”，所以不怪，市場營銷。
  • 超前思考和監控你的假設。
    • 請注意所有這些因素都需要考慮到無論是現在還是在產品的生命週期。 這通常是從現在的1 - 2年。
    • 良好的產品經理也知道什麼重要的假設是，他們不時留意他們的時間，以確保他們仍然堅持。 例如，如果服務器產品的成功，假設客戶端的市場份額佔主導地位，產品計劃應重新評估，盡快假設是威脅。
  • 良好的產品經理會積極確認他們的理解與他們的經理和他人對自己的球隊。
• 不好的產品經理錯過大的圖片或錯過小，但重要的因素 。英寸不好的產品經理建立一個太複雜，為他們的公司出售的產品，他們的公司是不是不好的產品經理為市場建立良好的產品。 不好的產品經理建立一個產品，將要花很長時間還清，不好的產品經理問客戶引導性的問題，並得到偏頗的答案。，不好的產品經理，他們的本能和“確認”兩個不同尋常的客戶。 不好的產品經理的反應只有其競爭對手的動向，並忘記發展自己的產品的身份，讓這僅僅是一個什麼樣的競爭是不會做的雜牌 podge。 不精明或有足夠的信心來區分利息和承諾購買不好的產品經理。 不好的產品經理盲目聽信最響亮的客戶，並定義一個產品，解決少數幾家公司昨天的需要。 比較不好的產品經理未來的產品到今天的比賽，或舉出優勢，客戶不關心。 不好的產品經理試圖捍衛自己的知識缺乏，而不是獲得的知識。 不好的產品經理就一葉障目，並沒有注意到時，事物的變化，只有當他們的產品失敗。

清除，書面交流與產品開發

• 良好的產品經理明確界定產品的要求-以書面
  • - 如果不是最重要的 - 最重要的一個產品經理的工作是明確界定，並在盡可能多的細節是必要的產品應做什麼，應該如何快速，良好的產品經理不忘記指定的重要信息。 良好的產品經理寧可清晰的一面，並願意解釋顯而易見的，以確保它的理解。 良好的產品經理也可以指定整個產品，包括釋放標準，平台等，不僅新的功能。 良好的產品經理也感和解決棘手的問題 - 以書面形式 - 早在發展過程中。
  • 注意：一個好產品的定義並不來自一個在象牙塔裡的產品經理，但根據研究，信息和邏輯，透明的思維過程，整個團隊的購買到。
    • 良好的產品經理都知道，工程師的性質和價值的數據遠遠比意見的科學家。 此外，工程和PD（QA，文件等）的其他部分應參與這一進程。
    • 良好的產品經理定義一個清晰的產品的願景和目標，授權工程填寫的細節，都難以指定或預期。 作為這項工作的一部分，良好的產品經理也可以解釋為什麼工程應該建立一個特定產品的一種特別的方式。 一個好的產品經理不會要求為 2噸的某些部分將尋找某種方式收集，並希望它出來作為保時捷。
    • 一個很好的測試產品經理是產品團隊以外的人問5個不同的工程，QA和DOC他們的產品是應該做的事，為什麼人得到相同的答案。
    • 良好的產品經理是尊重他們的工程隊。 工程隊在困難的決定，涉及良好的產品經理。
  • Good product managers gather information from engineering informally and verbally, but good product managers give direction in writing to engineering.. Written communication to engineering is superior because it is more consistent across an entire product team, it is more lasting, it raises accountability.
  • Good product managers attend product team meetings regularly and make sure they're around when engineering is making tradeoffs.
• Good product managers think their Product Requirements Document (PRD) is a big deal. The PRD is the single most important document the product manager maintains and in most cases should be the definitive source of direction from marketing to engineering (see Writing a Good PRD ).
  • Good product managers keep PRDs up-to-date daily or weekly at a minimum. Good product managers view the entire PRD process as a living ongoing process, because it is (engineering has new questions, market conditions change, etc.). If anything changes in the PRD, a good product manager communicates the change clearly to the entire product team.
  • Good product managers don't rest until they are sure that the product vision is consistent across product management, engineering, QA, tech pubs, and support and is reflected in the PRD. They don't rest, because they know that no great product ever emerged from a broad set of conflicting visions.
• Bad product managers cut corners on communication with engineering or misunderstand their role. Bad product managers specify the how not the what. They want light and ask for a candle when their engineers could have built a light bulb. Bad product managers have a bad feeling about an aspect of the product but leave it murky. Bad product managers worry about specifying every feature in detail thinking they know more about how to solve a problem or how the product should behave or be architected. Bad product managers put off hard decisions until the end of the product cycle. Bad product managers write a PRD and assume engineering understands it. Bad product managers don't have time to update their PRD. Bad product managers update the PRD and don't tell anyone, or don't tell enough people, or don't explain why. Bad PMs change engineering priorities based on the latest customer feedback or latest hot sales situation without going through the defined process. Bad PMs ignore engineering requests or calls.

