The Holistic Sale

A very sad day

2011-10-06T07:21:00.001+01:00

Here's to the crazy one who really did make a "ding in the universe".

Gone from this world but immortalised among the greats. A true iMmortal.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Why inertia can cause some great ideas to fail

2011-08-27T09:20:00.001+01:00

This is an excellent piece from Rohit Bhargava Adjunct Professor of Global Marketing at Georgetown University that I think perfectly summarises why some great ideas never make it.

In 1932 the Carnegie Foundation gave a grant to a Professor at Washington State University to develop the design for the ultimate keyboard. They had good reason to try – as study after study showed that the “QWERTY keyboard” (as it was commonly known) had a terribly inefficient design ever since it was patented back in 1878.

The QWERTY keyboard was originally meant to offer a solution to the problem of keys sticking together on a typewriter by slowing typing down. The most commonly used letter combinations were placed further apart. The layout of the letters followed no intuitive logic. As a result, it worked for a short period – and solved the problem of sticking keys with an intentionally illogical and inefficient design.

Over time, however, the typewriter technology just got better and it caused Professor August Dvorak to think that in 1932 that the world needed a better design. So with his grant, he invented the DVORAK keyboard. It had a much more efficient design that placed the most commonly used letters in the middle row within easy access. You could now type the 400 most common words in the English language just with the middle row (you could only do 100 on the old QWERTY). The fastest typist in the world, Barbara Blackburn even set a world record of 212 words per minute on a DVORAK keyboard.

Yet we all know how this story ended – Dvorak lost the fight against QWERTY. The DVORAK keyboard design was never adopted on a mainstream, because nearly anyone who had to type had already learned how to use the inefficient system of the QWERTY keyboard at fast speeds and was unwilling to learn a new system. It was faster, easier and better to use the inefficient old solution than the newer, more efficient and clearly superior alternative.

Years later, I still use this example as a powerful reminder to any entrepreneur that sometimes having the best or most efficient solution isn’t the most important thing. There are old habits to break and biases to unlearn. Getting someone to change a learned behavior on anything from choosing one particular vendor or buying a certain type of product requires understanding what you are really up against.

Professor August Dvorak underestimated how much affinity people had for their inefficiently designed QWERTY keyboard. What kind of existing affinity that your customers have are you underestimating? Answering this question can be the first step in avoiding failure and making sure you are not fighting a hopeless cause.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

3 Ways to Get What You Need from Design

2011-06-25T08:46:00.001+01:00

From the Harvard Business Review Management Tip of the Day for June 24th
(Adapted from "Five Ways to Fail at Design" by Sohrab Vossoughi)

While the business world may have developed a full-blown love affair with design, very few companies are doing it well. If you're taking on a corporate design effort, follow these three rules:

Don't design for everybody
Design succeeds when it serves as a differentiator. A Ferrari, while beautifully designed, is not for everyone. Nor is a minivan. Tightly define who you are designing for and why.

Don't try to be Apple
Good design needs to be aligned with the company's purpose and values. Delivering an Apple-like experience is not sustainable for most companies because they don't have the culture or resources to support it. Know your company's limits and deliver within them.

Don't treat it as an add-on
Design isn't just bells and whistles you add at the end or put into your existing processes. Most companies need to transform to accommodate it so you must be open to change.

Simple advice in my view that just makes so much sense!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

How important is technology to sales? Not much

2011-06-23T15:58:00.002+01:00

Some insightful extracts from a very interesting article by Geoffrey James from Sales Machine with I believe gives a very balanced view of the value and use of social media tools in business today.

"There’s a lot of wishful thinking floating around the Sales 2.0 world when it comes to using social media for selling.

The contacts inside Facebook and Linkedin are of limited value because it’s so easy to add “friends” and “colleagues.” It’s almost like it’s a contest to see who can get the biggest number.

From my perspective, though, there are friends, and there are “social network friends” and the two are very different animals. A friend is somebody who will always take your call and who will do you a favor when you ask. A “social network friend” is usually just somebody who wanted to get on a list.

This doesn’t mean that social networking services are not useful tools for B2B selling. They’re useful for finding out about prospects on whom you might be calling, because they often present a job history.

However, social networking just isn’t the same as going to a conference and actually meeting people face-to-face. Yes, it’s more efficient, but it’s not going to give you the kind of fast track in converting a lead to a prospect that you get with a real referral or a real networking contact.

What I find particularly disturbing is that many companies are participating in social media without bothering to figure out whether it makes financial sense.

This is not to say that there’s not some value in social media. Some companies, for example, use Twitter to preempt customer service questions or to tell customers of deals they might want to take advantage of. However, I’ve noticed that as twitter has grown, it’s become more “noisy”. I think it’s inevitable that people will eventually tire of it, just as they’re beginning to tire of Facebook.

I had with Philip Styrlund, CEO of Summit Value. As he talked to me, he drew pictures on little cards explaining his ideas. Very low tech, and incredibly memorable. The other event was a dinner conversation that I had with Tom Oldroyd, the senior Director of Marketing at InsideSales.com. We ended up talking about life, careers, religion, beliefs, our wives, children, etc. I feel like I made a friend rather than a business contact. That’s never, ever happened to me online.

I’m rapidly coming to the belief that sales technology is mostly a distraction from the business of building relationships. I don’t think they get built online. I just don’t. Relationships happen primarily person to person and (sometimes, but more weakly) over the phone.

And that’s a fact that all the high-fallutin’ tech talk in the world can’t disguise."

Apple is Worth $300 Billion

2011-06-14T10:55:00.004+01:00

A June 13th Tech Crunch article reported that Apple has a market value of just over $300 billion - the same as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Dell put together. They are also now more profitable than Microsoft.

Whilst this does fluctuate, it's quite extraordinary when you think about it. Apple has gone from being a pioneer of personal computing to a financial wreck and back to one of the world's most valuable and recognisable brands.

Just 10 years ago Microsoft was valued around $400 billion compared with $8 billion for Apple. Even the mighty IBM trails Apple with a current valuation of around $200 billion.

Much has been written about how this happened. People focus on 'cool' products that we all love to won but it goes deeper than that. Apple is valued so highly because it does some simple things very well.

It has the most efficient supply chain and manufacturing capability on the planet. It understands it's customers very well and provides exactly the right kind of environment that makes it easy for us to buy. Look how easy one click purchasing on the online Apple store and iTunes is!

Although Apple started as a rebellious, almost counter culture company, it's now a slick sales and marketing machine that makes it very easy to part us from our cash. And we are happy to do this because they make such gorgeous must have products.

Apple just seems to know what we want, even if we don't. That's why they've scaled the heights and that's why they need to constantly innovate to fuel their growth. Every company has cycles of growth and contraction but Apple currently shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, with iCloud, the new version of OS X (Lion) and the next generation of iPhone and iPad software (iOS 5) they are again set on changing the way we use technology to run our personal and professional lives.

The next 12 months will be very interesting so stay tuned!

Steve Jobs unveils Apple's new campus

2011-06-08T15:14:00.005+01:00

Apple's vision for a new campus as presented on June 7th.

Not your typical planning request. A perfect example of how to sell the benefits of something other than a product or service. He doesn't directly threaten to move Apple but rather talks about why it makes so much sense to go along with his "request."

Some pretty dumb questions from council officials but on the whole they were 'in awe' of the great man.

A great example of a clear, concise and very compelling story!

How to develop great presentations

2011-05-02T15:40:00.004+01:00

This is a mandatory requirement for any business person today.

Learn how to develop presentations that get excellent results every time.

See the video here.

2011-04-27T17:52:00.003+01:00

Apple has just announced the availability of the white iPhone. From Thursday, April 28 it will be available in 28 countries including the UK.

Shame my contract doesn't expire until October!

The power of words

2011-04-27T11:48:00.002+01:00

http://youtu.be/Hzgzim5m7oU

It's 1minute and 48 seconds well spent.

Keep it simple

2011-04-23T18:01:00.006+01:00

Reduce complexity in your communications to make it easy for people to understand what you do and improve your chances of success.

See the Video here.

Apple posts Q2 results

2011-04-21T09:14:00.004+01:00

Apple again announced stunning results for the second quarter of 2011.

The numbers make very impressive reading;

Revenues for 3 months of $24.67 billion compared with $13.5 billion in Q2 '10.

Net profit was also impressive coming in at $5.99 billion or $6.40 per diluted share compared with $3.07 billion / $3.33 a share in Q2 '10.

Steve Jobs was understandably happy. Although suffering personal health problems, he shows no signs of settling for an easy life. “With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we’re firing on all cylinders,”he said. “We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”

Apple continues to develop new products and the recent launch of the iPad2 saw a world-wide shortage of the coveted device. In fact, I managed to get my hands on the last one in the Birmingham Apple store last week!

