Voices Matter: Are you helping the situation?

Everyone is talking about conversations but are we really having them? Are 90% of conversations incorporated in 140 characters or thinking of the latest sound bite to get our message across? In Russ Unger’s new book Designing the Conversation: Techniques for Successful Facilitation (Voices That Matter) he discusses the ability to communicate and the practice Read More …

Adding Context to the Buyer Persona

So much has been written about Buyer Personas, Empathy Maps, etc., I have resisted sharing how I create mine. I am not sure that I can add anything new, but a slightly different perspective may be worth something. I have found most Personas as an exercise that is seldom done in the sales and marketing Read More …

Are you struggling to define your Target Market?

This outline is not an in-depth user analysis by any stretch of the imagination. It is more for the product-orientated company that needs a simple wake-up call about defining their customer base. I still struggle with narrowing the focus of customers when face with the decision of where to direct their marketing efforts. This outline Read More …

Unexpected path from Unger to Zaki Warfel

UX Designer and author, Russ Unger is next week’s podcast guest. We focused primarily on his new book, Designing the Conversation: Techniques for Successful Facilitation (Voices That Matter). However, I could not resist discussing a favorite book of mine that he wrote several years ago and a 2nd edition was recently published,  A Project Guide Read More …

Lean Sales is a Learning Process, not a Teaching Process

Every act of your Lean sales process is a learning process. This is why Lean works in development, aka Lean StartupTM, why Lean works in operations and why Lean works in sales. I have no idea why process consultants continue to try to force fit Lean into the sales and marketing process from a standpoint Read More …

Competitive Advantage of Simplification

For decades, Irene Etzkorn and Alan Siegel have championed simplicity as a competitive advantage and a consumer right. Consulting with businesses and organizations around the world to streamline products, services, processes, and communications, they have achieved dramatic results. Simple is a groundbreaking and invaluable guide to achieving the three fundamental principles of simplicity: clarity, transparency, Read More …