Clear goals and advantages

• Good product managers have clear goals. Good product managers are absolutely committed to success. Good product managers define success as achieving explicit goals. Goals that are important are written down. Good product managers have written goals for their product and for their own personal objectives.
• Good product managers know the advantages of their product cold. Good product managers know how their product will be better / different than the competition. This comprises a key part of the overall product vision from day one and is reflected in most things the product manager does. Good product managers have these advantages written down and are consistent.
• Bad product managers. Bad product managers have mushy goals and mushy product advantages. Bad product managers hesitate when asked for the advantages of their product. Bad product managers have inconsistent product positioning and advantages change from time to time.

Focus on the sales force and customers

• Good product managers are loved by the salesforce. A good product manager will be known personally or by reputation by at least half the salesforce. Good product managers know that salespeople have a choice of products to sell and, at a higher level, companies to work for, and selling a particular product manager's product is optional . Good product managers know that if the sales force doesn't like their product, they will fail. Good product managers know that to win over the sales force they have to be some combination of:
  • Focused on making them money — good product managers focus on and understand that salespeople are under a lot of pressure to make their quota, this quarter, and that's about it. Good product managers understand most salespeople care about things in that context and not much else, so they put things in that context without making the salesreps make a lot of intellectual leaps. “Bell Atlantic paid $3m for directory because of abc feature” not “abc allows referential integrity to be maintained across entries.”
  • Knowledgeable of what actually happens in the field — nothing turns off a salesperson more than a product manager who rambles on about their product features and seems to have no idea of the salesperson's actual situation. Good product managers know if the salesperson understands what the product does or not (and if not they start with easy to understand basics), if customers do (if not they explain more why a customer would care than what the product does), etc. Good product managers speak from experience. “When I helped Bob close this deal…”
  • Around – they've been out in the field, been to sales training, been to SE training, been to pitches, etc.
  • A good presenter
  • Responsive
  • Fun
• Good product managers know and understand customers. Good product managers know a handful of current and potential customers personally. Good product managers understand the exact dynamics of real customer situations. Good product managers leverage this knowledge with engineering, other customers, the salesforce, press and analysts, etc.
• Bad PMs don't have time for the salesforce or customers. Bad product managers focus on their product and competitors and aren't sure what's going on in the field. Bad product managers delegate working with sales. Salespeople have either never heard of or dislike bad product managers. Bad product managers are boring presenters. Bad product managers talk about how future products will be great, but the current products are weak. Bad product managers don't care about individual customers.

Key skills

• Marketing & communication
  • Product management requires an understanding of and proficiency in though not deep expertise of a wide array of marketing functions. For example, good product managers should be able to work effectively with PR and press and analysts, understand how to execute a product launch, develop collateral, staff a trade show , train the salesforce, etc. (See Working with Press and Analysts .)
  • 一個好的營銷的核心規則是有明確的優勢，跨材料一致（最好從珠三角向客戶銷售等）。 與此相關的是創造 leveragable抵押品，常見問題，介紹，白皮書的重要性。 特別是，一個產品經理應確保設置一個更新的抵押物存在（註明演示，書面定位，主要銀彈）的核心。 如果你的主要競爭對手是ABC和最近期的ABS競爭定位是9個月大，是指其產品的最後一個版本，這是一個壞的產品經理的指示。 此外，良好的產品經理，考慮到競爭中發展他們的消息，但沒有什麼競爭的奴隸。
• 什麼是重要的時間管理和感
  • 良好的產品經理的時間集中在兩個領域：1）任務，關鍵他們的產品的成功（例如，批准出口，強制許可安排）; 2）有其業務上的高的影響的任務（關閉大交易，更新他們的珠三角等）。 良好的產品經理們還利用自己的時間，完成的常見問題有一個標準的註釋介紹，做好培訓，等等。
  • 不好的產品經理把火災整天。 不好的產品經理抱怨說，他們整天回答問題的銷售力和淹沒還沒有創建的常見問題解答或其他leveragable抵押品。
• 紀律
  • 很多產品管理專案。 良好的產品經理方面的紀律和組織在其工作的基本水平。
    • 保持良好的產品經理路標，他們的項目最新。
    • 良好的產品經理發送狀態報告，每星期時間，因為他們的紀律。 不好的產品經理忘記按時發送狀態報告，因為他們沒有價值的紀律。
    • 良好的產品經理不要過度承諾。 良好的產品經理保持做產品開發的開發人員。 他們不提供工程資源，為銷售或營銷，可以而且應該處理的事情。

