Sunday, December 05, 2010

Boost Your Sales With "Integrated Visibility" and A Motivated Staff

I have been talking with many business leaders lately about "sales". This is an important to all companies, law firms and other organizations.... but to many it seems mysterious. Everyone wants "more" sales, but some question what it means to have a plan to bring in the business.

For a long time people looked at "sales", "business development", "marketing", "pubic relations", "networking", "social media", and "branding" as totally separate functions. Everyone agrees they sound like they belong together, but few work on making them work in sync.

To enhance your company's efforts you need an "Integrated Visibility" program. Discussing the definitions or descriptions of "what is sales? or "what is marketing" (etc....) eats up a lot of time. If an executive team is hoping to prove to each other who is the smartest person in the room, they can debate the semantics all day long.

Smart companies put their focus on the results, not the definitions of the disciplines that will lead them to more business.

When the numbers come up short, some will rationalize all sorts of excuses why the company is not meeting expectations. Fingers get pointed, sales and marketing professionals get fired, and new plans get drawn up to do better in the future. But often nothing new happens.

I believe all companies must ask themselves:

1. Do those who are responsible for sales, marketing, and other revenue generating activities believe in their soul that the company's products and services are spectacular? Does the leadership have the same confidence? Are people coming to work to advance a cause, or just to check the box to get a pay check?

Often when a business is falling short the answers are often negative.

2. Do the employees all believe that EVERYONE, regardless of job title, is part of the business development team? Or do they wait for the "sales" people to take care of all aspects of new client acquisition?

When people do not believe they are responsible for the growth, they wait for those with official sales jobs to produce. It can be a long wait.

Has your company planned a team meeting to kick off 2011. Is everyone included? If the answer is no to either (or both) of these questions.... why not? Getting everyone on your team motivated to grow your overall "Integrated Visibility" will boost your sales.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

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