Business CoPilot - for sound practical business advice

Cold calling - there must be a problem!

2011-07-26T17:50:00.000+01:00

"I hate cold calling with a passion" was my response to a question about how best to get new business. It got me thinking, why can I say something as strong as "hate" to what is after all a perfectly normal business activity?

Here is the logic and my response.

1. Would I call someone I knew - yes.
2. Would I cold call someone I did not know if I knew that they had a problem - yes
3. Would I call someone I did not know and did not know if they had a problem - no

I had to conclude that I would cold call them only if I knew with certainty that they had a problem.

This was a breakthrough for me. And that is my next move - to wrap up what we do as a solution to a problem that I am convinced that they have.

It might just lower the level of emotion from HATE to dislike, and that I can deal with. After all, I do things all day that I dislike.

Hope this helps. Call me on 0117 230 3166 for more information or just to chat.

(ps - I know there are other ways of generating new business - cold calling is just one of them)

We are not born with maps, we have to make them.

2011-05-16T18:41:00.003+01:00

"We are not born with maps - we have to make them, and that requires effort".

According to Scott Peck’s book “the Road Less Travelled” most people do not know where their lives are going. Their lives are directionless with few journey markers to determine progress. Peck argues, whilst they know that a map would enhance their lives, most do not make the effort to draw the map or to scope the direction they want their lives to take.

And if they do create a vision for their lives and draw a map, it is typically lacking in richness and variety. Consequently their boundaries are too small, narrow or even misleading. They have insufficient “detail” which renders their map almost valueless.

Finally, even when the map does have the requisite variety, size and accuracy it can soon become out-dated. For it to have value it must be current which in turn means continually revising and updating it, as both we and the world in which we are seeking to grow and thrive is constantly changing. These changes impact on many aspects of our lives. The social, economic, legal, environmental and technical frameworks shift daily, sometimes even faster than that.

Creating a map or a vision requires effort. Keeping it current takes effort. Tearing it up and starting afresh takes courage and energy. No wonder people decide to drift.

Not having a vision or drawing a map or setting a direction, whatever you choose to call it, is as relevant for business growth as it is for personal growth. Many organisations leave their growth to chance and then wonder why they fail to achieve success.

If we cling on to out-dated visions, goals and objectives, or fail to revise them, then we carry the risk of huge disappointment and failure. It creates dis-ease and manifests itself in many ways. Lethargy, demotivation, inefficiency, ineffectiveness, no sense of belonging, boredom, indifference, poor service levels, these are the symptoms of the lack of a compelling vision.

Can this situation be reversed? Absolutely yes!

Where to start?

You start by simply daydreaming. It may be hazy and nebulous at first, but work at it – wafting away the mist to reach the core idea, the spirit of your vision. It may take days, even weeks. The nice thing about this constructive daydreaming is that it you can do it and still do the day job. However, beware of thinking, as you dream your dream: ‘Oh we couldn’t do that! It’s just wishful thinking.’ Don’t be held back by what you think is possible, or you will end up limiting your vision. The moment you catch yourself starting to think of how you will achieve your dream, stop, and go back to the what - the big picture. Right now, you do not need to burden yourself with reality.

Having got some idea of what it might look like, talk to other people to see if they understand it, to see if it is reasonable, practical, do-able.

If you want more information on how to craft a compelling vision, then link here

If you need help, then talk to us. We are experts in accelerating business growth. We know the foundation on which the success of the business is built is the vision. We have a rigorous process that ensures your vision moves from inception to maturity. Call us now on 0117 230 3166.

It's a myth of leadership that when there's change, it requires action.

2011-04-28T16:55:00.000+01:00

Here is the final paragraph from a very interesting article by Michael Blastland on the BBC news website. You can read the entire article here

His argument is quite simple - play the long game to iron out the short run ruffles.

"A wise friend who does run a successful engineering business on the south coast, had this to say about the real ups and downs of recession:

"2010 was a terrible year with most of our customers cutting back or totally stopping spending, but I am so pleased we managed to get through it without any redundancies. It was tough for everyone but they all stuck together.

"It's funny how quickly things change round, just last September I was worrying I'd made the wrong call and we should have made redundancies at the start of the year, and now we have the biggest order backlog the company has ever seen."

It's another victory for managing by doing nothing, he suggests.

"Unfortunately, management generally ignores variability. A great example is the amount of time managers have to spend 'explaining' variance to budget. Woe betide any manager who just ways 'well, sometimes things go up, and sometimes they go down'. We have to pretend to be in control."

It's for this reason that the fashion for corporate dashboards displaying up-to-the-minute information about company performance makes me wonder - will bosses everywhere be staring at the numbers, twitching with every down, feeling the pulse race with every up, on the phone demanding action with every flicker on the dial?

The risk of playing down change is that you miss the next big thing. But since there's an equal risk of over-reaction, does anyone know of a business bestseller with the mantra: "Calm down?"

The 4 generic sales strategies

2011-04-26T15:39:00.001+01:00

Here is an interesting article from Nick Cramp.

When it comes down to it, there are only four ways a business can increase their sales turnover, so a good sales and marketing strategy only needs to ensure these four bases are covered.

These four strategies are:

1.    Get your existing customers to buy more service or products from you each time they purchase.
2.    Get your existing customers to buy from you more frequently.
3.    Get more new customers.
4.    Get your existing customers to refer their friends and colleagues to become customers.

Each sales and marketing activity needs to be directed to achieving one of these four outcomes. Similarly each business needs a strategy or plan for how each of these outcomes will be achieved.

Sales & marketing can get very complicated and confusing with the range of different options and channels now available to each business, but a good sales person or team should be able to simplify and focus on systematically achieving each one of these 4 objectives.

The business owner or executive needs to make sure they have a system in place for monitoring and measuring these numbers so they can judge the effectiveness of their marketing spend.

As the old business adage states “You can’t improve what you can’t measure”

How are you numbers looking this month?

Never take growth for granted

2011-04-13T18:44:00.000+01:00

Focusing on what we do for our customers is short-sighted. Rather than looking at what we do, we should look at what our customers want. This is the core message from a seminal article written in 1960 by Theodore Levitt, a distinguished Harvard Business School professor.

This is as true today as it was 50 years ago. Too often we look at innovating what we can, rather than what is wanted by existing and potential customers. Sustainable business growth requires a particular mind set and focus.

Growth cannot be taken for granted, even in so called growth industries. It is more a management task of spotting where future growth may lie, rather than just exploiting what is already known. It is all about being customer centric and delivering the benefits they want.

Most growth plans are predicated on assumptions about the current status. That profit can be increased by delivering ever lower costs. That their product knowledge is such that their product cannot be surpassed or that growth is commensurate with population trends. These assumptions are short-sighted or myopic, yet they still prevail.

To achieve long term, sustainable and profitable growth focus instead on delivering the fundamental benefits that customers are seeking. Start by doing the research about what it is that your customers actually want from your company.

Can business learn from politics?

2011-04-08T15:57:00.001+01:00

Can business learn from politics?

The Lib-Con alliance offers deep insights into how apparently opposing parties can coexist and even deliver credible leadership. It hasn’t been easy. Both parties have a rich heritage in terms of ideals, values and culture. In any other setting, they would be knocking seven bells out of each other. Yet they appear to be working collaboratively. How have they achieved that and what can business learn from their efforts.

To begin with, we can see that there are many similarities between political parties and organisations. Within most businesses there will be opposing views, conflicts of interest, individualist agendas and so on, each acting as a divisive force. Unchecked, this negative energy can lead to stasis or even worse, to decline. How can business leaders harness the energy within the organisation and use it for the good of all stakeholders and not one constituency?

The key must be in having a vision that gets all the individual agendas to fly in formation. That takes clarity of thought and good leadership. The clarity of thought is the heavy lifting that no one likes to do. Taking the time to write a compelling vision does however pay dividends. A great vision transmits who you are, the people that you serve, why they buy from you and how you will deliver that offering. Some consultants push the need for a pithy version to make it memorable and hence “sticky”. We disagree. People like to hear stories, anecdotes and parables. The vision can be in any form. But, a good story, well told, is powerful and this makes it “sticky”.

A meaningful storyboard vision is not enough. Good leaders make the story real. Their telling of the story breathes life into it. They transmit the vision constantly, without hesitation, deviation but with lots of repetition. They energise the story.

Has business anything to learn from politics? The answer is yes. Transmit the vision as if it is a story and keep on telling it.

Online Personality Testing

2011-03-25T11:16:00.001Z

Understanding DISC Online Personality Testing

Knowing who you are, what motivates you and almost as important what demotivates you, is the foundation of a successful and fulfilled life. It means you can play to your strengths and work around your limitations.

Once you know how you would like to be treated, it gets even better. Once you have a full grasp of your own self-image, you can then start to discern how others might think, act and feel.

