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How to Turn Your Workforce Into a Salesforce

Posted: 12 Sep 2019 10:00 AM PDT

As your small business grows, it might not have enough employees to dedicate any of them specifically to sales. But, that doesn't mean you can't have a salesforce.

Every single employee who works for your business is – or should be – selling. No matter if the employee's job title is vice president, architect, lawyer, receptionist, computer tech or janitor, that person is also a salesperson.

That is – or should be – true for businesses of any size. But especially for SMBs with limited staff, requiring employees to do double-duty as salespeople is a must.

Think about it. Any employee who has contact with a customer, client, vendor or a member of the public – even after hours – is a walking commercial for your company. If an employee badmouths the business or complains about the work or the managers, anyone who hears that will form a negative impression of the company.

On the other hand, an employee who enthusiastically explains what your business does and how well it does it just might convince others to hire your company and pay for its services.

For these reasons, it's important to train all employees in sales skills so they can use them whenever they find themselves in a position to influence someone's opinion about your business.

As you begin the process of transforming your workforce into an unofficial salesforce, you will run into three roadblocks:

  1. Employees who don't want to sell.
  2. Employees who don't know how to sell.
  3. Employees who refuse to sell.

Managers can overcome all of those challenges. However, those managers may also fall into one of those three categories – at least at first.

Employees who don't want to sell

Let's face it. If the employees on your staff wanted to sell, they would have applied for sales jobs. The fact is that some of your employees would rather be unemployed than try to sell. Some of them may even threaten to quit.

Although few modern sales professionals use tactics like manipulation and false promises to sell, they have managed to give the industry a black eye. Many consumers – including some of your employees – find sales "icky," cheesy or dishonest.

Yet they don't have to – and should never – employ those unscrupulous tactics when they're hoping to convince clients or potential customers to do business with your company.

Instead, they should make every transaction a win-win for the company and for the customer. To do that, the employee should listen to what the customer needs – or come right out and ask – and then offer to fill that need with one of your company's products and services. In that way, sales becomes a service. Sales becomes a way to help.

There's nothing "icky" about that.

Employees who don't know how to sell

Here's a piece of good news: Your employees do know how to sell. They sell all the time. They sell their children on eating their vegetables and going to bed on time. They sell their friends on eating at one restaurant instead of another. They sell their coworkers on covering for them when they're running late. They sold you on hiring them.

They never thought of those transactions as sales, but that's what they were. Every time you ask anyone for anything – another order, a favor, a job, a referral – that's a sale.

In fact, most people are born salespeople. Kids seem to know intuitively just how to get Mom and Dad to buy them a toy or let them have an extra dessert or give in to their pleas to stay up just long enough past bedtime to get to the next level on a video game.

Somewhere along the line, though, most kids start hearing "no" so often that they stop trying to sell. But we all have those instincts tucked away somewhere. Your employees can draw on that expertise to start selling for you.

That's not to say that you shouldn't train your employees in the sales strategies that you deem ethical and appropriate for your business. It's important to share with them the following five techniques that sales pros use to get to that win-win.

1. Plan. If you throw your employees into the sales arena with no training or guidelines, they will freak out. Instead, help each employee make a plan that will serve as a roadmap for each project or sale.

2. L­­ook for opportunities. A well-trained tech will notice when a customer is in need of additional help – help that could result in a new order for your business. Once your employees have this training, they will be open to making these unofficial sales because they'll be on the lookout for them.

3. Establish trust. A client or potential customer is most likely to buy products and services from the people they trust. Nothing establishes trust like genuine helpfulness. As part of employee sales training, each member of your staff should become aware that every behavior, statement and attitude can make or break a potential sale.

4. Ask for what you want. This is the hardest part for professional salespeople, so don't be surprised when it is nearly impossible for your non-sales staff to come right out and ask their clients if they can open another order or sell a second service to fill a need the customer has voiced. Asking is hard because the answer might be "no." The flip side is that if they don't ask, the answer is definitely "no."