真正優秀的產品經理

• 真正的好產品經理演示了集團產品經理的技能和能力，而他們的產品經理。 （見良好的集團產品經理/死的集團產品經理）這些技能包括：
  • 偏執。 真是偏執。
  • 良好的工作與管理人員。
  • 利用整個組織。
  • 使用任何強度要求關閉的關鍵問題。

提高您的競爭優勢

一個營銷計劃是一個新的業務，銷售的產品/服務的書面的戰略。 它是反映一家公司在會議上的競爭頭是多麼嚴重，戰略和計劃，以增加市場份額，並吸引顧客。 一個有效的營銷計劃是得到精心收集的市場，消費者和競爭對手的信息，有時援引專業人士的意見。

為什麼要準備的營銷計劃 ？
一個良好的營銷計劃將幫助您提高您對更有經驗的競爭者和新興的的機會。 該計劃使你認識到，任何趨勢和消費者的喜好，卻忽略了其他公司採取行動，現在和未來的發展和擴大自己的忠實顧客選擇組。

該計劃還顯示，你必須仔細考慮如何生產一種產品，新穎，獨特和適銷對路的改善穩定的銷售和利潤的機會-在財政上回你對投資者的原因。

內容的營銷計劃

標題頁

• 包括公司的名稱， 營銷計劃的內容包括時間期限，及完成日期。
• 公司徽標的例子，產品設計和包裝類型，使用一個乾淨和專業格式。

目錄表

• 在他們出現的順序列出的營銷計劃中的所有內容，援引有關的頁碼。
• 名單一個單獨的頁面上的表格，圖表和圖表，使讀者可以快速找到這些演示工具。 名單將在文件的末尾的附錄。

求職信

• 這封信應該形成一個個性化的文件概述。 突出計劃的地區尤為關鍵的讀者，提供一個跡象表明，該計劃將如何幫助您的企業在未來實現整體成功。

歷史背景

• 讓讀者您的經營理念的指示，並列舉之日起開始研究的想法，任何導師或顧問的存在，您的業務範圍（業務“不”的具體）和機會擴張。 指示如何成功可以歸結為企業的未來在營銷計劃中發現的策略。

營銷目標和目標
要引入本節中，包括業務的“使命聲明”，其目標客戶，客戶，員工和消費者的想法，然後繼續進行：

銷售目標

• 比較你的前景，為未來的銷售，無論是過去的業績，或一般行業的業績報告。 通過分析以及行業平均水平作為自己的表現，你將展示給讀者，你可以看看“超越邊界”的競爭，給自己的有多好你正在執行的想法，或一般的困難，整個行業可能面對的問題。
• 確定行業範圍內的問題，並創造戰略，向他們挑戰。 這也將證明你有必要的先見之明，讓你認識到在未來的問題。
• 通過使用作為評估你的整體營銷方式的成功方式的季度報告，設置“基準” ，為您的銷售目標。 說明多少“市場份額”你打算在未來 5年收集，表明你希望使用您的“個人”的方式，提前對你的競爭對手你的位置。

利潤目標

• 包括你的預測稅後利潤為未來 5年，每年。 這項利潤的假設的基礎上發現你的商業計劃經營預算的成本數字內容。
• 指示你將如何再投資於特定領域的營銷計劃未來的活動，以及打擊經營利潤率和啟動你已經擁有的成本。 不要忽視未來的營銷計劃 ，因為你已經推遲你已經擁有的成本。 健全的營銷計劃應該做更多的付出比“本身”，其活動。

定價目標

• 聚焦你的競爭對手的弱點，具有競爭力的價格提供更好的質量。 Remember what your own attitudes are towards products you consume on a day to day basis. Remember how you react to high prices for poor or marginal quality or service.
• Justifying your prices for your product or service while thinking like a customer will give you an advantage. Survey a sampling of your potential customer group and ask them directly how they feel about competitors products, services, industry prices and any areas for improvement.

Product Objectives

• Much like what you would be doing for your prices, focus on the wants, needs and perceptions of your consumers and the general public. Identify any problems for your industry/product.
• Show how you will attract more customers while keeping the ones you have. Determine the determining factors of customer preference towards a product, like price, or social considerations such as environmental impact, product quality or convenience.
• Indicate the goals you have for quality of service, level of service (speed and accuracy), customer satisfaction, and your own flexibility to support consumer demands and requests.

