Insights from being in business for 13 years

By / / Brand & Reputation, Business Acumen, Self Development, Strategy, Success, Vision, Mission & Purpose

Happy New Year to you all. I wonder if you took time off over the Christmas-New Year break and, like me, had a bit of trouble letting go initially and then found yourself easing into enjoying a little time off from work commitments. It’s when I slow down that I find some of my thoughts drifting to why I got into business for myself in the first place. There is a good reason for this. You see on the 9 January 2008 my business will be 13 years old.

Around that time, 13 years ago, I wasn’t happy where I …

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Don’t tell me it’s out of your control

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Brand & Reputation, Value Proposition & Value Add, Vision, Mission & Purpose

‘It’s out of my control.’ ‘I can’t do anything about it.’ ‘I’m just the sales person.’

Sales people who sell in equipment and service contracts take note. This story is about you and your responsibility to the customer for the life of the sale not just the initial sale of the machine and the signing of the contract.

The quotes above are what I heard this week from a sales person from a well-known equipment manufacture who sold us a complete equipment and service package 18 months ago. It certainly wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Without going into too much detail …

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Broken Promises & Bagging the Competition

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Competition, Ethics & Values, Value Proposition & Value Add, Vision, Mission & Purpose

Watching the antics of all the parties in the Federal Election, especially the two major parties, and how they go about trying to convince the electorate to vote for them, has reminded me about what NOT to do in sales:

  • Make promises you cannot keep
  • Bag the competition

Nothing irks customers more than sales people overstating their capabilities and making claims and promises they cannot keep or live up to. It’s the fastest way to break trust and leave customers doubting you and your business. Making grand claims with little or no substance is foolish at …

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Being authentic in sales

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Ethics & Values, Sales Relationships, Value Proposition & Value Add, Vision, Mission & Purpose

The 20th century approach of one-upmanship, although still encouraged by many traditional sales managers, seems to be slowly retreating into the shadows of the past as crude and old-fashioned. Polar opposite to the latter, but just as unproductive, are the approaches of:

  • A whining puppy (pleading for a sale trying to make customers feel sorry for you).
  • A chameleon (always bending and twisting yourself to fit any situation, often losing yourself in the process).
  • A parrot (not adapting your approach enough to suit the style if the client).

These approaches often annoy customers and elicit pity rather than trust.

Too many sales people (in particular …

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