The three dos

When improving your dental practice, concentrate on the following things.

Set goals

Many unestablished dental practices focus on daily work, which includes making clients happy, putting their daily income in order, and managing office inventory. As a result, the daily activities overshadow their long-term goals, making the practice dormant.

As much as you need to take care of daily tasks, you must keep an eye on your long-term goals and strive to achieve them. If you still need to set long-term goals, ensure to do so immediately. Once that’s done, revisit them to determine the progress. For example, if among your goals is to get more referrals or improve efficiency, ensure you see progress in the same. You might need to work on your marketing strategies to increase patient volume.

Define your ideal client

While some may argue it is good to cast a wide net when it comes to the types of patients you are looking to focus on, a lot of the time it can be more harmful than helpful and can also strain any marketing efforts you have in place for your practice.

At the end of the day, targeting a specific demographic can not only help you target your marketing efforts but also help a lot with word of mouth and consistency across your patients. A great example of this is Dobie Revolution Orthodontics in Connecticut. Dr. Dobie and his team have successfully narrowed down their ideal clientele and have catered their entire in-office experience to meet the needs of those types of clients.

With their main client being teens and adolescents, they went ahead and installed an in-office arcade, a DJ, and countless other fun and exciting aspects. This not only impresses and keeps their existing clients coming back, but also helps them with word of mouth and attracting new patients in that age group. Know your clientele, and do whatever you can to fit that clientele’s needs.

Improve communication

Thanks to technology now patients can schedule their appointments and have online communication. This move eases the communication between the dentist and patients without needing in-person communication. It’s, therefore, important to adapt and transit from regular in-person communication to modern ones.

Crisp communication between a dentist and patients creates an opportunity for the patients to understand what to expect during their visits, what they should do if their medical insurance doesn’t pay for services, and how much they should pay. Since dental work is costly, developing a way to communicate with your patients beforehand will go a long way as far as keeping their finances in order is concerned.

The three don’ts

Avoid the following things when improving your dental practice.

Don’t work with incompetent, unreliable employees

While you might be the dental practice owner, its success and efficiency depend on your employees. If your employees are competent and reliable, nothing will be standing between you and having a better-performing dental practice.

Building a name for your practice can take years and days to destroy. Therefore, develop measures and rules to ensure your practice interests are safeguarded. Sometimes, this means letting go of employees who don’t adhere to the rules and regulations.

Don’t work with fewer employees

Employees’ efficiency and reliability depend on whether or not they’re enough. With the correct number of employees, you’re guaranteed an increase in process efficiency, streamlined processes, and more income.

As far as having enough employees is concerned, it means not being understaffed or overstaffed. In any case, you lose money in one way or the other. Therefore, assess your practice to determine the services you provide and estimate the number of patients you receive daily. Once you get a number, determine how many employees you need to remain effective.

If your practice needs to be more staff, consider increasing the number. If it’s overstaffed, find ways to increase the income to cater for extra wages, even if it means adding the list of services you offer if you don’t want to release them of their duties.

Don’t assume the patient remembers appointments

Some patients who don’t attend the next visit forget about the appointments. Therefore, it’s important to avoid assuming that they do. Besides showing your patients that you care for their dental health, reminding them of their appointments will make them rethink skipping appointments. You can use phone calls, text messages, and emails to remind your patients about their appointments.

Conclusion

Improving your dental practice involves streamlining your processes and offering unbeatable services. For this to happen, you must develop measures and be on the same page with the entire crew. If you’re looking forward to improving your dental practice, consider the dos and don’ts discussed above for positive results.

Grow your brand with these 6 stages of sales pipeline management

Below are six helpful stages of sales pipeline management you may want to incorporate into your business strategy.

Analyze critical sales pipeline metrics

Monitoring is essential in most business processes, including sales. It helps you assess the milestones achieved against the laid-out objectives. You can continue with your sales pipeline process if you hit the key performance indicators. But if you’re falling short of targets, you may want to identify the reasons for shortfalls and revise your tactics accordingly. Some crucial metrics you may want to track include the following:

• New qualified leads over a given period
• New sales opportunities
• New consultations booked
• Number of closed deals
• Win rate
• Number of deals lost
• Sales cycle duration, i.e., the time it takes from initiating contact with a lead to closing a sale.
• Average deal size

Besides these, it helps to estimate the income potential from the sales. Instead of doing it manually, you can use a revenue projections template Excel, which you can download from a relevant site. You simply input the sales figures for each agent, and the integrated formulae will forecast the revenue automatically.

Standardize your sales pipeline

It’s never enough to have business concepts in your mind. You’re probably working with a team, and everyone needs to read from the same script. So, document the ideal sales process and outline the roles of each sales rep at every step of the pipeline. 