Market Analysis

• Examine whether or not your industry is growing, maturing or declining.
• If it is declining, identify the problems that exist and be able to change the ones you can. Show how you can adapt to changes that you can't control.
• If your industry is maturing, show how as a new company, you may be able to better adapt to external forces; better than the more mature competition.
• In a newly emerging and growing market (the best scenario), differentiate yourself from new competitors. Show how you expect to become a major market share holder, using a new approach to the marketplace and utilizing the latest technology. Identify the older methods of generating your product/service being challenged by your business' approach.
• Acknowledge the problems and challenges of the marketplace you are entering. Use your analysis to construct a strategy that will put you ahead of your competition.
• Look to ways of prolonging the “life” of your business if you recognize that what your getting into is threatened by newly emerging technologies and business approaches. To advance your business in the new economy means finding your “niche”, or, creating one of your own.
• In your market analysis focus is on key areas like industry wide sales performance. Acknowledge why sales (as a whole) may be declining. Look to national and provincial averages, citing reasons for poor performance. Reasons can be both external to a particular businesses operations, or internal to the way the business operates. People called “industry analysts” have developed a way of determining the causes of business failures, focusing on the direction newly emerging business can take to realize success. Reference these professionals.
• Your focus should also turn to the local scene, since local markets may or may not follow the greater industry trend for various reasons. Compare the local situation to the national and provincial averages; the trends in sales , and the estimated total market that can be reached by local companies.
• Recognize the position your local competitors have taken in the local market; the clientele they serve, the product they produce, the price they expect to charge for their products and services.
• Finally, relate your own businesses position to the position of others, reflecting on the maturity and experience of your business competitors.

Environmental Analysis – Global Business Environment
Conduct an environmental analysis to look at and comment on the world in which you will be operating. Unemployment rates for the past 2 to 5 years and the impact it has had on sales and the overall customer base is an effective way of demonstrating the effect of “external” pressures onto your business. Threats due to environmental conditions (like unemployment, layoffs, recession, high interest rates) reduce consumer activity, and should be explored in your marketing plan .

Political and Legal

• Identify the regulations, permits, insurance, liability, municipal zoning and taxation requirements that you must follow in order to operate your business.
• The business climate of your town, village and surrounding area is an important influence on your day-to-day operations. Reflect on topics such as taxation, zoning and other factors.

人口統計學

• Describe the population base that exists to support your product. Identify the market size for your product, and the people that make up your product/service's consumer group. Provide information about:
• Where they live, What products do they buy, How much they spend on similar products each year,
• Where they shop for these products, etc. Indicate whether or not your product is geared towards a specific age group, with spending patterns and consumer demands. Indicate whether this group is shrinking, expanding or yet to be tapped into.

Environmental Analysis – Local Business Environment
Conduct an environmental analysis that looks at and comments on your local area and your network of business contacts, competitors and customers.

Suppliers

• Identify your sources for direct purchasing by describing their locations, the frequency of your orders and the type and amount of supplies you will be ordering.

Social/Cultural

• Explain any particular client support or other specialized consumer groups that can be identified apart from the general public. Describe the spending and product requirements of these groups and the characteristics of your company that support the product and services they are demanding. Indicate whether your product is part of the day to day activities of a specific group or the general public. Identify the influence this will have on your projected sales . Identify your networking contacts in the community, and the overall atmosphere surrounding your business. Identify the influence this will have on your projected sales . Predict the receptiveness of your product concepts, and how the community perceives your business.
• Describe the expected response to your advertising, and how this will boost sales . Indicate what overall market trends you will be following in order to stay current and “in touch” with the public. What special techniques will you be employing in order to match consumer demands.

比賽

• Identify your direct competition by naming their business, describing their facilities and operations, identifying their share of the consumer market, realizing support for their product and by reviewing the weaknesses of their approach.

Consumer Analysis

• Identify your target market, describing how your company will meet the needs of the consumer better than the competition does. List the expectations consumers have for your type of product. Since demands may be different, products and services will vary between competitors. Quality, price and after sales service are just some of the areas where this difference occurs.
• Identify the segment of the market that will benefit from your product and area of expertise as well as your approach to selling your product or service.
• Predict the sales potential that may be realized by tapping into and holding onto your target market, and attracting others through different strategies and approaches. These different approaches can be all done at the same time or be more incremental – obtaining a core audience for your product or service first, then expanding into the rest of the market. Identify the sales potential for each of these target groups.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis

Strengths

• List the strengths of your business approach such as cost effectiveness, service quality and customer loyalty.
• List other assets of your operations such as flexibility, innovativeness, response to external pressures, creativity and company stability.
• Relate your experience (professionalism, duration and diversity) and the contacts you have made in all areas of your businesses operations – from suppliers to clients, government officials to business professionals.

