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Balancing the Right Mix of Skills when Working with NGOs
For the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to engage in a rewarding experience outside the private sector: supporting a local volunteer and non-profit organization who serve as a community resource to assist the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in search and...
Thinking about forming an advisory board? Here’s how to get your CAB questions answered — fast!
With the end of the summer, many companies will turn their attention to building their 2015 marketing and sales plans. And that includes thinking about forming a Customer Advisory Board. If CABs are new to you, you have many questions. Get the answers you need via a...
3 signs your CAB may be ready for a refresh
The most successful customer advisory boards (CAB) are dynamic, filled with topical content and energized conversation. Even so, if your company has been running a CAB for a few years you may be wondering if it's time to shake things up. Here are a few signs that it...
Start-up Differences – Europe versus Silicon Valley
Starting up a business has its own unique set of rules. Starting up a business in Silicon Valley is different from anywhere else on the planet. Here I explore some specific difference between Europe and Silicon Valley start-ups based upon a variety of entrepreneurs...
Doing Business in Silicon Valley
Doing business in Silicon Valley is different from other places in the US and around the world. To be successful in Silicon Valley in sales, marketing, business development or just about any functional area of expertise you must embrace a combination of collaboration,...
Surveys without action do more harm than good
As a community of business leaders we are getting better at listening to customers and learning how to empathize with them. This strengthens our relationships. However, we still have an Achilles' Heel. When we listen but then take no action we run the risk of damaging...
Creating a Sales Playbook
Four Reasons to Create a Sales Playbook: Establish a consistent sales approach for repeatable success. Define sales best practices to ensure efficient selling. Align sales process with other customer-facing functions to strengthen customer relationships and long term...
Presenting to VCs? Here are 5 rules to improve your chance of being invited back
Making your business case to venture capitalists is a very important step for any entrepreneur or startup executive. As you might expect, most VC pitches don't go as well as they might. Based on many years of experience, here are 5 rules that will help you put your...
It’s time to start planning for your Fall CAB
If you are thinking about hosting a Customer Advisory Board meeting sometime in September - November, now's the time to start planning. Here's your first set of action items. CABs are not just another meeting you can rush to put together at the last minute. The best...
Average email response rates – Opens and Click-through Rate (CTR)
I've been asked by a few folks for an update to my 2012 blog post "2012 B2B Email Response Rates and Best Practices." Below are some statistics from a few key sources indicating that a 1%-3% CTR is typical in business, computer and software industries, likely from...