What’s Next For Your Business? Well, it’s finally over! After months of noise and drama, we’ve had our election and can now enjoy the “peace of resolution.” We know the results and, with some reflection and analysis, we’ll plot our future path. After achieving a major goal or accomplishing a key milestone, it’s an ideal time to pause and evaluate what’s working in your business, what needs improvement and what is constraining you. This week …
Lashing Together To Achieve Results During a meeting the other day, a group of us were discussing the leadership characteristics that have proven most successful in nurturing enduring customer relationships and generating sustained revenue growth. We reviewed how the more effective “growth-oriented” leaders are outward looking – they have a vision and a passion for their business. They deeply value the customer relationships that have enabled their growth, and have a clear, comprehensive perspective of …
Passion Produces Energy Remember that feeling of enthusiasm and anticipation you experienced on your first day at a new company or in a new position? The exhilaration of those moments ignited your passion for your company and your career. Over time, the routine & the constant stress of meeting challenges dampened your passion. Like all emotions, Passion will come and go, but it is an essential fuel for sustaining focus on goals. Passion generates energy, …
Strengthen Collaboration Or Be Commoditized Collaboration is a skill, a muscle to be developed and strengthened. When my client Brian asked me how he could improve his collaborative ability, I asked him how his business makes money. He responded with a nicely scripted line that I remembered as being on his company’s website. I suggested that he go deeper. “What are your company’s core competencies? What is your company’s unique value and how does it …
Customers Evaluate Your Behavior In the book, “Built to Last,” authors Collins and Porras explore how successful visionary growth companies have built businesses by consistently operating in accordance with their core values and beliefs. They conclude that everything else about a business can change over time – its technology, financial resources, structure or timing – but sustained growth is achieved when the people in the company robustly believe in its basic principles and consistently demonstrate …
Evaluate Mutual Value Produced We had been discussing the various ways that increased collaboration with customers prevents commoditization when Ben asked, “Can we collaborate too much with customers?” The short answer is “yes,” but to delve more deeply into Ben’s point, we first revisited why customer-partnering has proven to be so effective in battling commoditization – it produces results for customers that fosters enduring relationships. Sales productivity is increased, driving growth in revenue and profitability. …
Win When Your Customer Does Selling is personal. The most successful sellers believe that they can make a difference. They take their business personally. They’re convinced that their solutions will produce value for their customers. They know their company’s competencies well, have invested time to learn their customers’ needs, and have aligned their competencies to achieve customer goals. Buyers have stated and unstated needs; the unstated ones are personal. Buyers want to believe that sellers …
Leverage Your Distinctiveness to Produce Results For Customers One client recently asked me why her new products were not getting the attention she expected. As we discussed her situation, it became clear that she was promoting generic benefits intended to provoke consideration of her company’s new offering. “What in your message compels your customers and prospects to consider your new products?” I asked. “Why are they so unique?” It’s not enough anymore to promote generic …
Make Time To Pursue Growth During the past couple of years, it’s been tough to find time to consider the future of your business. Instead, the focus has been on surviving. But now, the need to improve performance is driving a renewed attention to achieving sustainable growth. As a key leader, perhaps the primary leader, for your business, focusing on the future is your responsibility. If you don’t carve out some time to consider it, who …
Demonstrating Commitment Sustains Passion “Is there such a thing as too much passion?” I was asked. My client explained that one of her senior customer service personnel seemed to be brimming with passion. “She is always upbeat with customers and associates, and she constantly promotes the positive aspects of our business. But her performance does not match the expressed passion, so I’m frequently disappointed with her and frustrated that we can’t gain more results from …
