'Dr. Allan Colman has hit the nail on the head...' Steven M. Venokur, Founder and Managing Partner of People Sciences, Inc.
Is your start-up feeling stuck in the starting blocks? Or are you finding it a struggle to pick up speed? Written by acclaimed entrepreneur, instructor, and author Dr. Allan Colman, The Revenue Accelerator is the true companion guide for new and intermediate entrepreneurs to prosper through their early stages of development.
Dr. Colman equips readers to easily navigate around the most pervasive problems start-up entrepreneurs experience when making the leap from building their product or service to selling it. Far too often, start-ups invest so much of their hard-earned energy and capital into developing their offering that they are left with scarce resources to architect a successful plan for financing, marketing, and selling it. Whether you're a brand-new entrepreneur or a start-up that's going through growing pains, the 21 Accelerators will guide readers through three vital sections supplying real-world lessons that enable lasting change, including:
Cont mporary case studies of ongoing start-ups
Inte views and quotes from over two dozen start-up entrepreneurs, numerous executives, business leaders, and marketing directors
Cart ons for easy understanding and retention via comedic value
Accelera or Checklists designed to enhance retention and immediate application of lessons
Regar less of industry, profession, or how many years you've already invested, Dr. Colman will light up the path toward acceleration and you'll be hitting mach speed in no time.
Allan Colman is a business development executive, speaker, and author who understands the challenges facing both entrepreneurs and established businesses. He has advised organizations big and small, customizing growth plans to fit size and industry. In addition to his thriving consulting firm, Colman cofounded and served as senior vice president of DecisionQuest. Before that he served as president of the MCO Company and Litigation Sciences and was the leader of a 5,600 employee public agency. As CEO of the Closers Group, a business development advisory, Colman has spent more than two decades helping law firms and professional service firms generate more revenue. He has brought in millions of dollars of new business and built business development structures that continue to perform. He is known for his passion in developing pioneering strategies and for his ability to help clients generate business rapidly.
WE’LL BEGIN WITH an overall view of our sales accelerator system. You will need to lay the foundation for your new business venture with the creation of a unique brand—and then learn to use that brand to its maximum effectiveness.
In 1990, as my partners and I were beginning to accelerate the growth of our new consulting company, DecisionQuest, our marketing, business development, and sales were going through a rapid series of changes. Helping our team learn to use the internet and navigate early social media is where my new friend and future mentor, Larry Smith, senior vice president of Levick Communications, came in. We scheduled a pitch meeting for Larry and Richard Levick to meet our COO, Phil, and me at a beach location in Newport Beach, where we were holding a two-day staff session.
Phil and I were sitting on the beach, working on a table with four chairs. At the appropriate time, here came Larry and Richard in their suits, ties, and wingtip shoes across the sand. Their willingness to go the extra mile to meet with us in this most unusual location spoke volumes and told us this would be a great relationship. Needless to say, they had the sale closed by the time they reached our table!
In the years to come, Larry and his team helped us grow, expand, communicate, and sell. To be truthful, Richard, Larry, and I would often meet at New York City and Washington, D.C. steakhouses to hold our review sessions. When I started my own company in 2006, Larry was still mentoring me in my new endeavor.
My unique first prospect meeting with Larry illustrates how many experienced salespeople endeavor to present their brand. They might describe their “brand” as the following:
• “The ‘essence’ of your business,” according to Mickey Marraffino, managing partner of her firm, MM Marketing.
• “A‘feeling’ associated with the person and their product/service,” according to Bryan Heathman, publisher of Made for Success and author of sixWall Street Journal best-selling business books.
In my story above, both the essence and feeling of the Levick brand were absolutely clear. They would cross deserts for us to find success. Even better, it was not only an immediate feeling; Indeed, it has continued to this very day.
Your brand is both your takeaway and your differentiator and presents your values.
Successful selling requires a careful analysis of what people buy and how you present yourself to them. You must directly address how your brand fit
