4 ways to double sales

20 Inspirational Sales & Marketing Quotes to Honor Chet Holmes

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Today marks the three-year anniversary of the passing of our founder, my father, Chet Holmes. I could have written a lengthy blog post in his honor for the occasion, but it occurred to me that in life my father was never the longwinded type. Certainly there were events where he spoke on stage for upwards of ten hours, but he did so only because he had so much knowledge to share-there wasn’t a wasted breath. “Straight to the point” was truly his modus operandi. So Instead I’ve decided to keep it short and to the point. Today we celebrate Chet Holmes’ life, his work, and his pithy wisdom by collecting his very BEST quotes.

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In celebration of my father’s life, here are a couple of free videos for you to enjoy:

The Exact Sales Script Chet Used to Get to the Most Successful People in the World

Now that I’ve shared these with you, I’d love to know, what’s your favorite inspiring quote? Leave it in the comments section below.

With love,

Amanda Holmes

[Case Study] This Boosted Sales 1,100% for Chet Holmes International

[Case Study] This Boosted Sales 1,100% for Chet Holmes International
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At CHI, we’ve never been shy about sharing the strategies our own company has used to achieve success. Since you purchased LeadPages, I wanted to show you something really cool:

[Case Study] This Boosted Sales 1,100% for Chet Holmes International

A few weeks ago, our friends at LeadPages asked if they could profile our company in a case study. I didn’t just say yes—I told them:

“I’m going to be the best case study you’ve ever had.”

Businesses routinely see impressive conversion results when they start using LeadPages’ landing pages and other tools, but I’m not sure anyone would have predicted we could take our sales conversion rate up by 1,100%.

I want to share with you exactly what I did to grow our business while taking our operations into the digital age. In this post, we cover:

  • How Content Can Build Excitement: This sequence of emails and lead magnets kept people highly interested from opt-in to purchase.
  • My Exact Campaign Flow: Step by step, you’ll see how I turned tons of people from cold leads into members of Chet Holmes International.
  • The Four Templates I Used to Build My Campaign: You’ll even get a direct link to download them yourself when you read the post.

I’m still a little wowed by the results we’ve seen, and I think you will be too! The post is full of strategies you can apply to your own business. You might get some good ideas about what you can do with your LeadPages tool, check it out here.
Enjoy!

Amanda Holmes
Chet Holmes International

80+ Leading Business Experts Share Secrets on Sales Acceleration

inside sales event
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A group of fish is called a school. A group of lions is called a pride. So what would you call a group of the sales and marketing industries’ top authors, speakers, trainers, and thought leaders? You’d call it the Sales Acceleration Summit.

The brightest minds in sales and marketing will share their secrets in a rapid-fire series of online presentations all on one day, Thursday, May 7th. The first summit in June of 2013 attracted more than 16,000 sales leaders from all over the world. 2014’s summit boasted over 20,000 attendees, and the upcoming event promises to be bigger, better and even more exhilarating.

This event is really about what’s trending, what’s working, what’s not working in today’s business landscape.

What would you be willing to pay for the chance to hear and see 15-minute TED-like talks from 80+ esteemed guests like Steven Young, Grant Cardone, and Jim Steele?

And what if those talks were made available for you to listen to at any time? Go ahead and put that money back in your pocket. This virtual event is free of charge for anyone to attend. Registrants can listen live, pop in and out of sessions and access recordings at any time throughout the day.

It’s guaranteed that there will be something for everyone. Click here to register and see full agenda details.

In all, more than 80 sales experts, authors and business leaders will serve up their secrets in 15 minutes or less per session. The opening and closing keynotes will last 30 minutes each.

Confirmed speakers for 2015 include:

  • Steve Young, Co-Founder, HGGC and Hall of Fame NFL Quarterback
  • Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Training Technologies
  • Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling
  • Jim Steele, InsideSales.com President of Worldwide Sales and Chief Customer Officer
  • Art Sobczak, author of the best-selling book Smart Calling
  • David Elkington, CEO and founder of InsideSales.com
  • Anthony Iannarino Author, President & CSO at Solutions Staffing
  • Stan Slap, Author of Under The Hood
  • Ken Krogue, President, Founder of InsideSales.com
  • Michael Pedone, Founder Sales Buzz
  • Bryan Kreuzberger, Founder Breakthrough Email
  • Aaron Ross, Author Predictable Revenue
  • Mike Bosworth, Author What Great Salespeople Do and Solution Selling
  • Elay Cohen, CEO, Founder of Saleshood.com
  • Steve Richard, Co-founder and Chief Content Officer Vorsight
  • Craig Elias, Founder Shift Selling
  • Brynne Tillman, CEO Social Sales Link
  • Kraig Kleeman, Author, Speaker, Global Strategist
  • Lori Richardson, B2B Midmarket Sales Expert
  • Jim Keenan, Founder A Sales Guy Inc.

