Vision - May/June 2008 - (Page 32)

$ $ eye on business Motivational ideas for the Ce industry ] • [ by dan Cole Consider offering summer hours, flexible schedules and telecommuting options. his issue of CE Vision launches a new format for our “Eye on Business” column. Dan Cole, vice president of sales and business development for CEA, takes your questions on how to motivate your staff and increase your sales success. Dan has more than 20 years of sales experience and sales leadership through executive positions at Lanier Worldwide, National Trade Productions, Advanstar Communications, Yellowbrix and the International CES. Dan deploys what he calls a “rhinocDan Cole eros mentality,” telling his salespeople the necessity of having a thick skin, hunting for new business opportunities and aggressively charging them down—but never at the expense of a customer. T Keep the Team on Track and Upbeat most likely worked exhaustive hours over the holidays, consider offering more flexible hours during slow months. If possible, offer paid vacation time to your best salespeople. Use the slow times to get your staff together and inspire their creative juices. They’re the ones talking to your customers the most. Ask for their input and observe what’s working on the floor and what’s not. Get them to suggest marketing promotions they think will work for your customers. Celebrate their successes, birthdays and anniversaries. Get them out of the store for lunch or dinner and use the events to help them bond together like a family. employees and offer small gestures and incentives to build goodwill. Giving praise for a job well-done can make a world of difference. Set up inexpensive group activities like an iced-coffee break to add some fun to the work day. Consider offering summer hours, flexible schedules and telecommuting options. For example, if they know they’ll have a half-day on Friday as a reward, they’ll be more motivated to meet their deadlines throughout the week. Jon Feingersh/Getty Images My staff contains a number of teleworkers. I love being “green” and most of them continue to produce solid results, but how can I build in more team-building activities to keep the whole staff connected? Managing teleworkers is not much different than managing traveling salespeople or other staff that are often in the field. Stay focused on their results, not on visual feedback. Frequent and clear communications are the most vital aspects of keeping the teleworker connected to the team and his/ her performance on track. Strategic teleworkers will look to avoid an “out of sight, out of mind” reputation with their co-workers. If possible schedule staff meetings and celebration events on days when the teleworker will be in the central office. If the person is working from home, they still may be interested in taking part in after-hours social events. See if they want to join the company sports team or help plan a company picnic. You also can set up a telework buddy system. Have an inside staff person keep the teleworker informed of company news that might affect his/her work. The teleworker can reciprocate by helping keep staff informed of industry news. To send a question for a future “Eye on Business” column, e-mail dcole@CE.org. • www.ce.org My store hits a major low after the holiday sales and the Super Bowl are over. When sales slow down, what can I do to keep my staff motivated and upbeat? First and foremost, stay positive. People want and need leaders. Smiles, enthusiasm and positive re-enforcement are contagious. Instill some sort of incentive for getting through the hectic seasons. Since your staff When summer hits, the hot weather seems to make my staff incredibly un-focused. What can I do to keep them on task? Summer doldrums aside, people get unfocused when they’re unable to concentrate on a reasonable objective. People are more productive if they are satisfied in the knowledge that they are making a difference. Acknowledge the temptation of summer weather, ask for and gain feedback from 32 May/June 2008 http://www.ce.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vision - May/June 2008

Vision - May/June 2008 Contents Shapiro's Spectrum In This Issue The Economist C4 Trends Visionary Making the Smartphone Truly Intelligent Shipping Strategies for CE Companies IP in BRIC Countries CEA Newsline Tech Speak Eye on Business Tech Policy Market Insider Just the Stats

Vision - May/June 2008

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