The results and commitment to maintain growth through innovation is great news for Apple lovers everywhere. It's potentially very bad news for the competition!

Selling the art of the possible

2011-04-17T11:27:00.001+01:00

So I finally gave in and bought an iPad! A new shiny White 64Gb iPad2.

Although I'm an Apple devotee I just couldn't see where it would fit into my workflow. I had everything covered. iMac 27 in the office, MacBook for the road and iPhone. Everything nicely tied together with Mobile Me.

But Apple does a great job of selling us "possibilities". iPad doesn't solve any problems for me but boy does it open up the possibilities.

I'm only just getting to grips with it - like writing this blog with the free Blogpress app. The range of apps has been well documented but it's only when you start using this thing that it gives you so many ideas on being more efficient, effective and smarter in the way you work.

I suppose the lesson for us all is at if we ask people what they want we only give them something they already knew they needed. Expanding their horizons with new ideas is what really marks the leaders from the followers. And that's an example we can all follow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Age is not a number it's a mindset

2011-04-05T07:45:00.003+01:00

I'm, getting old. We're all getting old but have you noticed how some people age more quickly than others?

And today, after a hard session in the gym last night I feel sanctimonious but also a little bit jaded. My adage is 'Use it or lose it' so I keep hitting tennis balls and trying to compete with people a lot younger than I am.

And we need to take the same attitude to business. In fact in business age can be an advantage because it normally comes with a lot of experience about life, the universe and everything (apologies to the late and brilliant Douglas Adams).

Some of the biggest achievements in life have come from older people. Benjamin Franklin developed biofocal lenses when he was a sprightly 83, Picasso painted some of his best work in his 80's and 90's, Colonel Sanders created KFC at 65, The Stones are still rolling into their sixties and the Zimmers make them look like youngsters.

The Zimmers consists of 40 senior citizens who are bored with sitting silently in the pink-walled rooms of local old peoples’ homes, waiting for the next serving of bangers and mash. The Zimmers decided to do a cover of The Who’s My Generation (and who wouldn’t!). The band consists of Winnie, 99, lead singer, Alf, is a mere 90 and another member, Buster, is 100. And then there's Paddy Ferminger who is still working hard at 86.

'Who is Paddy Ferminger?' I hear you say.

Paddy is a gentlemen I met a few years ago who started his Quantity Surveying business in Worcester in 1961. He still works every day and enjoys the trappings of success. When I was going through a phase of deciding to take it easy in life, Paddy shook me out of it. Not by what he did or said, but by his whole attitude to life. He is not a typical thrusting hyper-active businessman. He is quiet, confident and very successful. He gets a buzz our of life and he likes to keep his sons and partners 'on their toes' as he told me.

But Paddy's not unique. There are many like him who decided that life is not a dress-rehearsal so you need to live the life you want and dream of. It takes activity and positive action so start tomorrow by getting up earlier, stay up later, learn some new things that exercises your brain. Read new blogs, check out YouTube and take positive action on those projects that you have promised yourself you'll 'get around to some day'.

Don't procrastinate any longer. Get started on creating your future now because none of us knows how long we have left.

I see some young people unable to make decisions because they are either scared or don't have the experience. Well, there is only one way to learn and that's by doing it. It's OK to get advice from someone with more experience because that's a great way to learn. But ultimately it's down to you. You can either age prematurely and live a life of regrets or you can follow Paddy and The Zimmers - now that does sound like a great name for a Rock Band!

(John Rees is actually 57 years and 3 months old!)

From Startup to Business, A Long Strange Trip

2011-04-04T11:06:00.003+01:00

A very interesting article published on GigaOM about what it takes so make a startup a 'real' business. Of course you need great ideas but also staying power, a work ethic and a solid belief that you are doing something for reasons other than making money. Although that's obviously what helps you to survive an prosper!

"Five years ago, a few months before I officially raised seed funding and turned GigaOM, a blog into GigaOM, a start-up, a mentor of mine cautioned me of the differences between raising capital and starting a business and actually building a business. Why are you starting this business? Is it money? Is it fame? Or is it something more, he asked.

I told him that I fundamentally believed that the world of information — how it is created, distributed and consumed — was going to change forever and I wanted to be part of that shift and build a fundamentally new kind of information (not media) company. His parting advice before I embarked on the entrepreneurial journey: it always takes much longer to build a business.

From Start To Start

I was reminded of his words last week during conversations with serial entrepreneur, start-up guru and author, Steven Blank and Google’s vice president of Local (and one of the first twenty employees) Marissa Mayer. In both conversations, we mused about how long it takes to really build a business.

Google didn’t really become a real business till 2003, four years after it got its start. Facebook’s first big year was 2010; six years after Mark Zuckerberg got started in his dorm-room at Harvard. Twitter is four years old and it is searching for its fiscal future. Building a business, is a process that takes, what seems like a lifetime of educated guesses, crazy bets, 100-hour weeks, timing and luck — and that is assuming that one has a product that the market actually wants.

More importantly, it needs an entrepreneur who is willing to go the distance — a quality that separates starters from superstars. T.J. Rodgers (Cypress Semiconductor), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin & Larry Page (Google), Marc Benioff (at Salesforce), Steve Jobs and Pradeep Sindhu (of Juniper Networks) — are all examples of folks who took the long view.

Reinvention Rocks

And from the looks of it, not one of them seems to be done. (Larry Page in fact is ready to start his act two as the chief executive of Google this month.) In fact they all seem to be, almost always starting over – rethinking, reimaging, and redrawing the future in their mind. And in doing so, they are forcing their companies to avoid the trap of short-term thinking.

Take Benioff as an example. Behind his bluster and bombast (effective tools of drawing attention to his company) is firm belief in an on-demand future and how he wants to be part of it. It started with CRM software as a service and has since evolved to include cloud platforms and social working & analytics.

When I started Salesforce, I asked myself why all enterprise software wasn’t like Amazon. Now I’m asking why all enterprise software isn’t like Facebook… how can we learn from that and bring that into the enterprise? (Benioff at GigaOM Net:Work Conference)

Whether his acquisitions of Heroku or Radian6 work out or not, one cannot fault Marc for trying to find the future he believes in. Right or wrong, only time will be the judge.

Little Ideas, Big Dreams

Last month, I caught up with Pradeep Sindhu, founder of networking gear maker, Juniper Networks. In our informal chat about the future of networks, Sindhu was still enthusiastic as ever, bubbling with ideas and chomping at the bit, as he and Juniper try to figure out the new network architecture for a very dynamic, stochastic network. Not because he needs to, but because he wants to.

It was over 15-years-ago, he figured out a new kind of networking architecture that could move data much faster and in much larger quantities than any gear on the market at that time. Sindhu had one firm belief — Internet Protocol-based network will triumph. Today the company is worth $22 billion in market capitalization. It has been a long slog — many folks who joined Sindhu for the ride are long gone, but he still keeps going. Like Benioff, Sindhu kept broadening the horizons and with it, his company’s ambition.

Zuckerberg, who started off with a dating aid-for the freshman crowd has evolved first into a social network, then into a social operating system for the web, to being the glue that binds the social Internet and is on the way to becoming a new communications layer of the internet. The big rewards are going to come for Facebook in 2011 and for years to come, as revenues and profits explode — seven years after he started out in his dorm room.

Amazon’s Bezos put it best when he once said, that in order to succeed, one needs to be willing to fail, be misunderstood for the long term and think for the long term. That is the best piece of advice for any founder, of any kind of company. For me, it is the only way to think about our business.

Five years since I embarked on the journey, not a morning comes when I don’t feel the desire to get up and get to work. I am fortunate to have the greatest job in the world — I get to meet many of these mavericks and learn from them, willing to adapt and expand my horizons. Why would I want to do something else?

Great business starts with great service

2011-04-04T09:20:00.004+01:00

'Be everywhere, do everything and never fail to astonish the customer'

This is the motto of US retail chain Macy's and it sums up their fanatical approach to customer service. It's certainly worked for them and others have followed suit.

But many businesses regard the customer, client or partner as a source of revenue and a pain in the rear end when things go wrong. This is a big mistake that can come back to bite you.

If you run a business and you have an issue to resolve make sure you focus on doing it as efficiently as possible. It's easy to look good in a pre-sales situation where you promise the earth but it's the way you handle problems that separates the great company from the average company.

Satisfied customers become advocates who tell others what a great company you are. And word of mouth praise and referrals is the strongest endorsement you can get.

The sweet smell of success

2011-04-02T12:30:00.003+01:00

"I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard"

Estée Lauder (1906-2004)

Co-founder of cosmetics company and the only woman on Time Magazine's list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century.

