Real world

business
education

Steve Pugh
2 3

Welcome Contents
The Roadmap alternative MBA is a CPD certified training
course which provides the real world skills to help grow a
This course includes: Modules Online Video
business, aimed at organisations of less than 250 people. • This 252 page textbook. Page 10 Getting Started There are online videos to support every concept
• Over 150 online tutorials and videos. Page 26 Module 1 – Your goals and ambitions discussed within this course, accessible 24 hours a day
SMEs account for 99% of the business population and • Four drop-in classroom sessions every week. Page 38 Module 2 – The skills people look for at www.RoadmapMBA.com.
the challenges smaller businesses face are different. In • One Live Q&A session every week. Page 46 Module 3 – Personal and professional brand
smaller businesses people are often asked to perform • Regular podcasts and interviews. Page 62 Module 4 – Business strategy, part one
multiple roles, some of which they’re not trained to do. • The ability to ask questions about your business or
career for 12 months.
Page 74
Page 84
Module 5 – Business strategy, part two
Module 6 – Business strategy, part three
Live Weekly Q&A
To create high performing teams you need to teach
Page 100 Module 7 – Marketing
these skills! Ask specific questions tailored to your business or
What else? Page 138 Module 8 – Social influence
career. E-mail [email protected], use the
Page 148 Module 9 – Sales approaches
This course teaches the skills required to grow a forum on www.RoadmapMBA.com or interact with any
• This course is designed to work around you. Work at Page 168 Module 10 – Sales presentations
business so that your team can add more value, aid their of our social media channels.
your own pace and around your own commitments. Page 178 Module 11 – Sales closing
personal development, progress their careers or, for
• Hear from business leaders and inspirational figures Page 188 Module 12 – The social side of business
entrepreneurs, to launch and grow their businesses.
about their own journey. Page 192 Module 13 – Leadership and management
We also do this at a price point which is affordable, using • Receive up to 40 hours of Continuous Professional Page 212 Module 14 – Mental Health Live Drop-in Classroom
Development (including certificate) if you complete the Page 214 Module 15 – Financial intelligence
clear language, delivered in video, print and live stream
classroom sessions. course. Page 224 Module 16 – Advanced techniques Sessions
How can we offer such value? What you don’t get: Each week we host live drop-in classroom sessions to
For established businesses this course will help you suit every global time zone. In the sessions we discuss the
drive your business forward. It will improve your team’s
X Expensive buildings.
Worksheets concepts from the course, but also share real examples
real world grounding in leadership, management, you can use within your organisation. Full joining details
marketing and sales. X Celebrity endorsements. Page 36 Setting your business goals and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com.
X Fixed course timetables. Page 37 Setting your personal goals
For entrepreneurs this course will help you improve X Exams or tests. Page 94 World class behaviours
your strategy, increase sales and gain a competitive Page 96 Building your growth strategy
advantage over your competitors. What you do get: Page 122 Writing your first marketing strategy
Page 231 The one day business turnaround Designed to help you make a
Page 232 The seven steps to grow a business real impact quickly.
For career professionals this course will support your • The real world skills to help grow a business.
personal development, giving you new skills and the Page 234 New CEO Checklist
confidence to make the next step in your career. Page 236 Engaging your team
Page 238 The MBA Project (Required for CPD award)
Page 240 Creating your investor slide deck
Page 242 Planning for an exit
Page 244 Maximising your valuation

www.RoadmapMBA.com

Copyright © 2021 Steve Pugh, Growth Strategy Roadmap™. All rights reserved. Printed in the United Kingdom. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or
transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any storage and retrieval system) without the prior permission of the
author. Requests for permission should be directed to [email protected] or mailed to Roadmap MBA, Valley House, Kingsway South, Team Valley, Gateshead,
Tyne and Wear, NE11 0JW, UK. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this course is accurate at the time of going to press, and the author
can not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action,
as a result of the material in this content can be accepted by the author. All materials, ideas or concepts referenced within the book remain the rightful ownership of the
original author and are referenced accordingly. Where there is no reference, no original author could be found. All materials, ideas or concepts mentioned are for the
purposes of criticism or review. The Roadmap MBA is an alternative MBA business course created by Growth Strategy Roadmap™ which provides the real world skills to
help you grow a business. This is a private sector business course and not associated or accredited by any university or third party or imply any level of learning equivalent
to an OfQal qualification. Roadmap MBA ® and the ‘R’ logo ® are Registered Trade Marks in the United Kingdom.
4

Our mission is making

business education
accessible
For too long people from different backgrounds have How is this course different?
been unfairly disadvantaged by structures created in
society. Women, ethnic minorities, people from poorer In the creation of the Roadmap MBA, author Steve
backgrounds and people from different countries have Pugh uses his engineering background and business
all had to fight against challenges which put them at a experience to take complicated information and simplify
disadvantage. this into a clear roadmap to follow.

In education many of these structures still exist and we’re Growing a business or career is approached as an
looking to change that! engineer, sharing practical tools and advice to give you
confidence making your next step.
Traditionally business education has been exclusive.
Knowledge was held behind expensive pay-walls or In the Roadmap, Steve also shows how the world’s
admissions boards who decide who gets in. For what best techniques from sales, strategy, marketing and
you could get for free from libraries or the internet, the management can be used together to multiply their
time required to learn this is so exhaustive that it often impact, combining tried and trusted theory with his real
excludes working parents, people who are time poor, or world practical experience as a Management Consultant.
many of the people who would benefit most.

The barriers to entry have been holding people back or

stopping people from reaching their full potential. Learn in your own way
Our mission is making business education accessible to On this course we understand that not everyone likes
anyone who has the desire to learn or progress in their to learn through reading. This course allows users to
business or career. learn through a combination of reading, watching videos,
interacting with live streams, listening to podcasts, and
We do not judge based on past experience, academic joining online classroom sessions to guide you through
qualifications, how rich you are, or where in the world the course, all accessible anywhere in the world from a
you’re based. We treat everyone equally and aim to laptop or mobile phone.
provide a platform which people can access to give them
the knowledge they need, including at no cost using our The course also includes the ability to ask questions for
Buy One Gift One initiative (see page 250). a full 12 months, providing a complete support package,
which we believe tackles all of the limitations with
traditional business education.

Photograph: Jes Abiola

Our mission is making business education accessible.
Join us.
10 11

The roadmap
to grow your
Your career journey is yours and yours alone,
however we believe that these modules in
this order will help teach the skills to help you

business or
achieve your business or career goals.

career Feel free to skip anything on

this course that you feel is
not relevant to you.

Pre-planning: Module 1 Module 2 Module 3

What do you Understanding your Skills investors, Your personal and
Where want to achieve? goals and ambitions. business partners and professional brand.

you are employers look for.

now. Pages 14-23 Pages 26-37 Pages 38-45 Pages 46-59

Modules 9-11 Module 8 Module 7 Modules 4-6

Sales. Social Influence. Marketing. Business strategy.

Pages 148-187 Pages 138-147 Pages 100-135 Pages 62-99

Modules 12 Modules 13 Modules 14 Modules 15

The social side of
business.
Leadership and
management.
Mental health. Financial intelligence.
Achieving
your aims
Pages 188-191 Pages 192-211 Pages 212-213 Pages 214-223
and goals.
8 9

The ribbons help you keep track of progress.

Follow your own path Keeping track CPD Certification

With the Roadmap you can follow your own path. You Throughout the course you will see the graphic shown As you go through this course you will need a workbook Continuing professional development, or CPD, is
can start at page one and work your way through every below. This is to help you visualise your journey from or journal to keep notes. This textbook was designed so the ongoing process of developing, maintaining and
module, or you can skip only to the parts you need; it is where you are now (on the left) to where you want to that you can write on the pages too, keeping everything documenting your professional skills.
completely up to you. be (on the right). Every module and every technique on in one place.
the course will help you towards achieving your goal, Although it is not a requirement to follow any set
supporting your personal development. The textbook is only one part of the course. This textbook structure, if you wish to claim your CPD certificate we do
is supplemented by hours of video and weekly Q&A have a process for this - see page 238. This is how we feel
sessions to answer any questions you might have. Visit you will get the most out of the course, however the real
www.RoadmapMBA.com for more information and benefit of the Roadmap MBA is the skills you learn, not
joining instructions. the piece of paper at the end.

Where Personal development and learning. Achieving It is the combination of these resources, combined
with interviews with business leaders and inspirational
you are your aims people discussing their own journey that will provide you
now. Your decisions and actions. and goals. everything you need.

Designed to be used for 2 minutes or 2 hours

2
This course has been designed so that you can pick it up for two minutes
or two hours and dip in and out as much as you need. We have worked MINUTES
hard to make complicated concepts simple and help explain these in
words, but also using the online video and live stream drop-in sessions. OR
Why struggle through a hundred books when we make the concepts
simple, saving you time and allowing you to live your life.
HOURS

Focus on the areas you need most

A B C D E F G H
Ask questions 24 hours a day via email, social media, or join
our drop-in classroom sessions
You have the option to skip any topics you feel you are already There are live sessions every week to answer your All questions are asked in an open forum and may be
strong on, although you can use this course as a refresher. Our aim questions in relation to how you can apply the techniques anonymised then shared or used for course content
is to make you strong across the whole range of skills you need. to your own business or career. to help others. Send your questions to questions@
RoadmapMBA.com.
6 7

CEO / Senior Management

Your career skill growth
Build your business skills You achieve a broad range
We all start our career with some knowledge which gets On page 7 we give a visual representation of the mountain
of skills at a high level. A B C D E F G H
us our first job. However as you progress you will be asked we all climb during our career. It shows how, at the start
to take on new tasks, some of which you’re not trained to of our careers our skills are generally lower, but you will
do, and some things you will have to learn organically on quickly learn your industry or technical skills. High-level skills across all eight areas.
the job.
Over time you will become excellent in particular
To be successful it is important to understand your areas, before being asked to manage people or bring in
current skill set and the areas you need to improve to customers.
reach the next level. This section is designed to give
you a framework and give you the opportunity to score As you progress, people who have a broad range of
yourself out of 10 based on where you feel you are today skills at a high level become more valuable. People with
across the eight skill areas. You will see these below. high level skills are more likely to become a CEO or run
successful companies. It is these skills we aim to teach You are asked to start
There is no time scale on when you need to develop these on this course.
skills, however the more broad and developed your skill managing people or to
set, the more valuable you will become and the faster you bring in new customers. A B C D E F G H
will progress.

Good across your wider skill set.

How would you Where would
score yourself you like to be in
today? (1-10) one year? (1-10)

A = Technical or industry knowledge. /10 /10

Not covered in this course.
You become excellent in
particular areas. A B C D E F G H
B = Personal skills (such as /10 /10
communication). Module 2. Excellent in some areas. Still some gaps.

C = Personal brand. Module 3. /10 /10

D = Business strategy. Modules 4-6. /10 /10

E = Marketing. Module 7. /10 /10

You start learning your
F= Sales. Modules 9-11. /10 /10 A B C D E F G H
industry and technical
skills.
G = Leadership. Module 13 /10 /10 Low overall skill level. Multiple skill gaps.

H = Financial intelligence. Module 15 /10 /10 Starting your career

 Giving you the
confidence to
succeed.
Photograph: Jes Abiola

www.RoadmapMBA.com
14 15

What do
What are you not happy with right in your business or career right now?

you want to
achieve from
this course?
What course outcomes are most important to you?

In life it is important to write down what you want to achieve. For

the Roadmap this is your chance to start this process. Across these Feel free to skip anything on
pages we have given some example questions, however in your this course that you feel is
not relevant to you.
notebook feel free to create your own.

Why did you want to come on this course? What would a realistic success look like for you?

Within 90 days?

Within 6-12 months?

Within 2-3 years?

20 21

Understanding your goals Questions

designed for
entrepreneurs

I want to start a business. Ask yourself the 28 questions to sense check your business idea.

This question is designed for aspiring business owners. Growth Action: Use a notebook and answer these
Over 50% of the people who take this course at some questions in turn. This will help set you on the right path What is it your business does? Do you sell a product or service?
point want to start their own business. When looking to to see if your business idea is viable.
launch a new business there are many things you need
to consider. Answering all of the questions below should These are purposely tough questions. When launching
give you a good feel for the viability of launching a new a business nobody will do you any favours. You will also
business idea. have competitors who will do everything they can to put How much does it cost to make one unit?
you out of business, so it is good to be prepared. If you
Taking good advice early on could save you a lot of can confidently answer these questions to yourself, that
heartache, time and money in the long term, or clarify is all that matters when looking to start a new business.
your thinking on how to adapt your idea.
How much will you sell your product for?

28 questions for anyone who is wanting to launch a business:

What other costs do you have in the business?

1. What is it you want to do? 22. Accounting for overheads, your own financial
2. Why? requirements and tax, how many units will you have to
3. What are you not happy with the current solution? sell per month to break even? How many units do you Do you have customers already lined up?
4. What do you hope to achieve with this business? need to sell until you make any money?
5. Why do you think you can do this better than anyone 23. Is the amount of effort and risk worth the payback
else? (vs. paid employment)?
6. What experience do you have with this topic? 24. Why do you want to start a business? Why not just
7. What experience do you have of selling? get a job? How will you find new ones?
8. What experience do you have of managing a business? 25. How much risk are you willing to take?
9. What experience do you have on controlling costs and 26. How much money do you need to live off?
managing money? 27. Based on any capital costs, overheads, manufacture
10. What is the minimum equipment you need to set up? costs and anything else, what is your burn rate of cash
How much does this cost? going to be getting set up? How long does this give you to How long can you live for if you do not sell anything?
11. Is it a physical product or service? survive once you start?
12. Will you have any material costs to make it? 28. Are your answers realistic?
13. Do you have the space to conduct your business?
14. How much does this space cost? Are there any fit out If the answers to the above are yes and you are
costs? Are there any associated ongoing costs? comfortable with the risks, go for it! What is your year one revenue target? What is the salary / take home pay you are hoping to achieve?
15. Do you need help to design and develop the product
from scratch? How long will this take? For first time business owners, always consider starting
16. How much time will manufacture take (per unit)? your business whilst you have some other form of other
17. What do you think you can sell it for? income to help give you more time to become profitable
18. Am you sure people will buy it at this price? and make your new business a success. Is it realistic?
19. What do other similar products sell for?
20. Can you charge a premium vs. other products? Why? Send any questions to [email protected]
21. From calculating the selling price minus the costs of
production, how much does this leave you with per unit?
(Gross Profit) Be prepared to face some tough times, especially in your first year. Successful businesses plan ahead and constantly
learn and improve. This course will hopefully help you do that.
22 23

I want to build a business or Learn how to Learn to gain

career around my passions. make money
following your
Q1: What do
more followers
towards your
passion. mission.
Within the Roadmap we teach the skills to help you grow Our aim is to help you find something which ticks all four
you love?
your business or career, but one important question is boxes to help you build a dream business or career.
to ask yourself: “what do you want to do in life?” What
career, business or opportunity would bring you joy every Passion - top left: If you have something you love and
day? you’re good at, you have found your passion. These
people are often aspiring singers or actors who have
Ikigai, said as EE-ki-gai, which translates into “your passion and talent but thy feel they’re not being paid
reason for being”, is a Japanese concept referring to enough yet to make a living from it. If this is you: Raise
having a direction or purpose in life. Ikigai is living a life awareness on your public profile and personal brand to find
which provides fulfilment and a sense of meaning. higher paying opportunities. Passion. Mission.
Before we start the course, take some time to consider Mission - top right: If you have found something you
some questions about your own life and use this as a love and you have identified something the world needs,
guide. This exercise is positioned at the start of the then you have a mission. These people could be activists
course so that whatever you decide we can help share
the skills to make it a reality.
who want to make a positive change in the world, but
sometimes do not have the public platform to achieve it Q4: What Q2: What
yet or the skills required to make a change.
you are IKIGAI does the
The diagram shown on the right is made of four
overlapping circles. Profession - bottom left: If you have something that good at? world
Answer the questions honestly:
you’re good at and you can also be well paid for, you have
a profession. What could hold some people back is that
need?
they don’t always love their work or feel it’s making an
Q1: What do you love to do? What brings you joy? Can impact. If this is you: try out new things to find what you
you make a list of everything you love? What makes you truly love doing. Back to Q1, what makes you happy?
happy? This could align with your hobbies or passions. Could there be untapped opportunity for you to pivot?
Imagine you could do whatever you wanted and be paid
for it, what would it be? Make a list.
Profession. Vocation.
Vocation - bottom right: If you have something that
the world needs and you can be well paid for, then you
Q2: What does the world need? Is there something have a vocation. Similar to profession, sometimes
relating to question 1 that there could be a opportunity vocational roles can lose their passion and joy if you feel
for? Is there something you could do better than anyone undervalued. If this is you: try learning new things to help
else? you develop, follow your passions outside of work, or
build your business or career around something you love.
Q3: Make a list of everything you could be paid for which
relates to questions 1 and 2? Without money, what you
Summary: To find lasting career happiness, the aim is to
Q3: What you can
want to do would not be sustainable and not give you the
live you want (unless you’re a multi millionaire and money
find something that genuinely brings you joy, something be well paid for?
that you can get better at over time, something that pays
is no object).
well, and something that the world needs or makes a Try new things Constantly
Q4: What are you good at? We all have dreams and goals,
difference!
and find challenge
but if you want to be a professional singer but can’t sing,
this will be difficult, so we need to find something you’re
If you can find the answers to these, the Roadmap can something you yourself to
help you develop your skills (supporting your personal
already good at or something you can learn to be good
at. Never underestimate your ability to learn new skills,
development), help you be better paid for what you do love to do. get better
(through adding more value), help you make a wider
and this is something we aim to help with on this course.
impact in the world (through better understanding the and make an
Where do you fit on the map?
customer and the market in which you operate) or better
share your message (through better marketing).
impact.
Based on your answers, you will probably find that you’re
With the Roadmap we can’t give you a life full of happiness,
mostly between two circles, falling into one of four
but we can share the skills that might help you get there. Ikigai is an optional two hour online workshop conducted as part of the live classroom
categories - Passion. Mission. Profession. Vocation.
sessions to help you complete this task. Find full details at www.RoadmapMBA.com
16 17

Understanding your goals

I want to accelerate my Questions

designed
for career
professionals
I want to improve sales. Questions
designed for
owners / sales
managers

career.
This question is designed for career professionals. Write What are the steps are preventing you from getting your This question is designed for business owners or sales Once you have done this, write down where you are now
your aims and goals for what you would like to achieve in dream career or role? What skills do you need? What managers. Write down your goals for improving sales or and barriers preventing you from achieving the targets
your career. Go into as much detail as you would like. experience do recruiters in your sector look for? Write it growing your business. Go into as much detail as you can. you have set.
all down.
Next, write any potential barriers or hurdles which could If you were to achieve or exceed these targets what could Within the course we will look to tackle these and help you
prevent you from achieving your goals. this mean for your business? What could this mean for achieve your goal. The sales modules start on page 148.
your career?

Where are you now? This is an honest self assessment on your career. Where are you now? Give honest feedback about your attitude to sales. Most people do not like sales, however
recognise its importance. If you are a business owner, what do you feel is your team’s view of sales?

Where would you like to be?

What areas or skills do you need to work on to achieve the next level? What barriers are preventing you from achieving the targets you have set? Be honest, are you open to learning new
things?
18 19

Understanding your goals

Questions Questions
designed designed

I want to tackle my I want to improve the

for owners / for owners /
managers managers

biggest business problems. management in my team.

This question is designed for business owners or division These could include physical limitations of not having A common issue for business owners is how long you If you have ideas of things you could implement, write
managers. No business runs perfectly. What is not working enough people, not getting enough from the people you spend solving problems for other people. these down too, but you might need a separate notebook
perfectly in your business? What are the biggest areas of have, or experience or skill limitations within your team. for this. Often an honest brain dump will give you some
limitation or problems? Also include inefficiencies in management, processes, Within this section, write down all of the main issues you solid answers for actions you know you should take to
too much (or not enough) reporting, holding too many currently have. Once you have done this, write down what move forward.
meetings or anything else you would like to change. you would like to achieve and what the dream end result of
tackling this problem would look like?

What is not working in your business right now? What are your biggest areas of limitation or problems? What are the main problems you have in your Where would you like to be? What does the dream
business right now? management team look like? What would you
achieve that you don’t today?

Are there any people within the business where most of the problems come from?

Who are your star players? Who are the people causing your headaches? Do
you see them as being with the business long term?

What keeps you awake at night?

 Passionate
about
sustainability
We care about the environment and we know you do too. We are on a journey to minimise waste
and only use sustainable materials. With this latest version of the Roadmap MBA we have reduced
the amount of packaging we send and removed any unnecessary use of plastics. Business education
should not have an adverse impact on the planet and we will continue to do our bit to protect the
environment whilst fighting for equal opportunity to education. Passion over profit.

www.RoadmapMBA.com
26 27

Module 1 What defines success for you?

Understanding
This is very personal. You need to answer this for yourself • What kind of house would you live in? Would it be a country
and nobody else. What is important to you will also change retreat in your dream location? Would you own multiple
over time so don’t be afraid to revisit this and update your homes in exotic locations? Write it down.
goals as you progress.

your goals and

• How many holidays a year will you have? Where would you
These questions are designed to stimulate ideas. You do not travel to? How would you travel? Economy or First Class?
need to answer every one, but for whatever your ambitions,
write as much detail as you can. We will explain later why this • What car would you drive? Would you have more than one?

ambitions
is important.
• Spend some time to imagine every aspect of your dream
As you answer the questions, spend some time over this and life. Have fun with it, but write it down.
go into detail about every aspect of your dream life.
These questions are here to help you understand what you
are actually aiming for. These do not have to be audacious
Question millionaire goals but just whatever would be an ambitious
next step which would bring happiness and contentment.
Ignoring jobs and careers for now, what would your dream
life look like?
Growth Action: Make notes and go into as much detail as
you can. You don’t have to do this in one go, revisit it over
• What is your dream salary? What could this income allow
The first step to achieving any goal is to set targets. This As you progress through Module 1 there are exercises which time, but it will genuinely help you sculpt your business or
you to do? Would it allow you to work in the community?
module will help you articulate the goals you want to achieve. use a technique called visualisation to help you imagine the career.
Volunteer more? Spend more time with your family?
future benefit of achieving a new skill or growing your business
If you never set a destination how do you know where to or career. We do this to help you articulate your goals, which
Write down your answers. Imagine there was no limit on what
start? Also unless you have milestones, how will you know allows us to put strategies in place to help achieve them, but
you could achieve.
when you have arrived? By the end of this chapter you will also teach an important lesson called Lead Actions.
have written the first draft of your goals and ambitions.
Please feel free to skip past exercises that don’t resonate
You will need a pen and paper, or write in the space provided. with you but do take the time to understand the concept of
Lead Actions as this follows through every concept on the Write your answers here:
Within this module we will be asking questions to understand course.
what is important you and what you want to achieve in life. The
questions are just guides. Everyone’s dreams are different. You will also see highlighted throughout the course “Growth
The important thing is that you have a clearly defined goal. Actions”. These are suggested practical steps to help you
Module 1 is to get your dreams and aspirations on paper. implement the techniques being discussed on each topic.

If you look back through the course after completion the

Growth Actions are the things to focus on.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
28 29

What are your dream career goals? What would be your dream home life?
Within Module 1 we show how we can use a technique called It is important to know not only what is the job title you are Continuing this visualisation exercise, what would be your Write down as much as you can on your ideal life outside of
Lead Actions to create positive behaviour change, but first aiming for, but also who the person you want to become is dream life outside of work? work.
we need to know what we’re trying to achieve. and what behaviours got them there.
• How would you spend your time? Would you spend more It is important to imagine all of these traits because we are
Ask yourself: What is your dream career goal? Is it to become What traits does this person show? How do they behave? time with family or is your career your passion? essentially asking you to describe your dream life. If it is your
CEO of a major corporation? Do you dream of becoming • Do you have a passion or hobby you would put more time dream to work two days a week and have enough income to
a respected author? A famous public speaker? Write this Documenting these behaviours is the first step in achieving into? live the lifestyle you want, we can build this, we just need to
down. life or career change, as we can use this to guide something • Would you travel more? Learn a language? plan it from the start and build a business that fulfils your
called Lead Actions (described later) which will help you • Would you get more into sports and fitness? dream.
Growth Action: Imagining your dream job or career, become closer to achieving your dream career goals. • Would you learn to cook?
what would this career be like? What would you do? What • Would you volunteer in the community? Next we will be putting in place the actions to help you
problems would you solve? Answer each of the questions Answer each of the questions below or create your own achieve it.
below or create your own. Go into as much detail as you can. based on the person you see as being top of their career:

• What is your dream job title? • Are they respected?

• What size of organisation would you work? • Are they well known? Write your answers here:
• What type of work would you do? • Are they knowledgeable on key industry topics?
• Would you manage a team? • Do they speak other languages?
• What hours do they work? Are they first into the office?
If you find it difficult to do this, describe a person you see as
being at the top of their game, at the top of their business or To help this process, answer the four questions below. We will
career, someone you admire who has a career you would like use this to guide something called Lead Actions (page 32).
to replicate. Next we will look at their behaviours so we can
understand why they’re successful.

Q1: Can you name one person in your industry who Q2: Why do you like this person? What is it about
you look up to or admire? them that you respect?

Making sustainable positive life choices

As you begin to build a picture of your dream life, the next For each of your previous answers you have described a
question is to ask “how will this person do all of these things”? set of behaviours which you would like to emulate. You have
Q3: What character traits does this person show? Q4: Are these character traits something you could described your dream career and the person who you see as
(e.g. Works hard, knowledgeable, honest, good replicate? Replicating positive behaviours is a huge To achieve the outcomes you want, it is these actions which being the best in the world at that role. Now we are going to
communicator, nice to others) advantage when working on your own personal we can replicate. put them into practise.
development

If we put in place clear actions which are measurable, The statements you have made so far are probably high level
this simple act can have a dramatic impact, creating the answers which describe the end result you want, however
Roadmap for you to follow. the next stage is to break these down into something called
Lead Actions which we can implement to make sustainable
positive changes in your life.
30 31

Creating S.M.A.R.T targets Examples of Lead Actions

For any change you want to make in your business or career, As you progress, your goals will become closer, however if you Using the example of Lead Actions for losing weight. Making this goal a S.M.A.R.T target:
always try and create S.M.A.R.T targets. You have probably aim too high you may feel that you are not making progress.
heard this term before. You want targets which are: The important thing is to break down the goal and celebrate Your goal might be to lose 20lbs, but to actually achieve this Specific - to lose 20lbs.
even the small wins every step of your journey. The HOW we we need to perform certain actions. These will be your Lead
S - specific, significant, stretching achieve these is in the next section. Actions. Measurable – i.e. measure your performance against the
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational schedule or plan you set. Worry less about the weighing
A - achievable The first-known use of S.M.A.R.T targets occurs in the GOAL: Lose 20lbs scales and more about sticking to the plan. Measure yourself
R - realistic, relevant, rewarding November 1981 issue of Management Review by George on if you attend the fitness class (or go for the run), not how
T - time-bound T. Doran [1], however SMART criteria are commonly also The Lag Measure, as mentioned previously, would be how much weight you lose!
associated with Peter Drucker’s management by objectives much weight you have lost, but this is not an actual plan or
We want your goals to be ambitious but achievable. concept [2]. something we can control, therefore focussing on the result Achievable – Start with a small goal of 2lbs, then gradually
alone will not help us achieve your goal. build up. When you see yourself making progress you are less
likely to give up or get disillusioned.
Instead we identify things which will make a positive impact
and the things we can control. These are the Lead Actions! Rewarding – Have a reason why you want to lose the weight.
This is where we put our focus! It could be for a wedding or a holiday. Think about how great

Lead Actions and Lag Measures Weight loss Lead Actions:

you’ll feel when you achieve your goal.

The process of imagining how great you will feel is another

1. Make healthier eating choices (and sticking to it). sales technique called Future Pacing which we discuss in
To achieve any goal we must first identify the things which we Lead Actions ‘lead’ to the result or behaviour we want. As 2. Maintain an increased level of exercise. more depth later in the course.
can control and not focus time or effort on things we can’t. these are something we can control, these are what we 3. Stick with it until your new habits become part of your
should focus on! normal routine. Time-bound – Have a set date for when you want to lose the
Using the questions from the example earlier in the module: 20lbs for.
In simple terms you can think of Lead Actions as inputs, and All of the three actions are things that we can control, losing
• What is your dream job title? Lag Measures as outputs, and applying this to your business weight is just the by product. From researching weight loss losing 1-2lbs per week is
• What size of organisation do they work? or career. sustainable, so aim for losing 20lbs over 20 weeks. If you
• What type of work would they do? achieve it after 10 weeks great, but if progress takes a little
Where does this come from? longer you won’t feel like you have failed. This is a great
The answers to these questions are strategic career choices, example of Lead Actions.
but their outcomes are not in our direct control. Yes we can The concept of Lead Actions is actually a sales technique.
apply to the company, but it is someone else’s decision to Lead Actions can be used to create a plan of action which Send any questions to [email protected]
hire you. There is a distinct difference between things we can can be used to address all areas of your business or career.
control (the input - how many and which companies we apply Within the Roadmap MBA we use them for achieving your
to) and the end result (the output) - if we get in. personal goals but you can use them for anything.

Outcome based measures are called Lag measures, as the Lead Actions are one of the major learnings from the book,
result is a Lag (behind, or caused by) other actions. so it will help your progress if you are able to understand this
concept early on.
We cannot control Lag Measures therefore we should not
worry too much about them, other than putting ourselves
in the best possible position should an opportunity come up.
We should only spend time on things we can control. These
are called Lead Actions.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
[1] Doran, G. T. (1981). “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives”. Management Review. 70 (11): 35–36.
[2] Bogue, Robert. “Use S.M.A.R.T. goals to launch management by objectives plan”. TechRepublic. Retrieved 10 February 2018. through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
32 33

Applying Lead Actions to your career

In applying the Lead Actions for growing your career, we need 1. Desire to be viewed as being smart. Giving two more examples of Lead Actions for careers: Example question: Are they well known on social media?
to focus on the personality and character traits we would like
to show and be known for in our professional lives. Lead Action: to achieve this you want to understand all of Example question: Is the person you described respected? Example answer: Yes.
the areas of your job you are expected to know. Review your
In this example, we take the answers from your previous job specification. Always understand everything that is being Example answer: “Yes. They treat everyone equally. They Lead Actions:
questions on pages 27-29 and developing them to asked of you so that you can deliver and gain respect within care about the workforce. They set strong goals, but they
understand what you are actually targeting, then creating your business. If you are not sure, ask. explain how each person’s contribution makes an impact and 1. Have active social media accounts.
the Lead Actions to make these happen. supports the team. They make themselves accountable and 2. Demonstrate knowledge and expertise on a subject.
2. Desire to be viewed as being commercially aware. lead from the front.” 3. Interact with your network.
If you have not already, go back answer the questions on 4. Post new content at least twice a week.
pages 27-29. We will use these answers here. Lead Action: Learn about the commercial aspects of your Lead Actions:
business and what is important to your company. Build up By now you should have a solid understand the concept of
From helping to understand your career goals and identifying this knowledge over time. This will allow you to demonstrate 1. Set clear goals and objectives. Lead Actions as a concept for making positive change.
the character traits of people who you respect within your that you are commercially aware and shows you have 2. Share the wider aims of the business.
industry, these tell us the behaviours we want to replicate. potential for progression. 3. Be fair with feedback and base it on agreed criteria (agreed From the answers you gave, identify your own Lead Actions
before you start). to help you achieve your career or personal goals.
Through this process we are not only improving your 3. Desire to be viewed as being knowledgeable. 4. Be visible within the business. Admit your flaws. Take blame
actions and skill set, but also improving your personal and when you need to but give praise when you can. If you’re an entrepreneur and not interested in careers, these
professional brand, so that when you apply for jobs or make Lead Action: Read industry articles, attend conferences and same techniques can be used to drive sales (or any positive
your next career move you have already improved your speak to your network about important things going on. Do Repeating the key point: once you know the desirable behaviours from your team) so is still worth learning.
chance of success. this to build knowledge. outcome you want, you can identify the Lead actions
which you can follow which will increase the chance of Send any questions to [email protected]
Using the example questions from the page 28. For the Read as widely as you can to develop your knowledge base, achieving the career or business goal you want.
person you see as being top of their game and well respected or watch industry webinars or talks on YouTube. This will
within your industry, why is this person respected? develop your skills and make a major difference in achieving
your next promotion.
Example answer: “Yes. This person is respected for being
What areas of your life or business do you feel would benefit from Lead Actions?
smart, commercially aware, knowledgeable, decisive, well 4. Desire to be viewed as being decisive.
liked”.
Lead Action: Don’t be afraid to make decisions when required,
In the answer, we have stated that the person who is seen as but also ask for opinions before you make your decision.
being at the top of their game is respected for being smart,
commercially aware, knowledgeable, decisive and well liked ... 5. Desire to be well liked.
therefore, we would also like to be respected for being smart,
commercially aware, knowledgeable, decisive and well liked. Lead Action: Treat your colleagues with respect. Set clear
boundaries and expectations and be true to your word.
We have identified the positive character traits which make
people successful in your industry and can look to replicate Applying Lead Actions to your career
them.
With each of the actions above these are all things we can
To achieve this we need Lead Actions to help us achieve control, therefore Lead Actions can be used to achieve the
these goals. outcome you want.

Taking each of the desirable traits one at a time:

34 35

Emotional Anchors Summary

Every year millions of people create targets to improve their What does he value more, seeing his daughters wedding day Through completing this first module you have done three
lives as part of their new year’s resolutions, however these or a cigarette? This is an example of an emotional anchor. We important things: Notes:
commonly fail as the pain or discomfort of putting them in can use these to our advantage.
place often does not overcome the desire for the end result. 1) You have started to articulate your goals which you can
This is equally true in business or your career. Applying this to you now use as motivation.

Lots of people want to start a business but are not willing to Your emotional anchors can be anything which are 2) We have helped you visualise your future. This is a
make the sacrifice to make it happen. important to you, but as described in the example having an technique called Future Pacing which will be discussed later.
understanding of these and identifying your own can make a
Example: Stopping smoking real difference to your success. Having a person imagine their future life (or benefit from
using your product or service) is a valuable sales tool.
For many people the difficulty of stopping smoking does not Growth Action: Think about any emotional anchors in your
overcome the desire to actually stop. life. This could be the fear of losing your house. The fear of not 3) We also taught you the concept of Lead Actions.
being able to buy your kids Christmas presents? Losing your
Emotional anchors are strong emotional reasons which (like job? When you know what is important to you, use this as fuel Lead Actions are manageable steps to help you become the
an anchor) which are strong enough to hold in place and to help you achieve your goals. person you want to be. These also work for completing big
overcome the short-term pain of making the change. tasks such as growing a business.
Growth Action: What are you most afraid of? When were
A great example of this is a father and daughter; the most difficult times in your life? Write down your worst
fears relating to your business or career should the worst
Daughter: “Daddy why won’t you give up smoking?” happen? When you have these, use them as motivation for
Father: “I’ve tried it’s just too difficult” working hard to achieve your goal. It works.
Daughter: “But I don’t want you to die. I want you to walk me
down the aisle when I get married. If you keep smoking I’m We recap this later on page 204 when understanding
worried you will die.” different types of motivation.

In this scenario the father had tried a large number of things We include the concept of emotional anchors early as for all
to stop smoking but failed. of the things you have stated you want to achieve, this is a Use the online videos to provide more
great technique for overcoming the challenges when putting information or join the classroom sessions to
From the conversation, the emotional pain of potentially not them in place. discuss any of the topics in person.
being able walk his daughter down the aisle (something the
father desperately wants) could be a strong enough anchor
to help the father quit.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
36 37

Setting your business goals Setting personal goals

Now that you have finished Module 1, we can now better Start with the high level 2-3 year goals, then work Making lasting change is not about setting goals that you Next, write down what making this change would mean for
articulate goals you want to achieve. Make this as realistic backward to the 1 year goals, then the goals for the will never achieve. First, identify things you would like to your business or career. If you can articulate the benefit of
or ambitious as you wish and incorporate the tools and next month, and crucially the Lead Actions to achieve change, both positive and negative. Write them down. achieving your goal you are much more likely to put in the
techniques from Module 1 to help put them into practise. this. Through completing these you are already making Then identify the Lead Actions which support this. work to make the change.
progress. Always tackle your business goals one month
(or one day) at a time.

2-3 Year Goals Positive behaviours Negative behaviours

• What do I want to do more of? (Positive behaviours) What do I want to do less of? (Negative behaviours)

1 Year Goals
•

•
What are the Lead Actions to support this? (Positive What are the Lead Actions to support doing less of
behaviours) this? (Negative behaviours)

Goals for Next Month

Lead Actions (This Month) Lag Measures

What will this positive change allow me to do? What What will removing these negative behaviours mean
impact will this have in your life? for your life, health, business or career?
• •

• •

• •

• •

• •

• •
 Works around
your lifestyle.
Photograph: Jes Abiola

www.RoadmapMBA.com
38 39

Module 2 Good communication

Skills investors, Your ability to communicate is the most important skill you
need to develop.
We will also create a plan for developing your personal brand
to help you demonstrate yourself as being an excellent
communicator. This will help both your personal and

business partners
Skilled communicators get along well with colleagues, they business aspirations, but also help be asked for speaking
listen, they understand instructions and put across their engagements or conferences – which both help with career
point of view without being aggressive or confrontational. and business progression.

and employers
Good communicators also change their style of Growth Action: Look into both verbal communication (such
communication to suit the task at hand and for the person as public speaking tips) and also non-verbal communication
(or audience) they are speaking to. (such as body language and facial expressions). You will gain

look for.
a huge amount of knowledge on both, and these will become
Good communication skills are valuable in many different valuable tools as you progress your career.
situations, from handling conflict, to trying to persuade a
customer to buy, or even to convince the board you are the Growth Action: Listening is also a key part of
right person to become the next CEO. communication. Actively listening and understanding other
people’s points of view will make you a better communicator,
Growth Action: Within the Roadmap MBA the techniques but also a better business person.
to develop high level communication skills are covered later,
including both verbal and non-verbal communication. You Do an internet search for “How to become a better listener”
should try and become an expert at both. and watch some videos or read articles on the topic.

