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Category: Marketing

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Best Practices Marketing Personal Development

The Evolution and Growth of PR

Without the official label, Public Relations has dated back to the late 1800’s when people would strategically place stories in the media through smaller channels such as weekly newspapers to promote an event or occurrence. Although not the modern use of PR we know today, it had the same basics that we hope to accomplish: using interpersonal communication, literature, public events and art to persuade other individuals to believe in our client’s services and/or programs. But since the invention of the internet, PR has changed dramatically. The acceleration in technological advancements, rapid media development and other related elements have allowed PR to evolve tremendously just in the last decade. PR practitioners were faxing pitches, today they’re tweeting pitches and emailing virtual press kits. In order to look ahead, we need to look back.

Here is an awesome infographic from Inkhouse that shows how things have changed, and what will always remain.

Categories
Best Practices Leadership Marketing Skills

How I Wrote a Book in 6 Months

It’s been a labor of love for sure! After a year and a half of thinking and talking about writing a book, I finally did it. However, I didn’t go about it alone or without a few hiccups. If any of you have ever thought about writing a book, I am going to share with you a few tips I have learned along the way.

How It Began

In May I attended The C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas, TX. As with any conference, the people you meet are the true fruit you take away. I was happy to connect with old friends such as Kathleen Caldwell and to meet a new one, Julie Ann Sullivan. During this event, The C-Suite Network held a book signing event with select authors that are part of the C-Suite Book Club. Kathleen, Julie Ann, and I were visiting with author and international business speaker, Phil M. Jones. He shared with us his one book that gets him the most traction. It is a quick-read and was less than 100 pages. The three of us looked at each other and said “we can do that. That doesn’t seem so insurmountable.” And The Publishing Divas were born.

Our Commitment

The Publishing Divas made a commitment to each other that we would each write a book and have it done by December. That gave us six months! First came structure. We held a Zoom call every other week. The first couple of calls we created a timeline with deadlines. Deadlines included when to have our book outlines completed, the writing phase, the edit phase, and the launch phase. There were times when we would each be behind our target timeline. Although it may have seemed disappointing, the point we each had to remember was we were still moving forward, even if it felt like one of us was stuck or behind. We were a lot further ahead than those just sitting around talking about writing a book. The commitment and accountability of the Zoom calls, which turned to weekly towards the last third of our phase, was the number one reason why we all feel our book writing was successful.

Phil M. Jones stayed in close contact with us to ensure we had everything we needed to be successful. His encouragement and sincere interest in our efforts continued to inspire us towards the finish line.

Shiny Objects

I won’t lie to you. There were many “shiny object” distraction moments for each of us. It is amazing how many things you can find to do versus sitting down to write. Honestly, writing does not come easy for me. In fact, in many ways, it is struggle and feels overwhelming. I tend to freeze up looking at a blank page.

One of the reasons I wanted to write a book, was not only to build my personal brand, but it was to help improve my writing skills. I knew it would be grueling, but as with most things in life, you have to go through it to get better at it. Personally, I had to set the timer on my cell phone for 30 minutes. I would look at my book outline and pick one of the items on there that moved me at the time. It didn’t have to flow in order. I would write in topic chunks.

After the setting the timer, I would make myself write whatever came into my mind for 30 minutes without stopping … without stopping to make sure the sentence structure was right, without stopping to make any grammar edits, without stopping to change word choices. I just typed what came into my head and knew I would edit later. This was freeing to me. Although the first couple of times, 30 minutes seemed like FOREVER. I remember typing away the first few times and thinking to myself it certainly has to be close to 30 minutes, and I looked over at my cell phone and I was only 7 minutes into the writing time! But it got easier. And it will for you as well. You can use this approach to not only write a book, but a blog or a LinkedIn article. Writing in 30 minute chunks is not overwhelming (well, the first couple of times for me it was, but it does get easier, I promise!).

