Why Join an Industry Association? By Desiree Grace The Benefits and Opportunities of Membership—a conversation between the CFO and CCO. CFO Mr. Skinflint said, “I think we can cut these association dues. It’s expensive and I don’t really see the benefit.” CCO Ms. Savvy responded, “The benefits to our organization and our people are numerous. I know you have not been to an event or conference, so let me tell you about the many benefits. “ Introduction It is competitive out there--companies and professionals are continually seeking avenues to enhance their skills, expand their networks, and stay abreast of industry developments. One powerful way to achieve these goals is by joining an industry association. These organizations provide a wealth of resources and opportunities that can significantly impact both personal and professional growth. The association can help us do these things that we cannot afford to do solo.  Networking Opportunities Building Connections One of the main bene...

How to Think About Opportunities At the mere mention of the word opportunity, most sales guys’ nostrils flare, blood pressures spike and pupils dilate. Perhaps left over from some prehistoric caveman fight or flight gene, they seem to check their cognitive skills at the door and wildly rush ahead. Make no mistake, I like aggressive sellers. But, it’s important to take just a moment to fully understand the full story at an account before investing time, effort and company resources. The full story comes at the crossroads of three very important variables: 1. Real dollars/gross margin potential 2. Estimated time to achieve business success 3. Level of effort involved with getting the business Dollar/Gross Margin Potentia l Many experienced salespeople miss the dollar/gross margin potential of their accounts for number of good reasons. Often, it’s hard to get accurate estimates of the potential in the early stages. This is one of the reasons why we believe that a certain a...