I just released the Kindle version of my book Clear and Present Game Changers. You can get my new book here:
In the introduction, I discuss ten of the biggest challenges and problems that have caused and are causing big changes in virtually every industry:
1. Hypercompetition. There is an explosion of choice and every market is saturated with offerings and promotions that make it very difficult for companies to stand out in a sea of sameness. It is even more difficult for consumers to understand what they actually get when they buy something from one company over another. I discuss these specific challenges and how to overcome them in chapters 1, 2, and 3.
2. Speed to market. If you have a successful business today, it won’t be long before someone else copies your idea and tries to o er what you sell for less. Financially backed entrepreneurs can scale quickly and offer similar products faster than a small, boot strapping company can. In chapter 4, I’ll discuss how you can speed up your process to convince prospects to take action now so you can beat your competitors in the last steps of the sale by pre-selling prospects to buy now.
3. Price shopping via the Internet. When people are sold on a product and can find it with a few keystrokes online for less, there is little to no chance to build value. In chapter 5, we’ll discuss how you must shift to selling experiences, instead of just products to counteract this trend.
4. Up and down markets cause paralysis and fear in investors and entrepreneurs. Threats of new tariffs and shifts in where and how products are manufactured causes uneasiness. Skepticism is high and confidence in sales is low. I’ll talk about the best ways to build trust and value in chapters 6 and 7.
5. People are more resistant to sales people and being sold. Many people are hesitant to give up their personal information for fear of being contacted and being sold something (even if they are looking
for it). They don’t like the sales process and would rather pay more for something if they can escape dealing with a salesperson. There is a big disconnect between the prospect’s process and what they seller does or wants to do. We’ll address how you can push for the sale without being pushy in Chapter 8 and how you can overcome resistance and be more persuasive as a result.
6. Distraction. It is more difficult to focus now because of the sheer number of distractions with addictive phones and apps. There is always a shiny, new object that can easily take your focus off what you were doing. On top of that, a lot of time is spent worrying about things you can’t control (like the COVID-19 crisis). That worrying takes your focus away from what can be done. When you are not focused on your overall strategy in the midst of your daily actions, it is easy to get off track and end up somewhere that you don’t want to be. I’ll talk about how you can avoid these distractions to stay focused on what you can control in chapter 9 with specific advice and how to control your emotions in the midst of a crisis (like the COVID-19 situation) in Chapter 13.
7. Lack of leadership to deal with growing employee problems. Employee mentality has shifted. Many have diametrically opposed ideals to their employer. Trust and loyalty are rare. Some want something
for nothing. I’ll talk about how you can avoid destructive management mistakes that will stop and hinder your growth in this changing workplace in chapter 10.
8. Huge amounts are spent on lead generation and building value in a company, yet there is a huge lack of follow-up/follow through to ensure that deals are closed. I’ll talk about how you can leverage your strengths in chapter 11.
9. Customer expectations are higher than ever and disgruntled customers have the platform to discourage future sales by broadcasting their unhappiness or displeasure. We’ll talk about how you can navigate these frightening trends in chapters 9 and 12.
10. Businesses weaken their market position by offering products or services that distract from the core of what is already working. Many struggling businesses are able to get back on top by eliminating non-core items from their business. We’ll talk about this principle throughout the book and finish by talking about the importance of taking action in the midst of defeats and failures.
I hope you’ll get my new book by clicking here to order it on Amazon. Thank you and I look forward to hearing about how it has helped you turnaround or transform your business.