5. Follow up. Consider every "no" a "no for now," not a "no forever." Your employees should contact clients who have said "no" in a week or so to ask if there's anything else your business can do for them. Likewise, every "yes" is a gift. And every employee who receives this gift should offer a genuine "thank you."

Employees who refuse to sell

Some employees are so put off by the thought of selling that they refuse to do it. Others simply don't consider sales a part of their jobs, because officially, it's not. If that's the case at your company, it's time for a culture change.

Selling cannot be optional – for anyone. If you want to turn your workforce into a salesforce, the culture at your company has to be built around the notion that every job is a sales job. And as the owner or manager, you need to motivate your employees to want to sell

Aside from training employees in sales strategies, you can make three cultural changes right now:

1. Make a list of sales behaviors that every employee should follow with every single client. For example, before hanging up the phone with a client or showing a customer to the door when a job is finished, every employee should ask one of the following questions.

  • Is there anything else I can help you with?
  • Can I open another order for you?
  • Can I tell you about another service we have that I think will help you with the other problem you're having?
  • Would you be willing to refer our company to others or post a positive social media review about us?

2. Tie part of every employee's pay to those new behaviors. Track how many additional sales each employee makes during interactions with their customers. Offer incentives like bonuses, days off or trips for those who make the most sales while continuing to do a good job with their original duties. Give raises to those who seem to be going the extra mile with customers in an effort to make sales.

3. Model the behavior. Culture change comes from the top. If every employee is expected to ask for additional business after every customer interaction, managers and owners must do that as well. Managers who do what they ask others to do show employees that they're serious about the new routine and about turning all employees – including themselves – into salespeople.

Culture change begins at the top of the company. You can create a sales culture for your workplace, even if you don't have a single, official salesperson on staff.

How to Hire the Right Sales Team

Posted: 12 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT

Hiring the right sales team is of paramount importance to any small business. Your sales team defines your culture and brand. It becomes your company's lifeforce and your most valuable asset. 

So, how do you recruit and retain a team capable of optimizing both your sales and reputation? And how do you make sure candidates' personalities are a fit as well as their skills? 

After working with hundreds of small businesses throughout the course of my 20-year career, and as a current sales director myself, here are four pro tips I can offer. 

1. Be deliberate when hiring and look for unwavering dedication. 

While you're undoubtedly eager to build your team as you continue to scale, it pays off, in the long run, to vet candidates carefully. Are they trustworthy, flexible, passionate and a good fit with the rest of the team, personality-wise? The impact of a "bad egg" in the mix can be catastrophic to morale and, ultimately, your company's success – especially in a small company, where the reverberations of a misfit can be very loud.

Whether you're working with a staffing service or relying on referrals, make sure to take the time you need to thoroughly evaluate potential team members. Small businesses should, first and foremost, look for candidates willing to go the extra mile when needed, even if a task is outside of their job description.

A dedicated employee who is willing to roll up his or her sleeves and work hard in the trenches can quickly become invaluable to both the entire team and your business, and can reinvigorate others to do the same. Be patient and look for those who truly want to show up and "take some names," without becoming a bull in the company's proverbial china shop or cannibalizing your team's existing morale. 

Editor's note: Looking for the right HR outsourcing service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

 

2. Consider your culture before adding new team members. 

Ask yourself whether the new team member embodies your company's mission, vision and culture as a brand ambassador? Will he or she fit in with the sales staff you have and inspire team building rather than territory marking?

Hiring a person with the right values is just as important as finding a person with the right skills for the job. After all, the personality and temperament you hire will ultimately influence your company's culture, too. So, ask yourself if the candidate will spur healthy internal competition.

  • Are they collaborative, or combative?
  • Are they courageous or careful?
  • Are they fast-moving or methodical?
  • Do they prefer to work closely with others, or to work independently?

The right answers for you and your company will depend largely on how your team works, the dynamics you have in place, and the best personality fit for your organization. Keep in mind, introducing a new personality into the mix can provide balance to the overall team dynamic, but you do want to make sure the fit is complementary and natural. 

3. Try team-building activities like paintball to examine personality traits. 

Consider using team-building exercises to see how your team's personality traits show up in a different setting. I personally like paintball galleries for achieving this but escape room challenges and similar activities can also work.