The DISC acronym stands for

Dominance
Influence
Steadiness
Compliance

Over the coming weeks we will be outlining what each of these mean, the main motivator, the basic fear and other valuable insights that will help you build that successful career and live a life that reflects the real you.

Do keep coming back to see how it all works or call us on 0117 210 32166 for a no obligation discussion.

Business CoPilot lands new franchisee

2011-02-03T17:03:00.000Z

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of our first franchisee - Kerry Hale.

Kerry began her working life in the retail and customer service sector. It gave her an insight into the world of business, which she has been keen to explore. Recognising the need for enhancing her knowledge, she completed a course in finance and started working for an accountant in 2003. Here she gained an understanding of several different business sectors. Kerry using her new found knowledge moved on and began working as a Financial Manager, where she became heavily involved in financial forecasting & business analysis.

In 2008 Kerry realised her entrepreneurial ambition and started her own business; Bristol Buddies, a social networking website for people new to the city. In 2009 she went on to launch FUSE, a singles events company, which has been even more successful. Kerry has developed a great passion and understanding of marketing, PR and starting a business on a shoestring.

We wish Kerry all the very best for the future

5 D's of Decision Making

2010-09-07T15:51:00.001+01:00

Our goal is to help you to make a better quality decision. We know that it is impossible to get all decisions right. But we can make better decisions by following the 5 C's of Decision Making as set out below:

1. Define it - What exactly is the problem. Time spent in clarifying the exact problem will help enormously
2. Data gathering - Find feasible alternatives for solving the problem. Think innovatively and creatively at this stage. Remember that you will not know the solution otherwise you would not have to decide.
3. Deliberate - Evaluate the alternatives. Discard the non-starters. Then choose the top two or three best solutions
4. Dwell time - Allow some time to elapse to let the sub conscience do its work.
5. Decide - Make the decision. Having gone to all the trouble to make this hard choice, implement it and make sure it sticks. If you hit trouble, get help

For more information, or if you would like to attend our Who Decides Wins Decision Making Course in Bristol and London, then link here.

"Who Decides Wins" - Business Decision Making Course

2010-07-26T18:13:00.006+01:00

Improve your Business Decision Making skills.

Are you looking to enhance your value to your business?

As you may already know, good leaders make good decisions. Now, I know what you are thinking. You are good at decision making; after all you do it every day.

Well I’ve got news for you. That just might not be the case. As natural as decision making appears to be, there are many ways to improve this vital business skill. In fact, we guarantee that we will transform the way you tackle decision making.

Don’t take our word for it.
“Brilliant! I use the techniques and skills in my personal as well as my business life. It has made such a difference”.

Following popular demand, we are offering another “Who decides wins” decision making course. We would like to invite you to attend the half day course in either Bristol or London.

· Do you spend hours worrying over your decisions?
· Are you decisive, but worry that you may not have included enough information?
· Do decisions come easy but feel uneasy about the way the decision is made?

Unlock the decision maker in you. Packed with benefits, it's the one course that every business manager should attend.

Here are some of the benefits:

More time – Less wasted time procrastinating.
More right decisions - means more money.
More energy - reducing anxiety.
Improved promotion prospects.
Enhanced management and leadership skills.
Invigorated creativity in problem solving situations.
Amplified value to your organisation.

Registering

Register now, as places are strictly limited to ensure you get that personal experience. Click on the link below to register or RSVP.

Here’s the bottom line. This half day course will change the way you “do” business. We guarantee that you will approach decision making in a new light. You will be a powerful asset to your business.

The Course

The interactive nature of this event means a flexible approach to the programme. It is not a flat pack solution to decision making. We want everyone to benefit and flex the content and schedule around the attendees needs and wants.
Thank you for reading about the Decision Making Course, we look forward to seeing you at the event.

Ps – Can’t decide if this is the course for you. Book here right away and start being more decisive!

How do you decide?

2010-07-22T21:54:00.001+01:00

Most senior business people take decisions, it is part of their job. Some decisions are mundane, routine and demand very little in terms of brain bandwidth. Others demand much, much more. Think about the BP problem in the Gulf of Mexico to get some scale of the decisions they have to take. Even the President of the United States is watching the outcomes.

Sadly, very few managers ever get to learn exactly how to improve their decision making skills. Most rely on their personality or their innate skills. That is fine, until you go back and “interrogate” the process, and then the flaws become all to obvious.

If you want to improve your decision making, then have a think about coming on our “Who Decides, Wins” Decision Making Skills Course.

We are running it in Bristol on the 16th September from 12.30 to 4.30.

Go here to book your place

Or call me on 0117 230 3166 to discuss your requirements

Why sales programmes fail

2010-03-08T16:56:00.000Z

Why do many of new business programmes fail to deliver the much promised steady stream of new clients?

The answer lies in the new business generation planning and implementation process. For many companies, the new business programme are generic, short term, passive,or hesitant.

Generic programme promote the company's entire range or describes it in terms that lack specificity.
Short term campaigns assume they can work through the entire buying cycle in under three months or less.
Passive programmes rely on using the media to encourage their target audience to make the first move.
Hesitant programmes stop and start according to the prevailing emotional or cash flow conditions at the time.

The way out of this vicious circle is to write a sales plan with a SLAP!

Specific - one product to one market through one channel. Avoid confusing the customers
Long term - The plan needs to take account of the buying cycle and how long it typically takes.
Active - getting customers to take action must be the aim of the programme
Planned - avoid hesitancy by committing to a long term plan.

Call us on 0117 9047874 if now is the time to move out of first gear and really motor.

The telephone number again is 0117 9047874.

When times are hard

2010-01-15T14:53:00.004Z

I met this morning, an old friend from many years back over a very fine full English breakfast. We meandered gently over times past, successes and failures, near misses and direct hits as one does. We thought about how good it was in the "good old days" and reflected on how our paths had originally crossed and others we had met along the way. All good convivial stuff.

Then he turned to me and said "But don't beat your self up! It’s tough out there".

I was a little taken aback as I was not aware that I had either been beating myself up or reflecting on how tough it was. I suspect he had one of those conversations going on in his head that did not require an audience.

But he is right. Business is very tough right now for a whole lot of businesses. No matter what sector, what target market, what size, turnover and market share, there is not enough money to go round to feed everyone.

So what do you do?

I reckon that we should follow natures reaction to a famine. Slow down the metabolic rate to conserve energy and resources, eat what ever you can when you can, hide your assets to prevent them being taken and finally use the time reflecting on what to do when the famine ends.

That advice works for me - I am spending much less money and energy to ensure I can survive for as long as I can. I am seeking work where it is to be found and not waiting for the phone to ring or waiting in the dried up watering hole that has served me so well for many years. And I am rethinking my vision, goals, strategy and tactics for when the economy picks up.

What about you? What are you doing that might help us get through the famine?

Strictly 6 Strategies for Success

2009-12-18T09:06:00.005Z

Featured Article: Strictly 6 Strategies for Success

From Jennifer Hampson, a good friend of mine who embodies the traits set out in her article below.

Someone once asked me what the best present I'd ever received was. Only the day before, two tickets from the Strictly Come Dancing random draw had landed on the mat. I was going to be in the audience for a live recording! I was ecstatic - the sequins, the glamour, the celebrities, the stunning dance moves - everything lived up to my expectations.

Now, as you can probably guess, I'm a bit of a Strictly fan. Have you been following it? Are you supporting Team Cola or Ricky 'back-flip' Whittle? The more I've watched it, the more I see business lessons that can serve us all well going forward into a new year.

1. Be open to new opportunities

When Brendan and Anton, two of the longest-serving professional dancers, were originally approached to appear on this newly devised dancing programme they admitted that their immediate reaction was a definite 'no'. However, once they realised the BBC was serious about it they agreed (albeit with some reservations), and that one act of saying 'yes' has had life-changing significance for them. They told Claudia on 'It Takes Two' that it has changed their lives completely, and opened up new possibilities for them, such as TV presenting, that they would never ever have envisaged or had the chance to do otherwise.

2. Work hard

Although the celebrities all start with different levels of dancing ability, the one thing the winners have in common is hard work and dedication. Literally, they often work until their feet bleed (or far worse) and then keep going. Erin Boag, the professional dancer known as Miss Whiplash, lives up to her nickname when she says, "When my guys complain to me that their right leg is hurting I say, 'Well, let's make the left one hurt to match'".

3. Listen

Sometimes others do know best. In Strictly, the professional dancers teach, demonstrate, guide and encourage. In business, seek out people who can help you achieve your goals for they will inspire you to do your very best, share their talents with you, and help you on your journey.

4. Accept feedback

It's striking to see how people react very differently to feedback. This series it's been a pleasant change not to have all the tears (think Penny Lancaster) but Brendan, of course, has been true to form and even exceeded himself by marching offstage, defensively protecting his partner. On the other hand, Chris Hollins has reacted brilliantly, with respect, humour and a sense of perspective. He has also worked to address their concerns so, fingers-crossed (mine, not his!), he will have sorted out his spatula hands by Saturday.

