If we talk about social sciences this is nothing new. The theory of action research has already demonstrated its capabilities in areas such as communication or local development and highlights the importance of interventions for knowledge. It is not about analyzing what is prior to make decisions, but also analyzes the evolution of a community in terms of the different actions performed on it consciously. Something like learning by experience.

From this point of view, we find fundamental ideas can be very fruitful for social media:

* The analysis is oriented to action. Has to solve a specific problem, responding to an interest and give all the bases to design or modify a strategy. Failure to do so will cause the famous paralysis by analysis.

* Any plan of action should be accompanied by an evaluation method to establish whether the objectives are being met.

* Flexibility: The analysis should be rooted in the objectives of each strategy or each campaign. Depending on each project, we establish different evaluation methods.

Social media involves a new way to communicate and for marketing a new way of doing things. I like the maxim “soon fail, fail quick, fail cheap.” The requirement not to block us and start posting or Tuite not against that there is a parallel path of analysis that follows this series of tests, small mistakes and successes.

Although each social media strategy is an analysis plan that fits the specific objectives, to meet our audience as we publish can do simple things like:

* Create reports with links to more clicks and a more RT tweets. It allows us to see the interest of the audience as the theme, content quality link and copy quality.

* Create lists of influential in terms of actual experience (not just the number of followers). List users that make our tweets have more clicks or more RT.

* Use Google Analytics notes. Social media cause hearing very strong peaks in blogs and websites. Reviewing the notes in Analytics can quickly see what actions have generated more traffic.

* If you launch a # hashtag for a campaign, see what we have achieved more RT tweet and clicks.

* Analyze the impact of adding RT followers of users who have made RT. A little more sophisticated (for large accounts need software that allows it). In this way, We can see the scope of each tweet that we emit and what content interests our most influential supporters.

* Other ratios are those, which indicate the concentration (percentage of hits on the best link, or tweet RT in most RT). In addition, mentions by followers, RT by followers, interactions by fans, etc. to see the quality of followers / fans.

* We can spin finer, tagging URLs for measuring the impact on the web using Google Analytics. This is far more advanced. You can browse this tutorial on the labeling of URL and the web that helps build links easily (HootSuite also offers this possibility in the “breakthrough” that appears when you insert a link als). This is a good first step in measuring the more tangible aspects, leads, sales, etc.

To measure the return we can differentiate between tangible results (ROI or cost savings) and intangible (reputation). In case of ROI, provided we can measure through a website (online store, for example) the labeling of the link is key. For the cost savings is necessary to develop a specific methodology for each project.

See how varied our online reputation is also critical to evaluate our business, especially in social media. To be able to establish useful measures we need to identify different types of opinions or comments in terms of: subject, user, type of site and sentiment, and then measuring the volume and intensity or dispersion. Comparing these numbers in time we know how to evolve our reputation for the different communities and evaluate the success of our strategy.

Although the practical implementation of this subject deserves much more than a post, I want to stress is that research should not remain as alien to action. The research aimed at a more concrete problem and it is, the more fruitful is the analysis. There is nothing better than to learn to interact and learn.

Depending on the situation, a leader in sales can be time manager, planner boards, test coordinator, talent scout, coach and psychiatrist. All these papers together and played well make it what it is: a great leader.

However, there are five key aspects that distinguish the best sellers and great leaders, get to know them and see if you, or your staff, is a leader in this important area of business.

1. They are passionate and enthusiastic. These characteristics are transmitted to the entire sales team. If the leader is not, all lost their minds. How do leaders maintain realistic and positive attitude? To begin with, are voracious readers, reading everything written about his organization and sector. Looking for experienced and wise counselors to help them achieve their goals, and encourage sales representatives under his command to do the same. People surround themselves with high quality.

2. Recruit big sellers. Many managers do not hire someone until there is a vacancy, which means that sometimes up to “fill the gap.” One way to avoid this is by distributing business cards of two views to those of other companies that show great skill in sales and service excellence. One side of the standard information card includes name, address and phone, the other says, “I was impressed with their service and professionalism. Call me if you want to develop into a career. ” The success of a sales leader is directly proportional to the success of the team, hence the importance of recruiting the best of the best.

3. Achieve sales by their dealers, not for their sellers. The main problem that may face a sales team manager is to have a seal, which prevents sellers learn the skills necessary to achieve the maximum level of self-sufficiency. All managers instinctively want to get their hands and save the sale, but that is to say that they do not trust. Then, when sales reps have to fend for themselves, lack the necessary experience to handle difficult situations alone. Closes the sale by a representative and make the sale, teach him to close it and you will greatly boosted his career.

4. Set the example. Great sales leaders are working shoulder to shoulder with the people most of the time. If you do not see the performance of your representative at the time of the action, you cannot expect better. This way of acting not only shows you the performance of representatives, he discovers firsthand what customers think and need your products or services. Most importantly, however, is that vendors comply with a leader who knows what it’s like in the trenches. Surprise them occasionally with “I’d accept your invitation today to see how I will.” How your day planned sales representative?. How did it go on sales calls?. What methods used to obtain prospects?

