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Introductions
Alan Weiss
JANUARY 28, 2021
The key to successfully eliciting quality referrals is to ask for specific names or titles. Example: Would you introduce me to your counterpart in Europe? Would you introduce me to Mary Jones, your CFO?
Alan Weiss
I’ll Have the No Normal® Please
Alan Weiss
JUNE 9, 2021
The people who talk about “returning to normal” are those people who are going to be bringing up the rear in the new marketplaces. How do conference centers and hotels lure back millions of dollars in convention business when organizations can meet virtually?
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Surveys
Alan Weiss
MAY 19, 2021
If you must create a survey, first determine what information you desire to capture, not what questions to ask. Keep it as brief as you can and focus on a single issue, e.g., response time. Include a qualitative response option, e.g., “How can we best improve customer service online response?”
Money vs. Budgets
Alan Weiss
APRIL 6, 2021
Don’t confuse “budget” with “money.” ” A “budget” is an estimate of income and outgo with allocations made accordingly.
The Best Sales Forecasting Models for Weathering Your Goals
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Every sales forecasting model has a different strength and predictability method. It’s recommended to test out which one is best for your team. This way, you’ll be able to further enhance – and optimize – your newly-developed pipeline. Your future sales forecast? Sunny skies (and success) are just ahead!
The New Sales Alchemy
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 12, 2021
About two years ago I became more disciplined about asking how new clients found me. Over 90% were from a referral from a colleague or reading one of my books (often because of a referral from a colleague). Marketing is not rocket science.
Refer to This
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 5, 2020
The next time a prospect asks for references: • “Every person I give you will rave about me. What is that going to prove?”
Ideally
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 6, 2021
Years ago an experiment showed that Dunkin’ Donuts customers and Starbucks customers, asked to use the other coffeeshop for a month with all their coffee paid for, all refused to change to the other store at the end of the month. These are tribes, set in their ways and preferences.
Consulting 301
Alan Weiss
JUNE 5, 2021
There’s a lot of truth in the consulting advice, “If it hurts when you do that, stop doing that. That will be $50,000.” ” (The last part is my own value-based addition.). Here’s a current version: “Any strategy you had in place pre-pandemic is no longer even vaguely relevant. I’ll help you develop a new one. That will be $100,000.” ” Rinse and repeat. Business of Consulting
Fire, Aim, Ready
Alan Weiss
MARCH 16, 2021
I stopped in my hobby store here today to give the owner some business and to stock up. My total would have come to a couple of hundred dollars. But Charlie was morose. I asked what was wrong.
B2B Pocket Playbook: End-to-End Guide to Sales Enablement
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Sales enablement is the strategic process of providing sales teams with the content, guidance, and mentorship needed to engage targeted buyers. It’s all about equipping sales professionals with the tools they need to put their best-selling foot forward. And if sales teams want to continuously sell better -- and faster -- their sales enablement process must have a game-winning strategy. It's time for you to start selling smarter - and hitting your sales number - with the best B2B database in the market. Get started today.
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Wait A Minute, People Pay Me, I Don’t Pay You!!
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 28, 2020
I’m happy to provide interviews for both broadcast and print sources. About 99% of them are run by honest, well-intentioned organizations, some of whom have vast networks that help me, and some of whom I’m helping by building their networks. Fine with me.
Develop the Stars
Alan Weiss
JANUARY 6, 2021
The mistake most organizations make with their investments is in desperately trying to develop all performers to perform at the top levels.
Help Is Here
Alan Weiss
JULY 1, 2020
A meeting with a prospect is not an adversarial relationship. I’ve heard “sales experts” spout that someone makes a sale, either you with your product or service, or the prospect by rejecting you.
A Little Education
Alan Weiss
AUGUST 13, 2020
If your proposal isn’t accepted, ask the buyer: “What could I have done better or differently to have been successful in working with you?” ” If you find a pattern, you’ll know what you have to change.
Pressure Points: How to Ensure Your B2B Pipeline Passes Inspection
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
This eBook highlights best practices for developing a pipeline management process that helps sales leaders and their team C.L.O.S.E (you’ll see what we mean in this eBook) more revenue through data-driven prospecting, stage analysis, and subsequent sales enablement.
Evangelism
Alan Weiss
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020
The future of selling is all about evangelism. Are your customers and clients “marketing” for you by word-of-mouth and unsolicited referrals?
Clearing the Decks
Alan Weiss
APRIL 28, 2021
Triage your clients: 1 Top clients: highest future potential, spending much more than average now, provide referrals unsolicited, positive comments on line. 2 Average clients: some future potential, average spending, referrals sometimes if asked, no comments on line. 3 Poor clients: little future potential, below average spending, no referrals, tend to complain about everything on line. Invest in 1, sustain 2, jettison 3. Business of Consulting
Consulting 301
Alan Weiss
MAY 9, 2021
Most organizations (and consultants) make the mistake of looking externally for “best practices” to apply. In fact, most organizations have internal best practices that are not shared for a number of reasons. I had an auto client who wanted me to study the competition to find out why their service ratings were higher. I asked if any of his own dealerships reached those heights and he admitted that a few did.
Sled, Dog, Person—What’s the Right Order?
Alan Weiss
MARCH 16, 2021
Remember “the cart before the horse”? It was triggered by the photo below that was sent to me this morning.
Marketing-Led Post-COVID-19 Growth Strategies
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Businesses are laying off workers, shutting their doors (some permanently), and struggling to react to the radical destruction that coronavirus (COVID-19) is doing to our society and communities. However, there’s no team better suited to lead that charge than the marketing department.
