How to improve the sales team you already have

Anyone who's ever been in sales knows that a day of cold calling can make someone feel like Sisyphus, pushing an enormous boulder up an eternal hill. But, with some quick adjustments to your sales team's attitude, technique and organization, they'll be able to sell eggs to a chicken farmer.

Janine Popick, CEO of online marketing firm VerticalResponse, writes in an article on Inc.com that not listening to your client can be rather quixotic. She said that by letting them vent about their problems, you can take the time to develop a solution that can benefit the both of you. If you can't put your finger on a resolution right away, repeat their problem to them to grasp a better understanding of what they could benefit from.

Being organized is key for any business, and that can start from the top. If you're a business owner and your sales team doesn't have its act together, try streamlining productivity with customized database software. Whether you need to keep an up-to-the-second record of your inventory or need to transfer sales details on the road, having all of your databases organized specifically to fit your needs can make your business look better and run more efficiently.

Try soft selling your product, writes Popick. Her business gives clients a chance to try a full version of her product for free for a limited time. This lets customers get comfortable with your product in a low-pressure situation. They can compare your product to competitors, and if they decide yours is best, they can happily choose your service over another's.

Finally, keeping a positive, confident attitude around the office can build your sales team's trust in what they are selling and their ability to lock down a deal.

Five useful business apps for your iPad

♦ Dragon Dictation — Using Nuance voice recognition software, you can automatically transcribe notes and meetings. Dragon Dictation also allows you to email messages and even post updates to Facebook and Twitter. What's best about this app is that it's free, but in order to use it, you must have an active internet connection.

♦ FileMaker Go — If you use FileMaker Pro to organize your business's databases, you can access and edit them with FileMaker Go. You can manage projects and contacts, check inventory and add sales details right from your iPad. If you want to create a custom FileMaker database, consult a FileMaker developer that can build a specialized application for you.

♦ Genuis Scan – PDF Scanner — Simply put, this app allows you scan things like documents, whiteboards, receipts, notes, recipes and menus into PDF or JPEG files with your iPad. No scanner needed. You can email the PDFs and share them on Twitter with the free version of the app. For $2.99, you can upgrade to the ad-free Genius Scan+, which allows you to print files with AirPrint and upload the files to cloud-based services and Google Docs.

♦ iThoughtsHD — This app is a clean idea mapping app that allows you to do things like visual brainstorming, map concepts and take organized notes at meetings. You can share your maps through a handful of cloud services or send them to other applications like iBooks and your Camera Roll.

♦ Pages/CloudOn — Pages is Apple's answer to Microsoft Word. Apple optimized its word processor for the iPad, and you can even access your documents anywhere with an iCloud account. It'll cost you $9.99 though, and if you're more of a Word user, the free CloudOn might be a better option. In addition to Word, you can access Excel and Powerpoint with Microsoft's CloudOn through Dropbox, but in order to run the app, you have to be connected to the internet.

Mobile application developers focusing work on iOS

While the numbers show consumers are buying nearly four times more Android devices than iPhones, mobile application developers have been disregarding the trend, and are primarily focusing on creating apps for iOS.

The overwhelming popularity of Android devices may come as a surprise, considering the highly publicized success of the iPhone 4S. But in reality, Apple's market share saw a 16.6 percent drop in 2011 compared to the previous year. Android devices led the way with 53 percent of all smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2011, while iOS devices represented just 15 percent, according to Gartner.

But despite the high demand for smartphones running Android in the third quarter, there was a significantly larger number of app publishers that focused on building for the iPhone. Of the 55,000 developers that are tracked by Flurry Analytics' platform, 73 percent opted to start projects optimized for iOS before Android in the last quarter of 2011.

The number of app downloads in each store trends more with the number of developers targeting iOS projects than the number of devices purchased. While the Android Marketplace just surpassed 10 billion downloads, the Apple Store has peaked 18 billion, according to Flurry. But developers' interest in primarily creating iOS apps are rooted first and foremost in revenue opportunities rather than popularity of the Apple Store.

