Customer Focus Archives - Page 2 of 3

Navigate the Storm Using Innovation and the Talents of Your Team

By Tanja Yardley

I have a bias to confess to. The phrase “we are in this boat together” sparks an almost irrational irritability. While we are in this pandemic storm together, we are most certainly not in the same boat. As leaders, we know instinctively that some of our team members are flailing around in a dinghy with multiple holes, barely holding themselves above the water line and bailing continuously. Others are zooming around in a motorboat, enjoying the sea breeze and checking on all the other boats. Some are lucky enough to be cruising in a well-appointed yacht, enjoying umbrella drinks with loved ones and hoping that this quality time doesn’t end too quickly. Times like these expose the gaps, the rocks, and the choppy seas, as well as the skill and resiliency of the sailors.

Four No-fail Selling Techniques

By Holly Mitchell

Early in my sales career, I landed a golden opportunity with a high-end customer who had already identified she needed what I had to offer. All I had to do was gain her trust and become the expert in her eyes. The only thing standing between me and sealing the deal was my ability to listen, ask the right questions, and shine with confidence. I showed up to the sales meeting with all my tricks—plus information on every product I had to sell. I told her about all the different features and what I believed were the benefits. As I went on and on, I started to notice her eyes getting glassy. I was losing her attention because I wasn’t giving her what she needed.

My “almost” customer wanted me to ask her the right questions to ensure she was getting the right product for her needs. She was counting on me to understand those needs and be expert enough to give her a recommendation. I failed miserably at asking her the right questions and listening. Not only did I lose the sale, but my customer became overwhelmed by my rambling sales approach and ran the other direction to a competitor.

The Key to Increasing Sales—Behavioral Selling

By Whit Mitchell

“Any salesperson who is not selling behaviorally is, at best, only 25-50% effective.”

I heard this quote during a seminar given by Judy Suiter. It certainly caught my attention and pushed my interest to discover what selling behaviorally meant.

No matter whether you sell a product or a service, it’s pretty much a given that all salespeople are looking for ways to increase their sales. And company growth usually relies upon sales success. Companies often train their salespeople on closing techniques, yet research shows us that the sale is won or lost early in the sales process.Read More

Customer Focus: The Foundation of Your Business

In this short video, TCL faculty member Whit Mitchell talks about how Customer focus is recalling from day one that the most important customers you have are the people who are directly reporting to you. He discusses why this leadership skill is vital to success and ways to improve it.

Identifying Your Ideal Customer (Customer Focus Ep. 3)

In this the final episode of the Customer Focus series, host Dale Dixon and executive advisor Ron Price talk about understanding your ideal customer. Ron unpacks the Drucker Five, his three tips for defining your ideal customer, and ideas to align your business model with your customer. He also tells us when it makes sense to say no to a customer.

A Commitment to Customer Satisfaction (Customer Focus Ep. 2)

Continuing their discussion of customer focus, host Dale Dixon and executive advisor Ron Price talk about customer perception, the noise that gets in the way of customer focus, and how customer connection can be a business differentiator. Ron discusses the Kano customer satisfaction model, and the three levels of customer focus. He tells us how personal touch is possible regardless of the number of customers a company has, and how to see the world through the customers’ eyes. He gives questions to understand the customer experience, and ideas to make customers your best brand ambassadors.

Is the Customer Always Right? (Customer Focus Ep. 1)

Host Dale Dixon and Executive Advisor Ron Price discuss Customer Focus and why he classifies it as a leadership skill instead of a frontline skill. Ron defines the two types of customers, breaks down the SIPOC Model, and gives tips for enhancing customer focus every day. He also gives examples of industries that have used customer focus to enhance business, and one industry that is not excelling at customer focus. Join us next week for a continuation of our discussion on Customer Focus.

How to Create a Focused Brand

Today our guest is Justin Foster, who is an Austin-based brand strategist and the cofounder of Root + River. Justin tells us how growing up on a ranch shaped his business life, and why creating a focused brand is the best way to grow your company. Learn how to determine what your brand should be, three things to do to get there, and the power of creating a heart-based message to reach your audience.

A Roadmap for Customer Focus

This week we talk with Greg Mayes, financial advisor and owner of Mayes Financial, about his special brand of customer focus. Greg has formed his business around building customer relationships, and he shares his three tips for creating customer focus within your own company. He discusses the importance of being genuine and making decisions in line with your own guiding principles.

5 Signs Your Business Is Having a Midlife Crisis—And How to Deal With It

By Emily Soccorsy and Justin Foster, AllBusiness.com, March 2016

Midlife crises are fairly easy to recognize in others, but they’re often not so easy to recognize in yourself—and sometimes even more difficult to recognize when it comes to your company. Read More

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