Sharing Resources

We also shared with each other resources from how to get your ISBN number to graphic designers to publishers and everything in between. The more we shared with each other, the more valuable insight we all gleaned. We each brought a different personality and strength to the group. We were truly in it together. That is what made this process so successful. We wanted to see each other succeed, and we helped each other with any challenges. We have formed a bond that is unshakable and have created a lifelong friendship.

Book Launch

Six months from the moment we started the process we had our book launch in New York City in conjunction with The C-Suite Network Advisors Thought Summit. We stood proudly by our books as we visited with the Advisors and some family and friends who came to share in this celebration. The C-Suite Network staff and community have been most gracious in the entire process. Without their support and insight, I would still be staring a blank page. The support continues with many asking how may I help you promote your book. It truly is a community where we want each other to succeed by offering the gifts, strengths, and wisdom that have been bestowed onto us and sow them into the lives of others.

I hope you have found my book writing journey an inspiration in some way to you. One’s mindset really sets you up to succeed. I want nothing more than to see you all achieving optimum results in whatever your heart desires. You are worth it!

I help executives create a powerful image and brand so they look and feel confident wherever they are. Contact me at sheila@imagepowerplay.com to schedule a 20-minute call to discuss how we can work together to grow your visibility through my return on image® services.

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Personal Development

How to Use Conflations to Negotiate More Effectively

“Conflation in a negotiation can be the bridge that leads you to the discovery of success”. –Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

When you negotiate, do you consider how you can tie (conflate) your point to prior or current situations that the opposing negotiator already holds as being valid? Conflation for the point of this negotiation strategy is the act of associating two or more thoughts that link your perspective to one the opposing negotiator views as having validity. Conflation can be used in any phase of the negotiation.

The way to use conflation is to draw the attention of the opposing negotiator to a point he’ll immediately recognize as being valid. This can be something that is or has been in the news recently or any source that he believes to be valid. If you can’t direct his attention to such a point via something that’s current, search for something in his past that he’ll agree to as being valid; something that’s closer to your current negotiation time frame will have more sway with him and impact him more. Then, mention how your point is tied to that occurrence and allow him the time to mentally let that association seep into his mind. When such has occurred (watch his body language to gain insight that it has occurred), ask him if he sees the logic in your point. If he says he doesn’t ‘get it’, be sure that he’s not ‘playing dumb’ (different negotiation strategy to be aware of), and seek to clarify his lack of comprehension until he ‘gets the point’.

Conflation is a tactic that sounds overly simple to utilize and therein lies why it’s is so effective. The other negotiator has already made the mental connection to the point that you’ve highlighted as being valid, which becomes more difficult to deny or argue against, since he’s accepted it as being valid. Thus, it’s a logical step for him to connect your point to the position you’ve adopted, which gives your point more validity in his mind.

To become more dynamic at the negotiation table, always consider how you can conflate points that are perceived as being valid, with the points you’re attempting to make. Once the opposing negotiator senses the validity of your conflated points, he’ll be more apt to accept it and feel a kinship with it. After all, the subliminal thought is the fact that you’ve shown the viability of your point that he’s already accepted as being valid from another source. For him to deny such, he’d be arguing with himself. That alone would make the score two against one (i.e. him and his faulty logic against you). Thus, by using conflation in your negotiations, you position yourself to win more negotiations … and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Marketing Personal Development

11 (Pain Free) Marketing Tips for Business

Marketing, yuck!  The daunting task of selling your products, your services, your brand…yourself.  You went into business not because you are a natural sales person but because you are good in your specific industry.  The sad reality is that in order to be a successful entrepreneur, you must also be a successful marketer.  You may have the best business in the world but it means nothing if no one has heard of it.  If the idea of sales makes you shudder, read these pain free tips for marketing your business.

  1. Start Posting More on Social Media

Want to get some buzz on your page? Posting updates, links, photos, and retweeting is the best way to organically generate interest on your page. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas, do some market research and look at what your competitors post on their social media pages. A few posts a week is a good start.