5. Have fun

Chris and Ola are the embodiment of a couple having fun while they work. They have formed a brilliant partnership and are taking pleasure in the journey, day by day, rather than working themselves into a frenzy trying to win. They have grasped that life is for living, and each day should be savoured as they strive to achieve their goal.

6. Visualise success

For all 16 Strictly couples starting out this year, getting their hands on the glitter ball signified success. And, like Brendan and Anton have said, success on Strictly can lead on to even bigger and better things. So, what will constitute success for you in 2010?

Jennifer always encourages her clients to think big and bold. "Define clearly what you want to achieve. Find someone who will encourage and push you to believe in yourself and realise your dreams. It might be a friend, partner, manager or coach."

Now is the perfect time to stop, take stock and start making some big decisions about the future. I'd be privileged to help you. Just allow yourself the time to focus on you and where you want to be this time next year. Then you can enter 2010 with unwavering focus, determination and desire to have your best year yet.

Copyright - Jennifer Hampson, 2009

Jennifer Hampson is a certified coach, inspirational trainer, and speaker. She helps organisations create a coaching culture with wide-ranging impact on all who work there. Her online newsletters for HR Managers, Learning & Development Managers and Line Managers is crammed with useful tips, strategies and 'How to...?' Guides, to keep you informed, enlightened and inspired about how you can use coaching to make a real difference to YOU and YOUR ORGANISATION. Sign up for it now at http://www.creatingacoachingculture.co.uk

Building relationships to win the jackpot

2009-11-17T18:27:00.007Z

Premium Bonds - building relationships to win the jackpot.

Building relationships, or bonds, with your potential target clients is the best way to build your business.

To guarantee your long term success, make them "Premium Bonds".

"I don't know your company, who you are, what you make, or why I should buy from you. Now, what do you want to talk about?"

Sound familiar? Probably not, as most buyers are too polite to use this when they meet you. But it just might be what they think or feel when you are doing your pitch.

Don't be surprised at this. Buyers or budget holders spend most of their time trying not to rock the boat. In their busy worlds, they are focusing most of their energy on easing short-term pressures, reducing risks to the business, fire fighting and keeping their world turning. They are also human and hence they are simultaneously ensuring their career remains firmly on track.

What most of them want is their suppliers to deliver what they promised, when they promised it, and at the price that they promised it.

Fortunately for them it works for enough of the time to keep working with the people they already know. Most of the time buyers and sellers manage the process reasonably well. Over time, businesses adapt and change to enhance the inter business exchange processes to their mutual advantage. The individuals in the buying chain or the key decision makers (KDMs) resolve their issues by interacting with all the various "actors" involved in the various transactions. At each interaction, whether positive or negative, the individuals learn about the others in the network and use this information to smooth things out.

What they are developing are interpersonal bonds that enhance the relationship. These bonds allow for the flow of information, innovation and insights. As the communication flow increases and becomes more value added, the level of trust increases. This in turn strengthens the bonds. Managed well they eventually become premium bonds.

All fine and dandy if you are in the lucky position of being on the inside track. But how do you break through to build these Premium Bonds if you are on the outside the circle of trust?

Here are a few ideas that might help:

Target your resources - they are scarce, so use them where they count the most. Aim to build relationships with those most likely to work with you in a way that you appreciate.

Do not sell - let them buy. Package up what you do in such a way that they do not have to decipher the sales pitch. Always use their language and avoid industry jargon.

Give away your insight - you build trust by increasing the value of the exchange. Tell them everything that you know about what you do and how it adds value to them.

Take your time - be aware that accelerating the "clock speed" when building trust can damage the bonds. Many small interactions are better than few big ones.

Hire the smile - employ good people that understand the value of relationships. Business savvy people bring in and retain great relationship builders.

Get it right first time, every time - make it easy to do business with your company. Monitor your OTIFIC. That is the number of transactions where the outcome is "On Time, In Full, Invoiced Correctly"

Keep it simple - remove barriers to communication. Avoid the hierarchy. Let your potential client talk to the people that matter to them the most.

If you want to hit the jackpot, then Premium Bonds are the answer. Call us on 0117 9047874 for a free update on how to build Premium Bonds.

Click here to link to the website to find out how we help our clients.

ABC of business growth

2009-10-06T18:38:00.003+01:00

Stepping stones for accelerated growth.

The clearest sign that a business is well led and managed is its ability to deliver consistent, profitable growth.

The ABC of growth – what high growth businesses do well.

A = Activities

High growth companies are hives of activity. They are “doing” orientated. They get it right. They do the right things with the right people to the right customers at the right price in the right place at the right time.

B = Brand

High growth companies recognise the value of their brand. They cherish it and nurture it. They know that it takes time to build a strong brand but only a few moments to destroy it. A strong brand has lasting value that ensures a legacy to the stakeholder, customers and most importantly the employees. Everything great companies do adds value to their brand and strengthens their reputation.

C = Corroboration

High growth companies have evidence to corroborate their brand and expertise. They have easily recognised products or services that they sell to trophy clients. They advertise their successes and promote their expertise through the skilful use of testimonials, reviews, articles and PR.

Discover your ability to deliver consistent profitable growth by linking here.

Why does temperament matter?

2009-09-21T13:09:00.003+01:00

Temperament or personality may reasonably be defined as the unique set of qualities that make a person distinct from another. Easy enough really.

But knowing that we are all different does not help when we are faced with a business problem that requires a team to pull together on a common goal or objective. It would be impossible to achieve anything if we let the individual personalities determine their own interaction with the teams goals. There has to be some way of aligning them or getting them to fly in formation.

For instance imagine if you can a stereotypical librarian. You might see them as serious, conscientious, focused, systematic, logical, accurate, careful with an eye for detail. Assuming that we have some broad agreement on this personality profile it would seem absurd to appoint a gregarious, restless, demonstrative and verbally assertive individual to the role of librarian.

I am not saying that they could not do the job. But would they enjoy it? Would they be able to use all of their unique talents and innate personality traits in the role. The chances are that they would demonstrate evidence of stress over time probably culminating in them leaving the job with a poor attitude to the role and to the employer.

Does personality or temperament matter? Yes, it does.

Selecting the right person with the right set of personality traits will pay dividends in the long run.

Click here to find out more or call me on 0117 9047874 to discuss this in more detail.

Enhancing employee engagement

2009-08-24T17:38:00.002+01:00

Some real insights into enhancing employee engagement can be found in the Government report titled "Engaging for Success". You can download a full copy here.

It is a long and academic piece. Here is something that I found really valuable:

This report is not a ‘how to’ guide. However, we were struck in the course of the review how often the same four broad enablers / drivers were cited as being critical to employee engagement.

1. LEADERSHIP provides a strong strategic narrative which has widespread ownership and commitment from managers and employees at all levels. The narrative is a clearly expressed story about what the purpose of an organisation is, why it has the broad vision it has, and how an individual contributes to that purpose. Employees have a clear line of sight between their job and the narrative, and understand where their work fits in. These aims and values are reflected in a strong, transparent and explicit organisational culture and way of working. The late Professor Sumantra Ghoshal, formerly of the London Business School, believed that organisations which were successful in the long haul were characterised by stretch, discipline, trust and support; they were ‘both tough and tender’.

2. ENGAGING MANAGERS. are at the heart of this organisational culture– they facilitate and empower rather than control or restrict their staff; they treat their staff with appreciation and respect and show commitment to developing, increasing and rewarding the capabilities of those they manage. As Chris Bones told us, “the line manager is the lens through which I see the company and the company sees me.”

3. VOICE. An effective and empowered employee voice – employees’ views are sought out; they are listened to and see that their opinions count and make a difference. They speak out and challenge when appropriate. A strong sense of listening and of responsiveness permeates the organisation, enabled by effective communication.

4. INTEGRITY. Behaviour throughout the organisation is consistent with stated values, leading to trust and a sense of integrity.

How do you rate?

DISC Temperament Analysis

2009-08-24T17:11:00.006+01:00

Have you ever wondered why it is that some people seem to get you and others dont?

Have you ever wondered why it is that you can say the same thing to two different people and they react very differently?

From a business perspective, this is a huge deal. Sending the right message in the wrong way is non-productive, inefficient, and could be stressful for both parties.

If you want to know more about how you can understand yourself more, link here to complete an online assessment for yourself.

If you want to develop a habit that will increase your personal effectiveness then heed this advice from Stephen Covey:

“Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. but what about listening? What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none, right?

If you’re like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand."

Learn how to interpret how others see, hear and understand you by knowing their temperament and their preferred communication style.

Follow the link below and start to unwrap the communications conundrum.

DISC Personality Profiling

2009-07-29T21:56:00.003+01:00

Stephen Covey had this to say in his book titled "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" about how to improve your self: "Habit 5 - Seek first to understand,then to be understood".

He goes on to say "Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. but what about listening? What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none, right?"

