Archive for December 27, 2011

It’s Time to Design Your Company’s Annual Signature Event

What’s your Signature event? You know that thing that you host and people simply can’t wait to run out to their mailbox and get their invitation. Or do you not have one? As a business owner who is looking for unique, creative and inspirational ways to take your business out into the marketplace in a big bold way, hosting an annual event is an excellent area to start.

Hosting your very own signature event allows you to affirm your brand. What do you value? What do you stand for? For example, companies that are family centered tend to host events that are open to everyone. They want to see your children running around playing tag, tugging on the bottom of your skirt while you pour more lemonade. Companies that are not as “family centered,” may encourage you to leave everyone at home and come “stag.” Companies that are more altruistic tend to pull together events around giving back to the community. One of my former companies hosted a “Clean up the Bay” day. Those that promote leadership and team building are looking for opportunities for employees to be able to get out and work through opportunities that allow them to build those “leadership muscles.” Read more

Online Options for Equipment Rental

The one thing about construction contracting is that there is typically lots of work to do. Many jobs pay well; however, the costs of purchasing and storing equipment are quite high and can well exceed your budget. Equipment rental can save you and your business a lot financially, especially when it comes to heavy-duty excavation vehicles and trucks. You can also rent lifts and aerial equipment as well as soil compaction systems.

Financial benefits to choosing an equipment rental are accompanied by the fact that if you rent from a business dedicated to this purpose, then it is likely the systems are kept up and are reliable. A forklift and hoist, or even an air compressor, can work as if brand new. The company is dependent on the business of renting out reliable tools for clients to use again and again.

You can also find anything from power tools to light towers and generators, like those often seen during road projects, for rent. Other mainstays of a construction site, such as office trailers, temporary fencing, storage containers, and traffic control barriers and cones can be rented out. Searching for an equipment rental company is not that difficult; there are even services that locate nearby providers as soon as you submit an online inquiry.

For any project, you can choose what equipment you need and fill in the details on a particular project. Rental companies near your hometown can see the request and give price quotes, so you can decide on what seems to be the most cost saving. The process is based completely online, while the most affordable equipment rental will allow for all the construction tasks to be finished efficiently. This also helps you to manage a construction budget and all of the expenses that go into planning, executing, and finishing a project on time.

How to Get Problem Sales Back on Track

A key thought to remember when you are in sales negotiations is the phrase: No mutual mystification.

Mutual mystification in the sales process is a real deal killer. It happens when either a buyer or seller has different expectations for an outcome of a meeting. Or it can happen when one party does something bewildering that is not clarified-leading to the “two ships passing in the night” syndrome.

The seller must provide leadership throughout the deal flow and must not allow mutual mystification to occur. To ensure that there is no mutual mystification in your deal making, discuss before each meeting: Read more