Thought for the day

2011-04-01T08:23:00.006+01:00

"Formula for success: under promise and over deliver"

(Tom Peters Management guru and author of "In Search of Excellence")

The trouble is that many organisations do just the opposite. They promise the earth just to win a deal and then fail to deliver. This is the recipe for disaster because it leads to unhappy customers who will not buy again. They will also spread the news in online forums and websites where many other potential buyers see it.

Reputation is hard to win but very easy to lose.

Where iPod meets Model T Ford

2011-03-31T09:01:00.006+01:00

"If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse."

(Henry Ford 1863-1947)

Successful companies develop products that solve problems for buyers. This doesn't always result in ground breaking products though. Great companies have a touch of genius and vision to create something that people didn't realise they needed. This innovative spark changes the world and that's what Ford and Apple did 93 years apart.

In October 1908 Ford launched the world's first mass produced car that made motoring available to the masses. In October 2001 Apple launched iPod and re-invented portable music in a market dominated by the Sony Walkman.

The rest, as they say, is history!

Thought for the day

2011-03-30T15:15:00.002+01:00

"Even in such technical lines as engineering, about 15% of one's financial success is due to technical knowledge and about 85% is due to skill in human engineering, to personality and the ability to lead people"

How true is that !

(Dale Carnegie, 1888-1966. Author of How to Win Friends and Influence People.)

Top 7 Most Cliché Stock Images Used in Web Design

2011-03-05T10:58:00.002Z

This is a good article published by Jacob Cass on his "Just Creative Design" blog. Some good comments here.

Sometimes clients ask us to implement ‘not-so-unique’ elements into our designs and sometimes it seems almost impossible to convince them otherwise, however, hopefully this post can suggest some reasons why not to use the old web designstock imagery clichés.

I will do this simply by showcasing the most generic and cliché stock images (still) used in web design today. Please also take note that there is nothing wrong with using any of these images if used appropriately.

The Business Handshake

The Call Center Woman / Man

Group Of Business People

The Rising Finance Graph

Skyscrapers

Tech Paraphernalia

The World / Globe

How To Avoid Using Cliché Stock Imagery

Avoiding clichés in web design may be difficult especially when the client wants a particular image however the best way to get around it is to ask “why”. Why do you want that that particular image used? Is there another way to portray that without the use of cliché stock images? Always ask yourself what you are trying to communicate and then work from that.

Real-time view of our planet

2011-01-13T20:47:00.003Z

This amazing site has some incredible statistics such as 248 billion emails sent, 3 million mobile phones sold, half a million blog posts and net global population growth of 190,000 - just today!

Visit Worldmeters.

Is Sales a profession?

2011-01-12T18:12:00.004Z

There is a view that sales is not a 'real' profession. It's the kind of thing someone gets into if they can't do anything else.

Of course there are plenty of examples of salespeople who are bad at their job. They are only interested in earning commission and will do anything to close a deal. Bad salespeople describe their product in mind numbing detail and hope for a sale. They regard it as a numbers game so the more people they tell their story to, the better their chance of closing a sale. And these salespeople exist in many industries. They certainly give sales a bad name but this is not a fair description of sales as a profession.

Professional salespeople operate differently.

Of course their motivation is to close a sale because that’s what they get paid for. It’s the way they work that is different. They don’t focus on their own needs because they are smart enough to know that people only buy to solve a problem. Professional salespeople solve problems for people and that is what helps them succeed. And it doesn’t matter what you are selling either. I recently moved home and visited a local kitchen supplier. I hate these places because they normally employ people who can’t be bothered to talk to you, or who just want to push the latest offer.

Well, I had a great surprise because the person we met had obviously been trained! He asked us a few simple questions such as what colour scheme the kitchen was, whether we were looking for something modern or traditional and how much we wanted to spend. He was fact finding and qualifying before he pointed us at a few alternatives. He gave us prices and delivery times and then invited us to look around and ask if we had any more questions. We did have questions and he answered them in a polite and professional way that ended up with us spending more than we originally had in mind. This was because we liked him, we trusted his advice and he knew a heck of a lot more than we did about kitchens!

The moral of this story is that whatever you are selling, your chances of success are vastly improved by doing some basic things very well. Whether you are selling software, professional services or kitchens here is a list that distills the key ingredients of a great salesperson. How do you compare?

Business Insight

You really understand the business issues and key drivers of buying behaviour. You can talk intelligently about the challenges buyers face and the problems they need to solve. By knowing this you are better able to position your solution.

Knowledge

You really know your offering inside out and you understand how it solves buyer problems. This means you can clearly articulate why it is the best fit and how it solves problems more effectively than anything else.

Excellent Communication Skills

You ask great questions and can clearly articulate your distinctive value proposition to buyers. This means that you can communicate to an individual or a group in a clear, concise and compelling way. Your presentations are engaging and you have an ability to establish rapport and build trust.

Strategic Thinker

You see the big picture and regard a sale as the start of a relationship rather than a quick hit. You develop a plan and think of a sale as a series of activities that result in an outcome rather than trying to close a sale after one contact. You realise that long term relationships build value and result in repeat business, referrals and customer preference and loyalty.

Positive Attitude

You are confident with a positive mental attitude that means you try to see the upside. You focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. Obstacles and problems are challenges to be overcome.

Sound Judgement

You have a never-say-die attitude with a burning desire to solve problems. However, you combine this with intuition and judgement to avoid wasting time chasing opportunities you can’t win or shouldn’t bid for.

Personal Integrity

This is your greatest asset and you would never lie to win business. You respect other people and this means you dress appropriately, you are polite and always punctual. People like you because you don’t abuse their time or hospitality.

Is changing your logo a good idea?

2011-01-07T09:54:00.003Z

This is the new 'face' of coffee giant Starbucks.

The aim according to CEO Howard Schultz is to "think beyond coffee." Whatever that means is anyone's guess.

Some companies change logo's frequently whilst others like IBM stick with the same basic design for decades. IBM does not sell 'Business Machines' any more but does that really matter?

Here's a link to the Starbuck's article in Advertising Age Magazine.

How NOT to write an email

2010-12-21T14:23:00.005Z

I'm sure you are bombarded with unwanted email like most of us. Some are entertaining but others are irritating.

Take this example from a company selling space for a well know National Newspaper.

"Hello Jerconsulting

My niece has been given the role of back end of the donkey in her school nativity - I know how she feels; half of the office is already off for the Christmas break and I've got to sell my last few January ads before I'm allowed home for Christmas… I know it might seem crazy to be thinking about January advertising before you've even unwrapped a present, but if you can turn your mind to it, you'll able to take advantage of my slightly bah humbug outlook as no sensible offer will be refused!!

Here's the info:

Publication: [A well known National Newspaper]
Readership: xxxxx
Publication date: 16th January
Rate card: £1250
Our Offer: £445

This is the first opportunity to start the New Year with a bang and save a bit of cash too! There has been a huge binge in online spending this year, and let's face it, who'd brave the High Street in January?? So hopefully Jerconsulting can capitalize on this opportunity to get your ad out there, before your competitors and keep some of the December momentum going in January…

Ho ho hope you can help me out on this!

Would you like to give this a try?"

Please, spare me! There are a few things wrong with this...

1. They don't know who I am !

2. The 'joke' isn't very funny :-)

3. He hopes I can help him out!

What a strong value proposition and call to action that is! What about me? And where are the real reasons this benefits my business?

Eeyore to know better !

Nice Idea

2010-12-13T08:48:00.004Z

Came across Prezi recently, a great web app for developing presentations.

It has a very different look and feel from 'conventional' presentation software because it encourages a far more creative approach.

Definitely worth checking out.

Don't jump on the Social Media bandwagon.

2010-11-30T11:03:00.006Z

There is a buzz and hype around Social Media but stop. Don’t just rush headlong into Twitter, Facebook or the rest.

These are just channels to communicate with your audience so before you do anything at all ask yourself ‘Why?’

Why do you need to have a Twitter account or a Facebook page?
What is the purpose?
Who is your audience and why would they care?
How will it help you develop your business?
And most importantly, what do you have to say that hasn’t already been said?

Unless you have a different viewpoint that will attract attention, don’t bother. You may feel you are doing something positive by writing a blog or a tweet but it could be a waste of time.

Your participation must be driven by two key attributes - Direction and Impact.

Direction means you have identified the audience you are writing for.

Impact means you understand what they are interested so you can write content they will read and care about. And in time, it has a positive Impact for you because it can help build your business through a reputation based on thought leadership.

And that is an excellent example of how to use Social Media in the right way.

Sales Engine model for sales-led businesses

2010-11-22T17:34:00.012Z

This free eBook gives you some simple and effective advice to improve your sales and marketing effectiveness.

Based on my success experiences, it applies to businesses of any size in any industry. It doesn't matter what you sell because there are ideas and techniques here that you can use to improve performance.

