Lessons for Sales from ‘Good to Great’

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Sales Culture, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Research, Sales Results, Sales Talent, Self Development, Success

Jim Collins (author of “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t”) stimulates a thought that many sales managers should be asking themselves right now: “What makes good salespeople great?”

At Barrett we work with sales managers and salespeople every day, and recently asked that question of a number of people in both categories. The response wasn’t that startling. What Barrett learned is that few sales managers, and even fewer salespeople, could actually define what “great” selling actually means. This has confirmed Barrett’s findings that many salespeople let themselves down because they …

Lessons for Sales from ‘Good to Great’ Read Post »

Insights into why I started my own business – Part 2

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Environment & Sustainability, Ethics & Values, Life Skills, Success, Sustainability & Environment

As mentioned in the article from last week I was invited to be part of the judging panel of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Victoria Young Business Hustler competition 2015. The programme is designed to give young business entrepreneurs the chance to further develop their capabilities and their businesses.

Here is Part 2 of my interview about how I started my own business and what continues to drive and inspire me today.

Interviewer: What do you believe is your greatest achievement in life so far?

Sue: I cannot point to any one achievement as being the greatest because …

Insights into why I started my own business – Part 2 Read Post »

Insights into why I started my own business – Part 1

By / / Ethics & Values, Life Skills, Success, Vision, Mission & Purpose

Recently, I was invited to be a part of the judging panel of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Victoria Young Business Hustler competition 2015. The programme is designed to give young business entrepreneurs the chance to further develop their capabilities and their businesses.

As part of this initiative and as an entrepreneur myself, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award chapter interviewed me about how I started my own business and what continues to drive and inspire me today.

Interviewer: You completed a Bachelor of Science degree at Monash University, but have now ended up founding one of …

Insights into why I started my own business – Part 1 Read Post »

2015 Sales Trends Event – How to sell better in a complex world

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Ethics & Values, Sales Leadership, Sales Trends, Strategy, Success

On Wednesday 6 May we hosted our 2015 Barrett 12 Sales Trends Annual Business Breakfast where many senior business and sales leaders came to hear about and discuss the theme for the event this year, ‘Transparency and the Middle Path’ – How to sell better in a complex world. It was great to see the room filled to capacity again as it was for the inaugural event last year.

It also gave us the opportunity to formally celebrate our 20th year in business and thank the Barrett team and our clients and supporters, many of whom were there …

2015 Sales Trends Event – How to sell better in a complex world Read Post »

What if we sell better instead of only selling more?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Environment & Sustainability, Sales Results, Success, Sustainability & Environment

What if we aimed to sell better instead of focusing on only selling more?

At risk of giving every sales manager and business leader a coronary with this question, especially if we are running behind on our sales targets, I would like us to consider the following proposition.

‘Strive not to be the best company in the world, but the best company FOR the world’

What if we took this approach to business?

This is the philosophy of BCorps which is encouraging the proliferation of a new type of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. They …

What if we sell better instead of only selling more? Read Post »

Sales Trend 11 – Learning to sell in the Asian Century

By / / Sales Trends, Success

In Australia, we are more reliant upon China for our prosperity than any comparable economy, at more than one quarter of our exports. We are China’s number one destination for foreign investment and a leading beneficiary of the education aspirations of its growing middle class. Yet many of us remain deeply ambivalent about the world-changing economic transformation of China and underestimate our need to be prepared. That is why the 11th Sales Trend for 2014 is Learning to Sell in the Asian Century.

After an economic growth (over the last thirty years) of …

Sales Trend 11 – Learning to sell in the Asian Century Read Post »

Are you serious?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Education in Sales, Sales Culture, Sales Driven Organisations, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Success

Today’s article is a bit of a rant I have to admit. I wrote the text below after one of those phone calls I receive, and as you may tell, I was a bit upset afterwards. Bear with me though, I’m sure you’ll see the point I’m trying to make.

Have you ever considered how much it costs and how much effort it takes to become and remain a highly skilled professional these days? Think about a competent marketing manager, a skilled engineer or IT specialist, a capable accountant, bookkeeper, publicist or journalist, a reliable chef, event manager or hairdresser? We’re …

Are you serious? Read Post »

5 things you can do to improve your sales results now

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Sales Pipeline, Sales Results, Sales Tips, Success

Yes, the world of business and especially B2B selling is getting more complex every day. Buyers’ decision making processes, especially on larger deals, are taking longer, up to 20% longer than 5 years ago. And the decision making process usually involves a range of people not just one key decision maker. Making a good sale involves many moving parts.

So what can we do to improve our sales results now? Here are 5 things you can do immediately to help you win more sales and keep the sales momentum going.

  • Build Your Sales Pipeline: you usually need 3-4 times your sales budget …

    • 5 things you can do to improve your sales results now Read Post »

    The 7 benefits of Online Sales Training

    By / / Education in Sales, Sales Essentials, Sales Management, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Self Development, Success

    Have you ever tried online sales training? Why not try this complimentary Sales Essentials Module – ethics, philosophy and history of selling? Why? Because the world of sales education and training is evolving and online sales training is starting to take hold. Whilst classroom training will always have its place, here are 7 reasons you might like to include online sales training in your repertoire.

  • Cost Saving: It is no secret that classroom based training can be extremely costly. Not only is the cost of the training event usually high, we also have to consider travel expenses, accommodation, and most …

    • The 7 benefits of Online Sales Training Read Post »

    Do you have a Poverty or Prosperity Consciousness?

    By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Success, Wellbeing

    Organisations of every size all have a collective personality that drives their thinking, behaviours and actions and can affect their performance for good or bad. These collective personalities may or may not align with an organisation’s publicly stated values and principles; they can change over time, and are usually defined, influenced and/or condoned by the senior leadership team.

    Much of an organisation’s success, or lack of it, is influenced by its corporate attitude. It attracts, hires, and reinforces the behaviours, values and attitudes that the leaders exhibit.

    Whilst these collective personalities are often …

    Do you have a Poverty or Prosperity Consciousness? Read Post »

    Scroll to Top