ib by kacharagadla

Now that we’re well into the fourth quarter of 2016, time is beginning to run out for sales organizations looking to hit their year-end goals. During this October/November crunch, it is all-too-easy for business owners and sales professionals alike to grow frustrated and impatient while waiting for clients to sign. I’m currently experiencing this firsthand. As of writing this, I have well over 20 large contracts that are pending final signature. Playing the waiting game can be excruciating, but I’ve found that it is possible to stay productive and positive throughout the process. Define the experience for your customers When you’re forced to wait for customers and partners, it’s easy to become paralyzed when making decisions. After all, you don’t know precisely how they will react to a situation, so the temptation to simply postpone important decisions can be strong. Unfortunately, this decision paralysis is often incredibly damaging for two reasons. First, it causes your...

Who hasn’t struggled to stay awake through a three-hour meeting, or left a department-wide pow-wow wondering what the point was? It’s amazing how many bad meetings we have to suffer through at work: Each month, people spend about  31 hours in unproductive meetings , and the U.S. spends a whopping  $37 billion  on salaries for hours spent in unnecessary meetings. As someone  running four growing companies , I have long understood that time is my most valuable asset. I also happen to have ADHD, so sitting through long meetings is extra difficult – especially if they lack focus. That’s why I’ve developed a framework to ensure every meeting I attend – or lead – is worthwhile. Make meetings more productive … and maybe even fun. Photo by Jeremy Jude Lee. Here are  10 quick tips to ensure your meetings aren’t time-wasters. 1. State The Objective How many times have you gone to a meeting with only a vague agenda and sat through a discussion with ...