How High Performing Salespeople Persuade
Are there qualities or attributes that enable the high performing salespeople to be persuasive? I have only been able to identify one. When a prospect or client looks into a
Do You Assess Employees’ Client Service Skills?
Entrepreneurs may be more focused on business building than they are employee development, but learning how to manage a team and help individuals grow is at the heart of creating
Identifying A Target Market Part Two: Optimize Market Awareness
Every business plan must include specific details and decisions that ensure communications and marketing strategies reach a target market to drive strong sales and long-term sustainability. If an entrepreneur fails
Partnering for Success
Vince D’Addona has given a great deal of thought to answering three important questions in building his business: Who is the Right Client?What is the Right Value Proposition?What is the Right
Identifying A Target Market Part One: Know Your Ideal Client
One important component to a strong business model is not only identifying what the offering will be, but also who the product or service is most directly geared toward. Understanding
Client Engagement is Built on Trust
One of the distinguishing characteristics of Ellis & Associates Wealth Management, an investment advisory team with Richardson GMP, is the team’s commitment to Client Engagement. They recognize the difference between an
The Five Cs of Social Media Marketing
I was recently invited to give a presentation on Social Media Marketing to a group of Marketing Executives. Through my research and preparation for the talk, I learned from an Ipsos
The Planning Process in Action
Over the last five years, Guilfoyle Financial has evolved from a team of five to twelve and experienced revenue growth of 300%+. The company is a true multi-generational success story.
Help Employees be more Effective Sales Managers
Most entrepreneurs want to grow their businesses from within, particularly if they have strong employees who have been with them from the very beginning. Promoting existing employees who understand the
Social Media: Simple, But Not Easy
How can entrepreneurs in the financial services industry leverage social media effectively to contribute to their business? According to Scott Plaskett, CEO of Ironshield Financial, the attitude towards social media
Coping with Marketing Disruptions
Whenever a business implements a marketing strategy, it is always taking a risk. No initiative is guaranteed to perform well, regardless of the amount of market research and time that
3 Myths Entrepreneurs Should Avoid
As an entrepreneur, it's difficult to tell what's sound advice and pure myth. In the face of starting a new company, it's completely understandable to be unsure of every decision,
The Importance of Clarity in Financial Services
Do your clients have a complete and crystal clear understanding of their insurance policy? Given the way financial language has evolved, it's hard to fault clients for being in the
How Can Leaders Foster a Culture of Innovation?
You can't simply hire people and wait around expecting them to come up with creative business strategies. Sure, finding the right talent is part of the equation, but the next
Content Marketing 101: Video is Your Friend
Marketing has gone through a sea change over the past couple decades. And if your strategy hasn't transitioned as well, you're probably noticing the repercussions: Your pool of prospects has dried
How Telecommuting Impacts Business
Today's workforce is demanding more flexibility from their workplace and many companies are opening up to telecommuting as an option to employees. Recently, Wired cited Forrester research from last year
Emotional Intelligence Part II: Self-regulation in Business Strategy
When working to strengthen client relationships, emotional intelligence - self-awareness, specifically - plays a central role. The concept articulated most effectively by Daniel Goleman rests on the assumption that our ability to
Can You Increase Prices and Maintain Service Excellence?
At some point, you have to increase prices - whether it's through imposing new fees or simply raising the cost of service. This can happen for a number of reasons.
3 Steps In Building a Performance Culture
When it comes to hiring the right people, many companies falter. In fact, a recent study conducted by the international consulting firm Deloitte found that 34 percent of business executives indicated their
Thought Leadership ─ Avoiding Groundhog Days
I have a love/hate relationship with the movie Groundhog Day, staring Bill Murray. If you haven’t seen it, the early 1990’s comedy features the story of a self-obsessed career man
What Role Does Corporate Social Responsibility Play in Business Management?
Corporate social responsibility isn't simply a catch phrase that business owners gravitate toward to make their customers and clients feel better about using their products and services. Social responsibility is
Easing the Concerns of Potential New Clients
Millions of individuals eventually reach an age where they understand the critical need for advice and guidance when it comes to managing their money - assets, estate and financial plans.
Why Online Communities Provide “Soft Power” Marketing
Working in any industry, you'll have clients that expect to have fairly direct access to your client-facing employees. Yet, it's unlikely all of your employees will have the chance to
3 Steps to Embrace Sales Growth
Complacency will be the downfall of any sales team. Unfortunately, countless organizations fall into the trappings of habit and comfort that eventually result in stagnation. Client demands and preferences generally aren't written in