Research conducted by Harvard University concluded that Although this section was originally written in relation to
85% of career success comes from well-developed people careers, the skills covered will also help entrepreneurs On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your communication skills? Can you give examples of when you have done
skills, not technical knowledge as you might expect. demonstrate themselves as someone who is good to do well or struggled in this area? Later in the course we will teach new skills, but making a commitment to become a
business with. better communicator is a valuable investment.
From this it is clear that cultivating well-developed “soft
skills” will make a huge difference to your professional career. Within this module there are nine key traits you should look
This is also true in business. to develop. Score yourself against each to identify areas for
personal development.
You also need to be able to demonstrate these skills within
your network. This is where your personal brand comes in.
40 41

The ability to make decisions Showing commitment

The ability to gather important facts, see the big picture, People who are unable to make decisions may not be cut out Every business wants people who are enthusiastic, Growth Action: If your personal brand can reflect the skills,
consider alternatives and be aware of potential repercussions for a leadership position. Likewise, if someone is too reckless committed and work hard. Employees who are committed talents, experience and values you want to show, the fact that
are all things that are valuable in business, especially when in their decision making they may not last long and neither need less supervision or motivation to get the job done. you may have switched companies a lot in the past may not
you are empowered to make decisions. might the company. matter as much if you can justify why.
Traditionally the word commitment also included ‘staying
In any leadership position you need to be decisive enough to Good leaders need to tread the fine line between making in your job for a long time’ as in the past it was common for Use the skills from Module 11 Sales Closing to overcome any
be able to make a decision when you do not have all of the decisions too soon and not making them at all. people to stay in a single job for life, however in the modern unspoken concerns employers might have about your career
possible information available. world that is rarely the case. history when promoting yourself or in conversations with
Although the knowledge required for you to be an expert in recruiters.
Leaders do not always have the luxury of having all of the your field is not covered within this course, the ability to show You may be a brilliant employee but for reasons out of
information available at the time they have to make a decision. good decision making is. your control you have switched companies or been made As with any sales close, you want to get the employer to love
redundant; or due to excellent performance you may have you as a person, have complete confidence in your skills and
If you have 80% of the facts, the ability to formulate the Growth Action: Actively listen to people’s views, weigh up been head-hunted, pre-empting a career change. In both ability and see you as being a 10/10 fit with their company.
remaining 20% must come from your experience and ‘gut the risks and be decisive. Strong leaders are not afraid to scenarios you could still be the perfect fit for your dream This is your target when planning your next career move. As
feel’ for the situation. This gut feel comes from experience. change their decision if new information comes to light. employer however your personal brand must reflect this. we will describe later, we need to get to 10/10 on all three to
make the sale or get the job.
Growth Action: Never leave any potential misconception go
unsaid. If there are genuine reasons why you moved on, in an Growth Action: If you are a entrepreneur whose previous
interview declare this up front and remove any uncertainty in business may have struggled, rather than hide the fact, own
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your decision making skills? Can you give examples of when you have done
the employer’s mind. They will appreciate the honesty. the conversation. Say what happened, say what you learned
well or perhaps struggled in this area? Are there any bad decisions you regret making?
from it and say how it made you stronger. This will change a
potential negative to a huge positive and people will respect
For any decision in life you probably did the best you could based on the information you had available at the time.
your honesty and strength.
Never be too harsh on yourself. Hindsight is always 20/20. Learn to accept it and move on, ready to take on the
next challenge.

Are there any weaker points in your past or on your CV which you might worry if they come up in an interview? Take
ownership and spin them into a positive. For example, if you launched a business which failed, own this up front and
tell the person what you learned from it. Controlling the narrative is the way to actually build trust from a negative
and not have it impact you.

Growth Action: If it is a high risk or big decision, always ask TOP TIP: If an instruction to your team is important and you
for people’s opinion, get all of the information you can, weigh are asking others to implement it on your behalf, ask your
up the options and make a decision. team to explain it back to you. This helps you ensure that
their understanding is the same as yours and very soon you
will become known and respected for being a strong decisive
leader, even from this one simple change.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
42 43

Flexibility Embracing responsibility

People who are adaptable and able to change are a great Instead of using words, demonstrate this in person by Employers want people who take pride in their work and Growth Action: In everyone’s career at some point
asset to have. speaking to your boss and asking “what can I do to help?” who are confident to put their name to it. This shows good something will go wrong. Own the situation.
leadership.
People who can step outside of their comfort zone and can Simply asking your manager “I want to help the business Say “because this happened, I will learn from it and make sure
react to the needs of a business are the future leaders. grow. How can I help?” will do great things for your career. Entrepreneurs have to put their reputation into their it never happens again”.
business and live or die by its success or failure, taking
The ability to react to new information, learn and adapt is Even if your boss already had someone lined up for that next responsibility for whatever happens. You will increase your respect through taking ownership and
valuable to investors and will put you ahead of the pack. project, they will respect your willingness to step up and it will be seen as a leader within the business.
put you on their radar for next time. Investors, entrepreneurs and employers also respect people
Employers like people who have a ‘can-do’ attitude, however who hold their hands up when things go wrong. This is not We cover taking ownership again in Module 13 on leadership
this can be difficult to communicate via your personal brand. Simply asking will plant the seed in the mind of people something you can fake. and good business management starting page 192.
Anyone can say that they are flexible and proactive however with influence that you are a rising star who is willing to do
like a good sense of humour this is something everyone whatever is required to help the business. As with many of the skills described in this section, this can
thinks they have. only be demonstrated with hard work and integrity.
Growth Action: Ask your boss what can you do to help the
business grow? Then back this up with work ethic, creativity
and passion.

Time management Loyalty

Time management is a difficult skill to master but is extremely 7. Have you communicated to people with actions before Loyalty is a personality trait which can’t be taught in a If you are approached about a fantastic opportunity, weigh
valuable. yours what you expect and when you expect it by? textbook. Loyalty is defined as “a strong feeling of support up the pros and cons and decide what is best, but always
8. Have you also communicated the impact of any slippage in or allegiance” and this could be applied to your employer, remember that your reputation is something that will follow
Time management, which can also be described as Project the time line on each of the actions? friends, spouse, or suppliers, so it is a wide ranging term. you for the rest of your life and this has real value in terms of
Management, is about tracking and prioritising tasks then 9. Have you communicated to people with actions after yours the opportunities you will be presented with.
communicating what is required to your team. on what they should expect? Loyalty will mean different things to different people. In
10. Have you also asked the impact of any slippage in their a business context, loyalty could mean sticking with an In business, if a trusted supplier quotes a price which is not
Growth Action: From the tasks you are allocated or asked time line? It might be that task 7 on your list is actually the employer who took a chance on you (or gave you your first as low as someone else, loyalty could be allowing your existing
to control within your job, always ask the following questions: most important and should be moved to number 1. job) however loyalty does not mean being trapped or staying supplier to match the price (or get close) before you move
11. When things change, communicate this to everyone in a bad situation. the order to the new supplier or decide to stick with the
1. What is the most important task? involved. original but more expensive option.
2. How long will each task take? 12. Repeat. Trust, ethics and personal values also play a key role in loyalty.
3. What is the most efficient way to complete each task? What people think about you is strongly influenced by your Loyalty does not mean making bad business decisions. The
4. What resources do we need to complete each task? Get this correct and you are well on your way to being an behaviour and how you treat your personal relationships. original supplier should respect that you are giving them the
5. Are there any follow-on actions which need to happen excellent project manager who people can rely on and is a opportunity to match the price, but also that you have your
after each task? valuable commodity. So how do you make the right decisions? own business to run. If they still refuse, it may be that they
6. Which of the follow-on tasks are the most important? don’t respect you as much as you thought, but you can move
Does this alter the order you need to prioritise? This will build your personal and professional brand within any Regarding loyalty your gut feel will often be correct. Always forward knowing you acted honourably.
organisations you interact with and make you more valuable. choose the best option for you / your organisation based on
the information you have at the time. Question: Can you think of a time when you wished someone
had been more loyal to you? Are there any times you wished
you had made different decisions? Always choose the best
option for you / your organisation based on the information
you have at the time.
44 45

Leadership Creativity and problem solving

Leadership is not the same as power. You can demonstrate Growth Action: If you have concerns how you may be The ability to apply logic and creativity to solving problems Growth Action: Don’t be afraid to tell the world who you
being a good leader at any age and from any level within a coming across to others, ask a trusted friend for feedback. is highly valued. If you are the kind of person who can see are. The more you are honest about you, the more this will
business and people will notice. solutions (as well as the problems) you will stand out. help build your brand in the industry.
In terms of your overall career it is much better to change
Good leadership is always doing the right thing even when any misconceptions early-on rather than have them destroy From working on ideas for the next marketing campaign, See if you can apply your creativity to business to achieve
nobody is watching! your potential without you even knowing. to being creative on business strategy or in designing a positive impact. The trick to being successful in this is to
new products, the ability to solve problems is common in combine your creativity with your technical skill set to get the
Good leaders always: Growth Action: Ask yourself is there more you could do entrepreneurs and high achievers. biggest possible benefit.
• Lead by example. in your organisation? Are you getting the most from your
• Look to improve. potential, or are you sitting back or coasting? Growth Action: Don’t hide your creative side, especially if Note If creativity is not your thing, just focus on other areas.
• Go the extra mile. this can help achieve your business or career goals. Always play to your strengths.
• Ask how they can help. If you want to progress into top positions nobody is going to
• Do what they say. hand this to you. You need to work for it and build the respect Write posts, create video blogs, invent things, record podcasts
• Give praise when appropriate. of the team in the process. These techniques are a great way discussing your industry or hot topics. Demonstrate that you
• Take the blame when appropriate. to do that. are an authority or expert on your subject. Talk about things
• Empower and support others. you are passionate about and share this through your social
• Continue to learn. Growth Action: media.
• Lead by example.
Growth Action: In Module 3 we start on personal • Look to improve.
branding. If you want to be seen as a good leader, like and • Go the extra mile.
share thoughtful articles on leadership or write your own • Ask how you can help.
feelings on the topic.

The best leaders have humility in this area so you need to

• Do what you say.
• Give praise.
• Take the blame.
Summary
demonstrate these traits and build your reputation from the • Empower and support others.
ground up. • Be a strong leader. Soft skills take time and effort to learn but they are extremely For Entrepreneurs, the proof is in what you create, the team
• Continue to learn. valuable. It is worth the time and effort to cultivate these as you build, and the way which you treat your relationships as
Word will soon spread if you are well respected. If you are not you develop. you go on your journey, not just your commercial success.
respected that will spread even faster. Great rules to live by!
For your career, do an internet search for the job Even if you are in business and not seeking a job, the skills
specifications (or person specification) for your dream described within this module provide a guide of things to
job. These will go into detail on the skills and qualities that develop over time to become more attractive to investors,
companies are looking for in that role. Use this as your business partners or employers as you chase your personal
starting point for developing your skills then selling yourself or professional goals.
to your prospective employers.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
46 47

Module 3
Your personal Your personal brand goes far beyond your qualifications or
knowledge. Your personal brand is the entire package of
Companies invest huge amounts of money, time and energy
on branding to differentiate themselves from competitors.

and professional
what people say about you, what they think about you, and
even how they act around you. This module is putting this same energy and focus on you.

Your personal and professional brand is made up of many

brand
things including your personality, what you care about, your
visions and values, your ability to connect with people, your
public persona, your composure, your ability to speak in front
of people, your ability to inspire action and your technical
skill, expertise and knowledge.

Understanding what is your personal /

What the world thinks about you (or your business) is A strong personal brand will give you a competitive advantage Where professional brand Achieving
incredibly important for your future success. Most people against people who do not. A strong company brand has the you are your aims
would not disagree, yet very few actually have a clear strategy same effect.
for communicating who they are, what their vision is and
now. and goals.
Understanding how to make your personal
WHY they do what they do. This is known as your personal Without conscious control of your personal or professional brand work for you.
and professional brand. brand, you could be holding back your business or career and
not even know it.
Module 3 will help you understand and create your personal
and professional brand and provide insight on how to change Start now through controlling the messages you share with
what the world thinks about you. the world and this is what we cover in Module 3.

In today’s competitive market, knowledge alone is not

enough to get your next promotion. The missing link is often
the lack of control over what other people think about you,
what they say behind closed doors, and the picture they have
of you in their mind.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
48 49

Identifying your personal brand Ask yourself: What are you passionate about? What are your values? What do you stand for? What do you stand
against? Are you authentic in what you communicate to the world?

Have you ever spoken publicly about any of these, or written blog posts about why this is important to you? Doing
When considering your personal or professional brand you For careers your personal brand could be what makes you
this is the first step in changing what people think about you.
need to demonstrate three attributes: an ideal fit for the position or company you are chasing, or in
business the perfect fit for the client you are selling into. Why
1. Authenticity – you need to create a brand that reflects the should people pick you?
real you. It must reflect your true personality, values, beliefs
and strengths. Growth Action: Answer the questions on the next page
regarding what makes you authentic, unique and relevant.
2. Be unique – what makes you stand out? What are the skills Go into as much detail as you can. Within the Roadmap we
and qualities that are unique to you? Why does the world will cover all three and produce a genuine strategy you can
need to know who you are? We want people to know your use to achieve your goals.
name and for you to stand out in a crowd.
In Module 7 on Marketing, starting on page 100, you will see
3. Be relevant – from the qualities that you possess, what how we use something called brand positioning to create
Ask yourself: What makes you unique? This can be you as yourself or you as a business. If you struggle to answer
is it that makes you relevant to your audience? Why should something special in the market place. Answering the
this question think of your industry or sector. Within this group what makes you different to everyone else?
anyone care? How are you relevant to your audience? questions on page 49 and developing your personal brand
will help us do the same for you!
This could be that you’re based in a certain part of the world, your heritage, your life experiences, your sports
Within pages 48-52, this was inspired by and references the
teams, your education, your gender, the fact you have a family, the languages you speak, your hobbies or interests,
work of Greeshma Thampi (2018) [3].
or a combination of all of these! We are all unique and the trick is to identify what makes us special and use it to our
advantage.

Personal
Brand
Authentic

Ask yourself: How can you be more relevant to your audience? What are they interested in? What are they looking
for? How can you show this? Why should people pick you or listen to you?

If you struggle to answer this, a good common answer could be that you have knowledge on a certain topic which can
add value to others. What topic(s) do you feel you could talk about? These all make you relevant to your audience.
This could be knowledge you already have, or sharing your journey as you find out more.

Relevant Unique

[3] Greeshma Thampi, Avance (2018) https://avance-imagemanagement.com/category/workshop/

50 51

Understanding your personal brand

How we communicate your brand is far more than just social To understand your personal brand, this can be described by
media. Your digital presence is only one quarter of the puzzle. the A.B.C.D model [3].

Appearance, i.e. the way you dress and personal appearance. Behaviour, i.e. professional conduct, etiquette and social protocols.

If you are chasing a particular role or selling into Through controlling your personal brand we can change The way you conduct yourself should also be in sync with Growth Action: Learn from others who are in positions
a particular industry, clients or recruiters will be how people fundamentally see you. People will judge you your personal brand for the level you are targeting. you aspire to. Review your answers from Module 1 (page
unconsciously looking to see if your appearance matches on how successful you are based on your appearance. 28) and reflect on the person you see as being at the top
your ambitions and the social norms for this sector. The way you behave is a huge factor in how others will of their career. How might they act? Do the same.
Many people might argue that you should not be judged see you, how they act towards you and also what they say
Dressing for a senior executive position is different to on looks and that you should be judged on merit alone, about you behind your back. Growth Action: Learn rapport and mirroring from
other jobs, for example a personal trainer. There is no however studies show that this is not the case. In building in Module 10 on sales presentations and business
right or wrong answer here, but you should always be your personal and professional brand we are doing If you are seen as a joker, they might not visualise you as meetings. Build relationships with the key people in
conscious of your appearance. As the famous saying everything we can to give you the greatest chance of a future CEO. If you get drunk at the Christmas party, it your organisation. This will give you more exposure on
goes, dress for the job you want, not the job you have! success in your business or career. is less likely your boss might see you as someone they behaviours that might be expected for the level you are
can put in front of clients and it later affects your career targeting.
Why is this important? If the person who has the deciding Growth Action: Invest in yourself. Buy appropriate opportunities.
factor in putting you forward for a job has only ever seen clothing for the position you want not the one you Growth Action: Combine this technique with investing
you in shorts and a t-shirt, they might not visualise you in have. Be well groomed and make an effort with your Act appropriate for the position you want. You could be in your professional appearance and this will compound
a suit and therefore in the executive role you want. This appearance relative to the industry you are in. Invest in sabotaging your own aspirations without even noticing. the benefit.
perception on appearance, your brand, could stop you yourself in the same way you would invest in a business.
getting the job. You are investing in your future.

Communication, including both spoken and unspoken

communication and body language.
There is a famous saying by Maya Angelou, “people will Use this every day to gradually build your craft in
Appearance Behaviour forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but
people will never forget how you made them feel.”
becoming an excellent communicator and soon it will
become second nature.

Only 7% of how we communicate emotion is in the words Growth Action: Relating to how we communicate,
we choose. 93% comes from body language and tone of always be conscious of what you say via text or in e-mail.
voice.
With only 7% of communicating emotion coming from
Your communication and body language needs to send the written word and the words we choose, it is very
out the correct message appropriate for the situation you common that people misunderstand the meaning of

Communication Digital are in. For example, being confident in a big presentation
but empathetic in a one-to-one situation. Both are
written messages and this could be working against you.

completely different skills and you will communicate in Instead, go and see the person face to face or pick up the
both of these without saying a word. phone before you send your message. This will make a
huge difference to communicating your true intent and
Growth Action: Watch the videos on RoadmapMBA. getting the successful outcome you want.
com or buy a book on body language. Once learned
many of the techniques are not difficult, but having
a conscious awareness over your spoken and
unspoken communication will transform your ability to
communicate.
Continued on the next page
52 53

Taking control (Part One)

Digital, including all of your social media and everything that can
be found online.
What does the world think about you?
In the same way that our personal appearance and Growth Action: Use your social media for showcasing Growth Action: Make a list of 5-10 points of what you Having an awareness of what people may think is the
behaviour needs to be controlled, the same is true online. your knowledge, skills and personal brand. LinkedIn is believe the world thinks about you, good and bad? What first step in tackling the problem. If you’re not sure, ask a
great for this. would they say about you behind your back? Be honest. trusted friend who knows you in a professional context.
Be conscious of your social platforms, especially if there
are things you might not want your employer to see. Write blogs, participate in relevant groups or discussions The list can be as long as you wish. Identifying any Also do this for business. How does your business
and reflect your attendance at professional events. negatives or areas of potential misunderstanding, is compare against your competitors? Does your branding
People lose their jobs every day through social media Social media and online video is a very valuable tool and something we can control. We do this as a key part of looks dated? Is this reflecting on how people view you? If
posts which are either misunderstood, taken out of one which we will build on in later sections. sculpting your personal or professional brand. it is, this too is something we can change.
context or not fitting for behaviour that is acceptable at
work.

Make sure your personal social media

accounts are private. You never know
who might be watching, including
clients.

From reviewing the A.B.C.D model do you have any weak spots you could improve to increase your chance of success What does the world think about you (or your company)? Identifying any potential negative areas and then changing
in business? Do you need to invest in appropriate clothing for chasing the job you want or winning a prestigious perceptions is something we can change over time. After completing this task and making your list, later we will use
client? Could your behaviour not reflect the person you want to become? Could there be things online you don’t techniques from sales to overcome these and increase your overall success.
want people to see? Use this as an opportunity to check and make notes on areas you may wish to improve.

Continued on the next page

54 55

Taking control (Part Two) Find your motivations

What would you like the world to think Why do you do what you do?
about you?
What would you like the world to think about you? Write Growth Action: What do you care about? Are you a If you don’t know Simon Sinek, watch his video “How A successful business creates jobs, gives the potential
it down. technology leader? Write as much detail as you can. This great leaders inspire action” [4]. Find the link on YouTube for career and financial progression, supports families
is important. or find it on www.RoadmapMBA.com. and puts food on the table.
This list of positive traits will form the basis of our
communications plan about you (or your business) to As we create your professional brand it is the articulation This video was a viral sensation when Simon gave his talk What gets you excited to go to work every day? What is
change and improve perceptions. On completion of this of your visions and values and your answers from this as the world realised how important it is to explain WHY your WHY?
course we then put this plan into action! section which will play a major part in dictating what you you do what you do. It will be the best 18 minutes you will
tell the world and therefore what they think about you. spend today. With the Roadmap it is ‘making business education
Growth Action: List below the things you would like accessible’.
the world to think about you or your business? Example Growth Action: Make a list. The longer the better, In most people’s jobs making the business or
words could be: modern, exciting, knowledgeable, caring, cover everything you might ever want the world to think shareholders money is an obvious goal, but a subset of Growth Action: Think about why you come to work or
successful, innovative. about you. Use this as a reference point if you are ever having a profitable business is that it makes the lives why you started your business? What motivates you?
struggling for content and you do not know what to talk better for everyone who works in it and supports the Write down your answers and go into as much detail as
about once we start to communicate your message with communities in which it operates. you can.
the world.

What would you like the world to think about you? Whatever you answer, this becomes a list of topics we could look What is your WHY? What are you passionate about? If it helps watch the video then come back to this.
to tackle in your promotion to demonstrate your expertise or character in these areas. As an example if you want
people to think of you as an animal lover, we will talk about causes you support and why this is important to you. Look to see if you can embed this into your business and what you tell the world, acting as a catalyst for positive
If you want be seen as a knowledgeable expert on a certain topic, talk about it. Provide proof of your expertise. It change.
works. (We cover this again in Module 8, The six universal principles of social influence, discussing a concept called
Authority and Expert, on page 145). Review your current business promotion. Is it simply functional about the products you sell, or does it share your
mission and values? A slight change here could bring huge business benefits over time and boost brand loyalty.

[4] Simon Sinek (2009), TEDxPuget Sound | September 2009. https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action

56 57

Use your answers from “What would you like

the world to think about you?” on page 54 to

Sharing your brand with the world: guide your social media and marketing

Entrepreneurial

Demonstrate what
makes you special Has a good
business network
Works well and is
liked by others

We have described how within your personal brand you Growth Action: Which of your answers on what makes
need to be authentic, relevant and unique. These are the you special are most relevant to you / your brand?
core building blocks we want to achieve to build a great
connection with your audience. Keep a conscious awareness of these and reflect these
within your content, both social media but also traditional
Authentic
In addition to this, like an onion we can now add extra
layers onto this to add greater depth to your message.
PR and marketing.
Creative Trustworthy
This is where we can begin to demonstrate the desirable How do we implement this?
personality traits which will help you achieve your
outcome and change what people think about you. • For example, you can demonstrate being entrepreneurial
through talking about projects your are involved in.
Desirable behaviours for both people and companies
could include being seen as:
• You can demonstrate being knowledgeable through
talking about industry trends or things for the future.
• Entrepreneurial
Relevant Unique
• Works well with others
• Trustworthy
• You can demonstrate being creative in how you do these
things - either through video or graphics or however you
Knowledgeable Good
• Good communicator choose. communicator
• Works hard
This is how personal social media can work perfectly side
• Commercially Aware
by side with company promotion.
• Inspiring
• Knowledgeable Through your communications, review this list of
• Creative professional characteristics and regularly ask yourself if
• Good business network you are showing these traits within what you’re telling the
world.
Replicate these values in your marketing and personal Inspiring Shares their
and professional brand.
Send any questions to [email protected] visions and values
This section was inspired by The Chartered Institute of
Marketing’s Professional Marketing Competencies. [5]

Commercially
Aware

[5] The Chartered Institute of Marketing (2018). Professional Marketing Competencies: https://www.cim.co.uk/membership/professional-marketing-competencies/
58 59

Planting seeds for that the world thinks Planning your personal brand is not
about you enough, we actually need to tell people!
Once you know what you want to say regarding your If you want to be seen as a trust worthy person, we can One of the aims of the Roadmap is to help you raise your Growth Action: Addressed later in sales closing there
personal brand, we now look to plant seeds for what the create this impression over time if you have a cultivated personal or business profile to help you land your dream is also a technique called ‘overcoming buying wounds’. In
world thinks about you. professional brand which shares your views on certain job, grow your business or achieve your personal goals. this we acknowledge a buyer’s past experience and the
topics without ever forcing it in people’s faces. bad experience, however address the improvements
Perhaps unknowingly you already do this with every You could be the best in the world at what you do but if made and how things are much better now. Simply
interaction you have. You also do this on a global scale Online we do this with the articles we Like and Share, you don’t tell people, nobody will know who you are. acknowledging the previous experience will go a long way.
using social media. You never know who is reading the the causes we get involved in, the way we promote our
content you put out. The greater your following, the visions and values and the things we talk about. In person Growth Action: Review your list of the things you believe This approach helps to remove the worry in the buyer’s
greater the impact of your actions. we do it with everything we do and say. the world thinks about you. Now review the list of all of mind and makes them much more likely to buy the
the things you would like the world to think. product or service. In this section we are essentially
When we share information there are obvious actions or Growth Action: Review back to the A.B.C.D model with doing the same with your personal brand. We are taking
behaviours which influence what people think. These are your new knowledge on priming. This alone could change From the two lists, we now have the template to begin any perceived negative about you and then overcoming it
often bold actions which have a clear intent. how everyone in your business network views you. You to craft your personal and professional brand and the through addressing it head on (not avoiding it).
could have been giving out the wrong messages for the communications message which supports it.
There are also lots of small actions which often go whole time you have known people. Growth Action: Spend time thinking about your WHY?
unnoticed but play a major role in influencing what people We will use this as a guide for all future public interactions,
think about you. These small actions and the impact they social media posts, comments, articles and content that Make a list of everything that is important to you and try
have is called priming. we share with the world - although with practise it will and distil this down to a single message.
Always tell the truth and be authentic. soon become second nature.
Priming is a phenomenon that occurs If you are not sure, watch the Simon Sinek video again
With this approach we are planting seeds in people’s or do some research on the topic. If you can articulate
when exposure to a stimulus influences If what you decide to tell the world as part of your brand
minds and creating the change in what people think your WHY this will help address both the positive and
our thoughts. is false, this will cause more damage than good.
about you. negatives for your personal brand.

Conscious and sub-conscious priming is planting seeds If you are a difficult personality but very good at your job
Once you have a strong personal brand even if you make
for what people think about you. (think Steve Jobs, who was often described as being a Summary the occasional mistake, if people know what drives you
difficult character but still a genius and people loved him)
they should hopefully know that your intent was good and
In person we plant these seeds through our actions and own who you are and control the conversation as part of Growth Action: We shared the A.B.C.D model, for that you did not mean to offend them. A strong personal
with every interaction this will build this up a picture in your brand. This is where self-reflection is valuable. controlling your Appearance, Behaviour, Communication, brand is valuable. Create yours.
that person’s mind about you. This happens all day every Digital parts of your brand.
day with every interaction we have. For reasons described in Module 11 on sales closing, if you
have traits which people may see as negative, we can still Send any questions to [email protected]
Growth Action: We created a positive list of attributes
With your personal and professional brand we can overcome these limiting beliefs through the messages for ‘What would you like the world to think about you?’
positively influence what people think by demonstrating we share as part of your personal brand. We do this by which we can use as a guide for all future content creation.
certain actions which reflect your audience’s beliefs and using a sales closing technique to change what people
values and replicating traits that they value. think and it is extremely effective. Growth Action: From the list of possible negatives traits
about you, hiding away from things which people perceive
If you come across as similar to the person you are The mistake would be to try and make people believe as negative will not make them go away, however owning
communicating with, that person will like you more. This you are something you are not. If your actions don’t the conversation on the topic, perhaps addressing it with
is the technique called Mirroring which we will cover later. reflect your words, when they meet you face to face the humour will defuse the situation and remove their ammo
resultant loss of trust will crumble everything you are or bias against you. It also shows humility which will win
trying to build. you fans in the long term.

This is important.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
Created for
people with
passion not
privilege

www.RoadmapMBA.com
 Introduction to the next phase What are your targets for the year?

of the course: 1)

2)

What is
3)

Goals are excellent for a business. They give you direction, but goals are not a strategy. Strategy is the specifics of
how you are going to achieve the goal. First we must ask some questions to understand your industry ...

business What industry are you in?

strategy?
Is there a smaller niche within this industry which you particularly fit into?

Who are your main competitors in this market?

What are the trends you have seen hit your market in recent years?

What are your competitors particularly good at / weak at?

No Clear Strategy Clear Strategy & Mission
Where can you achieve a competitive advantage to beat them?
Priorities Time
Priorities Based on your answers, and this is something you would continue to build up over time, we build customer insight
and market insight which is our view on how the world works. Based on this knowledge we try and find areas where
Focus we believe we have an advantage and all decisions made should align with this strategy.

s you Time
Decisiomnake
can In the above you are diagnosing the problem and • Invest more in R&D and bring out a product every 12
Focus Effort understanding more about your industry. We will do this months (v.s. your competitors 3-5 years), capturing more
Cash
a lot over the next 60 pages, but this is still not strategy. of the market with consumers who want the latest goods.
Cash Strategy is making strategic decisions based on your • Tailor your marketing to specifically target early adopters
knowledge. who want the latest technology.
Effort Decisions you • Invest in better automation to produce products faster
can make We diagnose the problem; create guiding principles and and cheaper than the competition.
insight which guides our decision making; we then only • Find 4 additional suppliers who bring you greater supply
make decisions which align to the guiding principles. chain flexibility and reduce costs.
• Decisions made in isolation. • Decisions made based on same vision, all working
• Could all be good ideas, but not always working in the same direction. If a competitor has an excellent product and is the market All of the above are measurable actions which become
in the same direction. • Will help drive you forward. leader, but a weakness is that they only bring out a new your strategy, not simply to grow 30%. We need to
• Often businesses will stand still. product every 3-5 years, part of your strategy could be to: diagnose the problem first, find the opportunity, figure out
how we can get there, then do it! That’s strategy!
Creating your business strategy

Take
your time
Review
your
environment
Learn and
improve Repeat.
62 63

Timing your launch Slow growth /

Module 4
No growth

Market
Adoption Saturated

Business
Market

Rapid Growth

strategy (part 1) Number

of users
Perfect time to
launch your new
product
Market size

Difficult

Too Late?
Too Early? Time

A good business strategy is critical. A good strategy will help Due to this section’s size and importance, business strategy One of the most important factors in launching a new Although instant messaging has been around for over 20
you review what decisions you can make and will provide new has been split into three parts (Modules 4, 5 and 6) and this business, product or service is timing. It is well known that years, its use as a business tool is gaining traction as the
concepts which allow you to grow your business, navigate an covers everything about your business, product or service. trying to launch a product too soon before the market is mass market is now use to communicating with instant
ready could mean a long and painful period struggling to messaging and hence SLACK has timed its growth well.
excellent career or survive a tough situation.
gain traction. Zoom could be another example in 2020. Right place
Key topics discussed in this section: right time, where people knew, understood and were
Bad business strategy (or no strategy at all) may mean that An example could be launching social media websites in comfortable with video calls.
what you are trying to sell does not reflect market conditions • When to launch your product or service the early 2000’s such as BEBO or MySpace. Although
and you are in for a challenge. • What makes you special? successful in their own right, it was only when Facebook The graphic above shows a visual of this process. It
launched in 2004 was the market was ready for shows the need to launch your product or service at the
• Why should people choose you?
something new – and it dominated the market. right time to maximise its potential. The perfect time to
Getting your strategy right is the first step to improving • What decisions can give you an advantage? launch your business is just as the technology is about
sales and growing a business, therefore should be the first • Winning in the customer’s world Likewise, launching a product late could mean users to become mainstream and grow rapidly, gaining a lot of
step in understanding company growth and survival. • How can we add more value? already have a solution to their needs. Imagine trying to new followers quickly.
• Diversification launch another Facebook now? It would be difficult.
For anyone looking to build their career, the following sections The area under the curve is the overall market size. Too
When reviewing how to tackle market timing, an example early and there is not a big enough market to make your
on strategy may open up your thinking on making that next
could be trying to launch a new e-mail service in 2020. business sustainable. Too late and there are established
step in your career and raise awareness on the decisions Everyone probably already has a solution they are happy players you need to compete against, but there is a larger
executives have to make when running a business. with. As such it is very hard to build a new business here market to go at. The trick is in your positioning.
and get traction. The solution here is to recognise your
brand positioning, covered later in Module 7, and sell or This can be a complicated topic so join a classroom
promote your business in a new way. session to go through it in more detail.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work SLACK is a great example of this. SLACK position Send questions to [email protected]
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com themselves as a business communication tool, therefore
creating a slightly different brand position in the market
compared to the well established and saturated e-mail.
64 65

Understand the activity required to What choices can you make to give you
keep your sales engine turning a competitive advantage?
All too common businesses look to see why their sales Creating your Lead Action: Perhaps the most important question when reviewing Armed with this information the manufacturing company
are slowing down, when in fact their sales promotion and corporate strategy is “what choices can we make to give may be able to make all 12 items in a single batch, which
sales activity has slowed down. Always keep the sales 1) If you work 5 days per week, 48 weeks a year. This us a competitive advantage?” reduces the unit cost for production down from £8,000
engine turning! equals 240 work days per year. to £4,000. They can sell for a reduced price (keeping
Every business has its strengths and weaknesses, the customer happy) but actually make much more
Social media is a great way to hit a lot of people very 2) Based on the need to contact 2000 customers, however if you take a holistic approach to review all of profit than before, whilst providing additional added
quickly, but never forget about picking up the telephone 2000 / 240 work days = 8.4 customers per day. your company’s knowledge, people, assets, products, value thorough hold the remaining batch as stock and
or seeing people face to face. customers and operational information, it might be that potentially deliver same-day (not one week).
3) So you need to be contacting 9 customers every day you find an offering you can make which is much more
Growth Action: Ask yourself: to hit your sales target. valuable to your customer, adding much greater value Suddenly the company has a competitive advantage
than your product or service on its own. simply through a change in mindset.
• How do you get in touch with customers? 4) If you contact any less than 8 customers per day you
• How often do you promote yourself? will fall short on your target. This is extremely important to create a successful This approach is only possible as the company had
• How is this different to your competitors? business. the space in the warehouse to store the batch and the
• What other touch-points do you have with customers, 5) If you contact 9 or more you will exceed target! available cash to finance the investment in materials.
which aren’t direct sales calls? e.g. social media / store An example could be a manufacturing business who
front / advertising? Growth Action: Take your answers and produce a historically receive 12 orders per year from the same The same-day delivery adds more value to the customer
weekly plan of Lead Actions. Follow this and make it part customer for the same part. than the previous 7 day lead time, however this was only
Growth Action: Create Lead Action sales KPIs for your of your routine to keep your sales engine turning. possible through looking at the wider aspects of the
team. Every day you fall behind, you are falling behind With tooling and set up charges, the manufacturing business.
target. Explanation: In the example above, the Lead Action is to company may traditionally make one at a time. This costs
contact 9 people per day. The Lag Measure is the final the customer £10,000 per unit with a lead time of one Other rival manufacturing companies may not have
As a worked example on how to create your Lead Actions: achieved sales figure. week. The manufacturing company produce each unit for the cash or space to allow them to do this, hence the
£8,000, giving £2,000 profit. competitive advantage to the seller.
1) You need £1m revenue per year. Focus on the Lead Actions as these are something you
can control and this is how you can grow your business. *The numbers are not important but more the concept The change of approach in asking the question “what
2) On average, each sale is worth £10,000. and how to look at the problem. choices can we make to give us a competitive advantage?”
If you get the Lead Actions right the Lag Measures will could make or break a business, even though nothing
3) £1,000,000 / £10,000 = 100 successful sales needed follow. The customer does not have the capital to purchase has physically changed other than the mindset of the
per year to hit target. larger batches and they too are being squeezed on entrepreneur or manager.
margin by their client, so price is an important factor.
4) If you currently convert 1 in 20 sales approaches, you Growth Action: Actively review everything you have
need to be approaching 2000 potential customers per Suddenly you lose the order as the customer can within your business, both tangible and intangible assets,
year. buy them elsewhere for £7,000. This is common in and see what choices can you potentially make to give
manufacturing, there will always be someone to make it yourself a competitive advantage.
5) Therefore, if you do not approach 2000 customers cheaper. Good strategy can make all the difference.
you will not hit your target. If you need more help on this topic, watch the online
A good executive, following a review of everything they videos or join the weekly classroom sessions or Q&A at
have in the business, may realise that their company has www.RoadmapMBA.com.
Most businesses do not know the Lead Actions for
both an abundance of cash and storage space in their
their sales pipeline. Tackle this and it will make a
factory.
huge difference to your business performance.

Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community? Continued on the next page
We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
66 67

Can you use payment terms to give you Winning in the customer’s world
an advantage?
When asking “what choices can we make to give us a “What choices can we make to give us a competitive Always make a conscious effort to see in the Growth Action: Review the questions from Sales
competitive advantage?”, the same could be true when advantage?” is an important question to ask when customer’s mindset. Accept that customers don’t Closing, page 187. These are there to ensure you have
considering payment terms. reviewing corporate strategy. care what your goals are, they just want to know how ticked every box and understood the real drivers for
you can help them! understanding your client’s purchase.
Continuing the example from the previous page, the Growth Action: Make a list of all of your company’s
manufacturing company could potentially provide knowledge, people, assets, products, customers and Corporate strategies are useless if they do not answer To make it easy we have copied some of these questions
significant added value through not requesting payment operational information into account. Can you find an this simple question, for the customer, “How can we see below. Ask these questions as early as possible within
as quickly, if they can afford to do so. offering which is more valuable to your customer? in their mindset and how can we win in their world?” your sales process:

This could be offered at no actual cost to the business Growth Action: For your career, ask yourself what skills Customers do not care about your plan and what • What did you like / dislike about the service?
(*providing the business has no cost of capital themselves do you have which may make you an even more valuable you want. They simply have their own headaches and • What would you change or improve?
and the money could not be better invested elsewhere). employee? challenges which you can either help with or not. • What would you change or improve with your current
supplier, or in products you have bought in the past?
Within the example above, even if a competitor does try Are you an excellent salesman as well as having great Many business strategies miss this simple point and talk • What are your biggest headaches right now?
to poach the work for a reduced price, they may not be technical knowledge? Do you have graphic design skills about their own needs and goals. The realisation that • What is your ultimate objective?
able to match the new same-day delivery which the client or the ability to motivate people? nobody else cares about what you want will help you flip • Of all the factors, what is the most important to you?
may value more than the price difference. your mindset to focusing on how you solve the customers • Have I asked about every detail that’s important to you?
Ask yourself the same question of “what can I do which goals and not your own.
Even if this does happen, it is likely that you can retain gives me a competitive advantage”, then use this within Learn what is important to your customers!
the business and still make more profit that in the original your personal brand to raise awareness of your full skills Always ensure you’re “Winning in the customers world!”
scenario, whilst securing and potentially growing your and potential within the work place. Doing the above will put you a million miles ahead of the
business in the long term if you are able to offer 60 or 90 Growth Action: Make a list of the buying drivers for competition and help you build a solid business from the
day payment terms not 30, depending on the pain points This section on payment terms combined with Module your customers? What do they buy? Why do they buy it? ground up.
of your customer. 15 on finance, prove how a broader skill set can have a What do they like / dislike about your (or other peoples)
profound impact on your business or career performance, products? Use this knowledge in your strategy to help you see in the
In a recession or depressed market this will be especially as you may be able to identify new opportunities you may customers mindset and build the whole business around
important, as long as you are happy to manage the risk of have otherwise missed through now understanding more When you know the buying drivers of your customers, you delivering this.
getting paid yourself. of the tools available to you. can know how to win in their world. This will be covered in
much more detail in Module 7 on Marketing.
Send questions to [email protected]

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
 68 69

How to diversify your business with a

reduced chance of failure
At the appropriate time, every business should look to The concept is demonstrated in the simplified Ansoff “One Jump” can be described as developing your current Growth Action: If you are looking to diversify or grow
diversify and grow its product or service offering, or look Growth Matrix below. It begins with the concept we call service into a new market; or developing a new service your business into new areas, make a list of all of your
to expand into new markets. The important part is not to ‘One Jump, Not Two’. into an existing market. current products and service offerings. Then make a list
try and do these both at the same time. of all of your current markets that you sell into.
The Ansoff Growth Matrix was created by Igor Ansoff in his Developing your existing service into a new market would
be classed as one jump, as you have only one unknown in This can be sector led (i.e. aerospace, automotive, oil and
1957 paper about product-market strategy. [6]
the scenario. gas) or geographic (USA, UK, Canada), or both.

