As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude for being a part of our incredible community.
May this festive season bring you joy and peace, and may 2024 be filled with new opportunities and exciting adventures.
Thank you for being a valued member of our community. Here’s to a joyful holiday season and a fantastic year ahead!
In prosperity,
The team @ Barrett
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Warm Wishes for the Festive Season ✨ Read Post »
For decades, the business world has been dominated by what looked like opposites to choose from. You could be a hunter or a gatherer, a manager or a leader.
These concepts have been pitched to the business community as opposing and mutually exclusive choices, forcing a binary mindset. These polarisations don’t apply to modern businesses and sales operations – and they haven’t served us well for some time now.
In 2023 we’ve worked with businesses across industries and we’ve seen firsthand how sales teams and operations that embrace a holistic mindset fare better in both results and team wellbeing.
This report is about …
12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024 – Striking Balance Read Post »
Prospecting involves the identification of potential clients through targeted outreach. This leads to Business Development, where relationships with potential and existing clients are cultivated for ongoing opportunities. Despite the digital age, traditional skills like prospecting and business development remain crucial. Technology hasn’t replaced the need for building relationships and actively seeking opportunities. These skills enable sales professionals to establish rapport, build trust, and close deals. In an era where we are inundated with messages, a targeted approach through prospecting and business development is essential to stand out, as it ensures a lasting impression on prospects …
Why Prospecting & BD Are Still Relevant Read Post »
2024 heralds 41 years in professional selling for me and like many who’ve been around as long as I have, we’ve sold through several major crises including the GFC and major recessions, learning many lessons along the way. However, starting in 2020, we all had our mettle tested during and beyond the COVID pandemic. In all my years in business I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed as much change as we’re experiencing now. It reminds me of the quote ‘There are decades where nothing happens, and weeks where decades happen’.
Global supply chain disruption, numerous government elections and political scandals, wars …
Selling (Better) in Uncertain Times Read Post »
Sales Trend 12 of Barrett’s 12 Sales Trends Report for 2023 looks into what psychologically safe environments mean for sales and service teams and why it is vital in human-centred organisations.
By guest author LEESA TONGOULIDIS – HUMAN ART PTY LTD in collaboration with Barrett’s SUE BARRETT and JENS HARTMANN
Psychological safety, crucial for healthy workplaces, involves creating an environment where individuals freely express ideas without fear. It’s a critical capability for business success, fostering trust and enhancing outcomes. Fear-based cultures lead to burnout.
Timothy R. Clark, CEO – Leader Factor and Author of the 4 Stages …
A New Era of Safety Read Post »
In networking, differentiating between contacts and connections is crucial. Contacts are like fledgling plants with shallow roots, while connections resemble sturdy trees with deep roots. Contacts are those you know but haven’t deeply engaged with, while connections are individuals with whom you’ve built trust and credibility over time. Balancing both in your network is key. It’s essential to avoid unrealistic expectations by not leaning on contacts prematurely. Instead, invest time in developing these relationships, ensuring trust and respect. By understanding these distinctions and applying a patient, farming approach to networking, you can create a robust and enduring professional …
Networking – Contacts and Connections Read Post »
This week we share our five most-read articles this year so far. In this collection, you will discover how internal teams are embracing selling, learn why a well-defined sales strategy is key to business success, explore the evolution of emotional intelligence to relational intelligence, and uncover the transformative power of clarity and courage in leadership. We also share insights into what consumers want.
1) We’re All in Sales – An Internal Team’s Journey
Lately, I have been working with internal teams of an ASX-listed business. These teams include Audit & Risk, Business Consulting, People & Culture, and Diversity & …
Insights on Sales Strategy, Leadership, and more. Read Post »
Sales Trend 11 from the Barrett 12 Sales Trends for 2023 is about Learning and Development.
By Jens Hartmann // Head of Learning and Development at Barrett
In the corporate world, the focus of learning and development (L&D) initiatives is shifting. Traditionally outcome-driven, organisations are now emphasising human-centred learning. With the advent of technology, training methodologies have diversified, offering online and remote options. While online learning can be effective, challenges like “online fatigue” and isolation persist. Human interaction remains vital, particularly for topics like communication skills. Studies show that a blend of online and in-person elements fosters …
Mastering Human-Centred Learning Read Post »
Soft skills have taken centre stage in the 4th Industrial Revolution, becoming integral to employability and business success. These versatile abilities, spanning communication, teamwork, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, ethics, and global citizenship, are now more critical than ever. Deloitte Access Economics forecasts that by 2030, two-thirds of jobs will heavily depend on soft skills, marking a significant workforce transformation. Businesses, especially in sales and customer service, can gain a competitive edge and increase revenue by fostering these skills. Enhanced interpersonal and self-management proficiencies create healthier work environments. Contrary to the belief that soft skills are innate, they can be …
Nurturing Soft Skills for Business Success Read Post »
The traditional sales stereotype is no longer effective. Simple transactions are now done online, and superficial client interactions are a thing of the past. Today’s professional salespeople focus on cultivating trustworthy relationships grounded in shared values, expertise, and savvy business acumen, marked by authenticity, empathy, and logic. Women have been at the forefront of this sales transformation, leveraging qualities such as collaboration, vision-sharing, resource orchestration, empathy, deep listening, and problem-solving. They also excel in open-mindedness, stakeholder management, teamwork, and understanding client emotions.
Men embracing these human-centred capabilities see rapid improvements in business relationships. Organisations improving gender balance in sales …
Women Take the Lead in Transforming Sales Read Post »