Top Down vs. Bottom Up Selling Strategies What Is Best for Your Business

Top Down vs. Bottom Up Selling Strategies â€" What Is Best for Your Business Some say that a true sales person cannot be taught; their skills are inherent in their personality. But whether you have a team of natural salespeople or a group of people who need training and coaching, the sales strategy you choose will have a large impact on their sales.In many business and enterprise sales, you will encounter one of two sales strategies.The first strategy, top down, is a traditional strategy that works from the top of the organization down. It is one of the oldest and most established strategies.You will also encounter the bottom up sales strategy. While this strategy incorporates a newer approach to sales, it has proven to be just as effective as the top down strategy in the right situations.Choosing the right sales strategy is vital to the success of any sale. To best choose the right strategy, you need to understand both the strategy and the situations that they are best applied to. © Shutterstock.com | MicolasIn the following article, you will learn about 1) the difference between these two sales strategies and 2) the positive and negative aspects of each strategy. When you combine this information with the research you have gathered about your client and your product, you will learn 2) how to choose the right strategy for your business.TOP DOWN VS. BOTTOM UP SELLING STRATEGIES â€" WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?Before you begin to consider which strategy is right for your business, it is important to distinguish between top down and bottom up strategies. These strategies exist in many aspects of business, not just in sales. Top down and bottom strategies are also employed in management and investments. However, the way that they differ from each other in the case of sales strategies is important to note before employing either strategy.What is a top down selling strategy?When using a top down sales strategy, your sales people will need to appeal to the key decision makers and executives from a prospective customer. This kind of strategy is well-known in the business-to-business sales world. It is an approach that would be well-recognized by any large company. These sales almost always include large, encompassing products that will be implemented throughout the entire organization.The reason that this top down mentality exists is to keep uniformity in the company. Companies and teams are more organized when they all run on the same IT and HR systems. Decision makers like this because it simply means that fewer decisions need to be made. It also means that they can utilize an IT department to support the software throughout the company.Top down systems are essential for securing large deals more effectively. In addition to all of the money that is spent on the product itself, the customer will also be spending a significant amount on implementing it. They will also usually purchase training services, licenses and consulting services directly fro m the seller.The larger the sale, the more comprehensive service a customer will usually need. Some enterprise software systems like SAP and Oracle are implemented across entire global companies. However, these customers rely on the training and resources offered by SAP and Oracle to make their purchases work for them. These resources often operate in addition to the customer’s in house specialists.Even though the sales people working a top down sales method will be dealing with fewer people, there is more pressure and more service required with a top down model.What is a bottom up selling strategy?Bottom up selling strategies are more widely used within the business to consumer market; however, in the  business-to-business sales such strategy means to approach lower level management or just directly potential users of the product. When you are selling from the bottom up, you are selling to a larger group of customers. The sales amounts are often smaller. They are also less likely to be implemented company wide.For a bottom up selling strategy to be successful, it needs to be enthusiastically implemented. By applying bottom up setting strategy you start with some employees in an organisation and if your product is very valuable for them, they will promote it to their colleagues and potentially even convince their managers to implement such product company wide. So for the product to be purchased and kept aboard, you need to ensure that the adoption process happens quickly and is inexpensive.Sales from business to business used to happen primarily with a top down strategy. However, for some type of technology products and software it becomes not only more user-friendly but easier to market to a wider audience, it has started to succeed with the bottom up strategy as well.THE PROS AND CONS OF TOP DOWN AND BOTTOM UP STRATEGIESThere are pros and cons related to both strategies. These vary depending up on each strategy’s strengths and weaknesses. The list of pr os and cons is not designed to support the idea of a universally successful sales strategy. Instead, you should look at the positives and negatives of each strategy and relate them to your product, sales team and the general selling scenario that you are operating in. When you do this, you will find demonstrable evidence to aid you in making a more strategic decision.Benefits of Top DownOne of the biggest benefits of the top down strategy is that it almost always results in bigger contracts. These contracts are not just large in terms of sales figures and commission. You will also often end up selling more products and more services. Another benefit of a big sale is that you can negotiate exclusive contracts with your customers. This helps lock out competitors and ensures that you do not need to worry about reselling the product every year.Following the benefit of big sales, top down strategies often facilitate large product roll outs. The benefit of a large product roll out is that you will be selling more physical product which must be maintained. The larger the roll out, the more training and support the customer will need. If the roll out takes place across an entire corporation, you will end up selling a proportional amount of maintenance, service and training hours in addition to the product. Selling these services isn’t a guarantee â€" it is important that sales people are trained to sell these services along with the product. However, this must be done in a way that does not imply that the product is difficult or faulty.Finally, nothing beats the recurring revenue (sure, it depends on the revenue model and pricing of your product) that your company can pull in after you have made a large sale. Because these sales are often expensive to implement, many customers are not interested in changing products after they have fully integrated yours. As long as your product fits their needs and your service is adequate, you can usually count on residual income from many customers.Disadvantages of Top Down StrategiesNo sales system is perfect and there are several disadvantages of a top down strategy. The biggest disadvantage is that it takes a long time for a sale to be finalized. This is primarily due to the expensive nature of these sales. In most cases, customers will not be looking to spend large amounts