When you see your team interact in this type of environment, you'll be able to see how they operate and what characteristics show up under pressure. Are they courageous, tactical, or strategic? Are they fast-moving or deliberate? Do they take big risks to save the day or are they more calculating and patient?

This is also a great way to vet the team's overall ability to function as a unit, and gauge which team members work best together – all under the guise of a fun, social outing and team-building activity. 

4. Spur friendly competition to keep team members motivated and engaged. 

It's equally important to retain your top-notch talent, especially once you've built a high-performance team that relates well and supports the company – and one other. Remember to recognize each person's strengths and look for ways to reward your team beyond financial compensation.

For example, try keeping your employees engaged through friendly staff competitions or morale-boosting techniques. Maybe you can have them ring a gong each time they surpass a certain milestone or a state sales amount. Maybe teams are encouraged to paint a line on the wall when they reach a certain sales goal, and the teams can see how they're stacking up against each other on an ongoing basis. Maybe you can divide the staff into two teams and create a weekly competition, awarding the winning team with a free pizza dinner each Friday. Or maybe the winning team gets a trip to the Bahamas at the end of the year, or something equally motivating.

These kinds of friendly competitions are famously effective for keeping your team engaged and motivated, and for keeping things fun and interesting. They are also a classic technique first used by steel magnate Charles M. Schwab during the early 1900s. He famously used to write on the floor, in chalk, how many heats the day shift and night shift would do, thereby spurring them to out-do each other. In the end, if you create an environment you love and find engaging, you will ultimately build an environment your team also finds fun and engaging. 

As a small business owner, one of your most important jobs is to build a first-rate team by attracting and keeping top talent. You can make the company a magnet for the very best salespeople by offering the most effective tools for success and creating endless potential for both personal and professional growth. In fact, the best recruiting tactic is developing a team that is prepared, trained, knowledgeable and successful, which will make similar employees want to join your company.

When you offer team members the best tools in the industry and an environment where they can thrive, you will ultimately build a place where people want to work for years, because they know they'll continue to learn and grow.

In the end, encouraging and celebrating your team's success, both collectively and individually, is one of the smartest business moves you can make. Given that your most important asset as a small business owner is the people who make it all possible, the more productive and invested your team is, the more successful your company will be.

Why Small Businesses Need to Digitize Documents

Posted: 12 Sep 2019 08:00 AM PDT

As your business grows older, the volume of documents in paper format grows exponentially. Finding a crucial document from the heap of papers can be a tedious and frustrating experience. Often, loss of critical papers can seriously dent the credibility of your company in the eyes of customers. As a small business owner, you cannot afford to invite the ire of loyal customers!

Small businesses can use digital conversion techniques to scan all older documents and keeping them safely in an electronic vault. You can then manage documents in a more efficient manner.

What is document scanning?

When digital images of paper documents are captured, the process is called scanning or document imaging. The images of the physical documents are then transformed into a digital format using OCR conversion software. OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, scans document images and turns them into text documents. This intelligent conversion allows documents to be searched with relevant keywords.

Editor's note: Looking for the right document scanner for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

 

What different types of document scanning services are available?

Scanning documents rids your office of unwanted papers and makes it appear clutter-free. Scanning usually involves subjecting physical documents to a scanner lens that captures digital images of them.

However, basic scans of papers aren't very useful. Because they're just digital images, the only thing you can do with them is view them. A reputed scanning service provider can help you build on the basic functionality of these files with extra capabilities, such as the following.

  • The ability to edit and mark up scanned papers
  • High-resolution images in color as well as black and white
  • Different formats for storing at large or small scale

The different types of document scanning services are discussed below.