You know your current service, you do not know the new Growth Action: Next make a list of all of your new
market, therefore the number of unknowns is one. products and service offerings you wish to develop.

With less variables to control this provides a higher Growth Action: After competing this, make a list of all
chance of success. The service you are offering is existing. of the new markets that you wish to sell into. If you can,
New Selling an existing product Launching a new product It is the entry to the new market which is the unknown. rank them in order.
into a new market into a new market (at the
Likewise, launching a new product in your existing market Growth Action: Prioritise where your revenues come
same time) would also be classed as one jump. The known is the from and which are the quickest wins? Which provide the
= Low Risk = High Risk current market, but the new learning curve is launching greatest margin, or which are the most realistic?
the new product.
Growth Action: Once you have the list of everything
“Two Jumps” is developing a new service offering into a
Markets new market at the same time.
you want to achieve, now you have a better idea of your
One Jump

Two Jumps potential growth strategy, what to prioritise and also the
knowledge to only attempt ‘One Jump Not Two’ to give
With two unknowns and two learning curves there is an you the greatest chance of success.
X

exponential increase in chance of failure and should be

avoided where possible. Growth Action: Work backwards from this priorities
target list and create your Lead Actions to move you
Think of it as climbing a ladder. You move one hand or one
Existing foot at a time, not everything at once.
towards your goal.
Selling your existing Launching a new product
products into your into an existing market Also, be cautious if you have the resource to manage the
existing market. process as it will be very labour and resource intensive.
You can bring in consultants who have experience in the
= Low Risk = Low Risk new product or the new market which brings down your
risk and increases your chance of success.
One Jump

Existing New

Products and
Services

[6] Ansoff, I.: Strategies for Diversification, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 35 Issue 5,Sep-Oct 1957, pp. 113-124
70 71

Is your business busy at different times Is revenue “lumpy” or unpredictable?

of the year?
Many businesses have seasonal revenue streams. It 2) What impact does this have on your business? 3) What Many businesses earn their revenue from a small Growth Action: What else could you do to earn money?
could be that you are busy in the summer but quiet in complementary areas could you consider diversifying number of contracts or projects each year. Between Could this extra income give you extra cash to invest and
the winter (or visa versa). Some businesses, especially into to cover your quiet periods. 4) What benefit could these contracts, a company could lose money on salaries grow faster?
those built around a season such as Christmas, may this have for your business? 5) What would you need to or overheads and struggle to survive.
make 90% of their revenue in three months of the year. get started? 6) Do you have the resource to manage this Review the example below and ask yourself the following
In these instances it is important to recognise that we process? Businesses like these could consider adding a secondary, questions:
can do something about it. more predictable, revenue stream to cover their fixed
Every business has things it can do to balance seasonal costs. This does not even have to be related to its core
Growth Action: Ask yourself the following questions: 1) trends. An example is given below using summer and business, but could make a huge difference to its survival.
Do your revenues come at certain parts of the year? winter coach holidays, but this can be applied to all
If so when? businesses. What could you do?

1) In this example the

Revenue (£000) Revenue (£000) company’s profit comes
Lots of income Little / no income
120 other months from a small number of
some months projects per year. This
100 Busy Summer Period Revenue Stream (A) business might not cover
80
A = Busy Summer Period overhead some months,
60 Quiet Winter Period (e.g. summer coach holidays) when the Revenue is less
than the Fixed Costs. This
40 is risky and unpredictable
Fixed Costs
20 but common in certain
Time types of businesses.
May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Primary income (A) = Profitable but unpredictable

Revenue (£000) Revenue (£000)

120 2) Could you find an extra
(or more predicable)
100 Busy Winter Period revenue stream that is
Revenue Stream (B)
80 enough to cover your
60 Quiet Summer Period B = Busy Winter Period New secondary income to cover your costs fixed costs? An example
(e.g. Winter Ski tours) could be renting out some
40
spare office space or
20
Fixed Costs working a part time job as
Time a freelancer to help you
May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr become established.
Secondary income (B) = Predictable, but not making huge profit

Revenue (£000) Revenue (£000)

120 Combined Revenue Streams 3) Combining the two, now
(A + B) the company is profitable
100 all year round. Even if the
Busy All Year Round A + B = Summer Coach Tours +
80 new secondary source of
Winter Ski Tours income is less attractive
60
long term, use it as you
40 become established to
Fixed Costs help you cover your costs
20
Time
and stay in business
longer.
May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Combined income (A+B) = Profitable all year around
72 73

Ask “how can we add more value to the Constantly refresh your strategy
customer”?
Adding more value will help retain or grow market For smaller businesses who may not be able to afford Standing still is no good for any business. Review or If you can genuinely figure out how to bring more value
share and protect your pricing. corporate hospitality, do you have a friend in a larger refresh your strategy every two or three months. The to your customers and this will give you a genuine
company who complains about not getting value from world changes fast. This is a reminder to keep your head competitive advantage (through making smarter
Growth Action: Ask yourself, what are your client’s their membership? up and review the world ahead of you. strategic decisions) this will help you make a real impact
headaches? quickly.
Why not offer to jointly host an event where you fill If you keep your strategy in a visible place you may also
Similar to asking “What choices can we make to give us their corporate hospitality places with clients who are spot a potential problem or opportunity earlier than if Regularly reviewing and refreshing the strategy alone is
a competitive advantage?”, asking yourself, “how can we advantageous to both of you, which allows you to host your plan is simply stored on a hard drive or in a drawer. a competitive advantage against everyone else that does
add more value” is a hugely important question. clients without the full expense and the larger client gets not.
to meet new customers, creating a win win for everyone. Growth Action: Use this textbook as a constant
Ask yourself about how can you win in the customers reminder of the tools available to you, or do something The three modules on business strategy are here to help
world. What headaches do your customers have and Just always ensure you give value to the large company similar with your business plan and keep it visible. you identify these opportunities and then together with
what are their goals? This is the only thing which matters! and your guests! Never create a scenario where you are the other modules help you put in place the plan to grow
taking more value than you bring. This will hurt you in the Even if it is only high-level notes, this will make you your business.
The better you can solve this the more successful you will long run. much more responsive as a business and aware of the
be. challenges ahead.
There are always ways to add more value and they may
not be obvious, however getting this right can help retain
or grow market share.
Hidden areas of value
Growth Action: Make a list of things you have within your What things do you have within your control (or network) which could bring value to others? Who could benefit?
Not all of the value you can offer clients is obvious. This control or network which could bring value to others.
is where a comprehensive review of everything your
business has within its reach becomes useful. Feel free to think outside the box, but there will be lots of
easy wins for you to use.
As an example, it might be that someone in your
network is a potential target for your key customer. An Write this within your notes. If you get stuck use the Q&A
introduction to your friend would be very well received function on www.RoadmapMBA.com or join a classroom
and win favour with your customer. It costs you nothing session. What could this mean for your business?
but adds value to your customer doing business with you.

In another scenario, you may have a corporate golf

membership you don’t use to its full capacity. Why not
let your clients use it to entertain their clients at no cost,
simply as a perk of working with you?

Many companies have memberships or subscriptions

Where do you currently store you business plan? How often do you look at it?
which are under-utilised so this can be an easy win win
for both parties.

Could you get input from anyone else? Put a quarterly reminder in your diary to review the direction of your
business, or simply join some of the Roadmap classroom sessions to give you fresh ideas and insight and keep your
business moving forward.
Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
74 75

Module 5 Topics covered in this section include:

Business Sales
• Who do we sell to?
• Where are they based?
Exports
• Where are we looking to grow our business?
• How are we going to do it?

strategy (part 2)
• Where do we add value? • Have we maximised our home market?
• How do we raise our profile? • Do we have the resource to do it?
• How much will it cost?

Strategy
• What do we do? Risks

What are we
• Why do people buy from us? • Where are our risks?
• What are our business goals? • What can kill us?
• What are our targets for the future? • What risks do we need to do to mitigate?
• What can we learn from?

good at? Competitors

• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• Why do people buy from them?
• Where are they based?
Module 5 is designed to ask questions in more detail
about your business, division or area of responsibility.

If you have a group business structure, the high-level

Where do
• Where are they better than us? themes from Module 4 could sit across the group as a
whole. This module is for the specifics applicable to a
particular division within a company.

Innovation When trying to find a baseline of where your company

we need to
• How are we improving / innovating? sits at any one time, all of the questions in this section are
• What innovation is in our pipeline? key things to consider.
• What new products are we developing?
Within each page ask yourself the questions stated and
• What new services are we developing?

improve?
make a list of your answers. Having a much greater
knowledge of your business, your competitors and then
creating plans and strategies to reflect this will do great
things for preparing your business for growth.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
76 77

Sales Mix with people from different The more people you mix with and get your word out too,
the greater your potential market.
sectors and backgrounds to
Think outside the box on who might be able to use your
Who do we sell to? achieve higher levels of growth. product or service if you could sell into another sector.

Where are they based? To date you will probably have introduced your company
to people in your network who can buy your product,
This is why it is important to review “who do we sell to?”.
It is arguably more important to see who is missing off
Where do we add value? however mix with people of completely different sectors the list, not to identify the people on it!
and backgrounds to achieve higher levels of growth.
How do we network / advertise / raise profile?
There will be other areas you can sell your product
How do we measure activity? or service too, perhaps in other verticals you are not
currently exposed to like tech, food or energy.

Growth Action: Ask yourself the following questions and

make a list of your answers. The more detail the better.
Always review your sales
The more knowledge you can also get out of your head conversion rates! Do you bid on contracts against other people?
you can share this with your team.
As a general rule, your bid / win percentage should be
• Who do we sell to? What types of companies? relative to the number of people you bid against. For How many other organisations do you bid against? (This question could include Charities bidding for funding)
• Where are they based? (Geographically) example, if you bid against three other companies you
• How do we add value to these companies? should win 1/3 (33%) of the work. What is your average win percentage? (If you’ve never thought about this you should)
• How do we network / advertise / raise profile?
If you bid against three other bidders but win 50% of the
• How do we measure our activity? If you are winning below your expected percentage (comparing against number of bidders) you may need to review
jobs you quote, you are doing well.
your sales or pricing strategy before increasing activity. Could something unexpected like Lead Time be killing your
This is really important to get good control on. Spend the If you bid against three others but only win 10% of the bids? If in doubt ask for feedback on your tenders or proposals.
time to write down as much detail as you can. jobs then something is going wrong in your process or
business model, or you are chasing the wrong type of
Growth Action: A key focus here is also “how do we work.
measure activity?” The truth is most people don’t. To be
successful you want to measure activity around the Lead Make a list of all of the factors which affect your sales proposals, including any assumptions you have built in to your
TOP TIP: If you convert a higher than expected
Actions. Measure how many phone calls did we make this bidding process?
percentage of the jobs you quote, i.e. winning more than
week, not just how much revenue you achieved. 33% of your bids if you are competing against 3 bidders,
your focus should increase the volume of jobs you quote These could include labour cost, material cost, production time, overhead allocation, lead time, supplier lead times,
to grow the business. the effectiveness of the product itself (vs competitors), even the assumptions or attitude of the person doing the
bidding. Review if you need to fix something within your bidding process before you simply try increasing activity.
If you convert a lower percentage than expected of the
jobs you quote, i.e. winning less than 33% of your bids if
you are competing against 3 bidders, your focus should
not be to simply quote more, but review why you are not
winning them and focus on improving conversion before
trying to increase volume.
This is really important What other sectors or verticals could buy your product or service? Could there be untapped potential?
Growth Action: Put in place measurable Lead Actions
and clear KPIs. It may be that a secondary factor like
hidden fees or set up time during manufacture is
sabotaging your sales. Fix this, then look to drive volume,
not the other way around.
78 79

Strategy Competitors
What do we actually do? Who are they?
Why do people buy from us? What do they do?
What are our high level business goals? Why do people buy from them?
What are our targets for the future? Where are they based?
Why are they better than us?

Growth Action: Answer the following questions on Every organisation has competitors. If your competitors
strategy. These can be the starting blocks for creating Answer your questions here or in your note book. are still in business they must be doing something right. It can be painful to admit why competitors are
your wider overall strategy. It always helps to start simple: Evolve and revisit these over time. Learn from them. Look at everything they do. Why are better than you, but through knowing their
they better than you? Write as much as you can.
strengths you also learn their weaknesses which
• In its simplest form, what do we actually do? Break this
It could be that you have a better product, but the other you can use to your advantage.
into the lowest form you can. e.g. Fast food restaurants
feed people quickly. company are better at raising their profile? Do they have
• Why do people buy from us? What do you solve, but also a more established client base in key areas? Write your answers here:
why you specifically? e.g. You provide warm food quickly,
ideal for someone on a lunch break. Growth Action: Always analyse your competitors. See
what they do well and then do it better.
• What are your basic business goals? To survive the next
year? To maintain levels employment? To grow 20% year
Your competitors probably have a much greater say in
on year?
the future of your businesses than you might think. Keep
• Targets for the future? Increase market share? Increase a close eye on them.
net profit? Expand your business to America? It really
helps to make plans and write them down. Growth Action: Look to see if you can find out who their
clients are. Can you steal them? Can you break into key
Growth Action: Does your business have plans to grow areas which they are the dominant player.
this year? Most will, but the trick is to say how!
In doing this activity we are looking for gaps or openings
Good business strategy should not just review the target of opportunity. The more you understand your enemy,
figures but also plan the Lead Actions which are crucial the more you will be able to defeat them.
to the process.
Growth Action: If you want help with your sales message
You have little control over if somebody actually buys your to steal clients away from your competitors, ask in the
product or not, but you do have control over how many Q&A or join one of our drop-in classroom sessions.
phone calls you make, how many events you attend, how
many social media posts you write and how many client
Send questions to [email protected]
meetings you have! If you currently have 100 clients and
you want to add an extra 10. Find out what is your current
conversion rate (from first approach to completed sale)?
Is it 1 in 20? This means that to grow by 10% you need to
be speaking to 200 new potential customers this year...
which gives you a Lead Action of 4 per week.

This is the level of figures you want to have as part of your

growth strategy.
80 81

Innovation Exports
How are we improving / innovating? Are you looking to grow internationally?
What innovation is in our pipeline? How are you going to do it?
Do we have any new products in development? Do you have the resource to do it?
What are the time scales to bring these to market? Have you maximised your home market first?
Do we have the resources to manage these projects? What time scale will this take?
Have you taken advice?

If you don’t have new products or services in the pipeline Growth Action: Have you considered exporting your
your competitors probably will. How does your business need to change? How are product or service? There is always opportunity to sell Which other countries or geographies would you
you improving? If you do nothing you are at risk to into more markets and these might not always be in your like to target? List the top 5:
New product or service innovations take up a huge own country.
new entrants who may disrupt the market.
amount of time and energy. Be cautious on how much
resource this will take and the time required to get a new Be wary of the time this process can take and the
product ready for market, but it is still important to have If you could start your business again from scratch, resource involved to make it a success. Also remember
this as part of your strategy. what would you do differently? the ‘One Jump Not Two’ (pages 68-69) not to stretch
yourself too far.
If you’re not moving forwards you’re moving backwards. What new products or services would you love to Do they speak the same language?
In the UK, 85 per cent of companies who use the
launch?
Growth Action: If you are not innovating and relying on Department of International Trade state that exporting
a historic core business offer, could this be disrupted? has enabled them to achieve 49 per cent higher growth
Write your answers here: and become 34 per cent more productive in the first
Are there any blind spots which would create negative year of exporting. 48 per cent of firms report that selling
impact for the business. Like Blockbuster or Kodak, even overseas had increased their return on investment (ROI)
the biggest companies can be disrupted if they stop from new products and services. Are they within an easy travel distance? Are they in
innovating.
the same time zone?
Growth Action: Which export markets are most similar
If in doubt try the PESTLE analysis, page 129, to better to your own. Do they speak the same language? Are their
understand the world around you and new trends within buying behaviours similar in relation to your industry? For example, although Nigeria is 3,200 miles from
the industry. Are the problems they face the same? the UK, it is in the same time zone so using digital
communication it is still a good fit to do business in.
Growth Action: If you want to break a new market you
haven’t traded in before, find someone to help.
They also speak English, however their culture and
Growth Action: Remember ‘One Jump Not Two’ if you demographics are different, so these factors must
want to increase your chance of success. all be assessed when considering exporting.

Ask yourself the questions to the right to start to

consider your export strategy.
82 83

Risks
What are your risks? What are the top 5 risks to your business?
What can kill you?
What can you do to mitigate the risk?
What have other people done which we can learn from?

One of the most valuable things we can do is learn Growth Action: Make a detailed list of all of the potential Do you have key knowledge or relationships tied up in people who could leave the business?
from others. areas of risk within your business. From staff leaving, to
weather damage, to cash flow, to a hard drive crashing.
There will be a similar businesses to yours who have been
impacted through being too dependent on one market Once you have a detailed list, create a new column with
or they followed the conventional industry norm and then the severity of each item, another for the chance of it
were hit by a market shock and went bust. occurring, and then another for any mitigating action
which can reduce the risk. This gives you a risk matrix.
In business there are any one of 10,000 things which we Tackle the highest risk severity with the highest likelihood
can learn from to improve your strategy. Always review first.
your risks and have a plan to mitigate them. How can you mitigate these risks? Do you need new policies or procedures? Do you need better insurance?
Growth Action: Look at businesses similar to yours
Some of the best ideas come from reviewing what other which failed in the past 12 months. What happened?
people do, spotting their mistake and do not do the same. Could it have been avoided? What can you learn from?
Create a list and put into place the mitigating actions.
Around 60% of businesses fail in the first three years. Do
what you can to not to be one of them! Growth Action: When reviewing what went wrong with
another business, if you can solve this before anyone else
Growth Action: If you provide a product or service this could be an area for strategic advantage.
which could be high risk (think anything involving people’s Which companies like yours failed within the past 12-24 months? What went wrong?
safety, or anything high value - e.g. an oil rig or aeroplane, Reviewing other people’s failures can provide an
or something which impacts hundreds of thousands of opportunity for your business, in addition to simply
parts, e.g. automotive supply chain). Failure here can seeing if you can pick up their customers who have just
have a significant negative impact on your business lost their supplier.
(other than the simple cost of replacing the parts).
Do they have assets you could use? Could you buy their
IMPORTANT: Get legal advice and ensure that within order book and take it as an opportunity to grow? In
your Terms and Conditions in your contracts with clients, someone else’s downfall there is always opportunity.
that your liability is limited to the cost of the contract (or
Could any of these lead to opportunities? Can you solve an industry weakness before the competition? This could
a predetermined value). Not having proper Terms and Growth Action: Before a big new project, consider
Conditions can leave you open to uncapped liability on doing a pre-mortem. This is when with your team, you lead to a major competitive advantage to your business.
costs or damages. get everyone together before you start and ask “What
can go wrong? What could happen which derails the
For a Limited company you could lose your business. As a project?” The aim here is to identify things such as poor
Sole Trader you could lose everything. communication which might not be typically picked up on
a risk matrix, and put in place the Lead Actions to ensure
ALWAYS CHECK THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND actions are put in place to mitigate these risks (e.g. a
GET PROPER LEGAL (OR FINANCIAL) ADVICE WHEN weekly update meeting to ensure good communication).
YOU NEED TO.
84 85

Module 6 Topics covered in this section include:

Strategy Innovation Management

Business • Where does our strategy innovation come from?

• Can we commercialise our knowledge?
• How do we innovate our brand?
• Organisational roles and responsibilities.
• Clarify of purpose.
• Improve communication and relationships.

strategy (part 3)
• Does the team buy into the vision?

Company values and brand Growth

• What are our company values? • Where will our growth come from?
• How do we promote them? • Do our projections reflect our costs?
• Who do we want to be? • What if the growth doesn’t happen?

Getting into the

• Who does the world think we are? • Company / competitor acquisition?
• Accelerated growth from investment.

Need for a balanced portfolio

Investment

detail
• Become more safe and secure.
• Diversification into new sectors, geographies, markets. • What is your investment strategy?
• Increase potential for growth. • What could you spend money on to improve the business?
• When would be the ideal time to invest?
• How would you pay for it?
Lean and efficient • What would be your return on investment?
• Where are our costs? • Will this help you achieve your goal?
• Do we have a plan to improve?
• Have we asked for ideas?
• Have we communicated the plan?
• Do we have the experience or resource to implement it?
In Module 6 each of the topics discussed will neither kill The items in this section will take you from a 8/10 to a
you or keep you alive, but they will make a difference. Put 9/10. They will each make a small incremental difference,
the major items from Modules 4 and 5 in place first, then but one which can have a dramatic overall effect.
go into the detail.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
86 87

Strategy Innovation Values

Where does your strategy innovation come from? What are your company values?
Can you commercialise your knowledge? How do you promote them?
Can you innovate your brand? Who does the world think you are?
Do you live up to what you tell the world?

Strategy innovation is asking where is your company Growth Action: Expose yourself to as many ideas as Growth Action: Review your notes on your personal
getting new ideas from? possible to help stimulate new ideas for business or and professional brand. Are you using these to your full What are your company values?
sales strategy. Follow key business influencers online, advantage? Have you applied them to your company?
It could be taking part in a course like this, speaking to especially on Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn to learn new Are you promoting them at all? You may need to innovate
contacts in your network or attending conferences. techniques and concepts in your industry. here too!

Always ensure you are improving and evolving your Growth Action: Look for areas of inspiration outside Demonstrating how you have similar values to another
strategy and ideas as a key part of growing and improving of your comfort zone. Sometimes developments in person, including clients, will make them like you more How do you demonstrate them? For this we’re
your business. completely unrelated areas can spark the best ideas and build a better connection. This is true with both looking for actions not just words.
which you can use. people and companies.
Personally when attending talks or consuming new
content if I receive one new useful idea then it has been Fashion and high end consumer goods are generally at Properly articulating your company’s visions and values
worth it. the forefront of consumer focused branding and design. will genuinely increase sales and as such should feature
What inspiration could you use from other sectors? as a section in your growth strategy.
Check out what events are going on in your area or online Do your staff believe them? Often companies will
and check them out. Growth Action: Try watching TED Talks. These are For your company, do the decisions your company make have a list of values which are not followed through
often world leaders in their area of expertise talking align with your stated values? in practise. Ask for feedback.
Tools such as Eventbright can be useful for this, including on interesting topics. Well worth a look to spark your
any events from your local trade bodies or business imagination! www.ted.com/talks Do you say that people are your greatest asset, yet you
groups. Also search on YouTube for topics which you’re don’t invest in training? Do you say you care about the
interested in. You can also find topics on sales, strategy, marketing and environment, but yet you don’t have an environmental
management which are all relevant to your business or policy?
TOP TIP: If you have a good idea, write it down or email it career all across the internet. The best way to achieve cultural change is to lead
to yourself. This is a great way to capture your ideas night Ensuring that your values are genuine and that you
from the top, but also reward good behaviour. Add
or day and come back to them when you’re ready. can demonstrate them will do wonders for building
relationships with like minded individuals. demonstration of your company values into your
annual staff appraisals. When people start to be
Growth Action: Complete the earlier parts of the measured on things, you will see a big improvement
Roadmap to both understand and articulate your values quickly.
and see if this aligns with your Personal and Professional
brand. Once we have this we can start promoting it,
which is discussed in the next chapter.
88 89

Need for a Run a lean and

balanced portfolio efficient business
Become more safe and secure, yet grow at the same time. Where are your costs?
Could you diversify into new sectors? Do you have a plan to improve?
Could you diversify into new geographies? Can you reduce your cost base?
Increase potential for growth. Reduce the potential for shock. How busy are your team?
Do you measure your team’s utilisation?

If your company is too reliant on one or a small number of Growth Action: Be selective of what business Using a lesson learned from working in the oil and gas Growth Action: Put in place ways to measure the
customers it can cause major problems. opportunities you chase. Go after the most likely to sector in 2014 when the oil price crash dropped the price utilisation and capacity of your team. How busy are they?
happen contracts first - the low hanging fruit. There will of oil from $140 a barrel to $50 a barrel, it caused shock If you don’t know this answer you are opening yourself up
20 x £50,000 customers are much more valuable to a always be contracts which never materialise. Try not waves throughout the industry. to unknown risks in your business.
business than having one customer worth £1m. to chase high risk, low chance of happening contracts
and focus on the real projects which are most likely to Companies were forced to learn to operate with leaner Growth Action: Review your cost base. Do you have
When looking to grow your business it is also easier to happen. If you have spare capacity then chase the more teams in tough times and use this to survive as their anyone who is less than 70% utilised? Do you really need
grow 20 customers each by a small percentage than lucrative but riskier opportunities. profit margins were slashed. This was felt all throughout them?
trying to land one new large account, although ideally you the supply chain.
want both. Growth Action: Answer the questions from the previous Making tough decisions and running a leaner business
section over sales, risks and exports to identify potential For any business this is a valuable lesson. Do not hold any can be tough at first, although you’re actually protecting
From a risk perspective, losing 1 of the £50k customers areas for growth and how to aim for a balanced portfolio. excess overhead as it will become a drain on the business. the business as a whole, including protecting your staff
still leaves you with 19 customers and £950k revenue. A balanced portfolio is having lots of eggs in lots of through taking this approach, plus for any given size you
Losing the £1m customer instantly puts you out of baskets - to use the classic metaphor. Adding overhead could be part of a strategic position, for are probably more profitable.
business. This is something to think about when reviewing example investing in extra sales people in the belief it will
the risk in your portfolio. TOP TIP: Always plot your customer revenue as a pie bring more revenue longer term, in which case this may Smart business people run lean and efficient businesses.
chart. This will very quickly help you visualise the risk in make sense, however companies rarely regret cutting
Having too big a reliance on one customer is not always your business and being too overly reliant on a single costs too soon. They do regret it if they cut costs too late.
avoidable but do be conscious of the potential risks. customer. Ideally you never want more than 20% of your
business coming from one source, but as long as you are
Always chase both the whales and the fish (a metaphor aware of it you can manage the risk.
for large and small target customers) but do so in a
way which gives you a diverse portfolio with a variety of Growth Action: Also consider the risk profile from your
market sectors and geographies. customers. Are all of your customers in the same sector?
Are they all in the same part of the world?
In the same way we view large and small customers, the
same is true with towns, cities and countries. Ideally you If a single market was to crash (such as happened in
want to trade in as many as possible in case something oil and gas in 2014) this could bankrupt your business
happens to one of them which affects business. This if you only work a single sector. The same is true with
includes changes to things like trade tariffs or restrictions geographic locations. A spread of balanced risk over
which could impact you differently in different countries. multiple sectors and geographies is a good thing to help
you build, survive and grow.
90 91

Management Growth
Do you have clear organisational roles and responsibilities? Where will your growth come from?
Do you have clear clarity of purpose? What happens if your growth plans don’t happen?
Can you improve communication and relationships? Could you consider acquisition?
Does your team buy into your vision? Could you accelerate growth with investment?
Have regular one to ones to understand their views.

Does everyone in your team know their role? Is their Growth Action: Where possible avoid mixed It is great to have an idea of where your growth will come Growth Action: Make an extensive list of your business
understanding the same as yours? accountabilities. If an area of the business shows good or from, but what happens if it doesn’t happen? growth plans, the potential impact of each, and also the
poor performance, you want to be able to attribute this probability of each happening. Go into as much detail as
Always make sure that the responsibilities within your to one person and reward or punish accordingly. Have you put yourself at risk due to excess borrowing? you can.
business are well understood as this will improve Could your investors pull out? Could you run out of
communication and relationships. Growth Action: Make sure that across the business money? Always have a backup plan and an answer For each, break down the investment (both cash,
people understand other people’s roles, their job prepared for these questions. time and overhead) to make each happen? Some
It can be incredibly inefficient in a business if you have requirements and what the business expects of opportunities may require investment in new staff (which
multiple people doing a little bit of everything with them. Office politics can often arise when there is Growth Action: As a business exercise, ask yourself if brings overhead and risk) and this must be compared to
crossover between different roles. It is much better to misunderstanding in this area so it’s important to solve you bought your main competitor what could this mean growth opportunities which could bring similar up-side
have clear responsibilities and then empower your team this quickly. for your business? What if you bought your main supplier but potentially with less risk. Rank them in order. Use this
to succeed working with some level of autonomy. (who you send a lot of work to)? Think outside the box to guide your activity.
for opportunities to find future growth and integration
Growth Action: Have clearly defined job roles and potential. Execute the biggest potential opportunity (with the
responsibilities. (We have a guide for this on page 194). lowest risk) first.
Could you diversify your skills to open up new markets?
Growth Action: Sit down with each employee and make Brainstorm your ideas with your team to see what you Growth Action: It is also good practise to plan what
sure they know their role, what is required, how they In Module 13 we go into much come up with. happens if your growth does not materialise. This acts
will be measured, what the reward is, how their work greater detail on this topic. both to protect the business and inform any decisions
supports the wider team and why it is important. Make you make. Also through realising the implications of a
sure each employee has clarity of purpose. genuine worst case (which in most instances means
actually going bust) this too can provide great motivation
- as will be discussed further on page 204.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
92 93

Investment The early stages of a business can look like this:

Your input x Hourly rate = Output

What could you spend money on to improve the business?
When would be the ideal time to invest?
Who could be the perfect partner to invest?
£
is directly proportional to what you get out.
The amount of
effort you put in ...
What could be your return on investment?
Will this help you achieve your mission or goal?
This is very common in freelancers
1,000 hours or anyone who trades their time for
money. This is common at the start of
Reward
When you first launch your business it is likely that you
need some capital to get off the ground. This could be
Personal Investors / Friends and Family: Many business
start by asking friends or family to help them by investing
of effort most businesses.

as simple as using some savings for a website, logo and in their business, however there may be a limit to how
laptop, or it could be something more complex. much money they can invest. You also need to think
strongly on what happens if the business does not work
For some business, especially services, this can be and you can not repay the loan? Could this cause lasting
relatively small. For a business like a coffee shop you issues it is best to avoid? Could they come into the
might need a coffee machine and a venue or street cart, business to help you? Investing into a business allows you to build a bigger better machine
which costs money. The bigger the business (or the
longer the time it will take before you turn a profit) the Angel investors: put money in small start-ups or new
which can multiply your effort, bringing you much greater rewards
more money you will need. entrepreneurs. Angel investment can be either a one- or allowing you to scale ...
time fund investment, or an on-going investment to help
If you wanted to launch a new type of car or consumer take the company forward, however check with each
product you may need £10m - £100m to achieve first investor what you give up in return.
revenue. Many tech start-ups don’t make money for
many years, even if they’re investing £Billions every year Venture capitalists (VC): Often private equity investors
as they scale and grow, with their aim to add users and that provide capital to companies exhibiting high growth
they will recoup their investment in the future. potential in exchange for an equity stake. A VC would

The founders will have still have given up equity in their

put their resources into a company that they feel has
the possibility to grow significantly, and in return, they
Your input Better business Output
business to raise first money, and many businesses will would demand equity in the company and get an overall processes
do this multiple times (in something called Rounds) which say in the company’s decisions. Since entrepreneurs get
they raise more and more money, but give away more of both funding as well as the advice of an experienced and
the business in the process. knowledgeable team, many tend to choose this type of Your effort can be multiplied by investing in better
investors. machinery, branding, staff, technology, bigger

£££££
Bootstrapping: this is a term used to describe founders The amount of premises, stock, automation, social media, a better
who invest their own money and as they grow (and Peer-to-peer lenders / Other: There are many types effort you put in ... customer experience etc that allows your business
generate cash) reinvest back into the business. Doing of investment available, all with their own positives and build momentum and can keep running (and generating
this enables founders to retain 100% of their business, pitfalls. Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending enables individuals to profit) without the entrepreneur needing to work
however it is much more difficult to grow as it will take obtain loans directly from other individuals, cutting out harder. The more you invest back in, the bigger a
much longer. (This is how the Roadmap MBA is funded). the financial institution as the middleman. Peer-to-peer business you can build.
Retaining 100% ownership does allow the owner to retain lending has only existed since 2005. Search for platforms
full control and not have to worry about the opinions or such as Prosper and Lending Club to find out more.
external investors or pressures on the direction to take
the business. Each of the options has benefits and risks. Many 1,000 hours 5x - 5,000x 5x - 5,000x
businesses may use investment to invest in better
If you do wish to bring in external finance, these are a processes or machinery, as this can bring much greater of effort multiple Reward
brief summary on four options, although you will need to returns. An example of this is shown on page 93.
do your own research on what is right for you.
94 95

Become world class

Globally, best in class companies regularly do the following
behaviours and do them well. Build these into your strategy. Where do you keep your business plan?
• World class companies have a clearly definition of their • World class companies produce detailed sales pipelines
market opportunity. What does their business do? Who and forecasting. Do your sales managers consistently
The best plans work when people pay attention to them. Growth Action: Print off a version of your business plan
A business plan hidden away in a cupboard or on a hard and keep this visible. Use post-it notes to annotate your
are its key customers? How does it solve their pain points. coach their teams and reinforce good behaviours?
drive is no good for the most important document in plan as you evolve to keep your plan improving as you
We covered this earlier in the Roadmap and through Do you manage and reward positive Lead Actions?
your business! Keep it somewhere you will see it every are.
completing this course you can achieve the same defined Top companies have good management, planning and
day then constantly refine it as you grow.
vision and strategy. reporting structures.
Growth Action: Keep this textbook in your office
or place of work. Its simple presence should act as a
• World class company sales teams focus on accounts • World class companies have a defined talent strategy for
reminder to keep evolving and improving.
and customers from an objective data-supported bringing people into their team, even years in advance.
perspective, not the ones they like the most. Look to identify rising stars within your network and
consider bringing them in early. If they are good they will
• World class companies articulate their go-to-market
strategy ensuring that everyone in the business knows
be able to add value straight away and push the business
forward.
Consider the lifetime value of a customer
their role and what is required to make the business a
success. • World class companies train their people regularly and When considering the real potential value of a customer, Incentives and goal setting.
perform close management on their people. Do you know consider this over the total customer lifetime. Use it
• World class companies have a clear strategy for different who are your high performers? Do you have data to back to guide both your account management and also the Top commercial operations make sure that compensation
territories or regions. Different territories have different this up? Install, manage and track value adding KPIs. resource you deploy to chase it. plans link to desired sales objectives and behaviours,
market dynamics and drivers so you need to account for such as selling a new solution or reaching a new set of
this within your overall plan. • World class companies ask: Is your team hiding any bad For example: If you know a customer is worth £100,000 customers.
performers? Have your team only ever learned their skills over 10 years (not just £10,000 per year) you might
• World class companies put a lot of focus onto their from a small group or are self-taught? Do your managers be more willing to invest £5,000 to win them. This is a Focus your incentives solely only on the most important
customer experience to drive genuine loyalty. What can have the correct skills they need? Have they ever been crucial mindset change. objectives for your business to achieve maximum
you do to improve your customer experience? Review trained? Investing in training across the organisation performance. Reward people for going above and beyond.
all of your customer touch points to see what you can can work wonders for improving overall performance. A Growth Action: Calculate the estimates lifetime value of
improve. course like this can help. your top 5 customers. You might be surprised. Have an intelligence pipeline, both up and down the
chain of command. [7]
• World class companies incentivise goals for their • World class companies have solid infrastructure to
team. Make incentives clearly defined and easy to manage (or automate) core operations, e.g. finance or Top performing companies maintain a pipeline of regular
understand. Do you have incentives that reinforce your billing. meetings as an intelligence engine, providing insights
targets or desired behaviours? If not, what do your risk to support front line sales managers & head office. This
/ reward mechanisms really support? Align the reward • World class companies use data science and analytics to intelligence will add value to your customers and provide
mechanisms with the targets for the business. constantly learn and improve. Your data has huge value. a more reactive platform from which to run and grow
Use it. your business.

Summary
• World class companies clearly communicate the sales,
finance and budgeting performance of each division. Whilst as a smaller business you might not be able
Doing this builds trust and creating the framework to to implement these into your strategy straight away,
make clear what is required or expected. They then share building them into your plan for the future will make a
performance openly and regularly. This gets people on huge difference in helping you become the best in the
board and improve overall performance. world. From the three modules on strategy there are over 200 The tools in the next modules on marketing and sales will
growth strategy tips to consider but it only takes one to help you push this strategy to become the top performer
• World class company employees share insights with their This section was inspired by a range of sources after the revolutionise your business. If you can get the business in your industry.
peers. What worked, what did not, improving the team COVID pandemic, but in particular referencing techniques strategy right, everything else should fall into place.
as a whole and not keeping knowledge in a silo or for highlighted in the ‘Coronavirus Action Plan for B2B
personal gain. Commercial Leaders’ webinar by Bain & Company (27
March 2020). [7] [7] Mark Kovac, Dianne Ledingham and Linda Connly, Bain & Company, https://www.bain.com/insights/coronavirus-action-plan-for-b2b-commercial-leaders-webinar/
96 97

Building
Who are your target customers?

your growth
How do you deliver your solution to them?

strategy
What products or services do they buy (other than yours)?

Are there words which people will instantly relate to you? (e.g. growth, strategy, roadmap.) Creating these helps you
to identify your brand. What words or phrases do you want to own within your market segment?

Building a good business strategy takes time. Don’t try and do it at once. This section is to
help you get started. Combine all of your knowledge to date and use this is a guide to help What other keywords relate to your business or sector? (e.g. Business. Education. Training. Sales. Marketing etc.)
you move forward. Do you use these within your promotion?

Growth Action: Complete the following sections, but remember this is just a starting
point. If you are not sure of anything ask via any of the social media channels, by joining
our live classroom sessions, or there is lots more information at www.RoadmapMBA.com.

How does your business make money? Is it a product or service? Break this down to its simplest description. What makes you (as a person) different to anyone else? What makes you unique? This could be professional
Imagine you are describing it to a grandmother or a child. experience, education, where you grew up, your personality, the languages you speak, your professional network,
your location, culture, religion, passions or hobbies, or a combination of all of the above.

