Sales tips, leadership communication skills insight and more from Steve Giglio, sales training professional for more than 25 years.
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
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.
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.”
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!)
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
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
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.
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?
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.
What 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
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.
Give it a try this week. Let me know if you notice any changes in your demeanor, outlook and approach to your interactions.
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.
One week to go before the holiday distractions arrive (parties, vacations, last-minute shopping)…how’s it going?
On the shoulders of my last post about questions to ask clients before 2015, I’ve realized throughout my end-of-year client interactions how essential it is to remain open and curious versus right. And I know I’m right about that! Read more
Well, it’s December. Where did the time go? Here in New York City, we went from a two day Fall to what seems like will be a long time Winter! And we will soon enter the days of company and family holiday parties and other distractions. What might get lost is that NOW is the time for you to establish your position with clients for 2015. We’ve got eight days to accomplish this. Come December 16, it will be “Happy Holidays” and “See you next year!”
In other words…too late!
Yes, you need to be prepared to give a thorough synopsis of your business with your clients. You will have the opportunity to tell them how you believe your team did this year and regale them with all that you’ve accomplished on their behalf. But wait! First, you need to hear how THEY think you did and what issues they are anticipating for 2015. To do that, I recommend the following four questions that you ask (and do it soon!).
Asking these four questions before entering 2015 will illustrate your concern for your client’s world next year and your desire to further your partnership with them:
Ask these questions with optimism, alacrity and curiosity. Be genuine in your listening, which means that you must really be attentive and responsive to what they are saying. Repeat their issues back to them so they know you comprehend what they’ve said. Ask them if you have captured the issues correctly. Don’t be afraid to ask for more explanation or clarification. I have found that simply saying, “Really?’ can lead to an even deeper look by a client at what their future plans entail…which is great for you to know, right?
Remember, no matter what your client expresses, you’ve credentialed yourself by asking these empathetic questions that further establishes your partnership. The “color” you’ll receive is important to think about throughout the holidays to design/plan your response to their core issues.
And did I mention…do it now!! Let me know how it goes.
A lot of light has been shone recently on the affect bullying has on our country’s youth. A warning to business leaders…it happens in business, too, perhaps at your company.
While overt cases are easy to spot, many teams have silent bullies, the people who subtly coerce and make demands of others, thinking this behavior is acceptable. And because no one has said anything about it, the behavior IS acceptable. It’s up to you to say that it isn’t. Read more
