A Wealth of Learning Opportunities – and Resources – at Your Fingertips
Knowledge is power. Imagine what you could do with 24-hour access to a powerful learning community to help you stay up to date with the latest trends, insights, news, and best practices to share with your valued clients. XPX’s exclusive Knowledge Exchange is the one place where you can exchange knowledge with some of the industry’s most successful professionals with expertise in a wide variety of areas. Here are recent posts from our chapter activities and members:
News & Posts
There’s an old joke about a couple who were celebrating their 50th anniversary. When asked about the secret to their long marriage the husband replied, “when we got married, we made a pact that no matter what happens, we would always go out twice a week.” His wife nodded in agreement. He then added, “We never missed a week. I went out on Mondays and Wednesdays, and she went out on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” Perhaps you have your own secret to a long and happy life together, but the reality is that retiring as a couple can pose challenges, both with regard to doing the planning and to actually implementing your plan. And plan you should, for there might be a lot of togetherness ahead. Maybe you’ve spent two or three weeks on vacation with your other half in the past, but we’re talking about (potentially) decades here. The Skipton Building Society is a financial services organization in the U.K. They conducted a poll about retirement in 2013 and found that 8 in 10 retirees said they no longer shared any of their spouse or partner’s hobbies or interests, while 29 percent they didn’t have same expectations for retirement as their other half. Our early family experiences can shape those expectations. For example, imagine that your father had few hobbies or interests outside of work, and after retiring he spent most of his time at home driving your mom crazy. It’s understandable that you would be wary about the same thing happening in your relationship. The retirement transition isn’t always easy, and in some cases, it can lead to an unfortunate outcome. Divorce rates in the United States are declining — except for people over 50. Twenty years ago, just one in 10 spouses who split were age 50 or older; today, it is one in four. Couples who have historically avoided conflict may resist talking about retirement, which delays planning and can lead to rushed decisions. And couples who have not resolved past conflicts may repeat them, disrupting the planning process. But by recognizing the typical challenges surrounding retirement, you’ll be less apt to be alarmed by them, shy away from them, or view them as sign that your relationship is in trouble. Your retirement decisions and planning will likely revolve around two broad questions: WHEN will you begin the transition, and WHAT do you want it to look like and feel like as it unfolds? WHEN will you begin the transition? Some people launch into retirement abruptly while others adopt a gradual path, but you still need to decide whether the process starts 3 months from now or 3 years from now. Will you retire separately or together, and how does that impact your timing? I was curious about how people actually decided to retire, so I conducted interviews and compiled a dozen personal stories into a short book called Done With Work. My respondents spoke of the internal thoughts and feelings that propelled them to retire, as well as the external circumstances at play. They typically decided to retire when there was convergence between the internal and external factors. They felt psychologically ready to retire, and their external circumstances supported their doing so. WHAT do you want retirement to look like and feel like? There are many decisions you will need to make as a couple. For example, where will you live? What are you each looking for in terms of climate, type of community, type of residence, and so forth? How do you anticipate spending your time, and how much time will you spend together? How have you negotiated such matters in the past? Family As you enter this transition, you may need to consider certain family relationships. For example, as a couple you might have older adult parents to care for. They may have differing needs, and you and your partner may have a different relationship with your respective parents, a different perspective on caregiving, different sibling involvement and so forth. Perhaps you have children, stepchildren, and/or grandchildren. Here too there are numerous circumstances that could potentially require honest conversation, healthy debate, lots of good faith effort, and perhaps a negotiated compromise. Money Money is another area that couples need to consider. By this point in life you probably have a sense of where and how you diverge when it comes to spending priorities and your approach to money. But the stakes can feel much higher knowing that you may live for decades on a fixed income. Your financial advisor likely has resources to help you have productive discussions about money and can suggest ways to reach a workable compromise. For example, if you’re very cautious about money and your partner tends to spend more freely, you could agree to adopt your partner’s style when it comes to smaller expenses but employ your prudent approach when it comes to big ticket items. Communication All of the decisions you need to make will require some degree of discussion, exploration, negotiation, and the like. As with other transitions in your life together, this one requires solid communication. Roberta Taylor and Dorian Mintzer wrote a terrific book called The Couple’s Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Creating an Amazing New Life Together. They wisely note that just because you’ve been together a long time doesn’t necessarily mean you can read each other’s minds. One barrier to effective communication is that fear gets in the way. One or both parties may avoid discussing an issue because they’re afraid of opening a “Pandora’s Box”. Some fears are realistic and give us warning about what we ought to be paying attention to. But Taylor and Mintzer note that other fears may be “related to a lack of information or an overreaction based on past experience.” And as noted cognitive therapist Robert Leahy says, “sometimes the disagreement we envision in our head is worse than what actually occurs.” It’s rare for couples to always be on the exact same page. Disagreements are often due to differences of opinion, differences in your approach to problem-solving, or differences in your decision-making style. Those differences can obscure the fact that in reality you may be in greater agreement than you think. Stylistic differences can also hamper communication. Recognize them for what they are, but don’t conclude that they reflect character flaws. Your husband isn’t necessarily uncaring because he doesn’t like talking about the future. Your wife isn’t necessarily neurotic because she likes to talk about what’s troubling her. The conversation is less apt to derail if you can remember that the friction you’re feeling is probably more related to style than to substance. Even if you’re unable to agree on something you both want (e.g. where you want to live), can you reach agreement on things you don’t want? It can reduce tension if you reassure your partner that you won’t push for something that they feel is unacceptable. Individual Development Although it is important to plan together, you both need to figure out your own path as well. A very common concern involves identity. Who am I if my role changes, if I’m no longer a physician, a manager, a teacher? As Taylor and Mintzer wisely point out, “if one partner is dealing with issues of identity, chances are it affects both of you.” One of my professors, the late gero-psychologist David Gutmann discovered that with age, it’s not unusual for long-dormant aspects of our personality to emerge. For example, one member of a couple might wonder, “now that I no longer have to be the hard charging businessperson, can I also embrace the nurturing side that I had previously disavowed?” Will your relationship flexibly accommodate such a shift if it appears? Look to Your Past Retirement is a transition, and as a couple you should consider how you’ve each dealt with past transitions. Do you deal with them differently (e.g. speed through vs. tolerate the journey) and how did you manage to support one another during the process? Thinking about how you navigated those inflection points. Did you learn anything about yourself or your other half? Past transitions can shed light on strengths that you can then apply to this one. For couples contemplating retirement, planning your next chapter can feel complicated. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Your financial advisor has helped many other people just like you sort through the head and heart side of retirement. In the unlikely event that you reach an impasse, they should also be able to refer you to counselors who specialize in assisting couples who are going through this transition.
