Category: Blog

Building Organizational Trust in an Age of Cynicism

In times of change, the last thing you need to experience—as an employee, a colleague, a corporate leader, or a customer—is the discovery that trust has been violated. Does any of this sound familiar? A person, group or organization has broken a promise. A manufacturer’s work product is not up...

Testing the new growth market 

Although the last year has been one of the most contentious political years in memory, in business there are signs that new policies may be creating a growth environment that will benefit both small and large companies. How do you view the outcomes of the last year, and how they might...

Is anyone paying attention? The challenge of measuring progress

Valcort Research Report  Over the last 15 years, we have conducted dozens of diagnostic surveys to measure organizational strength on the 35 VALCORT business practices.  The Corporate Alignment and Market Readiness Assessment (CAMeRA) takes a snap shot of how well companies are mastering these practices, as well as the alignment of executive...

Creating value: the recipe for growth

To grow your business, the foundational task is to create value.  Creating value is the essence of business. Whether you’re selling consumer products, goods and services from business to business, raising funds for a charity, or recruiting students to attend your college, job one is to create and understand your...

4 top stories that impacted business in 2017

Sexual harassment exposés in the workplace Sexual Harassment is Bad Business.  Now What?  Forbes Sexual harassment and sexual misconduct conversations are finally consuming our dining rooms and our boardrooms. For many of us who have grown up in the corporate world, the stories we hear on the television are not...

How to track progress  in your sales process

You may be among the thousands of people who work hard to plan and execute a clear sales process. You prospect, qualify, approach, present, respond, close and follow up. You know the process and you do the process. How’s it going? If you’re not sure, you’re in good company. Here...

Is spontaneity underrated? The changing face of impulse buying

Adding a pack of gum or a magazine to your shopping cart has helped retailers make a crucial few extra dollars for decades. A recent survey by CreditCards.com found that 68 percent of U.S. consumers said their primary location for making impulse buys was “in person in a store.” Thirty...

Need business referrals? Ask for help

Occasionally, a customer will take the initiative to refer your company to a contact because of the good work you’ve done for them.  That’s fabulous.  They may need a nudge, though, and it’s important to ask your customers to openly acknowledge how important your company is to them. #34 of...

13 Ways to Build Better Business Relationships

All successful businesses–regardless of what they do or sell–have one thing in common: their people know how to build and maintain relationships. The truth is that business leaders too often get caught up in the details of the kinds of products or services they are selling to notice how critical it...

Surprise Me!  7 Tips for Inventing New Ways to Reach Customers

Marketing success depends, at least partially, on creativity. Creativity helps you stand out in a world bombarded with advertising, it helps differentiate you from your competitors, and it makes you more memorable in your customers' minds. The solution is easy: come up with more creative ideas! That, of course is...