The Sales Engine has four parts;

1. Offering - the messages you use to describe your ideas to your audience.

2. Strategy - the Go to Market plan that achieves the results you want.

3. Dialogue - the techniques you can use to build a pipeline of prospects and communicate with them to win a sale.

4. Evolution - using consumer, employee and stakeholder feedback to improve what you do to stay ahead of the competition.

Read and download The Sales Engine book.

Using Linkedin to build your business

2010-11-21T12:38:00.004Z

LinkedIn is the most influential social media site for business professionals. Whether you use it to get a new job, promote your personal brand or your business, you can maximise your chances of success by doing a few simple things well.

Develop your profile

Keep it up to date with all the relevant information you want displayed.

Inject your personality.

Don’t just copy your CV, introduce yourself as you would to someone you just met.

Write a tagline.

The line of text under your name is the first thing people see in your profile and it should be your elevator message. Distill the essence of who you are and what you do and make it clear, concise and compelling.

Showcase your skills.

The specialties field defines how people find and remember you. Display particular abilities and interests, the personal values you bring to your professional performance, or even a note of humour or passion.

Explain your experience.

Help the reader grasp the key points by briefly stating what you do.

Stand out from the crowd.

You must say why you are different. Give details of experiences that prove this and also include recommendations you receive or solicit from other Linkedin members. But don’t overdo it because everyone knows you wouldn’t include any bad references. In my view client recommendations probably count for more than colleague references.

Ask and answer questions.

Thoughtful questions and useful answers build your credibility and the best ones give people a reason to look at your profile. Make a point of answering questions in your field to establish your expertise, raise your visibility, and build credibility with people in your network. You may need answers to a question of your own in the future and people will be happy to reciprocate.

Build your connections.

Connections are one of the most important aspects of your brand and the company you keep reflects the quality of your brand. Some people are open networkers who are happy to link with anyone. This is a matter of preference and opinion is divided but I personally believe in developing a more focussed network.

Groups

Some people join as many groups as they can. This is fine if you can participate and get something from it. But just joining a group will have little or no impact. My advice is to start small and build up based on the value of participation.

Websites that work well

2010-11-16T09:35:00.006Z

Audi brings the same build quality of their cars to their website.

Social Media is not Magic

2010-11-12T11:55:00.004Z

With so much buzz and hype around Social Media it reminds me of the Dot-com era of the late 1990's.

But just using Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook will not cause a flood of business. You must have something worth saying.

Social Media tools are new and exciting because they enable you to connect with potentially millions of people. But for them to be of any use, you must have something interesting to say. Something that will attract attention, arouse interest and motivate action. Your messages must be Clear Concise and Compelling.

This part is not new and the rules are exactly the same as in the off-line world. If you are dull and boring in real life you will be dull and boring online. It’s just that more people will notice this faster than ever before.

Social media is just one channel, albeit an important one and the best results will be achieved when you use it to develop relationships. When you create a website that is content rich and optimised for search engines (Google) you attract visitors. But this is only the start of the process. Your goal then is to develop deep relationships and this is where Social media works well.

The channels you use will depend on what you sell and who you consumers are but the 'Big 3' most of us use are Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

In recent years Facebook has become more popular with businesses. CocaCola and Starbucks Coffee, both have more than 15 million ‘fans’ and many other businesses have a growing presence.

Linkedin is more business oriented and it has 80 million users. That’s a pretty big network.

Twitter was originally thought of as a novelty. Another way of sending text-like messages. After all, what can you really say in 140 characters? With more than 100 million users, it is now being used in business as well as in the social context. Rather than tweeting drivel, give people something they can use. Tweet attention grabbing headlines with links to websites, blogs and other destinations. Use Twitter as a doorway to your world of online content.

Consumers also chat in many different online destinations. Linkedin has groups, Facebook has a wall and companies have forums where consumers can share experiences. In fact, there is a huge thread of conversations going on all the time and you will want to know when you are mentioned and what is being said. You can develop relationships by interacting to solve problems and use ideas to develop your business. This is called Social Media monitoring and there are many tools that will keep you in touch with what is being said such as Google Alerts, How Sociable and Radian6.

New tools for Social CRM (such as Jive and Lithium ) and Enterprise Feedback Management (such as VoVici) are also gaining popularity because they pull this information together in a way that monitoring tools don’t. The goal overall is to develop your online reputation. By listening to feedback you will learn and by converting this to action you can improve what you do and attract more consumers.

This is a virtuous cycle that Social Media does enable. But it’s not magic, it’s a quicker, more intelligent way of developing your business by listening to your audience and acting on what you learn.

And that’s is where Social media really does start to make a whole lot of sense.

Social media can be a big waste of time

2010-10-27T09:08:00.008+01:00

You spend time and energy building a network on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin because if you make it big enough you must grow your business. Right?

Wrong!

It definitely has a big role to play in developing business relationships but just adding hundreds or thousands of contacts to Linkedin or 'friends' to Facebook is a waste of time unless there is mutual interest. Think about it for a moment.

When someone asks to connect to you on Linkedin, do you accept without question? Or do you ask yourself why?

Most of us don't because we don't want to appear rude or we just can't be bothered to think about it.

Social media is nothing more than a series of channels to connect with people.

This means investing time, contributing and generally creating relationships with substance.

Time to get contact pruning?

and if you believe all the hype out there, this will transform your business overnight.

I don't subscribe to this view mainly because

Social media channels are very useful for staying in touch or expanding your network based on mutual benefit.

The value of experience

2010-07-28T08:20:00.002+01:00

A wealthy old Gentleman decides to go on a hunting safari in Africa, taking his faithful, elderly Jack Russell named Killer dog, along for the company.

One day the old Jack Russell starts chasing rabbits and before long, discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.

The old Jack Russell thinks, 'Oh, oh! I'm in deep doo-doo now!' Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap, the old Jack Russell exclaims loudly, 'Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here.'

Hearing this, the young leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees. 'Whew!' says the leopard, 'That was close! That old Jack Russell nearly had me!'

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the old Jack Russell sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up.

The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The young leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, 'Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!

Now, the old Jack Russell sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, 'What am I going to do now?', but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old Jack Russell says...

'Where's that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!

Moral of this story....

Don't mess with the old dogs...age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery! Bullshit and brilliance only come with age and experience.

The Power of Self-Belief

2010-06-21T16:45:00.005+01:00

2 sets and 1-3 down - Federer on his way out of Wimbledon....it didn't happen, but why?

Any of the top 100 players have the necessary skills to be a champion, but few have what it really takes. Roger does and that's why he won today. His opponent couldn't finish him off, he just didn't have the belief to continue doing what got him to the point of victory.

Sport is a great example of how important mental attitude is and how critical it is to achieve success. If you have the skills and you believe in yourself and trust your ability to perform you can succeed. Of course everyone gets setbacks. But it' show you handle them and move forward that counts.

Roger was supreme for years, world number one, more Grand Slams than anyone in history. He's played 43 consecutive Grand Slam events, he's never been injured! Yes he's naturally talented but he's also prepared to work hard, dig deep and do what it takes to succeed.

Follow the example. You may never win Wimbledon but you can achieve the success you deserve.

VW Ad

2010-06-21T09:03:00.001+01:00

Loved this new VW AD

Snapshots

2010-06-19T14:22:00.001+01:00

Posted via web from JR's posterous

Signposts

2010-06-19T14:16:00.001+01:00

Posted via web from JR's posterous

The Power of asking Why?

2010-06-19T07:46:00.003+01:00

This excellent video talks about curiosity. Simon gives examples of how some people seem able to achieve things others can't.

This has parallels in creating messages and communicating them. It just seems so obvious to start any piece of work with the question 'Why am I doing this?' and 'Why should my audience really care?'

The problem is, we are all so busy, preoccupied with the never ending stream of media interruptions that we don't take enough time out to think more. It needn't take long - just a few minutes to get your ideas in order.

Don't just flip your computer open and start writing or creating a presentation. Think. Then doodle and create an outline or a map or a plan on good old paper. Use a pen, pencil or crayons and let your imagination go. Then you can use the power of technology .... but again ask 'Why'?

Creating a powerful Brand Message

2010-06-05T09:56:00.004+01:00

Everyone has a brand.

As well as businesses, we all have a 'personal branding'; it's the way the world sees us. Strip away the hype and it boils down to something really simple.

What is it YOU do? This means you as an individual as well as your business.

A brand message is sometimes called an Elevator Statement. This is a sentence or phrase that describes what you do. It makes you stand out from the crowd and tells people why and how you are different.

Having a strong brand message is really important because it provides a focus for developing all the other messages that describe what is unique about you.

Creating a strong message is not that hard if you use your imagination and follow a few simple rules. If imagination is not your strong point or you are not that good with language then get some advice from a professional.