As an advisor, your role is to help clients prepare to exit their business, yet many people resist thinking about the future because it involves so many unknowns, decisions, and choices. And emotions typically complicate matters further, sometimes derailing the process altogether. Here are some questions that can help you establish rapport with your clients, learn more about their concerns, and move the conversation forward. How are you feeling about your work/profession/business these days? Which aspects of work are you still enjoying, and which are you ready to leave behind? Do you envision retiring from work at some point, or are you contemplating an encore career? What part of planning for your future feels most challenging? How do you imagine your life in retirement will be different from how it is now? What process are you using to figure out what you’ll do next after you retire? What would you like to see happen with your business long term? What options have you considered for the transfer of your business? What steps have you taken to make your business more attractive to a potential buyer? What are your concerns about transitioning your firm to new ownership? What would be your ideal scenario for transitioning out of your company? What topic(s) have we touched on today that we should put on our agenda to revisit? So, what happens after you pose a few of these questions and your clients open up about emotional matters? Remember, the most helpful thing you can do is to listen attentively. You’ve created a valuable opportunity for them to talk about things they may not share with other advisors. Here are some tips for managing the conversation when clients raise emotionally loaded topics: Don’t try to “fix things” by immediately offering suggestions. Doing so sends the message that you’re uncomfortable hearing their concern. You can offer suggestions but do so later. Don’t say anything that conveys the message that their feeling or concern is unwarranted. “There’s really no need to feel that way” or “I’m sure it will be just fine” may sound reassuring to you but could be experienced as dismissive by your client. Don’t immediately offer a logical counterpoint to your client’s emotion. Remember, feelings don’t have to make sense; they’re “as is”. Put another way, if feelings made sense, they would be thoughts. People report concerns and characterize their feelings differently from one another, so it’s in your best interest to seek amplification and clarification by inquiring as follows . . . “I want to make sure that I understand exactly what you mean by ___. Can you tell me more?” “People sometimes mean slightly different things when they talk about ___. What does ___ mean for you?” “Before I suggest anything, I’d like to learn more about it from your perspective.” It’s possible that during early conversations your client may hint at mixed feelings about exiting their business. That’s perfectly normal, but you need to bring it out into the open. You want to foster an atmosphere such that your client keeps you apprised about where they’re at. If they keep their ambivalence to themselves, it has greater potential to blindside you and complicate the sale. You can say: “In my experience, it’s normal to have some mixed emotions about selling. Those thoughts may not always be top of mind, but when they do pop up let’s be sure to talk about them. Believe it or not, they can help inform our process and alert us to aspects of the sale that are important to you.” You may also find that your client is overly risk averse. If so, consider saying the following: “Our work together won’t be comprehensive if we only plan for what could go wrong. That’s just half the equation. It’s fine to be conservative and err on the side of caution, but to be truly realistic we should also consider a range of possibilities both good and bad.” Author’s Note: The concepts in this article are derived from Robert Leahy’s book, Overcoming Resistance in Cognitive Therapy. New York: Guilford
As we delve into 2024, the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) landscape continues to evolve, shaped by the echoes of the COVID-era and the dynamics of the present. In a recent “Deal-by-Deal” podcast by McGuireWoods, I sat down with host Greg Hawver to dig into the trends and expectations shaping the M&A sector, particularly in the middle to lower middle market. Here’s a closer look at the key trends we discussed in the podcast and see impacting M&A in 2024. 1. Reflecting on 2023: A Year of Caution and Decline The year 2023 marked a significant downturn in M&A activities, recording one of the lowest deal-making volumes in a decade. This decline was not isolated but part of a continuing trend from the previous years, influenced by economic uncertainties and a shift in market dynamics. The year set a cautious tone, with both buyers and sellers recalibrating their strategies in response to the evolving economic landscape. 2. The Ascendancy of Corporate Deal-making A notable shift in 2023, expected to influence trends in 2024, is the increased involvement of corporates in M&A activities. With substantial cash reserves, corporates have been capitalizing on their ability to deploy capital efficiently, making them significant players in the M&A arena. This trend underscores the strategic realignment of companies as they navigate the complexities of the current economic climate. 3. Bridging the Valuation Gap A persistent theme, and one that’s expected to continue into 2024, is the disconnect between seller expectations and market valuations. Many sellers, influenced by the peak valuations of yesteryears, find themselves at odds with the current market realities. This valuation gap poses challenges but also opens up dialogues for recalibration and realignment of expectations, paving the way for more realistic and sustainable deal-making. 4. Anticipating the Pulse of 2024 The outlook for 2024 is cautiously optimistic, with the first half of the year likely mirroring the trends of 2023. However, as interest rates stabilize and valuation expectations align more closely between buyers and sellers, the latter half of the year could witness an uptick in M&A activities. This period of adjustment is crucial for both buyers and sellers to strategize and position themselves advantageously in the market. 5. The Evolution of Deal Structures and Financing The M&A landscape in 2024 is witnessing an increasing complexity in deal structures. With more equity rollovers and structured deals, parties are seeking ways to de-risk transactions. The rise of private credit is reshaping the financing of deals, filling the void left by traditional lenders. This trend highlights the need for innovative financing solutions and flexible deal structures in the current market. 6. Industry-Specific Trends and the Role of Technology Certain industries are poised to navigate 2024 differently, influenced by their cyclical nature and economic exposure. Additionally, the integration of AI and technology, especially in sectors like healthcare, is expected to drive transformation and create new opportunities. Staying attuned to these industry-specific trends and technological advancements will be key for M&A success in 2024. 7. Strategic Advice for Sellers and Buyers In this evolving landscape, being well-prepared is paramount. Sellers are advised to align their expectations with market realities and ensure their businesses are primed for sale. Buyers, on the other hand, are encouraged to cultivate relationships and explore unique opportunities, especially before companies are already launched into broad auction processes. As we navigate through 2024, the M&A landscape is marked by cautious optimism, strategic realignment, and an innovative approach to deal-making. By understanding these trends and adapting strategies accordingly, stakeholders in the M&A sector can navigate the complexities of the market and capitalize on the emerging opportunities.