  1. Join Relevant Facebook & LinkedIn Groups

Joining groups on social media introduces you to new people and helps you target potential customers. Use LinkedIn’s search function to find the groups most relevant to you. People often use groups to pose questions or ask for advice. This is where you can demonstrate your skills and expertise but don’t be too salesy. Remember, you want to add value and help people, but you must also be patient. If you provide solutions to people on a regular basis, you will be top of mind and they will look to you for advice in the future.

  1. Start a Blog

According to Entrepreneur, a blog is a place where you find your customers, feed them information, and position your value. You have a lot of knowledge that could help people. Write about your business, your customers, and frequent problems customers have that you can shed light on. Think about the kinds of things your customers would want to read or that they would look up and create posts on those topics.

  1. Write a Guest Post on Another Blog

Don’t have the time to make your own blog?  Submit a guest article on someone else’s blog. Many bloggers accept guest content so just email them and ask. (For example, http://brainhackers.com/contributorguidelines/ looks for contributing writers all the time!) Find a blog with an audience similar to the demographic you are looking for. Make sure that the host blogger includes a link to your company website in the post. This is called a “back link” which over time this improves your SEO (search engine optimization.) The more places your website link is posted, the easier it is for people to find you via Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines.

 

  1. YouTube Ads

Running YouTube ads is a great way to get your message in front of a target audience and it may also help your SEO. (Google owns YouTube, so these videos are often ranked high in the search algorithm.) Google makes it incredibly easy to set up and monitor ads. For more info check HERE.

  1. Be a Guest on a Podcast

Much like writing a guest blog post, this will you get your message in front of a new group people and will only take an hour out of your day. How do you become a guest on a podcast? Simply contact the host and ask. Do NOT be overly salesy with the podcast host because you will be offered paid ad space instead of a free guest spot.  Rather than selling them on your product or service, sell the information and value you will provide to their audience.

  1. Optimize your Site for SEO

Does your website show up on the first page of a Google search…or the tenth? Did you know there are often simple things you can do to improve your ranking? For example. some things that affect your website SEO are the quantity and quality of photos used, the titles and descriptions of your pages, the way the pages are categorized, etc. Not sure where to begin?  Check out this article in Forbes for some tips to improve the SEO of your business.

  1. Create A Yelp Listing

Many businesses grow through word-of-mouth marketing and Yelp is the digital version of this. Customers turn to Yelp more than any other site to make buying decisions so it should be an essential part of your online portfolio. First check to see if you are already on Yelp. (The platform pulls information from different places so you may be without realizing it.) For more information on how to optimize and manage your Yelp listing click HERE.

  1. Offer a Free Giveaway

Everyone loves free stuff. This is a great way to get customers familiar with your brand. It can also help you build a mailing list of contacts. Offer a free download on your website (like a tip sheet or a report) that you must opt in to receive. Discount your service on Groupon and post on Facebook about the sale.

  1. Get Press

Getting your name to appear in the media raises brand awareness and it also builds credibility. Unlike advertising which immediately puts people on the defense (no one likes to be “sold”) earned media frames you as an expert and allows you talk about your brand in a discreet way that is much more effective for making sales and building brand advocates. Check HARO for media requests, send an opinion editorial piece to publications, or you can outsource the work to a professional PR team.

  1. Host a Webinar

Webinars are a way to build trust with customers/leads and help you demonstrate your expertise. Your webinar should provide useful information around your subject area. For ideas, you can look at what other people in your industry have done in the past. (Yes, someone has done a webinar on your topic, and if you search you will find it.)

 

 

Categories
Best Practices Marketing Personal Development

PR Trends to Look for in 2018

Over the years, we have seen a number of PR and Marketing trends come and go. If you want your business to grow and thrive, it is important to stay up to date. Adapting to these trends will keep you savvy and sophisticated in a competitive market. So, what should we look out for in the New Year? I compiled a list of the top 5 industry trends expected for 2018.

Check it out!

