When you are trying to grow your business during those first few years, the ability to turn prospects into customers and to keep customers satisfied with your products and services is MISSION CRITICAL.

However, some entreprenurs and small business owners may have a common misconception thinking their inside sales professionals and the customer service staffs also possess the same abilities and desires in keeping the business running and growing

Every sales trainer has heard the: "not in the budget" "we are not big enough for training and coaching" and "I am the sales manager-trainer" answers before and that type of response only makes me more committed to help them see the importance of investing some monetary resources into turning their operation into a successful and cohesive sales and service organization.

It is hard to believe that you company could be blessed with too many leaders and the possibility of that happening is indeed remote. But what do you do when you need a leader to be a follower?

The role of a leader is not fixed and changes with the needs of the organization. But not every individual leader makes a good follower when Every organization values and nurtures its leadership talent.

Communication is a part of every business, both large and small. In large companies, communication is dictated by formal procedures but small companies experience the same communication processes in more informal ways. But the process and its effective use is the same for all companies. There are 5 essential components that will guide you and your employees to better ways of sharing information and mutual understanding.

The environment of your workplace is vital to employee satisfaction, reduction of turnover, and productivity. It is also vital to the legal stability of your business.

A hostile work environment can be the basis for many types of employee complaints and causes of legal action. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lists as a basis for employee complaints the existence of a "hostile work environment.

Burnout in employees and managers continues to be a major and costly issue affecting businesses today. Major inroads have been made in maintaining employee health through the use of Employee Assistance Programs,EAP, and improved employee counseling but days of work lost to depression and a host of other psychological problems continues to cost American employers millions per year.

Attending networking events is probably the most natural venue for building relationships. But don't limit yourself to scheduled networking events. In your day to day life don't forget to present your business to everyone you meet. I once gained two clients while purchasing a mattress set. Everyone you meet is a potential customer as well as a friend.

In the traditional concept of economies of scale, larger companies squeezed out their competitors by offering convenience and better values. We have seen the retail giant Wal-Mart mow down its smaller competitors with lower prices and one-stop shopping. It has been a long held belief that BIGGER WAS BETTER! But, in many industries, this belief is being challenged and smaller niche businesses are winning the battle of "David and Goliath.

From your organization's infancy to going public, your record of documentation should be complete and thorough. In the beginning you might wonder why you should document the 2 percent raise you gave your bookkeeper or why you reprimanded your sales staff for failing to answer by the third ring. The answer is that, though you might not question these decisions now, someday you will.

Many people, including many colleges and universities, are firm in the belief that leadership is an inborn trait and cannot be taught as a field of study. This belief is rooted in the historical context of charismatic leaders who rose to leadership roles as a response to economic, religious, and political events. Looking at the accomplishments of such leaders as Joan of Arc, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Dwight D.

"Happy people sell more," is a cliche that every manager hears but doesn't really listen to. Good morale seems to have a trickle down effect and when a manager is happy, everyone is happy. But to boost sales, everybody has to be happy even when the manager is not. Morale building through employee coaching has to be a real commitment by managers and owners alike.