Sales tips, leadership communication skills insight and more from Steve Giglio, sales training professional for more than 25 years.

Sales…Love It, Don’t Leave It

The sales person. Over the years, and many, many bad used car sales pitches, the reputation of the sales profession has gotten a bit…ok…a LOT tainted. And yet, the Chally Group states that 39 percent of B2B buyers select a vendor according to the skills of the sales person rather than price, quality or service features. Wow! My mission has always been, and always will be, to bring respect back to the sales person. I don’t need another motivating factor than this. Read more

Presentations That Fit!

Most of you know my passion for listening and truly understanding a client well before you deliver your presentation.

We’ve just finished a series of coaching points focused on developing a killer presentation based on your value proposition. One of the sure fire ways to dilute a great presentation is to deliver it too soon! Read more

Creating Your Value Proposition: Step 3

It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing!

The jazz great Duke Ellington was right. And it applies to you and your presentation! A presentation has to be entertaining and educating. You need to develop a rhythm and a level of alacrity (cheerful readiness) that’s infectious. Read more

Creating Your Value Proposition: Step 2

If you read my last post, you should now have a list of your company’s attributes. Do you? If not, give that post a read. We’ll wait.

OK, now that you’re back, I want you to start thinking like Steven Spielberg. Once Spielberg finishes filming, it’s off to the edit room to complete the project…you too! Read more

First Step to Creating Your Value Proposition

In my last post, we looked at how important your value proposition is and especially, how it is communicated. Now that you’ve gathered the essential value points from the reconnaissance and questions I recommended, you can begin to develop your value proposition.

This week, I will kick off a three-part series aimed at helping you shape your message so that it is crystallized and becomes the core of how your directs communicate your brand.

Step #1: Think More, Speak Less

No doubt you have endured the sometimes painful process of creating a company “mission statement.” The result can be a considerably long tome that, while capturing ALL that the company stands for, it’s sheer size or unmemorable qualities make it destined for mothballs. However, strategic, long-term thought went into creating that document and I wholeheartedly believe that it could be time well spent.

I recommend taking all of that good work, and serious thought, and boil it down as much as you can to the core elements that really get your team fired up. Think seven minutes. In seven minutes (or less) anyone on your team should be able to so effectively communicate your company’s value proposition that they will not only grab your client’s attention but, will have them asking for more. Now you’re getting somewhere.

Too often, we feel a need to pack so much data, supporting arguments, examples and justification into our value proposition that it begins to sound like a defense case rather than a statement that pridefully says “We are good at what we do and we make a difference doing it.”

Homework: List Your Values

Your homework for Step #1 of this process is to create a list of all your company’s attributes, your core values. Why do you do what you do? Why do your customers hire you? Why do employees work for you, and why do they stay working for you?  Make this list, in no particular order, and have other key stakeholders do the same. We will take a look at that list next week.  Have fun with it and let me know how it goes (or send me your list if you’d like!)

The Importance of Your Value Proposition

I believe it was the late marketer/author Marc Gobe who said it best, “A brand lives in how its communicated.” The converse of that is also true, that brands die because of how they are communicated. And for many, it is a slow death. The cause, old conversations that don’t reflect your company’s value proposition of today.  Read more

The “So Now What?” Moment is Here

Last week, I gave you the stark news that the holidays are over and we arrived at “the morning after.” As a result, and maybe you’ve felt it too, the “So Now What?” moment is here.   Read more

The Morning After…

I trust you all had a good, relaxing time with family and friends throughout the holidays.

One of the joys of consulting is developing professional friendships you know will last a lifetime. For my first blog of 2015, I want to thank and acknowledge John Mina, Managing Partner, Willis Group Holdings, for providing the title. John has been a great sounding board and leader I’ve enjoyed collaborating with for several years now.

How to Start 2015

Well…as John put it, with the holidays and 2014 behind us, its now the morning after! Where do you pick it up from? What do you do first, second, etc??

To lead, first ground yourself in the goals you’ve established for yourself. What goals are real and what goals are nice-to-haves? Focus on how YOU want to be perceived this year based on your successes (and how you overcame failures) last year.

What two behavioral characteristics are important to you now? How do you want to credential yourself this year in the eyes of your team, your clients and your family?

Set the Tone for Your Directs

Think about adding in the ability to welcome peer and team feedback of you, along with acknowledging each direct’s positive characteristics. The next step is to review and verify each direct’s developmental goals. Listen carefully to each direct’s desires with the intention of learning something unique from them. The more you know, the more trusted and supportive you become.

Feel free to share with them some of your developmental goals. That level of humility says volumes about you and your desire to lead. You’ve got things to prove, too!

Try out these ideas and let me know.

Top Leadership and Sales Training Posts – 2014

Steve G 04/15/09What a year! We’ve seen so much change in the world and at home. During the next few weeks, news outlets will flood the airwaves and print with reviews of the best (and worst) of 2014 so, I thought I’d follow suit. Read more

About Gratitude

I’ve just put up our Christmas Tree, placed the poinsettias around our home and have settled in to write my holiday blog.

Amidst so much that’s happened this year, personally and professionally, I’m left with a profound sense of gratitude for the difference I’ve been able to make with my clients, the trust and confidence they have shown in my coaching and the difference they’ve made in my life.

Practice  Conscious Gratitude

Throughout this year, I started each business day with gratitude. As I walk to the gym each morning, I list twenty people for whom I’m grateful in my life. It changes my energy, purges my worries and replaces them with gratitude.

Give it a try this week. Let me know if you notice any changes in your demeanor, outlook and approach to your interactions.

Each Year Presents Great Opportunities

From this discipline, as I look towards 2015 in my own business, I’m approaching next next year as if it is my first in business. I’ve got the same feeling of expectation and commitment to developing champions as I did almost thirty years ago when I began coaching. I am eager to learn what 2015 will bring to me as I continuously develop my skills so that I can help clients further their business goals.

No post next week so, I will take this opportunity to wish you, your employees and your family a very joyous, healthy and peaceful holiday.