1. Brand Reputation Will Hold Even More Weight in 2018

As Taylor Swift said, “Big Reputation, Big Reputation,” brand reputation is your business’ most valuable asset. If you have a positive track record, your customers will trust you and refer you through word of mouth. Customers depend a lot on what the media says about a brand, even if it is not true, so it is important to build a positive relationship with the media before catastrophe strikes. 2018 is expected to bring more brand crises than ever before and because of this, many brands are going to feel an urge to express socially good messages—but giving in to that urge is not always a good thing. Brands are going to have to be very careful about sounding inauthentic in attempt to thwart future bad press. Instead, build up your brand’s reputation slowly but steadily and only send out messages that you feel authentically represent your image.

2. Think Outside the Box when it comes to Media Relations

What will happen to newsrooms in 2018? Many full-time journalists are going to lose their jobs, which means there will be less people with deep resources and experience. This industry change means media professionals need to work on being more creative to get their stories told and decide which channels to do that through. Today journalists are there are under immense pressure to pump out headlines in order to gain clicks and shares. They must resort to picking up disagreeable news stories that offer shallow content with a lack of fact-checking resources. Journalists are covering stories that are not necessarily their beat, so it makes promoting your brand to the right person even harder. (Source)

Because traditional media is dying, we need to adopt different tactics in order to stay current. For example: Influencer Marketing. (See below)

3. The Evolution of Influencer Marketing

New forms of media give rise to a new breed of influencers. Whether it be opinion leaders, experts, ambassadors, creators, celebrities, activists, or healthcare professionals…the purpose remains the same. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are where these influencers thrive.  Media relations has shifted from pitching traditional media to working with these individuals across all forms of media.

Influencers provide a means of building trust with specific communities through third party storytelling. They are best used for their ability to create relationships through compelling content, rather than their reach. PR companies seek to negotiate with influencers and build long term relationships, whereas marketing wants to buy access to audiences at scale in the same way you’d buy media space.

If you want to stay ahead of the game, investigate and build relationships with the influencers in your industry. (Source)

4. Use Story-Telling as a Means of Engagement

(Photo Credit)

Do you want to stand out? Start with a great story.

The human brain is hardwired to remember stories in lieu of facts. Do not throw out data and numbers in a pitch to promote your product/brand. We cannot lose sight of creativity. This is the key to good story-telling, along with content of course. Yet these are frequently overlooked elements when it comes to public relations. Communicating these complex messages successfully will help to cut through a cluttered media environment.

5. Outsource Effectively

With so many different types of PR requiring different skills and strategies, it’s impossible for an internal team to be experts at everything. Be open to partnering with specialty companies who can help provide your client the best, honing in on their wants, interests, and needs. You can always learn new things, but when your internal team is flooded with other clients, it is best to reach out to specialty firms for support. (Source)

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

Are you Consistent Monday to Monday®? 4 Steps to Commitment

Click here to watch Are you Consistent Monday to Monday®? 4 Steps to Commitment

Consistency is a key element of influence. Inconsistency leads to a lack of trust. If people don’t trust you, they won’t act on your recommendations or follow your lead.

Influence comes down to two different elements that often collide; what you communicate, or the message, and how you communicate it, or the delivery.

Take action this week to make sure your personal brand is consistent Monday to Monday rather than making your listeners guess who is going to show up.

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Best Practices Health and Wellness Human Resources Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

Handling Conflict with Class

Potential conflict lurks around every corner. Over the weekend, I found a surprise in my inbox, which turned into a good lesson in two-way diplomacy and proactive problem solving.

It was an email from Jeff Hayzlett, co-founder and chairman of the C-Suite Network and the Hero Club. He was responding to a couple of questions I had asked, and at the bottom was the following comment:

“On a side note— I got feedback that when asked you had mentioned that the experience with Hero was not good— so was that wrong feedback or is this [program you are putting together] another run to make it work?”

I’m not sure which dropped further – my jaw or the pit of my stomach.

