sales
282 posts
Earning A Competitive Advantage
Very few new businesses have an unassailable advantage that makes them the only choice for a prospective customer. Most don’t make measurably superior products or own proprietary software. They haven’t patented a secret formula, and they don’t necessarily have more resources or talent than the next
The Unfair Exchange
‘That will be eight dollars,’ the woman, who is carefully weighing and wrapping two serves of freshly made fettuccine for us to take home, says. As my husband is about to hand her the cash, she takes another handful of the pasta from behind the glass and adds it to our package. She doesn’t announce…
On Being Valued
If we want to be valued for both the skills that differentiate us and the work that brings us joy, then we must find ways to articulate that value to our customers. Better stories create value.
Message Before Medium
Since our objective must always be resonance over reach, it isn’t the medium that should dictate our communication strategy—it’s the message.
Competence AND Character
As individuals and brands, we’re judged by our character, not just our competence. How does your character differentiate you?
Memorable Marketing
Memorable marketing isn’t just about what you say when—it’s about how you act at every moment.
The Flipside Of Persuasion
Sales and marketing are as much about understanding as they are about persuading.
The Value Shift
Sally studied Film and TV at college. She wants to be a director one day. But that’s a distant goal. In the meantime, she’s decided to put the skills she learned in college to work. Sally built a website and started working for friends of friends on their promotional business videos. Sally is buildi
How Obstacles Create Value
The better we understand the obstacle, the better we get at solving the problem. And the better we can describe the obstacle, the better we become at selling the solution.
What’s Your Customer Acquisition Strategy?
Successful selling is as much about customer discernment as it is about brand differentiation.
10 Benefits Of Strategic Storytelling
Stories do more than help us to tell and sell. Shared narratives are powerful catalysts for change and the building blocks of our culture.
The Empathy Advantage
On the face of it, the bus driver is paid by the hour to get passengers safely from point A to point B. But most of the value he creates for the bus company, not to mention the city, has nothing to do with his driving ability. It’s in the empathetic work of reassuring passengers…
Invest in Second Contact
Both businesses and the customers win when we prioritise affinity over attention.
Begin With Wants and Needs
All successful businesses do two things. They fulfil the unmet needs and unspoken desires of their ideal customer.
What’s Your Promise To Your Customers?
There are a thousand ways to stand out with a better story. And you get to pick one.
When Subjectivity Wins
Successful brands craft and tell stories for their ideal customers—the people who are ready to hear and believe them.The more subjective we can be in our sales and marketing, the better.
Get Specific To Get More Customers
The more specific you can be about who your work is for and who it’s not for, the better your chances of gaining traction with more people.
Persuade On Purpose, With Purpose
If we’re in the business of making things that change people’s lives for the better, we must master the art of persuasion and help people to make decisions they’re glad about.
The Value Conversation
What’s the value conversation your customer is having?
Say It With Intention
Communication is not just an exchange of information, it’s also an exchange of intention. We’re never just speaking or writing the words to be heard, we’re always trying to make ourselves understood.
