Ian Smith | The Portfolio Partnership

Deals That Pollute Your Sales Pipeline

by Ian Smith | Nov 20, 2012 | Sales Tips

It looks like a deal, it talks like a deal but it never seems to close. It lingers around. So what’s the harm? It might close one day! Here is the problem with deals that constantly linger: They pollute your pipeline. They flatter to deceive. They waste a...

Why Owners Need To Reconcile Personal & Business Life

by Ian Smith | Nov 18, 2012 | Building Business Value, Exiting your business, Maximize exit proceeds, Strategy

You see we are told in articles, blogs, seminars and books to strike a balance between our personal life and our business life. We are told to not to let work take over our lives. Google allowing staff to work on pet projects for 20% of the time is an example of...

Sales Professionals Are Choosing The Wrong Finishing Line

by Ian Smith | Nov 17, 2012 | Selling

The analogy with sport involving a finishing line is a fine one. The problem is that most sales professionals think the finishing line is the winning of a Purchase Order. Wrong. The finishing line is a happy, on-boarded customer who is delighted with the improved...

Sales & The Finishing Line

by Ian Smith | Nov 16, 2012 | Selling

The analogy with sport involving a finishing line is a fine one. The problem is that most sales professionals think the finishing line is the winning of a Purchase Order. Wrong. The finishing line is a happy, on-boarded customer who is delighted with the improved...

Managing Your Direct Reports

by Ian Smith | Nov 15, 2012 | Management

Sometimes it pays to keep things really simple. Keeping people focused on the right stuff, keeping people continually effective and motivated is never easy. However I’m observing 3 basic problems with leadership styles as I dive deep into the operational...