5 Questions – How Leadership Drives Growth

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Over a five-year period, the financial performance of organizations whose senior leaders were highly engaged with their personnel was significantly stronger than those companies who followed a different model. Net income growth was almost 18 times higher, and stock price was nearly 3 times higher. While their high level of engagement isn’t the only reason for this exceptional performance, it is clear that leadership behaviors focused on key engagement practices consistently deliver better results. Here …

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Getting Paid

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Until you get paid, contracts are just promissory notes. You deliver the product or do the work based on a promise of payment. Your customer likely expects to pay you. Use these 3 tips to help them keep their part of the deal: Don’t extend credit to new customers without an assessment: If an order will have a large impact on your bottom line, run a credit check before signing a contract, and seek a …

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The Two Driving Visions of Change

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For some, considering a new idea or approach, a change from the current method, represents an opportunity to improve the existing. For others, it represents a threat – what if things go wrong? Conflicting perspectives, driven by people in an organization, with different experiences, who see the world differently. They are the opposing sides of a proposed change, the two driving visions of change. The supporters of change seek to challenge the current line and …

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Crafting Price Satisfaction

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When the selling/problem solving process is done well, both buyer and seller can be satisfied with the final price. To earn your price, and leave the customer feeling satisfied with that decision, preparation is the key. Use these 3 methods to maximize preparation: Start early. Ensuring that both parties will be satisfied when the deal is done begins with your decision to do more than resolve a customer’s current pain. Early in the discovery process, …

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Breaking Things Makes You Stronger

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Leaders are hired to break things. To generate, and sustain, improved results, they push past the status quo, making a purposeful choice for productive change. And because our economy is so dynamic, breaking things must become perpetual. Managing the risk associated with continuous adaptation, and using energy to defeat fear, is a key characteristic of leadership in this era. A more robust and sustainable business is derived from these benefits of change: Deciding to change …

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3 Factors That Persuade Customers To Choose You

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In this age of limited time and unlimited access to information, customers want more than better, faster and cheaper. They specify 3 factors that persuade them to choose you.  Customers seek to learn if you are more interested in helping them make money or in taking their money. They choose you once they sense your commitment to their success, and evaluate your motivation using these 3 criteria: Sharing valuable insight about market trends. Customers understand …

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3 Steps to Defeat the Initiative Dilemma

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When organizations promote “initiative” as a core value, they often encounter the “initiative dilemma.” How can you encourage initiative and avoid the typical pitfalls that prevent action? Encouraging initiative energizes employees to make improvements, solve problems, deal with change, and provide customers with exceptional service.  When executives were recently polled about the most productive way for employees to advance, 82% responded with: “Ask for more work and responsibility.” When employees are asked why they are …

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7 Questions That Drive Marketing Strategy

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Every marketing strategy must answer seven key questions. 1. WHO are you trying to reach? Specify your target audience and stay focused. 2. WHAT is your story? How credible is it? 3. HOW does your story align with the established perceptions of your target audience? What do they believe?  What do they need? 4. HOW will you alert your target audience to your offering? How will you raise their awareness? 5. HOW soon do you …

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Mastering Mindset

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When your team encounters challenges, obstacles or criticism, they face a choice about how to react. At moments like these, they need you to help them adopt a mindset that leads to success. Stanford University psychologist, Carol Dweck, uses the word “mindset” to describe how people are constantly monitoring and interpreting what’s happening to them, what it means, and what they should do. People can choose to react to challenges or criticism using a “fixed” …

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Revealing Constraints Compels Action

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Discovering why a prospect needs a remedy is what makes the difference between a single commodity sales transaction and a comprehensive solution that produces sustainable value and launches enduring relationships. The most compelling solutions help the prospect overcome constraints that are hindering goal achievement. Why is identifying obstacles the most vital part of the discovery process? Productive sales discovery begins by clarifying a prospect’s current circumstances and stated needs.  With the starting point identified, the …

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