Step 1 Recognize that if it were easy, everyone would do it. And if everyone did it, still only 10 results will show on the search result page. In other words, Step 1 is recognizing the reality of the challenge so you can focus on what you really want to accomplish. Step 2 Decide on…
Read MoreCategory: Management
Persistence, Patience and Pasta
Early on in building my distributorship to $20 million (I sold that business in the early ’90s to focus on our franchise model), I realized there were only four activities that would make me wealthy. Today at Proforma we call these the 4 Pillars of Success. Earn new customers. Sell more to current customers. Hire…
Read MoreHow Can I Upgrade?
Question: How do I upgrade from QuickBooks Pro to Premier? Answer: QuickBooks makes it easy to upgrade from Pro to Premier. First, download Premier; then back up your QuickBooks company file. Print out your balance sheet and income statement on the accrual basis. When you are ready to upgrade, go to “File,” “Open” or “Restore…
Read MoreBack It Up: The 3-2-1 Data Backup Strategy
As families begin to grasp the devastation to their homes and losses from Hurricane Harvey, one more loss is likely to be felt: Important files and photos are lost forever for many people. Backing up files is critical for home and business purposes, but is often overlooked. Backing up files used to be difficult but…
Read MoreView Everything on One Screen
Question: Is there one screen in QuickBooks Premier where I can look at my open sales orders and invoices? Answer: Yes, QuickBooks has a feature called “Income Tracker” that does just that. Go to “Customers,” then “Income Tracker.” The dashboard shows a current accounting of various income segments. At the top, you will see totals…
Read MoreCustomizing Quickbooks for Promotional Products Distributors
Question: Are there any reports in QuickBooks that are designed specifically for the ad specialty industry? Answer: Unfortunately, there are no ad-specialty-specific reports, but all of the reports on QuickBooks can be customized. And some have been put to good use by distributors. If you have loaded QuickBooks Premier specifying the Manufacturing and Wholesale Edition,…
Read MoreAn Onion is Heaven
I hear many people make excuses for postponing selling or giving presentations because they are concerned that they aren’t quite ready. Not being ready is a bad excuse for postponing success. The concern I often hear is that people don’t feel ready because they are worried their sales pitch or presentation won’t be perfect. Typically,…
Read MoreWho Do You Blame?
We have all experienced walking down the street and tripping on a crack in the sidewalk. There are only two types of responses to this experience. The first type of response is to blame the person who owns the home for not properly maintaining their sidewalk and fixing the crack. The second type of response…
Read MoreHow Would Your Customers Feel About a 20 Percent Price Increase?
If you had to increase your prices 20 percent tomorrow, how would your customers react? After you absorbed unflattering comments and disappointment, your customers would buy fewer products, if they bought any at all. Beyond our industry, consider what we buy every day: clothing, footwear, housewares, electronics and so on. How would you feel the…
Read MoreAre You at the Edge of Your Comfort Zone or in the Danger Zone?
Let’s take a quick look at the three zones in which most people operate: comfort, growth and danger: Now, let’s take a look at how these zones apply to your sales efforts. In sales, the accounts that we are most knowledgeable about are in our comfort zone. We are comfortable with their size, and with…
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