- Wednesday, March 08, 2017
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Just three working weeks before his second Sales Leadership Masterclass this March, we'll be sharing snippets of Tom Abbott's knowledge and experience that helped sales teams be successful.
Today, we'll be sharing his love for acronyms. He has his way of making sales meetings productive - and that's through S.E.L.L. Sell? Does he sell sales meetings to make it productive? No, that's not what it means - let's take a look at the acronym further from our understanding:
- Sharing - In a sales meeting, you share what has happened: The progress of the team and the individuals themselves. This is the "Why" of the meeting. What's the agenda? What's lacking? What's effective? Ask everyone to be assertive and say what they feel - and let them be open. By doing this, you are pulling off possible walls that may hinder everyone to share their feedback, helping them improve step by step.
- Execution - As the "How" of the meeting, ask them how the team can utilize effective methods, how to solve problems affecting them, so on and so forth.
- Listening - There are two kinds of people: Those who listen to react and those who listen to understand. Please do not be one of the former. Yes, you asked them to share their feelings but rebutting them right off the bat while they're not done speaking builds that big invisible wall of silence real quick. By listening to them, you are expected to understand their plight and share your insights as well once they're done talking.
- Learning - What has the team learned? What's the next step to do? What's the Action Plan? By asking what they have learned, you're helping them recap what to improve and what to execute after the meeting. (Then you can get back to them and check on the status).
Now that you know how to S.E.L.L. your way to a productive sales meeting for your team, we're looking forward to you applying these tips! Though if you do want to hear from Tom's perspective, then you got to attend the Sales Leadership Masterclass this March 31, Friday at the Tower Club Makati.
Call Ex-Link at (+63) 02 633-0153, 643-3887; SMS +63 920 981 4376 or email info@exlinkevents.com to reserve your seats fast, as there are a few slots left. Hurry up and don't miss this chance!
- Tuesday, March 07, 2017
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Do you feel bummed lately, feeling unproductive and such? Feeling stuck in a rut at work? Maybe we can help with these five basic tips that you can apply to your work place:
- List today's agenda. Either mentally or through writing, list today's agenda that you'll need to finish. We recommend having a notepad or a small whiteboard nearby so you can scribble down the tasks you need to do.
- Don't mind the clock. Unless it's really needed, don't look at the clock. Just mind the agenda that you have at hand, and finish them one by one. Soon enough, you'll realize that it's already past three and you are almost done with your agenda.
- Have some music at the background. Nowadays there are radio stations that air music suited for the office - whether lite, classics, retro, or mellow, they have it, and you can switch the dial to your kind of sound.
- Rearrange your workspace. Some do this constantly to give a different look and feel for your cubicle environment. People get sick of the old, and that goes as well in the layout of your workspace.
- Take a break. When you're stuck in a work that you feel you can't finish, go skip it for a while, take a break or switch to another brief task. Just leave it there, and get back when you're done with your quick work.
Above all these tips, the most important thing to note is to avoid distraction. Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid being distracted with stuff and feel more productive.
Before we end this post, we would like to invite you to our Facebook page and see the events that are listed. Give us a call or a text at +632 633 0153 or 643 3887 / +63 920 924 2532 or +63 920 981 4376 or send us an email at info@exlinkevents.com to know more about what we do, especially in events management.
- Monday, March 06, 2017
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At the end of the event, when the dust has
settled and the moving-out process is beginning, event managers must answer the
hardest question of them all – Is the event successful?
More than the stamina, event managers must have
steel heart and thick face to look the just concluded event with an objective
eye.
Here are three signs if your event is
successful:
1.
Have you achieve the objectives?
Do not ever forget the reason why the event was
created. It is the starting point of all the events, that is the setting of
objectives.
The bells and whistles of the event can blind
you as to why the event took place. But you cannot turn your back come post
event assessment time on the objectives that we set to be achieved in a
particular event.
I always have a record or a document that
monitors the achievement of the objectives. If you have this checklist or
document, right there in the egress, you can have a gauge if you have achieved
the objectives.
No doubt, the achievement of objectives makes
the event successful.
2.
Have you made the event experience memorable to the attendees,
delegates, and event partners?
Events do not happen in a vacuum. Events are the product of a team composed of different actors. Your job as an event manager is
to ensure that the event design experience is successfully transferred to all
the event stakeholders and target audience.
Most of the times, you can get an immediate
feedback if the event stakeholders and target audience are satisfied.
You can validate this satisfaction by
conducting a Customer Satisfaction Survey and Net Promoters Score (NPS).