1. Talk about the outcomes you deliver

What do you / your business actually DO?

2. What services do you provide to deliver outcomes?

3. How does this relate to the most compelling needs your audience will have in the future?

Common sense really because unless it is relevant no-one will take any real notice.

4. Make it Clear, Concise and Compelling enough to attract attention and arouse interest.

Run it by a few people to see what response it gets. Can it be fine tuned? Do they ‘get it’? Encourage honesty so you get it right.

5. Make sure it is realistic, accurate and believable.

It’s OK for it to be aspirational but you need people to want to learn more not think you are delusional!

So when someone next asks you ‘What do you do?’, what do you say?

Book Review - Meatball Sundae

2010-05-22T14:50:00.004+01:00

Seth Godin is a well known author on what he calls ‘New Marketing”. This means marketing in the online world and his books are entertaining, easy to read, insightful and, when you think about it, common sense.

His books have ‘quirky’ titles and he uses everyday language to explain his ideas rather than MBA jargon or management speak.

‘Meatball Sundae’ was written in 2007 but is still relevant today. The basic idea is that it’s not enough to just use the New Media of the Internet to be successful. Having a website, blog or Facebook account will not suddenly make you wildly successful if you continue to operate in the way you have always done.

He doesn't believe that New Marketing can be sprinkled on top of your current operation because the rules of business have been transformed by the maturity of the Internet. I agree.

Godin talks about 14 trends that are shaping the way we make and market our products. He talks about the growing influence of social networks and the decline of traditional TV and media based marketing. He believes these are largely ineffective compared with online tools such as Google AdWords.

It’s the kind of book you can read many times and pick up different ideas and my copy is heavily marked! The 14 trends talk about how the Internet has affected the way messages and propositions are developed and communicated. It talks about how you have to fight to gain attention in a media and message saturated world.

Here’s my summary of the key points, embellished by some views of my own.

1.Having a website or a blog is no guarantee of success. Because the web is a gigantic haystack and you are a tiny, almost invisible needle, you must have something different to say to get noticed. Don’t copy your competitors, don’t be a ‘me too’, create a unique viewpoint.

2. Keep messages simple and to the point - remember the competition for attention? Complex messages rarely get through so keep them Clear, Concise and Compelling.

3. Communicate with your audience through a media channel that attracts and interests them. Develop a Social Media Strategy, participate in the right sites, use the right channels and keep at it. Success doesn’t happen immediately.

4. Blogs are generally badly done and written back to front. Don’t talk about yourself, how great your new product is or what a wonderful team you have - hooray for you! People generally don’t care about this stuff. They only care about themselves so talk about stuff they will want to read about. Give them ideas and a different viewpoint. Be contentious, funny, different but above all, interesting to read.

5. You MUST sell more than a commodity or someone else will sell it cheaper. Unless you can define a value proposition based on something other than price you could go out of business. Low cost producers can be successful but this needs an incredibly efficient supply chain.

6. Marketing is about discovering what people want and need and telling them a story about how they can get it from you. It’s about growing your business by spreading your ideas and putting yourself in front of people (on-line and face to face) who didn’t know you existed. But break out of the ‘old school’ ideas of selling where you interrupt someone by an unsolicited contact - email, phone call, letter, because this is spam. These have a place in the marketing mix but the best way is to gain permission to talk to someone. If you attract attention and generate interest, people will be far more likely to want to learn more about you.

7. People don’t care about You, they care about themselves. They will only listen if it is in their interest. They don’t want to know how wonderful you are. They want to know how you can make their lives better.

8. Don’t try to create something for everyone. Decide who your target audience is and create something for them. Make it personal, talk to their needs, issues and concerns and you stand a far better chance of them buying what you re selling.

Making something really complicated ... really simple

2010-03-18T13:51:00.002Z

On BBC breakfast TV this morning a guest was talking about his role as a Theoretical Physicist in the search for extraterrestrial life.

He was asked what a Theoretical Physicist did and his answer could have been....

"Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics in an attempt to explain natural phenomena. Its central core is mathematical physics, though other conceptual techniques are also used. The goal is to rationalize, explain and predict physical phenomena. In some cases, theoretical physics adheres to standards of mathematical rigor while giving little weight to experiments and observations. For example, while developing special relativity, Albert Einstein was concerned with the Lorentz transformation which left Maxwell's equations invariant, but was apparently uninterested in the Michelson-Morley experiment on Earth's drift through a luminiferous ether. On the other hand, Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for explaining the photoelectric effect, previously an experimental result lacking a theoretical formulation."

Phew.... thankfully he said...

"I use maths to explain the secrets of nature"

Now that's a C3 message if ever I heard one!

Foundations of a successful business

2010-02-23T10:20:00.005Z

Any business operating in the business-to-business environment selling technology, software or professional services must have six key elements to be successful.

1. Opportunity 

A vibrant and growing target market for products.  

The Go to Market strategy defines how to approach the market to achieve success. It includes a demand creation programme that comprises many activities spread over the year to build a vibrant pipeline of sales opportunities.

2. Offering 

A product or service that solves a problem, satisfies a need or creates demand. 

3. Messages

 Clear, concise and compelling messages that attract attention and arouse interest. They must also differentiate you from your competition. 

4. Knowledge 

Your people must have the necessary sales, consulting and implementation skills to win business, deliver a successful project and provide ongoing support at the highest level.  Excellent client references result in referrals and also drives repeat business.

5. Processes 

A client engagement and sales process that ensures you work with prospects in the way most likely to achieve success. 

6. Innovation

The best businesses have a continual and never ending focus on improving all aspects of their business to stay ahead of the competition, provide superior solutions to clients and build a reputation for excellence.

What are the secrets of success?

2010-01-25T22:01:00.003Z

How can you make sure your business is a raging success?

What are the things you should do to guarantee your brilliant idea translates into what you dream it will be? What is the secret of success?

Unfortunately, most ‘secrets’ are not secret at all. How could they be if they are available to anyone who reads the ‘secrets revealed’ blog or buys the book?

Of course if you invent something that changes the rules of the game or uncover something that is truly unique, then you could achieve success beyond your wildest dreams!

For most of us, success is a combination of doing some basic things well and consistently. Athletes train to hone their skills, musicians practice and the same holds true in business. There are some key things you must pay attention to or else you will not achieve the success you are aiming for.

Consider the software industry. Since the early 1970’s, the landscape has changed beyond recognition. Initially computers were vastly expensive and only for big business and government, now they are everywhere. In 1993 the world changed forever as the World-Wide entered our consciousness. Over the next few years as it spread it caused new technologies and businesses to appear from literally nowhere. There were some wild and wacky business ideas that crashed and burned but some stuck and changed the way we communicate and do business. Google, Facebook, eBay, Amazon all grew out of this and are now part of our everyday lives.

So why did some ideas stick? Sure there was ‘cool’ technology that attracted interest, but to sustain it required four fundamentals that apply to any business.

A proposition or idea that is distinct from others
The right strategies to attract potential buyers
A ruthless focus on performance and delivery
Continual and never ending improvement

Whatever industry you are in, unless your idea, product or service is different from what is available you will be regarded as just another commodity offering with no distinctive features to attract attention. You will probably compete on the basis if ‘lowest price wins’ and to be honest, its pretty much down hill from there.

Unless you have the right strategies to bring your offering to the attention of buyers, they will not know you exist. And experience shows that there needs to be multiple strategies especially in the age of mass information propagation.

Unless you focus on being the best you can and outperform your competitors you will at best have a mediocre business. In competitive markets, only the best survive.

If you rest on your laurels and wallow in the glow of your initial success you will fall behind and die. So you must improve every aspect of what you do from product development and marketing to sales and customer support. Do this and you stand a far better chance of staying in the winners circle instead of entering the graveyard of promising ideas.

Triplets

2010-01-23T17:17:00.005Z

I recently read a blog On Startups.com that had a Twitter thread entitled 'Startup Advice in exactly three words' by Dharmesh Shah.

This contains many 'light bulb' moments and the thread attracted 1381 responses and although I haven't looked at them all, I have picked out 25 that I think are priceless, so here goes;

1. Solve a problem

2. Get client input

3. Meet prospects continually

4. Qualify out early

5. Ask for feedback

6. Listen before talking

7. Learn from mistakes

8. Build great products

9. Follow your passion

10. Always be honest

11. Focus on results

12. Don't make excuses

13. Plan to succeed

14. Know your goal

15. Reward great employees

16. Never stop improving

17. Believe in yourself

18. Focus, focus, focus

19. Celebrate your success

20. Keep it fun

21. Learn from prospects

22. Hire smart people

23. Be demonstrably different

24. Simple is better

and

25. Take action now!

What strategy means

2010-01-23T16:52:00.007Z

When we talk about strategy in business, it sometimes conjures up images of very clever people doing some really serious stuff. Creating grand plans and complex visions that will shape the destiny of a company. That does happen but in my mind, strategy should be an exercise in ROI. This normally means Return on Investment but I think this should also mean Return on Idea.

