Author Archive - Jane Adamson
How to Survive an Investor’s Due Diligence
Posted by Jane Adamson on October 6th, 2009
This isn’t a good time to raise capital for your company. But surprisingly, it may be a good time to sell. An August 2009 New York Times article (“As Deal-Making Returns, Midsize Companies Are Seen as Prime Targets” by Brent Bowers) proclaimed “The United States is ripe for a boom in acquisitions of privately held companies.” But can your company survive an investor’s due diligence?
“We have plenty of leads but can’t seem to convert!”
Posted by Jane Adamson on August 4th, 2009
Recognize this sales funnel? I call it “the desperate pipeline” because it’s wide enough to catch any breathing soul who meanders by! You know what it’s like to be caught in one, receiving endless calls and emails because sometime, somewhere, you accidentally crossed a seller’s path.
Don’t be one of those desperate companies. A fat sales funnel has dramatic hidden costs and creates a barrier for consistent, profitable revenue growth. Marketing programs that focus on attracting as many leads as possible are no different from aggressive salespeople who pitch every breathing soul at every trade show, networking meeting and playground.
The solution? Shrink your pipeline!
“I’m lying awake worrying about sales!”
Posted by Jane Adamson on June 2nd, 2009
As you’re well aware, a CEO is constantly juggling a myriad of challenges. But when it comes to sleep deprivation, the top culprit is typically revenue-related … burning questions such as
Is my sales manager doing a good job?
Is my star salesperson going to quit?
Why does one salesperson excel while others struggle?
This stress frequently stems from two beliefs:
That consistent revenue generation depends on the talents of a few select individuals
That those individuals operate in a world lacking both structure and predictability.
Good news: You can eliminate this chaos! Revenue generation is a science similar to other disciplines inside your organization. And there are three keys to your success.
“We have a great strategy but have trouble executing it.”
Posted by Jane Adamson on April 8th, 2009
Have you had this thought lately?
“This year we’ll include a wide range of employees to assist in developing our revenue strategy. People will feel involved, they’ll fully understand the reasoning behind why we’re moving in this particular direction, and they’ll have ownership of the strategy. In fact, this is so important we’ll even hire an outside facilitator and conduct the strategy sessions off-site so there will be no distractions. The result will be a well thought out plan for moving the company forward. Perfect.”
Not really. Because, as we all know, the challenge of implementing that strategy is what trips us up. We put a great deal of time and energy into developing a strategy, but daily tasks, emergencies, and problems cry out and divert us from strategic initiatives. Six months down the road we’re sitting in a meeting struggling with familiar issues, and the great strategy we developed is long forgotten or ignored.