What makes your product different to anyone else? Why should the product be of interest to anyone?
What customer pain points do each of your product or service offerings solve?

What makes your business different to anyone else? Write your answers here.
98 99

What are the major trends you see developing within your industry and/or society over the next 10 years? Could any What are your business goals for the next 24 months?
of these impact you?

What systems or steps do you need to make this happen? Do you need investment? New staff? Learn a new skill?

What are the core strengths which have been a key part of your personal success so far?

What time scale do these need to be completed by to hit your goal? What can you achieve in the next 30, 60, 90 days?

What are the core strengths which have been a key part of your businesses success so far?

What can go wrong which can derail this plan? Can you mitigate these impacts?

What are the current weaknesses in your business?

Can you mitigate any of these, or strengthen your team in these areas?

Is there anything else you want to achieve in life which you haven’t mentioned yet? Write it here.
What are the current weaknesses in your personal development?

Can you strengthen your skills in these areas?

The trick is to build your strategy gradually over time. It is a mistake to try and rush it all at once.
 Don’t let
anyone hold
you back.

www.RoadmapMBA.com
100 101

Module 7 Sales Marketing

Marketing Delivery Awareness

The first six modules of the Roadmap helped you understand How does marketing relate to sales?
more around your goals and ambitions, creating your
personal and professional brand, then three sections on
strategy. Module 7 is looking in depth at the customer and
Quite simply, in the authors opinion, they are part of the
same customer journey. In its simplest form we are trying
Decision Education
then communicating your brand with the world. A good to take your organisation from being unknown, to making

The
understanding of marketing can make or break a business. potential clients aware of you, hopefully love you, get them to
take some form of action such as make a purchase, then tell
A complete course on marketing could be 600 pages on its other people.
own. This 35 page module is designed to give you a high level
grounding on the topic, with many more courses available This can be described in the form of an example sales funnel buying
journey
online from world leading experts if you would like to go into below:
more detail.

The content for this module is sourced from commonly Awareness

accepted industry marketing principles and theory.

What is marketing? Consideration Evaluation Recognition

Marketing is often misunderstood. Marketing can be broken of needs
down into four separate areas: Intention
• Understanding your customer
• Understanding yourself (and where you fit) Desire
• Communicating your message
• Learn, review, evaluate and improve

Within this module we break this down into its key parts and
Purchase Customer
help you build a complete picture of your customer, yourself
/ your own business, and then the steps to communicate this
Consideration
with the world.

Within this course we do not cover techniques for the best

way to post on social media for instance, as this changes
every day, but instead the overall themes which will help you A good understanding of marketing will help
increase your conversion rate at every level of Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
achieve your goals. through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
your funnel and help you grow your business.
101 102

With any business problem it is important to diagnose The concept of Diagnosis, Strategy, and Tactics references
the problem first, then understand what happened, why and originates from Neil McElroy’s famous memo (May
it happened, before you plan to solve it. In marketing this 1931) [8] which started much of the modern thinking in the

Diagnosis
is called Diagnosis, Strategy, and Tactics. area of brand management whilst at Proctor and Gamble.
This work has since been taken on and developed by
It is important to spread your time equally between the many of the world’s leading thinkers on the topic.
three areas. Spending your time in this way will increase
your overall success, even if there is commonly a desire
to skip the first two (diagnosis and strategy) and start
doing promotion (tactics).
It is important to understand your current market, what You can also use this to discuss any items which have
works and what does not. Think of a doctor prescribing come up from your internal assessment to see if your
medicine without diagnosing the root cause. You wouldn’t internal perceptions match external stakeholders think.
do it, yet in business many people just go straight to the

The three areas to focus on: How to split tactics (i.e. doing things) without doing the diagnosis first. Talk to people who are familiar with your overall market or
sector, but also people who use your product or service
your time: Growth Action: To get started review if your current to give you a competitive perspective. Ask for honest
sales, marketing or overall corporate strategies are feedback. How do you fair against your competitors?
effective. Conduct an internal assessment which includes

Diagnosing the 33%

interviews with key members of the team to understand
perceptions about the various parts of the business.
This will provide insight about market segments and their
requirements. This could even identify opportunities you
had previously missed.

problem Seeing what

worked
Consider everything about the business and where
you sit against your competition, your strengths and
weaknesses for both your business and your products /
services.
Talk with knowledgeable people to understand what
more your company could do for its customers and areas
of weakness or strength.
Study the past. Discover more about your current environment. This is the first part
of the feedback loop. Keep records of how your business performed and how your before. This process can also provide additional knowledge and Growth Action: Conduct a SWOT assessment examining
marketing performed against the targets you set. Evaluate to discover if your plan perspective about what is working and what isn’t within the strengths and weaknesses of competitors and their
worked, then improve for your next round of promotion. the wider business. relevant products. This is covered in more detail on page
128.
Growth Action: Review your KPIs for your marketing

Plan the best way to 33%

activity. Are you hitting enough people? Are you hitting Growth Action: Also consider conducting a PESTLE
the right people? What are your conversion rates? How analysis on all of the potential Political, Economic, Social,
did the latest promotion compare against the previous Technological, Legal and Environmental influences for

solve the problem

one? Always review what worked and what did not, and your business. This may provide insight on wider market
continuously improve. trends which could play a factor in the next phase of your
Planning what business. This is covered in more detail on page 129.
to do next. Growth Action: Conduct qualitative interviews with
Take the time to see if what you’re doing is working
key stakeholders in the marketplace to understand
Discover more about the problems the customers face and the opportunities for before deciding on what to do next.
perceptions within the market about your business.
moving forward. Marketing strategy is developing the plan to solve the pain points
for the customer and doing everything you can to understand their world so that you
can solve their business problems better than anyone else.

Implementing the 33%

solutions Actually doing
marketing
Tactics includes all of the traditional items most people commonly describe as
marketing including advertising, social media, events, TV, radio, mail campaigns etc.
promotion.
A lot of companies only do tactics. Very few do diagnosis and strategy. Companies
often jump straight to the execution without too much thought or analysis on what
had worked before. This is a mistake.

[8] N. H. McElroy, Proctor and Gamble (1931) https://3lsqjy1sj7i027fcn749gutj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/McElroyBrandMan.pdf

104 105

Strategy Tactics
Your strategy gives you the path to follow to achieve your Marketing strategy does not specify the details of how Tactics are the specific actions by which you accomplish In the website example, how do you know the website is the
mission. It defines your long term goals. to accomplish these objectives. A company’s strategy the objectives you set in your strategy. This is why the problem or not working? Have you diagnosed the amount
is a reflection of the company’s underlying goals and strategy must come first after diagnosing the problem. of traffic that is coming to it? This is why it is important to
For many entrepreneurs the difference between mission. understand the problem first.
marketing strategy and marketing tactics is confusing. Generally, strategy is focused on long-term, whilst tactics
Business owners must keep their eyes focus on the long- are focused on the present. Growth Action: To continually to improve towards your
Marketing strategy is the backbone to your effort. It term strategy even when there are immediate fires to goals you need continually monitor the success of your
should directly align with your business objectives. It fight. Tactics are often a single objective and action focused, tactics. You must ensure they are aligned with one of your
should define your marketing approach. It should answer such as: business goals.
the questions of what you are trying to achieve and why. If you don’t have a defined strategy it will be harder to
forecast or plan for your future. • Implementing a SEO campaign to target customers If for instance you decide to undergo a website redesign,
Growth Action: Your marketing strategy should answer: within a 10 mile radius of your business. how will you measure its success? If you haven’t set specific
As such, strategy also is everything we don’t do. The • Sending out weekly e-mail newsletters that include expectations, how will you measure it?
• What trends exist in your industry and what you think opportunities we don’t chase. The new products we don’t the most popular products with discounts codes for
the future will look like? develop. purchase. Growth Action: You should constantly check on your
• Exhibiting at a trade show. tactics and measure their impact so that you are able to
• How will you grow your market share with the resources A good strategy allows you to focus. learn, adjust and improve. This is part of diagnosis, and so
• Advertising on Facebook.
you have available? the cycle of marketing begins.
“There are roads which must not be followed, armies • Pay per click advertising
which must not be attacked, towns which must not • Direct mail
• Where will your target demographic be in the next 10 Growth Action: Align your actions with your strategy and
years and what is the best way to reach them? be besieged, positions which must not be contested, • Picking up the telephone overall business goals. Never jump straight into ‘doing’ if you
commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed” – • Sending out physical brochures haven’t clearly defined why you are doing it or the problem
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
• What resources will you need to be able to execute on you are trying to solve.
your strategy to make it happen? Growth Action: Always ask yourself, why do you need a
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do” – new website or why should you exhibit at a conference? Is it
Michael Porter, Competitive Strategy because nobody is reaching out to you or because you have
• What milestones will you need to achieve in 1 year? 3
years? 5 years? 10 years? become bored of how it looks, or is it just what you have
always done?
You will start to see a lot of overlap between this section
and the three business strategy modules. They are
essentially part of the same piece of work.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
106 107

Creating a brand
people love
Building a brand is difficult. Here are 10 reasons why Does your product:
should you aim to build a business brand people love: What brands do you love and admire? (e.g. Tesla, Apple, Gucci, Audi, Rolex, Steinway, Virgin, Disney, Harley Davison)
Work better than the competition? Is faster, safer,
1. You will make more money. more powerful, better performance, lasts longer, how it
2. Your customers will champion everything you do. is made.
3. They will defend you to others.
4. They will pay higher prices than industry norms and Simplifies the life of the customer? Integrates, is
tell people they use you. easier to use, saves time, keeps you organised, hassle
5. More retailers will want to stock your products. free, more efficient. Have you ever thought why? (Desirable, functional, makes life better, provides an experience? These are all answers
6. Suppliers will cut their costs so they can say they similar to those on the previous page. What words would describe your product or service?)
supply you (as this improves their own brand and Makes your customers smarter? Updates them on
credibility). information they want to know, provides solutions, advice
7. You can enter new markets and customers are more or teaching.
likely to follow, plus bring their friends.
8. Customers will use your products more and it will Saves your customers money? Provides value,
become a regular part of their day, week or year. improves resale, lowers risk, investing for the future,
9. More people will want to work for you. tracks success. When these brands launch new products do you want to buy them? Have you ever thought why?
10. You will get more free publicity and media, helping
you reach more people (for free). Helps your customers families? Provides comfort,
special moments, supports life stages (e.g births /
How do you do this? deaths), provides a better home, or comfort or safety.

The process of building a brand is covered in more detail Helps your customers to be healthier? Soothes pain,
on page 108, but in its basic form: reduces inflammation, prevents weight gain, is a form of How do these products actually benefit your life? What categories from page 106 do they fall into?
exercise, supports mental health.
1. Build amazing products or services.
2. Put the customer at the front of everything you do. Helps your customers stay connected? Gives access
3. Listen. Get feedback. to the latest technology, shared cultural events, social
4. Provide a great user experience. networks, special interest groups, provides travel.
5. Share both the functional benefit and the emotional Think about your own products or services, how do they actually benefit your customers? Circle any words to the
benefits of your products. Provides sensory appeal: Special taste, sounds, smell, left which apply, or write your own here.
6. Constantly improve. sights, style, touch/feel.

The key to building an emotional connection is to provide Provides an experience: luxurious service, variety,
something which nobody else does. responsiveness, special occasions, something exciting.
On page 124 we go into more detail on best practise for All of the above are descriptive words or phrases which Reviewing your current promotional material, does this reflect the full range of benefits you bring to your clients?
how to communicate how you make your client’s lives may or may not apply to your product or service. The task You want to make clear the benefits you bring to your customers lives.
better, which is a major part to creating a loved business is to better understand everything about what you do
brand. and use this within your promotion to fully communicate
why someone should choose you and not someone else.
Use the guide categories and headings below to build a
better understanding of your product or service. Which The above are largely functional benefits. Over the
of these do you perform or which categories do you fall next few pages we will look to also build an emotional Over the course of this module we will aim to build up a greater picture of your clients and your brand positioning to
into? Circle them. connection with your audience. allow you to move forward and build a loved business brand, which helps you achieve your goals.
108 109

The 6 stages of Building a brand takes time

brand building Do not expect to be known worldwide within your first

year of launch. Major brands take decades to build, but
every action you make will improve the number of people
who discover you. We need to do this until you reach a
Growth Action: Set realistic time scales for building
awareness within your core market. When setting up,
give yourself at least two years of continuous promotion
and activity before judging if your efforts have been a
tipping point where people are telling other people about success. Don’t forget it takes many years to become an
In every business there are six stages to go through to 4) Get customers to love your product or service. you, which is when the process accelerates and you grow overnight success.
build a successful brand. We need to successfully target much faster.
each one to build a loyal following. After the initial purchase we need to ensure we deliver a
great service and not suffer any buyer’s remorse.
Each stage requires a different approach to move
potential customers along your pipeline. We want to tighten our bond and create loyal brand
advocates. How do we do that? The more you concentrate in this area, Exponential
1) You’re unknown. This is where all businesses start. the quicker you’ll reach this point. growth in brand
• We deliver what we say. awareness
You need to get noticed to stand out in a crowded market. • We deliver great customer service.
People can’t buy your product or service if they don’t Don’t expect to be an
know you exist. The solution? We need to drive attention.
• We provide more value than is expected. Awareness overnight success
How do we do that? • We make the client feel special.
• Regular and often engagement.
• Find your first fans. Often friends or family. • Provide benefits of membership.
• Develop your core message.
• Reach out and say hello to as many people as possible.
5) Build long term brand advocates.
• Embrace learning and failing fast. Constantly iterate. For your top customers, the people that love you
more than anyone else, give them exclusive access to 1 2 3
2) People begin to know you, but they’re indifferent. something special.
Year
Why should people care who you are or about your This is where we are trying to achieve personal
business offering. The solution? You need to establish recommendations. How do we do that?
your brand positioning in the customers mind. What is
our aim? Our aim is to connect with people’s minds and
leave an imprint on what you offer and why it’s relevant.
How do we do that?
• Create exclusive items which make them feel special.
• Show them behind the curtain. How to split your focus and budget:
• Help clients improve their status, their ability to help
• Free trials. others, and help them make lasting impact in their

40% 60%
communities.
• Product samples.
• Sales presentations / webinars. Through your product or service you’re helping your
• Clear marketing material (videos, websites, information). client achieve their ideal self.
• Regular and often engagement. Get on people’s radar and
stay there. 6) Repeat

3) Getting customers to buy. Ask yourself which stage are you at? Short term Long term
Once a buyer understands your service and understands
why it is relevant to their needs, we need to build trust
enough for them to make a purchase. Here we target
This will be different for every product you make and
even every customer you have. sales activation brand building
people’s buying habits. You will have some people who love you and many more
who don’t know who you are. The important thing is to When looking to build your brand put 40% of your effort Put 60% of your efforts into longer term brand building.
know how to move people along this pipeline to go from into short term sales activation. These are immediate These are things which build awareness, liking and trust
• Remain visible. Be Authentic. Re-enforce key benefits of
being unknown to becoming loyal brand fans. campaigns for benefit or return within 6 months. This in you, your product and your company. It is important to
what you provide.
could include sales special offers (e.g. Black Friday offers) be consistent over many years. The science is proven on
• Provide special offers to breach the decision threshold.
adverts with specific promotional offers, telephone doing this 40/60 split of short and long term promotion,
• Make the purchasing process easy. marketing asking for an immediate action. referencing Les Binet and Peter Field. [9]
• Social proof - see page 139.

[9] Les Binet and Peter Field, Effectiveness in Context, IPA (2018) https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/effectiveness-in-context
110 111

Brand positioning
Higher Quality Long Opening Hours
High Quality High Quality Open Long Hours Open Long Hours
Low Price High Price Small Product Range Large Product Range

Farm Shop Waitrose OCADO Asda

Petrol Station
Tesco
ALDI / LIDL Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s OCADO

Tesco Iceland ALDI / LIDL

Asda Smaller Large
Lower Higher Waitrose
Product Product
Price Price Range Range
Iceland
Herron Foods

Herron Foods Petrol Station

Farm Shop

Lower Price High Price Open Short Hours Open Shorter Hours
Lower Quality Low Quality Small Product Range Large Product Range
Lower Quality Short Opening Hours

When trying to understand your brand in the marketplace, ALDI prides itself on providing very high quality products Using the same UK supermarkets, this time plotting new Growth Action: Try this for yourself on the next page
benchmark yourself against your competitors to gain a but at much lower prices than Waitrose or Sainsbury’s. axes of opening hours vs. product range; you will see the with any combination of axes you choose. It is a very
deeper understanding on where you fit. This is reflected in the way they promote their brand to 24 hour supermarkets selling over 500,000 products valuable exercise.
differentiate themselves in the market. will score differently to a local farm shop who only sell
Growth Action: Pick two axis which are relevant to your a small range of fruits and vegetables for a few hours a Complete this task from three or four from different
business and plot out yourself against your competitors. An example of high price and low quality is a Petrol week. viewpoints with different axis to get a better handle on
Station. These are always expensive and the quality is where you should position your brand in the market and
The example above is using UK food retailers, ranging generally poor vs. their competitors, however Petrol It is not that the farm shop does not have its place, it does, then play to your strengths.
from premium supermarkets, online platforms and Stations can position themselves on convenience. it just needs to know where farm shops are positioned in
also petrol stations which sell low quality snacks. In the the market and therefore play to its strengths. The farm You can completely disarm a competitors strength
example on the axes we use quality vs. price. Also shown are the lower price options of Iceland and shop should consider focusing on organic, natural, local, through clever positioning.
Herron Foods. These companies know their audience in its promotion and target people this is important to.
Within this example Waitrose or OCADO are shown so their positioning is often based upon price as that will Growth Action: Take this knowledge and review if your
at the higher price end of the spectrum, but in return likely be the dominant buying decision for the majority of The petrol station is open 24 hours but with a much current promotional material reflects your real core
provide a higher quality product - so their marketing their target market. smaller selection than the supermarkets. They may strengths. Could improvements be made to play to your
will tell you. Both companies position their brand as a choose to promote on convenience rather than choice. strengths and solve a major pain point of the customer?
premium product which also brings prestige and status
to the people who choose to shop there. OCADO may not have physical stores but they will deliver Get this right and it can transform your business.
in a timeslot, meaning you do not need to go to the
supermarket at all, so provides convenience in a new way.

Continued on the next page

 112 113

How do you compare vs. your

competitors?
Plot how do you compare on: Plotting yourself against your competitors across a
range of axis will build a clear picture on not only where
you currently sit in the market, but also areas of potential
Plot these on Price opportunity.
the X or Y axis to
better understand Performance If your competitors all have similar offerings, could
your brand Ease of Use considering something like ‘ease of use’ become a
positioning competitive advantage? Simply become easier to do
Maintenance Costs
business with and make this your core business focus.
Speed
Safety Could you target your offering at having ‘lower
maintenance costs’ and make this your unique selling
Exclusivity point?
Features
Try your own. There will be areas where your competitors
are better than you are, so be honest and use these as
(or any axis you choose) a target for improvement, but a solid understanding of
your brand positioning is hugely valuable to any business
at any stage in its life cycle.

Send questions to [email protected] or

join a live classroom session to go through this exercise
with others.
114 115

Know
Why would your ideal customer buy your product or hire you? What is their pain you are actually solving?

your Who else has this pain? Answering this could open up new business sectors to chase.

customer What are some of the core beliefs of this group? What do they like? What do they hate? This is important. We go into
more detail on this topic on pages 116 - 119.

To build a loved business brand you need to know your consumer. Focus on “who wants
you” instead of “who do you want to sell to”. If you remember the important point from
business strategy, nobody cares what you want, customers only care about how you can
help them!

Growth Action: Answer the following questions. We come back to this in more detail in
the rest of the Module.

Who is your core market? Who is your target customer? (This can be different for different product lines or parts Why should a consumer leave a competitor and come to you?
of the business)

What is the best possible service this customer could expect to receive from a service like yours?

What other markets segments / businesses / types of customer may have the same problems you solve?

Do you deliver this service every time? If not why not?

116 117

Building customer Answer these example questions to create a typical customer profile for your business.

What is this persons name? (Feel free to choose a fake name or use a real customer)

profiles How old are they?

Where do they work?

What is their job title?

Are they married?

If you were to build a profile on your ideal customer:
Do they have kids?
What is their typical age?
What are their likes, dislikes? What is their house like?

What is their position in the company? How far do they travel to work / How much time do they spend in the car?

Who do they report into? What do they do outside of work?

What do they enjoy outside of work? What parts of their job do they love?

What parts of their job do they hate?

Relating to your business, do they have authority to make a purchase?

A strong customer profile will make a huge difference to If you ever approach an external marketing agency to
your approach to sales and marketing. help with your promotion, having this work already done Who do they report into?
will make a huge difference to your success.
For example, if you are targeting a 58 year old male who What are the challenges this person’s company faces every day?
plays golf, your approach should be different to trying to Growth Action: You can use this knowledge with
sell to a 27 year old female vegan who loves yoga. platforms like Facebook advertising too. With modern What are their opportunities for growth? Can you help with that?
social media advertising you can choose the exact
As the saying goes “Know your customer!” demographic you wish to target your adverts to. Is this person on social media? Which platforms? How often do they use it?

Growth Action: Make a profile on your typical target You can target 45-55 year old men with incomes over Do they attend industry conferences or read industry magazines?
customers at different buying levels. Include every aspect £100k who work in your sector and live within 10 miles
of their behaviour and how they like to do business. Use of your business who like golf. Building customer profiles What are their personal values? Are they conservative or liberal?
this as a constant reminder to guide your actions. is very relevant for targeting your key customers and
growing a business. What good causes are important to them?
If you have a small number of clients, replicate this same
process to track how each of your customers likes to Growth Action: Look into Facebook advertising to find What day of the week are they most busy? When is the best time to catch them?
do business, what are their likes / dislikes, do they hate out more about this incredibly powerful resource. This
phone calls and prefer e-mail, what are the key aspects of type of profiled digital advertising is available across all What car do they drive? What car do they wish they drove?
your products they value? This might be different to what digital platforms so find out what is right for you.
another customer values. Never be afraid to specifically What TV shows do they like?
target both and tailor your content for your specific Never forget about more traditional forms of advertising
audience. too. Many customers are now immune to online Do they like sports?
advertising, but actually enjoy getting something in the
Growth Action: Profile everything you know about your post.
All of the above questions are extremely valuable to build up a picture of your key target customer and everything
top 5 customers. Constantly question if your promotion
about them. You don’t need to answer every one. When you then come to do your company promotion, review your
is relevant for the audience you are targeting.
company marketing against this profile and see if it hits the mark. If it does not, rethink what you are actually trying
to achieve and make sure your message is one which will resonate with your key audience.

On the question “how far does your typical customer travel to work?” If your typical customer spends 2 hours
commuting in their car, drive-time radio advertising might be a good choice. If they work from home and don’t listen
to the radio at all, you’ll probably wasted your money, so this proves why this is an important exercise.
118 119

Building consumer My customer loves it when: (Example: I love it when we land a contract we’re not expecting to win)

insights
The previous section on customer profiles was about Playing with this example, these are some core beliefs of
physical or personality questions about typical traits of a potential customer:
your core target customer. This section on consumer In words they use, how would they articulate this? (You want to use real language based on how your target customer
insights is about building the picture of what is going on • I feel happy when I get value for money. would speak with their friends. The friendly way they might describe something good or bad, in the words they would
inside this person’s head. • I feel reassured when things do what I expect. use)
• I love it when companies over-deliver.
These are messages customers say to themselves and • I love it when things make me money.
core key beliefs which will influence their behaviour. • I love it when things open up new opportunities.
• I feel angry whenever someone lies to me or doesn’t
The last section was about targeting the right person. deliver what they say they would.
This section is about speaking to them in a way which • I feel angry whenever things don’t live up to my
matches their core beliefs and values and makes them expectations.
like and trust you and want to buy your product. • I will never do business with a person if they abuse my
trust.
Consumer insights • I hate it when people use complicated language.
• I hate it when people take 200 words to say something Your customer hates it when: (Example: I hate it when people break my trust, or sell me something I don’t need.)
Consumer insights are the secrets hidden beneath they could say in 10.
the surface that explain the underlying behaviours, • I hate it when people don’t answer my phone calls.
motivations, pain points and emotions of your customers.
Growth Action: List out as many as you can of the
Get this right and this is the key to unlock your business visions, beliefs and statements on the realities of your
success. customers lives. What is important to them? What will
they feel in certain situations?
How do we do this?
Growth Action: Once you have a list of core customer
Combined with the previous piece of work, we do beliefs, this can be extremely valuable. Could you include
something called ‘writing for consumer insight’. Answer any of these within your next marketing campaign?
a range of sentences thinking about the personality you
created on the previous page. How would they finish If you have done a good job, these messages should In words they use, how would they articulate this? (As above, use natural language and keep it simple)
these sentences. Add in the descriptive word in the first resonate and gain traction within your core audience
box, and what would make them feel this in the second. and help build a much greater level of trust between your
brand and the purchaser.
“I feel _____________ when ____________”
Customers will feel like you understand them more and
We can do this for both positive and negative emotions. understand their needs, wants and desires, enabling you
to have a much greater success rate when you try to sell.
I feel {happy, sad, angry, disappointed, let down}
whenever {insert statement relating to your business, Send any questions to [email protected]
sector or lifestyle in general}.

e.g. I feel happy when I have something arrive quicker If done correctly this task helps gain instant recognition from customers that your brand feels the same way they do
than expected in the post. and that you might be good to do business with.

Never underestimate the strength of this exercise.

120 121

Find your niche

An important thing to focus on is who exactly your Growth Action: Answer the following questions:
business is targeting.
What percentage of this market do you expect to be able to win as customers?
• What is the audience you are actually trying to reach?
If you sell a specific product for a specific audience, you • Can you break this down further by region or
want to only focus on this specific audience, as long as demographic?
that audience is big enough to provide enough customers • What is the smallest viable audience for your business
for your business to survive. to succeed. This is where you want to focus.

Build your marketing and client profiles around your Picking an example. Imagine a company making specialist
target market. Don’t care about getting millions of views drills for cosmetic dentists. In this example, from
across the general public if it does not fall into your core research you may find that there are 2,000 cosmetic
target, especially if it is a specific niche. dentists in the UK, who each buy one drill per year.

5 million views from teenagers is probably no use if you To survive your business needs to sell 5,000 drills a year.
sell luxury cars they can not afford, so you need to focus. Acknowledging this you may need to focus on a wider What is your estimated value per customer?
market; or instead look at cosmetic dentists across a
Think about, for your target customer: wider area (e.g. UK, France and Germany).

• What do they read? The most important thing is only trying to raise awareness
• Where do they visit online? within the people who can, or want to actually buy your
• How do they find out about new products? product. Otherwise you’re just wasting money and time
• Do they go to conferences? which could be better deployed elsewhere.
• What trade publications might be of interest?
• Who do they see as a trusted source? A product designed for everyone is a product designed
• How much a year do they spend on services like yours? for nobody.

What is your historic conversion rate for converting prospects into paying customers?
What is the audience you are actually trying to reach? How big is it? How many customers are there for you to
target? Be realistic.

Where are they based? Can you break this down further by region or demographic? This will help you focus. Is this niche big enough to sustain your business? If not, look to widen your target market.
122 123

2. What are your objectives? What are you trying to achieve? When will you achieve these?

Writing
a. Can you make these objectives S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound)

b. Once you have them, make them F.A.S.T (frequently discussed, ambitious, specific, and transparent)

your first c. What are the KPIs? What are your Lead Actions?

marketing 3. Who is your target audience? See pages 114 - 121.

strategy
How do customers interact with your business? What are the touch points? Repeat this for:
a. Existing customers
b. New customers
c. Lapsed customers
d. Investors
e. Community stakeholders

Every company should have a marketing strategy. If you have Completing all of the sections within the Roadmap will 4. What is your content strategy? What are your:
been asked to write a marketing strategy for someone else, produce a high quality business plan you can use to move
such as an investor, answer the following questions and go your business forward. On this page we cover the specifics in a. Key messages - short phrases which communicate the most important things about your business.
into as much detail as possible. case you are ever asked for a marketing plan and don’t know b. Tone of voice - this is your style of how you like to communicate with your audience (e.g. relaxed, friendly, direct)
c. Visions and values - tells people what do you stand for, what you stand against, and what is important to you.
where to start.

1. Situational analysis. What is going on in the world right now? How will this affect you?

5. Which promotional channels will you use to get your message out there? Who will manage each?
a. S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). See page 128. a. Websites
b. Social networks
c. Events
b. P.E.S.T.L.E analysis. See page 129. d. Print or digital advertising
e. PR
f. Direct mail
c. Key market trends. (Relates to above).

d. Competitor analysis. See pages 110 - 113.

6. What is your annual budget for this?

7. What metrics will you use to measure success? What does success look like?

8. How often will you diagnose the effectiveness of your actions? (Use this to continuously improve).
124 125

Key concepts to improve your success

The ability to communicate at multiple levels in
your marketing and promotion will help you build
a much greater emotional connection to the
customer.

Communicate your
emotional benefits
Increased
Emotional Impact =
Greater Success
Type of benefit:

Social Impact Global

Most companies will tell you what they sell. They may even • Providing motivation for becoming more active. Impact
tell you the benefit of what their product or service does, • Supporting customers to achieve their dream selves.
but this is often only communicating on a functional level. • Reduce stress through exercise.
The most successful companies communicate higher up • Prestige and status from branded sports clothing.
something we call the Emotional Value Pyramid. • Feel connected with famous sports stars.
• Create belonging and a feeling of community.
This was inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [10]
Life Changing Helps clients live
and references elements of the Bain & Company article ... without once mentioning that they make running shoes The higher you can
“Explore the B2C Elements of Value” [11] published 2016. and t-shirts. their best lives. communicate on
Provides motivation, the Emotional Value
Here companies no longer talk only about their product Operating higher up the pyramid, selling on emotion, Pyramid the more
or service, they are communicating at levels which create promoting on how your product or service can be life
affiliation or belonging. successful your
an emotional attachment with the audience. changing or create social impact and you will be much business promotion
more successful. will be.
How do they do this? The most successful
companies talk about how they make the lives of How do we do this? Create marketing materials Emotional Provides prestige and brand
their customers better. which use aspirational images and statements value, nostalgia, wellness, fun,
which communicate these benefits.
They talk about having global impact, about providing entertainment, or improved
hope, motivation and belonging. Reference back to page 109 and the 60/40 split on attractiveness or social status.
long term brand building vs short term sales activation;
Following on from page 106 on creating a brand people promoting benefits relating to Social Impact, Life
love, communicating at a higher level is a major part for Changing and Emotional are brand building. Promoting
building an emotional connection with your audience. functional benefits, special offers or discounts are short
term sales activation. Do both. Functional
Growth Action: Make a list of how your product or
Reduces cost, improves quality, Basic
service or business improves the lives of: Growth Action: Review the topics contained within the is faster / better, saves the user time, promotion =
Emotional Value Pyramid (right). Start at the top and for reduces risk, reduces effort, removes pain. Less Success
1. Your customers each point, see if anything about your brand, product or
2. The community service has any of the traits mentioned.
3. The environment
4. Your team. You still need to promote the functional benefits of your
products, but do not only talk about this. Communicate
Think beyond the obvious and break it down into what higher up the pyramid to create an emotional connection
your product helps the these groups achieve. For instance with your audience.
with education, you’re not just providing information,
you’re helping someone build a better future. Growth Action: The same is true for promoting yourself
Most companies promote themselves
via your personal and professional brand. Share what you
The sports brand Nike sell a dream far beyond the at the functional level. They describe
believe and things that you’re passionate about. This is
products themselves. This includes: just the basic function and nothing
how you get noticed and you can build brand loyalty and
more. This is a mistake.
reputation within your network.

[10] A. H. Maslow, A theory of human motivation, Psychological Review (1943)

[11] Bain & Company (2016) Explore the B2C Elements of Value, https://www.bain.com/insights/elements-of-value-interactive/
126 127

Key concepts to improve your success

Effective types of One of the best pieces of

advice for anyone who works
in sales.

communication
Always pick up the phone if you are
sending an important message.

Did you know that when we communicate, the percentage Use more video in your content and social media. DID YOU KNOW?
of human emotion that is delivered from the words we
choose is just 7%? Video gives you a huge advantage when communicating
remotely or doing promotion. With video people get to
This means that to communicate fully and connect with ‘see you’ and you can communicate more effectively than Studies report that only 3% of 56% of written content is
our audience we must consider much more than our by the written word alone.
words alone. your customers are ready to misunderstood by the person
This is taken from a famous study by Prof Albert
You can use this for your brand.
buy at any one time? who reads it.
Mehrabian in 1967 [12] which many people misinterpret. We all have the ability on our smart phones to record
Your marketing needs to be as targeted as possible, but Also, when a person misunderstands a message, 7 out of
good quality video which allows us to communicate
also provide continued awareness to help turn the other 10 times the person will assume it to be negative.
38% of human emotion is communicated in tone of voice. much more effectively and develop a better emotional
97% into paying customers when they’re ready to buy.
This is why comedians can use bad language and we still connection with our audience.
Always keep your communications clear and concise.
laugh because the tone of voice is often friendly. The
This is also why you should never get too disheartened
exact same words in an aggressive tone of voice would Communicate with 100% of your ability, not just 7%,
with sales. You are aiming at converting 3 out of every Using video helps to overcome this as video articulates
have the opposite effect, but comedians prove this point or not at all. Video is a great way to communicate your
100 people to actually say yes. This shows the importance the intent, tone of voice, facial expressions and body
very well. personal and professional brand and is a fantastic way
of qualifying your leads and also putting in place the Lead language, in addition to the actual words, so provides a
for people to get to know you before you ever meet in
Actions to funnel the required numbers through your much greater platform to communicate your message
An incredible 55% of human emotion is communicated person.
sales process, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you get than other formats.
through body language, facial expressions and gestures.
97 people say no. On average the next three should be
These are all the things we pick up on, even if the words Growth Action: If you can, add subtitles. Subtitles yes! This is also why a great tip is to pick up the phone first
coming out of your mouth say something else. ensure that viewers can take away the overall meaning of before sending an important email. On the phone you
your content, with or without sound. Subtitles produce can make sure the person on the other end understands
The words we choose are still important and it is difficult a uplift in engagement if you use video as advertising. the real meaning of your message, ensuring there is no
to communicate information without them, however the They also act to improve the search engine reach of miscommunication when you press send.
emotion in which we deliver a message can make a huge your content as Google now uses subtitles in its search
impact. function.

Growth Action: Do some homework into body language. Growth Action: Consider multiple language subtitles
This could be books or watching videos online, but having on platforms like YouTube to bring your English language
a strong awareness of body language will transform your video accessible to a new audience. (Instructions on how
ability to communicate and therefore transform your to do this are also available on YouTube).
career or success in business.
Growth Action: You can use video communication in
Growth Action: It is also many of these same traits we management and managing your team, especially if they
use in sales, especially in active listening. Nodding your are remote, building emotional connections over larger
head and giving the other person your full attention, even distances, but there is no substitute for communicating
down to the way you sit, will have a big impact on the in person face to face.
quality of the relationships you can build.

Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
[12] Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R. (1967). Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31(3), 248–252
We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
128 129

Key concepts to improve your success

S.W.O.T analysis P.E.S.T.L.E analysis

Political Technological
Strengths Weaknesses

Economic Legal

Opportunities Threats
Social Environmental

A SWOT analysis is a framework used to evaluate a Strengths describe what your organisation excels at. PESTLE analysis is used to identify the macro forces Technological Factors: These factors consider the
company’s competitive position and is a tool used to What separates it from its competition? Examples could facing an organisation. PESTLE stands for Political, rate of technological innovation and development that
develop your team’s understanding of various scenarios. be a strong brand, a loyal customer base, a strong balance Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental could affect a market or industry. Factors could include
sheet, a unique technology etc. factors. This is fundamental building block to business changes in digital or mobile technology, automation,
You can use this to identify your core strengths, planning. research and development. There is often a tendency
weaknesses, opportunities and threats to produce a fact Weaknesses are anything which may stop your to focus on developments only in digital technology,
based analysis, whilst also creating fresh perspectives and organisation from performing at its highest level. These Organisations that successfully monitor and respond but consideration must also be given to new methods
ideas within the team. could be areas you need to improve. Examples include to changes in the environment are much more able of distribution, manufacturing and logistics. Examples
a weak brand, high staff turnover, high levels of debt, an to differentiate from the competition and create a could be the emergence of AI or the transition to electric
Consider both internal and external factors, as well as inadequate supply chain, or lack of capital. competitive advantage. vehicles now that battery technology has improved.
current and future environment for the business.
Opportunities are external factors which could give your Political Factors: These determine the extent to which Legal: An organisation must understand what is legal
The PESTLE analysis (opposite) is similar, but takes a organisation a competitive advantage. For example, if government and government policy may impact on an and allowed within the territories it operates. They also
specific look at particular areas of interest. Within a a country was to cut trade tariffs, a manufacturer could organisation or a specific industry. This could include must be aware of any change in legislation and the impact
SWOT analysis you can delve into different scenarios or export its products into a new market, increasing sales political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal and this may have on business operations. Factors include
products in different situations to better understand the and market share, with this change coming from an taxation policies too. This can also change after an employment law and legislation, consumer law, health
opportunities or risks for a business. external factor. election. and safety, as well as trade regulation and restrictions.

