Why a Fair Exchange of Value goes beyond exchanging money for goods

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Collaboration, Ethics & Values, Sales Relationships, Selling Better

At its simplest, selling and buying is about a transactional exchange of a service or product for money.

For simple, low cost, transactional sales, where we may have little vested interest in the other person or company providing that product, we may not reflect as deeply on our buying interactions with them. However, if we discover that we have been ‘ripped off’ by paying too much for something, or unfairly treated, or discriminated against, and so on, we are more likely to become highly invested in the concept of fair exchange of value.

Why? Because as human beings, we do not like …

Why a Fair Exchange of Value goes beyond exchanging money for goods Read Post »

Trust is the heartbeat of business, sales and society

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Brand & Reputation, Communication, Competition, Ethics & Values, Sales Culture, Sales Relationships

I have been writing about Trust in sales and business for many years; however, this year has seen a rise in my output on this topic, especially with the fallout from the Banking Royal Commission with posts such as:

The Flight to Ethical Selling – how the banks can avoid a royal commission

What does Selling Better mean for customers and shareholder return?

What are the biggest issues facing CEOs and sales leaders today?

Yet, trust is the heartbeat of business, sales and society.

Without this life force pumping vitality through our collective systems every day …

Trust is the heartbeat of business, sales and society Read Post »

Selling isn’t only for salespeople

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Education in Sales, Ethics & Values, Life Skills, Self Promotion, Selling Better, Success

Have you ever tried to persuade someone about the merits of a new idea, service or initiative?

Most surely you have. Countless times.

People do this all the time, since we were born; in our personal, professional and community lives. It is part of being human.

So how did your efforts go?

Did you get their attention?

Did you manage to convince them to adopt your idea?

Did you both get what you wanted out of the exchange?

Did you feel satisfied that you made a positive impact?

Maybe. Maybe not.

It all depends on how well you were able to enlist all the skills and qualities of good …

Selling isn’t only for salespeople Read Post »

What does Selling Better mean for customers and shareholder return?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Brand & Reputation, Ethics & Values, Sales Culture, Sales Leadership, Sales Relationships, Sales Results

I have to start with the bad news on this topic.

Are any of us surprised by the current revelations stemming from the Australian Banking Royal Commission?

Possibly not.

Are any of us surprised as to the extent of the unethical and illegal behaviours documented and admissions made by senior management into the systemic corruption of their businesses, especially in the financial planning sector?

Possibly yes.

It is utterly astounding, the admissions being made by senior management of the likes of AMP and CBA. Then comes the audacity of blaming growing shareholder returns as their excuse to exploit and deceive customers. Saying they were unaware …

What does Selling Better mean for customers and shareholder return? Read Post »

Should clients pay for tender and RFP submissions?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Ethics & Values, Opportunity, Procurement, Uncategorized

In principle, and ideally in practice, yes they should.

Why?

Because there is a lot of time, effort, money and IP that goes into preparing a tender or RFP (request for proposal). This also includes RFIs (request for information).

The companies requesting these tenders, RFPs and RFIs are freely benefiting from the expertise of suppliers if they are requesting highly detailed responses and expecting to pay nothing for this information. With the advent of software these companies can easily compare offerings and strip mine the IP to serve themselves at the suppliers’ expense. Basically they are getting knowledge and expertise for free and …

Should clients pay for tender and RFP submissions? Read Post »

Salespeople beware tire kickers, IP thieves & time wasters

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Business Acumen, Coaching, Communication, Education in Sales, Ethics & Values

Selling is a very time consuming set of activities at the best of times. Now with so much choice and complexity, sales cycles are taking even longer –like 20% longer– especially with multiple stakeholders in larger businesses.

So it only makes sense that we want to be sure as salespeople that a real deal is in the offering, that it is properly budgeted for, and we are in good position to win it.

Salespeople can often bend over backwards to please prospective clients, running around getting all sorts of things ready, and putting together comprehensive proposals to impress and persuade these prospective …

Salespeople beware tire kickers, IP thieves & time wasters Read Post »

Sales Trend 2 – The case for long-term focus

By / / 12 Sales Trends Pages Category, Attitudes & Behaviours, Environment & Sustainability, Ethics & Values, Sales Results, Sales Strategy, Strategy, Success, Sustainability & Environment, Vision, Mission & Purpose

Sales Trend 2 of the Barrett 12 Sales Trends for 2018 Report is the case for long-term focus and strategy.

It’s no news that most businesses are focused on the short-term, living from quarter to quarter, and that although there’s ongoing argument about whether there’s enough evidence or not to say that long-term businesses perform better, most of the arguments against it (pro short-term) focus only on profits.

However, this sales trend reports that there are increasingly louder calls for businesses to be more long-term focused in their planning and strategies. The power of long term planning can be found in …

Sales Trend 2 – The case for long-term focus Read Post »

Sales Trend 1 – The Selling Better Manifesto

By / / 12 Sales Trends Pages Category, Attitudes & Behaviours, Brand & Reputation, Education in Sales, Environment & Sustainability, Ethics & Values, Innovation, Mindful selling, Opportunity, Sales Pioneer, Sales Trends, Success, Uncategorized, Wellbeing

Sales Trend 1 of the Barrett 12 Sales Trends for 2018 Report is our Selling Better Manifesto. It talks about the Selling Better Movement and it explains why we have started it.

We have created The Selling Better Movement with the hope it will help people understand that there’s a better way of doing business.

A way in which we can all be prosperous.

The Selling Better Movement is an ethical and human-centred selling ethos underpinned by a practical selling philosophy.

The modern business landscape offers a world of possibility. More and more people are stepping out to unearth …

Sales Trend 1 – The Selling Better Manifesto Read Post »

Why you shouldn’t let rudeness lead to the ruination of business and sales

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Brand & Reputation, Communication, Customer Service, Ethics & Values, Life Skills, Presentation & Grooming, Sales Relationships, Self Development, Wellbeing

In the midst of the trend and hype of ‘customer centricity’, ‘the customer experience (CX)’, ‘customer excellence’ and other such terms it appears there is something amiss – the rise and rise of rudeness, incivility, disrespectful behaviour, and the trend of behaving badly at work.

This is not a new phenomenon; however, it is reaching epic proportions and affecting many businesses, their staff, customers and suppliers as we speak with devastating consequences.

Ray Williams writing for ‘Psychology Today’ back in October 2016 said this: “Has incivility become the new norm in America? Fundamental ethical values such as respect, fairness, honesty, personal responsibility …

Why you shouldn’t let rudeness lead to the ruination of business and sales Read Post »

Professional Jealousy?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Ethics & Values, Life Skills, Self Development, Self Promotion, Success

How those who shame others for selling themselves are the biggest losers

Let’s begin with a story about an excellent scientist. Someone so passionate and competent about his subject area that he happily and productively spent years studying the topic, getting to know it deeply and how it affects the world; how it is part of a broader system.

Then, with this great body of work and innovative ideas to share, he happily and proactively goes about meeting, informing and persuading key people as to the importance of his ideas and how these ideas can change things for the better.

The target audiences …

Professional Jealousy? Read Post »

Scroll to Top