Get ready for May 7th we will be presenting our own session on the 3 Ways to Get Past the Gatekeeper. (A combined video between Chet and Amanda Holmes)

Because sometimes the only thing stopping you from getting to the most important people on the planet… Is a secretary.

Don’t tell me that you’re traveling that day or you have important sales calls to make. That’s no excuse not to register. Remember, registering gets you access to the recordings even if you can’t make the actual event. I’ve registered and there are at least 20 sessions I’ll be sure to listen to. Along with the sessions I’ve already mentioned.

Don’t pick up the phone, don’t send another email, and don’t get another cup of coffee until you get yourself signed up for the event. This one’s too good to miss.

It’s shaping up to be the biggest online event of the year for the sales industry. And you can attend all of the value-packed sessions at no cost thanks to our sponsors; Salesforce, Microsoft, Marketo, MarketStar, Apttus, LinkedIn, DocuSign, InsightSquared, Quosal, Gainsight and Domo.

Follow #salessummit on Twitter and Google+ to join in on the live conversation. We’ll see you there.

The traits and characteristics of successful business owners

Entrepreneurs have to adopt the traits and habits of people who have already achieved small business success.
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Entrepreneurs have to adopt the traits and habits of people who have already achieved small business success.

Entrepreneurs have to adopt the traits and habits of people who have already achieved business success.

Entrepreneurship carries with it a lot of responsibility. Business success requires an individual to juggle multiple tasks at one time like ensuring the company is operating efficiently in order to generate revenue and be a viable entity in the marketplace. Many people who branch out on their own and begin an enterprise don’t always fully understand what it takes to be the kind of leader who can drive an organization toward profitability. Not only does it take a lot of hard work, but it also requires patience, an open mind and a willingness to learn.

One of the best ways for a business owner to gain knowledge is by eliciting the help of others who are more experienced than they may be. There are a number of resources available to be those who start their own companies, such as professional business coaching services that can help guide an entrepreneur through the difficulties associated from running their own enterprises.

However, one of the best educational sources is seeking out the knowledge of those who have already established themselves and their companies as viable players in the marketplace. All of these individuals developed personal characteristics - in addition to strengthening their business acumen - that contributed greatly to the growth and sustainability of their organizations and those individuals seeking business success would be wise to follow their lead.

Common traits of entrepreneurs with strong enterprises
A recent article from Inc. Magazine listed a number of habits adopted by company owners that contributed to their thriving businesses. Here are a few traits that Entrepreneurs and owners should adopt into their daily routines:

  1. Be proactive: Thinking ahead and preparing for the unforeseen is a good way not be caught off guard in the event that something bad happens. Not having enough foresight can derail an organization and cause the head of a company to make reactionary decisions that could do more harm than good.
  2. Strike first: The most successful business leaders are those who don’t wait for things to happen and instead are aggressive in ensuring that their companies thrive.
  3. Serve others: Obviously, putting customers first is an important part of achieving business success. However, the same level of service given to patrons must also be provided to staff members. Ensuring happiness is achieved internally and externally will contribute greatly to an enterprise surviving in a marketplace that has become increasingly competitive.

Change your way of thinking
In addition to creating and developing good habits, a shift in your thought process as a leader should also occur if an organization is to be successful. A recent article from CEO.com highlighted the importance for entrepreneurs to not get too caught up in details but instead keep everything is simplified as possible.

This leads to clarity of thought and greatly diminishes the frustration associated with making things more complex than the have to be. For example, when making a decision to bring staff members on board, focus on the people who appear to have an ability to do their jobs and be an asset from day one. Don’t get caught up in their skills and experience. Instead, evaluate them on their ability to come in and contribute right away in order to help the company reach its goals.

Another suggestion is to envision the solution to the problem as opposed to focusing on the issue itself. This act can be difficult as it is very easy to lose sight of the big picture whenever situations come up that can be detrimental to the business. Having a mindset that foresees a successful outcome when negative situations occur, lends itself to thoughts and ideas that can be beneficial and move an organization past a roadblock with relative ease.