  1. Bulk scanning. High-quality scanners are used which scan large numbers of documents in one go. There is no need to handle each paper individually. The time span of scanning is effectively cut short.
  2. Large-format scanning. When the size of the physical document is large, such as 54" X 72", a large-sized scanner is used for capturing superior-quality images. You can specify the color, size, resolution and file type of the scanned documents. Examples of such files include posters, maps and architectural plans.
  3. OCR scanning. You can get editable scanned files with support for markup using OCR scanning. The scanned file is not in image format and can be searched for keywords. Text can be edited easily without affecting the original font style. 
  4. Micro-fiche and microfilm scanning. Data stored on tapes and microfilms can be converted to indexable digital files with this scanning type. Sharing, storing, accessing and retrieving of digital files becomes easier.
  5. Offsite and onsite scanning. In offsite scanning, the service provider scans the documents at its own location. However, if the documents are classified and sensitive, you need to choose a service that can scan them onsite at your location. Chances of documents getting misplaced or lost during transportation are eliminated in onsite scanning. An authorized person can watch the entire process to prevent any information theft. However, onsite scanning can slower and more expensive compared to offsite.

What types of documents you can have scanned?

You can have all of your essential files and documents scanned. You should prioritize scanning the ones you want to efficiently preserve and keep in an organized manner. Some such documents include:

  • Official correspondences
  • Financial papers
  • Contractual agreements
  • Medical records
  • HR files
  • Bills and invoices
  • Survey maps
  • Other documents with a large number of pages

Document digitization with a high-quality scanner is followed by the entry of descriptive information needed to identify files. With intelligent OCR, scanned images can undergo manipulation that transforms digital images into readable text. Intelligent scans can be shared and read using different apps and can be retrieved with ease.

What are the advantages of having scanned documents?

It's faster to digitally share scanned documents than to mail, fax or hand deliver paper documents. Paper-driven, cumbersome processes are streamlined to a large extent. Processing time of documents is optimized which enhances efficiency and productivity.

Scanned documents allow safe digital storage of paper records. There is no risk of losing or misplacing critical documents. Documents can be archived and managed in a structured way.

Scanning allows information to be captured from paper files, films, tapes and other media. Information can be read from barcodes, RFID chips, QR codes and other inputs which can be scanned. The scanned information can be transformed for use with document management systems, ERPs, MISs, CRMs and other business applications.

Here are some additional advantages of digitizing documents.

  • Save money and time. All scanned documents can be accessed and used with just a few clicks of a mouse button. You no longer need to search through heaps of paper files, nor do you need a dedicated warehouse for storing papers.
  • Improve customer service. Digitized documents can be indexed with different metadata, which makes it easier and faster for you and your staff to find information and provide it to your customers more quickly.
  • Minimize storage space. You no longer need to maintain a separate office space for storing documents. Expenses related to storing paper files can be eliminated.
  • Increase file safety. Digital files can be safely stored or backed up in remote servers that have high-security protocols in place. Because you'll have fewer physical files, you can store them safely in dedicated storage at the office.
  • Easier sharing and collaboration. The same document can be accessed by many people and multiple departments simultaneously. Documents can also be shared through different applications. This improves collaboration.
  • Meet compliance regulations. Some industries have statutory compliance norms mandating that certain documents must be maintained in a digital format. With scanning, this can be achieved in a cost-competitive and quick manner.
  • Reduce paper waste. As all documents get scanned, paper wastage is drastically eliminated. This discourages deforestation and saves money. Costs incurred on buying papers for printing and shredders for proper paper disposal would be reduced significantly.
  • Increase files accessibility. All scanned files can be uploaded to the cloud or shared network. Anyone with the right credentials can access them from onsite or from remote locations. Any information can be searched within editable files in a moment.

Document scanning for small businesses

As a small business owner operating on a shoestring budget, you need to slash redundant costs. If all your documents are maintained in paper form, rest assured that the volume would double itself within a few years. As a result, this would entail making provision for additional space to safely archive the paper documents, which would incur recurring costs.  

Studies have suggested that rifling through paper documents to search for desired information can compromise productivity significantly. Scanning documents can be the solution to all aforesaid challenges.

You can entrust a document scanning service provider to have paper documents, microfilms, plans, maps, blueprints, and other media converted to a digital format. This will reduce space requirements and make your sensitive data safer. Safety of digital files increases because you can save to a read-only mode, decide who can access each file and encrypt the data.

