Top Tips
The Tips area of the site continually grows as I add more content and share more simple ideas and effective tips. Sign up and you will get access to a growing source of tips by Mike on subjects including marketing, business growth, and strategy.
View the PDF DocumentCompetition vs Chemistry
Picture the scene where you are awaiting selection for a team at school (for those of you who can remember that far back!) Can you honestly say you were always picked first for the activities at school, be that the rugby, football or hockey team, or in the drama, debating or chess club? The chances are that you weren't and that is down to chemistry. You didn't click with everyone at school and you don't click with everyone in business. That is a fact of life and you need to accept it and go with it.
View the PDF DocumentA1 Scorecard
The A1 Scorecard further enhances the Tips Sheet - Eight Steps to A1 Clients by giving you the tools to turn those steps into a meaningful model for scoring both your existing A1 Clients and potential A1 Clients.
View the PDF DocumentEight steps to A1 Clients
By using these steps you might be surprised as to who your A1 clients are. The skill NOW is finding and keeping this type of client over and over and not going after the other extreme - the High Maintenance, Price Sensitive Time Wasters.
View the PDF DocumentIts Not Rocket Science
Through speaking, workshops and direct consulting activities I always talk about improving key elements for your business - understanding where that growth has come from and how to repeat it over and over again. This is known by many as the sales pipeline or the Contact to Contract Ratio in short how many frogs do you need to kiss to gain more business.
View the PDF DocumentReview Time
One of the issues we face is ‘Britishness’ - we are quintessentially apologetic and meek when it comes to informing others about how good we are. I am not saying we need to be converted into an all American approach and become bold, brash and in your face but we do need to become more forthright in our publicity.
View the PDF DocumentSelling Zones
When is the right time to focus your efforts while trying to gain New Business? I am a firm believer that there are only 6 'core' selling zones in the year - the rest are all part months or 'non-core' new business months.
View the PDF DocumentSuccessful Referral Marketing
‘THE SIMPLE STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL REFERRAL MARKETING’. This really is not rocket science but is potentially the most neglected area of your business. When was the last time that you asked your clients – who already love you – for a referral?
View the PDF DocumentTestimonials
Credibility is what it is all about; more and more businesses are selling and promoting services and not tangible manufactured products. This has created a problem - how can a business demonstrate successfully their product or service if it is fundamentally ‘hot air’? If you don’t ask your clients for feedback and input how can you learn from their experiences and publish their views.
View the PDF DocumentTurning People Off
As a nation we have a never-ending desire to be friends with everyone and we tend to become upset when a business or an individual doesn’t appear to like what we are saying or doing. Well - ‘get over it’! You were not chosen first to be part of the school team or club, so why should it be any different now your are in business.