Can you close too big? Downtown Partners Closes their doors
Globeandmail.com’s small business section recently noted that Downtown Partners a leading Canadian advertising agency closed their doors for good after losing their biggest client:
The advertising agency that was once one of the hottest in the country is closing its doors on Feb. 15, a move largely linked to the loss of its prized Labatt Brewing Co. Ltd. business. Downtown Partners, a division of Omnicom Canada, was dealt a fatal blow last November when Labatt decided to streamline its agency roster and hand the coveted Budweiser beer account to its long time agency Grip Ltd. Downtown, which had had the account for six years, wasn’t even given a chance of bidding on the brewer’s other businesses. “The agency is a victim of consequence,” Dan Pawych, creative director and a founding member of Downtown, said yesterday. More at Globeandmail.com
This is something I’ve mentioned in a few podcasts and sales blog entries. Closing Bigger is about the 7 figure deal. Sometimes though we forget the term “deal”. Deals can be finite, and if we base our whole business on one big client, we’re not in business; we’ve got a deal. I have yet to do a full in depth read on what lead up to this event but I’m assuming that big ole Labatt Brewing Company ate up much of Downtown Partners time, energy and resources, and several critical errors were made. One was somehow being totally out of sync with the client, how do you have a business dependent on one major client, and not have the business intelligence and inside connections to see this coming? The next question is who was responsible for hunting down and landing more big clients?
No matter how successful we are (and many of us are guilty of believing our own positive press) we need new fresh leads, and new clients. It’s what keeps us sharp, fine tunes our pitch and lets us know what’s really going on in the marketplace.
Another title for this sales blog entry could have been “Prospect or Die” or perhaps “How to Be Eaten by a Whale”
One of my biggest challenges when sales training people is when their company lacks the leadership and structure to enforce a quota or at least a level of accountability where people, anyone, including sales people are held to their word and the goals they set. Over the years I’ve seen too many individuals on auto-pilot, then they’re shocked when their company goes under, yet they haven’t prospected for new business or looked for new niches in the marketplace for years.
My closing thoughts for this blog are “Closing Big but keep on closing.”
Shane Gibson is a leading sales performance and sales training authority based in Vancouver Canada. His company offers sales training, motivational sales seminars, and consulting through their offices in Canada, South Africa, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
May 19, 2008 · Filed Under Sales Articles, Sales Blog |
Sales Blog Entry - Shane Gibson in “The Province” Vancouver BC
I thought some of you may find this recent article written about my presentation skills program interesting:
Being nervous not kiss of death
MAKING A PRESENTATION: It’s OK if you have a few butterfliesCarla Wilson, CanWest News Service
Published: Sunday, March 25, 2007
Don’t worry if you’re nervous making a presentation. A few butterflies may actually help you.
“If I’m not nervous at all, I may be too relaxed and too uninspiring. A little bit of an edge and some passion can really pull an audience in,” says Shane Gibson, executive vice-president of Knowledge Brokers, which trains executives and managers on how to make more effective, engaging presentations.
April 1, 2007 · Filed Under Events and Seminars, Internet Marketing and SEO |
Closing Bigger Sales Podcast Entry on Managing Worry and FEAR - by Shane Gibson
Today’s podcast is about managing worry and fear. Too many of us are overwhelmed by our worry and immobilized by our fear in selling and in the rest of our life.
Download Shane Gibson’s Podcast Here
Subscribe in iTunes to this Sales Podcast
Get focused, think bigger, and close bigger!
Shane Gibson
This sales podcast is presented by Shane Gibson.
Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.
Quick Links:
Sales Training Canada
Sales
Training South Africa
Sales Training Boot Camps Vancouver
Complete Sales Action System
Managing Complex Business
Relationships System
March 20, 2007 · Filed Under * Sales Podcast, Leadership, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Podcast and Blog Entry - Video on the Power of Commitment in Selling
3 minute clip on the power of commitment in selling and business by Shane Gibson author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krTjWDy4Ltg
Shane Gibson is author of “Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals” and President of Knowledge Brokers International (North America).
Quick Links:
Contact Shane: shane@kbitraining.com
Sales Training Blog Home
Sales Training South Africa
Sales Training Canada
Shane Gibson’s Bio
February 27, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training Video, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Blog and Podcast Entry - Video on Listening
“I’ve never heard someone listen their way out of a deal” -Zig Ziglar
The above quote embodies the video in this sales blog entry. Shane Gibson talks about the impact of effective listening during the sale.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcMDIDZKr-w
Shane Gibson is author of “Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals” and President of Knowledge Brokers International (North America).
Quick Links:
Contact Shane: shane@kbitraining.com
Sales Training Blog Home
Sales Training South Africa
Sales Training Canada
Shane Gibson’s Bio
February 27, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training Video, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Blog and Podcast Entry - Frequency in Selling Video
The Power of Frequency in Selling - Video
This video was shot in 2007. It’s a clip of an anecdotal story that Shane Gibson tells about how frequent contact and creativity can help close the deal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouq9QkZ0EiM
Shane Gibson is author of “Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals” and President of Knowledge Brokers International (North America).