of money immediately. They may have a drawn out timeline for the purchase. You may also be at the mercy of the customer’s budget. They may want to begin negotiating a sale in one financial year but need to wait until another year to create room in the budget for the purchase.Another disadvantage is the sheer number of hours that are required for the sale. Sales staff have to remain actively involved in the sale until everything is finalized. Full engagement is often required to work out both large and small issues that come up in any sale. In some cases, sales staff might be required to be dedicated solely to one high-needs client r ather than be able to work between customers.It is important to remember that the top down strategy requires the executives or decision makers to make decisions without input from middle or lower management. While this is not necessarily a disadvantage of the top down system, it is important to understand the way the company operates before choosing this strategy. If the middle or lower management are consulted on the sale and they believe it is not the best option for the business, they may work against the sale.Another of the primary disadvantages of a top down selling strategy is that losing a contract can be difficult for a company. With such large contracts and so much time devoted to a customer, losing a contract can result in a sharp decline in revenue that may not have been predicted.Finally, it is important to note that the sale is not over even when the invoice has been paid and the contract has been signed. The first part of the sales consists of the sales team convincing the people at the top to make the decision. Afterwards, they have to go on to convince the people at the bottom to use it. This is usually done through training and consulting packages. However, every interaction with a new client is part of the sales process and this is important to remember when choosing a top down strategy.Benefits of Bottom Up StrategiesThe main benefits of the bottom up strategy lie mostly within the size of the deal. Most contracts sold from the bottom up are significantly smaller than they are at the top down level. When the sale is smaller, it can be processed and adopted faster. This means that you can work to make more sales at a faster pace compared to the top down strategy.Another benefit of the bottom up strategy is that it is easier to predict sales figures. Predicting sales figures is easier because teams can work with traditional mass sales methods that assume a certain percentage of sales for every pitch. This is because less time is spent courting customers and because teams are able to approach more customers. When companies predict sales figures with great accuracy, they have greater opportunities to adapt to the numbers.Another benefit of the bottom up sales strategy is that you do not need to worry about being undermined by middle management or staff. Since the sale is directly aimed at employee decision makers and not at executive level decision makers, you will be selling directly to the people who intend to use the product. If the product is in the employees’ interest, they are more likely to get on board and keep the sale recurring. This is different from the top down sales system because you will see more engagement with your product. You may also see a greater amount of up-selling.If you use the top down method to sell a product that employees are not interested in, you will often still keep the sale. This is because the unhappiness does not reach the executive level, at least not fast usually. It is also because it is often too expensive to switch products. When you achieve engagement and satisfaction at the bottom level, this is better for your brand long-term and it will rule out competition almost as well as a legal agreement.Disadvantages of Bottom Up StrategiesThere are a few disadvantages to the bottom up sales strategy. The disadvantages are primarily financial. One of the biggest disadvantages to the bottom up strategy is that the contracts are smaller. This means that you must rely on a greater number of sales to make ends meet.Another issue occurs in the event that the upper management is sold a product that it is to be implemented throughout the organization. When another product is being sold through the top down method, it is more likely that you will lose out when using the bottom up strategy.The bottom up strategy also requires early investment before you have guaranteed revenue. This can be difficult for new startups. It may mean running at a loss for much longer than someo ne using the top down sales method.Finally, one of the most difficult disadvantages to overcome is if you offer a free product to the majority of your customers. If you acquire thousands of non-paying customers, you’re not generating revenue and this leads to development issues. Having a product that has a free status is a great way to sell the product from the bottom up, but it not financially sustainable way. As one of the biggest issues that companies have is translating those non-paying customers into paying or subscription customers. Figuring out how to convert sales is essential before you decide to choose this method.MUTUALLY COMPLIMENTARY OR MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE?Now that you understand the major differences, benefits and disadvantages of both sales strategies, it is important to consider which strategy is best for your organization and your product.The reason that it is important to be familiar with both strategies is not so you can adopt one strategy and disregard another. There are situations where employing only a single strategy will not benefit your company.The strategies you choose must take into account all of the players in a client’s buying circle as well as their influence. It is very important to be able to assess the client to understand how you may be able to sell to them. To assess the client, you need to understand how decisions are made within the company. As highlighted in the pros and cons lists for each system, encountering a change in decision-making strategy can jeopardize the whole deal. If you sell with a top down approach and the decision makers want to discuss it with the middle management level of their organization, you could see your deal slip away before you.The strategy you choose will also depend on your product. If you have multiple products, you will need to consider which strategy is best for each product. You may find that the top down strategy is ideal for one product while another benefits from a bottom up approac h.But whatever your research finds, you must choose a strategy before you begin the sales process. Whether you are going to sell from the top down approach or from the bottom out, this should be decided from the outset of the sale. The strategy you choose will affect your approach, your pitch and the way you manage the sale. Having a coherent and clear strategy will ensure that your sales will not only be more successful but that you will close deals faster.CONCLUSIONUnderstanding the benefits of each sales system is key to knowing which system will work best for your company. When you combine your knowledge of the top down and bottom up sales system with the knowledge of your product and your client, you will be able to choose the right system to close more sales.