This is because a business starts with a bright idea the founder(s) hope will be a success and make a lot of money.

Some entrepreneurs have a dream and follow it with a passion. The results can either be wildly successful (think Microsoft, Apple, Virgin Group) or it can crash and burn because of blind belief in the dream (I’ll spare the blushes here, but the dotcom era is littered with many examples).

Ultimately the market decides and it all comes down to how much profit can be made and when. In the early days a company often runs at a loss until it ramps up and attains the necessary critical mass to win business. This is common with software companies.

Any strategy must assess the market potential and define why and how a product or service will win business from incumbent competitors. This is where the detail is needed and the market research will depend on the type of product and the target buyer; business, consumer or maybe both.

The basic requirement for a good business is a market that is viable with long term growth potential. Stagnant, saturated or declining markets are not a good idea!

Identifying a good opportunity is one thing but achieving it is another; this is where strategy meets execution. You must be able to win business and this requires a plan of action to do all the right things like generating sales-ready leads; making sure salespeople have the right skills and being as customer focussed as you can.

But pay attention to creating messages that clearly define what you do; the problems you solve; how you are different and what this means to a buyer. Without this clarity, buyers will not know why you are the best choice and your salespeople will probably not achieve the results you are aiming for.

As U.S. military commander George S. Patton once said "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week". Its the same in business.

5 steps to improving your chances of sales success

2010-01-22T21:36:00.006Z

There are no fool-proof ways of winning business but compelling sales messages that are well thought out and backed by a solid sales process will take you a long way towards your goal.

Here is an idea to try. On a sheet of A4, write the following headings and fill them in for a product or service you are selling or your company as a whole.

1. My target buyer is... [define the type of person and role in a business if appropriate]

2. They have the following problem / need / desire

3. My 'Big Idea' is .... [describe what you are selling that will fit their p /n / d

4. It is special because ... [the advantage]

5. This is why they will want to know more / contact me / buy now

Sounds easy - give it a go and see how you get on.

Sales styles

2010-01-22T21:29:00.004Z

This is something I come across a lot and it never fails to amaze me.There are different types of selling. For simplicity, let's call it push and pull.
Push selling is where you talk about your product and what it does in the hope that some part of this will interest a potential buyer.
The focus is on you and what you need to achieve and little attention is paid to the buyer and their needs. Price is commonly used as a tactic to win business.
Pull selling is where you talk about your buyer and focus on understanding the problems they face to decide if your product or service is of value to them. Price is replaced by the value delivered.
Guess which type the professionals use??

10 quick tips to write better sales messages

2010-01-22T21:21:00.005Z

Minimise the use of adjectives and keep outrageous claims to a minimum - how many truly ‘unique’ products are out there?
Don’t over-use bullets, keep to a maximum of 6 in any piece [unlike this list, which is , well a long list of tips!]
Avoid cliche’s and management speak ‘like the plague’ - if you know what I mean! ‘Blue sky thinking’, ‘Touching base’, and all the rest are so 1980’s and tiresome. Is anyone actually impressed by them any more?
Be as concise as possible but don’t be brief if it cuts out important points.
Content still matters more than style.
Make all your messages personal and directed to the interests of your intended Reader - an audience of one.
Avoid using jargon just to appear clever - use it as appropriate to your Reader, especially if your messages are highly technical.
make your messages as simple as possible, but no simpler. Don't dumb down content just to be snappy and brief.
Use a consistent tone of voice - one that the Reader will relate to and find appealing. A young audience will respond better to less formal language than a middle age audience.
‘You’ is the single most important word - avoid ‘I’ and ‘We’ because the whole purpose is not to tell the Reader how wonderful you are, it’s to tell them what you can do for Them.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

2009-12-04T13:57:00.003Z

Many slides but worth taking the time to go through it and learn some lessons from a master communicator.

How To Blow Your Investor Pitch

2009-12-04T09:12:00.003Z

This is an interesting presentation that takes a different spin on how to present your business idea. Although this is geared towards companies seeking VC funding there are excellent points that apply to any business. Key points I took away are:

Your idea must attract attention fast and simplicity is best;
Don't talk about your amazing product - talk about the real problems you solve;
Keep presentations and demos focussed on the buyers needs and don't launch into a bloated, 'show everything' event;
Show how and why you are different - what is your Competitive Advantage?
Outperforming your competition;
Success depends on great people so hire the best;
Have a plan;
Always tell the truth;
Prepare well for every pitch or demo

Fail: 12 Ways To Blow Your Investor Pitch

View more documents from North Venture Partners.

Creating compelling presentations

2009-11-17T11:16:00.004Z

A new article to download has been added to my site discussing ideas for radically improving the quality and success of presentations.

Based on research and many years experience, the document has ideas to develop content that will attract attention, arouse interest and motivate action.

If you think your presentations need to be improved (and who doesn't!) check it our here.

The power of one-liners

2009-10-27T07:35:00.004Z

A single sentence or a one-liner often contains far more meaning than the words used.

Some just pop out and grab you and beautifully summarise a key point.

Here are some I thought of and others I must have read somewhere but can't remember where!

Be a problem solver and help others achieve success.
Stop talking and listen more.
Don’t sell products, sell what they do for your buyer.
Give buyers what they need and NOT what you need to sell them.
The best business ideas are always simple to explain and easy to understand.
Success comes through hard work combined with focus and discipline.
Simplify everything - your plans, messages and processes and eliminate what doesn’t add value or enable you to achieve your goal.
Compensation drives behaviour so always reward results.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Take ownership and be accountable because no-one wants to hear feeble excuses for failure.

Who needs a sales process?

2009-10-06T17:31:00.005+01:00

Some people regard sales as a 'Black Art' where success comes about due to the personality of the sales person.

Some believe it's all down to the product being so good that it sells itself. I believe it comes down to a combination of things such as intelligence, charisma, interpersonal skills and planning.

And working in a structured way is key to effective planning and that requires a defined process.

The type of process you use depends on what you are selling and to whom. A complex sale [with multiple stages involving different people] typical in the technology sector is tough to manage well and that is why I like a sales process to help plan and execute a winning strategy.

You can download information on my Navigator Sales Process here and you can see a simple flowchart of the process here.

Great website resource

2009-10-05T09:06:00.003+01:00

I don't normally do 'commercials' but there is a site I visit called Scratchmedia run by Ben Hunt that is just excellent when it comes to considering what great web design should look like.

Ben has also published an eBook called Save the Pixel that I own and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in making their website as clear, concise and compelling as possible.

It's worth a visit!

The Future Salesforce

2009-10-03T10:43:00.005+01:00

Selling complex products and services requires a different set of skills and approach than selling commodity products. A more consultative approach is needed and not just a 'product pitch'.

Complex sales are difficult to manage because success hinges on being able to demonstrate superior knowledge, capability and build a high level of trust.

Complex sales are often of strategic importance and are frequently run through a structured procurement process involving many people. With a relatively high value, complex sales are also spread over a timescale of months and sometimes years. Board level presentations and approval are frequently required.

'The future sales force - a consultative approach' is a report I recently read that summed this up very well. It echoes my belief that consultative salespeople are not born, but they can be trained by using a consultative sales process combined with coaching. This is the basis of my own Navigator sales process.

Read a copy of The Future Salesforce here.

Don't dive head first into a deal!

2009-10-01T11:38:00.004+01:00

Business is tough and it is easy to get carried away and dive into a sales 'opportunity' at the first sign of interest - but resist the temptation!

Remember that unless you have a truly mass-market product, you just can't sell to everyone. You must qualify if this matches up to your "Ideal Prospect Profile".

Taking a bit of time to fact find and qualify saves a lot of wasted time, effort and money so don't be grateful, be careful. Always follow a process, however simple, to determine that there is a good fit between what you do and what the prospect wants to achieve.

Read more about basic fact finding and qualification.

Secrets of high performing sales organisations

2009-09-14T09:03:00.008+01:00

What is it that makes a person successful at sales? Is it some unique quality or gift or is it something that almost anyone can do?

This was the question posed in a recent survey by sales training company Miller-Heiman. The survey included respondents from a range of industries and included sales people, middle managers and senior executives from around the world.

And the conclusions are, to be honest not earth shatteringly surprising. In fact, they confirm what sales mentors, trainers and consultants like me believe with a passion.

The data supports the fact that what MH calls the World Class Sales Organisation or WSO all do the following well;

1. A formal and highly focussed sales process that qualifies and prioritises all sales opportunities.

2. Concentrate on solving problems rather than 'punting' their product in the hope the prospect will see something they like.