One of the most common concerns I hear about retirement is the fear of being bored. Given the weeks, months, and years ahead that need to be filled with something other than your job, it’s understandable. To make matters worse, many of us know a relative or friend who was aimless and miserable in retirement. In this article I’ll share some suggestions for how to occupy yourself, but before doing so let’s look at boredom from another angle. When you’ve spent decades being busy, having an afternoon with absolutely nothing to do can feel unsettling, especially if you were raised to value industriousness and productivity. While those internal notions about hard work may have served you well during your career, they can become a source of distress during retirement. It’s perfectly normal to have downtime once you’ve left your job, yet some people feel ill at ease during those periods. The key is to adopt a broader definition of what constitutes a good use of your time. Learn to welcome occasional idleness as a chance to recharge or reflect, or perhaps go one step further and embrace the Italian notion of “Dolce far Niente” which means “the sweetness of doing nothing.” When idle, people sometimes mislabel their discomfort as boredom. Boredom is the belief that there is nothing interesting to do. And yet unless you’re clinically depressed, there are probably lots of interesting options available to you. One caveat: you’ve got to be open to the idea that something other than your former work can be fulfilling. Let’s look at some possibilities . . . One strategy for finding compelling pursuits (shared by my friend G.C.) is to commit to trying something new each month, whether it’s taking an introductory class, trying a new restaurant, reading a new book, exploring a new neighborhood, or listening to a new podcast. You don’t have to stick with anything unless it’s satisfying, but you must do something new each month. An added benefit of this approach is that over time it’s a nice way to meet people (or reconnect with old friends you invite along). If you’re having difficulty finding new things to do, you might want to visit
Link to register. Please indicate that Mark Gross invited you.
Do you dread networking for new business? Here are some techniques to help you refine your approach so that networking becomes more enjoyable and productive. Several years ago I co-founded a networking group attended by experienced, successful professionals. What I didn’t anticipate was that many of these highly competent and engaging people struggled with networking. In off-line conversations they admitted to a host of challenges. Here are just a few of the things they shared with me: “I’m self-conscious in informal networking settings. I meet interesting people, but inside I’m so uncomfortable that I’m not fully there in the conversation.” “I know that I should be asking the other person thoughtful questions, but sometimes my mind just goes blank.” “My elevator speech isn’t effective. No matter how many times I practice it and revise it, it feels like a speech instead of a conversation-starter.” “Networking conversations seem too forced and contrived to me; they just don’t feel natural.” These talented people were well informed about networking. They knew what to do, but putting it into practice was another matter entirely. For most of these individuals it’s not that they didn’t know enough about networking. Rather, they didn’t know enough about themselves. They didn’t understand the psychological barrier that prevented them from using the networking skills they already possessed. Most networking experts are quick to point out that the process is not about you; it’s about getting to know others and determining how you can help them. The individuals in my networking group would readily and enthusiastically agree with that notion. They were sincerely interested in others and yet in networking situations they still found themselves feeling ill at ease, distracted by their own internal state instead of focusing on the people they’re meeting. Why does this happen? In some cases it’s because they get tripped up by their own expectations. They tend to remember past networking encounters that didn’t go well, forgetting about the ones that were uneventful or good. Because of their selective memory they anticipate that subsequent networking encounters will be uncomfortable. As a result, they’re primed in advance to notice any self-consciousness or anxiety – and they get distracted from connecting with the person in front of them. In other cases, it’s because they’ve prepared themselves on the outside but not on the inside. They rehearsed their elevator speech so that they would sound natural. They put business cards in their pocket and made sure their shoes were shined. If it was a virtual gathering, they double checked their background and lighting. They thought about topics for conversation. All of that is fine, but it has very little to do with getting to know others and trying to help them. There is a disconnect between what they’ve prepared for versus what they’re trying to accomplish. No wonder they’re uncomfortable! Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself before a networking event: Remind yourself that your goal is not simply to initiate LinkedIn connections, and that it is extraordinarily unlikely that you will meet someone who is a perfect match for your product or service. Your primary goal is to get to know people and to determine how you might help them. Look through your own list of contacts. Identify at least a half-dozen people who you could envision attending the networking event with you. Now that they’re top of mind, you’ll be better prepared to connect them to new people you meet at the event. Give some thought to how you can get to know the people you’ll be meeting. Don’t want to get stuck in the same old tired dialogue? Then don’t ask the same old questions. I like to make sure that I have a clear understanding of the other person’s work so I often ask, “When I’m with my own clients, how would I know if they were a perfect fit for your product/service? Put more simply, what should I be listening for?” Encounters between even the most well-prepared and thoughtful networkers can occasionally falter. Sometimes the conversation just doesn’t flow, or it stalls out despite your best efforts. And just because you’re trying to get to know someone doesn’t mean that you’ll click with him or her. I know a businesswoman who used to shy away from networking situations because she feared getting stuck in conversations that were going nowhere. She was concerned about appearing insincere or rude if she tried to extricate herself. I helped her rehearse a genuine yet gracious exit: “Thanks very much for telling me about your work; hopefully I’ll meet someone else here I can connect you with.” Networking can be enjoyable and profitable on many levels if you adopt the right mindset. A little bit of inner preparation can go a long way toward helping you focus outside of yourself, which is the best way to meet others. © Larry Gard, Ph.D. 2023
