2423 Posts Found

Even as the world’s population reaches 7 billion, the rate of growth is slowing and workforces are aging. Companies and countries can prosper by preparing for the changes to come.

Content: Article | Authors: Chadi N. Moujaes, Mazen Ramsay Najjar, Richard Shediac | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Demographics, Economics

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Four steps to implementing a shared-services model to capture scale and develop advanced capabilities.

Content: Article | Authors: Edward C. Landry, Namit Kapoor, Thomas Ripsam | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Many leading organizations have launched efforts to achieve “world-class sales.” But what are the most important factors to measure when assessing the quality of a sales force? And what defines a world-class selling organization? Gallup research shows that measuring and improving three critical factors can help your sales force achieve world-class status.

Content: Article | Authors: Benson Smith, Tony Rutigliano | Source: Gallup Management Journal | Subject: Marketing / Sales

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When most managers think about pricing, they harken back to their days of Economics 101: a rote downward sloping demand curve and an asterisked point labeled “perfect price.” At this optimal price, elasticity is such that it does not make sense to raise price (because the extra per unit profit is overshadowed by lost sales) nor discount (because increased sales don’t compensate for lower profit … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Rafi Mohammed | Source: Harvard Business Review | Subject: Pricing

Changes in the marketplace, if not monitored, can cause serious losses in profit, market share, and in stakeholders’ confidence. Such was the case with one of the most celebrated American companies, Hershey’s. When the company failed to keep its ear to the ground and eye on the ball it lost touch with consumers and retailers. A shift in the company’s focus and a re-alignment of … [ Read more ]

Content: Case Study | Author: Rick Kash | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Management, Marketing / Sales, Operations, Strategy | Industry: Food Products/Service | Company: Hershey’s

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Because management is not an exact science, several approaches that appear obvious turn out to have little value. In a book published this year—and particularly in a chapter devoted to pricing and competition—Kellogg School of Management professors Rakesh Vohra and Lakshman Krishnamurthi outline why many preconceived ideas can be wrong.

Content: Article | Source: Kellogg Insight | Subject: Pricing

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Content may be king, but marketing is the queen — and, as any good chess player knows, queens are the real power.

Content: Quotation | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Customers frequently need a nudge to make a commitment. In fact, some of them may need to be bulldozed off the edge of a cliff before they buy. That’s where a salesperson makes all the difference. But not all salespeople are equally effective at gaining commitments from their customers. What allows some salespeople to do this consistently?

Content: Article | Authors: Benson Smith, Tony Rutigliano | Source: Gallup Management Journal | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Marketers habitually find it hard to quantify the value of what they do, and their use of social networks is the latest manifestation of this difficulty. Why is it so hard to determine the business value of social networks? This article explores the slippery slope of coming up with a useful ‘social media ROI’ and offers new ways to understand social networking’s value … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Joseph Sexsmith, Robert Angel | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Jeff Hoffman explains the primacy of data, the gap between interest and desire, the power of introverts, and other things fast-growth CEOs don’t understand about selling.

Content: Article | Author: Larry Kanter | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Addiction to discounts is costly for retailers, but in moderation, promotions can boost profits and brand value.

Content: Article | Authors: David Ganiear, Karla Martin | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Marketing / Sales

How does an aspiring entrepreneur or brand manager ignite the passion in their customer base that leads to an emotional connection? The key is a congruence of values. When a customer finds a brand that shares or aligns with their own values, the connection begins. In its mature state, it can be described as a deep and lasting bond between what the company stands for … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Craig Wilson, Michael Crooke | Source: Graziadio Business Report | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

Telling the board that the sales pipeline grew by $X should not qualify as a good answer if the board and founders are serious about good governance and profitable growth. How did the pipeline grow? Did we add lower- or higher-profit and lifetime value customers? Are we targeting shorter or longer selling-cycle prospects? What are the implications for the “center of gravity” in the venture’s … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Frank V. Cespedes | Source: Harvard Business School (HBS) Working Knowledge | Subjects: Corporate Governance, Marketing / Sales

Companies are forever being more creative in their branding strategies, building identities ranging from the warm-and-fuzzy to the ultra-cool and edgy. But it seems that many of these enterprises forgot that a brand, at its heart, is a promise to deliver. If the brand experience does not live up to that promise, customers will take their business elsewhere. “Brand Real” is a business strategy guide … [ Read more ]

Content: Book | Author: Laurence Vincent | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Thinking in terms of time and attention will quickly start to change the way you think about products and services, customer behavior, even business models. This is the great frontier for innovation for the next decade, this author believes. Companies that master time and attention innovation will find lots of market traction. Readers will learn how to get that traction in this article.

Content: Article | Author: Adrian C. Ott | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Innovation, Marketing / Sales, Strategy

A marketing strategy informed by neuroscience can help companies enhance customer engagement — and make better use of tools like social media.

Content: Article | Authors: Emily Falk, Mary Beth McEuen, Matthew Egol | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Marketing / Sales