Tech Tools to Ignite Your Sales
AI, Automation, and More
These days, it’s hard to imagine a time when landline calls, in-person meetings, handwritten day planners, and faxes fueled our sales and marketing efforts. The tools we use to grow our businesses have evolved exponentially in recent years, giving us exciting new frontiers to explore in creating and maintaining customer relationships. The technologies now available for lead generation present virtually endless possibilities for organizing goals and increasing profits. From Clicks to Clients Going through the list of followers on your company’s social media accounts may give you an idea of who’s casually interested in you, but decoding the secrets behind businesses that visit your company website is the key to identifying dependable leads who’ve directly investigated your services. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to receive word that the main purchaser at your most coveted new client company has already checked out your product page? You may be thrilled to know that visitor identification tools like Leedfeeder and Factors trace website visitors’ IP addresses to the source and identify their business, position, and contact information. This technology enables sales and marketing pros to develop personalized campaigns to turn that warm lead into a lasting partnership. Enhancing Email Engagement Is your email outreach structure generating new accounts or functioning more as the virtual equivalent of hit-or-miss door- to-door sales? Thankfully, modern methods make generating sales from cold leads more than just a shot in the dark. As just one example, Instantly AI provides tools for mass email automation/management, writing assistance, and analytical tracking. If you need help building a more substantial list of legitimate prospects, Instantly AI’s Lead Finder database — which, according to the company, has 160 million verified entries based on job positions, specific keywords, and other confirmed data — may be worth a look. Strategizes for Streamlined Scheduling Gone are the days when we had to cover the borders of our computer monitors with Post-it notes to remind ourselves of important meetings and events. Today’s web-based scheduling software allows users to book appointments without grabbing a pen or sending multiple emails. By sharing their calendars and availabilities virtually, sales reps and customers can slot times seamlessly in just a few clicks. Utilized by teachers and students, small businesses and major manufacturers, these technologies are especially helpful for sales forces that juggle meetings with multiple clients in various time zones. Well-known providers include Calendly, YouCanBookMe, and HubSpot. Mastering the Marketing Tool Maze Naturally, not all of today’s online business solutions are created equal. As even the simplest Google search will reveal, the marketplace is flooded with products of varying usability, capabilities, and pricing structures. Also, tech providers are prone to mergers and rebranding, so a platform known by a certain name today may change monikers overnight. Before selecting any software or service, dive into free demos/tutorials, customer reviews, and what competing vendors offer. Above all, research with patience, as something that seems like a quick fix today could become a costly tech-ache in the long run.
COUPLE WINS 80% CUT IN IRS DEBT TOPH’S TAX TRIUMPH
Sometimes, a timely payment plan with the IRS is a good deal.
I recently represented a couple that owed the IRS about $140,000, mostly in taxes and penalties on withdrawals they had taken from their retirement funds to stay afloat during the pandemic. The husband had since resumed working and was making about $60,000 a year — enough to support his wife and their child who was living at home, without much left over. This couple owned their home outright, with about $300,000 in equity, and had about $100,000 left in retirement savings. But the IRS debt and the agency’s collections actions against them were undermining their financial future, as well as their peace of mind. I knew the IRS was unlikely to agree to a one-time settlement for this couple because, in theory, they had enough assets, based on the equity in their home and the balance in their retirement account, to pay off the entire IRS debt. Instead, I negotiated a plan for the couple to pay the IRS $210 a month for eight years. The IRS offered to stop all collections activity against the couple if they stuck to the plan and made payments consistently. After eight years, when the statute of limitations on debt repayment expired, the rest of the debt would be forgiven. If you do the math, this was a great solution for my clients. A $210 monthly payment over 120 months comes to $25,200 — a mere 18% of the couple’s total debt. As long as they stick to the payment plan, they will enjoy a sharp reduction in their total taxes, comparable to those my clients have often received in one-time settlements. The IRS retains some leverage with such a plan. The agency could resume collection actions if the couple fails to make scheduled payments, or file a tax lien on their house and collect on the entire debt if they sell the home. Fortunately, the couple has no plans to move. My past experience representing and negotiating on behalf of hundreds of clients before the IRS helps me to identify winning strategies like this one. My clients were very happy with this agreement, which gives them breathing room in the short term and debt relief in the long term. They were clearly relieved that the IRS is no longer looking over their shoulder!
–Toph Sheldon
2 • 513-342-4000
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