Taking business to new heights (literally)
Every market is a continuum. At one end the people who buy on price from suppliers who’ve become a commodity. The other, people who are willing to pay premium prices for a [...]
7
06, 2017
31
05, 2017
From Economist to Alphorn Maker????
Meet Heinz Tschiemer. He’s 35, married with three small kids, has an Economics Degree and now builds Alphorns. Tucked away in the small village of Habkern, about a 10 minute drive from [...]
21
05, 2017
The accomplished persuader’s secret weapon
Ever met a truly great persuader? The archetypical, “Could sell ice to Eskimos”. You might think they’re great salespeople, but the irony is you can’t actually sell anything to anyone. People only [...]
17
05, 2017
Competing in a commoditised market
40 years ago travel was expensive and difficult to arrange. Travel agents existed to make booking tickets and accommodation easier. Around 15 years ago, with the internet, everything changed. Travel has become [...]
10
05, 2017
The blind dancer and his guide dog
Over 20 years ago in Switzerland, Barbara had, in her words, one of the best dance partners ever. Hans was legally blind, but that didn’t stop him participating in life. Hans went [...]
3
05, 2017
When innovation could cripple your business
Innovate or die is a common catchcry in business. But like any generalisation, it’s not always entirely the whole truth. Every business has a core audience. Those who make up 80-90 percent [...]
19
04, 2017
Why 80/20 no longer applies to you
I’m sure you’re familiar with the 80/20 principle. What you may not be familiar with is that in the internet age, 80/20 has moved towards a 95/5. Where the top 5% get [...]
14
04, 2017
Why the way we think about charity is dead wrong
This talk on how we relate to charities really struck a nerve. I was unpleasantly surprised that I held every one of the misconceptions Dan Pallotta calls us out on. Honestly, watching [...]
12
04, 2017
Are these two major mistakes costing you business?
Would you keep using a leaky bucket? Of course not. You’d either fix it or buy a new one. The equivalent in businesses is throwing more money at lead generation and not [...]
5
04, 2017
Stop alienating your prospects
There is a breed of salesperson I can’t stand. They’re pushy, arrogant and simply won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. More often than not, they’re employed by share trading or make money [...]
27
03, 2017
How to stop your prospects treating you like a commodity
We’re working with a number of clients who operate in highly competitive markets. When doing competitive research the first thing we notice is the emphasis on price. There are quote calculators, and [...]
20
03, 2017
Chasing new business? Do this first…
Do you constantly chase new business? Pay through the nose for advertising, pound the pavements from networking meeting to networking meeting? Stress out about not having the phone ringing? But in the [...]
27
02, 2017
Reduce Choice – Make better decisions – Increase Sales
It may sound counterintuitive, but reducing available choices actually helps us make better decisions, faster. Based on solid research, Sheena Lyengar has some fascinating observations showing the three main negative consequences to [...]
27
02, 2017
Why giving free advice is a bad idea
Imagine two consultants. Both extremely knowledgeable about their topic. One charges $10,000 a day and is fully booked, the other gives away information just for the asking. Which one would you want [...]
23
01, 2017
A fundamental marketing misconception
This year marks 18 years we’ve been helping businesses grow. Having helped organisations in over 40 industries grow in profit, we’ve noticed three fundamental marketing and selling rules many break. The result? [...]
17
01, 2017
Filling your sales pipeline in 2017
It’s already midway through January. New Year’s Eve seems like a distant past. How are your “resolutions” coming along? On a more serious note, it’s the start of a brand new year. [...]
9
01, 2017
4 keys to generating better leads
Have a great product or service but simply can’t get traction in the market? You’ve tried advertising, going to networking functions, cold calling, sending out emails or even physical mail. But nothing [...]
9
01, 2017
The clues to a great story
Humans have been sitting around campfires telling stories since the dawn of time. But what makes a great story? What structures do they follow to keep audiences engaged? Andrew Stanton wrote the [...]
3
01, 2017
This is key to your business growth…
It’s the first week of 2017. Many of you will have set new year’s resolutions. All the things you’re going to do differently. But I’m willing to make a bet. Most of [...]
19
12, 2016
Are you cheating yourself?
