Does your home page belong to you? There are two kinds of home pages.
The main page of a web-site and the default URL page that displays when you first open your browser.
I’ll be talking about the later in this article. Your default URL page is pre-assigned when you first get your computer. Either by the operating system’s default settings, the browser’s default settings, or your company’s default settings.
Its time to declare your independence and create your own customized home page.
The ability to customize a home page has been around for years. However, it takes time and attention to set up - both of which are in limited supply for sales professionals.
Perhaps this long weekend is the perfect time to make it happen.
Google, Yahoo and others offer personalized home pages. We’ll use Google’s version - iGoogle as our example in this article.
First off - the number one reason you should take the time to create your own home page is that you’ll save a lot of time every day that you use it. Think of it as your briefcase. The things you carry with you in your briefcase are the things you need on a regular basis - all in one place.
But a customized home page doesn’t just keep your frequented web-sites in a handy place (like your bookmarks would) it also incorporates gadgets that make sales tasks quick and easy. And if you set it up after signing in to Google, or Yahoo, you can access this page (and all your bookmarks) from any computer.
What follows is a step-by-step guide to setting up your own iGoogle page.
Step 1: go to http://www.google.com/ig
Step 2: Select your location, your design theme, and any interests from the menu (you’ll be adding to these later).
Step 3: Google will automatically populate your home page with suggested links (gadgets). These can be removed easily and I suggest you do that first. Identify the things you know you don’t want then click on the down arrow of the gadget and select “delete gadget”.
You’ll notice that the gadgets re-arrange themselves to fill the gap.
Step 4: Once you’ve deleted the gadgets you don’t want, you can re-arrange the remaining gadgets by clicking and holding the frame and dragging it to the new position.
Step 5: Now the fun stuff. Let’s say you’ve deleted all the gadgets but the weather (after all, who doesn’t need the weather). You now have a clean slate to start with. Click on “add stuff”. Do you regularly use Hoovers to search for companies? Then add the Hoovers gadget. How about a zip-code and area-code look-up, or a time-zone converter? Do you regularly read articles on a particular web-site? Then subscribe to their feed and get the latest updates delivered to your iGoogle page.
Go ahead - try it now. Click on the RSS button at the top of this page. You’ll be asked which reader you want to use - select Google then “add to Google home page”.
You can do this wherever you see an RSS or Google symbol on a web-site. If you don’t yet have a GPS, add a MapQuest or Yahoo Maps gadget. Need help writing your proposal? Look a word up quickly using a Dictionary or Thesaurus gadget.
Are you selling to a particular account or industry? Add the Google News gadget and a customized search. You will then see all the headlines for that topic.
You can also use your home page for personal tasks. On the left column where it says “Home” you can add a tab by clicking on the down arrow. Maybe you call it “Sports” or “personal”.
There are thousands of gadgets to choose from and not all of them are good and many are now using ads. So look for the ratings, and test them yourself. You can always delete them and try someone else’s version.
The next time you find yourself needing information on a regular basis - check to see if there’s a gadget for it. If you’re technically capable, you can even create a gadget yourself and offer it to your customers.
Declare your independence this 4th of July weekend. Create your own home-page that caters to your daily needs. All the more reason to celebrate.
90 Day Sales Turn-Around Plan Part I: the First 30 Days
The SalesRoundup Podcast site delivers useful information to sales professionals and their management teams in a fast, simple and easy to use format. Its free to join and each week you’ll get a 40 minute segment that’s perfect to listen to in the car or on your commute. The podcasts sound very much like radio shows - professionally done and full of useful information.
In part one of this three part series Joe and Mike discuss how you go about laying out the first thirty days of your 90 day sales turnaround plan.
With the current business environment, many of us are in need of a turn-around plan. And is so often the case with sales, a positive attitude is what fuels our ability to get the job done. The best salespeople constantly seek motivational and educational materials no matter how long they’ve been in sales.
If you’re starting in a new territory or just want to kick start an existing one, you’ll need to map out a 90 day plan to ensure your success . This week’s podcast also includes an interview with Ari Galper, founder of the “Unlock the Game” sales program. Ari tells a great story about a perfect sales teleconference: You know -the one where the conversation flows perfectly. All the right questions are asked and answered. And the interest level is at its peak when the call ends. Unfortunately, Ari hits the mute button on accident and the prospect thinks he’s hung up. What happens next is something that changed his sales approach forever.
Click to hear the full podcast (no registration required)
Declare your Independence this 4th of July
SalesTool Talk Newsletter: July 2nd Issue