The economy may finally showing signs of stabilizing, and the decline in certain sectors is slowing down, but we are not out of the woods yet. The ability to get a prospect’s attention and make the most out of every meeting and phone call is critical in a tough economy. If you refine your sales technique now, the good habits you develop will only help you in the long run, and yes, help you when the economy gets back up and running. Try the following tips to refine your sales technique, and hopefully, close more deals: Martin Use Questions and
Heather Martin is currently the Vice President of Sales for EAI Inc, an environmental consulting and contracting company based in Jersey City. She has extensive experience with the installation of gas vapor barriers and other services related to brownfield redevelopment in the tri-state area. Martin The good news is that the stimulus package has passed, and that should equate to more money for New York Construction projects. The bad news is that we are still not out of the recession. What to do about it? Get back to basics. The basics of constructability still matter. And now is the time
Let’s be honest. We’ve seen better times than this. Some of us are doing well, while others are struggling to survive. But we are all faced with increasing volatility and uncertainty, and a general waining of confidence. Martin Put in perspective, the U.S. economy has been through its share of economic downturns – and come out the other side. Yet this is the first truly global recession, and the news that has come out in recent months has been disconcerting; but the U.S. has always come out of economic downturns, even if the process is painful. We are witnessing an
HEATHER MARTIN Getting the job is critical. But the contract, payment and invoice terms are equally as important. For example, retainage of five percent instead of ten percent can make a huge difference for your cash flow and profitability. So what do you need to know before, during and after you negotiate the deal? Prior to being awarded the contract, you should have double-checked your numbers, quantities and assumptions about the job, and then you negotiated a price with your client. But once you receive the contract, you should be careful to check that everything is accurate and that all
Green Building. You hear it everywhere, but what does it really mean, and how can it help your business? Green is a broad concept that represents a design philosophy of constructing buildings that efficiently use resources. Efficient building and use of natural resources should lead to a healthier environment for us and to lower costs for our clients (owners, builders, and operators). It can include everything from manufacturing location to VOC content, and much more. HEATHER MARTIN Green building is a concept that is also continually evolving. Experts from architects and engineers, designers, contractors, construction managers and even agencies will
Even the President is saying the worst may be behind us, and while the economy is not growing at rates we were used to in previous years, it is declining at a slower rate than the first and second quarter of this year. Unemployment is slowly waning, and new bidding opportunities are arising. Heather Martin Times have been challenging, but those who are left standing will be ready to take on the new opportunities that will arise as the economy picks up steam. For some, it may seem that challenges still exist, and that the economy cannot rebound fast enough
The economy may finally showing signs of stabilizing, and the decline in certain sectors is slowing down, but we are not out of the woods yet. The ability to get a prospect’s attention and make the most out of every meeting and phone call is critical in a tough economy. If you refine your sales technique now, the good habits you develop will only help you in the long run, and yes, help you when the economy gets back up and running. Try the following tips to refine your sales technique, and hopefully, close more deals: MARTIN Use Questions and