Diatomic Molecule Geometry

Many molecules are diatomic, meaning they consist of two elements. Diatomic molecules all have the same shape or geometry. Heres a look at what this geometry is and why all diatomic molecules are the same in this regard. All diatomic molecules are linear. It doesnt matter whether they are diatomic elements or heteronuclear diatomic molecules. Diatomic molecules have to assume linear geometry because the only way to connect two points is with a line. The nuclei of the atoms are repelled by each other, so they tend to push each other away, even as the electrons are being shared. There is characteristic vibration in the resulting bond, which can be observed using lab techniques, such as spectroscopy.

Failure Of Pakistan As An Effective Ally Of North Atlantic...

This essay aims to explain the failure of Pakistan as an effective ally of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the fight against the Taliban/ Al Qaeda. This essay is broken into three parts in order to better understand the fight against the Taliban/ Al Qaeda. In the first part, we look at the formation of the Taliban/ Al Qaeda in the region followed by its relationship with Pakistan and finally the post 9/11 situations in the region. It also looks to study the Pakistan – United States and Pakistan – India relationship. As mentioned by Riedel (2008, pp 32-36), the jihadist terrorist movement gained momentum during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980’s. During this period, Pakistan was a key to victory in overcoming†¦show more content†¦Wander (2008) provides a very good historical timeline of Al Qaeda in his article, in this we are able to trace the formation of Al Qaeda to the year 1988 when they immediately carried out their first terrorist act Aden in December 1992 followed by the United States in February 1993. With the help of Pakistan, the Taliban were successful in gaining control of a majority of Afghanistan though the Taliban proved to be a difficult ally for Pakistan as they continued providing a safe haven for Islamist radicals including Al Qaeda. In the wake of 9/11, Pakistan was coerced by the Bush administration to pick either the U.S. or Taliban. To which Pakistan formally pledged alliance to the U.S. though this was not driven by a change of stand on Taliban but rather on the believe that if Pakistan failed to stand by the U.S. then it would push to U.S. to seek closer relations with India which Pakistan feels to be a threat to its fight in Kashmir (Katz n.d.). In an article by D’Souza (2006, pp.528) notes how Pakistan went from one of the three countries that recognised Taliban leadership in Afghanistan to a complete reversal post 9/11. Though the Taliban had taken over Afghanistan, their rule was short lived due to Al Qaeda aggression in the U.S., this had turned Pakist an plans of having Afghanistan as a safe heaven ruined. Pakistan is a unique in the way that it is not only a

The Hunters Moonsong Chapter Ten Free Essays

The pub where Elena and Damon ended up was lively and ful of people, but of course Damon made sure they didn’t have to wait for a table. He lounged across one side of the booth, looking as arrogant and relaxed as a big gorgeous cat, and listened peaceably as Elena talked. Elena found herself gaily chatting away, fil ing him in on al the minutia of her campus life so far, from finding out that Professor Campbel knew her parents to the personalities of the other students she’d met in her classes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Ten or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"The elevator was real y crowded, and slow, and my lab partner’s back was against the buttons. Somehow she accidental y pushed the alarm button, and the alarm started going off.† Elena took a sip of her soda. â€Å"Suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere and asked, ‘Do you have an emergency?’ And she said, ‘No, it was an accident,’ and the voice said, ‘What? I can’t hear you.’ It went on like that, back and forth, until she started shouting ‘Accident! Accident!'† Damon stopped tracing patterns in the condensation on his glass with one finger and glanced up at her through his lashes, his lips twitching into a smile. â€Å"When the doors opened on the ground floor, there were four security men standing there with a medical kit,† Elena finished. â€Å"We didn’t know what to do, so we just walked past them. When we got out of the building, we started to run. It was so embarrassing, but we couldn’t stop laughing.† Damon let his slight smile expand into a grin – not his usual cool twist of the lips or his brief, bril iant, and enigmatic there-then-gone smile, but an honest-to-God cheek-puffing, eye-squinching grin. â€Å"I like you like this,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Like what?† Elena asked. â€Å"Relaxed, I suppose. Ever since we met, you’ve been in the middle of some crisis or another.† He raised his hand and brushed a curl away from her face, gently touching her cheek. Elena was vaguely aware of the waiter standing by the booth, waiting for them to look up, as she answered with just a touch of flirtation, â€Å"Oh, and I suppose you had nothing to do with that?† â€Å"I wouldn’t say I am the one who’s been most to blame, no,† Damon said cool y, his grin fading. He looked up, his eyes sharp and knowing. â€Å"Hel o, Stefan.