3. Manage live sales opportunities very well and in line with their defined sales process.

4. Pay attention to developing relationships and building trust. They recognise this is a key success factor in determining how they can help their prospect solve their business problem.

5. Involve their own senior executives and other talented people as appropriate in a sales campaign to develop deep relationships, build trust and give the prospect an even higher level of confidence in their ability to deliver.

The report has a lot of data and is worth a read. If you are interested, you can download a copy of Secrets of High Performance Sales Organizations by Anne Stuart from Miller Heiman.

Is the USP Dead?

2009-09-11T17:37:00.007+01:00

Everyone talks about being Different.

The Unique Selling Point is supposed to be what makes you different in the eyes of your prospective buyers, but is anyone really Unique?

Unique means 'one of a kind' and 'unlike anything else' - how many companies can truly claim that today? Some can and they protect their difference legally.

Apple fiercely protects their OS X operating system and no-one else can sell it so in that case they do have a USP. But for the rest of us it's different.

Unless you have developed a unique product or service it is misleading to claim otherwise. However, as more products and services are commoditised you must find a way to compete. This could be on price [because you are so efficient] or a premium level of service [because you care more].

So perhaps for you USP is not appropriate, so stop trying to invent a USP as many businesses do.

In most cases, Competitive Strength is a far better term because it describes what you excel at rather than what makes you 'one of a kind'.

Find the things you do best and make that the basis of your offer. But please, don't claim you are Unique unless you can prove it. However, if you have invented something special that's a different story!

“Salespeople are so Boring!”

2009-07-02T18:57:00.004+01:00

This statement was made by a long-time friend of mine who was a Senior Manager in the NHS. He has dealt with many salespeople and spent millions on various products and services but he has a low opinion of them.

Now this is a personal view and hardly scientific but when I asked him why, his answers made me understand.

He said ‘They come in, sit down, make small talk and then tell me how wonderful their company, product/ service / support is and then ask for my business.’

He said, ‘When I tell them that I’ll get back to them, I really mean You have No chance’

He said most salespeople are so preoccupied with their own targets and business goals that they never bother to ask what is important to him. And as he is signing the cheque that’s the key to success!

We all know that focusing on and solving our prospects’ problems is what sales is all about. But often it’s easier to just trot out the company pitch in the hope it hits the spot.

We all know that effective sales communication is a two-way relationship where the salesperson asks the right questions to uncover needs and discover what is important to the buyer.

However, the difference between sales professionals who capture and maintain the attention of their potential buyers and those who bore them to tears is the self-discipline to remain focused on the buyer.

A recent study said that we spend about 95% of our time thinking about ourselves, our wants, and our needs. And the only time we are not, is when we are focused on getting something out of the way so we can go back to thinking about ourselves. It is just human nature. And when we meet another human being, our first reaction is to tell him or her all about ourselves, our wants, and our needs.

Now, think about what it feels like to be on the other end of that monologue - it is boring. That is how buyers feel when salespeople pitch instead of ask questions.

Practice makes perfect

So how do you develop the discipline to focus on your prospects’ needs?

The answer is simple - Practice. Before every call decide to focus your attention on your prospect. Tell yourself to listen instead of talk. Slow down and ask questions and really listen to the answers. And after each call access your performance and think about where you failed and what you did well. Soon your interpersonal skills will improve, your relationships with your buyers will grow stronger, and you will become one of the elite sales professionals in your company or industry. Not a crashing bore that sends my friend to sleep!

Assessing a New Market Opportunity

2009-06-23T17:41:00.008+01:00

If you are launching a new product or service, or entering a new market, how do you define if the opportunity is is viable, achievable and profitable? How do you quantify your chances of success?

Do you just take a 'punt' and hope for the best? Or do you conduct a long and detailed Market Analysis?

With experience of both approaches, I would recommend something mid-way between both. A bit of structure but conducted in a pragmatic way so that a decision can be made quickly, so the opportunity does not pass you by.

Whenever I advise clients, I always ask some basic question such as;

1. What are the problems you are trying to solve?

2. How are these currently solved?

3. Who currently has a solution?

4. Why is there an opportunity for You?

Is there a deficiency in current offerings?
Is there a gap in the market you can exploit?
What can you do that is [1] Different [2] Compelling [3] Value Added [4] Game Changing
What can you deliver that is not currently available?

5. Check Point - If there are no compelling reasons then there is probably limited or no opportunity for you. So maybe it's not a good idea to go further.

6. If there IS an opportunity - let's quantify it.

Define the Revenue Opportunity

And here's a quick formula to apply;

Potential Revenue = No. of Targets you can sell to x Average Sales Price + ongoing revenues

Notes:

1. Factor in what you believe your Win-Loss ratio will be as this will determine the likely number of sales.

2. Define your routes to market and cost of sale. Will you sell Direct, via Partners or Re-Sellers?

3. For a new product or service, what is the Time to Revenue?

How will it take to be developed?
Who develops it - do you have the resources yourself?
What is the cost?

Don't enter a new area unless you have done some basic homework but don't analyse it to death - if the opportunity IS there, grasp it and move fast to seize the initiative.

What makes a Great salesperson?

2009-06-22T14:19:00.004+01:00

People buy because it satisfies a need so the professional salesperson must find the need and satisfy it better than anyone else!

Sounds simple, but the great salespeople do this so much better than the average performer.

Poor salespeople describe their product in mind numbing detail and hope for a sale. Great salespeople inspire confidence in a buyer and excite them about the potential of their product or service.

Whatever you are selling, your chances of success are vastly improved by doing some basic things very well.

So what makes a great salesperson?

I believe there are two categories and within each there are common characteristics shared by top performers.

Professional Characteristics

Domain knowledge - understands the business issues and key drivers of the sectors you are selling into.
Business knowledge - know your company and product offering in depth.
Excellent communicator - asks great questions and clearly articulates how your Unique Selling Proposition solves problems.
Strategist - can plan and execute a winning sale strategy.
Interpersonal skills - builds empathy, credibility and trust with clients.

Personal Characteristics

When product offerings are comparable, personal characteristics come into play then people will buy from the people they like best. These are some things to look for;

Confident with a positive attitude.
Appropriately dressed and groomed.
Punctual
Tenacious with a burning desire to win.
Honest
Displays intuition and judgement. This is critical to avoid wasting time and money chasing bad business.

If you are a salesperson, honestly assess how you compare and concentrate on the areas you need to improve.

If you are a manager or business owner, you must either hire the best or invest in training and education to bring your current team up to standard. Without great salespeople your performance will continue to be "just average".

Hiring an Interim

2009-06-22T09:08:00.006+01:00

Historically, Interims were hired to fill a gap caused by a sudden senior level departure. Today they are being used more on a planned basis to supplement a team or as Agents of Change to help build capabilities a business does not currently possess.

But if you haven't hired an Interim before, you may not know the best way to approach it, so here a few things to consider to make the assignment a success.

1. Be clear on why you are using an Interim and what your expectations are.

2. Agree a Letter of Engagement to defines roles, responsibilities, deliverables and fees.

3. Give the Interim the executive authority and access to people and resources necessary to complete the work.

4. Don't ‘micro manage’ but do schedule regular progress reviews.

5. Make sure the Interim brings a breadth of experience your full time staff may not currently have.

6. Choose the Interim on overall value for money, not lowest daily rate.

How I operate as an Interim

I deliver specific Marketing and Sales outcomes and my involvement varies from a few weeks to several months. Here are some examples of where I have worked as an Interim:

Helping an organisation become more Sales led.
Managing the Sales and Marketing function.
Business development project to create a pipeline.
Direct involvement in sales campaigns.
Sales performance Mentoring and Training.
Providing senior management expertise.

If you'd like to know more, please get in touch.

10 tips for sales success - Ten

2009-06-17T17:15:00.007+01:00

Celebrate Success!

This is important because it recognises outstanding achievement.

And this builds a culture of achievement that separates the great businesses from the also rans.

Great businesses are built on the achievements of great people and success breeds success.

10 tips for sales success - Nine

2009-06-17T17:08:00.006+01:00

Winning Attitude

To win business you must be better than your competitors.

And outperforming the competition requires tenacity, determination and a burning will to win.

Sometimes you get lucky but to achieve long-term consistent success requires a never say die attitude.

10 tips for sales success - Eight

2009-06-17T17:04:00.007+01:00

Solve Problems

Selling is Problem Solving and people buy because they have to fulfill a need - to solve a problem or achieve an opportunity.

Don't punt a product, understand the problem and help the buyer solve it.

10 tips for sales success - Seven

2009-06-17T06:50:00.004+01:00

Sell Value

Don’t sell on price - any fool can discount.

Sell on the Added Value your offering delivers.

