CEO Essentials Archives - Page 3 of 4

What does a "Mortgage Guy" know about Tech Marketing?

July 8, 2013 by Tom 1 Comment

Today we are joined by Craig Strent from Apex Home Loans. Wait – what does a “mortgage guy” know about Tech Marketing? It turns out…. a lot!

I’ve been watching Craig’s work for the last several years, and as I’ve gotten to know him I’ve been blown away with the consistency and effectiveness of his marketing. Marketing for Craig is no accident. It’s a consistent tool which has been masterfully used to consistently grow his company even through a down economy.

More than that, the tools and processes he uses can easily be leveraged by ANY CEO to grow their company, too.

In this interview, we talk about:

How to create a system which allows your marketing to happen even without you making decisions about what to do
How to think about your customer even when it’s not time for them to buy
Why focus is a key to success in your marketing

Don’t miss the handy Marketing Checklist

About Craig

Craig Strent has been originating mortgages since 1994 and co-founded Apex Home Loans in 1998. He received a BSBA from the American University’s Kogod School of Business Administration. For the past 10 years, Craig has been recognized by industry publications as one of the “Top 200 Loan Originators” in America.

As a result of his expertise across multiple disciplines, Craig is often turned to by both the local and national media for commentary on the mortgage and housing markets. He has appeared numerous times on CNBC as well as on the NBC Nightly News, News Channel 8, and the Fox Morning News. In the past, Craig’s articles have appeared in several publications, including a feature opinion piece in the Washington Business Journal on home buying.

6 Ways To Make People Like You

July 1, 2013 by Tom Leave a Comment

“People do business with people they know, like, and trust”

Bob Burg

But how can you get people to LIKE you? Dale Carnegie collected a simple list and put it in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Here’s a quick video to help you remember 6 simple ways to improve your likability.

Don’t miss out on the FORMula to be a great listener!

F: Family

O: Occupation

R: Recreation

M: Message or Mission

Which of these tips did you find the most helpful?

How can "Sea Stories" help your projects and profits?

June 28, 2013 by Tom Leave a Comment

In this episode, I have the opportunity to speak with Jonathan Powell, senior program manager with CACI.

We talk about:

How your project manager needs to “glue” things together
How mentors can help you excel
What are “Sea Stories” and how do they help you get better?

About Jonathan

Jonathan W. Powell, Certified Government Financial Manager and Project Management Professional, is a Senior Program Manager with CACI. A former submarine officer, Mr. Powell has led complex technical engagements for military, federal, and intelligence agencies. His articles have been published in PM Network, CrossTalk, and Contract Management, respectively. Mr. Powell serves on the Board of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority, where he is a member of its finance committee. He holds a B.S. from USNA and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

CEOs – When they think of you, do your customers say "Wow, they’ve thought of everything!"?

May 10, 2013 by Tom 1 Comment

In this CEO Essentials Podcast, I connect with Steve Dorfman from DrivenToExcel. We talk about:

How to turn customer service from a slogan to a way of life
How “care” for clients can grow revenue
Simple ideas to unexpectedly surprise and amaze your clients – so that they brag about how great you are

Don’t miss DrivenToExcel’s FREE Impeccable Customer Service “iSat” Assessment. Take a moment to see how you’re doing in these areas.

About Steve

Steve Dorfman is a master of customer service; engineering your customer experience. Since 2006, Steve has owned DrivenToExcel where leaders come to him to help them create or reinvigorate their company’s customer service culture. His highly interactive talks and training programs are designed to educate, engage, and develop front-line staff. Steve helps his clients do things like create remarkable experiences for their own customers and clients, build a consistent referral business and increase repeat customer loyalty … all of which translates to strength in culture and increased profits. I am interested to see how Steve has done that, coming out of a background where Steve had worked as a sales consultant for a luxury automaker.

2 Sales Secrets Successful CEOs Sense

May 6, 2013 by Tom Leave a Comment

In this CEO Essentials Podcast, I connect with Landon Johnson of Talant.

We talk about:

Key challenges to sales success in today’s market (and what you can do about it)
The 3 Axes of skills needed to achieve sales in today’s market (and you’re probably only really focusing on one of them)
2 Key secrets to transform your sales measurements, giving you keen insights into how to substantially grow sales.

Don’t miss this FREE Sales Assessment Checklist – Simple questions to see how you’re doing in these areas

Landon Johnson is the Founder of Talant, a sales and marketing effectiveness consulting firm. Landon has a background in management consulting as well as a short stint as head of sales for a software company. During that season, he recognized a large gap between how buyers want to buy and how sellers sell. Closing that gap is the mission that launched Talant in 2001. Since then has worked with software and tech organizations of all sizes across the country.

CEOs – Promote your tech business like Apple – 6 secrets your PR team won't tell you

March 13, 2013 by Tom Leave a Comment

Welcome to this installment of the Tech CEO Essentials podcast.

Today I’m interviewing Dan O’Brien from Tech Image.

Dan is a marketing and PR expert with roots in the advertising world, and was behind the major rebranding campaign turning Andersen Consulting into the recognizable Accenture brand.

In today’s discussion, Dan addresses key questions that CEOs need to think about:

What does the public see when they look at your company?
What stands in the way of a successful communications program?
Where is the best bang for the buck in marketing?
What are today’s trends in PR – How can executives really benefit from them?
How can you use new technology to tell your company story?

Audio only version below

Dan also has included Tech Image’s checklist of PR best practices: 6 simple areas to check to make sure that you’re getting the most from your marketing. These are your six secrets to PR success!

About Dan O’Brien

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

As Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Dan O’Brien thoroughly enjoys the power of positioning in growing client brands, using the most advanced digital techniques available today. With a pulse on the marketplace and technology trends, Dan likes to collaborate with clients to align their programs with their audience’s media behavior. This always includes a unique combination of highly effective rich media content and distribution channels that together accelerate awareness, adoption and results. Dan believes PR has never been more measurable, interesting and fun!

He previously owned his own PR and marketing agency, was the global director of advertising for Accenture and led a number of blue chip accounts as a Senior Vice President at J. Walter Thompson. He holds a Masters in communications from Eastern Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University.

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