Just because you run a successful business doesn’t necessarily mean that you will exit from it successfully. Planning can increase the odds that you will transfer your business on terms you’re comfortable with. Yet very few business owners engage in proactive exit planning, failing to establish arrangements for a thoughtful transfer of ownership that protects their interests and the interests of other stakeholders including employees, vendors, and valued clients. As a psychologist who works with late career individuals, here are six obstacles I frequently see that make it harder for business owners to plan for their exit. Inertia Exiting from your business takes time and energy. Your advisors will make things as efficient as possible, but you will still need to devote considerable resources to the process. It’s not surprising that a busy owner would prefer to focus on running their business rather than adding another item to their agenda. Particularly if all is well it’s easy to say, “I’ll deal with exit planning when the time comes.” Allowing yourself and the business to coast along can be tempting, but you run the risk of not being ready when a good exit opportunity comes along. Related to inertia is the fear of making a mistake. Some owners worry that they will regret selling, so they opt not to prepare for their exit in any substantive way. Resistance to change Many business owners attribute their success to sticking with a winning formula. They’re not interested in making modifications that could make the business easier or more profitable to sell, nor are they comfortable knowing that a buyer might make big changes to their company, and thus they avoid exit planning. Others are wary of how their lives might change once they do exit. Will their scope of authority diminish during the buyout period? Will others still treat them with respect? As an owner, you need to consider how your roles might change (in your family, company, and community) once you leave work. How will it feel to relinquish some of those roles, and what new ones might you take on? Biased thinking If human beings were 100% rational, I’d be out of business. There are lots of ways that we can be our own worst enemy and shoot ourselves in the foot. Let me point out two very common human biases that can impact our planning for the future. Confirmation bias is our tendency to look for evidence that supports our beliefs, while discounting or ignoring evidence to the contrary. Think about how this might trip you up if you’re exiting your business. For example, when it comes to assessing the worth of your business, this bias might lead you to reject an objective valuation. If you’re considering appointing a successor, this bias could cloud your judgement regarding the ability of key staff or family members to take the helm. Another pothole to watch out for is the availability bias. That’s the tendency to make judgments about the likelihood of something based on how readily and vividly examples come to mind. Let’s imagine that in the past month, you ran into two friends who both said they were unhappy after selling their companies to private equity firms. Do you think you would be fully objective if your advisor raised the same idea in your next meeting? Loss of identity The thought of no longer working may sound appealing, but for many people it’s extremely unsettling because so much of who they are is wrapped up in their job. Reverend William Byron wrote, “if you are what you do, when you don’t, you aren’t.” Our personal identity can be threatened by the loss of our work role, particularly if we have not established and developed other aspects of ourselves outside of work. It’s analogous to diversification in financial matters. You’re better able to handle a downturn in the market if your portfolio is diversified. Similarly, you’ll be better positioned to deal with the loss of your work identity if you can tap into other sides of yourself. Recognizing your identity (beyond work) may seem daunting in the abstract, but I’ve found that most people can make progress if they spend some time looking for patterns in their historical experiences and relationships. Your personal history Speaking of history, our early family experiences can shape our assumptions and expectations about exiting work. For example, some people find it hard to envision stopping because they never had a role model of life after work; their parents worked until they got sick. Others saw friends or relatives who fared poorly in retirement, and they worry that the same fate will befall them. I hear from business owners all the time who attribute their parent’s death to retirement. They insist that they themselves have no intention to stop working, proclaiming “they’ll have to carry me out on a stretcher.” I admire their fortitude, but their decision to remain at work indefinitely may not be optimal for the company nor is it objective. Ask yourself, are you playing these historical tapes internally? If so, is it really in your best interest and that of your business? Uncertainty about the future Exit planning involves grappling with unknowns, decisions, and choices. What is the best option for transferring ownership? What will happen to your company when you’re no longer there? What will your life be like after the sale? How will you structure your time? These are huge questions, and without a crystal ball the uncertainties can feel overwhelming. Your advisors can be of great help, but don’t overlook the lessons you’ve learned from past transitions. Think about past inflection points in your life when you faced major uncertainty. How did you handle those situations? Did you learn something about making decisions in the face of the unknown? Can you apply that wisdom to your current circumstances? Eventually you will exit If you’re a business owner, in the future you won’t be. It’s just that simple. There is no escaping the reality that eventually you will exit from your business. If you wait to plan until it feels perfectly right, you might be waiting a long time. Don’t expect that this process will be without some misgivings, ambivalence, and uncertainty. Don’t allow yourself to be paralyzed by those psychological obstacles, and don’t feel as if you can’t talk about them. A trusted exit advisor can guide and support you as you navigate the emotional side of leaving your business. Larry Gard, Ph.D. is a psychologist and author of the book “Done with Work: A dozen perspectives on the decision to retire”. He provides pre-retirement coaching to late career professionals and business owners. For more information, please visit