† Elena froze in surprise. Not the waiter, then. Stefan. One look at him, and she winced, her stomach dropping. His face could have been carved from stone. He was looking at Damon’s hand, stil stretched across the table toward Elena. â€Å"Hey,† she said tentatively. â€Å"How was your study group?† Stefan stared at her. â€Å"Elena, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why didn’t you answer your phone?† Pul ing out her phone, Elena saw that there were several messages and texts from Stefan. â€Å"Oh, no, I’m so sorry,† she said. â€Å"I didn’t hear it ring.† â€Å"We were supposed to meet,† Stefan said stiffly. â€Å"I came to your room and you were just gone. Elena, people have been disappearing al over campus.† He had been scared, afraid that something terrible had happened to her. His eyes were stil anxious. She started to reach out to comfort him. The fact that she’d lost the Power she’d had so briefly was hard for Stefan to accept, she knew. He thought her mortality made her fragile, and he was afraid he’d lose her. She should have thought it through, should have left him more of a message than a quick text saying she would return soon. Before she could touch him, Stefan’s gaze turned to Damon. â€Å"What’s going on?† he asked his brother, his voice ful of frustration. â€Å"Is this why you fol owed us to col ege? To zero in on Elena?† The look of hurt that crossed Damon’s face was only a subtle shadow and was gone so quickly that Elena wasn’t entirely sure she had actual y seen it. His features settled into an expression of lazy disdain, and Elena tensed. The peace between the brothers was so fragile – she knew that – and yet she had let Damon flirt with her. She’d been so stupid. â€Å"Someone should be keeping her safe, Stefan,† Damon drawled. â€Å"You’re too busy playing human again, aren’t you? Study groups.† He lifted an eyebrow scornful y. â€Å"I’m surprised you’ve even noticed that there’s something going on around this campus. Would you rather have Elena alone and in danger than have her spending time with me?† Tense lines were forming around Stefan’s mouth. â€Å"You’re saying you don’t have an ulterior motive here?† he asked. Damon waved a hand disparagingly. â€Å"You know what I feel for Elena. Elena knows what I feel for Elena. Even that sports-loving Mutt of yours knows how things are between us. But the problem isn’t me, little brother – it’s you and your jealousy. Your wanting to be an ‘ordinary human'† – Damon made quote marks with his fingers – â€Å"and stil carry on with Elena, who is hardly ordinary. You want to have your cake and eat it, too. I haven’t done anything wrong. Elena wouldn’t have come with me if she didn’t want to.† Elena winced again. Was this the way it was always going to be? Was any minor misstep on her part going to set Damon and Stefan at each other’s throats? â€Å"Stefan†¦ Damon,† she implored, but they ignored her. They were glaring at each other. Stefan stepped closer, flexing his fists, and Damon clenched his jaw, silently daring Stefan to make a move. For the first time, Elena saw a resemblance between them. â€Å"I can’t do this,† she said. Her voice sounded smal and soft to her own ears, but both Salvatore brothers heard her and whipped their heads toward her with inhuman speed. â€Å"I can’t do this,† she said again, louder and more firmly this time. â€Å"I can’t be Katherine.† Damon scowled. â€Å"Katherine? Believe me, darling, nobody here wants you to be Katherine.† Stefan, his face softening, said, â€Å"Elena, sweetheart – † Elena interrupted him. â€Å"Listen to me.† She wiped her eyes. â€Å"I’ve been walking on eggshel s, trying to keep this – this thing between the three of us from tearing us apart. If anything good has come out of al the stuff that’s happened, it’s that you found each other, you started being brothers again. I can’t – † She took a deep breath and tried to find a sensible matter-of-fact voice somewhere inside herself. â€Å"I think we should take a break,† she said flatly. â€Å"Stefan, I love you so much. You’re my soul mate, you’re it for me. You know that.† She looked up at him pleadingly, silently begging him to understand. Then her eyes moved past him to Damon, who was staring at her with a furrowed brow. â€Å"And Damon, you’re part of me now. I †¦ feel for you.† She looked back and forth between them, her hands clutching each other. â€Å"I can’t lose either of you. But I need to figure out who I am now, after everything that’s happened, and I need to do it without worrying about destroying the relationship between you. And you need to figure out how you can be friends with each other, even if I’m in both of your lives.† Damon let out a skeptical noise, but Elena kept talking. â€Å"I’l understand† – she gulped – â€Å"if you can’t wait for me. But I wil always, always love you. Both of you. In different ways. But for now, I just can’t be with you. Either of you.† She was tearing up again, and her hands shook as she wiped her eyes. Damon leaned across the table, a smal twisted smile hovering on his lips. â€Å"Elena, did you just break up with both of us?† The tears dried up instantly. â€Å"Damon, I never dated you,† she said angrily. â€Å"I know,† he replied, and shrugged. â€Å"But I’ve definitely just been dumped.