Steve Smit

Insights@Work is back! Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gXPi6yVF or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. In this episode, we are joined by Dane Jensen, author of "The Power of Pressure: Why Pressure Isn't the Problem, It's the Solution." Dane is a keynote speaker, a thought leader featured in the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, and an educator at leading business schools in North America. Tune in to gain practical tips and strategies to harness pressure positively and enhance your performance at work.

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Setting clear sales objectives is critical to the success of any business. Without clear goals and objectives, it can be challenging to track progress and measure success. By creating attainable goals you can provide a roadmap that can lead your sales team to success. Let's take a look at some ways you can implement sales objectives to define your overall business goals and what you want to achieve in the future. #Sales #SalesLeaders #SalesOntario #SalesToronto #TheKernGroup #TorontoSalesLeaders #SalesTips https://lnkd.in/gHeM6-xi

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Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to scale back toward more cost-effective vacation plans this summer. As summer begins, this month's Happiness@Work Index reveals generational differences amongst workers in Canada when it comes to planning for their summertime off. As Gen Z and Millennials say they are more likely to scale back this summer, 47% of Boomers have reported the increased cost of living will not impact their plans. Read the full Index report – https://lnkd.in/gAcrtEec *Workers in Canada surveyed. #ADPCanada #HappinessAtWork #HappinessAtWorkIndex #HAW

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I was delighted to present again to the Sales Leaders Peer to Peer group at Communitech, sharing strategies to turn sales stagnation around and reignite growth. 🚀 If you're not meeting expectations, TAKE ACTION! 💡Hope is not a strategy! You can use my REFRAME & RESET framework to recognize when you've lost your path and take decisive action. If you'd like to use my framework or get the presentation slides to elevate your sales game, let me know by reaching out or add "I want it" on the comments. Thanks to Karen Klink Marlene Keay Mark Elliott .The Communitech Sr. Sales Leaders P2P group is a fantastic place to learn, share, and collaborate! Check out some highlights below 👇 #SalesLeadership #RevenueGrowth #Peer2Peer #MarketLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment

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The enterprise opportunity to deploy new technologies is vast, but CIOs must adapt digital transformation principles to maximize value. Learn more: https://ow.ly/ncJg30sBCLz #EYCanada #BetterWorkingWorld #ProjectManagement #Consulting #transformation

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Is your business struggling with declining sales? It's not because of COVID or the economy – the real issue might be that you don't know your ideal customer profile! 🌟 Discover how to find your ideal clients and the importance of identifying your target audience in my latest blog post. \Learn why understanding your Ideal Client Profile \(ICP\) is crucial for boosting your sales and creating effective marketing strategies. 👉 Read more below. \#BusinessGrowth \#SalesTips \#IdealClientProfile \#TargetAudience \#MarketingStrategy \#CustomerInsights \#darlenemziebell

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Aligning sales and marketing teams can lead to a 38% higher sales win rate and a 24% faster revenue growth! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: Check out our video conversation here - https://bit.ly/4cTUkR6. A few weeks ago, we conducted a poll to understand the biggest challenges in aligning your sales and marketing teams. The results were clear: mismatched messaging between sales and marketing was identified as one of the top two critical gaps. As sales and marketing leaders, we aim to make our offerings compelling and easy to buy, focusing on solving deep problems for our customers. When we have mismatched messaging, the impact can be significant: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴:  Potential customers receive mixed signals, leading to confusion and hesitation. 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴: Inconsistent messaging can result in lost sales opportunities as prospects struggle to understand the value proposition. 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴: Marketing efforts may be wasted if sales teams aren't equipped or motivated to use the provided materials effectively. 𝘓𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴: Disjointed messaging can lead to lower close rates as prospects don't see a unified, compelling case for the product or service. 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒂𝒑 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕? In many ways, sales and marketing live in two different worlds. They report to different leaders, have different reward mechanisms, and experience vastly different day-to-day activities. No wonder there’s often a divide between these teams. 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈'𝒔 𝑬𝒄𝒉𝒐 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓: Marketing teams invest significant time in crafting product positioning and value propositions. Yet, without sales or customer input, these efforts often miss the mark with customer conversations. 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝑶𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆: Salespeople constantly engage with customers and have invaluable feedback that can refine marketing strategies, but this feedback loop is frequently underutilized. Bridging the Divide: Practical Strategies 1. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Leaders must motivate front-line sales and marketing staff to work together and support them in getting messaging right. It is crucial to ensure both teams are aligned from the top down. 2. 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Promote regular, informal interactions between sales and marketing teams. Simple actions like joint lunches or trade show attendance can foster mutual understanding. 3. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Conduct joint practice sessions where marketing presents their pitches to sales and vice versa. This builds confidence and ensures consistency in messaging. What’s your experience with sales and marketing alignment on messaging to customers? Have you faced similar challenges or found effective solutions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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I've mentioned it in a couple posts but wanted to write a post just for this! I had the pleasure of doing an episode on "The Sales Problem Podcast". We discussed some of my favourite organizing techniques including how to organize with a mind map! Check out the full episode here: https://buff.ly/3XftzSr #podcast #leadership #getorganized

