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By John Boe
The person who coined the phrase "time is money," must
have been a sales rep paid on commission. In the selling profession,
the old cliché rings true, if you are not talking to a prospect or
customer, you're unemployed! How effectively do you manage
your time? Do your spend your time as you would any other
precious, nonrenewable asset, or are you the type of salesperson who
is stressed-out, constantly jumping through hoops and
consistently running late for meetings and client appointments? We
measure time far better than we manage it. In today's high- tech
world, physicists have become extremely proficient at measuring
time. The atomic clock, based on strontium atoms trapped in a laser
grid, is so precise that it has an inaccuracy of less than one second
in 200 million years.
While we can all agree on how to measure time, we each
tend to approach time management from our own personal
perspective. Look at all of the ways we view the use of time; we waste it,
we save it, we spend it, we invest it, we borrow it, we steal it,
we juggle it, we squander it, and we seem to always be looking
for more of it. We have time wasters and time bandits and
sometimes, in those rare moments when we find we have too much time on
our hands, we even kill it. Time flies when we're having fun, but
tends to drag for those who are doing time. For some people time
stands still, while others see time slipping away, like sand through
an hourglass. I am convinced that the improper use of time is
the number one contributor to high turnover in the selling profession.
I wish I had a nickel for every smart, talented and motivated
salesperson who failed because he or she simply couldn't or
wouldn't effectively manage their time properly.
Time Management Tips
1). Plan your schedule the night before and hit the
ground running. When you're not in control of your schedule, you
invite stress to fill the void. Set and prioritize meaningful tasks to
be accomplished. Whether it's an appointment calendar or a
software program, the critical first step to properly managing your time is
to organize and schedule your day. Be careful not to confuse
activity with productivity. For example, don't just block off a couple
of hours to make calls, set measurable activity goals to be
accomplished, such as 25 phone calls per day.
2). Identify your time
bandits. Once you've scheduled your day, the next step in managing your time is to recognize
and modify old behavioral patterns regarding the improper use of
time. Avoid procrastination in all of its attractive forms. Having
a planned schedule helps you say no to time wasters such as
web surfing, personal phone calls, long lunches and chatty
coworkers. An open door invites continuous distractions. Effective
salespeople focus on task achievement rather than tension relieving diversions.
3). Delegate, delegate, delegate. Ineffective salespeople
"play office" and hide behind paperwork. Make a smart business
decision and delegate all non-sales related tasks to an
administrative assistant in order to free yourself up for client appointments
and prospecting phone calls. I encourage you to reduce your
stress level and give yourself a pay raise by integrating these simple,
yet highly effective time management tips into your daily
business routine and remember, there's no time like the present!
John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and
sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings
and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer
and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record
in the meeting industry. To have John speak at your next event,
visit www.johnboe.com or call 937-299-9001. Free Newsletter available on website.
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Five Tax Tips For VARs
(Value Added Resellers)
Solution providers looking for ways to save money might
find some ideas in these tax-saving tips offered by Alan
Weinberger, chairman and CEO of the ASCII Group, an organization
that provides business-building tools to thousands of VARs.
1. CAR EXPENSES
If a VAR uses a car or van for business or personal use, it
can deduct either actual expenses such as gas, oil, tires, insurance,
etc. for the portion used for business, or can use the 2009 standard
use rate of 55 cents per mile. However, if the VAR deducts
actual expenses the first year of the car, it cannot switch to the
standard allowance formula later. But it can switch from the 55
cent-per-mile rate to the actual expenses reduction, according to ASCII.
2. HOW ABOUT A HYBRID?
The New Energy Policy Act gives a tax credit, not a
deduction, for the purchase of hybrid cars. A tax credit is virtually a full
rebate on the price of the car, for business or personal use,
Weinberger said.
3. THE REAL TAX DEADLINE
While more returns are due on April 15 each year, if the VAR
is a registered C corporation, the company's tax returns are not
due until two and a half month after the close of its fiscal year,
no matter where that falls in the calendar year.
4. STAY REASONABLE
Owners of VAR organizations structured, as an "S"
corporation should maintain only a "reasonable" salary, Weinberger said.
The IRS has not clearly defined what is "reasonable compensation,"
but ASCII warns that it may appear like an attempt to avoid
paying employment taxes by having officers treat compensation as
cash contributions, payments of personal expenses and/or loans
rather
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