INTRODUCTION Effective sales strategies are crucial for success in the dynamic landscape of modern business. Business owners recognize the pivotal role that sales teams play in revenue generation and customer acquisition. As a result, they must invest in training programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of their sales force. Two complementary approaches are “Sales Skills Training” and “Sales Training Platforms.” The first half of this article focuses on the distinction between “Sales Skills Training” and “Sales Training Platforms,” the second half focuses on which types of Sales Training Platforms and Sales Skills Training align better with certain types of businesses. I’ll also leave you with a table listing the various sales-related business attributes (relationship vs. transactional, long sales cycle vs. short, etc.) to illustrate which types of sales training platforms align best with your business. Sales Skills Training: Fostering Personal Mastery Sales Skills Training programs, often illustrated by the offerings of Dale Carnegie, Franklin Covey, Huthwaite’s SPIN Sales Training, and many of the Sandler Sales Training programs, typically focus on honing an individual sales representative’s skills and capabilities. These programs often focus on developing interpersonal skills, communication techniques, and emotional intelligence. While some emphasize developing a relationship and becoming a “trusted advisor,” most promote more direct sales techniques to motivate a customer to sign. The core premise of most sales skills training is to equip sales professionals with the training, tools, and finesse to navigate diverse customer personalities and tailor their approach to identify and quickly develop solutions that meet specific customer needs. Dale Carnegie’s program, known for its enduring legacy, emphasizes relationship-building as a cornerstone of successful sales. It teaches participants how to establish rapport, handle objections gracefully, and foster genuine connections with prospects. Sandler Sales Training takes a more direct approach, emphasizing the importance of customer pain points while probing and quantifying the impact of inaction while trying to persuade the customer to take quick action. Both are effective given specific circumstances but are not interchangeable because they rely on different approaches. Each is most effective when aligned with the type of sale you’re executing. For example: Is it transactional- or relationship-based? Is it an indirect sale with a standard contract or a complex deal with a highly engineered solution, customized agreement, and multiple decision makers/influencers? Sales Training Platforms: Systematic and Comprehensive Approach Contrasting with, and yet supplementing, the individual-centric Sales Skills Training described above, Sales Training Platforms like Miller Heiman’s “Strategic Selling,” Holden International’s “Power Base Selling,” and Wilson Learning’s “The Counselor Salesperson” all provide a more systematic and comprehensive approach to sales training. These platforms offer structured methodologies and frameworks that guide sales teams through various stages of a more complex, relationship-based sales process. Individual Growth vs. Team Alignment One of the primary distinctions between Sales Skills Training and Sales Training Platforms lies in their focus on individual growth versus team alignment. Sales Skills Training programs prioritize enhancing personal skills, allowing sales representatives to refine their ability to engage and persuade clients effectively. These programs are particularly beneficial for developing rapport and trust one-on-one. In contrast, Sales Training Platforms emphasize a collective approach. They provide a unified framework that ensures sales teams operate cohesively, following a structured process that aligns with organizational goals. This team-oriented approach is especially relevant when dealing with complex, multi-stakeholder sales scenarios where coordinated efforts can make or break a deal. Adaptability vs. Systematic Consistency Another key difference revolves around adaptability versus systematic consistency. Sales Skills Training programs often equip sales representatives with a toolkit of interpersonal skills, allowing them to adapt to various customer personalities and situations. These programs empower sales professionals to think on their feet and adjust their approach as needed, fostering flexibility. Conversely, Sales Training Platforms offer a consistent methodology that guides sales teams through standardized steps. While this approach may appear rigid, it can be highly effective in maintaining quality control, especially in organizations with a large and diverse sales force. It provides a common language and process that everyone follows, ensuring a streamlined and predictable sales process. Conclusion One of the most critical aspects of developing an effective sales training program for your business starts with understanding the distinction between Sales Skills Training and Sales Training Platforms. While Sales Skills Training focuses on enhancing individual sales representatives’ interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, Sales Training Platforms offer systematic methodologies that guide teams through the sales process with consistent and coordinated efforts. Both approaches have their merits, and the choice between them should be based on an organization’s specific needs, go-to-market strategy, and the complexity of the deals they pursue. Ultimately, whether through the personal mastery cultivated by Sales Skills Training or the systematic consistency of Sales Training Platforms, the goal remains the same: to empower sales teams to achieve unparalleled success in a competitive business landscape. If your business needs a comprehensive, customized sales training program to elevate your Sales Team’s performance, let’s