Formally documenting the pipeline also gives you a basis for evaluating each encounter with a customer to see how close you are to the plan or how much you veered from it. Such consistent analysis sets the pace for success. Moreover, it becomes a training tutorial for new salespersons you recruit to your company. 

Follow-up

Support the sales steps with content

Content creation is an indispensable marketing strategy. Generally, your prospects may have questions about various sales pipeline stages. For instance, at the evaluation stage, buyers would need in-depth information about your product to conclude whether it’s a right fit for them. You won’t always do this over the phone. Writing a comprehensive blog on your product’s features and benefits might be much better. 

Carefully consider each step of your sales pipeline and see if you can create content. The more details you provide, the higher the convincing power for the customer.

Use CRM software

In a 2021 Financial Planning and Investment Advisory Companies survey, customer relationship management (CRM) software was named the most valuable business tool globally. Its primary purpose is to organize customer data, track communication, and nurture a relationship with leads.

So, you can use a CRM platform as a channel of communication with your customers to send follow-up emails, address issues mentioned on social media, or call prospects. In other words, a CRM tool can integrate all media in one place, providing you with a clear picture at all times.

Plus, it predicts sales patterns, helping you create feasible goals and evaluate performance. It also allows you to monitor your metrics with dashboards and custom reports.

Overall, proper use of CRM in your sales pipeline will lead to higher customer satisfaction and more conversions.

Drop dead leads

It pays to know when to drop a dead lead. A prospect can be termed dead when they clearly state that they’re not interested in your products or when you can no longer reach them. Pursuing them further may be a waste of time, money, and energy. It’s better to move on and look for other qualifying leads. 

However, remember that it’s normal for customers to pretend not to want your products before finally purchasing them. So, try studying every case and determine the potential of closing a deal before giving up on the lead.

Conclusion

Following these stages of sales pipeline management is the secret behind high volumes of sales. For success, you may want to integrate essential technological tools into the sales process like CRM and analysis tools. You should train your sales reps thoroughly too. After all, a solid plan would be meaningless without the proper skills.

How to find skilled workers in the construction industry during a labor shortage

Fortunately, you can implement several strategies and tips from this article that can help you to find skilled workers and keep them in your business.

Partner with a recruitment agency

One of the most effective approaches to finding workers during a labor shortage is to partner with a recruitment agency. This company specializes in connecting employers with the right workers. You can hire one to help you find employees for your business. 

Although there’s a labor shortage globally, there are several people who are looking for construction jobs out there. However, as a business owner who is busy managing a company, you might find time to connect with them. But you can partner with a recruiting agency to simplify the process.  

Today, many job seekers have turned to recruitment agencies when finding employment. Hiring a provider for that task can help you connect with top talents on the market. However, it would be best if you worked with the right provider. 

With so many recruitment agencies in the market, it can be daunting to find the right one. And if you aren’t careful, you can partner with the wrong firm. To avoid that, you can ask for referrals from other business owners or read online reviews. Doing this can help you make an informed decision about which company to work with because it offers you an idea of the company’s standing and the standard of service you can expect. If you’re in the market for a job, work with a recruiting agency for a selection of jobs. 

Leverage the right employee recruitment software

Using software is vital to enhance the efficiency of your recruitment process. It boosts job applicants’ engagement, helps create a robust candidates database, and manages the entire hiring and onboarding process.  

Only some people searching for a construction job can be suitable for your company. The right recruitment software or technology will help screen all candidates and eliminate the non-suitable ones. This ensures you only interview and onboard the right workers. Finding the right workers helps reduce your staff turnover. Ensure you install the best staff recruitment automation tool into your company systems.  

With so many recruitment agencies in the market, it can be daunting to find the right one. And if you aren’t careful, you can partner with the wrong firm. To avoid that, you can ask for referrals from other business owners or read online reviews. Doing this can help you make an informed decision about which company to work with because it offers you an idea of the company’s standing and the standard of service you can expect. If you’re in the market for a job, work with a recruiting agency for a selection of jobs. 

Offer better compensation

One of the things that can make many people want to work for your construction company is better compensation. There are many ways of compensating employees, but most want money. Ensure you include better pays in your job description. 

The economic crisis and increased cost of living push people to look for jobs with higher salaries or wages. So, you will only attract skilled workers if your job openings cater to that. Research what compensation other companies in the sector offer employees, then ensure you provide competitive salaries. That not only helps you to attract top talents but also boosts your retention rate.  

Put things on social media

To many people, social media platforms are tools for social interaction. But they can also be powerful channels for your firm to connect with skilled workers. Therefore, post your job vacancies to find workers there. 

You can even connect with colleges on social media and form relationships with the management, where they can connect you with new graduates. Keep in mind that social media is one of the most effective methods to connect with skilled employees during labor shortages.

