How far can you and your team improve, right now? 10% 20% 30% higher?

First two sessions were particularly useful. I would not have got through that month without the 2 List System.

Sales Management Team, Top 5 Global IT Company

Paul Burr

About Paul Burr

Paul has been coaching professionals for 11 years.

read his full profile…

Beowulf Blog

Your Inner Darkness

Submitted by Paul Burr on Mon, 04/05/2009 - 14:27

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That part of you; the darkness in your psyche; it fills the gap between your personality and core self. The gap to shine light in, to fulfil your purpose in life, to be at one with your complete self.

Many people mistake this darkness as something to fear. In fact, it beckons your light. Its unseen map, once illumined, shows you the way to your complete self.

Some myths or not, about Executive Coaching. To comment register below.

Submitted by Paul Burr on Mon, 09/03/2009 - 19:22

The Executive’s Challenge: Make Transitions Quickly

I coach high flying, low flying, delinquent (and some just doing ok) executives. All do the best they know how.

When we meet, I often ask the following questions:

• How much of your time do you spend managing this month’s financial numbers – and how much on where you want to be?
• To what extent are you achieving what you set out to achieve? (Test anyone who says “more than 70%”.)
• How fast are your customers’ expectations changing?
• How fast is your competition?

These lead to one question they all have in common…..

White Space: that problem you don't yet know that customers have.

Submitted by Paul Burr on Sat, 14/02/2009 - 11:29

To start, look for the problem in yourself

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I’ve spent two weeks pondering about the conundrum of “White Space”. The problems and wants (leading to opportunities for you, me, us) that (non-existing and existing) customers have that we don’t know about.

For two weeks…. Nothing. Then the morning before last, something came to me in my waking conscious. I added some more to it yesterday… and then this morning, I was able to add the last piece … “The unheard voice of the customer.”

Here’s what popped up first… the outside is sent as a mirror to what’s inside…

Mercury Tells Us To Communicate

Submitted by Paul Burr on Thu, 05/02/2009 - 14:42

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12:00hrs: I study Medieval Astrology (Beginners Class). Last night I learned of Mercury's specific influence, on us all, over the last 3 weeks. It certainly reflects my January.

So I thought I'd put it here, to see if you had experienced similar setbacks to myself.

The advice reveals that now is a good time to contact those people that you have not been able to get an appointment with.

Creativity: The Convergence of Marketing, Sales Support, Training & Development

Submitted by Paul Burr on Sun, 25/01/2009 - 12:24

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More sales, less waste.

I saw a definition of the word creativity recently. It went something like “linking two things together for the first time”.

I also got a message, just last week, from Edward de Bono. He encouraged me, to think of creativity as more than selling new things, into a new market, incurring risk (against the grain of the current economic climate). But better still to use creativity to perhaps minimise risk and cut costs. This got me thinking.

How about "and increase sales" I thought......

About Fear

Submitted by Paul Burr on Sun, 18/01/2009 - 12:18

I see and hear a lot of fear right now. A senior executive described to me how frustrated he was with this “Rabbit-in-Headlights Economy”. “We need more belief in ourselves!"

I coached an experienced salesperson who had fallen on hard times. Sales were down.
Like all good salespeople, he worked extra hard, and made as many sales calls as he could. He crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s in abundant call reports, to demonstrate his commitment and loyalty to his bosses. Alas, all to no avail.

Like most of us (I include myself) it was easy to blame the economy..................

Customers only ask 4 questions

Submitted by Paul Burr on Thu, 02/10/2008 - 13:34

In order of priority.....

1. Can I trust you?

2. What value do you bring to the table?

3. Is it (or are you?) right for me?

4. So how does it work? (or will we work together?)

And yet most technology companies drag all their sales people away for regular Product Training.

Moderate performers train their salespeople in:

- feature/benefits of their technology
- business cases that provide a (USP) unique selling proposition.

These companies lose out to top performers (even those with inferior USP's).

Can you see how?

Top Salespeople do not spend so much time selling......instead they focus on trust and value.

Submitted by Paul Burr on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 15:08

They move the client’s level of engagement from:

  1. Not interested → some interest
  2. Some interest → Interested
  3. Interested → Very Interested
  4. Very interested → Convinced
  5. Convinced → Committed

What do you do at each or any stage?
Where is your client now?
What are the key questioning strategies that you ask at each stage?
Discuss any stage or overall.