by Jay Allen | Feb 9, 2017 | 4. Marketing Management
OMG we’ve only gone and done it!…..
Smith & Williamson is one of the UK’s leading financial groups. Their Power 100 is created in conjunction with Fresh Business Thinking and the Great British Entrepreneur Awards to providing information and advice and help business owners and entrepreneurs run their businesses more effectively and efficiently.
Guy Rigby, Head of Entrepreneurial Services at Smith & Williamson, said:
“Our Power 100 celebrates those who use their experience or expertise to provide vital support to help inspire, mentor, connect and professionalise the UK’s up-and-coming businesses. Without these types of individuals, many brands that are household names today would simply not exist – they are critical to the wellbeing of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
From start-ups to scale-ups, the Smith & Williamson Power 100 celebrates those who help shape policy, champion, mentor, support and promote entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship across the country.
While 2016 saw names like Sir Richard Branson, Baroness Karen Brady CBE and Baroness Martha Lane-Fox recognised for their contribution to championing the entrepreneurial cause, 2017 sees the introduction of an entirely new cohort, who have been nominated by their peers.
I’m both exceptionally proud and most humbled to have been recognised in the Smith and Williamson Power 100 2017 for the work we do here at My TrueNORTH. It’s a great privilege to be a coach, to build sufficient rapport with someone in order to become their confidant, their go-to person both in terms of when things are a struggle and when things are going well.
Whether it’s a pat on the back for a job well done, or a kick up the bum as a reminder for a job still to do! We’re dedicated to the significant and sustainable growth of business owners and their businesses.
by Jay Allen | Aug 4, 2016 | 4. Marketing Management
I recently received the following email from a friend, colleague and someone I hold in relative high regard for what they have achieved as a international keynote speaker and entrepreneur:
Hi Jay I wonder if I could ask your opinion on something, please?
I’m in the process of preparing an important presentation and your take on the topic would be very helpful.
Could I ask you… When it comes to digital prospecting and lead generation for your business, what is your biggest frustration?
Do your present activities generate enough of the right sorts of prospects and leads?
I look forward to hearing from you. Your views will be very helpful.
Many thanks
Even I was a little surprised the first time I read through my response!:
My thanks for your enquiry, apologies for the slight delay in reply. I also apologies in advance if my response is not what you are looking for.
You see, I’ve got a hang up about digital prospecting and automated lead generation!!!
I know,….I’m a dinosaur, thats what EVERYONE is doing these days and I need to quickly ‘get on board’ but my question to you would be…..Do I?
You see, my TrueNORTH is based on the principles that just because EVERYONE else is doing something is probably the very best reason why NOT to do that, why to do something else!
I spent 19months as Area Manager for a business whose whole lead/sales funnel was a complex web of infusionsoft landing pages trying to capture enough data to splurge eloquently written copy to them in a bid for them to sign up for another life changing program and quite frankly the attrition rate was astounding, but it didn’t matter really because the churn rate was never negative, so as long as we ensured they spent more than they cost it was just a sausage factory to generate hard cash! and we did, and lots of it.
I remember one campaign generating over £750K in a weekend! But have we lost touch on reality by doing this, has the figures involved the money available to ease in which we can generate CASH at will relinquished any responsibility from the originator to have a moral compass?
More soldiers suffered PTSD from the first world war than from any other war fought since,…..WHY? Because it was a bloody war, it was hand to hand bayonet warfare. In the trenches looking at the whites of the eyes of your enemy as you SAW the damage you are doing. Modern warfare is fought on computers in simulators, where you grab a costa coffee on the way into the ‘office’ only to then climb into a drone cockpit and kill bad guys all day before coming home for tea!
I have no problem in generating a steady flow of very good quality leads – BY BEING HUMAN! By putting myself out there, bearing my soul (as within this response) and being transparent. In an age of computer bio’s, or landing page offers and cut off deals, a hand shake and a smile is still king!
Good luck my friend
Regards Jay
Have we really got to a time where our every thought, every decision is made via a web application, vlog, or ‘once in a life time’ offer? REALLY?
In a world where EVERYTHING has become automated I’m really enjoying BEING HUMAN! Grabbing a coffee and a catch up, communicating face to face and building a relationship.
As a musician I used to hate getting into hotel lifts, with their cheesy process MUSAK! (as we used to call it) I wonder what a relationship with be referred to when the day comes when your cyber life is more important than the one your surviving in! (Coz it’s hardly LIVING)