Woody Allen once quipped, “80% of success comes from just showing up”. And one of my favourite sayings is, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water”. Put [...]
12
12, 2016
Doing what matters – The big rock principle
Are you familiar with Steven Covey’s principle of putting big rocks first? i.e. Filling a large jar with rocks and sand? How you need to put in the big rocks first, then [...]
5
12, 2016
The rise of women
What should come as no surprise is the rise in economic power women world-wide have when it comes to buying decisions. Everything from traditional household stuff to major housing purchases. More women [...]
28
11, 2016
How to get more referrals without asking for them
C’mon, be honest. How many referrals do you really get? If you’re like most businesses, not very many. And it’s not because you don’t do a great job. Far from it. There [...]
22
11, 2016
Does price equate to quality?
Does price equate to quality? Do you feel happier the more you pay? Does snob value really exist? Benjamin Wallace decided to sample the very best, or most expensive, or most coveted [...]
8
11, 2016
How to stop your prospects from bouncing away
You have a problem. You search in Google and hit the first likely search result. Be honest, how much time do you spend on a website if you don’t immediately understand what [...]
1
11, 2016
Which form of advertising is right for you?
What? You have a proven system to help one legged, left handed golfers improve their swing? The world is full of whacky products and services. And many a business owner has come [...]
30
09, 2016
Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is.
What do Jurassic Park, Naked by David Sedaris, All the Pretty Horses have in common? They’re all best sellers. But what makes you pick up a book in the first place? Assuming [...]
27
09, 2016
The marketing serenity prayer
Maybe you’re familiar with the serenity prayer. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the [...]
13
09, 2016
How to create a clear marketing message
The American Super Bowl is famous for two things. Obviously one is the football itself. The other? The half time entertainment – including the extremely high priced 30 second advertising spots. Companies [...]
5
09, 2016
What’s your business posture?
Imagine you suddenly need life saving surgery. Would you tell your surgeon how to operate? Chances are you’d be told, “It’s my way or you die”. So as an expert in your [...]
23
08, 2016
How to answer ““What do you do?” the right way
“What do you do?” It’s an obvious question asked countless times in networking meetings. But it’s surprising how badly it usually gets answered. Your goal when meeting someone new is to communicate [...]
12
08, 2016
Trial, error and the God complex
Ever met people who thought they had all the right answers in their field? Doctors (especially surgeons), Politicians, Economists to name a few. People who, in the face of an incredibly complicated [...]
8
08, 2016
Why nobody cares about your product!
Nobody and I mean nobody wants to buy products or services. Whether it’s toothpaste, soap or high priced accounting services, no one cares about you or your product. They only care about [...]
2
08, 2016
Why you’re being ignored!
No matter what business you’re in, or what you sell, in a world of too many options and too little time, your prospects’ obvious choice is to just ignore the ordinary stuff. [...]
27
07, 2016
How David really beat Goliath – a marketing parable
We all know the story of David and Goliath. The slight Israeli shepherd boy who beat the giant Philistine Goliath with a slingshot. But the story may not be what it seems [...]
25
07, 2016
How to get better a ROI from networking
Do you attend a lot of networking functions hoping to pick up business? If so, here’s a simple, but critical question. What’s your time worth? For argument’s sake let’s say you charge [...]
20
07, 2016
Choice, happiness and spaghetti sauce
I’m sure Coke shudders when it thinks back to the debacle of “New Coke” where they changed the formula and nearly had a revolution. Begs the question. “Is there a perfect Coke?” [...]
11
07, 2016
Want to double your closing rate?
There is a fundamental axiom in selling. Who calls whom is very important.A prospect who calls you after researching you and your solutions is TWICE as likely to buy than someone you [...]
5
07, 2016
A whale of a marketing lesson…
We wanted to see whales. More than that, we wanted the whales to come close to us and check us out. It was an extremely chilly morning. Clear skies. Barely 6 degrees [...]
7
06, 2016
You may think this is absurd!
Our Nespresso coffee machine is well travelled. In the last couple of months it’s toured Canberra and Mudgee. Stayed in some pretty nice places and done its duty. To some of you [...]