U.S. investment banking firm Pipar Jaffray claims that Android developers earn only 7 percent of what iOS developers earn from the Apple Store. This is mostly because the Apple Store charges for 14 percent of its apps, compared to just 1 percent of apps in the Android Market.

Software development companies and organizations looking to invest in custom application development can both reap benefits from focusing their efforts on iOS apps. One way that a business can explore creating its own customized app to increase productivity or organize information is to discuss their specific needs with Filemaker consultants. Using Filemaker, a developer can create customized database software that can be accessed on an iPhone or iPad with Filemaker Go.

Popularity of custom mobile apps expected to reach biblical heights

Whether their business takes place in a boardroom or a cathedral, organizations looking to reach more people and increase productivity have explored custom application development for a variety of needs. The Wall Street Journal reported in late December 2011 that more than 150 American churches have had custom mobile and tablet applications developed to improve their connection to the congregation.

These religious apps are utilized to share audio and video, to send prayers and, believe it or not, to make confessions. An app developed for Redeemer Church in Utica, New York has been downloaded roughly 3,700 times, even though the average attendance at each weekend's services is about 1,700. The report states that app developers expect thousands of churches to follow the trend, thanks to the popularity of the holy apps in other communities.

Corporations and startups alike are also expected to consult software developing companies for their own custom apps. A Deloitte poll in 2011 showed that 42 percent of American households own a smartphone, so it's no surprise that 28 percent of developers expected their mobile business to grow more than 50 percent in the next three years, as shown in a recent Partnerpedia survey.

The number of applications in the Android Market has doubled in the past eight months, and with that, there are now nearly 1 million mobile apps between it and Apple's App Store. While there are plenty of useless games and utilities cluttering both app stores, the rise in the number of smartphone users brings with it many unique interests and needs. Developing a customized application for your business has more advantages than just following suit in a competitive industry. And you never know, it might even bring you a little bit closer to heaven.

 

Having sold over 1M units, FileMaker Bento becoming a leading database software

Businesses in a number of industries and sectors have turned to FileMaker Bento as a platform for their Mac-based database software since it was released in 2008. FileMaker announced that as a result of the software’s success, it has now sold more than 1 million units of Bento.

Ryan Rosenberg, vice president of marketing and services for FileMaker, noted in a press release that professionals in a variety of industries – including health, fitness and even entertainment – have made Bento their database software of choice for Mac desktops and mobile devices such as the iPad and iPhone.

Positive reviews for the software’s intuitive drag-and-drop capabilities, helpful templates and clean interface have also played a part in the decision of many companies to consult a FileMaker developer and implement the software for tasks such as project management, inventory and event coordination.

“[Bento] is simple to set up and you can do almost anything with it,” said Jessica Fonseca, a Bento user who bought her first home with help from the database software, in the release.

Though its applications are beneficial for everyday consumers as well as businesses, managers may be able to make the most of Bento database software in the workplace. Reliable FileMaker consultants can assist a client to identify his or her technology needs and craft a custom application development strategy that maximize the software’s capabilities.

It may also be beneficial to seek assistance from a FileMaker developer that is well-connected with the software’s extensive community. This way, clients can take advantage of the development knowledge and support of Bento users around the world, allowing them access to more templates and advice on how to make the most of this database software.

Planning a better sales floor with custom application development

Database software offers benefits to retailers in the way of inventory, customer, time and asset management. These companies can get the most value out of custom application development when they use this information to better plan out the day-to-day alterations to their retail space.

Brick-and-mortar retailers rely on a targeted approach to arranging the sales floor, one in which items must be placed carefully to appeal to customers and increase the chances for a purchase. Custom application development can connect retailers with tools specifically designed to help in this process.

Space planning programs powered by database software may be able to provide retailers with the analytics information on each item they sell. Using this data, stores can then optimize their floor to enhance sales potential.

For example, retailers will be able to identify if certain items sell better in a specific location. Additionally, managers will be able to adjust inventory levels accordingly, ensuring that the prime selling locations in their store are always stocked with the most profitable items.

