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 …
Whenever I start working with an ambitious business, the first question I always ask is; ‘What’s your UDP?’ and after a few scratches of heads, I’m usually met with blank faces.
Let me be clear. A UDP is not a USP (Unique Selling Point)…
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 …
Your Sales Engine is broken and here’s why… Occasionally at a networking event you’ll hear a bunch of old sales hands (myself included) reminiscing about the days when we simply drove around the country with the precision of a co-ordinated army, visiting our customers and drumming up new business. Our Fords and B’mers stuffed full …
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 …
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 …
“The honest answer is after we reach £1M I haven’t a clue what I’m meant to be doing!” That was the comment, fresh out of the mouth of one of our Business Accelerator Club members during our initial coaching call. I was quizzing her on the size of her vision and testing the level of …
is the name of the book I’m currently devouring… And it comes highly recommended. Suddenly so much of advice I’ve previously been given makes sense! I’m only at the beginning of the book and already have pages of ideas and ‘grey time’ thoughts scrawled down for myself, and although I have many insights to share I’m …
… and no I’m not talking equity rather your role? I heard a great nugget recently from Anthony Fletcher, the CEO of fast-growing business Graze. “If you plan to grow your business by 30% you have to find someone to do 30% of your own job” The inability to consistently prune your own role (and then everyone else’s) is …
I thought I would share some wise words from Lara Morgan which I trust you find valuable and take time to read, reflect and act. From Lara’s desk… Now is the time with a single-minded focus to answer the following 4 critical questions… 1. Do you have the right people to drive your researched strategy? …
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 …
Andrew Bailey speaks about his top 10 negotiating rules that he has personally tried and tested. Negotiating and deal making can be fraught with issues and danger, to overcome these challenges some simple, tried and tested ‘rules’ will help. We discuss 10 Negotiating Rules in this piece, of course there are more, however mastering these will make …
You’ve heard CS persistently bang on about the importance of… Adapting to your buyer’s changing behaviour (We’re not in Kansas anymore!) The importance of winning the digital ‘mindshare’ of your customers as they enter your buying cycle The age of the customer we now find ourselves in and the importance of the experience of not …
This week I thought I would share some wise words from Lara Morgan, who circulated the words below to all of her company heads. I think the message speaks for itself… “In order for a business to take advantage of an opportunity, four factors must be in place. The formula looks like this. VISION + …
There’s a reason why at Company Shortcuts, we keep banging on about the importance of creating ‘Your Sales Process Map’, so you better understand the flow and the variables of your customer buying experience… …because, amongst other things, it supports the building of your brand. But how? I hear you shout, “what has sales …
Commission schemes. Do you have one? Does it work – i.e. does it drive the team behaviours you want? And do you need a PhD in pure Maths to understand it? This is a topic that was discussed very recently with our current BAPs cohort, so here are 4 quick headlines to think about if …
Last week I had the luxury of a couple of focused days with my Chairman Lara, reviewing business plans, current results and seeking ways to enhance our existing offering. As always I come away with a head full of new ideas and scribbled ‘grey time’ notes. If you’ve attended any of our live events you’ll …
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 …
At Company Shortcuts we exist to ‘grow the nation by improving sales performance’ and the growth rates of our client base which averages 140% increase in Net Profit one year after engagement, tell us that we are well on our way to achieving our mission. Yet according to the Scale-up report published in November 2014, commissioned by UK …
Earlier today I was standing in front of 200 young people (Year 11’s) sharing my story from school through to the career I have today, via www.speakers4schools.org, with the intention to hopefully inspire them. I always incorporate the following as one of my opening lines in my talk;“Today, I particularly want to appeal to the students amongst you, …