INTRODUCTION To maximize performance, it is essential that sales leaders provide comprehensive ongoing training and coaching to their sales team to become a high-performance sales organization. In this article, we will explore the 8 types of sales training high-performance sales leaders deploy to ensure their teams have the knowledge and skills necessary to excel. These training types include Company, Industry/Competition, Products, Systems, Sales Processes, Sales Skills, Sales Management, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). 1. COMPANY TRAINING Comprehensive knowledge of the company’s vision, mission, values, and culture is essential for sales professionals. Company training familiarizes sales teams with the company’s unique history and story, the organization’s goals, unique value proposition, target markets, and overall business strategy. This training helps salespeople align their efforts with the company’s objectives, effectively communicate the value of their offerings, and build trust with customers. By understanding the company inside-out, sales professionals can better represent its brand and deliver a compelling sales pitch. 2. INDUSTRY/COMPETITION TRAINING Understanding the industry landscape and competitive landscape is vital for sales professionals. Industry/competition training equips sales teams with knowledge about market trends, customer preferences, and the competitive landscape. This training allows salespeople to position their products or services effectively, address customer pain points, and differentiate themselves from competitors. By staying up-to-date with industry trends, sales teams can adapt their strategies and remain ahead of the competition. 3. PRODUCT TRAINING Product knowledge is the foundation of successful sales. Product training ensures that sales teams have a deep understanding of the features, benefits, and applications of the products or services they are selling. This training equips sales professionals to effectively communicate product value to customers, address specific customer needs, and handle objections. By being well-versed in product knowledge and high-impact use cases, sales teams can build credibility, instill confidence in customers, and close deals more effectively. 4. SYSTEMS TRAINING In today’s digital age, sales teams rely on various systems and tools to manage customer relationships, track sales activities, host video meetings, conduct webinars, query databases, generate pricing requests, and efficiently navigate sales processes. Systems training provides sales professionals with the necessary skills to leverage these tools effectively. Whether it is a customer relationship management (CRM) system, ERP system, order entry system, sales automation software, sales analytics, or a mobile platform, understanding how to navigate and utilize these systems optimally enables sales teams to work efficiently, enhance collaboration, and make data-driven decisions. 5. SALES PROCESS TRAINING A structured and standardized sales process is essential for consistent sales performance. Sales process training guides sales teams through the steps involved in a typical sales cycle, from lead generation to deal closure and post-sales support. This training helps sales professionals understand the importance of each stage, develop effective sales strategies, and improve conversion rates. By following a defined sales process, sales teams can identify bottlenecks, optimize workflows, and deliver a seamless customer experience. 6. SALES SKILLS TRAINING Sales skills training focuses on enhancing core selling skills such as communication, negotiation, objection handling, relationship building, and closing techniques. These skills are fundamental to establishing rapport with customers, understanding their needs, and influencing their buying decisions. Sales skills training provides sales teams with practical techniques, role-playing exercises, and real-world scenarios to improve their ability to engage customers, overcome objections, negotiate, and close deals. Continuous development of sales skills is essential for long-term success and adapting to changing customer expectations. 7. SALES MANAGEMENT TRAINING A well-structured and comprehensive training program equips sales managers with essential skills and knowledge to lead their teams effectively, resulting in improved sales outcomes and business success. Organizations can create a culture of excellence that fosters collaboration and consistency by providing managers with strategic planning, motivation, and performance management tools. According to a study by the Harvard Business Review (2018), companies that invest in sales management training experience a substantial increase in revenue and profit margins. Therefore, investing in sales management training is a wise and proven approach to elevating sales performance. Sales Xceleration offers an outstanding sales management training program called the Certified Sales Leader (CSL). It covers the foundations of successful sales leadership, including Sales Strategy, Business Planning, Hiring, Onboarding, Managing a Team, Motivating & Getting the Best from your Sales Team, Creating an Environment of Sales Success, Coaching & Sales Culture, Improving Poor Performance, Sales Meetings, Ride-a-longs, Roleplays, Understanding Customers, Forecasting, CRM, Compensation, and Mentoring. In addition to a certification exam, the CSL program includes practical tools, documents, and templates to improve all aspects of sales leadership. 8. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TRAINING As technology continues to advance, sales teams need to harness the power of AI to gain a competitive edge. AI training equips sales professionals with knowledge about AI-driven tools and applications that can enhance their sales effectiveness. This training helps sales teams understand how AI can automate routine tasks, provide insights, and enable predictive analytics to improve customer targeting, lead generation, and sales forecasting. AI can be especially beneficial when developing templates, refining sales scripts, and improving marketing automation flows. By leveraging AI effectively, sales teams can optimize their workflows, identify new opportunities, and drive revenue growth. CONCLUSION To maximize your sales team’s performance, sales leaders and business owners must deploy a comprehensive range of training programs. Company, Industry/Competition, Products, Systems, Sales Processes, Sales Skills, Sales Management, and AI training are crucial elements that ensure sales professionals are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in their roles. By investing in these training types, business owners can empower their sales teams to stay ahead of the competition, effectively communicate value, and drive revenue growth in an ever-evolving sales landscape. If your business needs a comprehensive, customized sales training program to elevate your Sales Team’s performance, let’s