† He glanced at Stefan, then quickly away, his expression closed off. Stefan looked devastated. For a moment, his face was so bleak that it wasn’t hard to believe he was more than five hundred years old. â€Å"Whatever you want, Elena,† he said. He started to reach for her, then pul ed his own hand back to his side. â€Å"No matter what, I wil always love you. My feelings aren’t going to change. Take whatever time you need.† â€Å"Okay,† Elena said. She stood up shakily. She felt like she was going to be sick. Half of her wanted to pul Stefan to her, kiss him until that broken expression on his face went away. But Damon was watching her, his own face inscrutable, and touching either of them felt †¦ wrong. â€Å"I need to be by myself for a while,† she told them. At any other time, she knew, both of them would have objected to the idea of her walking the campus alone. They would have argued, fol owed her if she wouldn’t walk with them – anything to keep her safely under their protection. Now, though, Stefan moved aside to let her out of the booth, his head bowed. Damon sat very stil and watched her go, his eyes hooded. Elena didn’t look back at them as she crossed to the door of the pub. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were brimming with tears once more. But she also felt as if she’d carried something very heavy for a while and had final y been able to put it down. This might be the best choice I’ve made in a long, long time, she thought. Dear Diary, Every time I remember the look on Stefan’s face when I told him I needed space, my chest aches. It’s like I can’t breathe. I never wanted to hurt Stefan. Never. How could I? We’re so close, so wrapped up in each other that he’s like a piece of my soul – without him, I’m not complete. But†¦ I love Damon, too. He’s my friend – my dark mirror image – the clever, plotting one who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants, but who has a kindness deep inside him that not everybody sees. I can’t imagine living without Damon, either. Stefan wants to hold on to me so tightly. He cares for his brother – he does – and Damon cares for him, too, and having me between them is messing that up. All three of us have been held so closely together by the crises we’ve had to deal with recently – my death and rebirth, Klaus’s attack, Damon’s return from the edge of death, the phantom’s attack – that every move we’ve made, every thought we’ve had, has been wrapped up with the other two. We can’t go on like this. I know I’ve done the right thing. Without me between them, they can become brothers again. And then I can sort out the tangled threads of my relationships with both of them without having to worry that any move I make will snap the tenuous bond between us. It’s the right decision. But still, I feel like I’m dying a slow death. How can I live for even a little while without Stefan? All I can do is try to be strong. If I just keep going, I’ll get through this time. And in the end, everything will be wonderful. It has to be. How to cite The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Ten, Essay examples

NASA and Project Juno Essay Example

NASA and Project Juno Essay Introduction Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and is the largest planet in all of our solar system. Jupiter is more than twice as massive as all of the other planets combined and is made from about 90% hydrogen and 10% helium. Despite having sent different spaceships and orbiters to observe Jupiter there is a lot more to learn about the planet. That is why from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011, NASA New Frontiers mission launched a spacecraft named â€Å"Juno† to study and find out more about Jupiter. More specifically, Juno will map Jupiter’s gravity field, magnetic field and its atmospheric structure from a polar orbit. The whole purpose of this mission is to have a better understanding of the formation of our solar system and planetary systems discovered around the stars. We will write a custom essay sample on NASA and Project Juno specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on NASA and Project Juno specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on NASA and Project Juno specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Why Jupiter? The primary scientific goal of the NASA space mission Juno is to drastically improve our understanding of the planet Jupiter. Jupiter, which is considered, as the â€Å"Gas Giant Planet† and scientists believe that Jupiter can show the secrets to the fundamental processes of the formation of our solar system. Scientists at NASA have developed different theories as to how Jupiter was formed. Some believed that it began as a solid chunk of heavy material, like rock or ice. As gravity gathered debris, its gravitational pull increased and eventually it became big enough to attract light gases. Another theory is that Jupiter was formed when a small region of the gas disk around the sun collapsed on its own. Whatever the case is, they are all theories. They are all ideas of how Jupiter was formed, and no one really knows how Jupiter was made for sure. Which is why the Juno mission was launched. If we can find out what makes Jupiter’s core and exactly how much water the planet contains we can narrow down the number of theories that were developed by the scientists. Jupiter has long intrigued scientists since Galileo’s time.