Growth Action: Consider performing SWOT Threats refer to factors that have the potential to harm Economic Factors: These factors impact on the Environmental Factors: These factors relate to the
assessments on your business as a whole, or your specific your business. Common threats include things like rising economy and its performance, which can in turn directly influence of the surrounding environment. With the
products or services. This could bring valuable insight. costs for materials, increasing competition, tight labour impact on your organisation and its profitability. Factors rise in importance of Corporate Social Responsibility,
supply and so on. The threat could also be the same trade include interest rates, employment rates, raw material as well as Environmental, Social, and Governance
Growth Action: Also consider doing a SWOT analysis tariff if this works against you and gives a competitor (who costs and foreign exchange rates. (ESG), the environmental is becoming more important
based at different times, i.e. now, +12 months, +3 years does not have to pay the tariff) an advantage. to businesses. Factors include climate, recycling
and see if this changes based on what you think it going Social Factors: These factors focus on the social procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal and
to happen. This may produce some unexpected but Growth Action: Like the brand positioning exercise environment and identify emerging trends. This helps sustainability should be considered. Due to changing
welcome insight. from page 110, this is something to be repeated multiple you to further understand your customer’s needs and social factors buying drivers have changed to favour
times for different scenarios or products to get a full wants. Factors include changing family demographics, companies with a strong environmental stand point.
understanding of everything you do. education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes and
changes in lifestyles.
130 131

Key concepts to improve your success

Your promotion Do people

does not have to understand what
cost money you do?
Many small and medium sized business do not have huge Growth Action: Review your visions and values and then Has anyone ever asked you “What does your company
budgets to spend on marketing, but this does not mean see if this is reflected within all of your customer touch actually do?” List 2-4 people who you can ask for honest feedback
it can not be done well. Even with no budget, most social points (anywhere where anyone can interact with your about your business:
media sites are free. Use them to your full advantage. business). Answering this question has sold millions of books, but
often in real life goes unsaid due to professional courtesy. Ask: What does my company do?
Talk honestly and openly about yourself or your business At every contact point you want the customer to know Nobody wants to be the person who does not know what
or career journey. Communicate your moral intent, along what is important to you, that they can trust you and that their friends business does. How do we deliver our service?
with your company values, add value, share knowledge, you will help them achieve their aims.
talk honestly and openly and this will open a lot of doors. Growth Action: If in doubt, keep it simple. Simplify your How do we help other people?
This also has to come across through their customer language to improve people’s understanding. Just say
If you can invest in good marketing your business will experience. what it is! Take the feedback and then use this to review if you
never look back! need to update your business communications.
If every time a customer picks up the phone and speaks Growth Action: Ask people what their understanding is
For working with an agency, here you are looking to to a member of your team they get poor service, this of what you do? Get them to keep talking until they run Better to do this early than have years of untapped
find a good fit, where the cost of customer acquisition undoes all of your hard work and reflects negatively on out of information. This will guide you on what people potential.
(including all of your associated costs) is less than the your brand. truly understand, what they don’t and where to focus to
cost of the promotion. If you can get this right, you can better communicate your message. This is a task which
increase scale and scope to grow the business. Growth Action: Get your team to become your brand costs you nothing but could revolutionise your sales
ambassadors for the business. conversion rates.
Ask your network for recommendations on who to speak Referencing back to Consumer Insights from page
to and who is good. Good marketing and PR agencies will Consider running a training session with your team once Growth Action: Write down how would you describe 118-119, consider using the descriptions and answers
want to know about you and what drives you, before ever a year to cover your business key messages and visions what your company does to your grandmother? Start from your client feedback in your promotion. The
asking about price or what to do next. and values. This keeps everyone on the same page simple and build up the detail later. Doing this will help closer you can link what people say (and how they
and will bring a cohesive structure to your corporate your audience understand what mental box to put say it) to the message you communicate, the more
The skills and customer insight you will have gained from communications at all levels. It also teaches them what your information into and what to expect from the successful you will be.
this course will put you in a great place to move forward to say to clients. conversation they have with you. Starting simple will also
if you choose to do it yourself or working with an agency. aid their recall and understanding as you share more Try and conduct these feedback interviews in
Growth Action: Although achieving good promotion information. person or over the phone so that the person
does not have to cost money, you will be able to do it actually verbalises their description of your
bigger and better and have faster growth if you can Growth Action: Aid your description with images or company. You will get a much more accurate report
afford to invest. video. This will help the audience understand your vision on their true thinking than if you ask them to write
and help them to recall what you do and how it works. anything down.
This will also help connect with customers who might
learn in different ways.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
132 133

Key concepts to improve your success

Do you Use images

communicate in the which reflect your
countries native brand
language?
If you want to become a global success, translate your Good international communication also extends past the The images you choose play a huge part in what people
website, marketing materials and social media content words you choose to also include to your imagery and think about you. Linking back to page 54 ‘What do you want people
into the language you want to trade in. colours. to think about you’, give an honest assessment if
With the Roadmap we choose modern, colourful images your promotion and photographs match this? Is
Although Google Translate has come a long way and Imagery containing alcohol (even down to a glass of wine which involve a diverse range of real people. We choose this one simple factor letting your side down?
continues to get better, nothing is better than having in a photograph) may damage your sales in the Middle these images to reflect our brand. For us it is important
your website and materials professionally translated into East and certain colours may be considered unlucky in to show that we are different to traditional business Fortunately it is easy to fix.
the native language you are targeting. the Far East. education, but still credible enough to be considered
alongside our peers.
For many small businesses this may not be practical or Give genuine consideration to being culturally relevant
cost effective at the start but it should be a long term for your audience or it could result in reduced sales or a In any content you produce you should give strong
goal for your growth strategy. failed product launch. consideration to the images you choose and if these
reflect you and what you stand for.
Growth Action: For your target markets, are there any
special considerations you should adapt for? Growth Action: What do the images you use say about
you? Are they old and dated? Do they reflect your
This could be in relation to the dominant local language, idealised best self?
religion or culture. Make a list and use this to have more
conscious control over your export communications. There are plenty of options online to refresh your image
There are experts who can help in this area. library using sites such as iStock or ShutterStock, or
better yet, commission a photographer to create some
new images of your own. This is the best option.

Growth Action: Strongly consider having professional

photographs taken of you as part of your professional
brand. This will be a worthwhile investment.

Growth Action: When considering your own personal

brand, the same is true. If you can put time and effort
to create a high quality video, even if it is well lit from a
window filmed on a smart phone. Poor quality visuals and
sound will negatively affect everything that people think
about you, so it is worth the investment in key areas of
your promotion.
134 135

Key concepts to improve your success

Does your company Think about

have a single wow your brand
factor location? characteristics
Every business should have a single location which will Marketing can be fun. All major consumer brands all
WOW your audience. What is the best possible version of your product or have a strong guiding vision on ‘who they are’ and the Look back at ‘What do you want people to think
service? (Money no object). characteristics they want to portray. about you?’ Use this to build the personality you
A single location where anyone can send potential want your business to have, then use this within
customers and they will experience the best of what Imagine the Queen came into your business. What If we take the example of airlines, British Airways and your marketing to be unique.
your company has to offer. For the Roadmap we try and would be her client experience? This is essentially Virgin Atlantic both sell exactly the same thing (air travel)
achieve this with this textbook. asking what is the best possible level of service you but in very different ways. With the Roadmap MBA launching into a very
could offer? Make a list. crowded and competitive marketplace, the
In a former employer, they had their full size 6m x 6m British Airways want to be seen as regal, respected and Roadmap brand and logo were designed to be
trade stand up in the entrance to their factory to walk Now consider if you could take elements of this and trusted. Virgin take the role of being a rebel, mischievous different and help users instantly tell that there is
visitors through on every visit, putting their best foot apply it to your every day customer journey. It may and fun. These are their brand characteristics or something different about this business course v.s.
forward and also making clever use of space which would be a valuable concept to brainstorm. archetypes. our peers.
otherwise go to waste.
How many of these could you implement without it If you look at each company’s advertising within seconds With our mission to make business education
Many video production companies have a show reel on costing you a penny? each brand identity comes across and that is the sign of accessible, our brand has elements of being an
their website to wow their audience. great marketing. You want to do the same for you. activist brand with a social cause at its heart, so we
Create your WOW factor location. play strongly on this, but without losing credibility
No matter your product or service, you should do the Make it crystal clear in your profile and personal brand or professionalism which people expect of a course
same! what your specialisms are and why people should care. of this kind.
Also decide if you wish to be straight-laced and sensible,
Growth Action: Where currently do you send your or take a different more rebellious approach. What do you want people to think about you?
customers to find out more about your business? How
do you put your best foot forward? This could also link to your work on brand positioning as a
way to separate you out from your competitors.
Growth Action: Look to create a single location where
anyone in the business can send potential customers so Growth Action: Review your customer touch points and
that they will experience the best of what your company social media (brochures, websites, showrooms, stores
has to offer. etc). Do each of these have a summary which says who
you are, what you do and how you can help your audience?
This could be the front page of your website, for a car If not you should, and keep this as short and as simple
company this is their showroom, for a fashion brand as possible. You should always start small with your key
could be their flagship store. You need to create your value and belief and then go into how you make it happen.
own.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
 Have you
joined a live
classroom
session yet?
(If not you should)
Photograph: Jes Abiola

Full details at www.RoadmapMBA.com

138 139

Module 8
The six universal Social Proof
principles of If other people think it’s good, it must be good.

social influence Social proof is a common practise which you will have
been exposed to every day of your life but may not have
previously known the term.
Social Proof in advertising

In advertising we commonly see the phrase ‘used by over

5 million people worldwide’. This statement is designed to
My belief is that is comes from our species evolving to make the customer think ‘if 5 million people use it, then
survive. Rather than every generation needing to learn it must be good’.
everything for the first time, humans have learned to see
what works for others and use what works as a short-cut For sales people we can use this to our advantage. Talk
from having to learn everything from scratch. about how many customers you have, use case studies
on your website and share data about your market share.
Thousands of years ago this may have been seeing All of these will help convince the customer to come to
people drink from a river and not get sick to know the you and not your competitor who may not use social
Over the past 100 years a huge amount of research has gone Some of the best learning on this topic comes from Robert water was safe, however now a more common example proof in their promotion.
into understanding how and why people make decisions. Cialdini and his excellent book: Influence: The Psychology of is restaurants.
Persuasion [13], on which this module is largely based, however For the Roadmap we talk about our number of users,
The ability to ‘influence’ can be as broad as wanting to share we provide a full reading list at the end of this module. Take the example of two restaurants. One restaurant across a number of countries on the front page of our
which is full and one next door which is empty. It is human website to demonstrate social proof.
your ideas with the world, to having people understand and
nature to assume the one which is full must be better,
believe what you are saying, or even getting people to vote Each of the six principles has an explanation for what each but we have no actual basis for this decision other than With social proof you are demonstrating that you must
for you in an election. means and how it can be used. the number of people using it. We assume these people be good because other people use you. The bigger the
know something we do not, so we follow them and wait in name and greater the number of people who use your
The techniques shared in this section are very subtle but Once mastered, you can use these to make changes to your line to go to the busy restaurant. This is a demonstration services, the greater the proof.
have been scientifically proven. Once the techniques have e-mails, phone calls, marketing and sales presentations of social proof.
been pointed out you will see them everywhere. which will all have measurable impacts on your business. Growth Action: Within your promotion use as many
*This is also why restaurants will often sit you in the case studies as you can. Where possible use facts and
window when they are quiet to encourage more people figures. If you have permission, use client logos on your
to come in! website. Social proof is a valuable tool, use it.

[13] Cialdini, R. B. (1984). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (ISBN 0-688-12816-5).

Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
140 141

Reciprocation
If someone does a good deed for you, you feel
compelled to give something in return.

From human evolution we have learned to survive Reciprocation can also be used to our advantage. It is not the value that matters. Growth Action: Review what gifts or value you give out?
through working together. If someone does a good deed Are you hitting the right people? Are you hitting enough
for you, chances are you feel compelled to repay them in Studies have shown many cases of organisations including From studies, the amount of value given in a gift does not people?
some way. religious groups would abuse this technique. Fundraising directly correlate to the amount of value reciprocated.
organisations in the 80’s would provide a seemingly Do you share value and not even realise, such as through
From the early stages of man, whilst the tribe slept if worthless gift (such as sprig of flowers) to anyone who Even a small deed which costs $1 may have the same your social media and network or maybe network
someone watched the camp to protect everyone from would take them, actively looking to give them out in beneficial value as a $5000 gift. The financial value is introductions? This all counts. Use it to your advantage.
danger, the tribe would feel compelled to return the public places and airports. As soon as the person took not the main influence or driver in the appreciated value
favour. Without trust and reciprocation the tribe would the gift, whether they wanted it or not, they would then received. More important is the intent of the giver and Growth Action: Be conscious of the positive and
quickly suffer as they would all be attacked in their sleep be asked for money as a donation to their cause and it the thoughtfulness behind the gift. This is at its best negative potential outcomes of giving corporate gifts.
with nobody offering to take watch, so this innate desire worked. This organisation was using reciprocation and when you give value outside of your business interest.
to return favours (known as reciprocation) has been hard using its influence to gain donations. There are however Never cross the ethical boundary of courting potential
wired into our brains. lots of areas this can be used morally to boost sales but For your business, don’t be afraid to give out free samples clients with large gifts as they could blacklist you from
without crossing the ethical boundary. or do the small things to make people feel special. any future business. Also be wise on the timing of when
In business this is relevant. The ability to give gifts, advice, you offer the gift.
value of any kind also falls under reciprocation. Offers of Free trials of a product or service or free samples at a This uses the tool of reciprocation, however remember
value often come with a stated or unstated desire for supermarket are still reciprocation. Anything where you you will gain no more value sending $1 gifts that $1000. Gifts given just before (or during) a competitive tender
some form of reciprocation, where the giver may hope are providing value will build up residual value that may process could get you blacklisted. Giving the same gift
for a sale or goodwill. or may not be claimed or repaid right away, but you are You may actually receive a better response from the six months after the tender has closed, win or lose, is not
increasing your chance of receiving something of value lower value approach. Give with positive intent and share as bad, so timing is important.
Upon the offer of support, if the recipient receives back from your audience. positive value to your customers and it will be repaid
value at the very least they should say thank you, but many times over. Growth Action: Think about how this can be used within
commonly they will feel compelled to return the favour. Linking this to marketing, add genuine value to your your organisation? Could gift giving become part of your
This however can become both a positive and a negative; network through writing or sharing valuable content marketing strategy? Could you choose to provide value
especially if this treads into the area of business ethics. on your areas of expertise and not only are your raising via knowledge pieces, blogs or webinars? It all helps.
awareness as being an authority or expert on a topic (see
Offer a gift value too large and this could be considered page 145); but if the recipients genuinely benefit from Send any questions to [email protected]
as a payment or bribe and get you into trouble. Even if your content they may want to repay that favour in time.
the gift is allowed, its offer may still provoke a negative
reaction from the person receiving as they will inherently
know of the unspoken need return the favour. Always
be conscious of this when either giving or receiving
corporate gifts.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
142 143

Commitment and
Consistency
People act in a way consistent with how they view
themselves and how they want to be viewed by others.

Every person in the world has a view on who they are and You may answer: “Well surely they are just an Commitment and Consistency is knowing that people will This can also be used in a management context or
who they would like to be. This will align to your answers environmentally conscious person?” This is correct, act according to the view of how they view themselves negotiation too, but does not have to be used in a
from Module 1 if you have done this course. however when discussing human influence, it is knowing and how they want other people to see them. negative way as described here. It can be a powerful tool
how this can be used to your advantage in business is to win people over to an argument.
Commitment and Consistency is knowing that people what brings value. People will also act to ensure other people think these
act according to the view of how they view themselves. things about them even if this goes against their initial Growth Action: People don’t always consciously buy
People also act to ensure other people think these things It has been shown how even very small yes or no internal instinct. products because they want them, they buy because
about them too. statements on a topic can be used in a way which can the type of person THEY WANT TO BECOME would buy
provide influence over that person. This is how a sales In the earlier example, if the salesman approaches the them. This is why aspirational marketing works so well.
Relates to how we view ourselves person can use Commitment and Consistency to their environmentally conscious person and offers something
advantage. which will help the environment (and even better using Brands sell the dream of what their life could become
If a person views themselves as being environmentally social proof how everyone else is buying it) then he will (referencing back to the Emotional Value Pyramid
conscious, they will make decisions which align Example: have a much greater chance of success. from page 125) and how the product will make their life
with the decisions they imagine an environmentally better. This too is another form of Commitment and
conscious person would make. They will buy things an A salesman who sells safety equipment: “Sir, you look like Growth Action: Cleverly written sales scripts get Consistency.
environmentally conscious person would buy and they a man who cares about the safety of their team?” customers to make very small commitments which
do this because it brings them closer to becoming the appear harmless at first, for instance “is safety important As an example:
person they want to become. Customer: “Yes, safety is important to our business” (as to you?”.
he views himself as a safety conscious leader). Imagine you are a spice trader selling cooking ingredients
They will also want other people to think those things These questions lead the customer along a path where and spices. You could apply this technique through
about them. Salesman: “You should buy our product as it will improve they feel compelled to stay consistent with their original saying in your marketing “For people who aren’t afraid to
safety.” seemingly small answer, “yes” resulting in bigger and try new things in the kitchen”. A person passionate about
In this case, they want other people to think that they are bigger commitments during the call. cooking may want to see themselves as someone who
an environmentally conscious person. Everyone does it, The Customer now feels in a difficult position as he is not afraid to try new things in the kitchen, hence they
however most people do it without knowing. wants to stay consistent with his publicly stated view of These techniques are used to take customers down are more likely to buy the product to stay consistent with
being a safety conscious leader, therefore he feels more the sales funnel on a product they might not even be the person they wish to become. Here we are combining
Re-read the above two paragraphs to ensure you compelled to buy the product even if he does not want it. interested in. the Commitment and Consistency technique with our
understand the meaning behind it. It is a complex consumer insights from page 118.
statement but once you understand the concept it will The customer can still say no, but it more likely to say yes Using Commitment and Consistency in this way can
be a valuable tool. to stay consistent due to having made a public statement become unethical, however simply being aware of As you progress throughout the course you will see
or response with his views. This is Commitment and Commitment and Consistency will open your eyes as you where these techniques can be used together. Try it.
Consistency. see this applied on a daily basis.
Send any questions to [email protected]
144 145

Liking Authority & Expert

If people like you it helps. If you are seen as an authority and expert on a subject,
people trust you. If they trust you they are more likely
to accept your point of view and buy your products.

In both your career and business, the importance of If you are seen as an authority on a subject, people are Growth Action: Ask yourself, is the content you are
being liked is obvious. If people like you they are far more List 3 small things which you could do today to help more likely to trust you. sharing demonstrating you as being an authority or
likely to offer you jobs, buy your products and invite you someone else. expert in your field? If not, consider starting, or changing
to tender on opportunities. Growth Action: All professionals should talk about their what you post.
sector and demonstrate their knowledge, but do so in a
If people do not like you, the simple fact is that they do 1) way which adds value to the network and demonstrates Growth Action: Write social media posts on your
not have to do business with you. them as an authority or expert on a topic. industry or topic of expertise. Even if it is only a few lines it
is a good start and then build up over time. Be consistent.
A good personal and professional brand can make people Growth Action: Simply sharing articles is not enough.
like you more and the techniques on this course can allow You need to share your own opinion on these articles Growth Action: Referencing Effective Types of
you to share more value. when you post. Share why you think it’s important and Communication from page 126, use video. This will get
why other people should care. across the same message, but many times more effective
Growth Action: Are you demonstrating traits which 2) than the written word alone.
people like and find valuable? Is your personality coming TOP TIP: For your career, if you can demonstrate
across in the right way? Are you generally a nice person? knowledge on a particular subject you are much more It is well worth the time and effort to become known as an
The answer might be no. likely to achieve your dream career move if employers or authority or expert on a topic. It will do wonders for your
recruitment agents ‘see you’ as an expert on the topic business or career.
Put some conscious thought to your actions within your they are recruiting for.
professional network and this could be a very simple
technique to improve the business opportunities which 3) If you get your marketing tactics correct you will be
come your way. planting these seeds years before you ever need them,
allowing them to grow authority and respect in the mind
of your target audience. Think back to Priming on page
58 where we first introduced this concept.
146 147

Scarcity Summary
If there is limited supply of something, its value
increases.
Supply and demand is a well-known concept. If there is a The lack of supply does not necessarily need to be true, From all of the six universal principles of social influence, Further reading on the topic:
lot of a product, people assume they can get it any time but it will help you sell more. each concept on its own is quite subtle but used together
they want. If there is a perceived shortage, or an offer is they can be very effective. • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B
limited time only, the perceived value increases as it is How many times do you see ‘last few tickets remaining’? Cialdini.
less readily available. This is a salesman or marketer trying to use scarcity, but Think of them as each making a small but meaningful
the phrase ‘last few remaining’ has lost its effect we you improvement on each stage of your sales process. • How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale
People want it and they can’t have it. know it is probably not true, but used well scarcity is a Carnegie.
valuable tool. Say the same thing but without the obvious If you had small improvement in response to your
For sales people, if you find yourself in a situation where catchphrases and use ‘because’ from page 166. You will marketing campaign, then a further improvement in • Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by
you are trying to get a customer to place an order before see a big jump in sales performance. response to sales approach, then similar improvement Noah Goldstein.
the end of a quarter or before a deadline, if the customer on acceptance of meetings, and finally a further
thinks you are down to your last two products and he/ Growth Action: Could you make your product or service improvement on sales closing, this will have a compound • Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and
she might not be able to get what they want (when they limited in some way? effect creating a huge overall improvement in sales for Happiness by Richard H Thaler.
want it) they will be much more tempted to buy now. This your organisation.
is scarcity. If you are a freelancer, could you be fully booked. If you • Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
sell physical goods, could there be a possible block on
production coming up? If you sell a service, could you
launch an offer which runs out in 7 days? Think of all of
the ways you could use Scarcity. It is a valuable tool.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
148 149

The techniques we teach on this course aim to

Module 9
improve the conversion rate at every level of your
sales funnel.

Sales
Current Example Future
Example Sales Pipeline Conversion rate Conversion rate

Market Size: 1,000,000 people % (total people) % (total people)

approaches Awareness

Consideration
20% (200,000)

10% (100,000)
30% (300,000)

18% (180,000)

Intention 5% (50,000) 13% (130,000)

Purchase 3% (30,000) 9% (90,000)

In Module 7 on Marketing we began to tell the world Combined with the weekly classroom and Q&A sessions
about you. Module 9 this is the direct sales approach. The this will keep you on track and hold your hand throughout
aim of this section is to help funnel a list of prospective the process of growing sales within your business.
customers into becoming interested buyers. It is saying
hello and getting people to respond. As shown in the sales pipeline example on the right, the Better marketing
aim of this section is to improve your conversion rate After service will improve
at each level of your sales funnel. Our approach is the conversion rates at
Introduction to sales
accumulation of lots of small positive changes which Repeat Customer? every level.
together make a big difference. The figures shown are Better sales will help convert a higher
There are hundreds of books and training courses which
just examples of improving your conversion at every percentage of customers at each stage of
each tell you the best way to do something, especially in
stage. your sales pipeline. In the example we have
relation to sales.
shown a 3x increase in paying customers,
from 30,000 to 90,000.
From my own professional experience I took the Business to Business (B2B) or Business to Consumer
approach to find experts in each of the fields which I (B2C)
knew would play a major part in my career (particularly
sales, strategy, marketing and management) take the Within the sales modules there are certain topics which
information I thought was useful and abandon the rest. are predominately aimed at a Business to Business
(B2B), when one business is looking to sell to another
The reason for doing this is because every company is business. Often B2B is a longer sales process involving
different, every personality is different and every industry more stakeholders. Selling B2C is different.
is different. You need to find what works for you. That is
Type of Sale Who does this type of business sell to?
the approach we take on this course. To help you understand which sales techniques are
predominantly B2B or B2C, we have the icons (see right)
Giving hard and fast rules to follow often does not which you will see next to each topic. Other businesses. Resellers. Stockists. People in your supply
work in practise because the change required could be
Business to Business to Business (B2B) chain. Shops (who then sell your products). These are often
Business
uncomfortable or puts that person out of their comfort Many sales techniques will cover both areas. All of the larger orders with lower margin. Payment may come after 30-
zone so much that they abandon the process and do not topics are worth learning as many business have both 90 days after delivery of goods.
create behaviour change. a B2B and B2C function, for example, selling products
direct to customers via your website, but also in selling in
Instead, the approach we take with the Roadmap is bulk to a chain of retail stores. It is important for a sales Direct to the end customer. This could be via your own store
to target lots of small improvements which you can person to be able to sell to both and understand the Business to Consumer (B2C) or website. Quicker sales processes than B2B. Often small
implement today, if this fits with your personal style. differences between the two. Business to
Consumer quantities, but higher margin. Payment often upfront or before
delivery of goods.
150 151

What are we trying

How you probably sell now. How you should sell after you
finish this course.

to achieve? Business to
Business
Sales Marketing

•
Sales

Understand and set

goals
•
•
Marketing

Research the market.

Research the customer.
• Articulate your • Understand their pain
motivations, vision points.
and values • Understand your brand
The perfect sale • Put out the occasional
• Create Lead positioning.
Actions • Understand your
post promoting what you
competitors.
Open Close sell.
• Understand how to win in
• Advertise once or twice
the customers world.
Provide per year in a trade
Saying hello Completing publication.
• Build authority, trust
information the sale and awareness of
your product and your
• Say hello • Say hello company before you
reach out.
• Advertise regularly in
Sales can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. Implementing a whole new sales system is something • Ask questions
trade publications.
Within the diagram above this is the most basic potential that is impossible in a remote educational format as it • Qualify the buyer
sale possible. A sales person says hello, provides some misses the important element of listening to what has • Create generic content • Create tailored content
information, and the customer buys or walks away. If only worked before, before producing a solution. • Ask more questions that your target
about your business.
• Walk away if they customer is going to love,
it was that simple.
are not the right fit talk about and share.
As such the approach taken with the Roadmap is to
In reality you need to reach out, have them respond, share valuable information which will make you better
• Ask more questions
arrange a call, ask about their needs, present information, than you were yesterday, and with improved practise • Learn from the answers
allow them to ask questions, overcome or answer their and confidence, better still tomorrow. If you have any • Develop the in sales and report back
objections, then continue until you either close the deal questions please ask. problem in the to the rest of the team.
or they walk away. This is shown more accurately below. buyers mind
Within all three modules on sales we reference keeping (using High Value • Continuously build trust
Over the course of the three modules on sales we aim to sales simple and use the concept of a single straight line Technical Selling in the product, the
share information, tools and techniques to improve your to go from an “open” to a “close”. page 174) company and you.
success in every stage of your sales process, plus help
you understand how to properly manage a sales process. Within the Roadmap we take these concepts and
expanded on them, linking in more elements from other • Send across some • Send across more
As every business is different and every sales person is areas, showing how these can be used across all aspects information information • Learn from the answers
different, the approach taken is to provide techniques of growing a business. • Answer questions in sales and report back.
which can help, but it is up to you to implement them
• Follow up once or • Follow up
within your business or existing sales process.
twice consistently

• Listen
• Overcome
objections • Diagnose what worked
The realistic sale
• Evaluate
• Ask for the sale • Iterate and improve
Qualify the Book a Answer Overcome Overcome more • Listen (Repeat)
prospect meeting questions objections objections
Close Sale • Overcome
objections
Open or • Ask for the sale
Walk Away (Repeat)
Saying hello Sending Some form Follow up Try and Try and
across some of sales again close the close the
information presentation sale sale
Success or Failure Success or Failure
 150 151

Inbound sales and Business to

Most of the money in
software is often made
e-commerce sales
Business
in lifetime value of the
customer & ongoing
(SaaS methodology) Business to
Consumer
monthly revenues!
(not on the first sale)
In the age of the internet we have an educated consumer
who often already knows the problem they face and, in
many cases, the solution they need before even getting People often don’t realise
in touch with you. that most of the money will
actually be made after the
Due to this our approach to the complete life cycle first sale through keeping
process of selling needs to change to also consider the the customers you do have
life of the customer after purchase. and upselling them on new
products and services.

GOALS FOR SAAS

SALES

1) Retain the customer

for as long as possible

2) Grow the number of

Part 1/2: The traditional sales pipeline Part 2/2: After the initial sale users

3) Increase advocacy
Qualify the Book a Answer Overcome Overcome more Using the Ensure correct use of
& love for the product
Cross-sell other
prospect meeting questions objections objections product products and features services
Close First 4) Increase ongoing
Open On-boarding Repeat
Sale monthly revenues
Saying hello Sending Some form Follow up Try and Try and First use of Product Achieve Up-sell other
across some of sales again close the close the the product roll-out to impact & services 5) Request
information presentation sale sale new users stated client
benefit
recommendations or
referrals

Cross-selling is trying to highlight Up-selling is being able to offer more 6) Maximise lifetime
(and sell) other complementary (potentially higher value) services
product or services from your to the customer from within their value of each
company to existing customers. existing purchase. customer!
152 153

Sales prospecting Business to

Business
Planning your calls
What is it? Use referrals: 1. Before picking up the phone: 2. Getting past the Gate Keeper:

Sales prospecting is any activity in which you approach • Ask for referrals from friends or your network • Have you done your homework on the • Say hello and make your introduction.
someone with the hope of achieving some form of contacts who know the person you are targeting. company? Do you know what their pain points
business opportunity for your organisation. It is saying • The most valuable approach techniques are, in are? Do you know who you’re targeting? • Prepare for the objection that “They’re in a
hello and building a relationship. order of success, 1) internal referrals, from within meeting / not available / on another call / out
• Have you raised your personal brand so that of the office”
the company you’re targeting, 2) external referrals
the client might know who you are, hopefully
from someone external they trust, 3) an email or
already liking or respecting you? • Ask if you can leave a message.
Where to focus: LinkedIn approach followed by a phone call, 4) a
• Aim as high as possible in an organisation. MD / face to face first contact from a networking event, • Have you planned your call? (Use this list). • Also ask for the decision makers name /
CEO, or at the right level for your product. then finally 5) a direct cold approach. This proves phone number / email (so you can go directly
• See if you can get a referral, ideally from someone why it is important to build business relationships, to them next time).
you know internally in the company who can they can help with the two most valuable ways of
introduce you. contacting people.
• Be flexible and creative in your approach. Use video
• Create an impact and be memorable to the
recipient
Where most people go wrong: 3. Make a good first impression: 4. Ask questions:
• Remember Authentic, Unique and Relevant (page • Lack of knowledge about the client
48) • Lack of knowledge about your own products • Come across as being sharp and intelligent [14] • Ask lots of questions to find out as much
information as you can about the customer.
• Lack of knowledge about competitors
• Be enthusiastic about the product or service [14]
• The client feels forgotten or ignored
How: • Discover as much as you can about their
• The sales style is too aggressive • Demonstrate your knowledge of the buyer’s current pain points, current suppliers and
• Phone, email, Twitter, LinkedIn, networking, letter, • Lack of industry knowledge
drop in, something original (?) it’s up to you. pain points. how this impacts their life.
• Lack of understanding of the real pain points
• For frequency, try 5 polite phone calls over 5 weeks, • Too much contact. The client feels harassed. • Be seen as an Authority and Expert on the • Use this to also qualify the buyer and see if
supported by 2-3 courteous emails. • Sales approach not relevant. subject [14] they’re suitable.
• Interact with them on social media. Continue this as • They try once then give up.
long as they remain a potential customer. • See High Value Technical Selling - page 174.

Getting past Gate Keepers:

Remember:
• Ask for the contact using their first name. Be
• Be respectful in your approach. Be patient. friendly and informal in your approach.
• Add value to the client. Spend time understanding • Speak with confidence. 5. Prepare to overcome objections: 6. Next Steps:
them. • Treat the Gate Keeper with respect. Befriend them
• Follow up consistently. 80% of sales require more if you can. • Prepare in advance all of the common • Never leave a meeting or end a call without
than 5 contacts. • Ask for the contacts email or mobile. Can you go objections you get during a sale (page 180). agreeing next steps.
• People buy from people, so get your personal brand directly to them? Make a list. Also prepare your responses to
across. Plus learn about them. • Ask to leave a message to say you called, or leave a each of these. • Recap on the agreed next actions.
• Build awareness of who you are, your visions voice mail.
and values BEFORE you get in touch using the • Genuinely listen to the clients point. Show • Put the next meeting in the diary before you
• Call after hours when you may get straight through
techniques from this course. that you understand their concern. leave.
to the contact if the gate keeper has gone home.
• Send something through the post directly to the
• Acknowledge that you understand their pain, • Deliver everything you said you would when
target. Ask for permission to call them or even for then share how this problem can be solved. you said you would. Follow up.
them to give you a call.

For B2C it is more likely that customers will find you via your website, social media or retail stores and
Business to get in touch with you. It is less common that you would pick up the phone and cold call customers to try [14]
Referencing concepts from Jordan Belfort “Way of the Wolf: Straight line selling: Master the art of persuasion, influence, and success” (2017)
Consumer and achieve a meeting or sale (without their permission). This is why it is especially important for B2C
businesses to focus on your brand, marketing and online customer experience to be successful.
154 155

Sales qualifying Business to

Business
Use these questions to
guide your sales meetings

How can you know if a prospect is likely or able to buy your 7. Ask how does the budget sign off process work? 13. What does success look like to you? Get an answer 17. Do you agree that the next step is X by Y date?
product? How do you know if your product or service is in both in terms of qualitative and quantitative When would be a good time around that date to
right for them? The answer is the need to qualify your This question can uncover additional financial decision results. schedule a call or meeting?
buyers. This is an important part of the sales process. makers that need to be brought into the process. Do this
sooner rather than later and build in their priorities into Whether a prospect becomes a happy customer depends Every sales interaction should end with a next step tied
Growth Action: As part of your sales process ask the the process. on their expectations. If their definition of success does to a date. If the buyer is genuinely committed to moving
following questions. You don’t need to ask them all, but not line up with what your can provide, it might be time to forward, they will not have any trouble agreeing to a
use them as a tool to help you understand the customer: 8. What are you currently spending on this issue? disqualify them before you do business together. Getting second meeting or call.
the clients expectations in writing will help you later if
1. What is the problem you are looking to fix? If the prospect already has a competitive solution in place you have a meeting to evaluate performance, enabling Qualifying questions are a crucial part of your sales
the salesperson can get a benchmark of how much they you to demonstrate that you achieved the goals you set process. These help you discern whether you can help
2. What is prompting you to do something about it are used to spending and if this is attractive business to together. your prospect, and if continuing the product or service
now? try and win. discovery is a smart use of your time.
14. What does solving this problem mean to you /
3. What has prevented you from trying to solve the 9. How would the decision process work with an the business? What do you stand to gain if the issue Growth Action: Craft a set of qualifying questions for
problem until now? offering like this? What would be your role in that was solved? What do you stand to lose if it goes your business or use these from this page.
process? What is the role of others on the team? unresolved?
The three questions above are valuable in discovering The results will be well worth the effort both in the service
a lot about the client’s business, but also in achieving This is a much better question than simply ‘Are you the An internal champion is more effective at corralling the you are able to provide to clients through understanding
market intelligence over how your offering stacks up decision maker’, to which many people would say yes, buying committee around a particular product or service their situation better, but also in being able to learn and
against your competitors. even if they’re not. than any salesperson. The more important the solution is improve your own sales process.
for a member of the client team, the more likely they are
4. Have you tried to solve this problem in the past? If Understand the dynamics of the buying committee and to be a helpful advocate. Growth Action: Always report back your findings within
so, why did that solution not work? who has authority over any spend is important. your team to learn and improve, plus this will help your
15. Based on what you have seen so far, do you company marketing improve as you can continue to craft
It is always good to know whether they have a solution 10. Has your company ever used a product like this think our offering could be a viable solution for your your message to demonstrate your understanding of
in place already - and what they like/dislike about it. Not before? If so, what happened? problem? the end consumer’s needs. This is an important step in
only is this helpful to your sales strategy, but it is great becoming world class from page 94.
intelligence gathering on your competitors. The best way to build a trusted relationship is to make This question is useful on two fronts. It helps uncover
sure you don’t repeat history. Compare your buyer’s potential objections early, allowing you to prepare your TOP TIP: If anyone ever asks you “sell me this pen”,
5. What happens if you do nothing about the expectations to what you are offering. solution and react accordingly before it derails you later they’re really asking you to qualify them as a buyer. Ask:
problem? on. Referencing Commitment and Consistency from How long have you been in the market for a pen? What
11. What hurdles do you see which could crop up and page 142, questions like this achieve mini commitments features are important to you in a pen? With your current
If the answer is “not much” the prospect does not have derail the project? (Both before and after it starts) throughout the buying process which lay the groundwork pen, what doesn’t work as well as you’d like? Qualify the
a pressing need. At this point, the salesperson should for the ultimate agreement at the end. buyer first before you share any benefit.
either disqualify the lead, or explain to them the real Too many potential potholes might not make the deal
impact if the problem goes unsolved. If the problem is worth pursuing. This could also be personalities within 16. When do you need a solution in place by? Send questions to [email protected]
large they are much more likely to buy. the client’s team which may affect you.
If there is a firm date the problem needs to be in place by,
6. Do you have a budget allocated for this project? 12. What other solutions are you evaluating? Who the salesperson can work this into his expected pipeline.
else are you speaking to?
This is an important item to ask early on. If your product
typically costs £5000 but the client only has a budget of It is always important to know who you are up against. It
£500, this is a red flag. Make sure you qualify on budget. could also occur that the client has decided to go with
This is a useful guide price and the prospect’s ability to someone else and they are just bench marking you to get For B2C there is a good chance the customer is already sold on your product or service before
pay are within the same ballpark that it is a sales process a cheaper price from their chosen supplier with no real they get in touch, or they are calling to compare you to other options. Repeat a similar process to
worth pursuing. intention to buy. If you feel you are being used in this way, Business to the above but focus on asking questions of what features of the product are most important to the
walk away. Consumer customer and what they have tried before, before offering your solution. You do not have to ask all
of the sales qualifying questions, but use your judgement to understand the customers desires and
what they want to achieve from the purchase of the product, before recommending what is right
for them.
156 157

Key concepts to improve your sales success

The first rule of sales? Ask! Business to

Business Use a best case / worst case payoff
Growth Action: If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Always ask One technique to improve your sales approaches is to In any sales approach you want any positive benefits from
for the sale. Ask for what you want! Seems simple doesn’t it, Being honest, how do you normally approach sales? imply “What’s the worst that can happen?” from them the client taking your call to greatly outweigh any negatives
but when was the last time you actually asked for the sale? Do you say hello, provide some information and taking your call? of taking up any of their time.
then hope it leads to something if you keep talking?
Ask if someone would like to do business with you? Have “Best case I solve a major problem for you. Worst case I Growth Action: Use this as a reference when you are
we got a deal? At the appropriate time, try this one simple trick, take up 10 minutes of your time but at the end of the call making any sales calls, even if it is an implied message to
ask for the sale. “Have we got a deal?” you will have more options to choose from and we can part clients to weigh up the reason for them to speak to you on
Always remember this most basic of steps! ways.” any call.

Character traits of great sales people Selling features, benefits and value
In any sales approach you want: When you sell a feature, you describe an element of your Growth Action: Review how you promote your products
Be honest, do you enjoy cold calling clients? Probably product offering in the hope that the customer will be and services. Review if you are selling benefits, features
• To come across as being extremely sharp and intelligent #. not. If you have a product you truly believe in you impressed. Example: “Our MP3 music player has 1Gb of or value? If you are only pointing out the features of the
• Be enthusiastic about the product or service #. storage” service, consider updating your approach.
should be happy to share its benefits and get your
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the buyer’s pain points.
• Be seen as an Authority and Expert on the subject #. personality across in the process. When you sell a benefit, you are instead of describing how Growth Action: It is ok to promote benefits, value and
• Give the reasons to buy. the technical feature improves the customer’s life. features - this would actually be encouraged. Just do not fall
• You also have approximately 5 seconds to make a positive Think about how do you make these calls? Are you into the trap of only talking about the functional elements of
first impression. sat down? Example: “Our MP3 player can allowing you to listen to your your product. This is the lowest level of the Emotional Value
entire music library in your pocket.” The above is a classic Pyramid (page 124).
Growth Action: A very simple but effective technique example from when Apple launched the iPod.
which helps all of these is simply to stand up when you When communicating you want to put yourself in Selling value is selling at a higher level again. It just takes
make your phone calls. The physical motion in your body the best possible state for success as you make Selling benefits is more effective than selling features. some thought and planning to fully understand what it is
will translate to more energy on the call, and your gestures your first impression and the ability to walk around you are providing then communicating this to the customer.
will translate well into your tone of voice when you ask (perhaps using a headset) is great trick which helps. Selling value is the next stage on again. This is covered on
questions. the next page.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
158 159

Key concepts to improve your sales success

“I have something I would like to share” Prepare for “so what?”

