Category Archives: Functional Skills

Sales Methods: Re-frame First

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Revised: 04/17/2017

Confronting a persistent slow down in sales, companies and individuals begin to think of internal changes – re-purposing their assets, intellectual and physical to better align themselves with external forces such as changes in technology and market structure that may be hindering their sales.  At times this can be a positive approach, however, this focus on internal change may miss significant opportunities in external changes: re-framing customer and prospect problems and solutions.   

Re-framing can be applied as a sales tactic to break through with a customer to a new engagement. And, re-framing is an ongoing process of making sure that your prospects and customers actually know what you do. Continue reading →

Graduation Address to MBA Students at UAlbany

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During this academic year (2014-2015) I had the opportunity to work with a team of 2nd year MBA students at UAlbany on a project for one of my start up clients. Working with another of the company’s consultants with the students turned into a productive addition to the company’s resources and fun to boot. Now these students are all employed, about to graduate, and be off to mostly big cities and big companies to start their careers.

Without invitation I began to think about what I might say to them that might actually be useful on this parting . So, here is my graduation speech.

Graduation Address to UAlbany MBA Students

Continue reading →

Google Enforces Mobile Readiness

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April 21, 2015 – New Search Ranking Rules Favor Mobile Responsive Sites

Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.

 

Read the whole Google announcement.

You can test your site(s) on a Google test page : Mobile-Friendly Test

Take HeedGoogle-mobile-test-2015-03-20_1704

BTW – I’ve written earlier on this topic: Are Businesses in My Hometown Mobile Ready?

Developing Proposals

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proposalRecently I worked with a new client on their proposal process. This revisit brought me to expand my notes. 

(Download this article)

Objectives for proposals

  • Communicate with decision makers
  • Win business that you can successfully deliver at a profit.
  • Develop and retain repeat customers

The first point is key to the task. Your proposal must win the confidence of the prospect while defining the approach, scope, deliverables, and pricing in such a way as to assure that you can exceed expectations and do it profitably. Continue reading →

Product/Service Development – early customer input from Peter Spear

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It is a well-known fact that early customer involvement in product or service development leads to better results in the marketplace, much higher quality and lower costs. Despite the fact that this practice has been considered a best practice for several decades, most entrepreneurs and small business people still fail to follow it. The results are predictable and almost always negative. Continue reading →