The Dual Imperative: The Significance of Having a Business Plan and a Sales Plan for Startup Success Introduction Launching a Startup is an exhilarating journey that requires careful planning and execution. Entrepreneurs must develop two crucial blueprints to establish a solid foundation for success: a comprehensive Business Plan and a focused Sales Plan. While the Business Plan outlines the overall strategy and direction of the venture, the Sales Plan acts as a roadmap for achieving revenue targets. Business Plan vs. Sales Plan – An Important Distinction. The Business Plan and the Sales Plan are critically different yet complementary elements of a successful business launch. Business Plans are typically developed for a particular audience like C-Suite Executives, CEOs, CFOs, etc., and focus on raising funds with a Banker or conceptually pitching other funding sources like Private Equity or Venture Capital investors. Business Plans are developed from the “top-down” based on broad, industry-level market assumptions and often rely on the addressable market size, projected market share, average selling price, renewal rates, annual revenue projections, inflation adjustments, etc. Sales Plans are typically developed by the Sales Leader to validate the Business Plan and verify the resources required to achieve the Business Plan’s revenue projections. The Sales Plan is a detailed, “bottom-up” sales forecast that uses a reiterative process to confirm the sales resources (people, processes, systems, infrastructure, etc.) needed to ensure the timely delivery of projected Sales Revenue. In this article, we will explore the importance of having both a Business Plan and a Sales Plan in the Startup ecosystem and how they work together to drive sustainable growth. Beyond Startups, this article offers a very effective approach that can be deployed in other business situations, such as Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures, Integrations, Reorganizations, and Turnarounds. The Business Plan: Charting the Course Strategic Vision and Mission The Business Plan serves as a strategic compass, providing a clear vision and mission for the Startup. It outlines the long-term goals, target market, and value proposition of the business. By defining the purpose and direction, the Business Plan helps align the efforts of all stakeholders toward a common objective. Market Analysis and Competitive Landscape A thorough market analysis is a crucial component of the Business Plan. It involves studying the target market, identifying customer needs, and evaluating potential competitors. Market research helps the Startup understand its customers, anticipate trends, and position itself effectively in the market. Operational and Financial Planning A robust Business Plan includes detailed operational and financial strategies. It outlines the organizational structure, key responsibilities, and operational processes necessary to achieve the business goals. Additionally, it projects top-down financial forecasts, including revenue projections, expenses, and funding requirements, which help the Startup plan for contingencies, manage resources efficiently, and attract investors or lenders. The Sales Plan: Planning to Grow GTM Strategy & Sales Tactics The Sales Plan details the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy and sales tactics needed to drive sales growth. This may include sales channel selection, lead generation techniques, pricing strategies, and promotional activities. By mapping the sales process, Startups can streamline operations, optimize resource allocation, and enhance the customer experience. Target Customer Identification Understanding the target customer is crucial for Startups to tailor their sales strategies. The Sales Plan outlines the Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP), including demographics, pain points, and buying behaviors. By identifying the target customer, Startups can refine their messaging and design effective sales processes to maximize conversion rates. Clear Sales Targets A Sales Plan is essential for Startups as it clarifies sales objectives and targets. It defines measurable goals, such as revenue targets, customer acquisition numbers, the number and types of salespeople, experience levels, hiring plans, ramp-up time, sales quotas, the number of marketing qualified leads, projected calls/meetings per week, RFPs/month, win-loss projections, estimated conversion rates, manufacturing constraints, product availability, margin expectations, KPIs, etc. By setting clear sales objectives, the Sales Plan enables the Startup to focus its efforts and allocate resources effectively. The Symbiotic Relationship: Business Plans and Sales Plans Adaptability The symbiotic relationship between the Business and Sales Plans allow for agility in adapting to changing market dynamics. As Startups navigate uncertainties and unexpected challenges, the Business Plan can be revised to accommodate strategic pivots, while the Sales Plan can be adjusted to capitalize on emerging opportunities. This flexibility ensures that the Startup remains responsive to market trends and customer demands. Ensuring Alignment The Business Plan and the Sales Plan must work in harmony to ensure alignment between the strategic vision and sales execution. The alignment enables the organization to maintain cohesiveness in its messaging, branding, and customer interactions. An aligned Sales Plan ensures that the Startup’s sales efforts support the overall revenue goals. Ideally, the Business and Sales plans need to meet in the middle. Once aligned, the Sales Leader can develop a sales budget for the Sales Organization. How much does it cost to build and maintain a sales team capable of delivering the desired results? Performance Tracking Both plans provide a framework for performance tracking and evaluation. The Business Plan allows Startups to assess their progress toward the overarching business goals, while the Sales Plan enables tracking of sales targets, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction metrics. Regular evaluation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) empowers Startups to identify areas of improvement, refine their strategies, and make data-driven decisions. Conclusion The best way to validate a Business Plan is by creating a “bottom-up” Sales Plan that incorporates known variables to generate monthly/quarterly/annual Sales forecasts that align with the “top-down” revenue projections in the Business Plan. Any disconnects found during this process will allow the Company to address potential flaws pre-launch, which can save the company millions of dollars without having to rework the Business Plan, delay the launch, miss sales projections, or negatively impact the Company’s valuation. It can also provide Operations with an accurate monthly sales forecast to order raw materials, plan inventory, and develop manufacturing schedules. Bottom Line. Market Reports and Market Data are excellent sources of general industry information and trends when building a Business Plan; however, engaging a strong Sales Leader to develop and execute an actionable Sales Plan will ensure you have the necessary sales infrastructure and resources in place to launch and grow a profitable business. If this article describes some of the challenges your business is experiencing, why not engage a Sales Advisor who can help elevate and accelerate your business? Book a confidential, no-obligation meeting with
Pre-retirement coaching is designed to help late career professionals and business owners sort through the head and heart side of the retirement transition. For those who have never availed themselves of coaching, the process might seem like a black box. How does coaching help a person get from point A to point B? This chart presents one example of how coaching addressed a client’s key objectives . . .