These are the kinds of scenarios that tend to trigger people’s fight-or-flight reflex. They either run away in embarrassment – even if the allegations aren’t true – or they react angrily and defensively, neither of which is conducive to productive discussion and problem solving.

My mind raced, simultaneously trying to figure out who had given him that “feedback” and what on earth I had said to that person that would have left the impression that I had a negative overall experience with the organization. Plus, I didn’t want some misrepresentation to tarnish my relationship with Jeff and the C-Suite Network.

However, one thing I did notice was how he chose to bring it up to me. On the one hand, he didn’t passive-aggressively write me off and give me the silent treatment, leaving me completely in the dark, but he also he didn’t attack me with accusations. After all, upon hearing that kind of rumor through the grapevine, most people’s reflex would probably have started with “WTF?!”

Instead, he neutrally and unemotionally stated the nature of the information he had received. There was no direct accusation, insult, or attack. He then equally objectively asked if what he’d heard was accurate (it wasn’t), and made an effort to try to understand my current position, giving me the benefit of the doubt and a chance to give my side and set the record straight.

What mattered most to me was to maintain that tone throughout the exchange, however long it took, in order to get to the bottom of things while keeping our relationship intact.

I responded showing my surprise, and wanting to set the record straight, while indicating my continued support for the organization and mending any fences that may have been damaged:

“??? I have no recollection of saying that. Can I ask what the context was?  Be good to know who that came from, not for gossip, just for context. And if I can reach out to clarify to them I’d be happy to. I want to promote HC, not disparage.”

Although he didn’t reply directly to my email, we saw each other the next day at the C-Suite Network Thought Summit in New York, which he had organized. I approached him first.

Knowing that if our roles were reversed, I would have felt betrayed upon hearing such a report, I apologized for any potential miscommunication on my part, and repeated the request for more information to try to figure out where things got lost in translation.

The story he received was that I had sent an email responding to an invitation his team had sent me about speaking on his panel, allegedly saying I didn’t want to because I’d had a bad experience with the Hero Club. This already sounded odd to me, because I love being on stage at his events (heck, at just about any event), and we both get great feedback afterwards, but I wanted to see what I had written.

I took a moment to scroll through every email I had sent to him or his team in the past few weeks, and the only one I found that remotely addressed the issue was a response I had sent to the original invitation saying that (a) I’d love to; (b) in full transparency I couldn’t address [XYZ] exactly as requested and explained why, but (c) suggested another angle from which I could approach the topic, and asked if that would work instead.

I showed him the message, and wanting to confirm that he hadn’t inferred something unpredictable from it, I asked him sincerely if it sounded like I had declined the invitation.

“No,” he agreed unequivocally.

“Does it sound like my reasons for [XYZ] implied that my experience with the Hero Club was not good?”

Again, he shook his head and said, “No.”

I also pointed to the thread and showed him that I had not received a response regarding whether or not my alternative solution was an acceptable one. I wasn’t trying to be antagonistic, or throw anyone else under the bus. I simply wanted to show where my current understanding of the situation ended, and hopefully restore my reputation with him, not at anyone else’s expense, which I also stated outright.

What was important in the exchange was that we both kept objective and neutral in word, tone and body language, and shared what information we had with each other, staying open-minded and seeking mutual understanding, all of which is critical to problem solving.

A little while later, he came back to me after a bit of his own digging and shared what he had discovered regarding what had fallen through the cracks on his end as well. I was relieved, knowing that my reputation and our relationship had been restored, which was my main priority, regardless of whether or not I had a formal speaking role at the event.

He said to me, “(when I realized what happened), I told my team, fix this.”

Sure enough, a little while later we were both on stage together. And truthfully, I think the result was even better than what either of us had originally envisioned.

But what made the greatest impression on me was how powerfully smooth the process was. At the end of the day, I asked him how he’d feel if I blogged about the experience and how we worked through it. He nodded. “Go for it.”