Sicilian Phrasebook

Sicilian Phrasebook GREETINGS Bon giornu. Bona sira.Good evening. Bona notti.Good night. Addiu.Good-bye. Comu si senti?How are you? Bonu, grazii, e Lei?Fine, thanks, and you? Unn cà ¨ mali.Not bad. Piaciri di canuscirvi.Pleased to meet you. GETTING ALONG Parra inglisi? Iu unn parru sicilianu.I do not speak Sicilian. Ma capisciu si parra chià ¹ lentamenti.But Ill understand if you speak more slowly. Mi capisci si parru inglisi?Do you understand me if I speak English? Cà ¨ nessunu cca ca parra inglisi?Does anyone speak English here? Comu si dici in sicilianu...?How do you say in Sicilian...? ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS Mi po diri comu si va a ...? Quantu si ci metta a [town name] di cca?How far is [town name] from here? Quantu si ci metti in machina?How long does it take by car? Mi po mustrari na carta unna mi trovu?Can you show me on the map where I am? Gira sinistra.Turn left. Gira destra.Turn right. Jiti rittu rittu.Go straight ahead. Faciti un giru cumpletu.Make a U-turn. Jiti à ´ primincruciamentu.Go to the first intersection. Unn à ¨ luntanu.Its not far. È vicinu.Its nearby. Si ci metti cincu minuti a pedi.Its a five-minute walk. TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION Pi favuri, unna à ¨ u benzinaiu u chià ¹ vicinu? Pi favuri, mi metta deci litri di benzina.Ten liters of gas, please. Mi volcontrollar a pressioni dà ® gummi?Would you check the tire pressure? Unna pozzu parcheggiari?Where can I park? Cà ¨ un parcheggiu ca vicinu?Is there a parking lot nearby? È un parcheggiu liberu?Is this a free parking lot? ON THE BUS Quali autobus devu prenniri pi jiri à ¢ Quattru Canti? Unna à ¨ a firmata?Where is the bus stop? È chistu lautobus pi San Fratellu?Is this the rigth bus for San Fratello? Un biglettu, pir favuri.One ticket, please. Devu scinniri a...I have to get off at... Mi po diri unna devu scinniri?Can you tell me where to get off? AT THE TRAIN STATION Quannu à ¨ u prossimu trenu pi Missina? Vogghiu un bigliettu di andata e ritornu.Id like a round-trip ticket. Un bigliettu sulu di andata.One-way ticket, please. Un bigliettu di prima classi, pi favuri.First class, please. A chi ura arriva u trenu di...?At what time does the train arrive from...? Chi à ¨ direttu o espressu?Is it a local or an express? Mi po dari un orariu?May I have a timetable? Da quali binariu parti u trenu?From what platform does it leave? U trenu parti dà ´ binariu...The train leaves from platform... U trenu pir Catania parti a...The train for Catania leaves at... È trenu cu prinotazzioni ubbligatoria.You need a reservation for this train. FOOD AND DRINK agneddu antipastu mistumixed antipasto baccalarudry salted cod bivannidrinks calamarisquid cicirichickpeas ducisweets fasolibeans panibread pipipepper pumudamuritomatoes sasizzasausage u primufirst course u secunnusecond course vinu biancuwhite wine vinu russured wine SHOPPING Comu Le pozzu sirviri? Vogghiu sulu dar un occhiata.I just want to have a look. Vogghiaccattarun capeddu.Id like to buy a hat. Unna à ¨ u camerinu?Where is the fitting room? Pozzu cangiari na vota accattatu?May I return this? Faciti anchi modifichi cca?Do you make alterations here? Pozzu pagari cà ¢ carta di creditu?Can I pay with my credit