In the ever-evolving landscape of modern business, mastering the art of sales and lead generation has become a cornerstone of success. However, many companies find themselves grappling with under-filled sales pipelines due to ineffective business development strategies. This is where professional business development consulting, such as the services provided by 1000Steps, becomes a game-changer. Source ..read more

In the ever-evolving landscape of B2B marketing, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success in 2024. As technology advances and buyer behaviors shift, businesses need to adapt their lead generation strategies to remain competitive. This is where our expertise at 1000Steps can be pivotal. From leveraging the power of digital platforms to embracing more traditional methods with a modern twist... Source ..read more

All salespeople know the pressure of targets, just like Premier League strikers are expected to score. In sport, getting an athlete to peak performance is a science. What can sales managers and directors learn from athletic coaches? After legendary striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored his 100th goal for Manchester United, his ‘mojo’ suddenly seemed to dry up. His teammates began to pass over the struggling striker, in favour of other, more dependable players. Supporters jeered the flailing striker. That didn’t help him get his mojo back. Ruud van Nistelrooy was well aware he was failin ..read more

I decided to pen (down) an article on selling and start-ups. This is written with the view to give you the ability to assess your sales and get you as a start-up to reflect on your business model and how it will scale. The rationale for writing this was threefold: We are a start-up and want to share our learning journey in a realistic manner with what we have learned over the last 4 years in a real and applicable way. We are a sales consultancy firm, and we want to share what we have learned from our clients that will help you. We are launching a new product and would love your feedback on th ..read more

It might seem a bit strange to put both Accountants and Selling in the same category, but accountants, as with all other businesses, have to sell. Today let’s review the challenges accountants face in selling: how they should and could overcome them. So what are the challenges that accounting firms and auditors face in the 21st century? Struggling to grow the firm, typically declining in size Lack of a solid ‘go-to’ market model Partners under pressure to bring in revenue Staff recruitment Partners are older, succession issue Embracing new technology Competition Finding high quality clients ..read more

This is probably the most common conversation I have with clients. How to recruit the right sales people and then how to get them up to speed as quickly as possible. I have put a brief summary of the model we recommend below, along with some links to a few webinars we have done on the subject. Recruiting the right sales people for your business or product really can mean the difference between success and failure, which is why it is so important to go about the task in the correct way. Remember, if you cannot scale, you cannot grow. In this article, we look at some of the strategies you should ..read more

We all talk about how we use our time.  Secretly, we probably think we’re all quite good at it.  But if we are, why are so many of us pulling 14+ hour days, wishing we had more time for our families, our hobbies and ourselves? Here are 7 time secrets, I followed and still follow, that you can action to reap real rewards.  The majority of us are sitting on a goldmine of untapped productivity and happiness gains, that only proper time management can unlock Treat time as an asset Like Gollum, we often feel we are tricked out of our ‘precious’ time.  This is often because ..read more

If the price enters the sales conversation too early, the result can be an unsatisfied customer, an unhappy salesperson, or no sale at all. Here are 5 mistakes that commonly lead to this. Discover how to avoid them and become a better salesperson. Not Knowing the Customer As salespeople, we sometimes rush our processes. We don’t prepare adequately. We’re unfamiliar with our potential clients, entering discussions ill-prepared. The client senses this disadvantage. Often, they’ll ask, “How much?” early in the conversation, making recovery difficult. Lack of Sales Process Many companies lack defi ..read more

A major question here is: Why accept mediocrity? If you are looking to recruit, then strive for getting the best, the most productive, the most motivated team with all the right skill-sets to make your company a top player in the market. However, based on my 20 years of experience working in sales consultancy and training industry, I’ve observed that a common problem many managers, sales directors and CEOs face is the hiring of high quality sales people that are productive even from day one. To address this common issue, and improve at recruiting quality sales peo ..read more

In 2023, the sales business landscape has undergone significant changes post-COVID-19. Remote work, LinkedIn, and evolving culture amongst the youth, middle aged and older generations have contributed to a transformation in the way companies operate their sales models. The autocratic, overbearing, one-dimensional sales management style is no longer desirable, and ultimately, it won’t work. These changes will affect sales, lead generation, and overall business practices, in my opinion making things better for everyone.  In this article, we will focus on Lead Generation and Contact Nurture ..read more