Leverage!
Leverage! Archimedes famously said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” Ultimately, leverage is about increasing efficiency across the [...]
Are you outsourcing your thinking?
Are you outsourcing your thinking? Going with the flow. Letting others tell you what to think, how to act, who to support, what your opinions should be. Or do you [...]
When faced with adversity
When faced with adversity you have a choice. Hunker down. Close the blinds. Hope it’ll go away. Give up. Or… Look for opportunities. There’s always a silver lining. You just have to [...]
To call or not to call… that is the question
Should I call? Should I not call? Should I actively sell? Should I hang back? In the words of Henry Ford, “If you think you can or think you can’t [...]
Reaffirming your value…
It would be an understatement to say that the world’s in turmoil. So when confronted with a situation there are different ways we can deal with it. We can apply expansive or [...]
Opportunity or threat? You decide…
Right now we’re in the middle of the Covid-19 storm. And while we’re all battening down the hatches, at some point the storm will pass. And we need to prepare to be [...]
Are you choosing fear or expansion?
Right now the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket. Fear and uncertainty rules. Having said that, you have a choice. You can retreat, bunker down [...]
Moving from chaos to order
Right now the world seems to be going to hell in a hand-basket. Fear and uncertainty rules. As a species, we crave order, structure and leadership. We can’t control everything that’s happening. [...]
Do you empower people?
What sort of leader are you? My name’s Rashid Kotwal. Over 40 years I’ve come across a wide variety of leaders. Some great, others positively toxic. I vividly remember one [...]
A crisis of leadership…
Fires, floods, now pestilence with Covid-19. In uncertain times as a population we’re uncertain, confused all the way to downright fearful. And this is exactly when we need strong leadership. At a [...]
Sleep with one eye open…
Fires, floods, now pestilence with Covid-19. We live in an age of disruption. So it’s not a case of if, but a case of when something unforeseen will come up. [...]
No man is an island…
In business there’s only so much you can do alone. Ultimately, your business will only grow if there’s leverage. Which comes from people. Sustained growth and profitability comes from staff who are [...]
Why your organisation’s culture matters…
Your organisation’s growing rapidly. How do you hire the right people? What should you be looking for? My name’s Rashid Kotwal. There are three predominant ways companies hire people. But [...]
As a leader you job is to…
When working with business leaders, we emphasise that everything starts at the top with your leadership. Leadership ultimately is creating a space where people want to belong. And you [...]
Why your organisation’s culture matters…
Did you know that an organisation’s core values and culture is one of the biggest determinants of its ongoing success? That culture permeates every aspect of your business and it’s your role [...]
Do you need a checkup from the neck up?
In business as well as life in general, one of the greatest predictors of success is your mindset. Something understood by every elite athlete. Talent will only get you so [...]
The Dreamer, Realist & Critic
Every business faces risks. Some you can control, others not. Either way you must have plans to mitigate them or risk oblivion. In our recent mastermind session, 20 mid-sized business owners discussed [...]
Starting with the end in mind…
Does your business provide you with short, medium and long term income? My name’s Rashid Kotwal. When working with growth focused business owners we emphasise it’s crucial to keep the [...]
How to set your priorities correctly….
Success comes through focusing on what’s important and getting it done. One of the most important concepts in business is the Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule. Where 20% of your efforts will [...]
Are you charging enough?
Do you believe your clients buy on price? So you feel you have to keep your prices low to win the deal? Or that they’ll negotiate you down hard? My [...]
Please… walk a mile in my shoes first!
All sales involve taking buyers on a journey from where they are now to where they want to get to. When working with business owners we drum into them that no one [...]
How to write a “capability” document
What do you send when a prospect says, “Send me something about you”? I’ve been reviewing a number of capability documents recently. Documents which purport to explain to a prospect what it [...]
Host/Beneficiary Relationships…
Imagine sending one email and getting over 2,000 targeted leads back within a day. People who’ve given you their full name, email and mobile number. Leads you can immediately follow [...]
How to shorten your sales cycle & double your conversions
Want to significantly shorten your sales cycle and double your conversion rate? Position yourself as the credible authority in your field. Think about how you go about researching a product or service [...]
When do you quit following up?
How often do you contact a prospect before giving up? Once, twice, three times? And by not persisting are you missing out on closing deals? Years ago I had a [...]
Generating referrals on steroids
We all intuitively understand the power of referrals. But most people leave them to chance. One of the most powerful ways to target prospects in your market is to find someone who [...]
Are you coming on too strong?
In business there’s ultimately no difference between making sales and starting a personal relationship. My name’s Rashid Kotwal. Let’s say you’re looking for a new relationship. That special other in [...]
How to get an unfair advantage in sales
A fundamental axiom in sales is people buy when they want to. Not when you need to make a sale! And that at unless you’re right in front of them at that [...]
Turn cold prospects into warm ones by….
2020 is upon us. I’m sure you have big plans. Lots of sales growth. But it’s one thing to set a sales target, but quite another to have a strategy to achieve [...]
Why you must align prospecting, marketing & sales to close more business
Are you finding it’s getting harder to get in front of the right prospects? Secure meetings and close deals? And therefore aren’t growing at the rate you’d like? If so, you’re not [...]
Why you should celebrate “no’s”
The late Ziz Ziglar was a consummate salesman who loved hearing the word “NO!”. That may sound ridiculous, so bear with me. Zig knew that when prospecting it took a certain number [...]
How are you keeping score?
Imagine playing a competitive game with no scoring mechanism. No way of determining a winner or loser. It’s an oxymoron and there’d be no point. So why wouldn’t we apply this to [...]
Could “complacency” kill your business?
Every business must re-invent itself periodically. Past success is no guarantee for future growth. In business you’re either growing or dying. There’s no room for complacency. To stay ahead of the S-Curve [...]
A “Vision” without [this] is just a pipe dream!
According to Hebrew proverbs, Where there is no vision, the people perish. And as the Cheshire Cat said to Alice, if you don’t know where you want to get to, any road [...]
What drives you? Money, time, status, happiness?
Money, time, status and happiness. Ultimately we’re all striving for one or more of these in life. And arguably one of the most effective ways of achieving these is through business. Why? [...]
Are you an eagle or a pigeon?
I’m sure you’ve heard the sayings, “Like attracts like”, “Birds of a feather flock together” and “As within, so without”. Your business is a direct reflection of who you are. And that [...]
Vision – Strategy – Plan for 2020?
It’s coming up to the silly season. Lots of merriment and parties before Christmas. Not a lot gets done. Or does it? Back in the 70’s, 80’s and even early 90’s that [...]
The greatest influencer of your success is…
In any field, one of the greatest influencers of your success is your attitude of being of service. Zig Ziglar summed the mindset up beautifully, “You can get everything in life you [...]
Where are you on the S-Curve?
When working with business owners we start by asking them where on the S-curve they are. Are they experiencing instability where there’s feast and famine. Often more work than they can handle, [...]
When you need clients fast!
Ever been in a tight spot with cash flow? Where you need clients fast? Here’s what you need to do. Transcript Ever been in a tight spot with cash flow? [...]