Offer training and development opportunities to employees

These days, many employees like to work for a company that allows them to boost their professional careers. So, you can make your construction business less vulnerable to labor shortages by providing training and development opportunities. When job seekers notice that you’ll allow them to enhance their skills and knowledge, many will likely apply for your openings.  

Providing employee training and development opportunities is also an effective strategy to boost retention. Workers will see that you value them and want them to grow. As such, you’ll likely keep skilled workers during the labor shortage.  

Reward workers

You can show workers how you value them by rewarding them for success or achievement. That way, you can uplift their morale, and they’ll be willing to work for your construction business for longer.  

You can recognize and reward employees in various ways. These include monetary incentives, free lunches from time to time, taking them on trips, funding their end-of-year parties, or even word-of-mouth recognition. 

Conclusion

Construction companies often need help to find skilled workers during labor shortages. But all isn’t lost. You can implement the strategies in this article to overcome that problem. That way, your firm will thrive and operate well for the foreseeable future. 

4 effective ways to increase enterprise B2B sales year-round

If you follow these four ways and implement them into your business strategy you will definitely see an increase in enterprise B2B sales throughout the year.

Take sales management to the next level

To improve sales management in your business, take a look at these tips:

• Quotas and goals. To ensure that all team members work well together but are also fairly independent, you should set quotas and goals both for the whole team and individual representatives.
• Onboarding and training. These processes ensure that your representatives have the necessary information to perform well in their jobs. Include information about products and customers, and also train them on the software tools they’ll use.
• Evaluation and adaptation. If you want a strong sales team, you need to implement effective sales processes and frameworks that your reps should follow to close more deals. However, you also need to constantly evaluate and adapt these processes whenever there’s a significant change in your company.

Finally, sales management is a mission impossible without using reliable sales management apps. Technology can immensely help your business with numerous aspects, including sales management, so there’s no reason to refrain from using them. After all, keep in mind that your competitors probably use these tools, so you know what to do if you want to remain competitive.

Be clear about the value proposition

If you want to sell your product or service to a big company, you need to be ready for it. In other words, your sales reps need to show what exactly sets your business apart from the competition. Keep in mind that it’s all about the value you provide.

Since enterprise B2B sales deals generally mean higher stakes, make sure that you convey your unique value proposition when communicating with prospects. Clearly articulating the value of your offering to the prospect ensures that they understand how you can solve the problem they’re facing.

And if you cater to more customer segments that may have different problems and require different solutions, make sure to have a value proposition for each of those segments. One of the best ways to have a value proposition ready at any time is for your sales reps to have it in a script and memorize it.

Measure and improve sales velocity

With sales velocity, you measure how fast your company earns profits. To measure sales velocity, you need to know how many qualified leads you have in your pipeline, your average deal value, your closing ratio, as well as the length of the sales cycle. Then you multiply the number of qualified leads by the average deal value and win rate, and finally, divide that number by the length of the sales cycle.

This offers various useful insights, like helping you forecast revenue more accurately. For instance, you can multiply the number of days until the end of the year by your sales velocity and you’ll see how much more revenue your business will generate until the end of the year.

And if you’re interested in managing and improving sales velocity, these tips may come in handy:

• Increase the number of qualified leads by making more cold calls, sending more cold pitches, as well as investing more in marketing channels that perform best.
• Increase the average deal value by upselling and focusing on high-quality, upmarket leads.
• Increase your win rate by using a proposal tool and account-based selling strategies, as well as identifying the lead’s pain points and goals.
• Make your average sales cycle shorter by conducting better initial research, identifying the expectations and requirements of all decision-makers, and letting go of the deals that take too much time.

Bridge the gap between sales and marketing

It’s undeniable that marketing and sales work best together. If you want to foster client relationships throughout every stage of the funnel, you need to bridge the gap between marketing and sales.

This can create a more effective system for identifying, targeting, and nurturing qualified leads. As a result, this leads to better conversion rates and ROI across the entire sales process.

Moreover, collaboration can also give both departments insights into what works and what could be improved in the sales funnel. This leads to more informed decisions on how to work on your sales efforts.

Conclusion

Today, there are so many opportunities to improve enterprise B2B sales. With more channels for customer communication, better access to decision-makers, and more data than ever, everything is practically in your hands. It’s up to you to do your best and lead your sales team on its way to success.

The pros and cons of freelancing that everyone should know

Here are some pros and cons of freelancing that you should think about if you’re considering building a career as a freelancer.

The pros

Five advantages freelancers enjoy that people who work regular 9-to-5 jobs don’t have.

Be your own boss

One of the biggest advantages of freelancing is the opportunity of being your own boss. So freelancing can be your career path if working for someone else makes you feel trapped in your position with no chance for progress. Everything is up to you, from the number of hours you put into the project you decide to work on, to the money you earn at the end of the project.