So how do you learn how to listen and how do you learn to interpret what others are saying?

We believe it starts by modifying Habit 5 as follows: Seek first to understand yourself, then to be understood by others".

Our DISC Personality Profile Analysis technique allows you to see your self not only as you are, but in a way that will help you to adapt and improve the way you engage with other people.

For more information click on this link to see how it might help you to establish one of these worthy habits.

How to become sales centric - know who your buyers are!

2008-11-28T17:01:00.003Z

"If only I could get in front of the right sort of people I would be a millionaire!" a good friend of mine said to me recently.

And he is right.

He has a good product, an excellent track record, and respect from his competitors, an excellent pricing model and a reputation for excellent delivery. So how come he is not a millionaire?

The simple answer is that his business is product centric, not client centric. He does of course know how to deliver excellent services, and can promote the products with associated benefits.

But that does not make it client centric.We have all heard the story of the “Killer Application” that would transform business processes. Well yes, there are a few examples where this did happen - but there are many more examples of killer apps that did not deliver the clients benefits despite their technical prowess. They failed because they did not answer the most basic of business questions that the paying client would ask – what’s in it for me?

To be client centric means building the business around the wants and needs of the clients, not the products. It means understanding exactly what they want, when they want it, where they want it and critically how much they are prepared to pay for it.

Client centric companies are agile, flexible, adaptable, and alert to change. They listen, ask questions, do research, conduct surveys, network and deepen their knowledge. They then do what most would not dare do – they give the knowledge away! They do this as a form of reward to those that gave the information in the first place. Nothing confidential or illegal but juicy insights or succinct summaries of where the industry is heading, what’s happening and who/what the key drivers are.

Client centric companies know that knowledge without insight is like and engine without fuel.

Where would you start in turning your business into a sales centric one? There are many ways but my experience suggests that the start point is in determining who the clients are – your target audience. There might be a bit of “heavy lifting” involved in having to think through exactly which segment you will serve best. But it is worth the doing.

Segment existing clients, think how your ideal client will be and so on until you can accurately describe them to your best friend or partner and they nod in agreement.

Once you know who they are, the next bit is to really get to know them. Invest time with them; add value at all opportunities until you are synonymous with the industry segment.

If you know who you are aiming your service at, the next stage is straightforward. Promote yourself to them in the best way that you can.

Marketing is described as telling people what you do over and over again. I agree but my version is – tell the RIGHT people what you do over and over again.

That’s my thoughts. What do you think?

You can call me on 07956 532963 for more information or to talk about your sucesses.

What to do when you lose a pitch

2008-10-28T17:27:00.002Z

I was speaking to a creative agency recently that lost a big pitch. They were gutted as they felt that they were in with a good chance. The client explained why they were not selected and it did seem to reflect a realistic explanation of the agencies short comings.

The response to the loss by the agency team was a shrug of the shoulders and “never mind, we will do better next time”. This is not unrealistic but it is not the right way to react.

Before we move on to how they might have reacted differently let us summarise what we and they know so far. The client selected this agency to pitch so they knew of their ability and reputation. So getting on the pitch list was a positive step. They had the opportunity to stand in front of the client and pitch. This offered them an opportunity to size up the client, their likes and dislikes, how they think, what makes them tick and so on. Finally they had the gold dust – the deal making reason why one agency won the business.

If this was you and you had all of this information at your disposal you have the chance to do a number of things

Make sure that if the selected agency fails to deliver, then you are willing to step into the gap at short notice having been already fully up to speed with the project

Ask for other work that better suits you.

Ask for a referral or a contact that they might follow up.

Lastly, why not be really cheeky and ask to do a repitch? The winning agency might have won but their offering might have just scraped the bar. The client might be hoping for better but for whatever reason they had to decide. Asking to one more repitch might just give you the opportunity to deliver that Perfect Pitch. If nothing else it shows determination and willingness to win the pitch.

Losing the pitch is not the end of the game, just another opportunity to demonstrate your true worth.

Remember - life's a pitch

Identifying your Target Market

2008-09-05T10:40:00.006+01:00

Identifying your Target Market is much more difficult than you think.

This came from a contact recently. "We did everything right! We looked long and hard at our offering. We developed a brochure that clearly described it in plain English. We sent it out to the list of companies but nothing came as a result. So what did we do wrong?”

I thought long and hard over this cry for help as the brochure looked really good. Even the mailing list looked reasonable. But when I looked harder, it became clear to me that they had not really understood who they should be talking to. They had not clearly defined their target audience.

Most business executives have an extremely good technical knowledge of their service. They know how it works, how it can be monetised and how to deliver it. The more adept can even turn this into a list of benefits that their clients enjoy.

But for many that is as far as it goes. They broadcast their messages and they then wonder why their marketing efforts stall or do not deliver that stream of new clients that should be buying from them.

I believe I now have the answer. They have not defined their target market!

Our goal at Credence-UK is to help businesses to grow so we asked ourselves this question. Why have they not completed this marketing task? Having asked a number of my clients and my contacts why they have not defined their target audience it transpires that they have never needed to!

The reason being that most small businesses grow through the Three R’s – repeats, referrals and recommendations so it is not always clear who they should be aiming their services at. New business came about in a haphazard way.

There is a very famous marketing saying that goes something like this– “50% of my marketing budget is wasted, but I don’t know which 50%”.

Assuming that most marketing collateral is an adequate reflection of the benefits of the service or product there can only be one other reason why the 50% is wasted.

My guess is that the 50% wastage occurs because it hits the wrong people.

Here is a very simple example. You cannot play the guitar and you have no wish to play the guitar. Would you respond to an advert for guitars? No, is the simple answer. OK, you might be on the look out for a friend, relative or colleague who is looking for one and that is where most marketing advice gets it wrong. They try to broadcast in the vague hope that you might make the connection between the guitar and the person you know has an interest. But in a business context you cannot afford to be that messy.

Marketing, like any other business discipline, must be efficient and effective. Every penny spent must be aimed at the audience most likely to buy.

After the Vision, the next hardest part in creating an effective marketing plan is clearly defining the target audience. My experience with helping agencies and businesses alike is that they just cannot nail down an accurate description of their target audience.

Sadly, there is no quick fix or snappy maxim to help us here. The best statement I can come up with to help is this – “the target market is that group of companies that has the greatest propensity to buy”. It can only be defined by a careful examination of all the relevant factors concerning your service offering such as - pricing strategy, delivery, geographical location, skill set, mind set, expertise. Much of this requires some deep thought on the SWOT analysis and a detailed insight into the external environmental impacting the business.

In military terms the expression is Ready, Aim, Fire.

All too often I hear this – Ready, Fire, Anything happen?

What is your experience?

Call me on 0117 9047874 if you need any help with this aspect of your business

The Big Idea versus the Slickest Sales Pitch

2008-08-27T18:13:00.005+01:00

Winning a sales pitch is deeply rewarding. It is a form of "thank you" for all the effort that the team has put in. Everyone goes away with that warm glow of a job well done. And rightly so.

The team might even reflect on how the pitch went. How the clients reacted. How the process of crafting and delivering the pitch came together.

For pitching is like any other skill - it can be taught and it can be learned.

But there is one thing that cannot be taught or learned and that is how to come up with the original thought that forms the kernel of the Big Idea. It is the very essence of good pitching. Everything hangs off the Big Idea. It is what separates out the great from the good.

Experience has shown that great ideas win over slick pitches. Clients can spot great ideas; they know and have the insight to spot that spark of genius. It might need a bit of guidance to get it through the grey suits in the organisation but they are willing to push through the Big Idea.

Whilst we at Sales-Pitch would suggest that you work on the process and systems of delivering the very best pitch, we also know that the epicentre is that great idea. It is the idea that wins it; the rest just makes sure that it is nurtured to the point where the client believes in it.

What are your thoughts?

Always remember - life's a pitch!

Personality Profiling using DISC

2008-07-26T18:15:00.002+01:00

A new client has asked me to deliver a series of workshops on DISC Personality Profiling. Having completed all the research and crafted all the material for it I thought that I would also blog about it as it is a seriously valuable tool for any organisation.

The acronym DISC stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance. These four personality traits were defined by an American psychologist called William Moulton Marston in 1928. He wrote about them in his book "Emotions of normal people" in his attempt to formulate a way of describing the emotional states of ordinary americans. He did not actually develop the DISC methodology as we know it today, that came form a close friend of his. Marston was a larger than life character - he also designed the first lie detector and intriguingly also came up with the idea of Wonder Woman!

Here are a few benefits of the DISC profile methodology:

- Fast, accurate and cost effective
- Takes only 7-8 minutes
- Eliminates the need for guesswork
- Enables more effective people management
- Received a Certification of Registration from the British Psychological Society

I will write up more about DISC and what is stands for in a series of blogs over the next few days.