card? Non accettamu carti di creditu, sulu contanti.We do not accept credit cards, only cash. Mi poincartari u me acquistu in pacchettu regalu?Can you gift-wrap my purchase? Tuttu ntà ´ negozziu à ¨ in saldu.Every item in the store is on sale. È troppu granni / nicu / lungu / curtu.Its too large / small / long / short. SERVICES Mi po puliri sti cammisi, pir favuri? Quannu sarannu pronti i causi?When are the pants going to be ready? Mi bisogninu pi sabatu.I need them by Saturday. Devu pagari ora o quannu i vegnu a ritirari?Should I pay now or when I come to pick them up? Eccu a so ricevuta.Here is your receipt. Vulissi tagghiari i capiddi.I would like a haircut. Vulissi un tagghiu curtu.I would like my hair short. Vulissi sulu na spuntata.I would like my hair trimmed. Faciti anchi massaggi cca?Do you also do massages? MONEY Unna à ¨ a banca a chià ¹ vicina? Quannu apri / chiudi a banca?When does the bank open / close? Unna pozzu truvari un Bancomat?Where can I find an ATM? A quantu sta u dollaru oggi?How much is the dollar today? Chi tassa ci mittiti sà » cambiu esteru?What is your fee on currency exchange? Accitati carti di creditu?Do you accept credit cards? AT THE BEACH Unna pozzu affitari una sdraia? A chi ura devu ristituiri a sdraia?At what time shall I return the deck chair? Chi voli diri a bannera russa?What does the red flag mean? Quantu pozzu natari a largu?How far am I allowed to swim here? Unna pozzu accattari na buttighia dacqua nta spiaggia?Where can I buy a bottle of water on the beach? È chista na spiaggia pubblica?Is this a public beach? HEALTH Pozzu vidiri un dutturi, pi favuri? Chiamati lambulanza!Call an ambulance! Unn mi sentu bonu.I dont feel well. Mi sentu malatu.I feel sick. Mi fa mali a testa.I have a headache. Mi fa mali a panza.I have a stomachache. Haiu un allergia.I have an allergy. Cercu na farmacia.I am looking for a pharmacy. Mi po diri unna à ¨ a farmacia chià ¹ vicina?Where is the nearest pharmacy, please? Devu pigghiari sta pinnula cu acqua?Should I take this pill with water? EMERGENCIES Latru! Aiutu!Help! Lassami in paci!Leave me alone! Vattinni!Go away! Mi scipparu a cullana!They snatched my necklace! Haiu bisognu di un interpetri.I need an interpreter. Cà ¨ un dutturi cca?Is there a doctor here? Focu!Fire! Chiamati i pomperi!Call the firemen! MEASURES centimetru chilometrukilometer chilukilo litruliter metrumeter DAYS OF THE WEEK luneddà ¬ marteddà ¬Tuesday mercoleddà ¬Wednesday gioveddà ¬Thursday venerddà ¬Friday sabbatuSaturday duminicaSunday MONTHS OF THE YEAR jinnaru fivraruFebruary marzuMarch apriliApril maggiuMay giugnuJune lugliuJuly agustuAugust settembriSeptember ottubbriOctober novembriNovember dicembriDecember TIME Chi ura à ¨? È luna.It is one oclock. Sunu id dui.It is two oclock. Sunu i dui e menzu.It is two-thirty. Sunu i dui menu un quartu.It is a quarter to two. THE FOUR SEASONS primavera estatisummer autunnuautumn invernuwinter THE WEATHER Chi tempu fa? Fa friddu oggi.Today it is cold. Fa cauru.Its warm. Chiovi.Its raining. È na bedda jurnata.Its a gorgeous day. Nun chiovi, ma fa ventu.Its not raining, but it is windy. È nuvulusu.Its cloudy. Quanti gradi fa fora?How many degrees is it outside? Rumani ci sar una timpesta.Tomorrow there will be a thunderstorm.