Such a strategy can have other benefits in addition to simply increasing sales potential. When items are in an optimal location and selling at the best possible rate, stores may be able to avoid typical markdowns or sales that are frequently used by merchants who want to eliminate unwanted or excess inventory.

Customers might also be more pleased with the shopping experience if they can be sure they will find the items they desire in a convenient location every time.

Retailers who seek custom application development for store planning purposes are best served speaking with software developing companies that take a collaborative approach to application design. Developers that seek input and approval from their clients may be more likely to produce database software that fits the needs and desires of the respective user.

“7 Tips To Improve The Performance of Your FileMaker Solution” Demo Files

The FM Academy webinar 7 Tips To Improve The Performance of Your FileMaker Solution was a big success. I really enjoyed doing the presentation. In the near future there should be video of the presentation uploaded to the FM Academy YouTube Channel so you can watch the presentation if you missed it.I did make one mistaken comment during the presentation. During the section on server side scripts I said you could print to PDF reports with server side scripts. This was a mistake as this is not a native FileMaker server side script step. Sorry for the confusion.

I have uploaded the demo file used in the presentation here:

Setting and achieving goals with database software

In a business setting, managers frequently ask individual workers and the company as a whole to reach collectively towards certain milestones. However, many times these goals are unfulfilled because the company lacked a targeted approach and the right tools.

As René Shimada Siegel – founder of a marketing and communications consulting firm – wrote for Inc.com, achieving goals can be a challenge on a personal level because many people are not consistent in their approach. Sometimes, individuals set goals that are either too easy to reach – and therefore unfulfilling – or difficult and unrealistic.

Instead, individuals and businesses alike should set a goal that is challenging but realistic. Similarly, goal-setters should find ways to be held accountable publicly, as this will provide more of an incentive to succeed and reach these milestones.

Companies often have little trouble with accountability, as their employees, managers and stakeholders are all individuals who can publicly judge the business' success or failure. As a result, many times these corporate milestones are unmet due to certain influences or challenges, whether they be financial, operational or administrative.

To avoid falling prey to these difficulties, business owners need to consider the tools they have in place to achieve goals.  If certain inefficiencies are hampering the company's overall ability to succeed, steps should be taken to correct them.

Custom application development can play an important part in this process. Database software that is tailor-made to handle a business' specific concerns and challenges can help increase productivity, allowing owners to maximize resources and keep their team on the path to reaching a collective goal.

A number of software developing companies can connect customers with the right database software, but the best ones take a similar goal-driven approach to custom application developing. These companies keep clients in the loop throughout the development process, providing the accountability and structure that makes milestones reachable.

Changing the workflow for the new year with database software

As 2011 winds down and 2012 inches closer, more business owners may benefit from taking an internal look at their own processes and determining ways to simplify workflow in the new year. Database software can provide answers for many companies' task and management-related concerns.

Mark Strippy, an executive with a payroll services company, told Smart Business Online that payroll matters should be at the top of the list for many businesses at the start of the new year. That's because, while a majority of companies outsource this management for simplicity, relying on subpar servicers may do more to hurt productivity than help it.

The new year presents an opportune time to start a relationship with a new payroll provider, Strippy adds, because it allows businesses to start fresh and measure results as the year progresses.

However, payroll services are not the only thing worth revisiting entering the new year. For example, by researching software developing companies and turning to custom application development, companies may be able to acquire the software solutions they need to patch up other financial shortcomings.

Custom applications can allow business owners to keep track of their staff's time management responsibilities, which in turn lets managers easily track how many hours are spent on certain projects or clients. By seeing a visual representation of this data in an accessible program, owners can make better decisions to ensure that they are allocating workers in the most productive manner.

When paired with stronger payroll services, time management software can create a more holistic approach to employee relations. Vendors such as FileMaker provide the platform companies need to create this database software, but only a certified and experienced FileMaker developer can help customers maximize this resource.