A brilliant piece of advice for when you contact a prospective On the internet, this is the same theory behind click bait. “So you sell {insert your product or service}, so what?” Growth Action: Review your sales pitch or elevator pitch,
customer is keep it short and simple, but never reveal your Advertisers give an attention grabbing headline or image to then ask yourself so what? Learning to get past these
best offer or the full reason for calling straight away. You get you to click through to find out more. In both cases it is No matter what you sell, always ask yourself this question to objections will make huge strides in your sales approaches.
want to get the client interested. incredibly effective as it sparks human curiosity. prepare for any sales objections.
You can also use this in your marketing and personal and
Say that “you have something you would like to share”, Growth Action: Next time you are trying to get a meeting “You sell laptop computers, so what? Why should I speak to professional branding too. So you’re a Chef, so what, why
or “something that they might find special”. Your aim is with someone, try saying: you? I can buy them anywhere.” should I hire you? Answer these objections up front before
to spark their interest and move the customer along to you even get in touch.
the next stage of your buying process in having a further “Hi {insert name}, I work with over 500 companies in your You can insert any business, product or topic into
conversation where you can ask questions to discover industry and I have something I would like to share which this question and it still works to help craft your sales Growth Action: If you ever get a phone call from someone
more of their needs. has been really successful. Can I tell you about it?” approaches. trying to sell to you, be cheeky and ask them “so what” and
see if it throws them off their stride. If they genuinely don’t
Think back to Scarcity from page 146. This is scarcity of Here we are aiming to: Being able to answer this question will help you identify skip a beat they might be worth talking to.
information. • Come across as being sharp and intelligent [14] your niche and also what makes you special. Knowing the
• Be enthusiastic about the product or service [14] genuine answer to this question will do great things to your Growth Action: Prepare your sales team for challenges
If you tell the client your best offer straight away you could • Be seen as an Authority and Expert on the subject [14] success. and objections. It will make them better in all aspects of
get an immediate no. If you get them interested, this will • Use social proof (stating the people you work with) their business. Potentially do role-play in the office as a
buy you more time to qualify the sale and find out more • Get them interested by not telling them your best offer team session. Get the team use to being challenged and
about your customer’s wants and needs before you share up front. overcoming objections.
everything you have.
You achieve this within about 5 seconds of talking. The
same is possible with LinkedIn approaches. It works.

Selling Value
What are the most common objections you receive when making sales approaches? List your top five.

When you sell value, start with the business goal that the If you are a lawyer your hourly rate may be £200 per hour
customer would like to achieve then tie that to a specific but for a 2 hour contract review (costing £400) this may
benefit generated by a feature or service from your product save you £10m in a commercial contract dispute. Sell the
or service. value you sell, not just the product or service.

The value that you are selling is not the volume of product Growth Action: Review what it is you actually sell (or for
for the price, but the overall impact of the purchase. This is your career, the value you bring). For a consultant your fee
Now list your responses to how you would answer each of these objections. Having these written down, you can use
incredibly important because it is often the key to selling may be £1,000 per day, but if you can increase someone’s
B2B (business to business). company profits 5x from 20 days’ work, your actual cost is this as a note to reference to when you call clients.
negligible when working with a multi £million business.
For example; you may sell a protective casing for a subsea
power cable. Although the product itself may cost $20,000, Sell the value you sell, not just the product or service.
it may prevent an outage in a $1Bn wind farm which would
cost $2m to fix. The value the product provides is far
greater than the unit cost. This is an example of selling value.

[14]
Referencing concepts from Jordan Belfort “Way of the Wolf: Straight line selling: Master the art of persuasion, influence, and success” (2017)
160 161

Key concepts to improve your sales success

Don’t be afraid of “no” Business to

Consumer
Business to
Business Face to face meetings Business to
Business

When you make your sales approaches, what is the worst As you’re ending your call or meeting, try “Thanks for letting Creating and maintaining personal connections is one of Growth Action: Review your diary and book in at least one
thing that can happen? They say no? No problem, they just us know you’re not ready to buy at the moment, but before the most valuable things you will do in your career. Having face-to-face client meeting a week, if you can. At a minimum
might not be ready to buy yet. Only 3% of customers are I go, have you heard about the merger between X & Y that a good network is one of the single biggest factors in the go out and see your clients once every six months and make
ready to buy at any one moment. Don’t be afraid of no. could create some real opportunities for you. Did you see success of many businesses or careers. Nurture it. them feel special. If you don’t they might leave you in favour
the press release? If not let me send it to you.” of someone else.
Still look to add value even if you get a no. As covered in Module 12 The Social Side of Business, the
Never share any information which is not in the public importance of going to see people is to ensure the person Growth Action: Treat your client meetings as you would a
If you do your job properly, even if the client says no during domain, but even if the client may not be ready to buy your behind your personal and professional brand comes sales Lead Action. Pro-actively plan in your diary to go and
the call, you should try and add value from the interaction. If product now, through giving value the client is going to through! see people and develop strong personal relationships.
you have pitched yourself in the right way, at the very least remember you and probably want to do business with you
you are offering them some new options to help them make in the future. Although we live much of our lives online now days, nothing Growth Action: For your career, having a strong network
a decision if they ever need it. Once they have the options, beats face to face interactions and meetings. This is simply a is what makes the difference between the top 1% and
stay at the table for when they are ready to make a decision. reminder to have this as an important part of your strategy. everyone else. There will always be other people with the
Meet people in person. Build relationships. Listen. Learn. same technical skills as you, but if you know every major
React. customer or key people within your industry, companies
will pay handsomely for this, helping you achieve your goals.

Make your buying process Business to

Consumer
Business to
Business
Map out your customers Business to
Business

as simple as possible
In both Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Offer support, offer any information they might need, and Growth Action: On Google Maps did you know you can This provides an informal way to approach people and get
Consumer (B2C) transactions, you want to be as easy to do provide tools such as FAQ (frequently asked questions) or a use the custom map function and drop pin function to plot more value from a business trip, whilst also maintaining
business with as possible. chat support feature or customer service. the location of your customers on a map? Once set up it personal relationships with key clients.
takes around 10 seconds to add each customer.
It is important to build trust with the customer so that they There is a high chance that customers will visit your store The client is much less likely to say no as they believe you
choose to do business with you and not somebody else. many times before making a purchase, so stay friendly and This shows you where your business is strong (with good are not making a special trip to see them and hence there
helpful and more customers will choose you. client coverage in that area) and equally where there may is less commitment (fear of reciprocation) meaning you are
If you give a good experience, customers could recommend be opportunity to discover new clients in areas you don’t also more likely to get the meeting.
you to other people and become a great advocate for the Also look to implement simple and clear call to actions currently have a presence.
business. or one-click purchase options. Reduce complexity in the You can even pretend you’re actually on your way
number of products you offer too, so not to confuse clients. This is also useful if you travel for business development. somewhere passing potential clients and see your success
To achieve this it is important to make the process of Being able to see at a glance every customer in that city rate on client meetings soar using this same technique.
buying from you (or finding out the information they need) Being easier to buy from can be a genuine competitive means you can get in touch in advance and say “Hey I’m
is as simple as possible. advantage in business. Review your customer buying passing by your office next Tuesday, do you mind if I call in?” Growth Action: If you want to map out your customers, a
journeys to see if you can improve or simplify the process. full instructional video on how to do this is available on the
Roadmap MBA YouTube channel.
162 163

Key concepts to improve your sales success

There are no bad prospects, just Never try and convince someone
people you haven’t qualified yet to work together
Prospects often do or say things which are not what you If it turns out that someone has let you down or changed If you have good marketing and product information online Begging for the sale only reduces the premium of your
want to hear as a sales person. Examples include: “I am the their mind, just move on. If your process does take a long the client should already be sold before you even pick up product in the clients eyes and lowers your margin. If they
decision maker” (when they’re not), “I want to buy” (when time and you need to invest a lot of time in a relationship, the phone. have a bad experience with the competitor they will come
they don’t), “I am not going to waste your time” (when they the more important it is to qualify the lead at the start of to you next time.
do). the process. Throughout the early part of the sales process, learn their
pain points and listen to the client needs, but if at the end Growth Action: Make sure your marketing and promotion
The point is that sales prospects do not have to tell you the Growth Action: Qualify your sales leads early. Even if of the process they are not convinced or they want to work is as good as it can be so that the client is already sold on
truth. It is the role of the sales person to qualify their leads they’re not ready to buy now, stay in touch. If they are not a with someone else, let them go. the product before they even get in touch.
and develop the pipeline of potential buyers. genuine potential lead, don’t waste time on them and move
onto someone else. Growth Action: Create the WOW factor location as
described on page 134.

Tell prospects the main reasons people Be honest with clients if you have
commonly are not able to work with you something on your mind
When looking to convert new customers it is better to get Through getting these potential pitfalls out early, this If in the process of developing your client relationships, if In many cases this may swing the client back to you and get
potential problems or pitfalls out in the open near the start actually builds trust with the buyer as you have highlighted your gut feeling is telling you that the client wants to: you the result you want. A major part of this will be your
of the relationship about why customers in the past have things to him / her which were probably already at the back candidness as part of the process, but if done well this will
not been able to move forward. Examples could include: of their mind. Commonly the buyer will start to give you • Squeeze you on price only make your relationship stronger with the buyer and
reasons why these objections won’t be a problem. • Go with someone else they will feel like they can work with you.
• It will cost in the region of £X to solve your problem. • They have already decided they want to work with you but
Growth Action: Be open and honest at the start of your haven’t figured out how or what that could look like yet Growth Action: Say what you feel and don’t be afraid to
• It will require a significant effort on your behalf so without relationship and talk about the biggest reasons why people ask for what you want.
both sides being able to commit it may be difficult to achieve are commonly not able to work with you. This will actually In a polite but charming way, tell the client what is on your
the outcome you want. get you to the sale quicker and build trust, or it removes the mind and you will get a surprisingly candid answer. Send any questions to [email protected]
chance of wasting anyone’s time when there is no chance
• Some of your team will not like the change we want to of them buying and therefore provides a great tool in
make and may rebel against the process. Are you on board qualifying your buyers.
to see this through?

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
164 165

Key concepts to improve your sales success

Get a commitment early Always ask how much time they have?
When making your sales calls always tell the buyer that at Getting the commitment on the follow up at the start of the At the start of a call or meeting always ask how much time Growth Action: Ask how much time clients have (and
any point they are free to withdraw or say no and you will meeting will convert more meetings to the next stage of they have. If you think you have an hour, but in practise you stick to it). Even something as small as agreeing that you
walk away. This makes them feel comfortable right from the your sales pipeline. only have 15 minutes, you might never get past the small have 10 minutes and ending the call after 10 minutes will
start. You should also tell them that if at any point you don’t talk. Also if the buyer is busy this will win you more respect build trust that you are someone who does what they say.
think you can help them, you will also say no. Growth Action: Getting commitment at the start of the for not wasting their time. This will reflect positively on your product or service and
meeting that if neither party says no you will set up a future get you closer to the sale.
Crucially ask and get agreement that if neither of you says date and keep exploring the offering.
no during the meeting, you will set aside a few minutes at
the end to set up next steps.

Never have a meeting for the sake of Have a confident mindset

having a meeting
Most salespeople are social animals. We like to meet Growth Action: Always have a plan for a meeting. Never In sales most sales people feel the buyer has control of the Within the module on Sales Closing, we talk about getting
new people and we all like to be liked, but unless you are call in without an agenda of what you want to achieve. process, and when talking to them it is often “would it be the client to a 100% in terms of how much they like and
progressing a sales pipeline, you are wasting your own time Dropping in on a client is fine, but always know what you ok if….”, “would you mind if I…” which is submissive language. trust you, how much they love and trust the company, and
but you’re also wasting the time of the client. want to achieve, even if to them it looks casual. how much they love and trust the product.
If the client really does have a problem which you can solve,
If the CEO of a client sees you in her office all the time having if the problem is as big as it could be and they understand Growth Action: Understand the value you bring to clients
a nice chat but not producing an output, after a while they this, the client should feel happy you are there talking to and have a confident mindset to how you are looking to
will question your professionalism and if you are helping or them and that you can make their life better. solve their problem. Think of yourself as more of a problem
hindering their company. solver than a salesperson. Have belief in the value you are
bringing.

Invite clients to share their story Less confident.

Less likely to buy.
Client Confidence More confident.
More likely to buy.

A great way to build relationships with clients is to offer Throughout the interview you can achieve a quality
something they value. conversation, celebrating the other person and demonstrate Client’s opinion on you.

For most business owners and executives this includes

similar interests. This is perfect for relationship building
with someone who could be important to your journey. This 0% 100%
prestige and recognition, the chance to talk about their is also the perfect business development tool, which you
passions, the chance to share their story, the chance for can use as an excuse to get in touch! Client’s opinion on your product.
them to share advice and knowledge.
Growth Action: Not have a podcast? Create one! There Hate. Love.
Growth Action: Podcasts are a great way to create a are hundreds of instructional videos on YouTube and within
No trust. Trust.
niche and build your personal brand, directly helping you one hour you could be set up and ready to start inviting Client’s opinion on your company.
achieve your aims and goals. guests. Do it. It is business development gold!
166 167

Key concepts to improve your sales success

“Because” is one of the most valuable Use video for sales approaches Business to
Business

things you can say

Academic studies have proven that the use of the word The variable in the study was because… “Do you mind if I Remember communicating emotion is only 7% the words Growth Action: For your sales approaches try recording
“because” after making a statement either for selling your jump in front of you, because… my wife is in hospital / I have we choose, 38% tone of voice and 55% body language. Non personalised video messages to your clients. It costs nothing
product, service, or yourself, will do great things when a parking ticket about to run out / I only have a few items” verbal signals are a huge part of communication. but is a really nice touch and shows you have made an effort.
trying to convince people on the action you wish to them etc and a much higher percentage of subjects were allowed Don’t feel it has to be perfect. Small mistakes just show that
to take. to cut the line. Video allows you to get across your personality in a way that is you’re human and makes you more believable.
not possible with words alone. Video allows the person to see
“I would love to share this idea with you. I think it will You may say this is due to the importance of the justification, if you are genuine and ‘look you in the eye’, even if remotely. If you have a smart phone you have no excuse not to do video.
revolutionise your business, because...” but in the study it almost made no difference what they
“ I really think you should buy this product, because...” said, all resulted in a very similar result and a much higher
“I believe you should hire me, because” success rate than not giving a reason!

Studies have also shown that the reason you give is actually
less important than simply asking. A famous study on this
Growth Action: In business or career always justify your
statements. Simply getting your sales teams to use the Make lots of small improvements
topic used a controlled test at a supermarket. They did a word because to back up the statements they make will
full study on requesting to push in front of people in the increase their success rate.
checkout queue, with the measured outcome being the
number of times they were allowed to cut in front. It went Growth Action: All of the items within the Roadmap will The graphic below shows the impact of gradual 1%
something like this: “Do you mind if I jump in front of you?” make a real difference to your business or career, however improvements. This technique was used by the British
This approach often came with a very direct “Yes I do mind.” they might each only make a small improvement. Olympic Cycling Team who won a huge number of Olympic
medals over a 10 year period. When asked what caused such
If each technique was to give you a 1-5% improvement, a huge impact, it was no single change, but large number of
although this does not sound much, the small benefits soon small changes. We are looking to do the same.
add up when used together.

Remember to use the six universal

principles of social influence Continuous 1% improvement

Growth Action: Earlier in the Roadmap we covered the six Do you remember the six principles? Reciprocation,
Starting
Point Time
universal principles of social influence from Robert Cialdini. Commitment and Consistency, Social Proof, Liking, Authority
Now is your chance to use them. and Scarcity.

Create your draft e-mail or sales scripts and see which of the If you want tips on how to apply them, send your questions
to [email protected]
Continuous 1% decline
techniques are most appropriate and add these concepts to
your Sales Approaches.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
168 169

Module 10
Sales In Module 9 we helped you to review your sales process, These techniques can be used for any interaction with

presentations
sales prospecting and sales qualifying. We also shared a customer or any face to face interaction with anyone,
techniques to increase responses rate on your sales including online.
approaches.
This section is also worth reviewing if you ever find
In Module 10 we now add sales presentation to help you yourself lacking confidence in high pressure situations.

and business
better communicate your vision in person. The techniques described will help you find the confidence
to present better.

meetings Where
you are
now.
Nailing that client presentation or
meeting.
Achieving
your aims
and goals.
Building long term relationships within
your network.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
170 171

Rapport
Mirroring Never under dress
Body language &
Facial Expressions Similar to rapport and mirroring, where possible mirror
the other person in your appearance too. As humans we
inherently like people who are similar to ourselves. In a
business environment this is especially useful.
In practise this is not always possible, but if you enter a
meeting in a suit and see everyone else is more relaxed,
take your jacket off and roll your sleeves up. All of these
things add up and will also help the other person feel
more comfortable around you and helps you fit into the
Think back to Appearance from the A.B.C.D model, page group.
50.
Building relationships is extremely important in life, not Match the strength of their handshake. Match their Growth Action: Never under dress. It is easy to be too
just business. The techniques discussed in this section posture, facial expressions, tempo and tone of voice. Nod Growth Action: Learn in advance what the dress code is smart for an occasion, but you can take your jacket off
come from a range of sources on human interaction. your head in conversation if they do. The other person in your client’s office. Do they wear formal business wear, and it is rare this will lead to any negative impressions.
Much of this will come naturally, but it always helps to won’t be able to tell why they like you, but they will. such as a full suit and tie, or do they wear a t-shirt and If you turn up in a t-shirt to a meeting with 20 people in
know what to look for. Experts such as Tony Robbins [16] often speak on how well jeans. Where possible mirror the other person in your formal business attire, your first impression may take a
mirroring works. appearance and dress. hit. If in doubt play it safe.
Rapport and mirroring is building relationships where you
aim to be in sync with the other party. Through matching As humans we like people who are similar to ourselves
their body language, tone of voice, excitement levels and and this is a great way to build relationships when we
even volume, can help build stronger relationships with meet someone for the first time.
people.
This approach also works in reverse. If the client you are
When you have strong rapport you finish each other’s speaking to is very quiet and subdued, if your approach is

Clarify the goal

sentences and you believe you have found someone super high energy, there is a good chance they are going
who aligns to your vision, values and approach on life. to dislike you and think you’re hard work. Business to
Achieving this is no accident and can be achieved through Business
body language and how you communicate. Matching and mirroring the person you are with reduces
this risk, allowing you to find out more about the person
Growth Action: When in conversation, if the other and build rapport.
persons energy is high, increase your energy. If their
energy is low, do the same. If the other person talks with Reading body language also extends to facial expressions.
their hands, you do it too. In any client sales presentation or business meeting, at Growth Action: Ask this early on in the meeting after
the start always clarify the direction all parties wish to go the introductions so that all parties know and agree
In her superb book, “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding
and what the desired outcome is. This will lead to much where you are heading, you will get there much faster.
with People” [17] Vanessa Van Edwards reveals how to
more productive meetings.
read peoples facial micro expressions to reveal if they
are being genuine or not. To be a great communicator we Growth Action: Also remember to use the sales
Getting this early agreement will help everyone in the qualifying questions from page 154 to guide you as you
need to be able to read and react to our audience based
meeting focus on achieving the outcome and this gives look to progress through your sales process.
on how they like to communicate, in order to give us the
confidence in your credentials as a business person on
greatest chance of success.
being very organised and professional.

These techniques may be difficult to

pick up from words alone. Use the
videos at www.RoadmapMBA.com
and Q&A function to ask questions.

[16] Tony Robbins ( Awaken The Giant Within How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental Emotional Physical and Financial Life, 2001 (ASIN : B08X2TCB9K)
[17] Vanessa Van Edwards, Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, 2018 (ISBN-10 : 024130993X)
172 173

Stay in control of the People judge you on

conversation three things
Referencing a concept from Jordan Belfort’s Straight
Line Sales System [14], it is important to control the Has this ever happened to you? You have gone into a
1. How you look.
direction and flow of conversations in phone calls, sales
presentations and business meetings.
meeting with a client and the conversation has gone
on for far too long off topic? This point is a polite
2. How clearly you communicate.
If a sales person or client starts to talk about things which
reminder to keep your sales conversations on track. 3. Your ability to emotionally connect with them.
are off topic for the aim of the meeting, perhaps talking The more efficient you can keep your sales process
about their weekend or future holiday plans, politely and the more productive you can make your calls
bring them back to the main topic of the meeting at the or meetings, the quicker you will be able to close Rightly or wrongly people judge everything about you in Growth Action: Have you made the other person feel
first appropriate point in order to achieve your goal. clients. The quicker you can close clients, the more seconds. When you meet someone new they will judge special? Have you listened to them? Have you mirrored
successful your business will be. you on how you look, how clearly you communicate and their actions and behaviours? Leave a lasting impression
Imagine you are steering a ship. If you wander too far off how you make them feel. so if you ever pick up the phone they know who you are.
course you will hit the rocks.
First impressions matter! Some people say this happens Growth Action: Was your body language appropriate
In business conversations the same is true. If you go too in just 5 seconds! for the meeting. Did you come across as confident?
far off topic for too long, it will be very difficult to recover.
When going into a meeting, or even meeting someone for Growth Action: After the meeting add the person on
You want your conversations to flow and feel natural, the first time, ask yourselves the following questions. LinkedIn.
but never lose sight of your target goal and use this to
achieve your goal quicker. Growth Action: Is your appearance suitable for the This allows you to gradually build your personal and
business situation you are in? Have you invested in professional brand with them over time and allows you
yourself? to stay on their radar without you having to do anything.
This continued awareness will help massively when
Growth Action: Have you prepared for the meeting? building your business relationships with lots of people.
Will you be able to come across knowledgeable on the
topic but also speak clearly and confidently?
Boundary of
conversation
Good meeting = Keeping the conversation on topic

Start Your goal

of the for the
meeting meeting

Boundary of
conversation
Lost control of the conversation. Did not achieve goal for the meeting. Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
174 175

High Value Business to

Business

Technical Selling
When selling a service or a high value piece of equipment, 2. Develop the conversation to uncover what problems 6. Get the customer to make clear statements of wants
especially those with multiple stakeholders or decision does the customer face? Is there anything they are not and desires which your service can meet. Ask “so what How does this approach differ from your usual
makers, this requires a different approach to sales. happy about within the business or from the service would a successful result look like for you?” This was also approach to selling?
provided by another provider? Do they have a pain point part of the sales qualifying questions, but is especially
More care and attention needs to be added in developing you don’t know about? Do you really understand their important in this process.
the customer’s needs and understanding of their pain pain points? If not keep asking questions. The biggest difference is probably in developing the
points BEFORE offering a potential solution. 7. By now you have developed the problem in the client’s size of the problem for the client and using this to
3. The answers to the problem questions will uncover mind, maximised the attractiveness of your solution maximise the attractiveness of your solution.
In his excellent book SPIN® Selling [18], Neil Rackham ‘implied needs’. The customer’s implied needs are the to solve their need, and done everything you can to
explores the concept and science behind high value customers existing problems which they would like demonstrate the size of the issue they face.
Watch the videos on RoadmapMBA.com or ask
technical selling described here on pages 174 - 175. solving. Write these down, this is useful for improving
your marketing. It is only now do you discuss the benefits, showing how questions in the live Q&A on how this can be
This book is well worth your time if you sell any form of your product or service meets the clients explicit needs used for you in your business. Send questions to
professional service, high value product, or simply wish 4. BEFORE jumping in with solutions, develop these and the use other techniques in this book such as Future [email protected]
to learn more on the topic. problems with the customer. Do this by asking more Pacing to get them to imagine what life with this solution
questions which build the full impact of not addressing is like.
As your solution is potentially expensive and therefore their stated problem.
has a higher barrier to purchase, these techniques are Presenting the solution too soon may mean the
aimed at maximising your persuasive argument before Does the focus it demands take you off other areas? client dismisses your solution early on without fully
you ever ask for a sale. Do this mean you are losing sales as you are focussed understanding the problem they have. This is the real
elsewhere? Does the lack of cash affect their growth value in high value technical selling.
The crux of high value technical selling is described below: plans?

1. When first meeting the client, on your discovery call ask Do this multiple times so that you really understand the
situation questions. Ask everything about the business problem but also so that the problem becomes clearer
as it currently is, how big is it, aims and ambitions, plans in the client’s mind. At this point you are future pacing
for the future etc. the client.

These allow you to set the scene for moving forward and 5. Ask ‘need payoff’ questions. Here we build the value
provide the context to the sale. or significance of the impact, so that when you do offer
a solution, the balance between cost of solution and
[18] Neil Rackham, SPIN®-Selling, 1995, ISBN-10 : 0566076896 mitigation of problem is as big as possible. You are
building the best possible reason to buy.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
176 177

Small things make Confidence

all the difference For anyone who lacks confidence, there are things you
can do.
Growth Action: Watch Amy’s excellent TED talk “Your
body language shapes who you are”. If you have ever been
lacking confidence in a public situation this could change
Over 50% of how we communicate emotion comes your life.
People don’t judge you on what you say, they judge you Using the example of hotels. In hotels we expect things from body language. Good knowledge of body language
on how you make them feel. In any conversation, phone to be functionally up to standard (based on the quality of is important for any human interaction. A greater Growth Action: Try this yourself. If you are ever feeling
call or meeting, make the other person feel special and hotel we book). Based on their star rating, hotel owners knowledge of this allows you to be more aware of how to nervous or you are about to present on stage, stand
give them your full attention. work hard to achieve a high quality experience for their act in certain situations. up, put your hands on your hips (in the Wonder Woman
guests, however every hotel will reach a point where pose), head up, shoulders back and take some deep
The memory of making someone feel good will last long investing more money in the room would only have a Professor Amy Cuddy’s research on body language [20] breaths. It works.
after the conversation has faded. This will also works in marginal improvement in customer satisfaction. reveals how we change other people’s perceptions based
the later section on management and leading a team. on how we use body language, but we can also change [20] Carney, Dana R.; Cuddy, Amy J. C.; Yap, Andy J. (October 2010). “Power
All businesses experience this. Your product or service the way we feel and our level of confidence based on Posing – Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk
Growth Action: The next time you have a key interaction, needs to be good enough, but it is a diminishing return something as simple as how we stand. Tolerance”. Psychological Science. 21 (10): 1363–1368.

don’t just go through the motions, make the other person if you focus only on improving the product to increase [21] Amy Cuddy, “Your body language shapes who you are”. TED Global 2012,
feel special. Care what they have to talk about. Actively customer satisfaction or enjoyment. https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_
you_are
listen. Build rapport and give them your full attention.
Instead you need to focus on things which relate to
Achieving incredible customer satisfaction! your core business but would be unexpected by the
customer.
What could you do to make your clients or team
feel special? What could delight them? What small In hotels this could be chocolates on the pillow, or a hand

Agree next steps

unexpected things would make their day? These are written note when you arrive wishing you a wonderful
called ‘delighters’ and are brilliant for building long term stay.
valued customer relationships.
A hand written note costs the hotel next to nothing, but

before you leave

When you provide something the client doesn’t creates delight in the user and makes them much more
expect (or even know they want) but they love, this likely to give you a 5 star review. Certainly much more Business to
creates massive brand value and enjoyment. than investing in a slightly better hair dryer or thicker Business
carpet. This is the concept of delighters and identifying
The Kano Model of Customer Satisfaction classifies things which makes the user feel special, and using this
product attributes based on how they are perceived by to create an experience people love.
customers and their effect on customer satisfaction.

The Kano Model [19] was created by Dr. Noriaki Kano in A simple but effective tip. Always agree next steps before
Think about your business. What could you do to you leave, then follow them through. If you use a notebook as part of your job, inside
1984, but brings the following priceless insight for small
show customers you care? There will be lots of
businesses. the front or back cover write out your basic sales
potential delighters which will boost customer You would be shocked how many sales leads fall through
satisfaction and increase recommendations or process and key questions you want to ask in every
The performance of your product will be judged on how due to lack of not agreeing next steps or not following up.
positive reviews, but cost you nothing. meeting, such as agreeing next steps. This can act
well it performs based on its function and if it does what
the customer expects. Growth Action: At the end of every meeting, always as a prompt and help you make significant gains in
Could you send your clients a birthday or ensure you have agreed next steps and follow up with this area.
anniversary card to show your care? Drop thank an e-mail to ensure all parties know what is expected of
Investing more and more in a technically better
you notes with your deliveries? Send a personal them and when.
product can result in diminishing returns for customer
congratulations messages to celebrate a recent
satisfaction, i.e. it gets harder and harder to make people
success or announcement? Growth Action: If you have a CRM (Customer
happy, no matter how hard you try.
Relationship Management) system, put the follow up
Whatever you decide, implementing delighters dates in your diary and track progress against all steps
To massively boost customer satisfaction, add in could make a huge difference to your business
unexpected delighters to your customers. of your sales cycle. It is important to know where your
and give you a competitive advantage over your weak points are and if your team have correctly followed
competition. up with customers.
[19] Kano, Noriaki; Nobuhiku Seraku; Fumio Takahashi; Shinichi Tsuji (April 1984).
“Attractive quality and must-be quality”. Journal of the Japanese Society for
Quality Control
178 179

Module 11
Sales closing
Improve your success rate through a better personal brand and good marketing.

1) If a potential client does not know who you are, they can 3) Sales closing is getting the client from their starting
not buy your product or service. Use your marketing to point to as close to 100% as possible before you ask for
build awareness and consideration before you reach out, the sale.
say hello, and start your sales process.
4) We want your starting point to be as high as possible
2) Good personal branding can take you to a 70% on the before you try and sell to customers.
trust scale, before you even get in touch.
There are similarities between all three modules on sales. Within this module the most important thing is getting:
You are essentially using the same skill set throughout but
now in Module 11 we are focussed on closing the deal. 1) The client love and trust your product.
2) The client love and trust you. We can improve your starting point
Throughout the Roadmap we have shared techniques which 3) The client love and trust your company. before you ever pick up the phone.
can improve your business or career. You already had the skill 4) Then we ask for the sale.
and knowledge to be an expert at what you do, but where we
looked to add value was to share some additional techniques Much of this will come down to your passion and skill as a
to help you take your skills to the next level. salesman however there are certain techniques to greatly Poor Good
improve your chances of success. Fail in any of the three
For reference, a ‘sales close’ is the final conversation or areas or neglect them in your promotion and this will affect
Personal Personal
phone call where you will try and close the deal, getting the your ability to close sales. Brand Brand
client to make the purchase.
This is also where all of the earlier parts of the Roadmap
Up until now you may have been sharing information and come into play. The promotion of your personal brand within With little or no personal brand you are
answering questions, however within one conversation you your overall marketing should have been planting seeds for effectively starting from zero each time.
are going to try to get the client excited, make sure they love what people think about you before you ever get in touch.
and trust you, your product and your company, and then you
are going to ask them to say yes.
If you have done the earlier parts of the process well, you will Growth Action: Imagine a celebrity or person you respect
The concept of getting clients to 10/10 in the three areas of
be higher on the trust scale on each of the categories in the called you, asked how you were doing, then offered to solve
you, your product and your company references the work of
mind of the client. Your target is to get them to 100%. a pain point of yours, I’m guessing there is a high chance you
Jordan Belfort and his Straight Line Sales System [14].
would say yes?
As the salesman if 70% of the work is already done and now
you need to add the final 30%. This is sales closing. This is the same concept we are trying to achieve, the
concept of becoming someone who your network know
Client Confidence If you have done less on branding or marketing, you will have and trust. Every piece of content you have ever put out was
to do more work in your sales close. The techniques in this planting the seed for this sales approach.
Less confident. More confident.
section will help you close those last few percent and close
more people more of the time. TOP TIP: If after all your sales effort your prospect is still
Client’s opinion on you. low on the certainty scale, walk away. If they still do not

0% 100% understand the product or service, it is unlikely you will be

able to close them so focus your effort elsewhere.

Client’s opinion on your product.

Hate. Love. Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
No trust. Trust. through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
Client’s opinion on your company.
180 181

Client: Sales Objection 1 Sales Objection 2

Uncertain Certain

Overcoming sales 0% 100%

objections
Salesperson: Objection Response 1

Objection Response 2
Ask for
the sale!
Justification,
“Because”

No sale ever goes perfectly without a single objection or Objection 2: “I don’t think this fits my needs” Objection 4: “I need to think about it” Growth Action: The questions and responses in this
hesitation. This is normal and should be expected. Your section demonstrate you as being a sales person who
skill as the sales person is being able to overcome them. Ask in response: “What would you change or improve Response: “Take as long as you need, but of all the factors wants to listen and help solve your customer’s needs.
with our product to fit your needs?” Ask again about their what is most important to you?”
One way to mitigate sales objections is to ask the following headaches. Growth Action: In the graphic above this is a visual
questions whilst in discussion with your client and use or This will help you create both the logical and emotional to simulate the objections which occur during a sales
adapt the following responses. The exact objections you This uncovers the emotional problems he or she might case to buy# through addressing what they are really process, which move the client away from certainty,
will receive will vary based on your sector, but these will be experiencing. Pay close attention to the answers and interested in. We are looking to remind them of why they and also the need for responses and justifications to
hopefully act as a guide. you can use this information when you are closing, and originally wanted to find a solution to the problem they overcome the objections and get your client to 100%.
especially when future pacing your solution getting the face.
Objection 1: “I’m not sure, I’ve had a bad experience person to imagine their future experience without these Think of it as snakes and ladders. The objections are
before with other providers” headaches or problems through buying your product or Alternative: “Have I asked about every detail that’s snakes which take you away from your goal, to you need
service. important to you?” more (and bigger) ladders to move the client forward.
Ask in response: “What did you like/dislike about the
other products or services? What did the other suppliers Is there anything your client might have missed? Does he Growth Action: For overcoming sales objections:
get wrong? What is it that worries you about what we are Objection 3: “I need to speak to someone else before / she have any additional concerns or questions for you?
offering?” committing” Never assume you have ticked every box. • Let your client talk and don’t talk over them until
they have finished. Leave out any comments until they
This identifies the client’s likes and dislikes, which can be This should have been identified during the sales “I need to think about it” is a polite way to say no in a lot have finished but do actively demonstrate that you are
used to customise your sales pitch to meet the client’s qualification questions, so it may just be an excuse. of cases, so say thank you and maintain the relationship listening.
specific needs. should their situation change. Stay on their radar with
Ask in response: “What is your ultimate objective with your personal and professional brand and marketing • Feel the client’s pain. Let the client know that you
It also gives you valuable intelligence on your competitors the purchase?” Once you understand your client’s goals promotion / social media activity. understand their specific problems.
and the hurdles you need to overcome. and objectives, you can ensure you are ticking every box
and solving their actual problem. If their response is true, Objection 5: “I can’t afford it right now” • Explain that you care and will do everything you can to
Pay special attention to any product or service they will still have the pain to solve, even after they speak help them reach their goals.
customisation the person might describe, and in listening to the advisor / other person. This person should have been qualified out before now
to the answer make them feel special. The ability to react using the sales qualification questions. Growth Action: Act with humility and empathy. Listen to
to a specific want from the client might be a simple Ask if your product or service makes sense to them? It your customer. React to their needs.
change you can do which costs nothing but wins you the might be that you can uncover a previous hurdle which Response: When might the budget be available? Can we
sale. had gone unsaid which was actually blocking the sale. offer alternative payment plans?
Give the client time to think and follow their own process.
182 183

Overcoming buying The emotional case

wounds to buy
Everyone has bought a product at some point and Growth Action: For your career, if you are looking to People buy on both logic and emotion. They also recruit Growth Action: Completing the actions from all of the
regretted the decision. The product may have not lived switch careers, a future employer may have concerns and promote people on both logic and emotion. modules will help. If you have done this and done this well,
up to their expectation or the service they expected let about having recruited someone with a similar your clients or potential employers should already know
them down. background to you in the past and it did not work out. No matter if you are selling a product or yourself, you you, know your company, both like and trust you and have
need to have good products with good features which an awareness of your product or skill set and its benefits.
Think back to a time when you have bought something In this scenario you could be an experienced professional provide logical reason on why the client should logically
and been disappointed? This negative feeling is called a looking to switch industry, but the recruiter has concerns, should buy them, but also make the client emotionally When you meet your client in person this should cement
buying wound. Would you buy from this company again? or you could be unusually young for the position you are invested and want to buy them too. everything you have previously told them is true to enable
Would you buy this same product again? chasing and they worry you don’t have the experience. If you to close the sale. For your career this is also true. You
the person has buying wounds or limiting beliefs on how Ways to do this include all of the previous sections on want people to want you on their team.
To close any sale you need to address and overcome you’ll perform, you won’t get the job. Tackle these head communicating your vision, mission and values, plus
these buying wounds within a buyer. In doing so you on. making the product desirable and helping the end user We recap this in Module 16 – Advanced Techniques,
are showing empathy and understanding of the buyer’s solve their pain points or provide emotional benefits, linking this with earlier parts of the strategy.
feelings whilst also demonstrating how you overcame Address these issues and overcome the buying wounds from page 124 - 125.
these problems and that the same problem will not of the recruiter and you have a much greater chance of
repeat itself. success. Do this in exactly the same way you would with This is also where sales closing questions are important
a sale. to ensure you are addressing the client’s real pain points, From everything you have read so far in the sales
Going unspoken and not raising the issue will not mean whilst also building trust in how you communicate. modules, have you identified any techniques or
the buying wound disappears. Those unspoken feelings Growth Action: Use your social media and your personal
concepts which you will be able to implement to
will hold back your sale and affect the growth of your and professional brand to address any buying wounds Using marketing, if you have done your job well the client
business. or limiting beliefs in advance by demonstrating your should already know you, your company, both like and make a real impact? Write them here.
products or services; talents or skill sets before you even trust you and have a high awareness of the product and
Take control of the situation and demonstrate how your get in touch with clients. its benefits before you pick up the phone.
product or service does everything the client expects
and make them feel special in the process. This is where sales techniques can be used in other ways, Also consider sending out samples in advance.
planting seeds for what people think about you before
Growth Action: Don’t shy away from your client’s you ever need them.
previous bad experiences and simply hoping this does
not influence your sale. Own the conversation around
the problem and tell the buyer why and how the problem
has been solved. Remember to use ‘because’ (from page
166).