Weaknesses

• Describe the areas of weakness in your company's operations, such as government policies and procedures, and management inexperience.
• Capital financing, credit, loans and other financial debts should be identified, with strategies to control their effect on your business.
• Recognize the limited impact of a new product on the market – its lack of recognition may be attributed to the companies inexperience in promoting.
• Recognize that poor performance will mean lower than expected profits – which will result in a lot of the money going to reduce debts rather than improving business facilities, operations and expanding markets.

Opportunities

• Examine how proper timing, as well as other factors such as your company's innovativeness, may improve your business's chances of success.
• Use tools such as customer surveys to emphasize the need for product quality and after sales service.
• Relate your company's focus to a segment of the present market that is being overlooked.

Threats

• List the external threats to your business' success, such a existing and newly emerging competitors, performance of the overall economy, and your dependency on other businesses such as suppliers, retailers and distributors for market access and support.

Marketing Focus

Product or Service

• Identify your product or service by what it is, who will buy it, how much they will pay for it and how much it will cost for you to produce it, why a consumer demand exists for your product, and where your product sits in comparison to similar products/services now available.
• Describe the marketplace rationale for the differences between your product and a competitors. Look at quality, price, new ideas/approaches, and how your product appeals to a specific customer base – both existing customers and new customers you hope to attract to the market.
• Be specific about how your product/service improves upon those already existing, your use of quality control, post purchase evaluation (and how you will obtain feedback) and the scope of service you will provide: responsibilities, liabilities and expectations.

地點

• Identify the location of your business, why it is located there (strategic, competitive, economic objectives), your expected methods of distribution, and timing objectives.
• Different products have different shelf lives and your estimation of how long your product will remain on the shelf is an important one.

Promotion

• Describe the type of promotional methods you will use to spread the word about your product. Identify techniques such as word of mouth, radio and newspaper ads.
• For radio, focus on a stations music format and its relationship to your products image, broadcast area, cultural focus, age focus, etc.
• For newspapers and other print mediums, consider the level at which you wish to advertise (local, regional, provincial, federal, cross-national, etc.), in what mediums (trade magazines, professional, recreational, cultural, hobby, special interest, etc.), how often, and the timing of such advertisements (seasonal, special issues, etc.).
• List accessible tradeshows that offer your business and opportunity to display banners and promotional literature.
• Explain your use of expensive mediums such as television and billboards. Both are highly expensive, while computer based “bulletin boards” and the Internet can provide a global audience.
• Promotion through associations and government support programs offer an opportunity for success stories to advertise.
• In store promotions, sidewalk sales , plant tours, free samples, openhouses, “point of sale” displays, acknowledgment in government programs, agendas, brochures and calendars are other avenues for promotion. Also, gimmicks like draws for free product samples and service visits also provide you with a mailing list for future considerations.
• Alliance campaigns between yourself and associated businesses (retailers, suppliers, etc.) provide you and some complementary businesses the chance to improve your market image and potential sales .

價格

• The prices of your products or services should reflect your overall company strategy. Pricing should be competitive as well as a reflection of the quality, costs and profit margin.
• List the quality features of your product or service, as well as the associated cost component for each item or level of service.
• List strategies you plan to use, such as providing a discount on some items you sell in order to increase the sales in other areas.

Financial Information

• Show the predicted level of sales you expect to realize with and without the strategies you have outlined in the marketing plan . Show the natural level of sales as described in your business plan , and then show the expected increase in sales as they relate to specific marketing techniques you will use.
• Show the market share you will hope to attain, based on “high”, “medium”, and “low” estimates for the success of your marketing strategy.
• Forecast the “break even point” for each of the following 5 years, in the number of sales in dollars. This will demonstrate your need to realize a certain amount of sales in order to cover your expected costs for each of the next 5 years.
• Outline the areas of weakness in the financing of your business; the deficiencies that may be found in areas such as “operating capital”, outstanding loans, and insufficient credit.
• Provide appropriate suggestions for reducing the effect that these deficiencies will have on the successful operation of your business.

Tables, Graphs, Diagrams and Pictures
By presenting information in a picture format, some areas that are hard to express in words become easy to show to the reader. 下面是一些例子：

Position Analysis

• A figure that shows where your company's image lies in relation to your direct competition.

Advertising Examples and Other Promotional Materials

• Provide the reader with some examples of the type of artwork and advertising you hope to use to attract potential customers, and, to portray a particular image of your product/service.
• Such materials can demonstrate the effectiveness of your message, successful product/service recognition and packaging design.

