If you were caught off guard by the Coronavirus and your company disaster plan didn't include how to deal with a health pandemic, you were not alone.  Even emergency preparedness agencies worldwide were not prepared for a disaster of the magnitude of the Coronavirus.

However it's never too late to revisit and revise your disaster plan or, if you don't have one, develop a plan.
  
In 2017 "Be Red Cross Ready with Disaster Planning" was written to remind rep firms to develop a disaster plan if they didn't already have one.  Although the business disasters discussed did not include a health pandemic, the basic steps for planning are still valid.

​When starting your plan, identify each type of disaster you could face.  One plan does not fit all disasters.  Make sure your written plan is clear and concise so everyone knows what is expected of them before, during, and after disaster strikes.
​

The first in the "CRM in the Pandemic Era" blog series, "Tracking New Guidelines", talked about the challenges facing on-the-road reps now that the economy and businesses are starting to re-open.  Step Once was to implement or set up a disaster plan to navigate through the pandemic crisis.  An important part of your plan is to use your CRM System to keep all team members informed of the various guidelines set by government - local, regional, statewide, and/or national - and by each individual company in Phase 1 of the re-opening. 

Some areas of the country are now moving to Phase 2 of their re-opening plans and many of the guidelines from Phase 1 are changing.  Staying abreast of the continual updates can be confusing and time consuming.  Utilizing and sharing the information in your CRM system keeps everyone in your agency up-to-date on the changes.

Once you have captured the latest rules and regulations for doing business, you need to start tracking your contacts' preferences for communicating and doing business.

The ISSA/Interclean Show returns to Las Vegas once again for the latest trends and innovations in cleaning technology.  The show floor is open from Tuesday until Thursday, September 12 - 14 with additional educational opportunities on Monday.

To see the latest innovations with MRSware - NEXT.MRSware.com - please set up an appointment to meet with us while in Las Vegas.  We will be available from Monday - Thursday.  You can set up an appointment by filling out the form below or call us at 866-795-8386 x1 for Sales.

We'll also be attending the ISSA Rep Reception on Wednesday, September 13, at the Bellagio Las Vegas' DaVinci Ballroom from 6:00PM -7:00PM.  MRA is helping to sponsor the event and past President, Bob Weyand, CPMR, Murray Weyand Sales will be making announcements during the reception.   

Be sure to sign up or call early to get the time you prefer.  See you in Las Vegas!

From the opening reception to the closing banquet this year's conference was informative and enjoyable. Over 350 attendees of PTRA’s 45th annual conference in La Quinta, CA soaked up the content presented by entertaining and knowledgeable speakers.  

Leading the way, Mike Rayburn, the keynote speaker, kicked off the meeting with a funny, musical morning around the premise of “What If…?”  Believe it or not, Mike, a world- class guitarist, played the Beatles set to country music and Dr Seuss words set to the music of Led Zepplin!  It was an uplifting performance as well as motivating.    

This wasn’t the only interesting presentation.  Curt Steinhorst, a widely known expert in communication in the age of distraction, helped us identify the distractions we face every day and offered ways to break through the noise.  Todd Bucholz, an economist, offered a political policy perspective on the economy – both in the U.S. and around the world.  And, as always, the Breakout sessions held on Tuesday were informative and well attended.
 
Congratulations to the PTRA Conference Committee and their hard-working staff for another successful week.
 
They’re already planning the meeting for next year, to be held May 2 – 6 at the Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa.  Mark your calendars and watch for more information from www.ptra.org.  

Join the Power-Motion Technology Representatives Association (PTRA) at the La Quinta Resort & Club, May 7 - 10, 2017 for their 45th annual conference.  The theme this year is "Bridging Generations" featuring an array of speakers that will, if other years are any indication, make you laugh and arm you with ideas for making your business succeed.

As always they include opportunities for social networking as well as educational sessions.  The Palm Springs area will provide us with great weather for outdoor activities.

EYOND, Inc will be showcasing MRSware at our table outside the meeting rooms.  Please stop by to talk with us about your software needs.  What we hear most from reps is that they are using a variety of applications that don't "talk" with each other leading to extra work and poor communication.  See how MRSware can provide you with a single, central CRM + Sales & Commission Tracking application to connect your team for maximum efficiency and productivity. 

​​Please sign up, using the form below, to meet with us one-on-one to talk about your software needs or to do some training.

​Did you ever wonder how professional athletes can be so-so players for one team and then when they're traded to another team become stars?  It happens over and over again in the professional leagues.  So what's the secret?  I believe it's great coaching that makes the difference.

Most outstanding athletes credit their coaches with helping them achieve their success.  It's hard to see our own weaknesses, yet when someone else takes a look, those imperfections are clear to see.  With help (coaching), determination, and hard work the so-so player can become a star.

Do you have team members who are so-so players at their position?  When they were hired, someone (perhaps even you) saw something in them that would make them outstanding at their job.  What happened? 

In my post "Are You Ready for Climate Change", I talked about the assurance of change in our businesses.  I wish I could say that all change is good, but bad things will happen and we need to be ready to face these challenges.



The American Red Cross is noted for being prepared for any disaster.  In fact if you go to their website you'll find a Disaster Safety Library page, listing many types of disasters, everything from earthquakes to hurricanes to tornados to winter storms with links to "Be Red Cross Ready" Safety Checklists.

These checklists contain information about the type of disaster and 3 columns of recommendations:

• How to prepare
• What supplies are needed or actions to take
• What to do when the disaster is over

The plans are clear and concise, making sure everyone understands what to do should one of these events occur.

Just like when natural disasters hit, you should be prepared for business disasters that can destroy your company unless you've prepared in advance.  ​  

​
In order for a team to get to the NCAA Basketball Tournament they have to have a positive win/loss record. Teams need to know what it takes to win, and execute their game plan when it counts
- during the season, in the division championship, and all the way through the brackets to the Final Four and the Championship.


If you want to have a championship caliber rep agency you’ll also need to have a positive win/loss ratio, know the reasons why you’re winning (or losing) business, and execute your business plan when it counts.  Finding a way to track and measure your wins or losses is as easy as implementing a sales pipeline found in a CRM application, like MRSware.  

​Climate change is a hot topic now (pun intended), but ​the kind of climate change I’m talking about is not the one that has everyone loudly voicing an opinion on its existence.  .
 
The climate I’m talking about is the business climate in which we work and the change that is taking place. 
 


​About 30 years ago (when I was just a child) I was sitting in a conference room with 50 or 60 other reps listening to a speaker who was telling us that in 10 years 80% - 90% of our lines would be different than the ones that now graced our line cards.  You can imagine the reaction to that bald statement!

​We've seen the Golden Globes, the People's Choice awards, and the SAG awards, and soon the Academy Awards will be presented.  In the category of Best Sales Person of the Year, who would get your vote?

To get you started, here are some memorable roles that can help you define the characteristics of the sales rep that deserves to win the Oscar for Best Sales Person of the Year:
​