I got a great haircut yesterday. Visited an old-school barbershop, where they take the time to do it right. Plus: guy talk, sports, and no stinky “product.” In fact, I think I have now found my go-to haircut place. But then the barber handed me a business card and I couldn’t help but be amused. […]
Please Give Me Your Money…
June 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Ultimately, if you’re in sales (and who isn’t…?), then in the crassest possible terms, this is what you are asking for. You want people to hand you their money. But in exchange for what, exactly? A cup of coffee for $2.25 is a pretty clear exchange. My monthly cable bill – I know what it […]
How to Become a Value-Adding Partner (not just a vendor)
November 16, 2015 By 2 Comments
Every company wants to be distinguished from the marketplace competition – but sometimes it’s difficult to rise above other suppliers and be thought of as more than just another commodity. What’s true of companies is also true of individual client-facing professionals (salespeople, account managers, project managers, etc.). You want to be thought of as a […]
When Your Business Has a Split Personality
March 3, 2014 By 2 Comments
I have a confession to make. I am a hypocrite. When I give advice to small businesses, I tell people to focus on one offering, one direction, one message, one primary audience. Except I also have to tell them to do as I say, not as I do. Because I have two. Oops. Now, […]
How Do You Differentiate?
May 1, 2013 By 3 Comments
It’s the one question that every prospective customer is thinking – or, asking you outright. If you’re making a presentation to a potential client, or introducing yourself to a potential new employer, the “buyer” wants to know – in a sea of others, why you? In other words: How do you differentiate? Do you stand […]
Cutting Through the Fog of Business
May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
You’ve heard the expression “the fog of war,” right? It’s all about the ambiguity and uncertainty that comes from limited knowledge and battlefield chaos. Static plans on paper never translate well into the dynamic timeline of active conflict. Everyone is now trying to make high-stakes decisions with fragments of incomplete information, further influenced by the […]
Fitting Into Your Market[place]
May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
There are millions of companies out there providing something-or-other, and millions of people doing some-job-or-other. Don’t be one of them. Define and fit into your market[place]. The universal marketplace of everyone and everything is not your target for business success. YOUR market[place] is defined by Your professional DNA Your unique value-adding offering Opportunities or gaps in a […]
