A strategy and marketing guide for growth companies
Growth at any price can be exhausting for B-2-B companies and professional service providers who want to win more clients. Many entrepreneurs watch their bank accounts grow, but sacrifice too much in the process. Since 2001, wealth has taken on a whole new meaning. In this tell-all marketing guidebook, Lisa Nirell reveals a contemporary, contrarian, and field-tested view of marketing and planning. Successful growth and exit planning aren’t about maximizing revenues or launching Internet marketing campaigns. Instead, they’re about creating a compelling vision of the future, winning clients’ hearts and minds, and defining the ‘wealth quotient’ in a holistic way. This practical, real-world guide shows readers how to develop a strategic marketing plan that really works-and avoid the attitudes that sabotage great ideas.
Table des matières
Foreword by Guy Kawasaki xiii
Plug In xvii
Accolades and Gratitude xxvii
1 Running on Empty 1
Ever wonder why you’re feeling drained–even though your company appears successful on the outside? Hear a story that may just sound similar to your own.
2 Brains, Beliefs, and Growth Blunders 9
There are two main reasons why businesses fail–lack of a written plan and our limiting beliefs. What are the most common limiting beliefs? What is the medical evidence that our beliefs and written plans determine our outcomes?
3 Say No to the Good, and Yes to the Great 29
Today’s time crunch can destroy our life force as business owners. Here is a guide to prioritize your activities and focus on what you do best.
4 Increase Your Wealth Quotient 47
The definition of wealth has changed dramatically. What does it mean now? How can you prepare your company for ultimate sale or exit? Here is a contrarian view on value drivers and seven principles to position your company for higher valuation. Interview excerpts from ‘triple bottom line’ companies such as Seventh Generation and Hollyhock Institute.
5 The Path to Planning 69
The path to wisdom begins with a common set of definitions. We define the first five steps of planning for growth companies, with real examples of each. The planning process begins from an external (market) point of view.
6 The Inside Job 93
Now harness the market wisdom gained from the first five steps, assess your internal strengths and gaps, position your company, align your teams, and ultimately increase your Wealth Quotient.
7 What’s on Your Dashboard? 107
Most measures of success are prematurely selected, and usually lead to failure. How do you track the success of your plan? First, you must know what stage of growth you’re facing. We show you how to determine what stage of growth you’re facing and how to scale the walls of growth.
8 Design Your Dashboard 119
What success measures are relevant in each phase of growth? How do you distinguish between ‘leading’ and ‘trailing’ indicators? When is it time to redesign your dashboard and change your success measures? This chapter shows you how to build meaningful measures, with examples from The Beryl Companies.
9 Plan Your Brand 135
Now that you have developed the first draft of your Energize Growth plan, how do you ensure that your plan is aligned with your brand? We interview branding expert Samantha Hartley to find out. Branding is not just for well-funded, mature companies. Includes contemporary examples of strong brands in large and small companies alike.
10 More Revenues, Fewer Clients 151
It’s time to kiss old value definitions goodbye. Ancient ‘hours for dollars’ business models drain many companies of their wealth potential. We present 16 proven methods to help you build a more predictable stream of lifetime clients. Hear how Zipcar and Eversheds are leading the way.
11 Future Energy Sources: How to Grow Your Wealth Quotient with Social Media 173
Will social media increase your company’s Wealth Quotient–or destroy it? We take a closer look at social media and its impact on growth companies. Read these tips before you launch your social media plan. We include interviews with companies who have generated six and seven figure sales using Linked In, Facebook, and Twitter.
Appendix A: Sample Energize Growth Plan 187
Appendix B: Sample Profit Cents Report 194
References 202
About the Author 206
Index 207
A propos de l’auteur
Lisa Nirell is a strategic growth expert, consultant, and keynote speaker, as well as the Chief Energy Officer of Energize Growth LLC. An award-winning business columnist, she has written for San Diego’s Daily Transcript, Computerworld, Custom Builder magazine, and Women in Technology. For more information and to download your bonus gifts, visit www.energizegrowth.com/egnow.shtml.
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