By Wayne O'Neill
Do you wish you had keys to the castle to unlock your companies account development potential? I am not talking about some “pie in the sky” fairy tale, but a practical, “down to earth” approach that one of our clients recently experienced and said was “more powerful than prospecting.” If you have ever waited for hours in a booth at a conference for someone to take interest in your product or services or even stop to take a look at what you have to offer, then you have probably also wondered…what would be a more effective way to reach out, open doors, find potential customers, get our message across and make a lasting impact? One of our clients recently stepped out of the booth with Wayne O’Neill at SCUP 47 and experienced a game changing strategy of connecting with new clients so powerfully that it transformed his whole approach to account development with multiplying results and benefits…
By aleneolson
Insider Headlines from Wayne O’Neill after attending SCUP 47 Annual, International Conference & Idea Marketplace, “Make No Isolated Plans: Integrated Planning for Educational Quality” includes: • Frustration with Service Providers who Wait Too Long to come in and conceptualize the institution’s problems and offer help with solutions • Billions of Dollars are needed now for Deferred Maintenance…
By blea
Research described in a recent Harvard Business Review article affirms that star performers don’t play the sales game better; they change the game. More on the article in a moment, but the immediate question is how do they do it? In the approach we advocate, they…
By Wayne O'Neill
Imagine this. You are invited to a brainstorming meeting with top level executives regarding a new product that you are going to help market. So you show up a little ahead of time and carefully choose a seat at the boardroom table. The CEO arrives on time and begins the discussion. You listen intently as the meeting starts to unfold. The CEO surveys the room, then suddenly stops and focuses in on you. “Who are you?” the CEO says. You introduce yourself and explain why you are there. The CEO replies, “I don’t think we need you in this meeting. Thanks.” Then as you pack up and make the long trek from your seat to the boardroom door, the CEO continues as if you never existed. What just happened, you wonder? What did I do? What should I have done differently?…
By Wayne O'Neill
Tumultuous times are here for many institutions of higher education. Traditional revenue streams are being cut. University cost structures are under increased scrutiny. More competition for students causes increased needs for state-of-the-art facilities and increased demand for revitalization and alternatives in student housing. Globally, countries are trying to keep the brightest and best students within their home country, so the full tuition global money stream is drying up. However, successful colleges and universities are positioning themselves to grow. How can leadership in higher education rise above the tumult and achieve their goals?…
By Wayne O'Neill
Every organization tries to be as smart as possible in terms of strategy, marketing, finance and technology. You want to create different value propositions and distinguish yourself from your competitors. Ultimately, you want to draw a parallel to the business differentiators and how your organization can use them to gain the competitive advantage. The challenge today is that it is hard to be smarter than the next organization. Even if you establish an advantage in strategy, marketing, finance or technology, competitors can duplicate it quickly. Information and ideas spread so quickly today that you need more to maintain a competitive advantage.
According to successful businessman, leading consultant, and best-selling author, Patrick Lencioni, in his newest book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, many have knowledge and understanding of strategy, marketing, finance and technology, but not enough health within the organization to use that knowledge to gain a competitive advantage….
By blea
Overwhelming evidence proves that establishing deep relationships with a prospective client’s key executives is a mandatory prerequisite for success in selling services related to capital programs. In fact the successful proposer has cultivated a champion with clout before the formal RFP process begins on more than 80% of his or her winning pursuits. How do we know this? Thirty years of experience is a starter, but my colleagues and I have verified our experience with a half dozen formal studies conducted in multiple regions of the country over a twenty year period. In fact few experienced business developers would even question our assertion. What must be accomplished is clear. But how is it done? How can you tell if you’re making progress? If you’re managing your firm’s sales program, how can you tell if your teams are making any real progress toward developing successful relationships? Today, the answers lie in understanding the power of ….
By Wayne O'Neill
Nike says, get out there and “just do it.” Sounds easy. So, you think up great plans for your business, creative ideas for new products or services, and a marketing strategy that is sure to succeed. But, for some reason, you do not put any of them into action. Why? Is it “lack of time” or “distractions” or “higher priorities” or is it that your willpower is depleted which prevents you from sticking to your goals and making them reality?
By Wayne O'Neill
As a 30-year sales manager for a big corporation, my dad used to advise his team, “Lead the pack. But if you are not in first place, then stay comfortably in the middle.” But with tremendous competition and pressures to win deals, organizations are no longer safe with strategies that keep you in the middle of the road. As Jim Hightower, the colorful Texas populist, said, “There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.” It is no longer enough to be pretty good at everything and just chase any deal that crosses your path. Continuing to do things the same way will not produce new and better results. In order to win in today’s tough market and transform your company to top-line growth, you and your team need to be motivated to change and take the necessary action to gain the competitive edge and build sustainable accounts faster. You need to know how to motivate your team to excel.
By Kevin Cray
In my everyday life, I sit in on some very high level meetings. One observation I have made is a lot of firms, no matter which market segments you play in, don’t know how to strategically pick the clients that will best be served by their services…
