Business Advice From Experience
In life and in business it’s important to ask questions. It’s more important to ask the right questions. That’s why I really liked this video from the Harvard Business Review. This experience comes from a more technical field but the ideas can apply to any business. Ask the right questions to figure out the most simple solution.
How do you usually approach problems in your organization? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
In a recent article in Inc. Magazine, business and sales legend Harvey Mackay shares one of his most valued leadership strategies that he learned from former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula.
The life of any startup is sure to have ups and downs and it’s the boss’ job to manage those ups and downs and to keep the business and the employees focused. Mackay describes Shula’s brilliant secret as the “24-hour rule”. A policy that looks forward to the next challenge instead of hanging on to the previous victory or failure.
Coach Shula allowed his team and his staff only 24 hours to either celebrate a victory or brood over a loss. He encouraged that during those 24 hours they get everything out of their system before the next day, when it was time to start focusing on the next game. He felt that this strategy helped to keep both wins and losses in perspective.
This concept is genius!
You aren’t discouraging anyone from feeling the affects of a win or lose but you’re encouraging them to feel it and then move on. Dwelling on this past , whether it be positive or negative, keeps a lot of great employees and businesses from moving forward. Holding on to those feeling affects how your employees interact with each other and with your customers.
Read more thoughts on this rule of genius from Harvey Mackay here.
Do you think this would work for your business? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Don’t worry, it’s a classic battle and you might be surprised to hear that your sales people are probably on the right track. That being said, it’s your job to make sure they are getting along. The fate of your business depends on it. Here are a few instigators of this time old battle. Once you identify them, you can solve the problem and prevent any further friction between the two departments.
1. Marketitus Superioritus – Marketers tend to feel and act superior to the sales team. This usually comes down to education. Most marketers have gone through business school and most sales people haven’t. What the marketers don’t know is that you don’t learn how to successfully sell in school, you learn through experience. An easy fix for this problem is to make sure every marketer you hire has experience in sales.
2. Marketers Tend To Deem The Sales Force Unnecessary – They’ve learned that “great marketing” should sell the product for you. What they don’t know is that even “perfect marketing” doesn’t always push the customer to make the final purchasing decision. The quick fix is to let the marketers know that they are there to support the sales team, not replace it.
3. “Selling Can’t Be That Hard” – On the contrary, selling is one of the most valuable skills a person can have in business and one of the hardest to gain. Keep in mind, customers can easily ignore your marketing efforts but it’s incredibly difficult to ignore direct sales. Fix the problem by challenging your marketers to make some sales calls.
How do you get your marketing and sales teams to work together? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.