It’s like getting a personal trainer for your sales career.
Each of us has our own skill set, a unique combination of capabilities and traits that define us and help us become indispensable. Recognizing those skills, and understanding how they apply outside the box of your current job, can be an enlightening process. Together, we can define your skill set and determine how to apply your qualities to improve your job situation and performance.
Become your own brand.
After working with me, you will leave out the door with information you can immediately apply. I will teach you a timeless concept to develop and sell yourself as a product. This applies to everyone regardless of age, profession or gender.
When you work for a company, you represent a brand. But you, yourself, are also a brand. The best situations arise when both brands are aligned — for example when a forward thinker represents a forward-thinking company. As your personal brand guide, I will show you how to showcase yourself to stand out among the crowd in your specific industry, and to show the world how interesting you really are. Working with architects and interior designers, companies who specialize in branding companies, you earn respect and a place on the team by being the best and most knowledgeable resource for your client.
How to sell across generations.
Boomers prefer to meet. Gen Xers want an email. Gen Y’s want a text. Yes, each age group has a very different way of doing business. But there is a way to bridge the differences, and to maximize the experience and knowledge of all groups. Through one-on-one coaching, you will learn to communicate with all generations. Areas of training for performance improvement include:
- Strategic account planning, with an emphasis on targeting new business, managing territories and analyzing your accounts.
- Building relationships, with insight on problem-solving, business ethics and service standards.
- Project management, which covers time management, project phases, situation resolution, bidding, delivery, and follow-up.
- Positioning yourself for success through organizational involvement, networking a room, professional dress, and LEED accreditation.
- Presentation skills, including advice on positioning your product.
- Account management tools and resources that can give you an organizational edge.
“From Backpack to Briefcase” — Coaching on professionalism.
Give your graduate an advantage in the workforce. Consider signing him or her up for Motivate Forward’s “Backpack to Briefcase” coaching. This one-on-one coaching will teach your new grad what he or she didn’t learn in school, with the insight needed to transition from college to the working world.
Bringing real-world insight to the classroom.
Today’s educators are faced with so many challenges. As their responsibilities become more demanding in the academic world, it’s difficult, if not impossible, for teachers to keep their finger on the pulse of the corporate world.
Motivate Forward can be your classroom’s liaison to the working world. By bringing students up-to-the-minute insight on the workings of today’s businesses, we can give them the edge they need to step into a successful career.
Topics we can cover in a classroom setting include:
- How to present yourself as a professional
- Transitioning from backpack to briefcase
- Honing your interview skills
- The do’s and don’ts of being in the workforce
- Business etiquette
- Becoming your own brand
These topics are simply suggestions. We can develop a presentation for you based on any topics you believe need to be covered. And all presentations can be designed to complement your current curriculum.
Individual student counseling.
Every student could use guidance when it comes to their future. We can meet with students one-on-one to give advice, offer insight and lay the groundwork for professional development.
I regularly coach students on self-branding, so they can “package” themselves for hiring, yet remain true to who they are. Other areas include:
- Preparing for the Working World, with overviews of what is going to be expected of you in the workplace.
- Dressing appropriately, whether it’s for a traditional suit audience or a jeans and t-shirt startup.
- Making yourself indispensable — and yes, this is certainly doable for today’s young graduates.
Personal mentoring.
With Motivate Forward, personal growth doesn’t stop when the session is over. We can be your go-to resource for personal growth, advising you on finding jobs, interviewing, navigating the industry and staying on top as a successful professional. As your professional mentors, we are always available for “career checkups.”
Getting your group on track and in sync.
As the new generation filters into the current workplace, the whole dynamic of the workforce is changing. In the contract furnishings industry especially, you have to work hard to embrace this evolution. By doing so, your company can boast a deep diversity of thought, combining new ideas with practical experience.
Motivate Forward is here to help you achieve that. Maybe your group needs to learn a new sales strategy on how to sell to architects and interior design firms. Maybe you have a single issue that needs to be addressed company-wide in an effective way. Or maybe your staff needs advice on evaluating potential markets. For topics such as these, Motivate Forward is the catalyst for action.
How to sell across generations.
We can teach your group how to reach out to and work with people of all ages, and of all walks of life. Or, retain us to address any key issues within the company. Simply meet with us, and we’ll hone a program specifically for your situation. Or, if you prefer, we can deliver a more general motivational presentation, or combine both group and one-on-one coaching. Following are a list of topics that can be covered in both a group and individual setting:
Sales coaching.
- Strategic account planning, including account targeting, territory management, travel frequency, and account analysis.
- Building relationships, covering topics such as problem-solving, behavioral ethics, entertaining clients, and positioning yourself as an indispensable resource.
- Project management, including problem resolution, time management, project planning, bidding, delivery, and follow-up.
- Positioning for success, which includes industry involvement, personal presentation, and dressing appropriately.
- Account management tools and learning resources that can set the groundwork for your organization and personal growth.
- Presentation skills.
Workforce training.
Training isn’t about standing in front of a group and flipping through a Powerpoint presentation. Training means engaging the audience, making sure they understand not just what needs to be done, but why it needs to happen. The key is to empower the group to take action, based on how your company does business.
Developing new markets.
Growth is the goal of just about every FF&E company — but how can you expand in a smarter, more successful way? The key is to reach into the right new markets. We can show your team how to work a market, analyze the marketplace and determine where your product or service fits within it. Through an in-depth look at the current situation, your team can understand the dynamics of the marketplace and explore ways to adapt sales tactics to work more effectively. As a group, you’ll define your company’s key differentiating factors, and match those qualities with opportunity.
Classroom Seminars.
Whether it’s a weekly brown-bag event or a once a year “energy injection,” Motivate Forward’s classroom seminars can help revitalize your sales team. Pick a topic — generational sales, critical thinking, business ethics, problem-solving, corporate etiquette in a casual world — or tell us what your situation is, and we’ll develop suggested topics around that.