Digitized files would improve ease of access, which would lead to improved customer service quality, increased productivity, quicker retrieval of relevant information and alleviation of fear about damaging critical physical documents.

If you have sensitive documents, such as those with financial information, you can use a redaction service to remove sensitive data from the digital files after the paper documents have been scanned. This time-consuming task can be completed by a service provider efficiently.

Another service that may be useful after your documents are scanned is a data keying service that verifies the accuracy of scanned documents and manually inputs the information, assuring minimal flaws. Data keying allows you to conform to digital data retention stipulations. You just need to specify the layout or format for the service provider to provide data in. Digital files can then be seamlessly incorporated into your company's database.  

After all of your paper documents have been scanned and rendered editable, the paper versions can be destroyed, with the exception of documents required for statutory compliance and other purposes. Sensitive documents can be shredded in bulk by the service provider.

11 Ways to Successfully Onboard Your New Hires

Posted: 12 Sep 2019 05:00 AM PDT

Finding the best employees for your small business is only part of the process of building a great team. After you've hired a new worker, it is critical to create an excellent onboarding experience to help introduce them to their position and work environment.

Onboarding is how new hires learn the necessary skills, knowledge, and behaviors to become productive and engaged members of your small business team. It includes filling out essential paperwork, participating in hands-on training, socializing with co-workers and learning the company culture. Onboarding should extend past the employee's first week. It can last anywhere from a month to a year.

In many businesses, onboarding is often confused with orientation – the employee watches some videos, fills out paperwork and is told to get to work. Onboarding, however, is a chance for your new hire to connect emotionally with your company's vision and culture. It should give them all the tools and resources they need to become a productive member of your team as quickly as possible. At the same time, it should give them a great impression of your company, so they want to stick around long-term.

The three primary goals of onboarding are to

  1. Acclimate your employee with your company's processes, culture, norms and goals.
  2. Engage the employee by fostering supportive relationships between the new worker, their coworkers and management.
  3. Retain the employee so you can increase productivity and morale throughout your company.

Because onboarding is your new worker's first impression of their role within your company, make it count by following these 11 best practices.

1. Understand why onboarding is important

An employee's onboarding experience can influence how likely they are to stay with your company. According to the Society of HR Management (SHRM), 69 percent of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they had a great onboarding experience. Furthermore, companies with a standard onboarding process see 50 percent higher productivity from new hires than other companies.

Conversely, if an employee has a bad onboarding experience, they might decide that the organization is poorly managed and that they made a mistake accepting the job in the first place.

2. Start before the employee's first day

The onboarding process should begin before your new hire ever steps into the office to start working. To help ensure you're covering everything, create a checklist that includes what needs to be done before they start work, during the first week, and beyond.

As soon as they've accepted the job, send them any required paperwork so they don't have to spend their first day filling it out. This might include a Form W-4, Form I-9, and an employee information form. Also, send them your employee handbook so you can address any of their concerns in advance. You can easily automate this process with a digital onboarding system, like Workful. Digital onboarding can increase accuracy and help you create a more personal experience because you'll be spending more time with your new hire, instead of waiting for them to fill out forms.

A few days before they start work, send them a friendly note sharing how excited you are to have them join your team. Let them know when they need to arrive on their first day, where to park, who to ask for and what the dress code is. To further alleviate any first-day jitters, send them an agenda for their first week so they know what to expect.

3. Announce your new hire to your current staff

It can be unnerving to walk into a new job if no one knows who you are or what your role is. To prevent this from happening, send an email to your current staff introducing their new co-worker a day or two in advance. Share what the person's role will be, so everyone knows how they'll fit into the existing dynamics. You might also include a headshot and a brief bio so your team can enthusiastically and genuinely welcome your new hire on their first day.

4. Ask your team for input

Your current staff is a fantastic resource for helping you build a thorough and exciting onboarding process, so use them. Ask them about their own experience – what they liked and didn't like. Then, ask them if there's any training they wish they had had during their first several months of work. This can help ensure you're building a program that teaches your new hire the things they need to be productive.