Quick Links:
Contact Shane: shane@kbitraining.com
Sales Training Blog Home
Sales Training South Africa
Sales Training Canada
Shane Gibson’s Bio
February 27, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training Video, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Podcast Entry - Time and Priority Managment - The ABC’s of Targeting
Today’s sales podcast is on the ABC’s of targeting and time and priority management. One of the biggest challenges we have as big deal closers when chasing opportunities and selling to big companies is that we can get distracted by the little things. In this sales podcast we will go through a brief exercise that will help us regain our immediate focus and close bigger!
Click here to download this podcast now or subscribe to this podcasts RSS feed by chosing one of the options on the right navigation bar.
Get focused, think bigger, and close bigger!
Shane Gibson
This sales podcast is presented by Shane Gibson.
Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.
Quick Links:
Sales Training Canada
Sales
Training South Africa
Sales Training Boot Camps Vancouver
Complete Sales Action System
Managing Complex Business
Relationships System
Subscribe in iTunes to this Sales Podcast
November 13, 2006 · Filed Under * Sales Podcast, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Blog Entry on Free Leadership Self Assessments
I have put together a series of self assessments on coaching and leadership which are provided free (not-for-profit use and distribution only.) Here are the assessments:
Five levels of leadership self assessment
Coaching skills assessment
Enabling versus equiping self assessment
I would appreciate any feedback and comments on the usefulness of these tools and how we may improve upon them.
Shane Gibson
Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.
Quick Links:
Sales Training Canada
Sales
Training South Africa
Sales Training Boot Camps Vancouver
Complete Sales Action System
Managing Complex Business
Relationships System
Subscribe in iTunes to this Sales Podcast
November 13, 2006 · Filed Under Leadership |
Sales Podcast - Sales Presentation Skills Part 3
This week’s sales podcast on sales presentation skills is focused on how to effectively avoid and recover from common bombs and mistakes in sales presentations. Selling in the boardroom is a skill that can greatly accelerate our ability to close big deals in our sales career. To Download the sales podcast MP3 (Part 3) on sales presentation skills click here or subscribe to the podcast feed using one of the options on the right navigation bar.
This sales podcast is presented by Shane Gibson.
Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.
November 10, 2006 · Filed Under * Sales Podcast, iPhone Podcasts |
Sales Blog and Podcast Entry - PSI - Personality Style Indicators
I am certified facilator of the assessment tools developed and produced by the Consulting Resource Group. At times I struggle a bit communicating how critical it is to understand our own unique sales and personality style when dealing with other people. Ken Keis president of CRG put it well in his last e-zine article so I cut and paste a good portion of it into this blog entry as a follow-up to yesterday’s sales podcast on selling to the different styles:
How can you ever be intentional with your decisions and actions in
life, if you are not completely clear about your own personal style and its
related strengths, preferences, and challenges.
It’s a biological fact that we are born with a natural predisposition to a
distinct personal style. It’s not something we can choose to avoid. We take our
personal style with us, everywhere we go
After conducting over 2000 programs and writing on the subject for more than 16
years, I am absolutely convinced that without a full understanding of your
personal style—and the personal style of everyone with whom you interact on a
personal or professional level—you are missing critical knowledge that can
contribute to fulfillment for all the individuals involved.
It’s like flying a plane in a dense fogbank. Without training in aircraft
instrumentation, you are living by a hope and a prayer that you can make it to a
safe landing site. That is the way most people live their lives—but that need
not be true for you!
CRG is unique in that we teach a holistic development model wherein your
personal style and your personality are two separate concepts.
Your personality—the totality of who you are—is composed primarily of six
Personal Development Factors™ that contribute to your personhood.
-
Your Personal Style
You were born with it and it stays consistent throughout your lifetime.
-
Biophysical Factors
They include your gender and any illnesses (and wellness levels),
addictions, or injuries that affect your engagement of life.
-
Self-Worth Levels
They affect how and when you engage your life and the various challenges
that life brings to you.
-
Environmental Systems
Your country, your local area, geography, and your culture all highly
influence your perspective on life.
-
Social Teachers
These include people who have shaped your viewpoint during your life—
parents, teachers, mentors, friends, family, etc.
-
Emotional Anchors
They include events in your life—both positive and negative—that leave an
emotional imprint.
The CRG model acknowledges that who we are is based on
both nature and
nurture.
Research confirms that we each have unique and specific style preferences at
birth. From that moment, our personal style starts to play a powerful role in
our lives. Here are some of the things that are influenced by personal style.
- Choosing supportive child-care environments
- Parenting style
- Learning and instructional styles that meet your specific needs
- Selecting the right job and understanding job-style fit
- Accepting the differences in yourself and others
- Getting along better with your life partner
- Coaching others
- Customer service, sales, and leadership
- Designing a life that plays to your strengths
- Having the confidence to reject feelings of guilt and the pressures to
change from those who are different than you are. That includes peer
pressure, parents, and teachers. - Building teams that complement your business needs
- Starting a business
- Hiring and promoting
- Resolving conflict
And much more!
If you really want to succeed in life, knowledge of personal style is
non-negotiable.
Recently, I facilitated a team development process for a billion-dollar
organization. Even though some team members had been through our
Personal Style Indicator in the past, they identified the
PSI as the single-most-important element to take participants to the next
level.
October 26, 2006 · Filed Under Leadership |
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