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In a rapidly evolving job market, ensuring the effectiveness of upskilling programs is more critical than ever. A recent HRD Canada article sheds light on the importance of leveraging tools like Skillswave to optimize learning and development initiatives. By offering personalized and data-driven learning experiences, Skillswave helps organizations ensure that upskilling efforts are aligned with both employee needs and business objectives. This approach not only enhances individual performance but also drives broader organizational success. It’s time to focus on the right skills, delivered in the right way, to ensure lasting impact. https://ow.ly/HFoq30sIEMs

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AI Powered CRM.... An excerpt from my keynote "AI and the Future of Sales" at Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. AI-powered CRM systems are transforming the way sales teams operate, and the data from Salesforce and HubSpot shows just how impactful this shift can be. Both platforms have conducted extensive studies that reveal the benefits of letting AI guide decisions on everything from which leads to call, to which templates perform best across the team. For instance, HubSpot reports a 21% increase in sales acceptance rates and a 70% boost in lead conversion for teams using AI. AI-driven content recommendations have also driven a 57% increase in engagement. These results highlight the tangible benefits of moving away from manual decision-making and embracing AI for more efficient, data-driven sales processes. To future proof our sales organizations and sales strategies, the move to AI-powered CRMs is no longer optional—it’s essential for staying competitive. CRMs like HubSpot, Maximizer , Salesforce, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, and Pipedrive are leading the way, offering integrated AI tools that help teams make smarter, faster decisions. #SalesLeadership #AI #CRM

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Boards, are you prioritizing your company's cybersecurity protocols? Even though it's not yet mandated in Canada, the need for cyber resilience is inevitable. As cybersecurity experts, we understand the importance of protecting your company from cyber threats. Don't wait until it's too late! Let us guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. Our team is here to help ensure your company is prepared for any potential cyber threats. Together, let's upgrade your cybersecurity protocols and work towards achieving cyber resilience. Contact us today to get started. #cyberresilience #heretohelp

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Group Elephant business EPI-USE deploys Strategic Portfolio Management for Bank of Canada.   EPI-USE’s ServiceNow practice has the capability to implement full-suite, end-to-end integrated platform services based on ServiceNow technology. Bank of Canada recently engaged the practice to implement a Strategic Portfolio Management-based system, serving as an enabler for wide spectrum Project Management, Investment Management and Strategic Planning across several departments including IT, HR, Currency and Facilities Management. The engagement is already yielding favorable results, including improved collaboration across project portfolios, cost reductions through better aligned (across portfolios) and more streamlined processes, greater transparency and more effective communication. The client reports that these benefits in aggregate, are enabling more sophisticated decision-making. ‘We feel privileged to have been selected by Canada’s central bank for this important technology deployment, and we’re pleased with their assessment of the outcome’ said Ottawa-based Jacob Akrouche, who leads the ServiceNow practice at EPI-USE. For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.epiuse.com/servicenow.

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For leaders of Canadian private companies and family businesses, the decisions they make now will largely determine their success in the future. It’s time for private leaders to uncover the art of adaptability. Learn more at our Designed to disrupt conferences happening this fall in select cities near you.

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Come hang out with me and let's talk revenue!! 🤑💰 This session is completely FREE to the public. I am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces in the crowd. See you there! #octant #waterlooregionsmallbusinesscentre #sharpentheaxe #professionaldevelopment #salescoaching

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Interesting insights for anyone making the move from operations to sales. My favourite - "stop hanging out with sales people" - or in other words invest your time and effort in understanding your customers business and their industry. Trap for young players.... 'Thinking Deep Solution Knowledge Compensates for Limited Business Acumen'. See the 9 other traps to avoid here: https://lnkd.in/gNSyuhJG #4HrAccountGrowthPlan

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The key to closing a deal often lies in what you don’t say. What’s the biggest pitfall for sales reps? Oversharing. In my experience managing sales teams of 40+ reps in both B2B and B2C, I’ve noticed that many reps make the mistake of overloading prospects with information, which often leads to confusion, hesitation, or even outright objections. There’s a reason for structured sales frameworks. If you’re not actively checking that your team is following the framework you’ve established, you're likely leaving deals on the table. Remember, the more information you throw at a prospect, the easier it is for them to feel overwhelmed and disengage. Instead, keep it concise and intentional—focus on asking questions and listening. The less you speak, the more the prospect will feel heard and understood.

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Representation of women in technology is approximately 3 in 10 people across the IT sector in Canada. Where did all the women go? Wait….they were not here in the first place! Please check out our short 3 minute read blog created by Leanne Smith-Hoover, Shing Alberta South and Prairies Account Executive and a curious mind digging further into this topic. #itsashingthing #womenininformationtechnology #growingtogether #community Shing Digital

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Do you need help with time management in your sales career? Discover the 3 essential steps to avoid the sales time trap and boost your productivity. https://lnkd.in/gsP3eyHu #sales #prospecting #salestips

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Are you tired of waiting for traffic to magically show up? It’s like hoping for 🍕 without placing an order—just not going to happen. On this episode of 5 Minute Sales Training, Shore Consulting's Rachea McMurray Pendley will guide you through proven strategies to boost your visibility and attract serious buyers 🏡. From building partnerships with realtors 🤝 to leveraging social media engagement, these tips are essential for any sales professional in the real estate world. Plus, share insights on maximizing your in-house marketing resources 📈 to keep your content fresh, personal, and effective. Ready to transform your approach to self-generated traffic? 🌟 Let’s get started with these three game-changing tactics! 🔥 https://lnkd.in/giYdXqNM #drivetraffic #newhomesales #socialmediamarketing

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