For me this is the ultimate high, to see the
eyes of your target audience and event stakeholders wide and shining, while
they smile. When they say “Thank You” is the heaven for me. This positive
action by the target audience and stakeholders is an inspiration for me to
create a better event and continue this good feeling to the next event.
3.
Have you made a profit?
The best gauge of success is profit. It is a
confirmation that you have created and added a value to your event stakeholders
and target audience.
Profit is the best sign if you will be able to
continue and upgrade your event to the next level.
Often times, we deny this important truth. But
business is business, if we want the event to continue, it must make a sizeable
profit, or else, it is better to close it.
In summary, the three signs of a successful
event is an achievement of objectives, satisfaction of the stakeholders and target
audience and profit.
I hope that having known these important signs,
your event continuously grows and your career as an event manager or event
organizer continue to prosper.
- Saturday, March 04, 2017
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Have you ever wondered why there are receptionists who are welcome to have you at each entry or first call?
We all know that it's their task to welcome everyone, but they are also tasked to filter out the unnecessary from the necessary. For example, you got in touch with them via phone, email or even personally; and at first contact you might not be able to get to the point you want to get to.
How do salespeople get past them and go straight to their prospected contact? Here are some tips:
- Research the target before going straight. It takes one to know one, so look for the person before making the call so that the receptionist will know what you want.
- State your point clearly. You may know the person well, but what's the point of getting in touch when you can't state your purpose clearly?
- "May I know who's in charge?" Sometimes there's little to no info about the person you want to reach, so in this case you can ask the receptionist who's the one in charge of your concern/s.
If you want to know more strategies on how your sales team can reach their goals, attend the Sales Leadership Masterclass this Friday, March 31 at the Tower Club Makati featuring International Sales Expert and Author Tom Abbott.
Don't miss this opportunity and get your seats by calling Ex-Link at (02) 633-0153 or 643-3887, SMS 0920-981-4376 or email info@exlinkevents.com.
- Friday, March 03, 2017
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Pasig City (February 27, 2017) – International Sales Expert and Author Tom Abbott is back in Manila for the second Sales Leadership Masterclass which will be held at the Tower Club in Makati this March.
With his decade-old experience in selling, Tom Abbott will be helping sales teams to overcome day-to-day challenges and find their own solutions to achieve its full potential, hit targets and get ahead of the competition.
The one-day workshop will have discussions such as the difference of Sales Leadership, Sales Management and Sales Coaching; the eight (8) different styles of leadership and what really works; tips and strategies on how to motivate and incentivize sales teams, review each staff’s performance appropriately; master sales interview questions; discover the power selling assets sales teams need; and building a high-performance sales culture.
The Sales Leadership Masterclass is open for Business Leaders, Business Owners, Sales Managers, members of the Academe, and professionals who wants to develop their skills to become an effective sales leader.
The Sales Leadership Masterclass will be held at the Tower Club Makati this Friday, March 31, 2017. Reserve your seat by calling Ex-Link at (02) 633-0153 0r 643-3887, SMS 0920-981-4376 or email info@exlinkevents.com.
- Thursday, March 02, 2017
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The event management industry is an ocean. If you are planning to enter the industry you should be aware of the different events. After gaining awareness through research and exposure, it is time for you to decide where you would like to place yourself or your company in this challenging but exciting industry.
Why choose a niche?
You need to focus. Having a focus will give you an unfair advantage. In addition, as a brand you will establish a specialization that you and you alone can own. If you do well or aspire to be the best in that specialization, you can establish a brand that will always be on top of the minds of your target market.
Specialization
There are some basic events where you can choose to focus your energy.
Social events that includes:
- Weddings
- Bridal and baby showers
- Theme parties
- Children’s birthday parties
- Milestone anniversaries and birthdays
Corporate events that includes:
- Corporate Launches
- Awarding Ceremonies
- Christmas Party
- Below-the-line promotions
In Corporate events there is also the MICE component:
- Meetings like shareholder meetings, etc.
- Incentive Travel
- Conferences and Conventions
- Exhibitions
Time to take action
Everything starts when you decided to take that one step. Exlinkevents is now on its 17 years in the MICE event management industry. Recently, we have been recognized as the Best Events Management Industry in the country.
We can’t have this recognition if we have not decided to start and be the best that we can be in our chosen specialization.
So choose your niche, work hard, stay focused and earn the fruits of your labor.
- Thursday, March 02, 2017
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The world is just a vast place. Sometimes, you uncover your strategies; and sometimes you need help uncovering them.