10 Ways to Sabotage Your Italian Progress

10 Ways to Sabotage Your Italian Progress There are ways to speak Italian quickly, and there are tips and tricks they dont teach in Italian language school. Conversely, there are methods and approaches that will slow down your progress and only prove frustrating and demotivating. You might have the best intentions, but here are ten sure-fire ways how not to learn Italian (or any foreign language, for that matter). 1. Think in English Perform the mental gymnastics that requires a lot of time and effort when conversing in Italian: think in English, then translate into Italian, then retranslate into English after hearing the speakers response. Now watch the listeners eyes glaze over as your brain painstakingly hashes out this unnecessarily complex process. At this rate, youll never learn Italian- unless you forget your native tongue. Think like an Italian if you want to speak like an Italian. 2. Cram Stay up late, drink plenty of espressos, and try to learn a semesters worth in one night. It worked in college, so it should work with a foreign language, right? Well, you cannot get into shape in just a few days at the gym, and you cannot learn Italian by studying just before a test. It takes repeated effort, over an extended period of time, to get results. Rome wasnt built in a day, and no one can become proficient in the Italian present subjunctive tense in an evening. 3. Get the Dubbed Version The Italian movie that was critically acclaimed and that everyones raving about? Its now available on DVD, in English no less. So sit back, microwave some popcorn, and watch the actors lips flap out of synch for two hours. Worse, miss the various nuances of the Italian language during conversations as well as the original voices. (In fact, many viewers believe that English-dubbed films bastardize the original.) Yes, its difficult to listen to a foreign movie in the original version, but no one ever said learning Italian was going to be easy. If the movie is that good, watch it twice- first in Italian, and then with subtitles. It will improve your comprehension, and more than likely the original dialogue will have shades of meaning that could never be conveyed by translation. 4. Avoid Native Italian Speakers Stick with English speakers when studying Italian, because after all, you can communicate with them at will without having to exert any extra effort to making yourself understood. You might not ever learn any of the nuances of Italian grammar, but then, at least you wont embarrass yourself. 5. Stick to Only One Method Theres only one way to learn Italian- your way! Cyclists in the Giro dItalia have bulging quadriceps and huge calf muscles, but their upper body is underdeveloped. Use the same muscles and youll get the same results. Youll never build up the proper lingual techniques required to sound like a native Italian (or at least close to it) if you dont cross-train. Avoid the linguistic equivalent (memorizing the lines in every Fellini movie, or knowing every verb thats related to cooking) and try a balanced approach, whether its reading an Italian textbook, completing workbook exercises, listening to a tape or CD, or conversing with a native Italian speaker. 6. Speak as if Youre Speaking English The Italian alphabet resembles the Latin alphabet used in English. So who needs to roll their rs? Why is it important to know the difference between open and closed es? Although certain Italian dialects might have pronunciation idiosyncrasies relative to standard Italian, that doesnt mean non-native speakers get to make up new rules regarding pronunciation. Get yourself to the linguistic gym and give that tongue a workout! 7. Attend a Learn Italian in 48 Hours Class Granted, there are benefits to learning Italian survival phrases when traveling to Italy, but your short term memory will fail you within days. And then what?! Instead, adopt a more deliberate approach, and learn the basics of the Italian language before traveling to Italy with an Italian for travelers e-mail course over several weeks time. Think of it as preparation for what a vacation in Italy should be: leisurely, with plenty of time for watching the world go by. 8. Dont Listen to Italian Radio or TV Since you cant understand the conversation anyway, dont bother tuning in (via cable or Internet) to Italian radio or TV broadcasts. The announcers speak too quickly, and without any context, your comprehension will approach zero. On the other hand, you might not be able to play a musical instrument, yet regardless if its classical, rap, hip-hop, or metal, you can easily pick up the rhythm, cadences, and tempo of any song. Keep that in mind, and it may be easier to incorporate the distinct intonation of Italian when speaking the language even if you dont understand the words themselves (many opera singers have near-perfect diction when performing Italian works, yet have only a rudimentary understanding of the language). 9. Remain Silently Foolish As the adage goes, It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. So sit there and say nothing in Italian, because otherwise, it will become evident rather quickly if you are unable to distinguish among false cognates in Italian. 10. Travel to Italy Only if Necessary Given the logistics of air travel nowadays, who in their right mind would want to travel to the country of the target language? Theres schlepping luggage everywhere, interminable waits in the airport and on the security line, and leg room sufficient only for children. Then, three times a day at meals, there will be a struggle trying to read menus and ordering food. Imagine, too, if you have certain food allergies or are a vegetarian and have to explain that to the cameriere (waiter)! In fact, if you make the effort, youll discover that traveling to Italy is the best way to learn Italian. While there will be challenges, being immersed in the language is guaranteed to improve your Italian language skills quicker than any other method. Consider it a linguistic adventure, and start planning your itinerary now.