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
184 185

Crack your own Become an excellent

limiting beliefs negotiator
In sales the right mindset is crucial. It doesn’t matter 4) If I follow up I am a nuisance. The ability to negotiate is an important skill which can • If the choice contains a guaranteed loss, people will
how good your products are if you have destructive or make or break a business. Without noticing you will tend to go for the higher-risk, higher-reward option.
negative beliefs which impact your enthusiasm for the Many people do not like following up because they are already be negotiating every day. Can you sell the story on how not taking action is a
sales process or belief in your own ability. worried about annoying their client. If you add genuine guaranteed loss for the client? Can you pitch your
value to your clients and they have a real problem you Here are some tips to help you become more successful offer against a guaranteed loss alternative? It will
Before we can overcome these we need to identify them. can help solve, be respectful, but you are actually helping in negotiations, especially in sales closing. increase your chance of success.
them through offering solutions they need.
Common limiting beliefs in sales people are: 1) Remember it is not a competition. • Make a conscious effort to understanding the risk
At a minimum you want to follow up three times before aversion tendencies of your clients or colleagues
1) I am not a natural salesperson. you move on. Top sales performers follow up between 5 • Negotiations can stall if one party tries to defeat the and this will help you negotiate better deals more of
and 8 times and social media interactions count here to other, or personalities get in the way. the time.
Selling is a skill like public speaking. Some people find it build towards your client contacts.
more natural than others to pick up sales techniques, but • Ego during negotiations can lead you to devalue and 4) Know the areas where you are willing to concede.
anyone can do it with hard work and the right attitude. Just ensure that you mix your social media and online ultimately reject your rivals proposals, which will
You will get better over time. interactions with traditional ‘offline’ methods such as the impact your own success. • Know in advance the items which have the most
telephone or meeting in person. value to the other side but you are happy to give up.
2) Asking for referrals will annoy my prospects. • Treat each other as partners rather than rivals. This Do this before you enter the negotiation.
5) I am not smart enough to talk to CEOs. will lead to more win win outcomes.
Referrals benefit everyone involved. Yes you need the • During the process still fight hard for these, but if
confidence to ask, but even with the worst case that they Overcoming this mental block is important. Directly 2) Always make a counter offer. you need to offer compromise, offer something you
say no, you haven’t actually lost anything. Be confident reaching out to the decision maker allows you to add don’t mind losing.
and just ask. This is where good business relationships more value and will greatly improve your success rate. • If you are offered a deal you don’t want to accept and
help and make sure you are offering value to your clients. you are ready to walk away, don’t. Counter with an 5) Don’t lose sight of the big picture.
Treat them like normal people (because that’s what they offer you would accept.
3) I don’t have enough time. are). Worse case they say no, just move on, but never let • Don’t get caught fighting over details that don’t
this hold you back. • If the other party doesn’t agree, it doesn’t matter affect your bottom line or you don’t really care
A lack of time is a common justification for neglecting as you were willing to walk away anyway, but if they about.
sales activities. If you are not allocating time toward TOP TIP: Also consider building in your performance agree to your terms you get the result you are after.
something, it is because you don’t see it as a priority. against the sales actions as KPIs in your annual appraisals. • Stay focussed on your end goal and close the deal.
Make sure your team are focusing on the right things. This will often focus minds and help ensure the key 3) Always frame your offer in the best possible way. Lots of deals are lost based on ego or emotion.
behaviours you need your team to follow will happen.
Create the Lead Actions to support the activity you • The way you frame your deal will play a key role in • This point is valuable for negotiating business exits.
want to support and use these as your measurable Changing your mindset is not easy, but once you decision making process. Often ego might get in the way when discussing what
performance KPIs. Remember, it is the number of overcome these mental roadblocks you will likely see a your business is worth. Although difficult, maintain a
phone calls or approaches you make which is important noticeable difference in your results. • In the choice between a guaranteed upside or a clear and level head and don’t lose sight on achieving
(the Lead Actions), not simply the Lag Measure of total better but riskier alternative, people often choose the outcome you want, or have a trusted third party
revenue / business won. Send questions to [email protected] the sure thing. Can you make your product the negotiate on your behalf.
sure thing? Can you pitch it side by side against a
riskier alternative? This will increase your chance of
success.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
186 187

Always follow up Business to

Business
During the sales process always ask:

1. What is the problem you are looking to fix?

2. What is prompting you to do something about it now?

3. What has prevented you from trying to solve the problem until now?
One of the most important things every sales person Growth Action: Ask for recommendations. If the client
needs to do is be organised in their sales follow ups. has had a good experience, ask if they know anyone else 4. Have you tried to solve this problem in the past? Why did that not work?
who could use your product or service? This could be a
This is where organisation and planning come in. You great way to find new clients. 5. What happens if you do nothing about the problem?
need to have a way to track all of the opportunities that
come your way: when you last spoke to them, what was As mentioned previously, referrals are the best possible 6. Do you have a budget allocated for this?
said, and be able to find the supporting information which way to get into new clients. For the best techniques for
will allow you to knowledgeably follow up. sales prospecting, review page 152. 7. How does your budget sign off process work?

A huge number of sales are not completed until between Growth Action: Upon feedback, even if the news is bad 8. What are you currently spending on this issue?
the 5th and 12th contact. This does not mean simply and they have chosen another supplier, listen and be
keep hounding the prospect for a response, but rather humble. Learn to see how you can improve. You never 9. What is your role in the buying process, and with others in the team? Is there anyone else I should speak to?
a proportionate and measured approach can win you a want to burn bridges with anyone within your network.
lot of business. 10. What hurdles do you see which could derail the project?
Growth Action: If you are struggling for the chat-up line
Growth Action: Ask for feedback. Say you use it to learn to make an approach to a client, look to share industry 11. What other solutions are you evaluating? Which competitors are you speaking to?
and improve. The prospect, if they regularly buy these information or add value outside of your interest. You
products, will want good suppliers who can provide what would be surprised how much business comes from 12. What does success look like? Get an answer in both in terms of qualitative and quantitative results.
they need, so it is in their interest to help you improve, being in the right place at the right time. The more people
especially if you did not win the work this time. you speak to, the greater the chance of success. 13. What does solving this problem mean to you and the business? What do you stand to gain if the issue was
solved? What do you stand to lose if it goes unresolved?
Use this knowledge to refine and improve your price or Growth Action: Get your numbers up. If only 3% of
service offer for the next opportunity that comes up. buyers are ready to buy at one time, you need to approach 14. Based on what you have seen so far, do you think our offering could be a viable solution for your problem?
100 people to get 3. Without hitting the numbers you
Growth Action: If you follow up before the decision has will likely never hit your sales target, so follow your Lead 15. When do you need a solution in place by?
been made and you request feedback, it may be possible Actions and KPIs to achieve your goals. This includes
(if appropriate) to update your offer to seal the deal - in follow ups. 16. Do you agree that the next step is X by Y date?
a way that if you never followed up you would never have
this opportunity. Growth Action: If you are struggling to remember the 17. When would be a good time to schedule a call or meeting?
questions to ask during your sales process, we have
Growth Action: If a client has gone cold, or from your included them again on the next page.
CRM you see that you have no spoken to a contact in After the decision (win or lose):
some time, get in touch and ask them “Is there anything I Growth Action: If you don’t have any sales tracking
can help with?” You would be surprised how often this will software, there is a free Sales Tracker available to 18. Can I ask for feedback on how we did?
result in a new enquiry just through your company being download for FREE on www.RoadmapMBA.com.
back on their radar. 19. What were the main factors in the decision?

20. Would you consider us next time? We would love the chance to show you what we can do.

21. Is there anything else we can help with within the business?

If you don’t hear back. Follow up! Maintain client contact at least every six months to keep them warm. If you
don’t, expect another competitor to swoop in!
For B2C (but also for B2B) your social media and company marketing can be a good way to stay on
Business to people’s radar and reinforce your key messages and reasons to buy, without the need to pick up the
Consumer phone or directly follow up with people. Interacting with clients on their social posts can also be a
polite way to build the relationship, however you should still follow up and ask for the sale if you can.
188 189

Module 12
Networking events Make it fun
Growth Action: At any business event or dinner, speak All too commonly people try and act on their best
to as many people as possible. Become known within behaviour at business events. This can create an awkward
your sector and make the most of the event. Sitting in a tension between you and the guests. Just relax and have

The social side of

corner by yourself is not going to help you achieve your fun, let them have fun and enjoy the event. If the event is
goals. terrible, laugh about how terrible it is and at least that
will show you have similar values which will pay off in the
Growth Action: Remember to take business cards. Too long term.
many people forget this. You may only get one chance to

business
meet someone important once, so leave them with your Growth Action: Relax and have fun. Your guests will like
card and the best possible first impression. you more. The more they like you, the more likely they are
to do business with you (page 144).
Growth Action: Take breath mints. Nobody wants to
talk to someone with bad breath!
Find the ‘Super Connectors’
Growth Action: Don’t drink too much. Getting drunk
may lead to doing or saying things you regret. Most social circles or business networks are not actually
circles, they are pyramids, often with one person (or a
Growth Action: After an event add people on LinkedIn. small number of people) at the top who connect everyone
Follow up and say hello. Thank them for having a great else.
evening and use this to stay in touch.
The ability to span different sectors, cultures and
networks is a skill. It shouldn’t be under appreciated.
As the saying goes, “people buy from people”. This is true, Face to face meetings Hosting an event
except how often at business events is the networking socially Growth Action: Make friends with as many highly
awkward or the event you are attending flat and lifeless? If you can, book in at least one face to face client meeting a If you host an event or take a table at a dinner, you have connected people as you can. These ‘super connectors’
week. Ensure you meet in person at least every six months. probably done this because you want to get to know will bring you access to much larger number of people vs.
the people better and most likely with some business a regular business connection. If you’re not sure where
Not everyone can charm a room and create fun out of
You need to keep your relationships as strong as possible. interest. to start, look at people’s number of connections on
nowhere. Follow these basic steps to build better business When you have a big professional network, this is where LinkedIn, it is a great way to find out as a guide.
relationships, be more likeable and ensure the person behind social media can help keeping your front of mind with your Use this time with your guests to get to know people.
your personal and professional brand comes through! prospects, but nothing beats face to face. When inviting guests, show that you have thought about Growth Action: Within your network, ask people “is
their interests too. there anyone within the network I should meet?”. Take
Review some of the notes from the previous modules and this recommendation and then get in touch, and name
Take an interest in people remember to use all of the tools that are available to you, check the person who recommended you should say
Growth Action: Ask your guests “Who would they like to
such as video, and talk about key topics which build your meet at the event? hello.
When you have business meetings or at networking
brand.
events, learn about people’s families, their hobbies, learn
about their kids and their interests outside of work. Learn Always consider how you can support their aims through
as much as you can. inviting them to any dinner or event. Summary
Pay attention and take a genuine interest. Become a Simply asking this question at the very least this is more The main aim of the social side of business is to remind
real person to them too. Even before you ever speak of likely to encourage your guests to come, but also shows you to ensure the person behind your personal and
business or sales, this personal contact will go a long way. you have thought about them too. professional brand comes through! Go out and see
This is why business development is so important. people and develop genuine relationships and this will
help you drive sales, business or career goals.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
190 191

Add value outside of List the top 10 people in your network that you believe have the potential to add significant value over the next 5
years. Reach out and say hello. Get to know them. Give as much value as you can.

your interest Business to

Business
Business to
Consumer
Ask yourself, what are this person’s pain points? Can you help solve them?

A major foundation of genuine long-term relationships is Growth Action: Give freely and help others, especially
to add value outside of your interest. when you have nothing to gain. It will be a key foundation
in your future career or business success.
Often ignored in discussions on businesses growth or
strategy, people tend to focus on sales, marketing or Growth Action: The value does not have to cost Do you know anyone in your network that could help them? Could you introduce them?
even expensive corporate hospitality when trying to build anything. It can be advice, knowledge, lunch, or a simple
relationships when the truth is actually much simpler… a thank you. Remember the value of the gift does not
bring people value. reflect the value received or returned.

In any relationship (business or personal) if one person Growth Action: Beware of time vampires who will
has something to gain, no matter how charming they are suck all of your time and abuse your generosity. You are
or how long you have known them, there will always be an running a business not a charity.
element of awkwardness arising from the transactional Do you have anything which could add value if shared? This could be a skill or even a spare ticket to a corporate
side of your relationship, especially if it is one sided. Growth Action: In the same way that you consciously hospitality or membership (e.g. a round of golf on your company membership / use of your corporate box)?
plan your sales or marketing, always keep in the front of
If unspoken, people will always wonder how much of the your mind the desire to help people.
interaction is for financial or personal gain and how much
of the relationship is genuine. Growth Action: In both B2B and B2C a great way to
add value (but also build your personal brand) is through
A way to cement trust with others is to add genuine value creating content which helps others or shares knowledge
outside of your interest. These are good deeds from on topics that your target audience find useful. This could
which you have nothing to gain, but these will do more to be from “How to fix a bicycle puncture” for a bicycle repair Could there be any mutual win-wins? Do we have any mutual targets that would bring benefit to both yourself and
help build a relationship than anything else. shop, to “top tips for successful social media marketing”. your client?
The more value you can add this will build your following
As discussed in the six universal principles of social and also help create a stream of potential customers for
influence (Page 138) reciprocation will always come into the business.
play when there is any form of transaction or gift where
the person receiving may feel compelled to return the Growth Action: The next time you see someone at a
favour. However if the value is given without expectation, business networking event, or if someone gets in touch
and given with genuine positive intent, this is as a valuable on social media, help out a friend. Ideas could include;
tool in building relationships. introduce them to someone new, offer a piece of advice
or share that spare ticket for something which would Do you know anyone in your network that might need a helping hand? Reach out and offer support.
have otherwise gone to waste.

Consciously add value outside of your interest and the

rewards will come tenfold over your career.
192 193

Module 13
Leadership and
management
In this course we don’t tell you how to perform a
management role. We focus on tips to help you grow and
improve and create high performing teams.

At any point in your career your ability to create good working This section aims to build on the skills from Module 2, The For this module can we interchange the words for Growth Action: The same is true with leadership.
relationships will be a major deciding factor in your success. skills investors, business partners and employers look for, management and leadership? Leadership can come from any level of an organisation.
but which can also be applied to working in any team and Leadership is a character trait and not a position.
Yes. The term good management in this chapter can also
Module 13 is the art of good management. This section adds new management techniques to help take you to the
be read as good leadership. As above, the best leadership lessons will also come at
does not discuss the technical aspects of performing a next level. the start of your career.
management role, but rather the key qualities and behaviours Never confuse management as being about power and
which will influence how you are viewed by colleagues and The term “management” is also subjective. Every person in control. A management position may come with those We learn more from the bad leaders and managers as we
how to get the most from your team. every organisation is in some way managing people, if you things, but good management is about people, regardless do from the good ones.
realise it or not. It might not be in a formal hierarchy, but any of your position.
When you have a bad experience, write it down or
Developing better interpersonal and relationship skills will time you have personal contact with somebody else you are
Growth Action: Within your business or career do you remember it and when you get into that position yourself,
help any organisation communicate and collaborate more managing people. This can happen both up and down the have any interaction with other people? If you answered you already know what you would do differently to be the
effectively, be more successful and make more money. management chain. Develop these skills and you will go far! yes then you are in management. manager you wished you had.

Perfecting these skills is essential and it is what makes the The success of your relationships with these people will
difference between poor managers and great ones! be a major factor in deciding your success. Acknowledge
this fact and start to view yourself as a manager, even if
you do not have anyone reporting to you just yet.

This is especially important at the start of your career

to give you confidence in your ability to step up when the
time is right.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
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194 195

Finance
Person accountable (write name):

Assigning
What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet?
What are their regularly managed KPIs?
What should be their regularly managed KPIs?
Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help?

responsibilities
Do they have capacity to do more?
Would you hire this person again given the chance?

Sales
Person accountable (write name):

What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet?
What are their regularly managed KPIs?
What should be their regularly managed KPIs?
Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help?
Growth Action: From your answers: Do they have capacity to do more?
Would you hire this person again given the chance?
1. Draw the organisation chart for your business / division. • Does anyone have more than one hat to wear?
2. Put the name of each individual next to every box they fill. • If you had to pick, do any of the areas of your business /
People may perform more than one role within a business. If division not get as much focus as it deserves?
this occurs, write them in every box (role) they perform. • Which of the areas are under performing? Operations
3. Review the list of roles within the company. • Which of the areas are performing well? Person accountable (write name):
4. List the Key Performance Indicators for every role within • Would you get rid of any of any of the people if you could?
the business? What are they measured on? What are they • Is the size and shape of the organisation suitable for your What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet?
What are their regularly managed KPIs?
incentivised on? A guide for this is shown below. current size?
What should be their regularly managed KPIs?
5. What elements of the Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet are • Based on your goals, do you have the people in place to Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help?
they responsible for (if anything)? support your future growth? For an owner looking for a Do they have capacity to do more?
potential exit, you need to create a structure which runs Would you hire this person again given the chance?
without you.

MD / CEO Human Resources (HR)

Person accountable (write name): Person accountable (write name):

What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet? What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet?
What are their regularly managed KPIs? What are their regularly managed KPIs?
What should be their regularly managed KPIs? What should be their regularly managed KPIs?
Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help? Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help?
Do they have capacity to do more? Do they have capacity to do more?
Would you hire this person again given the chance? If no, replace them. Would you hire this person again given the chance?

Marketing R&D / Product Development

Person accountable (write name): Person accountable (write name):

What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet? What is this person directly responsible for on the P&L / Balance sheet?
What are their regularly managed KPIs? What are their regularly managed KPIs?
What should be their regularly managed KPIs? What should be their regularly managed KPIs?
Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help? Do they have too much on their plate? Could they need help?
Do they have capacity to do more? Do they have capacity to do more?
Would you hire this person again given the chance? Would you hire this person again given the chance?
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Key concepts to improve your success

Managing Cash What to do when

losing money
Managing cash flow within a business is critical. This grows. When any business is losing money you need to reduce The truth could be that they only provide 5 hours of
generally falls within day to day operations of a business What could your business do if it had more cash? your overhead to return the company to profit, and/or positive value added work a day and have 3 hours
and hence is not covered by this course, however the make a change fast to bring more money in, as quickly unaccounted for (waste). As the manager you need to
following are some tips to improve cash flow in your as possible. minimise any waste and know the true capacity of your
Could you buy and sell more stock / inventory?
business which can help you grow: team, however this only comes with adequate controls.
This is the most difficult part of a leader’s job. Your ability
1. Can you change the date (or frequency) that your send Could you invest more in promotion? to handle this responsibility and make tough decisions Growth Action: Watch out for the slackers in your
your invoices? Could you go to twice a month? is something to consider when planning your career. At business. If 5 of your team are working at 90% and 1 is
Could you grow your team? times business owners need to be ruthless to save the working at 50%, the 1 is dragging the team down. Make
2. Can you give added value to customers who pay on business. the tough decision and remove this person from the
time (or in advance). team. You will still get as much done but without the
Could you finance an acquisition?
Growth Action: Get a clear understanding of your costs politics and toxic negative influence in the office.
3. Can you get your invoices out more quickly. Could this from your management accounts. Understand where
be automated? Could you borrow less? every penny goes. Review if each expenditure adds value Growth Action: Explain to your team why you are asking
to the business or if it is unnecessary. If it is not essential, them to do certain things and listen to any concerns they
4. Send friendly reminders a few days in advance and Could you invest in new product R&D? get rid of it. have.
make friends with your clients / suppliers to keep them
on side. Growth Action: To achieve accurate control of your Make it clear that the plan is actually in their best interest
Fine tune your ability to get cash into the business
costs you need accurate measurement and control. to have a successful business which provides security of
5. Ask is there a reason the other side pays late? The more quickly to fuel your future growth. Small employment and opportunities for growth for the future,
more you understand their business and their pain changes in multiple areas can compound to make In a service based or people business, the measurement however this is only possible through possible through
points, you might be able to solve them and create a win a real difference. and control you need is measuring the capacity and control of your business overheads and proper control
win for everyone. utilisation of your team. on the numbers.

6. Do your billing cycles coincide with your clients and/or Utilisation is how many minutes in a day are useful (or Growth Action: If you can bring your team along with
your suppliers? Could these be aligned? billable) vs. the total number of minutes in the standard you, you can get them to become the driving force behind
work day (outside of a reasonable allowance for toilet the business and it will set you up for future success.
7. Can you shorten production and delivery cycles for breaks, lunch and miscellaneous business tasks). If you
your product to get cash out (and back in) more quickly? are busy this can be above 100% if your team are working
more than your contracted hours. It can also be much
8. Can you reduce your sales cycles. Can you save the less.
amount of time you currently waste (and the associated
cost) through closing quicker? As a manager it can be difficult if your team complain
being busy and request an additional support. You need
TOP TIP: If your company is cash rich, you can use this as to know the actual figures to make a judgement.
a strategic advantage over your competitors, providing
the ability to allow certain companies to pay over longer
terms, or invest more in marketing or promotion,
however cash should never go out the door faster than
it comes in as this will create trouble as the company

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this course is accurate at the time of going to press. The author can not accept responsibility for
any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this
Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
content can be accepted by the author. Please take professional advice. We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
198 199

Key concepts to improve your success

Communication Commander’s intent

Do you have a plan?
Have you communicated the plan?

No matter your task, make sure you have a plan. If you Within the book Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink[22],
are in sales, have a sales plan. If you are a business owner, Do you manage a team? and later reinforced in several case studies in BLINK by This technique proves why it is valuable to set the
have a business plan... but whatever your role, have a plan. Malcolm Gladwell[23], both discuss how in the military it is
high level goals for the business, but then also
not beneficial to have slow inefficient communication in
How exactly do you share the vision you want them order to achieve a successful mission. break this down into Lead Actions for each month.
If you have management responsibilities within a
business, your task is to communicate your plan. The to follow?
successful communication of your plan will be the major Within large organisations such as the military it would In practise, a business owner / manager may set
deciding factor on your team’s success! Are there ever any areas people get wrong? take too long and be too slow to react if all decisions the monthly Lead Action to “approach to 200 new
were made by senior management. A Commander who is potential clients per month”.
Retaining control not on the battlefield does not have the same amount of
Be explicit in your instructions and take the time to information or gut-feel as the leader on the ground.
share and communicate your plan, and it will make Using Commander’s Intent, it is then down to
Growth Action: As a manager, how can you complain
a big improvement to performance. In these instances teams such as the US Navy Seals their team if they choose to use the phone, email,
if you don’t achieve the results you want if you haven’t
communicated exactly what you want, what you need and operate a decentralised command model. The leader on networking, doorstep cold call to approach the 20
when you need it? Give your team permission to ask questions. This is the ground can make all of the decisions on what needs new customers.
to be done, as long as this works towards the instruction
an important piece to work together.
This is how detailed your business or sales plan should be. given from the top, known as the Commander’s intent.
The team can learn quickly and see what works in
Always be open to improvement. Ask for their Commander’s intent is the goal you want to achieve and order to best achieve the goal, without needing to
Work with your team to continually refine and improve
it. Be as explicit in the detail as you can, but whatever ideas and the simple task of asking (then listening) a high level overview on how the Commander wants to go back to the owner / manager.
you decide, communicate it and make sure the team’s will improve their engagement in the process. achieve it. The interpretation of this is then down to
understanding is the same as yours. the leader on the ground to do everything they can to This is also a great technique to give back more
achieve the mission, without having to go back up the
Do you have any experience of bad communication time to the owner, who would otherwise be pulled
chain of command on every decision.
within a business? What went wrong? Could you into all aspects of the business.
learn from it for the future? In business this technique can be used by empowering
your team with the high level overview on what you want Through Commander’s Intent, the leader is
to achieve (the Commander’s intent) but actually let able to step back yet still retain overall control,
them make the decisions on the ground in line with your empowering their team in the process.
direction. This allows slick efficient communication and
highly efficient decentralised command structures for
running a lean and efficient business.

[22] Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, 2019 (ISBN-10 : 1250270960)
[23] Malcolm Gladwell, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, 2006 (ISBN-10 : 9780141014593)

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
200 201

Key concepts to improve your success

Run a lean and How happy are your

efficient business team?
As an executive you could be responsible for the running As an executive you have the responsibility to review your In a management position it is always difficult to find the
of a business and everyone within it. The pressure of capacity to perform your task at different staffing levels balance to engage in the banter or fun office discussion Do you have any experience of office politics
this responsibility is often underestimated, especially as and how much profit comes from this, weighing up the and be friends with everyone, or not get involved. causing a negative feeling in the office?
costs begin to add up, or if business is difficult. cost of additional overhead vs. the impact this could have
on capacity and therefore your profit at the end of each Allow your team to speak off the record to you about
As a leader your ability to handle this responsibility and month. absolutely anything in their lives and get it off their chest. Do you have staff who don’t like each other?
make tough decisions is something to consider when Office politics included, but never in an open forum.
planning your career. It is better to have a smaller more efficient team, than Do you have different groups who gravitate
carry any excess overhead. You want 4 people running at A problem shared is a problem halved and having your together with each thinking the other does not
As a leader you may have budget responsibility; meaning 100% rather than 5 people running at 80%, or 6 running team know they have someone they can speak to will
deliver what they should?
that you are responsible to ensure that your division at 60%, which is common. greatly improve performance in the workplace. It also
makes a profit. One of the most important factors to costs nothing!
consider is the control of overhead! Running a lean and efficient team protects the core group Do any of your team have things going on outside of
and makes the overall business stronger and more likely Are they stressed? work which might play on their mind or affect their
Overheads are all of the costs of a business which to survive. It is also more profitable! Lazy or unproductive Are they worried about their jobs or things at home? performance at work?
are payable regardless of the amount of product you teams can also be toxic and produce lower outputs than Are they unhappy with any office politics?
produce. half the number of people who are all highly motivated
These are all negative influences which will impact
to work. Let your team speak to you privately and get things off
Overheads generally pay for the facilities to support the their chest. This will improve performance and attitude business performance.
cost of producing your product or service, not the cost of Growth Action: Review again your staff performance in the workplace.
each individual unit you sell. These are commonly wages metrics and your ability to measure staff utilisation, as a Be an ear to listen and see if you can do anything
for salaried staff, rent, insurance, computers etc. key tool to inform you on what to do next. Office politics can rip through an organisation like a virus. to help.

Growth Action: Could you have a more profitable Growth Action: Arrange one to ones once a month to
Business performance will improve if you do this,
business if you reduced the size of your team and only have an informal catch up with each of your team. This
focussed on your most valuable customers? will help you build better relationships but also allow you but always be cautious not to lose the authority
to solve any issues before it becomes an actual problem. you need to run an effective business through
becoming too friendly with your team which may
Growth Action: Listen to staff suggestions. Make them become difficult if you ever need to discipline your
feel special. Make them feel valued. team or reduce headcount.

Growth Action: When an employee does have a

problem, either inside or outside of work, be aware of the
fact that it is probably the only thing they will think about
and their productivity will drop. Having someone to talk
to may take the pressure off their mind and help them
be much happier, healthier and more productive at work.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
202 203

Key concepts to improve your success

Create career plans One of the easiest ways to increase the performance
and reduce staff turnover.

Create individual career plans with personal goals and ambitions

for your team. Review progress and help them develop.

In any business staff retention is a major issue. For any Putting together a solid plan of Lead Actions, which can When balancing the needs of the business with personal Growth Action: Arrange informal one to ones with your
business, especially in a service industry, your staff be reviewed against, will provide the platform to make development of your team, any additional personal team. Ask their genuine opinion on career progression
are your business. Without them you have no product your employee feel they are developing and working development can be done out of hours so that it does not and then work with them to achieve these goals with
and they are well within their legal rights to leave (in towards their goals, even if there is no immediate reward. affect company performance or reduce time billing. defined Lead Actions.
accordance of the terms in their contract). The trick is to understand each employee’s motivations.
The important thing is to listen and provide the steps Growth Action: To understand your team’s drivers and
Balancing career progression with the business case to Written goals are extremely valuable for achieving to support your team’s progression. If an employee ambitions, ask them to complete Module 1 about goals
support and financially afford salary increases is difficult. business success. This is why we do it in Module 1. chooses not to take the support as they may not want to and ambitions. Use these with your team and use this as
Many businesses run on small margins and simply cannot work any extra hours or weekends, that is their call but the starting point for their career plan, or sign them up
afford to give pay rises. As the leader, don’t ignore ambition. If you have as a manager you have been supportive and have created on this course.
employees who feel that they are learning the job they the environment to allow them to flourish.
Accept that everyone will have their own career in mind want (to later help them get to their dream role) or to Growth Action: From their responses, look at the
and accept that in their mind they will often prioritise this help them develop the skills needed to make the next If the employee chooses not to develop and add more areas where you can help your team grow and learn, and
over the needs of the business. move up the ladder, they are more likely to stay and value, you then also have the argument not to provide the potentially even use them to take some responsibility off
support the business and be a great employee. pay rise or additional benefits as they have not earned it. your plate. Achieve this and you will have a much more
Yourself and your own family will always come first and productive and positive team which will also lead to
the leader needs to accept this, but also use it to their Simply ignoring a person’s ambition won’t make the Personal development and career development plans dramatically improved business performance.
advantage. ambition go away. Ignoring an employee’s true feelings do not necessarily cost anything, but they do address an
increases the chance that they will leave and this will otherwise unspoken issue which unless addressed could Send any questions to [email protected]
Growth Action: Creating a career plan with each come sooner if they do not feel any personal development become a major risk for your business.
member of your team to ask where they want to be in 1, in their current role, or if they don’t feel they have the
3, 5 years. trust, respect and backing of the manager.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
204 205

Key concepts to improve your success

Understanding
different types of
motivation
In management you need to know what motivates your In management understanding the concept of Moving Growth Action: Tony Robbin’s book ‘Awaken the Giant
team. People are generally motivated by both positive Towards and Moving Away values will allow you to use Within’ is superb for helping you realise what is important List 5-10 things you are grateful for:
and negative forces, but if done correctly you can use them as a valuable tool for motivating and understanding to you. Use this as a guide to achieve career and personal
both to make a real impact in motivating your team. your team. happiness.

According to human performance specialist Tony Growth Action: Write down what motivates you? Are Imagine you lost your job. The job market was flat so you
Robbins, as detailed in his book Awaken the Giant they Moving Towards or Moving Away values? struggled to get another one. You had car repayments
Within[16], what motivates people comes in two forms: which you couldn’t keep up so your car is repossessed. What would you do if you lost one of them?
what people want, and things they’re afraid of. Tony From Module 1 you will have already articulated your You lost your house.
Robbins calls these ‘Moving Towards’ and ‘Moving Away’ positive aspirations, however now also consider things
values. which you might be scared to lose. As you lost your house you had to move back in with your
family, however they live on the other side of town so you
Ambitious positive goals and desires are Moving Negative feelings or fear, such as losing your job and the also had to pull your kids out of school. Life could kick you
Towards values. Fear and negativity, or fear of losing impact this could have on things like reputation fall into in the teeth and it won’t always be your fault. What would you do if you lost all of them?
something are Moving Away values. the Moving Away category.
If you genuinely imagine and play out this scenario (or
We can use these concepts to understand your team’s Understanding your drivers will do amazing things for whatever is most applicable to you), I am sure you will
motivations, therefore finding more about what drives guiding your future success as you will know exactly agree it is pretty terrible but could happen.
them. where your motivations come from. Knowing this will
help you achieve your goal and most importantly what What would you do in that instance to gain back What would it mean if your business went under, or
In your teens and early 20’s you may have been willing actually makes you happy in life. everything you have now? How hard would you work? This you lost your job and could not find another?
to take greater risks than you are now as you probably is a Moving Away value and can be used as a motivator.
had less to lose. In your 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, chances are Growth Action: What would losing your job, house, car,
that you have created some wealth for yourself, you may business or career mean to you? Would it put your family The fear of losing everything is extremely strong however
now own a house, car, have a family etc. You now have out on the street? Would you feel embarrassed in front many people don’t appreciate the amazing things they
something to lose and hence your motivations may have of your peers or be seen as a failure? Would you have to have around them already.
shifted. You may still be chasing a dream, but now with a ask friends or family for money? Use the above as fuel to drive you and put in place
potential downside of losing what you have achieved to For motivation, recognising that things genuinely could the positive Lead Actions for your business or
date. Through asking yourself these questions and even future all go wrong (as happened to a lot of people after the career.
pacing the scenarios, this could give the motivation to financial crash of 2008, oil price crash of 2014, or COVID
Everyone has both Moving Towards and Moving Away put extra effort into what you are doing now so that this in 2020) this could happen to you. Realising this, working
hard now and grinding towards something can be the You can also use this with your team, allowing them
values, and neither is stronger or more valid than the never happens. This can act as incredible motivation.
other. You are still highly motivated, but your motivations best motivation you ever have. to do the same exercise. A highly motivated team is
may change over time, now having both the desire for the much more likely to be successful.
dream goal but also the fear of losing what you have.
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Key concepts to improve your success

Top tips for

developing your team Honesty & Empathy
As a business owner / manager it is important to ask Onboarding. Get the first impression right. Make When in a leadership position, acting with honesty and Growth Action: When you come up against business
yourself how are your staff learning new things? If they your team feel special from day one and they will perform empathy will take you 100x further than being deceitful challenges, be open and honest with your team. Explain
have been at the same company for over 5 years, are they much better. Buyers remorse is not just a sales technique, and self centred. the situation and the criteria you have to work within,
learning the latest techniques from industry? Probably it is true with any commitment, including taking a job. You and then ask for suggestions on the best way to solve
not. don’t want a new starter regretting their decision after Thinking solely about yourself may bring the occasional the problem; then ask for their support as you take your
one week if their start at the company has been poor or quick win, but most of us have a long careers ahead and desired course of action.
Investing in a training course such as this for your team they don’t feel welcome. First impressions matter! your reputation is more valuable than you imagine!
can have huge results. Training can also produce external Acting with genuine honesty and empathy will be far
peer groups your team can bounce off and share ideas Consider having walking meetings. Instead of being It is also an important point to note that a CEO’s job is more successful than still having the same problem but
not afraid of asking questions which they might not do stuck in a meeting room, if there are only a small number not actually to get high performance from themselves. not communicating with your team.
internally. of you have a walking meeting. Walk around the block and A CEO’s role is actually get great performance from
get some fresh air whilst you talk. This will help you relax everyone else! This simple act will also demonstrate you as being a
Top tips for developing your team: and also was a technique used by Steve Jobs and John D strong and compassionate leader.
Rockefeller and is proven to encourage more stimulating Being honest and building trust is one of the best possible
People join companies, they leave managers. One of conversations and greater output than simply sitting in a ways to do that and this is true for any sector or any
the major barriers to growth for companies is the quality room going through the motions. country in the world.
of managers to develop and nurture their teams. If you
have a business which allows managers to develop talent Train up your superstars. Invite them to senior
whilst being developed themselves, you create a thriving management meetings. A huge proportion of people
environment where everyone feels engaged and excited leave their jobs due to lack of fulfilment or a feeling of
to come to work. a lack of progression. Exposing your team to the high

Fight in the trenches

level discussions which often occur at your monthly
Be flexible. When trying to recruit top talent it is not all management or board meetings will help get your rising
about the money. Some people might want more flexible stars ready for the eventual next step of progressing
hours, some to have a higher percentage of commission through the organisation, but yet costs you nothing. It is
to reward good performance. Be flexible in your approach an easy win to help their progression.
and you will attract and retain more of the people you
want. Does everyone have a work book? All of your staff
should have a single work book which they take with In Module 1 we asked you to describe the person who you Growth Action: Fighting in the trenches and working
Discover how your team like to be recognised. them every day and includes all of their notes from every see as being at the top of their game in your profession or with your team to tackle the problems you face (not just
Recognition is often the thing we crave the most, but meeting, and crucially includes their task list for urgent career. The person who you would love to be like. We then telling them what to do) will win you much more respect
everyone in your team will like to be recognised in actions. looked at implementing Lead Actions to help you achieve and admiration than simply shouting orders and putting
different ways. Some people prefer public recognition, this same level. pressure on your team from above.
some prefer it in private. Some people like material Keeping a consistent work diary / work book is a great
rewards. Ask each employee as part of their appraisal or way to improve the consistency of a team, whilst also When times are tough, be this person and replicate the Apply constructive pressure, but do it in a way which
career plan what they prefer and tailor your approach to reducing mistakes or forgotten tasks. Another simple behaviours of someone who you see as being the best of works with the team to solve the problem and lead by
suit each person. It costs nothing but will help you get the change which can make a big impact. the best. Be the leader you wish you had and demonstrate example, will build massive reputation and respect.
best from your team. the values this person would bring.
For sales people you can also include notes or the key Growth Action: From your business plan, communicate
Remove barriers and frustrations. One of the most questions to ask inside the front or back cover of the Growth Action: Visualise what behaviours this person with your team exactly what you require and when you
valuable things you can do as a leader is give your team work book, allowing your team to never miss a qualifying would show in your position and how they would act with needed it. Working side by side with your team to deliver
free reign to solve problems and drive the company question or important point, instantly making them their team, then replicate the same behaviours. what is required will bring respect, but this approach also
forward. One of the best ways to do this is simply asking better at their job straight away. needs structure for the team to operate, so they each
them, “if you could change anything in the business what know exactly what is expected and instruction on how to
would it be?” then solve it for them! complete the task.
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Key concepts to improve your success

Extreme ownership Recruit the best

Within the book Extreme Ownership [22], Jocko Willink
describes the mental approach Navy Seals take to
achieve maximum performance within their responsible
Extreme Ownership is not about taking blame for other
people’s mistakes or letting them slack off, but through
owning the problem and doing anything you can to
people you can!
area of command. Extreme Ownership is a mindset achieve the mission. Extreme Ownership is about the
about taking complete responsibility for the mission or mindset to make this happen. How does your business advertise its job roles? What Growth Action: Getting your marketing and social
whatever you are responsible to deliver. do people think about the company? Are they applying media right will improve the recruiting attractiveness of
For a small business owner, Extreme Ownership could be to work for you simply for the pay cheque or do they getting people to join your business.
In practise this theory and mindset means that as you accepting that the success or failure of your business is genuinely buy into your vision? How does your company
tackle your mission, which could be running your business on your shoulders. You can let this pressure crush you or stand out from its competitors? Businesses with A-players do better than businesses
or doing your job, anything positive or negative which you can take control of all of the Lead Actions required to with C-players.
could happen you take responsibility for and put it right. make your business a success by following them through. If you can create an incredible business brand and are
If you don’t take responsibility and the business fails, you well known in your industry, this will do great things and Growth Action: Write better job specifications. Sell
If a team member doesn’t perform, Extreme Ownership have nobody else to blame, so do it right. attract the right people to work for you (and with you). the company and make it clear what are the benefits for
dictates that rather than just placing blame, it is working joining your team. Make it interesting. Make it stand out.
with the person to say “I obviously didn’t provide enough In your career it is working within your team to do This is how you attract top talent.
training to help you achieve the required level, it is my everything you can within your grasp to help the team be Growth Action: Before you invite people in for interview,
fault, however in future we will do X”. successful. If someone else makes a mistake, help them Hire for four things: ask them a range of questions to see if they fit your values
fix it. Take ownership and lead from the front. and mission. Look for genuine sincerity in their answers
• Do they have the drive? A desire to excel, persevere, on why your company is a great fit for them.
learn and innovate. To act with courage. To work hard.
Growth Action: In interview go into detail and look for
• Do they share your values? Do they fit with your honesty. For each company on their CV, ask who they
culture? reported into, ask for names of people and ask “What
would they say about you?” The fear of being reference

Protect your team

• Will they deliver results? Have you shared the KPIs checked should illicit truthful responses. At the very least
you expect them to achieve during the interview process? you will see what the people are like under pressure.
If not you should. Are they confident they can hit them?
Growth Action: Ask who would be their dream employer
• Do they have the skills you need? Can they learn it? and why? Why do they want to work for you? Ask where
Skill can be taught and should be refreshed over time. Do do they want to be in 2 years? Does this fit with your
they have the business network you need? Do they bring plans? Are they just giving you answers you want to hear?
If your team knows their boss cares, they will be more Growth Action: Stronger leaders have harder working extra things to the business?
loyal and perform better. teams behind them. This hard work will improve overall Growth Action: Put in place a brilliant onboarding
performance within this division, and this itself will reduce Recruit for these things in that order. This should help process to make employees feel special.
Look after your team and they will look after you. any potential negatives which could occur. Protecting build your company with higher quality talent.
your team and demonstrating strong leadership is a self Growth Action: If things don’t work out, pull the trigger
As soon as employees feel that you or someone in a fulfilling prophecy of achieving high performance. early. It is in everyone’s interest to move on quickly.
senior position does not have their back and will look
after themselves first, their productivity will drop and Growth Action: When things go well, give praise and
they will either leave the business or create a negative credit. Recognise their performance. When things go
atmosphere which could drag down the whole team until badly, discuss this with your team and together create
the issue is addressed. the list of learnings and creative actions, but then take
ownership. Demonstrate how the problem will not
Growth Action: As the leader it is your job to shield happen again. This is what great leaders do. Be a great
the team from the pain. When things go wrong take the leader.
blame. When the pressure builds to hit a target, take the
pressure on your shoulders and work with your team to
get the best possible result.
210 211

Key concepts to improve your success

Suggestion box Town hall meetings

Within the business: Even though we might not want to hear negatives, this Have regular meetings with everyone within the business, Engaging once a month with the workforce and creating
feedback is priceless and is the chance for you to do ideally together or connected by live webinar, where you a motivated, happy and excited workforce who are
• Ask for opinions and ideas. something about it. share progress of the business plan and good and bad passionate about your vision will benefit the bottom line.
• Share both the good and bad feedback. points within the month.
• Not hiding negative constructive feedback will If for instance the toilets are not up to standard, Growth Action: Take the time to communicate your
show people that they have been listened to will acknowledging this and saying you will do something No matter if you work in a minimum wage job or you are plan and share the vision with your team.
do wonders for staff engagement. about it (if you can) goes a long way to build trust within CEO, people want to do a good job and feel valued.
the team and shows that they have been listened to, or Growth Action: Ask for ideas and support. This will make
you can acknowledge the suggestion but explain why it is Through taking the time to explain the wider business your team feel valued, make them work harder, perform
No matter how clever you are, nobody has a monopoly
not possible to rectify at this time. The important thing is strategy, where you are planning to go, why, how each better, and this will do great things for your business.
on good ideas. Implement a suggestion box asking for
to shown you listened. member of the team’s work impacts on the overall
feedback about everything in your business.
picture and why this is important; this leads to much Growth Action: Do this in person (or via video) so you
Ignoring people’s answers or not asking in the first place greater employee engagement across the business. can communicate your body language and tone of voice,
Growth Action: Ask your team anonymously for 3 things
does not make the problems go away. The problem still as well as your message.
they like, and 3 things they would improve if they could
exists but as a result you are gradually building a less Many often forget that a CEO or MD’s role is to get the
change anything in relation to any business activity.
connected or engaged workforce. best from other people. Growth Action: Do this on a regular basis. Once a month
When the answers come back, take out any personal is a great target.
Simply letting people get things off their chest will help In a big businesses there could be several layers of
gripes or insults (because there will be some) and put the
diffuse any ill feeling or possible situations before they employees between the CEO and the customer. Due to Allow people to ask questions and celebrate any high
entire list on the company notice board.
become actual problems. This will help the business even this, the overall business performance (i.e. the experience performers if you can!
if you don’t actually make the change, simply through the customer experiences when they purchase the
A strong leader is not afraid to show any negative
listening. product or use the service) is rarely the direct result of
constructive comments about his or her business.
the CEO’s hard work but rather the cumulative hard work
Publicly acknowledging flaws also shows strong of lots of people and in particular those on the front line.
When you do this, through sharing what people like about
leadership. Having the confidence to admit that things
the business this will have a social proof effect and will
might not be perfect but you are willing to do something Talk to them. Inspire them. Make yourself accountable.
make people think “yes I like those too”. This creates a
about them is much better than not having control of the This builds trust.
positive impact within your team.
situation and hoping things go away.
The things people like could be the hours, the people,
This is all part of good management and positive
the fact that management listen to them, the free coffee
engagement is crucial for achieving a high performing
machine. Share the positives, it is great feedback and
business or team. The aim of this module was to share a range of techniques which can be implemented in any business and are
improves employee culture!
proven to make a positive impact quickly. Choose which techniques you could implement with your team and build
these into your business.