You can find out more by going to www.thomasinternational.net

Sales Presentations: 3 Steps to Put the Customer First- By Susan Trivers

2008-07-24T09:57:00.006+01:00

I saw this blog and it made so much sense I thought I would post it in full here.

If you would like to link through to Susan's Blogsite The Great Speaking Coach then click here.

This is what Susan wrote: "You've been invited to deliver a presentation to a desirable customer. You and your team immediately go to your slide software and begin writing the presentation. You start with your corporate overview, continue with a lengthy description of your products or services and conclude with a summary of features and benefits.

What's wrong with this picture? For the customer, it's boring. There's nothing in it that is about them. Think about the presentation from the customer's perspective and do this instead:

1) Your opening tells a story about how your product or service solved a problem very similar to the one they are facing. Don't know their problem? Then find out before you write the first word on a slide.

* They don't care about your corporation until they know you care about them.

2) Everything you say about your products and services is in the context of their needs--often called their 'pain' or 'hot buttons.'

* It's better to delve deeply into your solution to one specific pain than to be broad and general.

3) When you've reached the end of your presentation, paint a picture of their future that includes the successful use of your product or service. As soon as you say 'summary' or "in closing" they stop listening.

* Helping them imagine their life after buying from makes them think "yes, I want that."

Great insights here. The key is to put the client first.

Making Your Website Convert Better

2008-06-25T19:24:00.003+01:00

I was sent this newsletter by Jayne Reddyhof of Adword Advisor. I liked it so much I asked her permission to blog it and she kindly agreed so here it is!

The key point for me was this - do the work for them!

If you want to contact Jayne her email address is jayne@adwordadviser.com

Give Them What They Want

According to experts, only one out of every hundred visitors to your website converts to a sale. Sounds like bad news, but look at it this way: if you increase your conversion rate by only 1 percent (which doesn't sound much does it?) you will double your sales!

How do you do it? Your customers' watchwords are, "don't make me think" and "don't make me do any work – do it all for me"! So what does this mean for your website design?

Some key tips:

Make sure your visitors know what you do, the instant they land on your website. Don't make them have to guess; tell them right up front with a benefits-laden headline.

Help them find what they are looking for. Don't send them to your home page, or a link deep within your site, and expect them to do all the work. They were nice enough to click on your search ad - return the favour with a landing page that speaks directly to their interests and needs.

Be specific: the more relevant and specific your website is to your visitor, the more they'll buy from you. If they want to buy a toaster and they land on your homepage, which forces them to navigate around before they get to the right section, they'll give up. Either get people straight onto a relevant landing page, or simply have more, smaller, websites that are specific and relevant. You're better off with lots of smaller websites - one of which would be just about toasters and sandwich makers for example - than trying to be Argos!

Sell on emotion, NOT logic: people don't buy the sausage - they buy the sizzle! We are an emotional species and make 80% of our decisions about something on an emotional level. We then back up the decision with logic. So appeal to people's emotions via your website. Remember Apple's "Think different" marketing campaign; most people aren't buying just a computer when they buy an Apple, they are buying into a whole concept.

Your customers only want to know "what's in it for me?" If your website details how your grandfather set up the stationery business in a coal cellar, and that now you have 5 branches, you're wasting a selling opportunity. If it offers useful advice - "How to save 50% on your printer ink supplies...", then you'll score.

Keeping relationships alive during bad times

2008-06-11T13:15:00.001+01:00

When times get tough, and for some times could not be tougher, one of the pieces of received wisdom that I hear all too frequently is to look after existing clients. This generally elicits a chorus of “Hear, hear”. Rightfully so as we all know that we need to look after existing clients. For most however that chorus is about all they will be heard contributing to building the client relationship.

Experience of dealing with creative agencies suggests that the message about building relationships with existing clients is somehow being corrupted as they frequently do the opposite of what has been suggested. Rather than make contact to establish a stronger working relationship, the typical response is to begin a process of getting in new business via new contacts. Various methods are tried such as Word of Mouth, networking, cold calling and Direct Marketing. All are good at generating contacts and all have general support. The problem is that they are being considered out of context.

When times are good, clients are willing to take risks, open up new channels, try new agencies, and experiment with radical approaches. We have all experienced it. Clients calling in to say that they are willing to hear that sales pitch, give you a piece of work to see if the chemistry is right, open up new avenues to market.

When the road starts to get a bit rocky however, the average client moves from proactive to reactive. They move from venturesome to risk averse. And understandably so if the cost of the investment is high and the risk of failure is also high. Any attempt to persuade them to try new things or move agencies will be seen by them as counter intuitive given their mindset. At worst it could signal the end of the relationship.

In times of shortage or when times are tough the answer must be to work even harder on existing relationships. Even if they do not generate revenue today, it will in the future.

You have to be prepared to adapt to tough times. Profits will ease; turnover will be down, but only for a season. When the tough economic climate eases, those agencies that have built deeper and stronger relationships will see the fruit of their labours.

So call that client, carry out client satisfaction surveys, invite them out for meals, invite them over to meet the team, go and pay a visit and ask to be introduced to their team. Have a think about what you could be doing to help them and then make that call.

Don't fix what isn't broken

2008-05-06T16:43:00.002+01:00

Miles Templeman, The Director General of the Institute of Directors made a very telling comment recently at the Annual Convention. Tucked away in all the various bits of spin, soundbites and home spun philosophy was an excellent quote that made attending the Convention memorable.

Miles said this - "Don't repair the bits that aren't broken". A simple statement but one that resonated with me for the rest of the day.

The reason why it resonated is that in all my years of consultancy it had not occurred to me to separate out the bits that worked and the bits that did not. I typically would have looked at the whole and sought solutions that included the fixed and the broken. How much easier to separate out the two parts and then focus on the broken bits.

Just occasionally you come across what appears to be a soundbite but on reflection turns out to be a paradigm shift in ones approach. This was an epiphany for me.

The moral of this tale - you are never to old to learn

Lovemarks - good theory or snake oil?

2008-05-01T13:59:00.003+01:00

Kevin Roberts, Global Chief Executive of Saatchi and Saatchi, speaking at the IoD Annual Convention outlined his agencies' approach to marketing based on the concept of Lovemarks.

It is based on a traditional two by two matrix with the axis labelled Respect and Love as shown in the image.

Anything in the lower left hand quadrant is simply a commodity with no respect and no love. The top left is where most brands belong. They have respect but little love. Fads are in the lower right hand quadrant. They are loved but not respected. Lovemarks in the top right quadrant have both respect and are loved.

The key according to Roberts is to engage your client's emotions. The Return on Investment argument is replaced with Return on Involvement. Move from irreplaceable to irresistible to overcome the Weapons of Mass Distraction.

All heady stuff that had most of us marketeers salivating. BUT, is it the new marketing paradigm that Roberts believes it is?

Entertaining it most certainly is and Kevin argues it with the ferocity of an All Black. But I can't help but think that it is not a paradigm shift but the traditional marketing ideas repackaged.

After all doesn't every marketeer start with the idea that their products are perceived by the client in such a way as to generate loyalty? Don't we all start with the intention of building the relationship with clients in such a way that they are delighted and as such become irresistible?

So I believe it is not so much in the theory that it works but in the implementation. Getting the product or service packaged in such a way that it helps clients to remain loyal.

Roberts has successfully argued that Lovemarks is the best game in town but in my book it is simply a way to package sound marketing theory in a way that makes it inaccessible to most and as such a premium based service. Which is not bad marketing when you think about it!!

The importance of "outcomes"

2008-04-17T14:26:00.003+01:00

I recently completed a sales pitch and am waiting to hear if I was successful. That is a bit beside the point of this blog but I wanted to share it with you.

One thing kept going through my mind - what are the outcomes?

Traditionally we are all told to use the FAB methodology - Features, Advantages and Benefits.

For most products this seems entirely logical and intuitive, which might explains its almost universal appeal.

For services it is not quite so valuable. What are the benefits of employing a coach, a mentor, a consultant, a creative agency, a PR agency? These do not fit readily into the FAB concept.

For services the key must be to establish clear and definable outcomes. An x% increase in profits, traffic, interviews. Or a y% improvements in client satisfaction, employee satisfaction and so on.

Without outcomes the engagement wins will be difficult to quantify. So start at the end - what is it that you want to achieve? You will be surprised how it gets clients to engage in the consultancy process.

How to get through the credit crunch - keep the focus

2008-04-10T16:36:00.004+01:00

I will start by admitting that I do not understand the losses made by the banks as a result of the sub prime lending in the US. In the Daily Telegraph it stated that the losses to the British banking system of more than £20billion are equivalent to 3% of our GDP. The US expect to lose £72billion, Japan £5billion and Europe will lose £61.6billion.

These are huge figures. But as I say I don't really understand how they made such a hash of it. It would appear that there are humungous numbers of payment defaulters in the US.

Moving on however is the impact it will have on our economy. The DT Business section highlights a downturn in M&A activity as a direct consequence of the credit squeeze. Banks no longer have the money to fund them or if they do it will be at very high interest rates.

