http://www.andyhanselman.com Rants, raves, insights and ideas to seriously improve your sales, marketing and customer care. Andy Hanselman's thought provoking and stimulating take on today's ever increasingly competitive world will help you create and sustain real competitive advantage. Not a list of do's or don'ts or 'magical' answers to business success (are there any really?), but practical insights, tools and templates to help you compete, not get beat! Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:57:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Can you sell without telling lies? I've been invited down to London to explore the possibility of taking part in a TV series for Channel 4 where apparently sales teams will be split in two and one half will sell stuff 'aggressively' and the other more 'ethically' (my phrase, not theirs - I ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/21/making-a-sale-or-making-a-relationship/ Andy has been asked to be the speaker at a series of business seminars throughout Yorkshire and Humberside organised by Business Link Yorkshire in July and September. Due to funding from Business Link there is no charge for these events. Andy will be leading these interactive seminars for local business leaders ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/17/andys-yorkshire-and-humberside-tour/ Andy's first 'podcast' is now available for download here or via iTunes subscription here Podcast #1contains: Personal notes 'work'; Make time for training; The 4P's RIP; A book worth reading - Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin; An interview with branding 'guru', John Lyle; 15 ideas for keeping 'devoted' customers. Related links for this podcast: Jesmond Dene House ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/15/andys-podcast-1-get-personal-the-4ps-rip-branding-not-blanding-keep-on-keeping-on/ I've set up a 'Thinking in 3D' Facebook Group. Absolutely no idea whether it's a good move, or a complete waste of time, but here goes. Feel free to join (and contribute!). The aim is to link like minded people interested in sharing ideas on improving sales and marketing, creating and ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/09/3d-thinking-now-on-facebook/ Attended a great event last night organised by Sheffield Technology Parks. Andrew Barke of Google UK gave us an interesting insight into the 'new' world of business. I say 'new'. My take on it was it's not 'new', it's 'now'. You used to hear people talking about 'an internet' business. Not ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/09/its-not-new-its-now/ Andy has been asked to speak at the Insurance Institute of Newcastle Upon Tyne Annual Dinner in November. The event takes place at the Civic Centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne on the 28th. Please click here for more details about the Institute. http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/08/insuring-a-success-in-newcastle/ Here's a nice fun way of engaging with customers and providing a highly impactive business solution at the same time! The Uk's number one milk brand, Cravendale have helped eliminate that age old office problem about who makes the tea in the office! Makethetea.com is a simple website that allows you to enter everyone ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/07/an-end-to-who-makes-the-tea-misery-in-your-office/ "There is no teaching to compare with example"                                                                                  Lord Baden Powell Leadership is about role modelling and being a role model. It's about 'doing the right thing' and being seen to be doing it. Transparency, accountability and empathy help build credibility, trust and 'enagement'. The UK's politicians, by voting to throw out a ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/04/leadership-at-its-lamest/ The Savvy Partnership are a Manchester and Yorkshire based marketing support and project management business that help organisations implement their marketing. They've come up with a lovely and very powerful idea - FREE FRIDAYS. On fridays they provide FREE consultancy advice and support to new clients, particularly small businesses, start ups, charities and ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/04/fantastic-idea-free-fridays/ What do you stand for? What does your business stand for?  I don’t mean what products or services do you make or sell. I’m talking about what your business actually does, how it does it and importantly who does it do it for?   The world is full of ‘same as’ businesses ... http://www.andyhanselman.com/2008/07/03/positions-please/