If I asked readers of this newsletter, “Are you on LinkedIn?”, my guess is that 95% of you would say yes. But a better question is this: Are you deriving value from it? I’ve immersed myself in this platform over the past couple of years and wanted to share my biggest...
Are You Out Of Tune with Your Salespeople? CEOs are charismatic leaders who have a vision for their company and many responsibilities such as developing products, selecting the right people, engaging with the marketplace, and making critical decisions across the...
Let me share a story about a B2B company that failed to think like a B2C. Years ago when I started my first managerial position as a marketer at a bootstrapped startup, I was seeking a promo company that could produce all the swag, clothes, and random goodies we’d...
When I ask manufacturing leaders “What makes you different?”, I most commonly hear: Our customer service Our deep expertise and experience Both are great things. But here’s the problem: Until a customer experiences them first hand, they have no reason to believe you....
If you had a manufacturing issue on your line, would you keep running it the same way? Chances are you would halt everything and fix the issue, right? So why aren’t you running your sales department the same way? Measuring Is Key When it comes to your manufacturing...
A few months ago, I wrote an article for this column titled “How (and When) Manufacturers Can Measure Marketing ROI”. This one is its much less beloved (but equally important) counterpart. First, a little context… The insanely fast acceleration of information...
The success of your sales team can impact the success of your whole business. Here are three common Challenges we see arise within your sales team when you are trying to grow your company. Open Territories and Positions According to Repsly, “64 percent of...
Symbolically, it’ll feel good to leave 2020 in the rearview mirror. But who knows what lies ahead in the new year? Will a vaccine prove effective, reinstating travel and in-person meetings? If so, how soon? What about trade shows? If they’re not cancelled yet, we...
This year certainly has had its challenges, personal or professional. But whether your company surpassed its sales goals or it struggled to stay afloat, you still need to figure out some way to set your sales goals for 2021. Review Your Long-term Plan You may want to...
The situation A few weeks ago, a quote request arrived for a new product. It had high volumes, and it was an excellent fit for your facility. You ran it through your estimating program, submitted your price, and then you got the dreaded call. The buyer told you,...