So what does the creative agency do to get through this turmoil? Are there any benefits that can be gleaned from this situation? The answer is a most emphatic yes - we will all have to become leaner and fitter!

I believe that the answer is to go back to basics.

Build a strong reputation - become famous for something
Deliver value laden services or products - exceed client s expectations
Build long and strong relationships - people work with people they like, know and trust
Manage the cash - do everything that is legal, decent, honest and truthful to manage cash
Look after the talent - Good ones go, the poor ones stay. Make sure you give them no reason to move
Promote yourself as widely and as effectively as possible - internet marketing affords cost effective new ways to get in front of new clients
Be innovative - what got you there wont keep you there so be on the alert for new ideas
Get the processes right - efficiency means using the scarce resources where they generate the best returns
Watch the profit line - winning on price is the fools way to grow. Keep the margins high!
Enjoy yourself - get some harmony back into your life!

Simple stuff but hard to implement. Done well they will ensure you get through the crisis.

See you on the other side!

Persistance versus Persecution!

2008-04-08T09:45:00.002+01:00

"Life is difficult" according to the opening line to the book "The Road Less Travelled" by Scott Peck

But is is not the only thing that is difficult

Selling is difficult.

And one of the most difficult things to balance is the need to make contact with the client without appearing to stalk them.

It is a fine line to tread. Too many calls and emails and the client will think that they are being stalked and will eventually kick you out, not for any rational reason to do with your offer or the sale but because they cannot stand the bombardment of emails and telephone calls.

However, leaving them alone and not communicating with them will almost certainly mean that they drift off to other projects or worse still to your competitors.

The secret is to keep in contact by offering relevant information. Keep them posted with updates, news items, feedback. The headline in the communication could be - "I saw this and thought of you" as it summarises what you might tell them.

Sales Pitch - you present to real people not automatons

2008-04-01T14:48:00.003+01:00

Buyers are people! Never forget that! Even if they try their hardest not to behave like a real person, behind the façade is a human being with all the frailties that you and I possess.

Buyers are people! Buyers have their careers to think of as well as their company’s long term goals. A bad decision can negatively impact a career, hence the motto “No one ever got fired for buying IBM”. Think about the buyer as a colleague rather than the enemy or the barrier to entry.

Buyers are people! Buyers are looking to minimise the risks. The service they are looking to buy has certain risks attached to it. By taking the time to minimise the risks the agency stands a better chance of being awarded the contract.

Buyers are people! A sales pitch, tender or a beauty parade is a form of mask worn by commercial buyers to hide behind. Find ways to get behind the mask to interact with the people. Always remember that people buy from people that they know, like and trust.

When you enter into a sales pitch remember that one of the goals is to reduce the risk to the buyer as a person as well as in their role. Get to know them and you are well on the way to success.

If you want to know more, call me on 07956 532963 or link to the website www.credence-uk.com

or go to my Squidoo lens for more information

After the sales pitch - the debrief

2008-03-29T20:14:00.002Z

It is essential that you follow up after a sales pitch even if you have won.

Winning or losing is simply an outcome of a complicated decision making process that you want to understand in its entirety. By having a debrief it allows you to get inside the heads of the prospective client and understand more about what is driving them and their decision making process

Here are a few questions to consider:

What did you like/dislike about our written submission?
What did you like/dislike about our presentation
What did you like/dislike about the way we handled the entire pitch?
Do you think that we understand your business and the problems you are facing?
What were the key factors in deciding who you would use?
Who else was pitching and why did you select them to pitch?
Having completed the pitching process, is there any other way that you might have considered doing it?
Would you consider asking us to pitch for other projects?
If yes, what projects are forthcoming?

There are more but the point that I am trying to make is that you carry out a formal debrief.

Done well it will build up the relationship with the prospective client and may even open doors for more projects.

Feel their pain - how to improve your sales pitch

2008-03-28T10:20:00.003Z

When constructing your sales pitch it is vital that you prioritise the information you will present.

The most important and therefore the highest ranked is - what is the client looking for. What is their problem, their pain, their barrier to success. Be really diligent and use your experience and business acumen to discern what they want. Yes, they might want increased visibility for a new product in a new market. But why? What is the driver for that. What is pushing them to introduce a new product? Find out all you can

The least important pieces of information are your credentials. Assume they know enough about you by being asked to be in sales pitching process. Don't waste time telling people all about your past, they can find that out by themselves.

Be the Pitch Doctor and ease the clients pain! Do you recall the song " A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down"? Be the agency with the best bedside manner

Pitching bloopers

2008-03-27T14:28:00.005Z

Credence is compiling a list of pitching bloopers such as these below. If you can add to it please let me know. They will be published so hide the details if needed

Cheeky!

A colleague of mine had successfully completed the pitch and was being entertained by our Middle Eastern hosts in Dubai. Half way through the meal he passed wind thinking it was a local custom. The head of the Jordanian delegation remarked "You might be thinking that you are engaging in a local custom. You are not. That is the sole preserve of children and animals.

Cheers!

After a significant pitch to a Japanese delegation, the MD turned to the Chairman of the Japanese conglomerate and offered the following toast "To Pearl Harbour!"

Tangled wires

At a pitch by Pratt and Whitney, the first speaker tripped over the microphone cable, knocked over the lectern, cut his hand on a shard of glass and tore his jacket on the upturned lectern. When his partner walked on to the stage a witty little wag said very loudly "Ah! Mr. Whitney I presume?"

Any more??

please email me on bloopers@Credence-uk.com

Perfect Pitching - rehearse it first

2008-03-07T17:19:00.004Z

For many of us the idea of pitching is against all we stand for. For us the beauty parade should be a thing of the past. It is old fashioned, costly, time consuming and judging by feedback from clients it is not foolproof.

Ideally you should not be pitching for new work. If you get involved with the tendering process and or build a relationship with the prospective client there should be no reason to pitch. They should trust you to deliver the goods.

However, we do not live in a perfect world and culturally here in the UK we are all asked to pitch.

Here are the top 5 tips that will help you to maximise the chances of winning the pitch:

Understand what the client really wants. Delve in deeper. Ask the awkward questions. Challenge their thinking
Find out if you have a realistic chance of winning the pitch or are you making up the numbers. They will not answer a direct question but they might tell you who is the current incumbent, how long they have been in place and the quality of the relationship which might in turn tell you how likely you are to win it.
Make absolutely sure you know the budget. If they are not prepared to divulge it then walk away.
Get to know who the various people are in the decision making process. For instance who is the sponsor, the budget holder, the user, the gate keeper. They all need to be bought on board
Do a full dress rehearsal. Preferably in front of an independent but knowledgeable expert

We are willing to act as that independent expert. We will come along and see the full dress rehearsal after reading through the client brief.

Call me on 07956 532963

Don't turn strategy into a tragedy!

2008-02-28T14:21:00.003Z

Strategy is taking a long term view of the organisation and ensuring that it is able to cope with the changes that are predicted impact on the organisation. To some extent strategy is the management process of future proofing the organisation.

But where to start? The strategy development tools are well known such as conducting a SWOT analysis, reviewing the external environment using the acronyms such as PEST or SLEPT, competition review are all valid and must be carried out.

However, the true staring point for a strategic review must be an objective audit of the organisations current capabilities. In our experience this is the responsibility of the CEO, MD or senior partner. The most senior individual must conduct a thorough review of the current abilities of the firm to cope with the current issues. After all, a sick company today is unlikely to be miraculously healed by some future event.

To help those individuals that are not so conversant with strategic reviews, we developed a very powerful and proven management tool called the DiagNoStickTM Process that ramps up the profits and consequently increase the value of the business.

Knowing precisely where your business is operating effectively strategically and where it is under performing is essential if you are looking to grow your business.

The benefit to you is that you have absolute clarity. No more prevaricating as to what to do next. Imagine the feeling that comes from having real clarity on what to do and knowing exactly what needs to be done and when.

"I have to admit I was sceptical, as I get offers like that all the time, but as you said in the original communication I had nothing to lose, and how right you were." Fraser J. Hay, CEO, The Results Academy

I would like to share it with you for FREE, and share some of the benefits other organisations have found working with me to develop their growth or exit strategy and how it has significantly improved their performance and enhanced their profits.

To find out just how valuable it really is you need to complete the DiagNoStickTM Workbook.

Email me on diagnostic@credence-uk.com for a FREE copy on diagnostic@credence-uk.com. Complete it and send it back to me. I can then prove to you first hand and for FREE just how powerful the DiagNoStickTM Analysis is and how it can and will help you in the short, medium and long term.

Don't turn strategy into a tragedy - get the FREE DiagNoStickTM today

Rob Hook

Link here to our website - Credence-UK

P.S. I have to warn you, my schedule is getting a bit hectic as more and more people recognise the power and value of the DiagNoStickTM Analysis Process. So, If you would like to increase the value and improve the profitability of your business then give me a call on my mobile 07956 532963 to chat about experiencing the DiagNoStickTM Analysis Process for FREE. After all, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. My number again is 07956 532963.

