How to Avoid Setting Your New Salesperson Up For Failure
18
Sep 2017
11
Jul 2017
5 Powerful Moments on the Path to Get More Clients
Most small businesses start with someone who has an innovative idea, or at least the desire to build a business around what they do. In most cases, these entrepreneurs fall into sales out of necessity. You either figure out how to get more clients, or you fail.
—
Our story started this way. Early successes led us to underestimate the power of mastering marketing and sales, both the skills and the […]
15
Jun 2017
Be Interesting – How to Win Leads at Trade Shows
Most businesses seem to hit trade shows as if they are a necessary evil for lead generation. They do what is needed, but don’t try to stand out. At a time when budgets are tight and trade show attendance is dropping, is this approach wise?
—
As I was walking through the Global Petroleum Show here in Calgary on Tuesday, I was struck by a few insights.
Fitting In – The 80/20 Rule
The […]
9
Jun 2017
5 Ways to Win Survivor Alberta – Business Edition
The key to being the ultimate survivor in business in an extremely competitive landscape is to have a strategic plan. These five components will help you thrive.
—
Before I stopped watching television, I used to watch Survivor. One of my favourite scenes was an episode where Rupert stole shoes and other items from the other tribe, and then they used the pirated loot to trade for more useful – and untraceable – […]
26
May 2017
Sharing a Cultural Experience – Amina’s Business Start-Up
Arsheen Dhalla has been busy doing remarkable work in Zanzibar through the Daraja Foundation. Daraja means bridge in Swahili. During one of her infrequent visits to Calgary, I had the pleasure to sit down with her and listen to her story. There are many stories to tell. For the second video in the series, we decided to focus on Amina’s business story.
The first time Arsheen traveled to Zanzibar in this capacity, her […]
25
May 2017
Do You Know What Makes You Successful At Sales?
Most small and mid-sized businesses cannot clearly define the process they use for successful sales. This lack of clarity severely limits the growth potential of an SMB. Here’s why.
—
I didn’t say YOU can’t sell. If you’ve been in business or sales for a few years and are still around, you’ve probably figured something out that works for you.
In fact, I haven’t met very many business owners who don’t think they can sell or at least have someone on […]
19
May 2017
3 Questions To Ask Before Cutting The Marketing Budget
Most starting and early growth entrepreneurs are focused on costs. Shifting your mindset about marketing budget can change your results dramatically. These 3 questions help you do that.
The First Questions People Normally Ask
If you own a business and someone says you should use some powerful integrated marketing software that costs $800 per month – what is your first thought?
If an online marketing firm comes to you with a proposal to increase traffic and lead generation from your website and it will cost $4,000 a month […]
15
May 2017
Get Serious About Defining Your Ideal Clients
One of the keys to strategic marketing is to make the best use of your limited resources for the greatest results. One of the most powerful drivers of marketing results is to define your ideal clients precisely.
◊♦◊
The best way to show how this works is to take you along on my latest journey to do just that for the online marketing services portion of our business.
A good strategy is just as much about what you will not […]
2
May 2017
Change or Die: Thriving In Turbulent Times
The oil and gas industry is notorious for riding the boom and bust cycles inefficiently. When oil is over $80 a barrel, the profits are large enough companies choose to ignore innovation and spend on growth instead. The problems compound the faster you grow until you can’t survive below $70 per barrel.
When prices are low, there is a slash and burn reaction because the company was never set up to be efficient. Now, the money and resources are not there to support creating efficiencies. […]
24
Apr 2017
Small Potatoes, Time, and Inbound Marketing
When you make mistakes, it is best to learn the lessons they teach you. Sometimes the lessons are about something else entirely – like time management and inbound marketing.
Counting Potatoes
It all started when I was making my supper. I was a bit hungry and grabbed some baby potatoes to roast. I would usually eat one large potato or two medium ones. Baby potatoes are much smaller. Obviously, one large potato is the equivalent of about 50 baby potatoes.
Having made this mistake before, and being considerate of […]