Join us on May 10 for a Lavelle Law Breakfast Briefs presentation in Schaumburg. Attend this free seminar as Lavelle Law attorneys Steve Migala and David O’Leary collaborate with Steven Ryan of GreatBanc Trust Company to discuss strategies for determining if an ESOP is the right structure for your business, or perhaps your client’s business. The benefits of an ESOP What makes a company a good ESOP candidate Tax benefits ESOP financing The parties involved in an ESOP transaction Transaction responsibilities Timing of an ESOP transaction Details and registration:
Whatever happened to the original 11 companies Jim Collins featured in his 2001 book Good to Great? As part of a review I recently Key Findings. The research team discovered many lessons along the way, but one “giant conclusion” stood above the others. Their research confirmed that “almost any organization can substantially improve its stature and performance, perhaps even become great, if it conscientiously applies the framework of ideas they [the Collins team] uncovered.” Additional lessons learned from the companies that went from good to great: Celebrity Leaders. Famous leaders with larger-than-life personalities who ride in from the outside were negatively correlated with taking a company from good to great. Executive Compensation. There is no systematic pattern linking specific forms of executive compensation to the process of going from good to great. Strategy. The strategic planning process did not separate the good-to-great companies from the comparison companies. Both sets of companies had well-defined strategic plans, used similar planning processes, and spent comparable amounts of time on long-range strategic planning. What Not To Do. Good-to-great companies focused less on what to do, than on what not to do, and what to stop doing. Technology. Technology-driven change has virtually nothing to do with igniting a transition from good to great. Technology can only accelerate a transformation but cannot cause a transformation. M&A. M&A plays virtually no role in igniting a transition from good to great. Merging two mediocre companies never make one great company. Focus on the business. Good-to-great companies create alignment and motivation by focusing on running their business rather than getting distracted by large-scale change management initiatives. No Launch Event or Revolutionary Process. Good-to-great companies had no name, tagline, or launch event to signify the start of their transformation. Most were evolutionary, not revolutionary. Greatness is primarily a matter of conscious choice. Good-to-great companies were not, by and large, in great industries; some were in terrible industries. Greatness is not a function of circumstance (i.e., sitting on the nose cone of a rocketship). What I Found Interesting. Few people realize that as unfortunate as Collin’s only high-profile bankruptcy was of his original 11 Good To Great companies, a rise-from-the-ashes story emerged shortly before the Circuit City bankruptcy happened. The Circuit City management team accelerated the spinoff of another one of their start-ups, called CarMax (NYSE: KMX), which has since grown into a juggernaut that today employs 32,647 people and generates $31.9 billion in annual revenue. It’s interesting to note that even when the original Circuit City business model was failing to keep pace with their larger rival, BestBuy, their leadership team had the foresight and was able to fund and launch the next great idea – while continuing to build both businesses for a few years until they were able to safely step off the sinking Circuit City ship and onto the CarMax lifeboat they had launched. Summary – The book organizes a highly complex, multi-year research project into groups of insightful examples using a framework that supports and explains their findings. The case studies were well-researched and easy to follow, and I appreciated the handy summaries at the end of every chapter. I was impressed with the breadth and depth of the research put forth to write the book. Based on years of empirical research, data gathering, interviews, and real-world examples, it provides an understandable path for helping companies move from good to great.
Although there’s a strong parallel between creating a winning culture in Sports and Sales, winning cultures come in all shapes and sizes. There’s an important yet subtle distinction between creating a winning culture centered around winning at any cost and winning the right way. The difference between the two is often overlooked and dealt with reactively rather than proactively. The solution typically involves recruiting the right people that fit your organization’s culture, ongoing coaching and training, and how your leadership team communicates their vision, sets expectations, and deals with discipline. As the Business Owner, Visionary, or Integrator, I want to equip you with new concepts that help you create a Winning Sales Culture. Winning a single championship is the goal of most teams, but winning back-to-back titles is the goal of only one team each year. Last year, the
I’m having a lot of client dialogue on Cash Balance Plans (CBPs). A CBP is the third sleeve of a Retirement Plan – following the standard 401k and Profit Sharing sleeves of traditional plans. The contribution limits are substantial allowing participants the ability to contribute significant $s pretax and to grow those contributions tax deferred. The plan is particularly attractive to organizations that are top heavy with highly-compensated employees or partners, but can also be relevant for sole proprietors. Contact me if you would like to learn more. michael.schodrof@ubs.com
Background Historically, Sales has been one of the most impactful yet overlooked aspects of Exit Planning. In this article, I address the critical nature of Sales & Marketing Alignment within the Exit Planning process.
Contact & Connect
Chapter Events
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