5. Set up their workstation before they arrive

Make sure your new hire has someplace to land on their first day by getting their workstation set up. If you've been using their desk or locker as an extra storage space, make sure all the clutter is gone. You might also consider leaving something to make them feel welcome, like notes from their co-workers, notepads with the company logo, or a coffee mug. You should also make sure any equipment they'll be using is set up and working, including their phone and email. Setting their workstation up in advance shows them that you already see them as part of the team.

6. Set expectations early

On the employee's first day, discuss what you need from them and what they'll get from the company to help them achieve their goals.

Provide them with a detailed job description and a comprehensive list of their responsibilities. This might be the same information you posted in the job ad, but it will give you the chance to talk about each key task to avoid misunderstandings. Then, talk about how their job fits into the bigger picture and helps the business meet its goals.

Finally, discuss how the company will support the new employee and what resources it will provide to ensure your new worker can excel at their job.

7. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with their direct supervisor

If the new employee will be reporting to someone other than you, make sure they have a scheduled one-on-one meeting with the person who will be their supervisor. Not only will this help build a great relationship between the employee and their boss, but it will also give them a chance to start talking about goals. The employee's supervisor can share where they expect the new hire to be at the end of their first month, first three months and six months. They can also start setting goals for the upcoming year.

This will also give the employee a chance to discuss their career plans. It might seem odd to discuss career development at the beginning of the employee's tenure, but it can increase their likelihood to stay with you. In fact, 87 percent of millennial workers say that professional development is a vital part of their job-related decision making. Let your new employee know that you're committed to them by giving them a chance to talk about where they want to be in the next couple of years. This will provide you with an opportunity to determine how they can advance in your company and what skills you need to help them learn to meet their goals.

8. Share your company history, vision and values

To ensure your new hire becomes fully engaged at work, it's crucial they understand your company culture from the beginning. Start by sharing a little bit about your business's history and vision, so the employee understands where you came from and where you're headed.

Then, talk about your mission statement and values. Try to find out what they care about personally, so you can relate it to what's important to your company. For example, if one of your core values is generosity and your new hire regularly volunteers with a local nonprofit, discuss ways your business could become more involved with that organization. If you can help the employee connect with your purpose initially, they'll be more likely to stay with you.

9. Assign an office buddy

Pair your new hire up with a mentor within your company. Pick someone who is a good role model and will be happy to take on this new responsibility. Throughout the onboarding process, they can help your new hire become more acclimated to their work environment. On the new hire's first day, their buddy can be the one to give them a tour of the office and introduce them to the rest of the team. They can also explain any unspoken norms around your office – like the first person to the office always makes the coffee, or everyone meets up for happy hour on Thursdays.

10. Treat the team to lunch

To help your new hire begin to socialize and build relationships with their co-workers, ensure that they're not eating alone on their first day. You might consider catering lunch or going out as a department or company. This will give your new hire a chance to get to know their new peers outside of work. If that's too much, have their mentor take them out or – at the very least – dine with them in the breakroom.

You could also ask a different member of your team to eat lunch with your new hire each day of their first week. This will help them get to know their co-workers one-on-one, which can be less stressful than meeting everyone at once.

11. Check-in regularly

Although a lot of the onboarding process will take place during the new hire's first week, it will be ongoing for quite some time after that.

At the end of your employee's first month, sit down with them to make sure they're comfortable, happy and engaged. Acknowledge their early contributions, so they know that they're already helping the company succeed. Then, ask them if their training has prepared them to become autonomous in their role, or if they would like any additional training. Talk to them about any projects they've taken on and find out how you can help them excel.

Check in again between their third and sixth months with the company. By then, your employee will have a solid understanding of your culture and their role in the company. This is a crucial time to touch base, so you can be sure they are satisfied and not seeking an early exit strategy. If they're ready to take on new challenges at that point, steer them in the right direction so they can continue adding value to your company. If they have any concerns, make sure they know that you will carefully consider their comments.

Ultimately, you want to do everything in your power to ensure that your new hire transitions well in their position and becomes a long-term employee. By simply keeping your finger on the pulse, you are signaling to them that they are supported and valued as a member of your team.
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