Popular office trends in the new year

Keeping track of emerging business trends can put your company in a very strong position.
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Keeping track of emerging business trends can put your company in a very strong position.

Keeping track of emerging business trends can put your company in a very strong position.

As your company looks toward 2015 with an eye on growing successful practices and finding areas to improve, there are some emergent workplace trends that may influence how you do business.

Staying abreast of changes in the work environment and prevailing attitudes can help position your organization for success and keep your operations ahead of the pack.  Knowing how to use some of these new trends in fashion at top companies, as reported by U.S. News and World Report, may give your group an edge.

Developing young and talented hires

Millennials, those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, are beginning to make a mark in the working world. Hiring young talent is important because it brings workers on board who could stay and develop within your company for decades, are in touch with cultural trends and can help steer marketing, sales and customer service efforts toward younger populations. Incorporating young employees into breakthrough consulting sessions for your company can strengthen these positives.

Internships and proactive college recruiting are both poised to become more common in 2015. Emphases on recognizing ability and providing interns and apprentices the opportunity to have substantial interaction with high-level employees and executives are gaining popularity.

For existing employees, an added focus on professional development can keep them eager and willing to advance and learn. Mentoring and job-shadowing programs are growing at top companies, providing ways for workers to become more involved and move up the corporate ladder.

Workplace Trends for 2015

Some trends cited by Forbes as the most popular of 2015 are already predicted to continue through the new year, like increases in the hiring of millennials.  The continuing retirement of baby boomers will also likely continue, but a few trends from the past year are worth extra consideration.

Other trends worth mentioning is Mobile hiring and mobile job search as well as social media posts used to attract and retain talent.

The use of freelancers in the workforce is becoming a normal way of life and Forbes has continued  to predict an increase in 2015 as well. Companies use freelancers to both save costs on benefits and other long-term financial obligations and to successfully target specific problems and opportunities.

To help your business decide which new trends will be especially beneficial to your unique situation, look into acquiring help from a corporate consulting service.

Leadership lessons and the value of collaboration

Business owners can help their companies grow through collaborative efforts.
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Business owners can help their companies grow through collaborative efforts.

When it comes to driving a company toward small business success, any owner - no matter how savvy they think they are - can learn how to be more effective as a leader. Running an organization, managing staff and delivering the highest quality of service to customers are critical to the success of any company, regardless of size. However, there are times when any of these actionable items can be a source of frustration and improving in the leadership category can help in the face of challenges.

Business coaching services are a great tool that can be taken advantage of to guide an individual overcome any rough patches while traveling along the road to success. But there are also examples found in our everyday lives that can develop and strengthen the leadership qualities of any individual.

Valuable lessons on change from Admiral Michelle Howard
In the 236-years of the U.S. Navy’s existence, this branch of the military has never had a woman achieve one of the highest ranks. That all changed when Michelle Howard received a promotion to Vice Chief of Naval Operations, in addition to being a four-star admiral, according to Forbes. In her naval career, there have been a lot of other firsts for Admiral Howard. However, being a woman who has worked her way up through the ranks to hold key positions of leadership in the U.S. armed forces, she knows what it takes to build strong teams that are also successful. The lessons learned along her career can be beneficial to any small-business owner.

“It’s the willingness to commit to look hard at yourself and commit to a new way of doing business,” Howard told Forbes on the subject of making innovative changes within an organization. “There’s great ideas out there - it’s having the courage to go ask people about what they’re doing different and saying, ‘I wonder how I could apply that to my organization?'”

When it comes to running a company, it’s imperative to use any of the resources at your disposal to ensure that your venture is a success. Whether it’s seeking outside help or polling employees, not being rigid in your approach can be the difference between implementing changes that can push the business forward or doing things the way you’ve always done them and stagnating the growth of the organization.

Innovation as a team
Admiral Howard’s statements reveal that leaders can’t always make all of the critical decisions themselves. There are times when collaboration is necessary. Inc. Magazine recently broached the innovation topic and lists some helpful tips to create this kind of atmosphere in your organization.

Dining together and using this time to brainstorm, creating cross-functional work groups and hiring non-egotistical people who fit within the team construct are great ways to get everyone working together toward a common goal. As a leader, integrating these processes into your organization and creating a collaborative atmosphere can greatly help your company achieve the small business success that you’re looking for.