Demographics, Consumer Statistics and Budgets

• Include appropriate demographic information such as populations, age distributions, projected population growth and household sizes.
• Include statistics covering family expenditures, personal income characteristics, employment figures, and spending and consumer patterns.
• Provide budget sheets for advertising campaigns, sales promotions, and expenses such as uniforms, business cards, logo designs, banners, flyers, billboards, etc.
• Include printing costs and expected reordering schedules.
• Demographics and other statistics can be found in Statistics Canada information, available at the local library.

Pricing

• Relate the pricing of your products or services to your costs, profit margin, “break even point” in sales , competitor pricing schemes, consumer profiles and product/service expectations.

Separate the “fixed cost” components and your “variable costs”. Fixed costs are those that should remain stable over the next 5 years, while variable costs are those that adjust to external and internal pressures.

It often happens that sales and marketing are always mixed up or confused as the same thing. The reality is that while both sales and marketing are interconnected on some level, they are also very different from one another. These very critical departments in any business organization are in actuality two separate business entities that are often merged with one other for the maximization of profits, since sales and marketing personnel rely on each other to get the job done.

Sales plans and marketing plans are an essential for the proper management of a business. So, what are the basic ingredients to a well-written sales and marketing plan? Like most other plans there are three steps: A.) know where you are, B.) know where you want to go, and C.) map out how to go from A to B.

Marketing Plan
A marketing plan is typically designed to establish a framework for management to use as they pursue the marketing and sales objectives. It should be built on the results of your market research and the specific value proposition of your product or service.

A marketing plan typically consists of the following components:

• Sales Goals
• 公共關係
• Economic Environment
• Industry Environment
• Customer Profile
• 人口統計學
• 趨勢
• 比賽
• Marketing Channels
• Sales Tactics
• 定價
• 包裝
• Sponsoring
• Marketing Calendar

Sales Plan
Writing a sales plan takes skill – in essence it is a small business plan that includes the strategic and the tactical. The next basic question is what angle do you take for your sales plan? Is it for a geography (eg the west)? A vertical industry (eg financial services)? One of your product lines? Just you? Is it all of the above? What are you and your team being tasked to achieve? Simple questions but keep in mind that the answers will then determine who is involved in creating this plan (eg in product management, marketing, your sales team, partners, etc.).

Finally, what role does marketing play in your plan? This is not the place to usurp the entire strategic marketing plan for the company. You know the one: it includes building brand recognition, awareness and strategic goals for future offerings. No, in your plan you need to address marketing's role in demand creation: directly supporting you, the sales guy, by creating demand, generating leads and moving new opportunities into your sales funnel. Make sure you and your marketing folks clearly understand this and are on the same page.

羅恩黑

尋找銷售人才？ 在這個充滿活力的市場，你並不孤單！ 選擇有效的銷售人是一個困難和潛在危險的活動。 僱用了錯誤的人可以把你的成長，聲譽，甚至你的現金流風險。

所以，你如何找到為您的公司完美的人呢？ 在成長型市場，這可能是不可能的。 銷售的超級巨星都已經就業，每一個值得銷售經理將讓他們感到高興，不管需要什麼。 你很可能面臨著從一個經驗較少的申請人池，並選擇那些很少或根本沒有紀錄。 但是不要絕望！ 如果您知道要尋找什麼，你可以發現你自己的銷售巨星。

近兩個幾十年的建設，管理和銷售組織，銷售管理和銷售規劃科技公司振興教會了我一個很清楚的教訓... ...很容易銷售人員傳授技術，比教一個技師的銷售。 因此，如果的最好的銷售人員都無法使用，和你的強項是技術，而不是銷售為中心，這裡有一些指針，以幫助您找到您需要的人才。

規則 1：不要聘請最好的健談。

聘請最好的監聽器。 客戶希望聽到和理解，並成功的銷售團隊
善於發現需求和交流他們的技術人員。 但它是不夠的，
銷售人員揭露和理解的問題。 超級明星反映他們的理解
前景。 在這樣做，他們建立融洽的關係，促進信任，並提前前景的信心，在您的
解決方案。

在這裡接受記者採訪時提示：評估申請人的能力，發現和了解貴公司的銷售需求。 問問自己，申請人發現我們的關鍵問題？ 他們證明給我看，他們理解這些問題重申自己的話嗎？ 如果你觀察這些重要的行為在接受記者採訪時，候選人可能會使用他們在今後的銷售工作，以及。

