Believe.
Sue and I had two separate client meetings on Tuesday. Our clients were different from an “industry” and “size” standpoint, but at their essence, the same. Throughout the day both of our clients weaved in the concept of “believe” into our discussion. I don’t typically take notes during meetings, but my pen hit the paper several times and in all CAPs I wrote BELIEVE. BELIEVE. BELIEVE. At the same time I noticed that my ears perked up and a little smile emerged. I remained engaged in the discussion (this doesn’t always happen) really wanting to hear more. There is a certain thrill, a contagious positive spirit that results when you engage with people who “believe” in what they do.
Believe: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something (Webster). Easier said than done – isn’t it? You know, when you’re at the heartbeat of a company, when you are a driving force for its success or failure …when you eat, breathe, sleep your offering… “believing” is a prerequisite. As many of us have experienced, for a company to prosper just about everyone at the nucleolus of the company must “believe”. If the core team isn’t complete with “believers” then a company has a problem. Non-believers need to leave, or the company will at best languish and at worst die.
It is very reasonable to sustain believers at the core of the firm. But, the question is how do you harness and sustain the power of “believe” as you grow in “people”, as you expand in territory and when times are tough. It isn’t easy. It is possible. I’ve experienced several companies double in size while people and budgets were simultaneously cut. How? There was a powerful force from the top that rallied the core team of “believers” to keep their eyes firmly on the prize and increased their productivity to make up for the losses.
But these star teams of believers are few and far between. More prevalent are the worker bees who don’t believe in the company’s value proposition and how to sell that value proposition into their prospect. These are the people who think that everyone is price sensitive, “fire sale” pricing is necessary and that without a promotion they can’t sell.
Does this sound like your company?
My message to you is if you are a “believer” then share the Kool-Aid with everyone in your firm so that they believe as well. Train them. Engage them. Give them the reason and the tools to believe. Sound the Rally Cry and get everyone sprinting towards the same PRIZE. You’ll be amaze by what a herculean team of believers can achieve. I’ve seen it and I’ve experienced it. It’s absolutely exhilarating.
Andrea Pirrotti is a ROI-driven marketing maven with proven successes in creating, executing, monitoring and optimizing marketing programs in the business center category.
From of 1999 to 2005 Andrea worked for The Regus Group and ultimately served as Vice President of Global Marketing in charge of 750 locations across 60+ countries. She was the marketing lead and member of the executive team that fueled the firm’s growth from $200 million to $1 billion in revenue over a six-year period. During her tenure she crafted the marketing strategy for Regus’ IPO, the firm’s product, location and country launches, bankruptcy (and early emergence) and acquisitions. She has been consulting in the industry ever since.
In addition to her experience in the business center world, Andrea served as the outsourced head of direct sales and marketing for Helicor where she re-launched the StressEraser, a FDA regulated biofeedback device that eliminates the harmful impact of stress on your body. She exceed sales and costs per acquisition targets while achieving a 100%+ increase in sales volume year on year.
While at Antares, a private equity firm with $5 billion in real estate assets, Andrea reduced marketing costs by 62% while increasing leads by 35%. Notable press placements include: VH-1, Fortune, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The New York Times, Alpha Magazine and Deal Maker.
From 1991-1999 she headed up marketing for the Technology, Communication and Entertainment tri-state group at Ernst & Young LLP, Graduate programs at the Princeton review and served in Product Management roles at WarnerVision (now Warner Home video) and Gramavision records.
Andrea received a BS in Communications from Boston University and an MBA in Marketing from Pace, Lubin School of Business. She lives in Fairfield, CT with her husband Johnny and their newest addition to the family – baby Johnny and Sophia.