Climbing out of a dive (2)

2008-02-04T20:18:00.000Z

In the previous blog I outlined the mistakes some business managers make when they try to implement a new business campaign.

Here I set out how to make the changes that will ensure that you pull out of the dive or ensure that you don't get into one if the following guidelines are followed:

Using Michael Gerber's famous quote – make sure you work on and in the business. Don’t spend all your time delivering your material or enhancing it. Get out there and press the flesh. Always remember that people buy from people. If you are the owner or MD, make it an objective to meet 5 new people a week. Not just at networking events but at social events, at school events, not just business functions.

Don’t wait for that one contract to come in that will save the company. Get out there and push as if it was never going to come in. Sell, promote, engage, put out offers. Do anything to pull in that extra sale. It will enhance morale and add valuable cash to the business.

Watch cash like a hawk. As soon as an invoice becomes due take immediate action. Don’t dither, it will have a much bigger impact down the line if nothing is done. Keep firmly in the front of your mind that a business is there to make a profit. Once that begins to drop then you are likely to be heading for an even worse cash crisis.

Tell everyone what is happening in a positive upbeat way. Most importantly tell them what you are doing and why. Involve them in the discussions, ask what their suggestions are. You may be surprised that they will suggest things that you might have thought were sacred cows to the team and untouchable.

Do what you did when you started the company and it was in the growth phase. In virtually every instance it was the management team that went out to sell and promote the company. They may not have enjoyed it but they realised that they were in effect the company and were therefore the best advocates of its capabilities. Once this stops the vicious cycle of sales drop off begins.

Don’t waste time on non promotional activity. There are very few companies that can actually benefit from enhancing online reputation and you are unlikely to be the one. The anecdotal stories about making millions from SEO are typical of the urban myths that keep the SEO pot boiling.

Be realistic. Sales are based on relationships and they take time to develop. People buy from people and in most instances from people they know, trust and like. In addition most buying is done on a cyclical basis. Not only that but contracts are usually in place for Business to Business (B2B) transactions. Finally there are multi level relationships to be unpicked and developed. Most seem to forget that the huge wave of new business that came in when the company began trading came from efforts in the past usually from relationships forged whilst with the previous company. They get carried forward and we all forget that these trusted relationships themselves took time to forge. It is the “It takes 5 years to be an overnight success” tale.

A new business programme that is active, specific, well planned and implemented over the long term is therefore one that will create sustainable new client acquisition. A well managed, active programme uses techniques that proactively opens up dialogue with the client such as telemarketing or direct marketing techniques. Specific programmes promote one service or offering that their target market has a need for. It has a much greater chance of success than one that pushes bland generalisations.

Once the crisis is past avoid the mistake reoccurring by crafting a well planned and implemented programmes running over the long term capture clients at their point of need, whenever that might be.

A good new business plan should be:

Specific
Long term
Active
Planned

If you need help pulling out of the dive, avoiding it in the first place or guidance as to how to refill your sales pipeline please call me on 07956 532963 or email me at robh@credence-uk.com

Climbing out of a dive.

2008-01-23T11:21:00.000Z

How to refill the sales Pipeline

Have you come across a similar tale as the one below?

You hear of a successful company that suddenly seems to run out of steam. The sales pipeline dries up and the management and or owners cannot seem to work out why. Their immediate response is denial. They argue that there is nothing intrinsically wrong; it is the time of year, part of the business cycle, normal business churn they say.

However, things get worse and the typical gushing from the sales pipeline has dropped to a trickle and even those leads are not good quality.

Eventually they take action. But note that the typical actions are passive.

They gear up their on line marketing effort sending our newsletters, updates, white papers and so on with the hope that it will encourage sales.

They reason that they need to increase their Search Engine Optimisation ratings to capture the millions of potential leads that they know are out there and work diligently to determine the optimum search terms. They then rewrite their web pages with all the new content crafted around the SEO terms.

But it doesn’t work so they then turn to sales professionals either in telesales or in real time sales to turn the sales around.

But the response rates are pitiful. They spend hours fruitlessly tracking down new names and addresses that don’t seem to develop into sales opportunities. And cash is running out and fast. Pressure on the sales teams seems to be having the opposite effect. They are doing less and less and seem to be costing more to achieve less.

Cash is now at crisis levels.

No new sales initiatives can be started because there is no cash. The focus is now on survival. Cuts are made but they are not enough. Huge amounts of management time are spent determining the extent of what and where to cut but it seems to have no effect and cash is now gone.

The staff seem to notice that the senior team seem intent on working on the minutiae of the business. They have developed that “thousand yard stare” that is typical of those undergoing shock or serious trauma. They seem to have lost their objectivity and leap at any and every passing fad in the hope that it will turn things around.

In the worst cases the company sells out as a fire sale or ceases trading.

Does this sound familiar? It does if you have been in the consultancy field for any length of time.

The answer as to why they experience a dive lies in their new business process. For many companies the new business programme is:

Passive
Generic
Hesitant
Short term

A passive programme relies on using the media to encourage their target audience to make the first move. A generic programme promotes the agency’s entire range or describes it in terms that lack specificity. Hesitant programmes stop and start according to the prevailing emotional or cash flow conditions at the time, missing the buying cycle and therefore freezing themselves out for 12 months or more from re-pitching. And short term programmes falter because they fail to build the relationship with the potential client. Finally, if this was not bad enough they hand over the responsibility of new business to a third party.

Some do survive because they take action. What action do they take, find out in the next gripping instalment of Climbing out of a dive!

If you cant wait, call me on 07956 532963 or email me on robh@credence-uk.com. Or wait until the next blog where the answers will be revealed!

The season of good will - good service is not just for Christmas

2007-12-07T00:41:00.000Z

As Christmas approaches many of us adopt that casual bonhomie and “hail fellow well met” attitude. The reasons being that perhaps it is because it is expected of us. We have been conditioned over the years through film, books, theatre and the TV to become overly friendly in this season of good will. We can all recall A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and how Scrooge is transformed by the Christmas Spirit from miser to benefactor.

But do we need an external stimulus such as Christmas to remind us to be kind or generous to others.

Our goal as business leaders is to ensure that all of our staff are constantly delivering good will. It is the way to build long term loyalty and with it increased life time value and ultimately greater profits.

So when you see the adverts reminding you that it is not just for Christmas, think of your client servicing team and make sure they have the support and skills to deliver goodwill and cheer all the year round.

Your profits will soar if they do!

Profits first - build the foundations

2007-11-21T18:23:00.000Z

The key to long term sustainable growth is a stable and profitable client base. An established client base that delivers strong profits over time is the foundation on which the long term growth goal is achieved.

Where to start?

The start point for the growth strategy is an audit of the existing business. The audit should generate a report that defines the current state of the business. It should cover:

people
performance
profits

Under the people heading the audit should investigate the people or relationships both internally and externally. Does the business have the right sort of clients and services upon which to build its growth? Are the employees ready to take on more?

As far as performance is concerned, are the management systems and processes in place and delivering the value add that they should. Are the monthly management accounts in place, are costs under control.

And finally, is the business making a profit. If not, then the single most important task is to determine which side of the business equation needs tackling. If it is costs, then be ruthless in cutting out any unnecessary expense, trim the fat to expose the lean. If the problem is individual client profitability, then deal with each one individually until the margins are within benchmark percentages. Finally have a long hard look at the management structures to see if any further trimming can be achieved.

Once this is done the profits should look healthy enough to start the new business development programme - more to follow.

But what if the business is not in profit. Should it embark on a growth strategy? Only in dire circumstances should a company embark on a growth strategy if the base is a bit flaky. It would be far better to restructure to get the profits right and then go for growth.

Are you a Trusted Advisor?

2007-10-31T23:40:00.000Z

Credence-UK - maximising profits through growth relies on that one key ingredient - TRUST

It has been estimated that on average it costs 4 - 7 times the amount to secure new business from new clients than it does to secure the same amount of business from an existing client. In my experience as a consultant, where it can take anything up to 6 months to get a new client onboard, I would say this estimate is on the low side.

But what would make an existing client, put you at the top of the list when a new project comes up, in a word TRUST. Be seen as a Trusted Advisor and the chances are that they will reach for your advice without going through the 'beauty parade'.

If that's not enough, there are many other benefits of being seen as a Trusted Advisor by your clients including:

• Referrals to their friends and business acquaintances
• Pay your bills without question
• More inclined to accept you recommendation and trust you judgement
• Give you more information that helps you help them
• Forgive you if you make a mistake
• Make your work much more enjoyable

How can this be achieved?

The major components of Trust are:

Credibility - do you understand your client effortlessly, always seek a fresh perspective, challenge assumptions, and give you reasoning and not just conclusions?

