If you are going to thrive in any economy, you must commit yourself to a laser-like focus on doing first-things first and a ferocious understanding of what you are not going to do. For me, having a “stop-doing list” has become more important than my to-do list. Here’s what works for me: After 23 years of…
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Where will you be when things settle down? A great number of marginal performers will be gone. Those who have not innovated will be gone. Those who have not created value for their clients will be gone. But a lot of us will be standing, and will be better, stronger and more equipped for success.…
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It’s up to you to create your future. Tough times require tough performances. Tough times bring out champions. The greatest hockey player in the history of the game—”The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky—was deemed too small, too wiry and too slow to be a force in the NHL by the so-called “experts.” But, he has a…
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Clients and prospects still are buying. Your customers still need you and still want to buy from you. What your customers want to buy is a more efficient, more profitable, more exciting company. They want to buy a better brand. They want to buy the ability to be the first choice among shoppers looking for the services…
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People don’t buy with their heads. They buy with their hearts. The competition is not for their money. The only real competition is for their emotions. Touch the hearts of the people you serve, and they’ll be back for more. Engage their emotions, and they’ll become raving fans. “I have always believed that by touching…
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If you want to become a business partner who matters, you need to get to know your customers. Go deep. Study their companies every way and every where you can. Start on your computer. Google the companies. Read articles about them. Set up Google Alerts to get trending articles about them. Study their industries. Read…
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Answer this. Believe your answer. You’ll be well on your way to defining your competitive advantage, your value proposition, and will become more successful at differentiating yourself and your company. You’ll be well on your way to moving away from the commodity business and being an innovative value creator. Describe your client’s life before they…
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What are you going to do in 2016 that is going to make you even more relevant in 2017? What are you going to do to create the customer experience needed to ensure that you can compete and flourish long term? Are you going to curse the online challengers who are driving you crazy? Or,…
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Your job is to solve your customers’ problems. Period. That’s all. You need to become a part of their organizations. This is vital if you want to earn the right to charge a little more and be compensated for your expertise. Think of your job as earning a job at your target prospects’ companies. This…
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How do you make yourself matter to your customers? How did selling today become such a “soft” touch? How did things like liking, loving, trusting and focusing on the mission become more important than prospecting, qualifying, looking at features and benefits, and closing, closing, closing?
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