“… fundamental honesty is the keystone of business” Harvey S. Firestone Not all of our most notable public leaders are models of good ethics. “Integrity” and “honest person” self-labels are often misstated. Business corruption goes unpunished, so bending rules becomes normalized. Doing “right” competes with quarterly results, the next sale, receiving a promotion, and more. […]
“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world” Robert McKee Creating a business plan seems daunting and tedious. Approach the process as if you were creating a story that aligns and flows strategy, market, organization, and market/financial objectives. The process begins with deep analysis and understanding the complexity of all factors […]
“I fear nothing when I am in the right. Whoever pushes me around will find me full of fight.” Jack, Jack and the Beanstalk Just to provoke ideation for those looking to start a new business or expand an existing one … find holes in industry business giants. We have had some experience in this […]
“Nothing is more hateful to wisdom than excessive cunning”Edgar Allan Poe, The Purloined Letter Competition for finding and investing in hot industry trends and companies is fierce. The shiny glitter of market trends attracts capital. Best and brightest stars in venture capital and private equity work almost in unison seeking the same hot investment profiles. Entrepreneurs […]
Predicting future success is risky. Mostly, investors define value based on historical data of cash flows with analysis of market trends, comparable values, management ability, and forecasts with macro-economic indicators to balance findings. These metrics don’t dig deep enough. Buyers camouflage real forecast with obsession for EBITDA growth defining value heavily weighted on multiples of […]
How about trying a bold approach to prospecting? Consider sending an unsolicited proposal to a select number of prospects! In addition to conventional prospect campaigns, provoke conversations directly with the right C-level prospect with a focused Demand Generation initiative. Packaging current capabilities with a spiffy cover letter and request for a meeting is insufficient. Gaining […]
Before my fellow sales friends blast this declaration, selling is the most difficult job in the company! Customers’ financial and procurement process stifles creativity and discount value and innovation. That effectively and purposefully boxes vendors into commodity pricing comparatives. Sales people must ignite business ideation discussions. Sales management too often inflates value of CRM and […]
McKinsey & Company’s “The sales secrets of high-growth companies” is insightful for growth success. Read the article here. Summary of McKinsey’s 5 highlights: Commit to the Future Utilize Digital Channels Harness Full Range of Sales Analytics Invest in your People Alignment of Leadership Action with Vision Progressive sales people thirst to lead … in their […]
C-Level Buyers disdain advances from sales people. It’s understandable. Your time is precious and demands growing business and quashing daily fires are overwhelming. There are rarely enough resources of time, people, or capital to meet all opportunities and challenges. But, be-AWARE, some of the best resources are those sales people courting your business. Premier sales […]
The “Red Zone” in football represents the final 20 yards to score. Length of a football field is 100 yards. It’s that last 20 yards where competition is fiercest and defenses stiffen. Researching teams most efficient scoring touchdowns in the “Red Zone” offer a sharp contrast between winners and losers. In 2015, the best team […]
