Comments for Business Skeptic http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com Rational Thought For Business and Economics Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:40:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Sales Pipeline Management http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-748 Sales Pipeline Management Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:31:53 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-748 Hi - Just stumbled across you site and have enjoyed looking through it. I’ll be coming back soon for another look. Keep up the great work. Hi - Just stumbled across you site and have enjoyed looking through it. I’ll be coming back soon for another look. Keep up the great work.

]]> Comment on Global Financial Markets: A New Form of Gambling with Serious Consequences by David March http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-502 David March Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:37:26 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-502 Thank you for reading and responding. If you have any particular items you would like me to address, please drop me a line. Thanks Dave Thank you for reading and responding. If you have any particular items you would like me to address, please drop me a line.

Thanks

Dave

]]> Comment on Global Financial Markets: A New Form of Gambling with Serious Consequences by Online Gambling http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-501 Online Gambling Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:43:22 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-501 Very informative analysis regarding the New Form of Gambling. I hope that the future holds more promise for us all. Very informative analysis regarding the New Form of Gambling. I hope that the future holds more promise for us all.

]]> Comment on Global Financial Markets: A New Form of Gambling with Serious Consequences by Online Gambling http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-499 Online Gambling Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:51:35 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-499 Interesting point of view. There are balances in gambling that are altered so easily. It's a risk that comes with it. Interesting point of view. There are balances in gambling that are altered so easily. It’s a risk that comes with it.

]]> Comment on Global Financial Markets: A New Form of Gambling with Serious Consequences by Betty http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-383 Betty Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:06:45 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/05/19/global-financial-markets-a-new-form-of-gambling-with-serious-consequences/#comment-383 I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Betty http://www.my-foreclosures.info I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Betty

http://www.my-foreclosures.info

]]> Comment on Subprime Crisis A Systems Engineering Failure by Sharon http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/03/26/subprime-crisis-a-systems-engineering-failure/#comment-373 Sharon Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:16:33 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2008/03/26/subprime-crisis-a-systems-engineering-failure/#comment-373 I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Sharon http://www.autoloans101.info I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sharon

http://www.autoloans101.info

]]> Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Ben http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-98 Ben Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:59:19 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-98 This has to be the best definition of "solution selling" I've seen. Of course, someone advertising for a person with "solution selling skills" who also says no industry knowledge is necessary would probably disagree, but I think they're into buzzwords and not solutions This has to be the best definition of “solution selling” I’ve seen. Of course, someone advertising for a person with “solution selling skills” who also says no industry knowledge is necessary would probably disagree, but I think they’re into buzzwords and not solutions

]]> Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Brad http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-63 Brad Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:52:24 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/13/solution-selling-defined/#comment-63 To me solution based selling revolves around your relationship with the client. Even if you have a system based solution if all you present is a commodity... I can sell you XYZ product for X dollars you will never be truly successful. The basis for solution selling as I teach it to my team involves getting to know your client, understand their issues and then making intelligent recommendations based on experience and data. If you do a good job of this price will become less of an issue. The real trick is getting them to understand Why you cost a bit more and how a slightly higher initial outlay will save them money over time because of increased reliability, reduced maintenance cost, etc... To me solution based selling revolves around your relationship with the client. Even if you have a system based solution if all you present is a commodity… I can sell you XYZ product for X dollars you will never be truly successful.

The basis for solution selling as I teach it to my team involves getting to know your client, understand their issues and then making intelligent recommendations based on experience and data. If you do a good job of this price will become less of an issue. The real trick is getting them to understand Why you cost a bit more and how a slightly higher initial outlay will save them money over time because of increased reliability, reduced maintenance cost, etc…

]]> Comment on Revisiting Adam Smith: Defending Capitalism by K. Brothers http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/29/revisiting-adam-smith-defending-capitalism/#comment-15 K. Brothers Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:23:39 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/10/29/revisiting-adam-smith-defending-capitalism/#comment-15 As we all know business ethics discourse does not resonate very well in executive circles so I will keep this short and sweet. Ultimately we're responsible for what we sell and how we sell it. We're responsible for the effects (and the side effects) of our actions. It is 100% our decision. Whatever the decision is, you need to own it. If you can't look that decision to market a product or service in the mirror, market something else. It's that simple. As we all know business ethics discourse does not resonate very well in executive circles so I will keep this short and sweet. Ultimately we’re responsible for what we sell and how we sell it. We’re responsible for the effects (and the side effects) of our actions. It is 100% our decision. Whatever the decision is, you need to own it. If you can’t look that decision to market a product or service in the mirror, market something else. It’s that simple.

]]> Comment on Growth Is A Metric; Not An Objective by Michael Carow http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/11/04/growth-is-a-metric-not-an-objective/#comment-9 Michael Carow Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:06:38 +0000 http://businessskeptic.firstrulecorp.com/2007/11/04/growth-is-a-metric-not-an-objective/#comment-9 Reading the posting on "Growth is a Metric" made me think of another common trap that many businesses today often fall into. The trap is not to lose site of strategy, but not to have one at all. Strategy: "a careful plan or method : a clever stratagem b: the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal". The focus on growth and the desire for immediate results can spawn a great number of tactics. There often is no "careful plan or plans", but isolated attempts to move the revenue meter. "Start with the end in mind" and then creating a plan or plans to get you there. Without an end in mind, you will not know how to choose or gauge the metrics that are being measured. Reading the posting on “Growth is a Metric” made me think of another common trap that many businesses today often fall into.

The trap is not to lose site of strategy, but not to have one at all. Strategy: “a careful plan or method : a clever stratagem b: the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal”.

The focus on growth and the desire for immediate results can spawn a great number of tactics. There often is no “careful plan or plans”, but isolated attempts to move the revenue meter.

“Start with the end in mind” and then creating a plan or plans to get you there. Without an end in mind, you will not know how to choose or gauge the metrics that are being measured.

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