Utilize customer data as part of your business growth plan

Effectively utilize customer data to improve revenue streams.
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Effectively utilize customer data to improve revenue streams.

Effectively utilize customer data to improve revenue streams.

Change is a constant, but the pace of advancement for organizations has increased as technology for businesses, clients and the general public continues to drastically advance.

Along with a lack of preparedness for change, organizational inflexibility was another major concern held by top business executives surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group and reported by eMarketer. Consider dedicating extra resources to dealing with these problems, as well as using professional consulting services to help orient your business toward success.

Changing the culture, physical operations and attitude of a company all factor into the most common challenge that businesses are unprepared for: large-scale transformation. Overall concerns about being able to adapt also apply to common concerns expressed about properly using customer data and successfully acting on digital channels. Specifically, a majority of executives in the retail and technology fields were concerned with efficiently utilizing customer data.

Customer data is not an unsolvable puzzle, however. Companies can collect a wide variety of data, especially when it comes to e-commerce, according to retailing website Evergage. Frequency of visits, method of payment and previous transactions can all be tracked by Web-based retailers.

Creating criteria to mark how engaged customers are is a good start, allowing businesses to segment and target potential and returning clients based on their behavior on a company’s website. If a customer has repeatedly viewed the same item or service over a long period of time, an automated suggestion for a similar product with a lower price point can encourage purchasing.

Combining data streams can also increase efficiency. Evergage gives the example of matching a customers overall click​streams with total transactions or website visits. When data shows that patrons are frequently visiting your website and going through various pages but not making a purchase, sending a survey asking about what they’re looking for can help identify deficiencies and drive purchasing.

Effective management strategies help retain talented employees

For business owners, taking the time to invest in employees is crucial.
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For business owners, taking the time to invest in employees is crucial.

For business owners, taking the time to invest in employees is crucial.

For all business owners, taking the time to invest in employees is crucial. Without giving staff members the opportunity to develop their skills, companies can pay the price and business success may never be fully realized. By offering workers the chance to improve their knowledge, this can lead to higher retention levels and employee engagement.

However, investing in staff development doesn’t mean that owners have to forget about improving their own skills. Honing your management ability helps your company, in the long run and betters your chance of achieving  business success.

Business hiring picking up
Many companies are focused on hiring more employees. As more staff comes through the door, it becomes crucial to make sure that your management skills are sharp as this helps to promote better employee engagement.

According to the recent Small Business Confidence Survey conducted by TriNet, the majority of small companies in the U.S. are positive about the direction their businesses will go in this year. One aspect contributing to the optimism is the employment outlook. The study revealed that half of the small businesses participating in the survey plan to add to their workforce in 2014. Additionally, hiring talented workers is one of the top three things that 35 percent of small business owners want to do this year.

“It’s encouraging to see that small business owners are investing in the future of their companies, including hiring new employees,” said TriNet President and CEO Burton Goldfield. “Getting great people on their team as well as managing expenses are two challenges for all small business owners.”

Right management strategies for employees success
As more staff members are brought on board, business owners must ensure they are managing these individuals to keep them happy and engaged in the workplace. While good management skills are one of the top tools an employer needs to retain staff, growth coaching can also be an effective method as the Harvard Business Review reports that employees want to be managed and coached at the same time.

Pointing to the results of its own research, the HBR revealed that by developing strong growth coaching skills, business owners can increase worker engagement and productivity as well as  improve customer service and the overall business reputation.

Business Management Daily offered tips for improving management strategies, one of which is for business owners to sit down with employees and ask them what they think about the company, their position, their career goals and how you can help them develop their individual talents.

The website suggests that you polling staff members to uncover the areas of their job in which they’d like to improve, or to check-in periodically to see if they’re still comfortable working for the company. By following these strategies, business owners can have happier and engaged employees.

Make the holiday season jolly for your business revenue

Companies across the country are making plans for their holiday promotions and determining the strategies they will use to draw in customers during the year's busiest shopping period.
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Companies across the country are making plans for their holiday promotions and determining the strategies they will use to draw in customers during the year's busiest shopping period.

Companies across the country are making plans for their holiday promotions and determining the strategies they will use to draw in customers during the year’s busiest shopping period.

