September 2015

Everyone is looking for ways to boost productivity and make the most of their time. The New York Times even reported that some young workers are abusing stimulants normally used to treat A.D.H.D.

Find me a team that is having trouble with marketing and it’s a safe bet they are struggling with who their customers are and why those people should do business with them, says Jim Gray, an insightful if minimalistic blogger on all things marketing at https://grayj.co. “Or it’s a Kool-Aid answer like, ‘We’re the best.’ Why are you the best?

Few things are more frustrating for a salesperson than an invisible wall. You can have a great track record, a way with words, a dapper appearance, and a charming personality — but that will only take you so far. The best, most well-rounded salespeople have mastered a non-physical, or relational, side of the game.

Any salesperson knows how important it is for a business to have access to the right tools and the most useful data to carry out their role efficiently. It wasn’t that long ago when salespeople had only a basic phone and a notebook with prospects’ and customers’ names – and had to sit at a desk to schedule appointments.

Finance and business are probably the most popular fields of practice when it comes to education. Many people flock to universities to complete courses in finance, accounting, business administration and related fields. They are quite lucrative courses, especially if you advance them to another level. The competition in these fields is stiff.

In my strategy workshops I often ask the seemingly simple question, “What is a brand?” The answers I get are usually focused on how an organization pushes its identity out visually. This is a natural definition.

“In most business models, the sales department is fixated on selling. The problem with this approach is that people no longer want to be sold.”
-- The Modern Face of Sales by Humpus Jakobbson

Consultants can be great for business, but they can also be toxic to sales teams. Though the outcome depends on many different variables, how sales reps treat their consultants can go a long way toward ensuring a positive and successful experience.

It doesn’t matter whether you are in the C-suite or just promoted to your first management position. If you think you can lead through policies, bullet points and messaging, you are not going to inspire the best in your people.