規則 2：不要選擇看起來最喜歡的銷售人員的人。

相反，選擇讓你感到最有信心的申請人。 雖然尋找的一部分是很重要的，誠實，正直，和對他人的親切關懷，是建立富有成效的業務關係的要領。 請記住您的客戶將只承諾出售時，他們在自己的決定充滿信心。 從您的潛在客戶的觀點，問問自己，這個人真正理解並接受我點的看法？ 我相信我的支票簿？ 我相信我的名譽，他們嗎？ 如果你的本能只可能說，你的前景將是只說沒有。 當有疑問，有沒有銷售。

規則 3：租用火。

技能，知識和經驗，有沒有先天的慾望，實現零值。 並沒有什麼
提升銷售業績超過增加活動水平。 這需要精力充沛，有競爭力的，
倖存者。 銷售經常是艱難和單調的工作，強調期間穿插，
沮喪，憂慮，只是偶爾制衡繁榮的劑量。 所以... ...

尋找韌性和成就。 查找一直沒有很容易，但實現的申請人;
單身母親，誰使得這一切發生，仍然在她的臉上露出了笑容;肉刀30

把自己讀完大學，過去十年完成馬拉松的選手。 這些都是艱難的成績，成為超級巨星。

第4條：並非所有的銷售人員在所有銷售功能良好。

發現那些得到日（星期一）上午說，謝天謝地週末終於結束了，我
到去______。 要確保他們的首選活動介紹貴公司的最迫切的需要。
Sales people have a strong tendency to do what they like, not necessarily what will produce the best
結果。

這裡的另一個面試的提示。 要求每名候選人：什麼你最喜歡的銷售和營銷策劃和執行過程中的？ 如果答案是掩蓋了我喜歡這一切，提防。 最優秀的企業認識到，銷售是一個過程，每一步都必須成功地工作。 具體的答案表明一個更好地了解銷售的多個方面，更重要的是，它表明的完整性和勇氣誠實地受到壓力。 查找銷售的人承認他們的長處和短處，你發現在粗糙的鑽石！

這些都是你的前景判斷您的銷售人員，您的公司和解決方案的關鍵要素。 您的銷售人員反映您的組織能力，完整性和對客戶的承諾。 您可以負擔不起不到一個超級巨星。

請記住，這些指針是為了補充您的招聘過程，而不是取代它。 而且不要忘了尋找候選人：誰是更好的聽眾比健談，慷慨地讓你有信心;給誰，你可以委託你的聲譽，克服逆境;最後，誰知道，承認並解決自己不足之處。 當您找到一個，聘請迅速。 你剛發現你的未來巨星銷售！

＃＃＃

作者信息：

羅恩黑是一位作家，企業顧問，國際揚聲器和培訓師。 他的作品要移動到新水平的性能和企業家推出新的產品和服務的組織的高層管理者。

800-381-8686

ronblack@thementorgroup.com
www.thementorgroup.com

Office workers' attention is being diverted every three minutes by answering the phone, being alerted to an incoming email, responding to an alert on their BlackBerry, reacting to an instant message or a Tweet, or clicking on internet-based distractions such as YouTube or Facebook. These distractions consume much as 28% of an average knowledge workers' day (Basex research).

As we receive more and more e-mail messages and other technology-based interruptions, it can feel like being hit by a digital deluge. Without the skills to manage e-mail and other devices effectively, many people are wasting time just trying to keep up instead of gaining productivity through technology.

These tactics for distraction management can significantly increase your productivity:

1。 Turn off the alarm or visual alerts: You wouldn't let the postman empty a mailbag on your desk 50 times a day and you certainly wouldn't let them ring a bell with each delivery. That's exactly what you are doing if you check each e-mail when it arrives. Turn off the alarm or visual alert and take control of your e-mail and your time.

2。 Learn how to turn off or manage alerts on mobile devices: As more and more people synchronize their phones and mobile devices they are being distracted by email alerts, meeting reminders at all sorts of inconvenient times. These alerts can ensure you are being distracted at home as well as work!

3。 Treat e-mail like regular mail: Try to check your e-mail at regular times in the day, ie early morning, mid-day and late afternoon. Even if you receive a high volume of e-mails, you shouldn't check more than four times a day. Checking email regularly can give you a very busy feeling but it is deceptive as it is unlikely you are focusing on your key priorities.

4。 Take control of your in-box: Subscribe to e-mail services selectively. Ask friends or colleagues who frequently send jokes or huge files to stop. Get a separate e-mail address for personal communication or one that you give just to key contacts, similar to an unlisted phone number. Set up rules to automatically delete or file low priority emails.

5。 Focus on your priorities: Commit 10 -15 minutes each day to plan for the next day. Ensure as part of this process you make “appointments with yourself” to focus on key priorities and projects.

