Cold calling is done from a script. If you have more than one person doing telemarketing in your business make sure to keep track of individual success rates. Often times you will find you have one person who gets much better results than anyone else in your firm. A smart business owner will have this person do a lot of cold calling; a very smart business owner will try to duplicate his success.

Some people are better at telemarketing than others because of natural ability. Somehow, they communicate orally better than others do. What makes them great telemarketers can't be taught.

Other people who do well as telemarketers succeed because they make small changes in the phone script that your company works from. They might have shortened the introduction your script uses, or they might have added a sales point you never thought of. Whatever they did, these modifications in the script can be copied and used by others.

Once you have located your outstanding telemarketers it becomes a matter of deciding if it's pure talent on their part or a modification to the script that can be copied. This usually involves recording and analyzing their sales calls; but sometimes all you need to do is ask.

Ask your star telemarketer what the secret to his success is. Sometimes he honestly won't be able to tell you; but frequently you will find they can give you an exact answer which your other telemarketers can use to improve their sales rates as well.

If you are caught without a carpet spotting product or just want to save some money, you can make a solution of your own. This homemade spotter will take up most spots, is safe to use and easy to make. To create it, mix one ounce detergent, one ounce white vinegar and one quart of lukewarm water. You can apply it with a spray bottle or a clean white cloth.

This solution will work on most stains you are likely to encounter: vomit, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, ice cream, milk, mustard, salad dressing, chocolate, coffee, eggs, sugars, starches and urine (hopefully animal).

As with all stains, the sooner you go to work on them the easier they are to get up. After you have removed the stain allow it to dry and gently brush the carpet.

This hint is about MSDS -- which stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. These are bulletins that give information on the properties of the chemicals that cleaning professionals use. They are prepared by the company that manufactures or imports the chemical.

You can get a great deal of practical information on the hazards of a substance, how to handle it safely, emergency procedures in case of exposure and so on from a MSDS. MSDS's are required by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). OSHA recommends nine different sections in a MSDS:


Section 1        Chemical Identification

This section includes the chemical name, trade name, chemical formula and the chemical manufacturer's name, address and emergency phone number.

Section 2        Hazardous Ingredients

This section lists any hazardous ingredients found within the chemical. In this section you might also see the terms TLV (Threshold Limit Value) and PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit). Both terms are used to express the highest airborne concentrations of a chemical to which most persons can safely be exposed during a normal workday. The CAS (Chemical Abstract Service) numbers listed in this section identify specific chemicals according to information published by the American Chemical Society.

Section 3        Physical Data

This section lists important physical properties of the chemical such as its boiling point, vapor density, percent volatile, appearance, and color. This information helps determine the degree of hazard associated with the chemical in different work environments. For example, vapor density describes the weight of a vapor relative to an equal volume of air (air=1). If a chemical has a vapor density greater than 1, its vapor will be heavier than air and tend to fall and concentrate near the floor.

Section 4        Fire and Explosion Data

This section helps you determine the chemical's flash point, which is the temperature at which a chemical will release enough flammable vapor to ignite. Chemicals that ignite at or below 100 deg. F are classified as flammable. In addition, this section usually lists the chemical's upper and lower flammability limits, proper types of extinguishing media required to safely extinguish the fire (example: carbon dioxide, water, foam, etc.), special fire fighting procedures, and any unusual fire or explosion hazards.

Section 5        Health Hazard Data

This section describes health effects associated with overexposure to the chemical through ingestion, inhalation, and skin or eye contact. The information may include the acute (immediate) and chronic (long-term) effects of overexposure to the chemical, whether the chemical is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), emergency and first aid procedures to follow in case of overexposure, and medical conditions that may be aggravated upon contact with the chemical.

Section 6        Reactivity Data

The information in this section helps you determine if the chemical will react with other chemicals or under certain conditions. Chemical that are reactive (unstable) may explode, burn, or release toxic substances under certain conditions. This section usually tells you if the chemical is stable or unstable and lists any chemicals or substances that might be incompatible with the chemical.

Section 7        Spill or Leak Procedures

This section lists the procedures to follow when a chemical is accidentally released or spilled. It will also cover types of clean-up and protective equipment needed to safely contain or clean up a spill as well as proper ways to dispose of the chemical.

Section 8        Special Protection Information

This section lists the personal protective equipment (respirators, gloves, eye protection, etc.) and other precautions the manufacturer recommends for work with the chemical. Remember, there are various types of protective equipment that are specially designed for certain tasks. Consult your supervisor to ensure you are using the correct type for the work you are performing.

Section 9        Special Precautions

The last section usually discusses special precautions to be taken during handling and storage of the chemical. Also, this section will usually discuss any other health and safety concerns that have not been mentioned elsewhere in the MSDS.