Sales, as with any other industry, is vastly developing over time. Customer preferences change, business settings change, and Sales is always adapting to the environment. Move slow and your business is down dead, so the only way to catch up with your competition is to constantly move up. The thing is, how will you move up when you haven't uncovered your sales strategy?
That is where Sales Leadership Masterclass comes in. Led by International Sales Expert and Author Tom Abbott, this master class helps you uncover the secrets and develop your sales team further so you can one-up your competition.
This is open to everyone interested in Sales and Sales Leadership. Again, this is just once in a lifetime, so make sure you mark the date and bring your notebook and pen for a day of learning.
The Sales Leadership Master Class will be held at the Tower Club Makati this March 31, Friday from 9am to 5pm. Reserve a seat right now by calling Ex-Link at (02) 633-0153 or 643-3887, SMS 0920-981-4376 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Seats run fast, so get that phone and call now!
As a BONUS, we're giving a chance to one lucky person to learn Tom Abbott's insights in developing your sales team - All you need to do is to follow the instructions on our Rafflecopter below, or on the Master Class Philippines page on Facebook.
- Wednesday, March 01, 2017
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In Judy Allen’s Event Planning book she
mentioned a great acronym that I use in crafting and implementing my event
management projects.
The acronym is not only easy to understand by a
great guide for beginners and veteran event management professionals as well.
Here is the acronym she devised and you might
also use as well to aid you in delivering a successful event.
She called it D.R.I.V.E. An apt word if you ask
me, for event managers are drivers of the events they are producing or
organizing. Event managers hold the steering wheel. In their hands, depend if
the event can reach its target destination.
Often times, there will be bumps along the way,
but if the driver knows how to navigate his way, no doubt that the trip will be
enjoyable and the destination reachable.
I know you are excited to know it, so here it
goes.
D is for Define Company and event objectives.
Everything must start in answering the question
why? Why does your company exist? Why are you doing the event?
Answering the why points to the company and
event objectives.
For me, it is finding your true north. It will
act like a compass that will always guide you whenever you feel that you are
getting lost in the middle of your event implementation.
R is for Research and develop your event vision.
If you are creating your event for the first
time you might as well create a remarkable event. Create purple cow if you ask
Seth Godin.
If you will not create a remarkable event, it
will be invisible.
This is the reason you need to research deeply.
As you become confident that you have gathered a sufficient data, you can now
develop events that will stand out in the crowd.
I call it a differentiated event.
Differentiation is a strategy that will allow you to be memorable to your
client and outlast your competition.
I is for Innovate and create a customized
experience.
According to Jerry Gregoire, former CIO of Dell, “ Customer experience is the
next competitive battlefield.”
I agree with this with wholeheartedly.
Customer experience has become an obsession not only among companies, but also
in the event management industry.
In fact, event management companies are now
called experience agencies. This goes to show you how important and precious a
commodity providing a great customer experience is.
Therefore, the rule of thumb is to innovate your
customer experience or die.
V is for Visualize your event step by step to capture all essential
logistical event requirements and expenses.
God is in the detail. I always try to emphasize
this in my staff and students. This is how we play the event management game.
Checking and cross checking every detail. Trying to act like Andrew Grove of
Intel’s bold statement in his famous book, which is “Only the Paranoid
Survives.”
Secondly, profit is our lifeblood. We will
continue to grow and survive this competitive world if we will watch carefully
our cash leaks. We can make this possible by creating a cost sheet and watching
carefully our expenses.
Lastly, I believe that if you can visualize it,
you can execute it. The late Stephen Covey is correct when he said that there
are two types of creation. First creation is the creation that takes place in
the mind. Second creation is the physical creation. Just look at the building
that started not when the construction began, but when the blueprint was
created.
E is for Execute with detailed precision and timing.
“Art is an
accurate statement of the time in which it was made”, said Robert
Mapplethorpe.
Timeliness is everything. It is the exact
moment where we deliver the drama, breaks the suspense and present the surprise
that completely affects and influences the audience.
Timeliness is also the reason that precision is
achieved. It is the walk-in music when the name of the speaker was called. It
is the event card or event photo plate posted on the LED screen when the
keynote speaker is about to walk in the stage and takes the podium.
In summary, D.R.I.V.E. is a very helpful
acronym that you can’t resist not using. You are the master of the event. You
are the event manager. You and only you will drive the event to success so hold
the steering wheel tightly and keep in your heart the acronym D.R.I.V.E.
because with it you will never get lost.
- Wednesday, March 01, 2017
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