For some people, this can be liberating and enables them to thrive. If you want to be successful as a freelancer and be your boss, you must have self-confidence, a desire to learn, and the ability to manage a business.

No commute

Another benefit of freelancing is the freedom to work remotely from wherever you want without going to your workplace. You can choose to work from home depending on your sector. This is another fantastic benefit of working for yourself.

Long commutes to work can be eliminated, freeing up time that can be used for work or other activities. Some commutes can eat up hours of your day, and make you feel miserable before you even arrive at work. The perk of working from home (or your favorite place) also comes with the obligation to ensure that you do it efficiently and productively. Because it’s very easy to lose concentration when you work from a comfort zone.

Choose who you work with

As an employee, you have little to no control over your coworkers. Your manager will choose a team of people that he believes are best for the company. With freelancing, you won’t have this problem anymore because you decide who you work with. 

You can make your own rules as a freelancer and choose clients and coworkers who weave well with you. You aren’t required to work for clients you dislike or put up with a terrible coworker. However, this doesn’t prevent the possibility that you will occasionally have to work for a picky or obnoxious customer. 

Flexibility

Freedom and flexibility are two of the advantages that freelancing gives you. Working as a freelancer can be a dream job if you have children to care for or maintain a work-life balance. Depending on your sector, freelancing allows you to create your schedule how you like. You decide when you work, how many hours to work when to take a break, and from where you work.

This can be a significant advantage because it enables independent contractors to care for their children or spend time with their families while working. To make your freelancing successful, keep in mind that organization is essential and that you will still need to invest a significant amount of time in work.

Money

Another advantage of being a freelancer is the fact that you don’t have income limitations.
When you work as an employee, your salary will only slightly increase each year, if at all. However, as a freelancer, you can set higher prices for your offers and earn more money if you become recognized as an authority in your occupation.

As you gain trust among your clients, your income will increase in direct proportion to how much you work and how large the projects you contribute to are. Additionally, you would pay less in taxes if you operate your business as a limited company rather than as an employee.

The cons

Five disadvantages freelancers have that people who work regular 9-to-5 jobs don’t have.

Irregular income

Although freelancing has many advantages, it also has disadvantages, one of them is not having a steady monthly income. If you leave your regular job, you also leave behind the stability it provides in the form of a steady salary. One of the major disadvantages of being a freelancer is this. Freelancers must constantly plan and manage their upcoming projects and incomes and chase potential clients.

However, the stress of always looking for projects is reduced if a freelancer has a few loyal clients. That’s why is important to have specific expertise and experience in a certain field.

No employee benefits

Another disadvantage of freelancing is not having employee benefits such as pension plans, and private healthcare. If you work as a freelancer, you won’t get compensated if you take a vacation or are forced to take time off due to illness. This means that you must always have a saving account for emergencies that you can use to cover lost wages or time off.

That’s why you need to think carefully and make a good strategy for your employee benefits if you want to work as a freelancer. Because freelancing doesn’t offer you the protection that people who have a full-time jobs have.

Chasing after slow-paying clients

One of the main differences between full-time employment and freelancing is that when you work full-time, you get paid as promised every two weeks or every two months. It would be odd if you weren’t paid on those anticipated dates.

But, when you are a freelancer, you must establish your payment terms and be willing to defend yourself if a customer has trouble paying you. Sometimes you will have situations like these. A client who has agreed to your payment terms can claim that you must wait one additional week because their accounting team has been out of the office. Or, a client can claim that they will postpone paying all freelancers for a month due to slow sales. 

Loneliness

Even though working remotely from your comfy home or your favorite place may sound like a dream job to you, still some people don’t want to work as freelancers. This style of work is quite monotonous in a long run and if you are an extrovert, you’ll start feeling isolated from the environment. 

On the one side, the office can be noisy and full of interruptions from coworkers and other visitors, yet, you will discover that working alone isn’t very enjoyable. Sometimes coworkers can help you in your work and can be a part of your support network. So, as a freelancer, you will have to establish your network and support.

Competition

Another disadvantage is that you’ll often face a lot of competition because the pool of freelancers is enormous, and there will be a lot of competition in your field of expertise. This could drop your work’s prices to unacceptably low levels in a long run.

To combat this issue, you have to build a sustainable strategy. Make sure to keep up with market trends, build a strong skillset, establish a solid clientele, and keep up with marketing your services to specific audiences. This can help you to step out of your competition, get noticed by serious clients, and contribute to large projects.

Conclusion

To be a freelancer or not, what’s going to be?
Of course, you are the only one who can decide on this question. However, you may have a better picture of if freelancing is an option for you after reading the pros and cons of freelancing listed above.

Don’t rush, you don’t have to choose today. Take your time to process all information, then consider what to do. If the pros outweigh the cons, then start a freelance career. If not, keep your daily job and move on with your life.