E-mail, mobile devices, instant messaging and the like can save businesses considerable time and money, but managing these tools is a skill that's just as important to acquire as other essential management skills such as communication, planning and prioritizing.

Priority Management is a training company specialises in time management training . Our “Working Smart” series integrates the underlying principles of Best Practice time, productivity, information and workload management into applications such as Microsoft Outlook , Lotus Notes, GroupWise, the BlackBerry and paper.

Many businesses lack a clear plan for growth; Sales and Marketing struggle with plans that are not sufficiently actionable, not aligned to the strategy, not followed, or simply non-existent. Marketing and Sales planning is difficult.

Boot Camp aligns your sales and marketing leaders around a single plan; blisteringly clear and highly actionable; so the confusion that arises from separate marketing plans and sales plans is eliminated. Because they are busy and hard to get together, Boot Camp centers around an intensive preparation before and a comprehensive plan for growth.

The planning program specifically addresses the most common sales and marketing management issues in business today, and delivers you a highly-actionable sales and marketing plan to prosecute your strategy.

Strategy to plan in 3 days

To get things clear before the Boot Camp, you:

• Distill your objectives and strategy;
• Capture key metrics about your sales funnel; and
• Introduce the sales and marketing planning system to your team

To translate your strategy into a clear plan, you then:

• Bring key members of your team together for a sales and marketing planning workshop;
• Model your sales and marketing funnel for the life of the plan;
• Predict gaps in revenue, market size, effectiveness or sales/marketing resources for every stage of the plan;
• Select optimum tactics for the execution of your sales and marketing plan; and
• Set granular objectives for every tactic; for each stage of the plan.

And to translate this into action, you:

• Document your sales and marketing plan as a Funnel Plan – a one page, blisteringly-clear, highly-actionable plan for growth;
• Identify all actions necessary to prepare for the execution of your plan; and
• Dispassionately review your sales and marketing plan , before it is rolled out to your team.

Some investors have a different view on stockmarket slumps. They see the low stock prices as a chance to buy a bargain.

During times of economic turbulence, it is our natural instinct to protect our wealth and distance ourselves from risk. While this reaction is unsurprising, it can also mean missing out on profit opportunities created during crazy times.

Warren Buffet, one of the world's wisest professional investors,
believes market downturns from another perspective, saying “Look at market swings as your friend rather than your foe; profit from folly rather than participate in it.”

Generally when we see a cheaper price for something we want we rush in for a good deal, however it can be quite the opposite with stocks. Why is it that we treat shares that have dropped in price with fear? Stock prices of a listed company can drop for a number of
reasons. Lately we have seen the stock prices of a number of blue chip companies with healthy balance sheets be negatively affected due to a rush to sell as a result of the economic crisis.

Despite the uncertain trading environment, fund managers are always checking the market for investment opportunities. Many fund managers are searching to find shares in profitable companies with strong balance sheets and returns. For example Australian companies such as household names like David Jones have delivered strong profits after tax and dividends in 2008. However during 2008, David Jones' share price fell by more than 30%.

Identifying opportunities

Not all companies will be affected by the global economic crisis similarly. Some industries are more susceptible to the economic cycle than others.
Companies who deal in of basic goods and services continue on almost unabated, for example we all need to eat – so food producers aren't as affected as much as manufacturing, motor vehicle sales or luxury goods.

Australia's population growth is at a 20 year peak and growing at 1.7% per annum. Australia's growing population provides increasing demand for goods and services as people need food, housing, cars, etc. Unlike many overseas countries, Australia benefits from two key factors: a high population growth rate and a high demand for housing.

Population growth is nearly twice that of the US while Germany has negative population growth. In America there is an over-supply of housing while Australia suffers from a lack of supply. The combination of limited accommodation and a rising population will create growing demand for housing which will support further construction and
provide opportunities for the building industry.

The value of companies

Many people view businesses with falling share prices with fear, but we need to take a look under the hood of these firms to determine why. Have they borrowed heavily?

What industry are they in? Are they competitive against their peers? Only by answering these questions, can we know if their stock price has fallen for valid reasons or if the company is indeed on sale.

When investing, many professional investors seek companies with high and maintainable dividends, strong balance sheets and ongoing cash flow. These companies are more likely to outlive the volatility storm and may give you a greater return when the market moves into the next phase of recovery and
beyond.

Before you consider changing your strategy, you should see a professional. Having a financial planner and a long-term financial plan can give you confidence to manage the effects of market cycles. With the right advice you can ensure your investments are cut to your risk profile and time horizon, giving you the certainty of knowing you're doing what's right for you.

The article brought to you by a
Brisbane business consultant who offers
銷售
training and a web design brisbane .