Suggested Reading

Renaissance Generation
the rise of the cultural consumer- and what it means to your business

By Patricia Martin

“This book is about the rise of the next renaissance generation- the RenGen- an emerging strata of enlightened individuals who are hungry for ideas and ways to express them. It also refers to a cultural movement that is being created by the confluence of art, science, education, popular entertainment and business. The Renaissance of the fifteenth century was a flowering of a civilization- a “rebirth” of art, scientific invention, culture, and humanity itself. However, the moment right before birth is often a dangerous and complicated one. Our world today has reached a turning point. The passage into a better and brighter time will demand individuals and organizations that process a force of creativity powerful enough to challenge the status quo, disrupt the market place, and transform society.”

What you have just read is the first paragraph of chapter one of this book. I wanted you to experience the energy, intellect and passion that drew me into and through this book without leaving my chair. This excellent book is insightful, well researched, and prophetic. (See above copyright).  Patricia Martin exhibits in her writing style that she is, in fact, one of the members of the renaissance generation. This is not about a revolution in our culture but a naturally occurring rebirth of our concepts of marketing and buying habits. She beautifully presents what is really important to this rapidly growing and important segment of our population. The RenGen dissolves the boundaries between generation Y, X, millennials or boomers. This group is culturally sophisticated and wants to see that same interest and responsibility in the places they do business.  According to the author, we are in the midst of a cultural transformation that may influence how we live and do business for many years to come. She will certainly generate your interest.

If you think you are the Lone Ranger when it comes to sales, this book may pull the mask off your beliefs that there are natural sales people. The Bartick brothers of Outsell Consulting reveal a step-by-step process that they have presented to over 25,000 salespeople. For new salespeople, this book is a wealth of information and a step-by-step guide to open opportunities that lead to their best chance at a satisfied long-term customer. For veterans of sales, the book will fill the gaps where they may have missed something in the process.

To the authors, successful sales are all about the process and paying attention to the details of the relationship. You can skip around some books; this one requires an A to B approach to gain its full value and your full potential in sales.

Here are the chapter headings in the process, with just a few examples of what is covered:

Step One: Pre-Call Planning
Research your future client; be prepared.
“Iron your briefcase” - make sure you have everything you need at that first call. Seems simple, but if you seem disorganized from the start, you lose momentum.

Step Two: Building Rapport
Learn how to move from pleasantries to a business conversation.
Have an agenda to control the flow of the meeting.
Have questions to ask, to build your credibility.

Step Three: Discovery
Listening to discover the buying gap and the buying criteria
Selling with emotion, even with “boring” products

Step Four: Tailored Solution
Building your business philosophy
Features- Bridges and Benefits
The Trial Close: testing the buyer’s reaction

Step Five: Addressing Concerns
Two situations you don’t want to get into
Two skills to master
Three ways to respond to a cost concern

Step Six: Closing the Sale
Closing is a process, not an event.
Setting expectations
Three possible outcomes and how to respond

The shelves are filled with “How I Do (Did) It’ sales books. Silver Bullet Selling is how we can all do it. Don’t make room on your shelf for this one, keep it on your desk and hand it out to your sales team.

Book Review Information

Dr. Brian Beirl has a general dental practice in Seminole. In addition, he is an educator, author, presenter, consultant and business coach. Dr. Beirl is passionate in helping his clients live the life of their dreams. He may be reached at www.brianbeirl.com.

Generation Y Entrepreneurs Magazine

Cover Story

We Can Learn A Lot From This Woman
Maja Kazazic and Vela Business Solutions help businesses find profits through improved processes.
By Jay Winchester

These are difficult times for many in our country. The economy is down, foreclosures are high and jobless rates are rising. Be it a recession or a depression, it can be downright depressing...depending on your perspective.

Perspective is something that Maja Kazazic (pronounced My-ya Ka-za-zitch) uses to drive the success of her business, Vela Business Solutions. The company’s mission involves helping businesses identify sources of waste or inefficiency while suggesting affordable solutions eliminating wasted time while increasing productivity. “Ultimately, our aim is to increase client profitability,” she says. “In this economy, it is critical that a company’s processes and workforce both function at the most efficient level they possibly can.”

Chief among the services that Vela Business Solutions provides are two: One is the Systems and Workforce Analysis (SWA), which includes ROI projections. “Our comprehensive SWA has several components,” Maja says. “First, we'll interview the workforce. We'll even purchase your product or engage your service, putting ourselves in your employees' and customers' shoes. Next is an in-depth review of your workflow processes and systems, which shows how they currently advance, or hinder, your business goals. The result is a customized recommendation on how to maximize your organizational efficiency and a return on investment projection to support that recommendation.” ... continued.

Feature Stories

Seth Garber: Nvirotect Building a Greener Mousetrap by Carol Cortright An early hands-on introduction to crafting pottery inspired Seth Garber’s interest to attend art school…but his parents preferred a career path for their son that was more practical. Armed with a University of Tampa degree in finance, Seth ultimately took up another form of art, crafting an entrepreneurial niche for himself and two partners—the business version of a modern masterpiece. His year-old company, Nvirotect Pest Control Services, illustrates the grand design of a comprehensive business plan founded on strong principles followed up with effective action—and a lot of hard work. Not a surprising result coming from this high energy Generation Y dynamo whose favorite job once was jumping out of bed at 4 a.m. to make bagels before heading off to school and then clocking in for his p.m. stint at Pottery Barn. ... continued.

Meeting In The Middle With Boomers and Millennials at different ends of the generational spectrum, businesses able to blend the two get the best of both worlds. Remember the generation gap? It’s primarily a Boomer experience as the heady revolutionary times of the 60’s and early 70’s pushed young people further from the values and mores of their parents. However, with the passage of time, new generations come into play, meaning that generational issues continue to shift and evolve accordingly. There is value in examining the characteristics of various generations, especially if you’re an employer looking for good people. This is especially true of the Baby Boomers, those born between 1943 and 1960, and the Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2001. ... continued.

Lessons Learned
Welcome to BABM Lessons Learned where you can read succinct articles online and in print. The articles will provide you with valuable information that can be immediately implemented to help take your business and personal success to the next level.

Accounting

• Why Gen Y Businesses Need to Understand Tax Law

Business Efficiency

• Changing the Way We Do Business

Digital Marketing

• Employee Branding – Your Staff’s (and your businesses) Reputation is Online

• People do Business with People not Websites!

• Does your site Hablo Espańol? It should!

Entrepreneurship

• Make Your Vocation a Vacation

Human Resources

• Counting on Accountability

Insurance

• Covering Your Biggest Asset

Leadership

• Leading Boomerville

Legal

• Employee Layoffs?

Marketing

• Now is the Time for Your Business Seminar

• Ask Why Before How

Recharge

• Carolina on My Mind

Sales Moves

• How do you feel about the way you sell?

Self Development

• Hold Your Own Feet to the Fire

Strategic Planning

• The 7 Steps to Achieving Business Excellence

• Is Your Intellectual Property Slipping Out the Door with Their Pink Slip?

Values

• Stand 4 Something

Featured Members & Websites

• American Momentum Bank

• Brian Beirl, DDS

• Links Financial, LLC

• Find and Convert