Teenagers and Sales - reformatted entry

Sales and marketing is like teenage sex – everyone claims they are doing it... but the reality is that most aren’t doing it, and if they are doing it then they aren’t doing it very well.

So, let’s get back to basics (in business and selling!!!)

Jack Trout says:

1 Have a simple idea that separates you from the competition.

2 Have the credentials or the product that makes that concept believable.

3. Build a programme to make your customers/prospects aware of this difference.

Easier said that done.Most salespeople don’t know what they are selling.

They think they are selling a product for its features.

Actually people are buying it for what it does for them as consumers.

This is one of the fundamentals that most new salespeople just don’t get!

You sell floors… they buy easy cleaning

You sell a fast car…they buy something their neighbours will admire

You sell accounting services… they buy ease of mind and reassurance.

Unless you know why they are buying, or even what they are buying, then you are wasting at least 50% of your sales effort.

So, What is it that your customers are buying?

Why don’t you ask them rather than making assumptions?

Why don’t you listen to them rather than talking at them?

What is your simple idea?

What makes you different from the rest? Explain it in ten words.

Only when you understand these fundamentals can you start to build your communications programme.

If the target audience isn’t listening/buying then it is not their fault. It is yours.

(PS This was first posted in Feb 09)

Step Up..., Step Down...! again

The Step Up debate in brief (taken from the new book). This discussion won't go away...


In a recession situation the board's role should be limited to discussing the key issue:

“How would the shareholders/owners want to balance the two competing objectives of
1) minimizing the hit to profits versus
2) capturing maximum growth?”

You should be talking about how the company could, in fact, step-up its activities and use the recession as a chance to gain position and advantage.

A company has almost twice as much chance to dramatically improve its position in an industry during a recession compared to normal times — most (but not all) of the companies that did step-up in the last recession held their gains in subsequent economic recoveries.

The question
“How can your board and management determine whether a step-up strategy is right for your company?”

You should consider three major questions:
1. Are there truly tangible consequences of missing the next year's earnings forecast by going for growth?
Yes/No/Maybe
2. In your industry, do ‘temporary’ gains tend to become permanent?
Yes/No/Maybe
3. What is the potential downside if you simply take a defensive posture?

The point
It would take a lot of effort and courage to tailor a step-up strategy to the company's specific situation.

It's important for the board to hold the right discussion, even if the decision ends up in favour of retrenchment. And if the decision is to step-up, so much the better.

RELEVANT LINKS
Step Up or Step Down - continued - the original debate

Credit Crunch Book - The Intro

Thanks for all the feedback (via the blog and direct) about the book. Everything has been taken on board in this period as we work towards the formal launch in March.

Sales of pre-publication copies have been amazing and we are re-stocking as we speak...! Thanks for all your support.

You can look at the Intro to 'Beating the Credit Crunch' if you go to www.directorscentre.com/credit-crunch-intro.pdf

Full launch on 1st March but you can get pre-publication copies now from Lulu . You can get the printed book (£20.00) or a pdf (£10.00).





RELEVANT LINKS
www.directorscentre.com/beating-the-credit-crunch.php - Webpage about the book
Beating The Credit Crunch - pre-publication-date copies available now via Lulu!!

Rumours of my death...

To quote Mark Twain,
"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

Letters of condolence were gratefully received (but unnecessary).Some prankster set off the alarms by posting a comment on an earlier blog and off went the rumour mill.

I am sure that I could have capitalised on the news/misinformation but some 100 people witnessed me alive and well last night at Preston NE's new football stadium where the Credit Crunch book had its first public outing. And very well received it was too!

Sea Diferente Y Gane or Bright Marketing!

Here's the Spanish version of Bright Marketing - my Spanish isn't that great but it seems to contain all the same stuff, but in Spanish!

RELEVANT LINKS
Bright Marketing - book website
NEW BOOK - Free to lucky blog readers

Beating The Credit Crunch - how to survive an thrive in the current recession

A word to the 'chosen few'. The new book is ready to buy. Full launch on 1st March but you can get copies now from Lulu . You can get the printed book (£20.00) or a pdf (£10.00).







RELEVANT LINKS


Beating The Credit Crunch - pre-publication-date copies available now!!

"When your competitors are slashing their marketing budgets, don't be tempted to do the same."

From the Wonkana blog...

I was reminded today of some sage advice from Robert Craven, who Richard Branson refers to as "the entrepreneur's entrepreneur" and how businesses ought to react ( can you detect the yearning tone? Good.) when all around them belts are being tightened, budgets are being squeezed and the consumer wants "owt for nowt". The words still resound as strongly as that day in Spike Island amongst the melee of the Bristol Enterprise Network."When your competitors are slashing their marketing budgets, don't be tempted to do the same."
Read More

Thank you.

RELEVANT LINKS
Marketing Blues - Wonkana blog
The Devil's In The Detail and Capital Pitching also make reference to me.



PS

FREE NEW BOOK?
My new book "Beating The Credit Crunch - How to Survive and Thrive in the Current Recession" is at the printers as we speak.

We will have a limited number of review copies available for blog readers and have decided to allocate them to every 25th person emailing me with the following info

1. Name
2. Job Title/Position
3. Company Name
4. No of Employees

Email now with the four pieces of info, and put "free book" in the subject. Good Luck! Feel free to spread the word - the more, the merrier (but no cheating!) and the 'offer' applies only to UK addresses and finishes on 1st March 09 - one entry per company etc etc.