Improve Sales Strategy By Analyzing Company's Strengths & Weaknesses

 
Jill Kirshenbaum, vice president of strategic sales at Randstad USA, offers expertise in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses in a business team, the operations, processes and the technologies to support the teams. She is also an expert in strategic sales. Kirshenbaum provides consulting skills and services in all the areas to help grow revenue in a business. She shares tips as to what small business owners can do to improve their business and increase sales through the use of available technologies.

 
What is the best way for small business owners to determine the most efficient technologies for their company?

Take a look within your company from 10,000 feet above it. Have you ever brought a third party into your organization to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your people, your processes and the technologies you have to support them? If you haven't, are you able take an objective view of your company and determine what really needs to be done? To work on the business, does not mean working in the business. Take time outside of the business to really assess where you are, where you want to be, and what is really getting in the way that you or someone else needs to fix.

 
What suggestions do you have for small business networking?

New prospects are easier to come by now than ever before. LinkedIn and other applications such as Reachable.com and even Twitter, have allowed for soft introductions to happen with individuals whom you may have never met before. Networking in person and cold calls should still be as effective, but social proof happens on social sites, where you find you have common ground in the people, like the school that you both attended. Now is the time to reach out!

 
What is a simple initial method for business owners to assess how their company is performing?

Start with yourself as the business owners and take a look at yourself in the mirror. This is difficult, painful at times, but if you can look at what your LinkedIn profile says to people about you, that may be a good place to start. Have people said they really enjoy working with you or your company? Does it speak to what you do and how you help, even who you help? Are you looking at the Yelp reviews or Glassdoor? Stand up and hold a little professional humility. You've created a great organization, you've put sweat equity into your business. Do not let your ego get in the way. Enjoy the triumphs but also address the concerns head on. Apologize when needed. We are all only human and we do make mistakes.

 
This article was written by Michelle M. Guilbeau for CBS Small Business Pulse.