Reliability - are you consistent and dependable, always truthful and honourable, always have their best interests at heart?

Intimacy - do your clients feel comfortable discussing difficult subject with you, do you stay calm, can you diffuse tension in a tough situation, and do you help them to separate logic from emotion?

Low self Orientation - do you help clients think through their own decisions without imposing your solutions, does the client see you as a co-equal, and do they see you as being on their side?

How do you measure up?

Rob Hook
Credence-UK - Maximising Profits through Growth
Accelerating Business Growth and Maximising the Exit Strategy

Keep the cash in for long term success

2007-10-27T19:02:00.000+01:00

Increasing numbers of small firms are taking too much cash out of their business according to Trevor Williams of The FD Group.

Experience has shown that in a fast changing world, cash is king. Keeping hold of it will ensure that your business can survive the downturns and the lean periods. It also allows for continual investment in the business in terms of assets and more importantly in the people.

So make sure that you take out only what you need after having thought through what the long term needs of the business are. After all it is this that keeps the cash flowing in every month.

Some pointers as to how to manage the cash include - avoid the lavish life styles, stick to the knitting and avoid investing in other peoples ideas, go for the long term, invest in the talent in the business.

The boats, the holidays, the jewellery are all justifiable after years of hard labour, but just make sure that they don't jeopardise the capital value of the business.

Politics and leadership do not mix

2007-10-09T09:58:00.000+01:00

This blog is not a political statement. The issue of leadership in a political world affect political parties the world over.

What I am referring to here is the mess Gordon Brown got into when he told us that he did not take into account the latest upswing in the Tory support in the latest opinion polls. The truth or the fact is that we all know that he did. The problem is that some would rather not acknowledge that fact. So he and his reluctant supporters would rather argue a lost point than lose face.

That is not great leadership. A great leader inspires through depth of character. They know that in the times of great adversity they will be called on to make tough decisions. The supporters expect the decisions to be made with the right motives, not through acts of spin to save a faltering reputation.

As a business leader, what would you have done? Would you have continued to argue the point despite all around you acknowledging that you were in the wrong or would you have acknowledged the truth of the situation and demonstrated true leadership?

The importance of succession planning

2007-09-27T15:54:00.000+01:00

I attended a talk recently at the DBA by one of the grand fromages of the M&A world called Jim Surguy. He gave an excellent talk about what companies need to do to maximise their value at the exit point.

One of the key points to come out of his talk was the importance of having a succession plan in place. Who are the people who will succeed you and your fellow Directors when the time comes for you to take your hard earned cash and relax on the beach. Even if there is an earn out period they know that your intention is to ease down. Who will take up the slack is the question on the minds of the prospective buyers?

So think about it whilst you are not on the descent path. Who will take over? What skills do they have and what skills do they lack. Are they good as a team or simply as a group of individuals.

If you want to talk to someone about the make up of the succession team call me on 0117 904 7874 to set out the agenda for their progression into filling your shoes.

Exit strategy improves performance

2007-08-30T13:36:00.000+01:00

In today's frenetic business climate it takes something special to succeed. It takes that something extra beyond the norm for success to happen. We cannot rely any longer on the received wisdom of today.

The traditional methods for increasing performance such as honing the creative edge, better utilisation of the talent pool, or streamlining the business processes do work to some degree. So do some of the more in-vogue ideas like enhancing culture through becoming more interdependent, enhancing client life time value through relationship marketing, and “user chooser” flexible reward schemes. They have all demonstrated their success over the years.

However, our insight into the media sector suggest that many owner managers exhibit those characteristics of the rolling stones Bob Dylan was singing about when he asks “How does it feel, to be on your own, no direction home, a complete unknown”. They have focused all their attention on doing the work of the business but lack the skills required to maximise the performance of their agency and therefore do not fully develop the capital value.

However, recent independent research in the marcoms agency sector suggests that owner managers in the marcoms sector can significantly enhance their performance by developing:

1. Belief in your own capabilities
2. An exit strategy

If you would like to know more on how an exit strategy can help you to build your agency, please call me on 0117 9047874 or email me at Exit.strategy@credence-uk.com

ABC of Growth - C = Corroboration.

2007-08-28T14:36:00.000+01:00

High growth companies have evidence to corroborate their brand and expertise.
They have easily recognised trophy clients. They advertise their successes and promote their expertise through the skilful use of testimonials, reviews, articles and PR.

Prospective clients are looking for ways to reduce the risk of using new suppliers. One way they do this is by looking for evidence of satisfied clients. A list of names is not enough. What they want to see are recognisable names and realistic assessments of what you did for them and the benefit they derived from it.

Do you have corroborative evidence that demonstrates that you are as good as you say you are? If not, then start thinking about asking your clients for a testimonial or writing up your intervention in the form of a case study.

Finally, use every piece of corroborative evidence as many times as you can. Insert it on your website, your blog, your newsletter and so on

If you need any more information - please give me a call on 07956 532963 or email on blogresponse@credence-uk.com

ABC of Growth - B = Brand

2007-08-09T19:47:00.000+01:00

High Growth companies recognise the value of their brand. they cherish it and nurture it. they know that it takes times to build a strong brand but only a few minutes to destroy it. It has lasting value that ensures a legacy to future employees and clients. Everything they do adds value to their brand and their reputation.

It is not enough to have a logo, or good stationery. A brand is so much more than that. Wally Olins, a noted thinker in this area has this to say "In a world that is bewildering in terms of competitive clamour, in which rational choice has become almost impossible, brands represent clarity, reassurance, consistency, status, membership. Brands represent IDENTITY".

Does your brand represent your identity. If they see your brand will they recognise you for what you are, what you stand for and what you can deliver?

Call me on 0117 9047874 if you would like to discuss how to maximise the value of your brand.

ABC of Growth - A = Activities

2007-08-02T21:14:00.000+01:00

The clearest sign that a business is well led and managed is its ability to deliver consistent, profitable growth.

After years of working with small businesses I have worked out what they need to do to grow.

And it is as simple as ABC!

The ABC of growth – what high growth businesses do well.

High growth companies are hives of activity. They are “doing” orientated. They get it right. They do the right things with the right people to the right customers at the right price in the right place at the right time.

Are you a doing or a thinking company?

How many proposals have you sent out, how many new prospects have you seen, how many networking events have you attended?

The list of activities that will build your business goes on and on.

If in doubt, do the things that you like doing - but do them well and frequently.

The great companies are doing orientated - now go and do like wise

Shout your virtues and boost your profits

2007-07-10T15:18:00.000+01:00

Why is it that some companies are more successful at winning new business even though you (and probably they) know that they are not that good? Why do you lose a pitch when you should have won it?

Here is the answer. The client didn't trust you enough to give you the work. So all your hard work spent working on your pitch was wasted.

Here is how you can go about changing things to your advantage.

The secret

You need to build your reputation as a trusted advisor or to put it another way - you need to break through the trust barrier.

Successful businesses promote their reputation by who they are, what they do, who they work for and as importantly, who they do not work for. They have worked out the secret of what makes it easy for clients and potential clients to trust them and as a result they always get selected.

Ponder this well known marketing maxim “In any market where the number of choices is high and the risks of getting it wrong are also high, the more established, trusted or reputable suppliers will win more business.”

Put yourself in the client’s position and ask yourself what you would do if you were faced with a huge array of suppliers, many of whom seem to offer the same service and your job is on the line if you make the wrong choice. Simple, you would opt for an established, trusted, reputable agency. The emphasis is on being “established”. Once you are “in” it takes an enormous amount of effort for a client to change their supplier.

Sadly, the chances are stacked against you usurping the incumbent supplier.

So what can be done to reverse this situation? How can you stand out from the crowd and get in front of more clients?

You build a reputation that makes you stand head and shoulders above the rest.

I will be posting more on how to build that reputation so come back soon to find out more!

Call me for more information on 07956 532963 or email me at robh@credence-uk.com

Would you employ a sales person?

2007-06-22T11:59:00.000+01:00

A few clients of mine asked my advice on whether they should employ a dedicated sales person to grow their business. They were established and looking to grow and felt that having someone out there "selling" would help.

I thought about it and came to the conclusion that they should not employ a dedicated sales person. The reason being that they were both small companies. The risk of employing someone at such high fixed costs (estimated to be of the order of £50k) was too high. They only needed a few good contacts and a few new clients and they would be close to capacity.

Rather than hire an expensive fixed asset, here are my suggestions:

Clearly identify who has the propensity to buy from them - their target market
Develop their offering to resolve these individuals pain - ease their pain

They can then use other, less costly methods to build their reputation with the target audience. Write thought pieces, blogs, draft articles, speak at conferences, call them to ask for a meeting. Each of these will build the relationship. Some will turn into clients. Some will not. That's fine. If you keep in contact they may become clients in the future, but they will also be talking about you and that in turn builds your reputation.

So don't employ sales people if you are a small business. Build your reputation instead.