Understand why they need to buy and then demonstrate your value.

10 tips for sales success - Six

2009-06-16T15:38:00.007+01:00

Stand Out

Most markets are crowded and competitive so tell your buyers why you are different.

Clearly describe your Unique Value Proposition and why you are the best choice to solve their problems.

That's it, if you can demonstrate a unique offering that fits a need better than the alternatives, your chances of success are dramatically improved.

10 tips for sales success - Five

2009-06-15T14:01:00.006+01:00

Sell what they need

Don't just try to push what you happen to have available to sell. Sell what your buyers need - to help them solve their problems.

Punting a product is like throwing mud against a wall and hoping some of it sticks - hit and miss with no guarantee of success.

Don't try to convince someone to buy something they don't want or need, this is hard work and has a very low probability of success.

10 tips for sales success - Four

2009-06-15T10:54:00.004+01:00

Know your Buyer

Develop a profile of your 'ideal prospect' and this enables you to develop a picture of what is important to them.

Knowing who you sell to means you can deliver the right messages to arouse interest.

This optimises your marketing spend and increases your probability of success.

10 tips for sales success - Three

2009-06-14T13:41:00.004+01:00

Be an Expert

Understand the key factors that impact your prospects. Learn what their business drivers are and be knowledgeable about what is going on in their Industry.

Really know your products and understand clearly why and how they help your buyers address their issues.

Don't punt products, deliver Expertise - it has more value and it makes you stand out from the crowd - and that IS a key to sales success.

10 tips for sales success - Two

2009-06-13T13:32:00.003+01:00

Develop a plan

Before you start trying to sell anything to anyone, develop a Go to Market Plan.

Seems really obvious but I meet businesses with no plan and they just 'wing it' and hope for the best.

You can't possibly hit a target unless you know what it is so develop your plan and keep it simple and focus on what you want to achieve.

Above all, make it realistic and achievable. There is nothing worse than a plan you have no chance of achieving.

10 tips for sales success - One

2009-06-13T09:00:00.004+01:00

Over the next couple of days, I'm going to post tips that may seem obvious at first sight, but is often not implemented and can make a big difference to your sales success.

Be Sales-Led

Sales-led businesses always place their customers at the forefront of everything they do. They focus on satisfying their needs - at a profit.

This is crucial, obvious but often ignored as companies do a deal for little or no margin because they are desperate to get work - this is a huge mistake that can out you out of business.

Being sales-led means concentrating on the customer NOT trying to push your products at anyone who is vaguely interested. It means being professional and working in a structured way - more on this in subsequent tips.

Everyone is in sales from the telephone receptionist to the customer support people and the way they act in front of customers and prospects will reflect on your business.

So make sure everyone who has any contact with the outside world understand the role they can play in driving YOUR sales success.

Presentation Snippets: 10-20-30 rule

2009-06-12T15:44:00.004+01:00

Powerpoint is often used to bore people to death rather than to entertain or inform them. We have all been there and it's painful. This is a 2 minute video that has some great advice and just says it all - Enjoy!

14th Century lesson for today's complex world

2009-06-10T14:06:00.009+01:00

Occam's Razor is a principle for understanding the world that was developed over 600 years ago by an English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham.

He wrote that "Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily." ("Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem") The term razor describes the act of shaving away unnecessary assumptions to get to the simplest explanation.

Occam's Razor is often used to illustrate simplicity in many areas such as Science and Philosophy, but it also applies to business for example;

"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."

A very 'C3' term is even better "K.I.S.S. (Keep it Short and Simple or even Keep it Simple, Stupid)

Striving for Simplicity

2009-06-10T09:05:00.011+01:00

Why is everything so complicated and hard to understand? How do we make sense of the world around us with information everywhere? Why can’t things be simpler?

Great question, but some people believe that simple means banal and anything that is simple must of less value or importance or substance because, well, it’s simple!

When you see a really simple idea you wonder why you did'n’t think of it and that’s the whole point - you didn’t because you may have been looking for a more complicated answer!

Leonardo Da Vinci said "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." This is one of my favorite quotes, because it clearly says that being simple isn't banal, it's difficult to achieve yet elegant.

Simplicity in Design enables a user to easily and quickly understand how to use a product. Is your software easy to use? Is it intuitive or does it require a steep learning curve? Do you know how to use a supermarket? What about when you arrive at an Airport, how do you know where to go - even if you haven’t been there before? Our ability to use any product or service involves a combination of expert knowledge, previous experience, a degree of intelligence, common sense, a basic level of literacy or an ability to understand signs and symbols.

But design is not just about making products - it is about creating a user experience for anything. In their book Design Matters: How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company Emery and Brunner describe how design IS more than form and function and how great design across everything you do, will make people love your company - it’s definitely worth a read.

Stephen Hawking tried to simplify the origins of the Universe in his book ‘A Brief History of Time’ and to a degree he succeeded - well, a lot of people bought the book, but maybe they were like me and still found it hard to get past the first few chapters. This was because once he explained the basic ideas he delved into the detail that required some degree of expert knowledge.

The same holds true in business, because many organisations concentrate on describing the detail of what they do before they set the scene and describe their ‘Big Picture’. Their audience find it hard to understand what they are saying and they drift off to look at something else.
Why not take a fresh look at your story and how you communicate it? Is it really simple and easy to understand? Are your messages Clear, Concise and Compelling?

Remember, simple is NOT bad, it’s good and it can give you competitive advantage in a world where many messages are competing for attention.

Book Review; Inside Steve's Brain

2009-05-26T18:35:00.004+01:00

Apple is one of the most iconic and admired corporations in business today. It has consistently been acclaimed for it’s cool, sophisticated and much sought after products. It’s customer service and attention to detail is second to none and the iPod and range of Mac computers have bucked the trend and experienced dramatic growth in very tough markets. But it hasn't always been like this.

Inside Steve's Brain: Business Lessons from Steve Jobs, the Man Who Saved Apple is a book that goes behind the scenes to explain how Apple became the powerhouse it is today - and there are lesson for us all.

Jobs co-founded Apple in 1976 and this really started the personal computer industry. But other soon caught up and when Jobs was fired in 1985 the end looked imminent. In fact, Apple staggered on for another 10 years and when Jobs returned as Interim CEO in 1997 Apple was in a death spiral. There were far too many projects in progress and the entire product line looked ready for the scrap heap.

Jobs got to work and made some tough, brave and inspirational decisions that turned Apple into the success story it is today. Of course he didn’t do it single-handed, but he was undoubtedly the focal point around which the spark ignited.

This book gives a fascinating insight into his thinking and it draws from many sources such as articles, books and interviews with Jobs and others who worked at Apple at the time.

It is well written and easy to read and each chapter has a summary of the key "Lessons from Steve" that are applicable to whatever type of business you maybe in.

Here are a few of my personal favourites:

"Focus means saying No" - Jobs focuses Apples' [then] limited resources on a very small number of projects it can do exceptionally well.

"Find an easy way to present new ideas" - make it simple for buyers to understand what’s in it for them.

"Seek out the highest quality in People, Products and Advertising" - don’t ever settle for second best.

"Find a passion for your work or get another job"

"Concentrate on building great products not becoming the biggest or richest"

Notable Steve quotes:

“I want to put a ding in the Universe”

“Innovation has nothing to do with money. When Apple came up with the iMac, IBM was spending 100 times more on R&D. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led and how much you get it”

“We made the buttons on the screen [of Mac OS X user interface] look so good you’ll want to lick them”

Leander Kahney is news editor of Wired.com and he has covered Apple for more than a decade.

Where's the Value?

2009-05-20T17:32:00.006+01:00

Your Value Proposition defines the tangible results delivered by a your offering such as;

Increased revenues by at least
Faster time to market
Decreased costs
Improved operational efficiency
Increased market share
Improved customer retention levels

And where you can legitimately use hard numbers to quantify the value, so much the better!

It should NOT describe what you ‘DO’ but what you ‘DELIVER’. Real No-No Value Propositions include the following gems;

‘We have the most technologically advanced system available today’
‘We improve communication and staff moral’
‘We are rated best-in-class by a recent survey’

So how does yours look? Can you describe what you do in terms of tangible business results? Do you have documented success stories?

Or do you need to do some work to enhance your Value Proposition? If it's not strong enough yet, here are two things you can do right now to improve it;

1. Talk to Your Customers
They are your best resource to find out what value you bring but most people are scared to ask but be brave because what you learn can be a real eye-opener. Not only can it change your value Proposition, it could also change your offering and the way you sell it.

2. Brainstorm with colleagues
Review your marketing materials if you're not talking tangible results, keep asking "So what?"

So what if it's an efficient system?
So what if we have a replicable process?
So what if it's high quality?

By asking this question over and over again, you'll get much closer to the real value you bring to customers.