When both parties address concerns directly but diplomatically, share all relevant information, listen openly, take responsibility for whatever went wrong on their respective side, and collectively seek to find a remedy, that’s where positive change occurs.

******

Do you struggle with how to navigate conflict, or know someone who does? Contact me at laura@vocalimpactproductions.com or click here to set up a 20-minute focus call to discuss it with me personally.

 

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Leadership Marketing Operations Personal Development

When the Sale Hits the Fan

Victoria wanted a new car. Since she had previously bought three cars from the same dealership, and even though she had recently moved several hours away, she chose to drive the extra distance to make yet another annual new car purchase. Her credit was good, and the sale went off without a hitch. After a few hours, she drove off the lot in a brand new year end model.

Two weeks later, the car brakes failed, the engine lights all came and the car stalled in traffic- all in the middle of traffic. To make matters worse, she narrowly missed being hit by an 18 wheeler and her 75-year-old mother (who was in poor health) was also in the car, shaken by the near miss.

She immediately called for roadside assistance. Needless to say, she was less than pleased that her car, with fewer than a thousand miles on it, not only almost got them both killed, but had left them stranded on the side of the road. Roadside assistance arrived after a two hours wait and towed the car to the nearest dealership. (Which was over an hour and a half away from her home.)

Towed with Less than a Thousand Miles on the Odometer

The dealership receiving the car advised her that the car was under warranty. They told her to leave the car and then come back a week later to retrieve it. This upset her and she told them that she wanted the dealership to replace the car. They responded that most dealerships would simply repair it and not replace it. They further stated that upon inspection, they were not able to locate the issue. They went so far as to question her version of events, until she provided photos taken with her cell phone of the lights and warnings lit up on the dash. This made her even angrier.

At which point, Victoria called the original dealership demanding to speak to the manager. Unfortunately, the sales manager was out due to a doctor’s appointment, and her call was not returned to the next day. (More about this later.) The preceding scenario is not only real; it shows how one weak link or product failure can kill a previously profitable long-term sales relationship.

A 2011 study, for example, demonstrated that customers are overwhelmingly responsive to good service, with 9 out of 10 people surveyed stating they would be willing to pay more for a positive customer experience. US companies lose as much as $84 billion dollars each year due to poor customer service, and or product performance failure.

While it can bring an abrupt end to the sales conversation, a flawed product or even poor service does not necessarily mean the end of future sales. Of course, the best solution to poor quality of a product or service is always to prevent it beforehand, rather than trying to fix it later. If and when it does happen though, all is not lost. The same research study mentioned above also concluded that as many as 70% of all customers will continue to do business with a given company following an issue, provided the issue is resolved promptly.

It may not work every time, but a thoughtful retention strategy can rebuild customer and brand loyalty, when issues arise. This kind of responsiveness is not haphazard and must permeate the company culture and mindset. If left unchecked, product and performance issues tend to create a downward spiral that sucks out profitability.

Poor service or product issues can compromise and damage your brand, leading to a sales slump. Even if your you spend more to market the product, the issue will only grow unless you forcefully course correct the way you respond to inevitable failures. This means that you need to anticipate, plan and respond in a way that makes the customer feel both heard and valued.

Back to the Broken Brand New Car 

After arriving at the dealership the next day, the sales manager was informed of the issue. He promptly called her and offered to replace the car, but she would have to drive to the dealership (a trip of several hours due to her relatively remote home location), to pick up her replacement.

Someone would either have to drive her there and then follow her back, or she would need to rent a car and then figure out where it could be returned. In the end, the sales manager made a decision to have two members of his team drive out with an identical replacement, bringing the necessary paperwork and contract with them.

This was outside of the norm, but given the lifetime value of the customer, the specifics of the problem, and the need to rebuild trust, he chose to step up with demonstrably superior service. The manager also made sure to include a few extras, such as adding the window shading at no charge. The issue was resolved within a week. As an aside, the customer later stated that she intends to purchase her next vehicle from the same dealership.

