Professional Sales Agency?
Over the last couple of years, people have been calling me on the fact that I describe my company as a "professional sales agency." Some of them seem to think that "professional sales" sounds a bit haughty. They ask, "What does that mean?" with a bit of a sneer. I explain simply that selling in 2012 is a profession that requires discipline, planning, attention to detail, and careful execution. Then I ask them, "Haven't you ever worked with a really outstanding sales person? What would it take to replicate someone like that?" (Frequently the response to that last question is thoughtful ...
To Support Innovation, We Must Create Value
I just read an article in Inc. Magazine, "To Innovate, We Must Make," and the crux of the article is that rejuvenating manufacturing, actually making stuff again right here in the U.S.A., is going to be the key to awakening America's innovation engine. The article's author, John Rogers, points to the fact that we have a shortage of skilled-labor here in America, and that labor shortage prevents us from being able to make (meaning make, test, break, rebuild, finish) new prototypes which are key to the process of innovation. The article makes a case, albeit subtly, for more of the ...
Breaking Down Barriers…You First!
While sitting down over a bowl of oatmeal this morning, I had a deep thought...well, deep enough by my standards to write a post about it. I thought about conversations I've had recently with customers and peers about their frustration with prospects and customers. I can summarize their frustration in the statement, "These customers won't share enough information with us, and they won't help us gain access to other key people in their business." Sound familiar? Whether you're a sales coach, a senior leader, or a field sales executive, you've probably heard something like that. ...
Worrying About the “New Normal”?
Earlier in 2010, William Gross and Mohamed El-Erian, the heads of Pacific Investment Management Co (better known as PIMCO), coined a term to describe the what the economy might look in the future. The term they coined is "The New Normal," and it was meant to describe the economic landscape for the next several years or possibly decades. El-Erian said, "When the U.S. and global economy reset after the crisis, the global economy will look different. This has implications for investment strategies, how you run a business and what you offer your clients." When we speak with owners and ...
Old Axioms for New Entrepreneurs?
The Wall Street Journal this week cited answers provided by a group call the "Young Entrepreneur Council" to the following question: "What tips can you offer for creating a solid brand?" The answers were geared toward younger entrepreneurs, so it would not come as a surprise that the first of several answers to the question focused squarely on "tapping social media." (I would encourage one to read through the strategies for tapping social media that the YEC offers.) The remaining answers, though, looked as if they could have come from an entrepreneurship primer from an earlier decade. ...
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