It’s become commonplace for observers to tout the transformative potential of digital technologies and bemoan the allegedly slow pace at which companies support these initiatives. Two recent blogs published by HBR.org are representative and, I believe, wrong. Walter Frick, an HBR editor, contrasts the enthusiasm of executives for spending money on digital initiatives versus their […]
Teamwork. Whether in meetings or retreats, there’s no doubt you’ve heard these words repeatedly preached by senior executives. However, few firms actually focus on alignment where it counts most: linking big-picture strategy with the nitty-gritty of customer acquisition and retention in sales efforts. Poor alignment of sales and strategy incurs both direct and opportunity costs, […]
With so many books focused on the elevator pitch, closing the sale, or other minute sales techniques, Aligning Strategy and Sales is a refreshing change of pace. Frank Cespedes digs deeper into improving a company’s sales and performance by looking at creating stronger connections between a company’s broader mission and strategy and the sales force […]
Aligning Strategies and Sales is a book that can help growing small businesses make enterprise level decisions and appreciate the potential results more clearly. What does it take to be effective? Moreover what does it take to be effective at the right time? Given the speed of the Internet, success is becoming more dependent on […]
This post originally appeared on HBS Working Knowledge. Many companies get stuck on a plateau, unable to grow and burning through cash at a frightening rate. Frank V. Cespedes discusses how focusing on the right customers can generate growth again. Starting a successful business is often considered the hardest thing entrepreneurs do—but growing an existing […]
This post originally appeared on the MIT Sloan Management Review. Many companies pursue growth opportunities without adequately defining who their ideal customers are. That lack of clarity can hamper profitable growth. It’s difficult to start a venture that gains traction with paying customers. In the first decade of the 21st century, fewer than half of all […]
This post originally appeared on Harvard Business Review. It was just minutes after they greeted each other on the porch of the restored mansion that the sales manager and the VP of marketing of a heavy-machinery company found themselves embroiled in the real purpose of their lunch meeting: Hashing out the sales manager’s plan to […]
This post originally appeared on HBS Working Knowledge. In some respects, developing strategy is the easy part. Executing that strategy in alignment with strategic priorities is where real mastery of management takes place. Harvard Business School senior lecturer Frank V. Cespedes shows how it is done. Key concepts include: Strategy implementation is essential for marketplace success […]
This post originally appeared on HBS Working Knowledge. If you and your customers understand the value represented in your pricing, you can—and should—charge more for delivering more. An interview on “performance pricing” with researchers Frank Cespedes, Benson P. Shapiro, and Elliot Ross. Key concepts include: Pricing builds or destroys value faster than almost any business action. […]