MaRS

Talk to the brain! (Photo: DelosJ)

I’ve read a lot about the selling process and how to target the person who makes the final purchasing decision. The problem is that the approach may be all wrong. Instead of concentrating on a person, we should be focusing on a thing –  specifically, the brain.

I recently attended a CEO Global Network meeting — an organization providing peer to peer mentoring for CEOs. The guest speaker co-authored the book, Neuromarketing (Morin & Renvoise). Christophe Morin says at least 80% of business self-help books purchased or given out at conferences remain unopened on the shelf. After a couple hours with the author, I was convinced that this book would not be destined for the unopened faith. Let me provide some of highlights to hook your interest and demonstrate how you will need to change your sales approach to increase the probability of success.

The goal: I heart your product

Imagine the art of developing an emotional tie to your product.

In a world where we have so many products, so many competing and complimentary products, it is really difficult for small business owners to differentiate themselves from their larger opponents. Every business needs a strategy to gain a competitive edge and none is stronger than the emotional connection to your product. Large firms purchase millions of dollars of advertising to try to affect and develop this, but I believe that the smaller business has the advantage.

Krista Jones on sales and business development

You know that odd call from a telemarketer you don’t know who’s trying to get you to buy something? Now think about how many times you actually went about and bought something from them. Scary isn’t it? Good salesmen realize what it’s like to do sales and the enterprise sales presentation by Krista Jones aims to help entrepreneurs in managing their sales process.

The media interview: Sweating already?

The media interview. Does it make you queasy just thinking about it?

Making time and making a point appears easy —  if you’re, say, Mayor David Miller, although he’s faced his share of tough questions. But what about the rest of us who don’t face cameras daily?

For busy entrepreneurs the prospect of an interview with a journalist — while potentially valuable in the marketplace of buzz — can be met with equal proportions anticipation and dread. The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way.

Watch the video now

Which comes first for a startup:  marketing, advertising, or branding?

If you didn’t answer branding, read on.

Branding is an often misunderstood concept and, being misunderstood, the value it can bring to a company when it’s done right can be overlooked. Your brand is more than your logo or your name, more than the product or service you sell.  It’s the promise or personality of your company and the value of the products or services you sell as viewed by your customers.  It what clearly distinguishes you from your competition in the minds of your customers.