Anyone who placed a bet on what they’d be doing in 2020 were either delusional or psychic – or were they?Our job as entrepreneurs and sales growth leaders is to focus on what is within our control and to react to changing circumstances or market shifts. It’s what we do. If we’re effective at running our …
It’s a simple enough concept – know your customer, but in my experience most growing businesses give this concept lip service when bottoming out their Sales Strategy. Last month I talked about the importance of having a clearly defined UDP – a Unique Differentiating Proposition and this month I want to draw your attention to the flip side of …
It’s a question I’ve been asked a lot during the past couple of months, is it still ethical to sell and grow our pipeline during the pandemic? Before I launch into my opinions on what business leaders should be doing to galvanise their sales efforts during these interesting times, I want to reiterate a soundbite that I’m …
As we enter not just a new year, but a new decade, it’s the perfect time to not only reflecton your past business performance, but on what you want to set as your growth metrics forthe coming year. Obviously, these will dovetail into your three year business plan, and mayinclude one or more of the …
I’m often quoted as saying that “sales is a culture – never just a department” but one of the biggest challenges facing any business owner, irrespective of whether you have a dedicated sales team or not, is how to disseminate and unite your team around your current strategic sales objective to adapt and change in order to stay ahead of the market.
...4 Killer Templates for sales growth from our Framework Library that our clients used to help them achieve an average 140% increase in net profit You’ve made a plan?... You’ve set a budget?……which has been communicated company-wide. Yes? Your team all nod in agreement. Now – roll forward 3 months, are you and your team delivering on …
Are you ready? Making a budget – It’s that time of the year again when you should be digging out your budget planner template and planning your next financial year. Regardless of the timing of your financial year-end, there is something about the half-year mark or the close of a calendar year that signals the end of …
Here’s our list of Growth Gems … what else would you add? If habits maketh the man … what habits make a truly outstanding sales professional? One to download and stick on your office wall perhaps and ask your team to add to. 40 #GrowthGems guaranteed to improve sales performance Get in front of the …
I first wrote a blog on this topic a few years ago and it definitely ruffled a few feathers so, in support of International Women’s Day– I thought it was worth updating and re-sharing some more thoughts on the topic. As an active supporter of female entrepreneurship and as a female entrepreneur myself I know firsthand …
[FRASER SIMPSON, SMEInsider] Businesses have been exporting for hundreds of years, but with technological innovation and help from the government, it’s never been easier for small British firms to trade abroad. We investigate how exporting really benefits SMEs, and we get some great advice from UKTI veterans who have travelled the world over to build ties …
Answer this ONE question… What is the single most important strategic sales activity, that if applied consistently by your business as a whole, for the next 90 days, would have the greatest impact on your growth? I’ve just finished delivering a great Sales Secrets Academy to a cracking customer of ours and once again the outcome from …
Nicola Cook walks you through how to define when a deal is really closed and suggests how you might improve your Closing Process. Why don’t businesses close more warm leads? In part, they take their foot of the gas too early in the sales process. And lets face it, depending on who you talk to in …
Over the years, Lara and I have seen many organisations, from micro businesses through to large corporates, with sales teams so detached from Profit Generating Activities that they misdirect their activity and end up, at best, increasing revenue but not profit, or at worst increasing revenue but to the detriment of profit. It sounds obvious as …
Travel specialists, Experience Travel Group, who design bespoke holidays to Asia, share how their business performance shifted with the introduction of fresh insights transforming it’s sales strategy. “My MD made me do it!” proclaimed Nick Clark, Sales Director at Experience Travel Group (ETG), when asked what motivated him to join Company Shortcuts’ 6 month Business Accelerator Leadership …
Lara Morgan shares the system of reward she established in her business to motivate her sales team to accelerate the growth of her business. She explores how effective sales targets combined with really understanding what motivates an individual are crucial to developing the team culture focused on profit priorities for growth. Reward mechanisms, the generosity to some extent and …
After closing, what at the time, was the biggest deal personally in our business Company Shortcuts, I celebrated in such a way that my Chairman responded with: “But surely you must have had deals of this size before, in your corporate career when you were working for Gucci or P&G” …and of course I have, so why …
Speaking from personal experience, Patricia Bacon, founder of Bacon Consulting shares insights on recruitment and building culture for a healthy business. As I have grown businesses over the years I have come to realise that recruiting the right people is one of the greatest contributors to achieving success. Everyone counts in the business and plays a …
I bear the scars of having seen my Dad steadily (miserably and slowly) go bankrupt, losing everything, because he failed to sense check his way forward. At the time I didn’t see it this way, but I now consider myself lucky as those scars at an early age taught me the importance of the fundamentals …
Having made most mistakes in recruitment, in fact it feels like all, but also having learnt a great deal along the way through trial and alas error I wanted to share with you a few thoughts and sense checks for avoiding recruitment nightmares. Culture firstIt took 17 years of effort to define the process of best …
It’s that time of year with holidays on the horizon, when we share our list of must-reads for all aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. Take the opportunity over the holidays to get stuck into an inspiring business book and why not pass it on to one of your team when you’ve read it and invest in their personal …