Archive for the ‘Sales’ Category

Robert and I have interviewed hundreds of wildly successful business leaders. In so doing, we have identified many wonderful stories and some surprising ironies. Case in point: using customer input. The truth is that every successful business leader has, during phases of rapid growth, effectively tapped into the mindset of their key customers and turned that knowledge into well-targeted, relevant and innovative products/services.

But, — and here is the irony — once companies get to a certain size, age or complexity— that customer insight, which was at the very core of the business success, isn’t actively pursued anymore. The result of being disconnected from customers isn’t too surprising: less innovation, longer sales cycles and eroding customer service. And, of course, the business consequences quickly follow including: higher customer acquisition costs, loss of ground to competitors and the loss of the most important employees.

That’s why for BusinessCast #180, we sat down with Fuse Marketing Group’s Director of Digital Strategy, Jeff Pontes. Jeff and his team help companies map out practical ways of harnessing customer input to ensure on-going product/service (and process) innovation. Jeff helps work through thorny issues such as:

• What kind of products/services lend themselves to integrating customer input
• Where in the product/service development cycle customer input should be used
• What aspect of product/service development should use customer input

Jeff also shares key insights about how to leverage social media tools to target, gather and integrate customer input.

Listen to BusinessCast #180 and you’ll get tips to help you stay connected with the true source of your on-going business success: your customers.

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Robert and I were recently asked by some of the organizers of Canada’s web conference – Mesh 2010 – to get involved in this exciting event . So, for BusinessCast #156 we sat down with one of the conference’s most anticipated keynote speakers, Arvind Rajan, Vice President, International at LinkedIn.

Of course LinkedIn is a tremendous business success story as well as a critical tool for all business managers and leaders. In BusinessCast #156 Arvind shares key business lessons that LinkedIn learned while managing its fantastic growth. At the same time, he shares insights about how entrepreneurs like you can leverage LinkedIn to build business, recruit key staff and stay ahead of the competition.

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Entrepreneurs are insatiable — always striving to grow, learn and innovate. So, it’s no surprise to any BusinessCast listener that entrepreneurs find themselves leading some of the world’s most successful companies. In BusinessCast #153, we tap into one such entrepreneur: Carl Yankowski who has been CEO at Palm, Reebok and Sony Electronics — as well as holding senior positions at Polaroid, Cadbury Schweppes, Pepsi and Memorex.

As a lifelong entrepreneur himself, Carl shares his insights, great business stories and valuable lessons for entrepreneurs who want to bring exciting products to market and always be exceptional.

**UPCOMING EVENT FOR ENTREPRENEURS**: MarketingSherpa and MarketingExperiments are hosting a series of one-day seminars across North America. Check out the Online Marketing ROI conference (coming to Toronto in June) where you can also win an iPad.

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Have you ever walked away from a discussion feeling that you really weren’t heard? How frustrating is that? After all, as an entrepreneur, you’ve got passion, boundless enthusiasm and creativity going for you — all backed up with great products or services.

Well, we’ve all been there! That’s why in BusinessCast #150, Robert and I sat down with Jeff Hendler, a unique coach and trainer who helps business leaders succeed — by helping them truly understand the different ways that targeted people process information. The result: you can adapt your message, your method of communicating, your timing, your body language, etc. — in short, all those things that will help you successfully “get through” to your targeted audience so that they can appreciate the value you bring.

Getting a handle on the psychology of how people take in and respond to information is complex. But, in BusinessCast #150, Jeff provides a handful of powerful tips that you can use now to achieve the impact you’re looking to make in your next critical meeting.

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Marshal Cohen has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Fortune and Time Magazine. He’s also been a guest on The Today Show, CNN and ABC World News. As Chief Industry Analyst for the NPD Group, he provides critical advice and insights into why people make the purchase decisions that they do.

Do you know why prospects purchase your products/services? I mean, do you really understand what’s behind their thinking, their feelings, the obstacles they have to overcome, the choices and trade-offs they make? Because most entrepreneurs experience a disconnect between their sell cycle and their customers’ buying cylce, Marshal Cohen set out to answer these questions in a succinct and practical way in his compelling new book, Buy Me!

For BusinessCast 149, Robert and I sat down with Marshall, the Chief Industry Analyst from the NPD Group — one of North America’s leading market research and consumer marketing firms. Marshal gives real-life insights that will help you:

• Understand the buying process of your current/future customers
  
• Shift buyers’ attention from your competitors’ offerings to yours
• Move buyers’ attention from features to value

Whether you’re focused on consumers or businesses, listen to BusinessCast 149 and you will gain valuable insights that will help you to re-tool your products/services and can beat out your competition.

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