The weather has started to cool down and people are packing away their summer clothes in exchange for scarves and sweaters, meaning that fall is upon us and winter is knocking on the door. While it may not seem like it’s time, preparations are already underway for the 2014 holiday season. Companies across the country are making plans for their holiday promotions and determining the strategies they will use to draw in customers during the year’s busiest shopping period.

As a small business owner, getting a jump start now on prepping your operations for the end of the year can reap huge benefits. Taking the time to develop a brand positioning strategy that includes how you want to market to existing and prospective clients can keep customers coming in throughout the holidays and after the season is over.

Holiday sales expected to increase
Over the past few years, sales from holiday purchases have been steadily increasing. This trend is expected to continue this year, as estimates from the National Retail Federation reveal that a 4.1 percent growth in retail sales is anticipated throughout November and December, accounting for a total of $616.9 billion.

The NRF points to increasing consumer optimism and recent job growth as the main reasons for higher holiday sales.

“Retailers could see a welcome boost in holiday shopping, giving some companies the shot in the arm they need after a volatile first half of the year and an uneventful summer,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

Businesses can get piece of holiday sales pie
While the boost in holiday spending will be seen at larger retailers, businesses should know that they can also take a significant share of the anticipated sales growth. All it takes is a strong plan and solid preparation.

Entrepreneur offers several ways in which smaller enterprises can bring in customers and revenue this holiday season, including reaching out to existing patrons before the shopping frenzy starts. Through email, social media or more traditional marketing forms, you can remind your clients that your company is there to meet their holiday needs.

Additionally, the source suggests promoting your enterprise’s smaller size by promising customers more personalized service and experiences, which is something they may not always get when buying their holiday items from larger companies. By letting current and future patrons know their business is valuable and will be handled with personalized care can draw them in and keep them throughout the holiday season and even long after.

Having a strong online presence is also key for the upcoming busy shopping period, according to Deloitte. Going digital is now extremely important for businesses, and maintaining a website, social media profiles and Internet marketing strategies can increase your company’s customer base and revenues.

Deloitte found that more than 50 percent of holiday sales will be influenced by customers going digital, meaning that you can see ultimate business success during the upcoming months by developing your brand’s online activity.

Attracting and retaining customers is vital for business success

As a small company owner, you know how important your patrons are to your operations
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As a business owner, you know how important your patrons are to your operations

As a business owner, you know how important your patrons are to your operations

Bringing in customers and using strategies to increase loyalty should be part of any solid business growth plan. As an owner, you know how important patrons are to your operations. While certain methods may prove effective, there are other strategies you can follow to ensure your customer base is constantly growing.

Fortunately, you have a leg up on larger companies when it comes to attracting and retaining patrons. As a business owner, you can dedicate more time and effort to truly connecting with your clients and learning about their specific needs. Providing excellent service for clients is what will keep them coming back.

Word of mouth goes a long way
There are many ways that organizations can bring in new customers. However, word of mouth from other patrons is the main driver when it comes to attracting new business. According to a joint study conducted by Verizon and Small Business Trends, 85 percent of small enterprises said they bring in new clients thanks to referrals from existing customers.

While a lot of time and money can go into reaching potential patrons through marketing and advertising methods, the results of the study show that it’s actually the low-cost strategy of word of mouth that is drawing in new business. This means that, as an owner, you should be working on increasing satisfaction among your current clientele in order to attract new patrons.

Satisfaction leads to more business
Inc Magazine reports there are five key things that customers look for when dealing with companies. Focusing on these aspects can increase word of mouth, leading to new patrons.

The first is consistency. Clients don’t want your processes and procedures to change frequently. They are counting on your business to be reliable, so constantly changing your operations could result in lower satisfaction. The second is excellence. Inc. states that while clients are not always looking for the best of the best, they do want your enterprise’s best.

The third thing that customers look for is empathy. They want your company to understand their needs and work to see the situation from their side. Attention is fourth. Taking the time to learn about what they are looking for lets them know they are important to your operations. The fifth thing that patrons want is appreciation. Inc. suggests  putting effort into showing customers their business is appreciated through new and innovative ways.

RIS Media notes that it’s about going above and beyond for patrons. As a company, you and your employees can dedicate more time and resources to achieving this. Therefore, it’s vital to develop relationships with your customers and show them they are important and why they matter to your operations.

Focusing on your current customers not only brings you business success through higher satisfaction, but it also draws in new clients, helping you to grow your company.