Business Blogs

For those of you who have read Michael Gerber’s – The E-Myth Revisited, you will know the difference between technician, manager and entrepreneur. You started your business to be an entrepreneur but usually end up as technician / manager. There is no school for entrepreneurial skills, they don’t get taught, it’s up to you to […]

Small businesses are the backbone of Australia’s economies. They contribute 40 per cent of our national economic output and employ almost half of our workforce (Source: ANZ). Beyond their economic contributions, small businesses are the very fabric of our regional communities. Our prosperity, health and well being regionally rests on the commitment, brilliance and resilience […]

Give yourself a break. As a regional business owner or CEO, this isn’t easy. I get it. I’ve worked in small businesses since I was a kid. It’s bloody hard work and sometimes it feels like there’s no end in sight. We can’t know what we don’t know and quite often business skills are far […]

If you own or run a regional business, you’re sitting on a goldmine. You are actually more ahead – more ready – than some of the world’s largest corporations. Don’t believe us? Read on. The world is evolving fast. For regional business, there has never been a better time to leave a mark. Why? The […]

Si Harris – Do you guys know of Jeffrey Gitomer? He’s one of my mentors in the $ales arena and he taught me all about getting to emotion in the sales process. He tells a story of a small invisible string that is connected to the heart that runs under the skin, over the shoulder […]

I love being on the end of someone else’s sales process, you get to see some amazing new things, some things done really well and of course the worst of it all.  I am trying to buy a triple garage for my property at home and have contacted a bunch of local suppliers including national […]

One of my closest friends was on the heart transplant list for some considerable  months and was not expected to last another winter.  We received the great news that he had had the transplant and all was going really well.  I spoke with him just 3 days after the op and he was a new […]

That’s my take on sales and selling.  Where else are you expected on a daily basis to go out there, call on people who don’t know that they need what it is you have to sell, get rejected, hung up on, gate kept, ignored, given every excuse under the sun as to why they cannot […]

If leads * sales = profits (assuming of course you are selling with an appropriate margin) then how well-defined is your sales process? If you look at all the possible sources of leads to your business there will be only two types. They are either proactive leads such as direct mail, telemarketing, radio, TV, newspapers, […]

We ask the question: What is essential for business growth? Jack walks into his local supermarket. He is greeted by name. He is asked how his son is doing at school. He is asked if he needs help with anything. The supermarket clerk takes time to ensure Jack has everything he needs, and she makes […]

Stand Up! It’s clear that there are many things you can do to change the future of your business immediately. There are other things that take time. After all, small business is a marathon and not a sprint. A healthy, resilient business must be capable of rising to each challenge. And it is incumbent upon […]

As we covered in Part One of this blog, beyond the disciplines and mentoring we provide, regional business owners benefit from taking the following four simple steps to ensure they don’t become a statistic. These steps include: GET REAL. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. CALL THEM OUT. STAND UP. Let’s start with Number One…. Get real. […]

Si Harris – I can’t tell you how many apps I have downloaded but I’m guessing its more than the average smart phone user! I love apps and I’m continually looking for new ways to improve productivity, save time or $$, give me access to up-to-date info or just to have some fun with. We […]

How many times have you heard from a prospect something like this – “this all sounds great, just let me get through the Christmas period, in fact why don’t you call me mid January”.  This one used to get me every time! Here’s what I say when this old gem comes up – “Well Mr […]

Of all the aspects of sales the hardest part is generating leads. I have heard so many sales people say to me, just put me in front of someone and I’ll sell them! They just don’t get it, that is sales, without the leads you have no sales. Questions is – do you generate the […]

I’ve called thousands of prospects over the years and in that time I have learnt a few tips I thought you might like to see. You have to have a great opening line to grab attention.  I hate it when people ask me – “how are you today?”.  It puts me right into “defensive mode” […]

This is easy when you get it right!  It is tough if you fail to set up the appointment properly.  What you have to remember here is that husband and wives think differently, they are together because of the old saying – opposites attract!  They have different views on life, you and your product / […]

Too many times I have lost sales due to not having all the decision makers at the appointment.  This upsets me greatly. When I qualify people, either on the phone or somewhere in your sales process, it is so important to ensure you have all the DM’s (Decision Makers) available to attend the meeting.  I […]

Navigating the future of business The world is changing. Businesses everywhere are now apart of a world that is inherently interconnected. This cannot be changed. It is how it is. Successful businesses know this, and so they are learning to quickly adapt. But what does this interconnectedness have to do with business? And how can […]

Take charge, and Call Them Out. Having spoken to thousands of regional small business owners throughout my career, there is no doubt in my mind that many professional services are letting our small business owners down. ABS data shows that regional areas may be underserviced in many areas important for small business development. You only […]

Small businesses are the backbone of Australia’s economies. They contribute 40 per cent of our national economic output and employ almost half of our workforce (Source: ANZ). Beyond their economic contributions, small businesses are the very fabric of our regional communities. Our prosperity, health and well being regionally rests on the commitment, brilliance and resilience […]

Si Harris – Sales is a tough but rewarding role. One that will challenge you from every angle, your tenacity, your will to succeed, your internal strength, your perception of people, your internal motivation and so much more. On the other hand, if you pass these tests the rewards are incredible.So, two types of sales […]

I get asked this question every time I present on sales. What’s the best way to handle the objection on? The hardest working sales guys and gals get real good at some of the old Tom Hopkins objection handling techniques like, apart from the price, is there anything else stopping you going ahead today? They […]

Simple – don’t leave your prospects with the option in the first place.  Here is how I set up the appointment right up front, I use an intention statement! The intention statement is critical to the entire sales process, it outlines what is to take place in the time you have both set aside so […]

What on earth would you think if this headline was in fact true?  Why would he do that? In the Roger Federer Corporation, he is the best person to do that particular job! Who would turn up to see someone else hit the ball, it’s him we go to see or turn on the TV […]

In an earlier post, I talked about the power gradient in a sales call.  In short what I am referring to is who holds the power, who looks up to who, who needs who more, who is the one controlling the conversation? When I talk to sales people I often get asked, “how do I […]

It is my belief that your sales success is directly related to the amount of preparation you do BEFORE a sales call. In other words, the amount of prep work you do will determine your conversion rate at a sale. Here is what I will typically do when selling my Business Coaching Programs: Be prepared to […]