Texting Is Trending

Derrick MoeNo Comments

Texting is becoming the best communication channel in the business world.  It seems that phone calls are answered less often even when considering business lines.  The backdoor, surest communication channel is the cell phone and, specifically, texting. Texting/app messaging is the preferred communication tool for younger workers.  When you are hiring today, you need to keep this fact in mind.  I still find LinkedIn messaging to work well.  However, nothing works as well, or as quickly, as texting.  The response time is typically minutes or less.  The ability to send attachments and links has improved also. So is it a trend when dealing with Millennials?  According to HR Executive it… Read More

Continue Reading

3 Ways The Brain Handles Info

Derrick MoeNo Comments

This article is from Eye on Sales with some key points about how our brains handle information (emphasis mine): It all goes back to how your brain is wired to work. Despite how advanced our technology has become, the brain inside your head is brilliantly primitive. There are really only three ways that our brain handles any information that it receives: If it’s boring or expected, the brain ignores it. If it’s too complex, the brain dramatically summarizes it. If it’s threatening, the brain makes you fight or run. So what you’re saying doesn’t really matter. Especially if the brain in the person listening to you is feeling threatened or… Read More

Continue Reading

Rapport Sells More

Derrick MoeNo Comments

This is one of those topics I always believe people inherently know…and then I come across a robotic salesperson.  Apparently not everyone is aware of this truth.  This quick post from Selling Power speaks to the importance of rapport-building and successful selling (and I lifted the title from them). A quick refresher: 1. Match your customer’s style. Pay attention to how your customer prefers to communicate and get in step. Does your customer prefer to get right down to business or warm up by engaging in some small talk? What kind of a sense of humor does your customer have? If your customer talks fast and loud, you certainly won’t… Read More

Continue Reading

It Is All About Communication

Derrick MoeNo Comments

From today’s Herman Trend report (emphasis mine): The other highlights of the study are fascinating: the least happy of the generations is the Baby Boomers. They expressed the strongest discontent with their employers and the greatest frustration that their loyalty and hard work have been neither recognized nor rewarded. “Almost one-third (32 percent) of Baby Boomers surveyed say a lack of trust in leadership is a top turnover trigger—the highest ranking by any workforce generation.” Employers are most vulnerable to lose their Generation X workers. Lack of career progress is their top exit trigger (65 percent). Only 28 percent of Gen X employees surveyed expect to stay. This intention to… Read More

Continue Reading

Texting And Lightning

Derrick MoeNo Comments

The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. -Mark Twain If you would, allow me to speculate a bit.  I’ve been involved in volunteer activities with high school students over the past 2 years so I have become a reluctant texter (is that a word?).  I learned quickly that their preferred method of communication is texting.  I didn’t even have texting on my cell service when I started.  I now have unlimited texting out of necessity. I tell you this in regards to a concern I see in this younger generation.  I’ve read… Read More

Continue Reading

Disappearing Telecommuters

Derrick MoeNo Comments

Saleshq.com offers up tricks for telecommuters in this article.  There are some solid points like this: 5. Communication It’s very easy to forget the outside world when you work from home. While you do get to avoid the intricacies of corporate politics, it also means that you have to be your own advocate. Make sure there are multiple ways for your boss and colleagues to contact you. Check your email frequently, and respond as immediately as you can. Keep your phone at hand, and make sure you call if there’s an office meeting. An instant messaging service works well for open communication if something changes last minute. For more long… Read More

Continue Reading

I Don’t See The Point Of Twitter

Derrick Moe1 Comment

I know the Twitterheads are going to flame this, but I have to agree with Ricky Gervais: But after composing only five Tweets, Gervais gave up on January 9, telling his 13,000 followers he was going to stop his updates because “I don’t see the point.” He followed up with an explanation on his blog, calling Twitter “undignified.” (As opposed, say, to David Brent dance.) “I just don’t get it, I’m afraid,” Gervais wrote. “I’m sure it’s fun as a networking device for teenagers but there’s something a bit undignified about adults using it. Particularly celebrities who seem to be showing off by talking to each other in public.” I… Read More

Continue Reading

The Straight-Up Truth

Derrick Moe2 Comments

These are skittish times, aren’t they?  I have seen this among reps and myself – every little item is scrutinized.  Communication, email, reports…I find myself looking for subtle clues in all of them.  Is a layoff coming?  How bad is it?  What is going to happen next? These are not productive thoughts.  As a manager, how do you quell these fears?  There isn’t one move, tool or approach that will cure it, but a concerted effort will help to minimize your team’s anxiety. Selling Power offers up an article that has some feel-good points that I question.  However, there is something in the article that caught my eye: Don’t make… Read More

Continue Reading

Never Out Of Office

Derrick MoeNo Comments

I’m traveling to Palm Springs, CA today for a trade show.  Let me just say that a California trade show is a blessed thing to a Minnesotan in February.  Anyway, I didn’t put an email message saying I will be out of the office. Why even use that feature in Outlook? Here’s my rationale, I receive all of my emails on my cell phone.  They are pushed to me so I actually get notified the moment they arrive.  I have my laptop with me and the hotel has wireless internet which is to be expected these days.  I may be physically out of the office, but I am still connected.… Read More

Continue Reading

Death Of The Fax

Derrick MoeNo Comments

Just a simple thought here – when will the fax machine go away?  I talk to prospects and collect their contact information for our CRM.  I had the thought, “Why do I ask for their fax number?” Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I sent a fax to a prospect or customer.  I scan it in and email it…again, that way I have a record of it in our CRM software. My outside number is 5 years until it goes down to the level of the typewriter.

Continue Reading