5. They understand the strengths and weaknesses of each vendor. They have the ability to ask questions not indicative (like “What do you think you could have done differently on that sales call?” Or “What was your goal?”). When the sales rep says, it is true, when the manager says it, doubt it. Great leaders know what motivates each agent and how to get the best of them. Expect excellence. If your representatives know that you consider able to reach higher, fight for it.

Your role as a leader is to help your team succeed.

The monetary reward for being an unsurpassed sales leader can be great, but greater the reward of knowing that you help others achieve their goal.

It goes well. Merrill Lynch says that USA-and we know about the U.S. sneezing and the global cold-and has spent his first month of recession confirmed. Not only has come, the phrase that stands out is that “the recession is already part of everyday life.” Dan chills. Thank goodness that has come his way which is supposed to decide formally how things are: the President of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Where appropriate, the phrase that highlights the news is “I think right now we are not in a recession, but I think we run a serious risk of worse things that can happen and a real fall.” (Instead, it appears that ) but after all what does it matter? This man has felt bad that someone is ahead in the formal prediction … The fact is that in a couple of weeks we will have again a crowd of employees worldwide fearing for their jobs.

It seems that USA has already experienced this kind of falls eleven times since the Second World War, we have some widely known in recent times. Recessions are followed restructuring, if we look at the expert studies and Wayne Cascio, more and more irrational and radical. An excellent study published in Castilian in Revista de Empresa, “Strategies for responsible restructuring”, demonstrates how devastating that companies resort to layoffs to offset recessions do not have better corporate results in the medium term.

But besides that fact that executives should consider, at this particular time there is a new paradox: the famous battle for talent should be a halt to the layoffs. There are many studies indicating that the priorities of the executives are the retention and talent development. Does it make sense rid of employees when the labor market has no demand? How will you resolve this contradiction from the world of business, especially in times of corporate social responsibility fashion? It will be interesting to follow, those who know examples of companies that address these situations from a consideration of the employee to say it loudly, please. To improve the expectations, nothing better than concrete examples.

Some time ago I wrote a post entitled “Methods of negotiation: The tricks of good buyers,” he described eight possible ways in which a buyer can act. At that time someone said it was a traditional way of addressing the relationship between buyer and seller and forgetting about the famous strategy of “win-win” where buyer and seller are not opponents but partners seeking a satisfactory outcome for both.

At this point, I think it might be interesting to go deeper into the profile you may have a buyer, who actually buy and what position we take as vendors in each case.

* The beginning: This type of buyer is characterized by detecting knows your business needs, knows how to meet those needs known to search the market dealer can offer the product or service. If, as a rule, to be sellers, we are obliged to meet competition, with this type of buyer more if possible.

* User: In this group fall those who use a product or service purchased by the purchasing department and may indirectly influence to tilt the balance between one and other vendor. Our job as marketers will learn first-hand opinions of our product with these “invisible guests.”

* The Technical: For your training can have an appreciable influence on the decision to purchase. When we know that our products or services are a “technical filter” we must not only be concerned with knowing that covers technical requirements for our client but we must go further and know that it also provides solutions to customers of our buyer.

* Controls: Controls the information internally and defends the positions of the vendors if they are reasonable. If we sell to companies with people who tend to play this role in buying commissions must find out who they are for, from a standpoint of honesty, provide as much information as possible.

* The Trade: The buyer 2puro and hard, “directly and regularly deals with vendors. They are expert shoppers with great authority and they know perfectly try to vendors. Our attitude as a vendor must pass, inter alia, by: listen, ask questions, and make things right, to show what we say, negotiate, persuade, loyalty, and to provide high quality service, etc.

* Decision-makers: Perhaps the most difficult because they can be persons occupying positions of management or purchasing committees have the final word. We will have great success as sellers if we can go directly to these levels of decision. We must try and “lesser evil” to know and understand their real needs.

I think the theory is attractive to make the complex simple and quantify somewhat difficult to determine. But even if I lack knowledge to assess, ensure that the size matters, I remember those theories weighing brains to determine their capacity, and even came to ensure that the brains of the smartest were larger.

Furthermore, and in another context, the virtual networking capabilities allow us to break away the barrier of 150 contacts, making it possible to maintain a much larger number of contacts in diverse communities.

Without wishing to argue on the basis of the theory Dunbar, the differences between the relations “real and virtual” think they are basically the definition and context.

While in the real world and as defined in the SAR, friends are people I feel pure and selfless personal affection, usually reciprocal, which is strengthened by the deal. In many social networking “friend” is one that simply sends you a message: “Will you be my friend?”, You agree and sometimes, sometimes almost immediately asks you something.

Due to the invasion of outsiders, some social network will allow “defrieding” or what is the same block the connection with a person with whom you were attached and which wants to end the “relationship online.”

With the natural need we have to connect and build our social capital, often for professional reasons, it might be wise to re-ask before accepting a new connection: why are you friends?