The takeaway is threefold:

  • Develop a responsive plan for restoring client faith
  • Be proactive in making them whole and rebuilding brand trust
  • Listen and respond appropriately based on the situation and client needs

Instead of simply trying to save face, taking responsibility for situations and working towards rebuilding brand trust, can save not just the sale, but the lifetime value of the sales relationship.

Jamie Crosbie is an accomplished senior executive with a proven record of sales leadership success.  Contact Jamie today and find out how to take your business to the next level. Beyond ordinary. Be extraordinary! jcrosbie@proactivate.net

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Personal Development Women In Business

Understand Before Seeking to be Understood

 

In your negotiations, how much attention to you give to really understanding the needs, wants, and desires of the other negotiator? Do you understand why he’s really negotiating with you per the mindset he possesses, his values, his sources of motivation? A lot of negotiators don’t really understand the mindset of the opposing negotiator and thus, they lead themselves down a path that infuses the negotiation with more angst than what otherwise might be the case.

In your future negotiations, be more mindful of the mindset of the other negotiator. Seek to understand him before you seek to be understood by him.

www.TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

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Entrepreneurship Marketing Personal Development

Why is the Barefoot Startup So Important Today?

We talk about the Barefoot Startup very often. But, what is it exactly? It’s sales! That’s it! Selling before your doors open; sales-supported growth; sales maps for new hires; overhead warranted by sales; bonuses based on sales; and development built on the cost of sales. The Barefoot Startup philosophy is sales-driven.

Why this fixation on sales? It’s how each employee gets paid. Each and every one! If not for the sales department, everyone else—production, marketing, HR, admin, and CEOs—wouldn’t serve a purpose.

Why is the Barefoot Startup so vital today? Focus on sales has vanished. Instead, we favor programming, engineering, HR, production, and legal.  We’ve grown to think that breakthrough technology, an amazing app, or a new financial system takes priority over sales. They don’t, and they never will.

In the Barefoot Startup, product design is determined by sales. You aren’t finished until you thoroughly understand how the market will be accessed and what the market wants.

Today, people believe success is based on financing. It’s not! You can secure financing before making a single sale. You can quickly burn out your investor dollars, too, without sales.

Startups trick themselves into believing that landing a spot in a major retail store is a recipe for success in itself. It’s not! This is not the end—it’s only the beginning. Real success is increasing and maintaining sales while staying in the market.

We’ve seen companies that have pushed marketing while neglecting the importance of sales. They’ll take a bow when sales are up, and they’ll blame the salespeople when numbers are down.

With no sales plan, no sales experience, and a really cool idea, you can still get financing. This way of thinking isn’t limited to just startups. Their investors can take sales for granted as well, and they shouldn’t. The failure rate of startups is on the rise. Over half of small startups collapse within their first four years, according to Small Business Trends.

No matter how bright, no idea is going to sell itself. Every idea must sell and, more importantly, resell on a continuous basis.

Focus should be on the cost of sales. Instead, it is usually on the cost of goods. But, if you aren’t able to service what you sell, you’ll soon be off the market. If your sales can’t generate positive cash flow, you’re stuck pleading with investors just to keep the lights on.

Today, business owners think if they have a cool idea and catchy marketing, all it takes is some people to sell it. If they don’t make sales, just get rid of them and hire more. Right? Absolutely wrong. With this revolving door, you never learn why your idea didn’t work—until it’s too late.

How did this happen? The world of sales has gotten a bad name. Nobody wants to come across as “salesy.” People don’t want to face rejection. And the “typical” salesperson is viewed as a shady character who is only after your money with almost nothing to offer in return. A good salesperson offers first-rate customer service, and they should be a startup’s top priority, not the bottom.

From small startups to large corporations, the time is right to implement the Barefoot Startup. Get started now! Focus on the most important key to success—sales!

For more, read on:  http://csnetworkadvis.staging.wpengine.com/advisor/michael-houlihan-and-bonnie-harvey/