Community
Alan Weiss
MAY 24, 2021
According to the book, Loneliness Is an Emergency, lonely people are more likely to have heart attacks and cancer and alcoholism, and even common colds (reported in the New York Times ). I don’t think “loneliness” is necessarily solitude. I think it means being disaffected and disconnected with people around you. That’s why communities are so important, whether personal or professional, real or virtual. We want to be with kindred spirits.
Consulting 201
Alan Weiss
MAY 7, 2021
If you don’t have a value proposition that is appealing, relevant, and engaging, the point of your arrow is blunted. The aerodynamics are poor and it won’t penetrate anything. It will merely bounce off. If you have a strong brand, people will flock to you, no worries. But to build toward that kind of powerful brand you need a value proposition that provides direction and power for your talents and abilities.
You’re Too Busy to Use A Smart Phone During A Break?
Alan Weiss
MAY 22, 2021
The same contractors not returning calls right now will be the same ones crying their eyes out in six months because they have no business. You see, consulting is very simple: If it hurts when you do that (not returning calls), then stop doing that (return the calls). That will be $50,000. You want a second opinion? Okay, you’re undercharging and over-delivering. You could reduce your labor and make even more money. Business of Consulting
In Person
Alan Weiss
MARCH 9, 2021
If you’re not scheduling “live” meetings, events, and experiences now for the summer and fall then when do you plan to do it? While “remote” interactions will remain very popular, nothing is better than interacting with people personally.
How ZoomInfo Helps Overcome the Top Pain Points of Inside Sales
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Recent digital transformation has shifted the B2B landscape by ushering in the era of buyer empowerment. With more access to user reviews, analyst opinion, and industry research, decision-makers are more informed than ever while navigating what is now known as the “buyer’s journey.”
One Step At A Time
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 13, 2020
Focus your buyer. If there is “overwhelm” or chaos, or simply too many priorities, just suggest: “Here’s what I think we should do first. Then we’ll see about the rest.” ” Business of Consulting
Pitching
Alan Weiss
JUNE 4, 2020
Even people who purport to be sophisticated sales professionals or “experts” resort to using “pitch” to describe approaching a prospect. The dreaded—and fictitious—”elevator pitch” is supposed to represent how to influence someone between floors.
Damage Control
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 27, 2021
Many people I’ve coached over the years had been unsuccessful because their default position is that the buyer is somehow “damaged.” ” Because the buyer needs help, the assumption is that he or she has contributed to the problem, or even caused it.
Marketing Ops: The New Revenue Hero
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
As data continues to play a starring role in today’s B2B organizations, both marketing and sales operations professionals are poised to solidify their place as critical revenue drivers. In particular, the evolution of the Marketing Operations (Ops) role has created a new standard in marketing and has become a vital component of an organization’s success.
Time and Money
Alan Weiss
JUNE 6, 2020
I think it’s time to remind everyone that money and time are priorities, not resources. In other words, “I don’t have the budget” or “This isn’t a good time” are specious excuses. There IS time and there IS money, but they are invested elsewhere.
Guess What?
Alan Weiss
AUGUST 31, 2020
Marshall Goldsmith and I, writing Lifestorming together, agreed that if someone intent on improving something can’t get it done (or substantially begun) in 30 days, they’re not able to do it without help.
Please Stop Lighting Matches Near the Dynamite
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 10, 2020
Preventive action is far superior to contingent action, because it saves money, time, embarrassment, and sometimes, lives.
A Little Advice
Alan Weiss
MAY 16, 2020
People are asking me the same question over and over, so I’ve become pretty adept at the answer. Best practices as the economy reopens: Call everyone of consequence (buyers, recommenders, prospects) until you reach them on the phone. Offer help. Don’t talk about money or projects.
What We Learned From Our Own Data-Driven ABM Strategy
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
ZoomInfo has created the following eBook to help other B2B organizations gain insights on how to launch their own data-driven ABM strategy. In this eBook, we will reveal the good and the bad from our own campaign and highlight some key takeaways on how to improve your ABM strategies moving forward.
Following Up, Down, and Sideways
Alan Weiss
JULY 18, 2020
I received two separate apologies this week from people who owed me responses but had found my original email in their junk folders. Like me, they check their junk folders before erasing them.) I understand that these things happen, and was about to follow up anyway.
Did My Passport Just Expire?
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
If you’ve at all adapted to remote marketing and delivery, you’ve seen how much more profitable your business is, even if you have decreased revenues. What lessons are you learning from that? You’ve been undercharging and over-delivering in the past!
Super Bowl Selling
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 8, 2021
The Patriots beat the hell out of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl because you only need to win that game, there is no best-of-seven as in baseball and other sports. In one game, anything can happen—bad calls, trick plays, turnovers, a player who catches fire.
Sorry, I Can’t Take Your Money, I’m Too Busy
Alan Weiss
APRIL 18, 2021
I’ve noticed quite a few contractors—landscape, masonry, windows, heating and air, etc.—who who have had a great year as people attend to their environment, since they’re spending so much time in it. Yet instead of hiring help, or changing schedules, these business owners are turning away business. These are the same people who are going to complain when they have no current business. Never turn down good business.
Catch Them If You Can: The Passive Candidates Edition
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
With the right tools and mindset, it’s possible to track down this candidate (and many others like them!). How? Simple: By thinking like one. To get started on your search, we’ve gathered clues you’ll need to get in the mind of your passive prospects.
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