Write these here:

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
212 213

Module 14
Exercise: If you were to plot your stress level over one Growth Action: Create your own chart similar to the one
month, how would you score each day? If you are between 8 below and mark yourself on stress level (or happiness)
and 10 too many days per month, it might be worth a change. over a period of 30 days. If you find that you’re unhappy or
stressed most days, look to make a change. Can you ditch
a bad client or change your hours? Make a change!

Mental health
Stress Level
Burnout
10
x x x
High 9 Extremely unhappy
x x x
x
Mental health is a complex but important topic. Within this Our aim is to share some common challenges, say that these 8
short module we do not look to tackle the full complexities are normal, with the desire to help you maintain sustained
of mental health, but rather discuss some common trends, high performance in your business or career. 7 Stressed
including sharing some tools which may help. x
Medium 6 x
x
x x x
5 x Happy If you have too many days
in a month where you feel
It is common for people in their careers to feel stressed or Growth Action: Ten proven ideas which can help you 4 x stressed or unhappy you
unhappy. The pressure from internal or external stakeholders, build a happier life: need to make a change.
the need to pay the bills, the fear of failure, the deadline on Low 3 If your days are mostly in Take some time off but
a big project or the feeling of being overwhelmed are all • GIVING BACK - Doing things for other people. the middle, you’re probably also look at ways to
common. You are not alone. According to statistics 72% of 2 ok. Always take time for fundamentally change your
• EXERCISE - Taking care of your body.
entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental yourself and know when to workload or take things off
health issues compared to 48% of non entrepreneurs. Both • AWARENESS - Being more mindful. slow down or take a break. your plate.
1
figures are too high. • PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT - Learning new skills.
• GOAL SETTING - Having challenges to look forward to.
It is also common that people can feel a sense of loneliness. • RELATIONSHIPS - Connecting with others.
In a post COVID world where people are spending more 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
• RESILIENCE - Being able to bounce back from adversity.
time working from home or working alone, we all need social
• ACCEPTANCE - Being comfortable in who you are.
interaction to bounce ideas off people and de-stress. Simply Days per month
talking to someone can be of huge benefit. “A problem • MEANING - Feeling part of something bigger.
shared is a problem halved” and in some small way we hope • LISTENING - Being there for others.
our drop-in sessions can help.
Growth Action: Take time off and don’t feel guilty for it! Performance When growing a business or maintaining a high performing career, our aim is
Due to social media many people also feel the pressure to be to find your optimum level of performance which you can sustain over time.
perfect all of the time. It is common to worry that ‘everyone Highly driven people are also bad at taking time off. If you are This is often inversely proportional to our stress levels. In periods of high
else has things all figured out’ and you do not. I can guarantee self employed, if you don’t work you don’t get paid, but still stress, these can be productive in the short term but you will quickly burn out.
that most people are not doing as well as they say they are. find time. A top tip is to find a level which allows you to sustain Try and find the right level for you which you can sustain operating at a high
The trick is to find people you can talk to. A friend, mentor or high performance, but also give you the rest you need. We level but without burning out.
mentee to share your thoughts and fears, and we hope the have an exercise to help with this on page 213.
Roadmap community can help with that. Speak to a friend, a
High
spouse, a mentor, never be afraid to reach out. Within this task we’re looking to map your anxiety and stress Happy
levels over one month. Everyone has a different baseline
Growth Action: Think about who in your network might of dealing with pressure, but the idea is to set your own
need help at the moment? Can you think of two people boundaries, then know when to make positive changes to
Medium
who you could reach out to and ask how they’re doing?
The act of giving may be a real help to someone who needs
achieve the life you want, at a high performing level you can Stressed
sustain.
it. Always know that they would do the same for you.
Low Extremely unhappy

Ongoing as part of the course we will invite key speakers and provide signposting to Time
resources to help on this topic. Full details are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
214 215

Module 15
Finance and accounting is not an exact science: Cash based accounting vs Accrual accounting:

Within finance and accounting although many people view it Cash based accounting is how many smaller businesses start
as an exact science, there is actually a lot of grey area and and choose to operate. When cash comes in it is recorded as
judgement taken by accountants or the CFO (Chief Financial a sale. When a bill is paid you record an expense. This works

Financial
Officer) of a company within a fixed set of rules. perfectly well for many people, but for larger businesses
they require a more sophisticated system called Accrual
With many of these rules being open for interpretation, it is accounting.
important to understand what they mean and how they can
be used to your advantage or prevent being confused or In Accrual accounting, rather than focusing on cash in and

intelligence
taken advantage of by someone else’s ‘creative accounting’. cash out of the business, focuses on revenues, expenses, and
profit or income which can be spread over more than one
Operating expenses (OPEX): accounting period.

Operating expenses are the costs required to keep a The major change on deciding between the two is often
business going. They include salaries, benefits, insurance, in relation to larger businesses having more complicated
office space, software licences and whole list of items, which suppliers, payment terms and a requirement for accounting
varies for different types of business and sector. Operating for things like depreciation over many years. Accrual
expenses appear on the profit and loss statement. accounting provides a universally understood and agreed
system in which to operate.
Capital expenditures (CAPEX):
Accrual accounting provides a much more reliable system
A capital expenditure is any purchase which is considered to appraise company performance over time, which is
As you progress through your career, especially at C-suite Profit and loss statement: a long term investment for a business such as a building, especially important when looking to raise finance or even
/ Director level, there is a requirement to become more computer systems or machinery. decide if a particular product line or project is profitable,
financially literate. This does not mean you need to become The profit and loss statement, also sometimes known as the however is often too much time / effort for a smaller cash
a qualified accountant or be required to understand the P&L or income statement, shows revenues, expenses and The judgement between what is capital expenditure and based business.
detail of many formal MBA courses, however a simple profit for a period of time. Often the bottom line output of what is operational expenditure can be decided on by the
understanding the basics will help your business career this document is Net Profit, which we will describe in this company, generally due to the expected lifetime of any
move forward or help you make better informed decisions. module. purchase, but this is something the company can decide.
Do you know what type of accounting your business
Within this module we aim to provide enough information to Management accounts: This is important as Operational expenditures show up on performs? Could you give some examples of:
provide a base level of financial intelligence to someone new the income statement, and hence reduce profit, as where
to the topic, but still keep it simple enough to understand. Management accounts are a monthly version of the profit Capital expenditures show up on the balance sheet, with only
a) Capital expenditure in your business?
and loss statement which allow you to track progress across the depreciation of the asset showing on the Profit and loss
We will also signpost you to further reading if you are all elements of your business. statement, which means that decisions can be taken to make
interested on page 229. companies look more profitable than they are, or be used in
Balance sheet: other ways to reduce tax.
If your job already includes an element of finance this module
may be too basic for you, or you may choose to use it as a The balance sheet reflects the assets, liabilities and owners Depreciation:
refresher, but for everyone else the next ten pages could be equity at a set point in time. In simple terms this shows what
the difference between a successful business and not. the company owned, what it owed and how much it was worth. Depreciation allows you to spread the cost of equipment b) Operational expenditure in your business?
The balance sheet is also called this because it must balance over the useful lifetime of that equipment. This can be a
Within this module we focus on four main documents: between the assets, and the liabilities plus the owners equity. decision made by a company or CFO over how it chooses to
We will describe all of these within the next few pages. decide the useful lifetime of its assets.
• Profit and loss statement
• Balance sheet Cash flow statement: With the potential for extending the listed useful lifetime
• Management accounts of the asset in the companies accounts (to depreciate the
• Cash flow statement The term cash reflects the money a business has in the bank, assets over longer periods) you can increase the profit on c) Give an example of an asset which has been
plus anything else which can quickly be turned into cash such paper for that period. It is here people can abuse the system. depreciated in your business?
as stocks and bonds. The cash flow statement shows the
cash coming in, cash going out, and the difference between We share these learnings to help inform entrepreneurs of
them. This is one of the most important documents in any the tricks other people may use to make their companies
business. Without enough cash in your business you will go appear more valuable than they are, perhaps during a sale.
bust.
The more information you have and the better understanding If you don’t have answers for your own business,
of the tricks available, the better your decision making can be. you can give theoretical answers for each.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this course is accurate at the time of going to press. The author can not accept responsibility for
any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this
content can be accepted by the author. Please take professional advice.
216 217

Profit and Loss Example Profit and Loss Statement

For the year ended 31 March 2021

statement Figures in (brackets)

are negative. 2021
(£000)
2020
(£000)

A Profit and Loss statement can be as complicated or simple as you wish. Revenue 38,082 31,891
Cost of sales (28,190) (22,962)
Below we have given a basic example: Gross profit 9,892 8,929
Total sales within the period.
Operating expenses (6,987) (5,177)
Other operating income - 56
Revenue £100
Group operating profit 2,905 3,808
Cost of sales £50
How much it cost you to make what you
Gross profit £50 sold (direct costs - e.g. raw materials +
manufacturing labour cost). Analysed as:
Operating expenses £30 Adjusted EBITDA [1] 4,833 4,947
Taxes £5 Depreciation (808) (563)
All of your indirect costs (rent, salaries, Amortisation (476) (453)
Net profit £15
insurance, computers, subscriptions - Share based payments charge (418) -
things which don’t change regardless of Exceptional items (226) (123)
how much you sell). Group operating profit 2,905 3,808

The Net profit. This is why you’re in business. This is Finance costs (1,066) (4,192)
the most important figure in any business. You also
need to turn the profit into cash or you will soon be
Finance income 147 4
in trouble!! CASH IS KING! Net Finance costs (919) (4,188)

Net Profit / (Loss) before taxation 1,986 (380)

Taxation 407 270
Net Profit / (Loss) for the year and total 2,393 (110)
comprehensive expense
On page 217 we have given a fictional example from a market listed company. In 2021 this company reported £38,082m
Revenue, with £28,190m cost of sales, which generated a Gross Profit of £9,892m, with a Net Profit of £2,393m.
Attributable to owners of the parent 2,393 (59)
Also shown are the 2020 figures which show the previous years trading. In 2020 the company reported £31,891m Attributable to the non-controlling interest - (51)
Revenue, with £22,962m cost of sales, which generated a Gross Profit of £8,929m, with a Net Loss of £0,110m. 2,393 (110)
The important things to keep in mind are:
Profit / (Loss) per share (pence)
• The basic structure is actually the same as the example on page 216. It just contains more information. Basic 4.75 (0.22)
• There will always be a date at the top to tell you what period this covers. Here it is the year ended 31 March 2021. Diluted 4.63 (0.22)
• Figures in (brackets) are negative numbers.
• For big companies you might see (£000) at the top, which means multiply any numbers you see by 1,000.
• You can see the two years figures for 2021 and 2020 next to one another, to see how they have changed. There are no items of Other Comprehensive Income
• As an entrepreneur you can control almost every line of the P&L through increasing sales or reducing costs.
Note 1: Adjusted EBITDA, which is defined as profit before finance costs, tax, depreciation, amortisation, share based payments
• For public companies, i.e. companies who have been floated on the Stock Market, these are required to provide more charge, and exceptional items is a non-GAAP metric used by management and is not an IFRS disclosure.
information, such as Profit per share - shown at the bottom of the table on page 217. All results derive from continuing operations.
• Always check the notes at the bottom for important information about how things have been worked out.
 218 219

Balance sheet Example Consolidated Balance Sheet

For the year ended 31 March 2021
2021 2020
(£000) (£000)
In the profit and loss statement, this showed This can be rearranged to:
Non-current assets
revenues, expenses and profit for a period of time.
Property, plant and equipment 5,501 1,401
The balance sheet reflects the assets, liabilities and Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity
owners equity at a set point in time. Goodwill and other intangibles 21,837 20,005
(It is still saying the same thing as the previous page) Deferred tax asset - 177
In simple terms this shows what a company owns, Total non-current assets 27,338 21,583
what it owes to others, and how much it is worth on Why is a balance sheet important?
paper. Current assets Assets
A balance sheet gives a snapshot of a company’s Inventory 1,914 1,842
The balance sheet is also called this because it must position at any given point in time. This is why there is Trade and other receivables 19,537 8,493
balance, between the assets and the liabilities plus always a date at the top. Corporation tax recoverable 459 263
the owners equity. See the fundamental accounting
Cash and cash equivalents 4,190 2,617
equation below. A balance sheet also gives a much greater amount
Total current assets 26,100 13,215
of information about a companies worth and shows
The aim of Module 15 is not to make you a financial you behind the scenes of the information which
expert, but instead teach the basic concepts to aid is presented in the P&L, which shows operating Total assets 53,438 34,798
your learning and development in conjunction with performance (but not assets or liabilities).
your professional career. Equity and liabilities
Can you trust everything you see? No. Share capital 507 -
The main terms involved: Share premium 64,100 -
On a balance sheet there is lot of room for Merger relief reserve 993 -
• What a company owns are called its assets. interpretation (or manipulation) based on the Merger reserve (12,685) 2,886
• What a company owes are called its liabilities. decisions an accountant can make, especially on Retained losses (10,098) (12,704)
• What a company is worth is called owners equity things like depreciation. This may not important
or shareholders equity. for many people on this course, however if you ever Liabilities
want to buy a company or improve your financial
Total equity / (deficit) 42,817 (9,818)
Equity: intelligence it helps to know the tricks people may use
and then you can read in more detail on the topic. Non-current liabilities
Equity is the value of the shareholders stake in Borrowings 487 32,521
the company (as valued by accounting rules). In Always check the notes: Trade and other payables 358 5,430
accounting terms this is always Assets - Liabilities. Deferred tax liability 3 -
Companies can be sneaky and make decisions which Total non-current liabilities 848 37,951
It is also the sum of all capital paid by shareholders plus artificially inflate a company’s perceived value or
any profits earned since inception, minus dividends success. These changes are often hidden in the Notes,
often referenced at the bottom. This is where the Current liabilities
paid out to shareholders.
skeletons are hidden. Other interest-bearing loans and borrowings 378 -
Trade and other payables 9,395 6,665
When reading the example on page 219, you will see Total current liabilities 9,773 6,665
The fundamental accounting equation:
the split between assets, liabilities and equity, and
that the Total assets (half way down the page) and
Owners Equity = Assets - Liabilities Total equity and liabilities (at the bottom) is the same. Total liabilities 10,621 44,616
Equity
Total equity and liabilities 53,438 34,798

The Group financial statements were approved by the Board and authorised for issue on 21 June 2021 and were signed on its
behalf by:

A. Name
Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary Always check the notes for clarification on the
What it’s worth What you own (minus) What you owe decisions and assumptions made. This is where
Company registered number: 12345678
the skeletons are often hidden (or referenced).
220 221

TOTAL

1,177,751
0
8,931
0
914
1,187,596

470,151
23,914
22,542
29,245
23,067
0
55,450
100,941
5,742
21,251
752,303

435,293

112,312
2,856
16,531
9,529
6,186
1,739
1,183
252
859
4,403
701
19,624
6,195
130
6,051
2,549
3,749
0
0
194,849

240,444

52.9%
9.0%
1.9%
36.7%
20.3%
Management

Apr-22

76,342
0
663
0
153
77,158

25,829
3,556
2,201
3,579
1,390
0
4,064
8,250
853
1,432
51,154

26,004

10,527
0
2,991
1,747
416
137
150
30
82
253
132
437
945
0
2,089
210
348
0
0
20,494

5,510

53.4%
11.8%
1.8%
33.8%
7.2%
accounts

Mar-22

115,769
0
1,003
0
13
116,785

38,089
6,079
1,441
2,693
2,566
0
4,353
8,268
369
8,433
72,291

44,494

10,787
643
2,830
1,077
914
8
148
0
104
400
0
1,387
690
0
483
125
346
0
0
19,942

24,552

52.8%
7.4%
2.2%
38.1%
21.0%
Feb-22

96,446
0
860
0
17
97,323

38,270
1,940
1,683
2,449
1,787
0
3,315
8,047
0
3,435
60,926

36,397

10,746
322
1,000
1211
604
302
53
0
58
375
9
1,780
690
0
243
122
346
0
0
17,861

18,536

52.8%
8.3%
1.8%
37.4%
19.0%
Management accounts are versions of your profit and Within this course we hope to share the benefits of having
loss statement or balance sheet broken down into management accounts and provide enough supporting
months or quarters (not usually a complete year). information that if you are asked to start learning the
financial side of business, this is a good start.

Jan-22

74,560
0
489
0
154
75,203

32,479
0
2,334
2,366
1,805
0
3,794
8,009
0
-2,085
48,702

26,501

10,615
0
1,000
1,051
485
107
315
52
58
375
0
1,780
760
0
256
230
305
0
0
17,389

9,112

52.0%
10.7%
2.4%
35.3%
12.1%
Management accounts are important as they allow you to
view the performance of your business every month and Test yourself reading management accounts:
make changes. This knowledge can allow you to improve
performance, plan ahead or identify and challenge any A fictional example is given on page 221. On the left you

Dec-21

53,218
0
952
0
325
54,495

16,447
1,308
1,010
940
1,077
0
2,425
7,741
0
6,954
37,902

16,593

8,903
0
300
195
415
117
32
0
49
375
0
1,780
996
0
294
231
305
0
0
13,992

2,601

55.4%
14.3%
2.0%
30.6%
4.8%
unexpected costs. will see all of the headings for what is recorded in this set
of accounts. For your business you can choose whatever
The benefits of regular management accounts: is important to you to help you make informed business
decisions.

Nov-21

78,576
0
705
0
2
79,283

25,468
2,863
857
1,662
1,538
0
2,951
8,420
0
7,542
51,301

27982

8,410
0
310
176
421
240
12
3
83
375
0
1,780
1,096
0
332
170
305
0
0
13,713

14,269

52.2%
10.6%
1.9%
35.3%
18.0%
• You can compare current vs past monthly performance.
• You gain objective information to guide your focus. Along the top you will see the month this relates to.
• You can identify seasonal trends (see page 70).
On the left you will see different sections for Revenue,

Oct-21

96,400
0
805
0
250
97,455

32,196
684
2,028
1,395
2,368
0
5,331
8,859
0
8,813
61,674

35,781

8,836
0
300
453
617
74
107
40
68
375
0
1780
140
0
319
111
299
0
0
13,519

22,262

52.2%
9.1%
2.4%
36.8%
22.9%
• You gain visibility to aid business planning. Direct Costs, Gross Profit, Overheads, and Net Profit.
• They can help avoid cash flow problems. You will also see the breakdown within each section,
• All of this can be used to improve your overall profitability which as a manager it is your job to keep control of.
and success.

Sep-21

105,243
0
682
0
0
105,925

46,951
555
1,882
3,204
1,663
0
5,077
9,160
455
-1,562
67,385

38,540

8,916
0
300
338
526
121
100
0
74
375
0
1,780
162
0
534
155
299
0
0
13,680

24,860

53.5%
9.1%
1.6%
36.4%
23.5%
Along the bottom of the document you will also see
Why else are management accounts important? Ratios. Ratios are good as they allows a manager to
easily see (often as a percentage) if their cost of sale or
Typically a business will measure its sales, know its order the percentage of labour has gone up, which they can

Aug-21

125,786
0
772
0
0
126,558

48,762
1,549
2,267
1,128
2,219
0
7,192
8,737
507
5,472
77,833

48,725

8,801
0
1,500
660
351
216
35
0
98
375
0
1780
165
0
357
316
299
0
0
14,953

33,772

52.6%
7.3%
1.8%
38.5%
26.7%
book and have an idea of the cash in the bank. However then challenge. This is the detail you want to run a good
it is also important to know the profitability for different business.
products or services, or which parts of the business are
performing better than others, so that you can invest Questions relating to page 221:

Jul-21

163,180
0
920
0
0
164,100

71,447
3,114
3,131
6,488
3,386
0
6,193
9,375
1612
-4,668
100,078

64,022

8,819
1,662
1,500
676
575
66
80
127
57
375
0
1,780
164
130
479
141
299
0
0
16,930

47,092

52.5%
6.7%
2.1%
39.0%
28.7%
more time, effort or money in these, or kill off the parts
of the business (or remove clients) which are dragging • Is this business seasonal? When are its busy periods?
you down.
• What was the total revenue for the year?
• How much money did the business spend on training?

Jun-21

109,886
0
600
0
0
110,486

51,057
0
2,574
1,777
1,600
0
6,570
8,255
1,184
-3,712
69,305

41,181

8,592
229
1,500
871
515
115
85
0
40
375
543
1,780
197
0
454
126
299
0
0
15,721

25,460

52.9%
8.5%
1.4%
37.3%
23.0%
Better financial planning will also reduce the chance of
over-trading. With the Roadmap we put a huge focus on • How much did the wage bill jump in Jan-22?
growing your business, however if you expand sales too • What was the Net Profit for the year?
quickly, it is possible that the business runs out of cash • Which month had the best Net Profit % Sales?
May-21

82,345
0
480
0
0
82,825

43,156
2,266
1,134
1,564
1,668
0
4,185
7,820
762
-8,803
53,752

29,073

8,360
0
3,000
1,074
347
236
66
0
88
375
17
1,780
190
0
211
612
299
0
0
16,655

12,418

53.1%
10.4%
2.0%
35.1%
15.0%
or working capital if customers have not paid before • Are there costs you could reduce to make the business
suppliers and staff demand their money. This is also why more profitable?
your payment terms are important (page 66).
If you can answer the above you are well on your way to
Common reasons many small businesses don’t produce building your financial intelligence. With practise it is not

Purchases inter company

management accounts:

Computers and Internet

as complicated as you may think!

Professional and Legal

Services, Patents etc.
Currency Gain / Loss

Carriage out % Sales

Gross Profit % Sales
• Lack of interest. There is lots more detail we can go into, which we will

Net Profit % Sales

Printing and office
Total direct costs

Materials % Sales
Wages (overtime)
Stock adjustment
Interest Received

Post and carriage

Loss on disposals
Sub-contractors

General Repairs
• Belief that their business is too small. cover in the drop-in sessions, but be confident with your

Labour % Sales
Total expenses
Motor vehicles
Rent and rates
Heat and light
Total revenue

Bank charges
Direct Costs

Depreciation
numbers!!

Carriage out

Gross Profit
• Never been taught or didn’t know where to start.

Advertising
Overheads
Carriage in
Purchases

Telephone

Bad debts
Packaging

Net Profit
Insurance
Expenses
Discount
Carriage

Training
Tooling

Wages

Wages

Ratios
Sales
222 223

Cash flow statement Example Consolidated Cash Flow Statement

For the year ended 31 March 2021
In business cash is king. You can have the best profit In a B2B example, you still have to pay your suppliers 2021 2020
margin in the world and £100m in assets, but if you to make your product, but rather than receive your
(£000) (£000)
run out of cash you are in trouble. Cash is the oxygen cash straight away, you might not receive it for two
for your business! more months (due to 60 day payment terms).
Cash flows from operating activities
The term “cash” reflects the money a business has In the example, in January you had 20k of sales, but Profit / (Loss) before taxation 1,986 (380)
in the bank, plus anything else which can quickly be 12k of cost of goods sold + 10k overheads. Due to your Adjustments for:
turned into cash such as stocks and bonds. A cash flow payment terms you may not receive the 20k from Depreciation 808 563
statement shows the cash coming in, cash going out, your January sales until the end of March. Amortisation of intangible assets 476 453
and the difference between them (for a set period). Share based payments charge 345 -
This is one of the most important documents in any However by March you have bills of 22k (Jan) + 28k Other operating income - (54)
business. Without enough cash in your business you (Feb) + 37k (March) = 87k to be paid and only 20k Gain on bargain purchase (95) -
will go bust. coming in. It is here a business can get into trouble,
Finance costs 1,066 4,192
even though sales are growing. The business is
There are lots of examples we can give where growing into trouble, which is called overtrading.
Finance income (147) (4)
depending on how quickly your cash comes in vs how 4,439 4,770
quickly cash goes out, a business can get into trouble. In a short course like this, cash flow can be too
complicated to cover in depth, however now you Changes in working capital:
Example: B2C businesses vs B2B businesses understand its importance and why it is important to Decrease/(increase) in inventories 176 (605)
get cash into a business quickly. (Increase) in trade and other receivables (10,493) (40)
In the example below we have a business who has Increase in trade and other payables 2,876 2,318
growing sales every month. Month one 20k, month The example on page 223 shows a consolidated cash (Decrease) in provisions (131) (300)
two 30k, month three 45K. Sounds good? Now flow statement. Cash (used in)/generated from operations (3,133) 6,143
imagine this is two businesses: one who sells to
consumers who pay straight away - common in B2C, Using your new financial intelligence you can clearly
vs a trade business (B2B) who pay on 60 day payment see the two different years shown, 2020 and 2021,
Tax recovered/(paid) 180 (250)
terms. Both businesses buy their raw materials from understand that negative numbers are shown in (), Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities (2,953) 5,893
small local businesses who you pay on 30 days. and based on your new knowledge understand why a
Net cash flow of (2,953) from operating activities, i.e. Cash flows from investing activities
How quick does your cash come in? cash is leaving the business quicker than it comes in, Purchase of property, plant and equipment (996) (248)
can create problems. Purchase of intangible assets (865) (124)
In the B2C example, providing you have enough cash Proceeds on sale of property, plant and equipment 3 1
to buy your initial stock, money is coming in quicker SUMMARY: In just ten pages we hope to have given you Acquisition of subsidiary net of cash acquired (168) -
than it is going out. You still have to pay your suppliers, more confidence in your financial intelligence. From Interest received 147 4
but you can be paid almost immediately. This way you the information shared, this should be enough to help
Net cash outflow from investing activities (1,879) (367)
can continue to grow without too much fear, as cash is you get started in any small (or large) business, and
coming in faster than it is going out. feel free to ask questions in the live drop-in sessions.
We’re here to help! Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of borrowings (33,282) (2,250)
Repayment of other borrowings (1,771) -
Proceeds from issues of shares 49,429 -
Example January February March Expenses of the IPO (400) -
Interest paid (7,571) (2,194)
Sales 20,000 30,000 45,000 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities 6,405 (4,444)
Cost of goods sold 12,000 18,000 27,000
Gross profit (Sales - Cost of goods sold) 8,000 12,000 18,000 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 1,573 1,082
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 2,617 1,535
Overhead expenses 10,000 10,000 10,000 Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 4,190 2,617
Net Profit (Sales - Cost of goods sold - Overhead) (2,000) 2,000 8,000
224 225

Module 16
Advanced
Module 1 – Understanding your goals and ambitions Module 2 – The skills investors, business partners and
employers look for.
In Module 1 we helped you imagine and articulate the life,
business and personal goals you want to achieve. You wrote Research has shown that 85% of career success comes

techniques
these down and agreed to use these goals to guide you as from well developed people skills. Cultivating these skills will
you move forward. make a huge difference for anyone seeking to progress their
professional career.
Without a clear direction, how do you know where you are

(optional)
going? Within Module 2:

Within Module 1 we used: • We showed the importance of your personal and

professional brand to demonstrate your skills to the world.
• Future pacing – to get you to imagine your future dream • We showed how your personal brand (if promoted through
life. We asked you to make it real in your mind and use this your social media) will get your colleagues, bosses, recruiters
as motivation. and wider network recognise your skills, making it much
• We used sales techniques to work backwards and create more likely that they “see you” in that role, supporting future
Lead Actions to make this dream a reality. Lead Actions are career growth.
If you have completed the first 15 Modules you will have It is the unique combination of these techniques and how steps which, if followed through, will provide the building • We used management techniques to demonstrate your
hopefully learned some new tools and techniques which you they can be used together which makes the Roadmap MBA blocks for success. ability to make decisions, but also successfully communicate
can use in your business or career to make that next step different. • We used commitment and consistency from the six these and achieve greater success.
towards your goals. universal principles of social influence by Robert Cialdini, so • We reminded you of the A.B.C.D model and the importance
Module 16 goes into more detail on how each of the that from your written actions and goals, if you shared these to invest in your appearance and be conscious of your
These techniques were hand picked from the best ideas techniques can be used together to dramatic effect. We with others or submitted these as part of the course, you are behaviour, communication and digital presence.
and theories available across sales, strategy, marketing achieve this by recapping each section and identifying the now more likely to follow through and achieve your dream • We used sales closing techniques to overcome emotional
and management, but also simplified and also refined from tools which we applied throughout your journey. through not wanting to be seen as giving up. buying wounds of recruiters (or people within your network)
personal and professional experience, taking high level • We also used the management techniques from Module to address how and why they should consider you for this role,
theories and making them practical through the actions 13 on building a career plan. Doing this for yourself and also or customers who you are trying to win, who might otherwise
described throughout the course. sharing the concept so that you too can use this with your be sceptical from preconceived ideas or assumptions about
own team. you which we are looking to change.
• Through taking these steps we have not just written down a • Using lessons from sales; use the word ‘because’ in selling
list of goals, we are also starting to build behaviours. yourself. It will make a real difference.
• Prepare yourself with the sales technique ‘so what’ and
overcoming objections for why should you get the job or win
the client? Be prepared for these challenges or objections as
you would with any sale, even if you’re selling yourself.
• We also advised to research job specifications for your
dream role and incorporate this into your personal brand.
By doing this you can future pace your audience through
demonstrating the qualities desired in the role you want
whilst also producing Lead Actions to learn and develop the
skills you need.

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work Do you have any stories, tips or experiences you’d like to share with the community?
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com We’d love to hear them! Contact us on social media: @RoadmapMBA #RoadmapMBA
226 227

Module 3 – Your personal and professional brand Module 4 – Business strategy (part 1) Module 7 – Marketing Social Media Top Tips

Within Module 3: Module 5 – Business strategy (part 2) What are we In Module 7 we combine all of the techniques within the Post about:
good at? Where do we need to improve? course. We showed the importance of: 1. Things you’re passionate about.
• We demonstrated how sales techniques can be used to
produce a much more convincing personal and professional Module 6 – Business strategy (part 3) Getting into the • Sharing your visions and values with the world. 2. Your visions and values.
brand. detail
• Using the Emotional Value Pyramid to communicate ‘higher 3. Share your knowledge and experience. Be seen as an
• We demonstrated the positive benefits of using the sales Within Modules 4 to 6: up the pyramid’. This helps achieve the emotional case to Authority and Expert on a topic.
closing techniques of ‘overcome buying wounds’, provide buy from sales closing but also closely links to the section on
the ‘emotional case to buy’ and ‘crack client limiting beliefs’ • We aimed to build your experience and knowledge on market positioning. 4. Show how you demonstrate the desirable characteristics
before you ever meet the client or your future prospective business strategy which will allow you to become and in being:
employer. We did this through asking you what the world authority and expert within your field and help you out think • Use Lead Actions to create the structure for raising your
thinks about you, and then controlling the conversation on your competition. business or personal profile. Use Lead Actions to make a • Entrepreneurial
what you tell the world and using this to build the positive commitment to post once a day every day (for example) and • Works well with others
messages you want people to think. • We stressed the importance of incorporating good measure yourself on this, not how many new followers you • Trustworthy
management techniques into your business strategy and get. • Good communicator
• We demonstrated the importance of having a respected placing people as a priority in your business. • Works hard
personal brand, but also the need to promote this through • Using the six universal principles of social influence to good • Commercially Aware
social media. Remember nobody can buy your product (or • Completing actions in this area will deepen your effect, we showed how you should demonstrate yourself as • Inspiring
offer you your dream job) if they don’t know who you are! understanding across all of your business but also your an authority and expert on a topic. • Knowledgeable
competitors. • Creative
• We demonstrated the importance of using video to help you • We showed the importance of overcome buying wounds, • Good business network
communicate with 100% of the tools open to you. • We also shared techniques on how to balance revenues providing the emotional case to buy and crack client limiting
for a seasonal business, and diversify your business with a beliefs in your marketing upfront before you ever make your 5. Talk about YOU!
Remember: reduced amount of risk. sales approach. This increases your sales conversion rate.
Only 7% of communicating emotion is the words we choose. 6. Create your own content and add your thoughts and
38% of human communication is tone of voice. •A good strategy combined with good sales and marketing • Linking with adding value from outside of your interest, comments on important issues.
55% is body language. Facial expressions, gestures. and constant reinvestment creates a successful business. we shared the importance of adding value to your network
through sharing knowledgeable and useful information.
Use this to help sell the dream and communicate better to Social media, email news letters and video are a great way
your target audience. to do that.

• Remember to demonstrate the desirable characteristics • We also shared how using techniques such as customer
from a successful salesperson, of being sharp, enthusiastic, profiles and consumer insights can be used to improve your
knowledgeable, an authority and expert on the topic, sales process and demonstrating your perfect ft for the
trustworthy and being a good communicator. You can client, bringing them closer to 10/10.
incorporate this into your brand.
• Getting customers to 10/10 is a sales concept by Jordan
• Remember to be authentic, relevant to your audience and Belfort, referencing his Straight Line Sales System.
unique. People will judge you within the first five seconds, so
it’s good to make the best possible first impression.
228 229

Module 8 – The six universal principles of social Module 11 – Sales Closing Module 13 – Leadership and good business Module 14 – Mental Health
influence. management
• Sales closing is where everything you have done so far Module 15 – Financial Intelligence
• Within Module 8 we introduced the concepts of Robert comes together. This section was aimed to build your knowledge on this
Cialdini on Reciprocation, Commitment and Consistency, important topic and sharing new tools and concepts for you Within both of these modules, these were added as it felt like
Social Proof, Liking, Authority and Scarcity. We also provided • For your sales close, the articulation of your visions and to use. Management is all about relationships. Relationships, not addressing two major topics which impact a lot of people
suggestions to use these techniques throughout all aspects values via your personal brand, your knowledge and skill as as proven, will play a huge role in your future success. on the course would be wrong. Our aim here was to share
of your business life. an authority on a topic work together to massively increase tips and knowledge to help begin your journey in both areas,
sales. Combine this with the new knowledge on what you’re • Your success as a manager will be controlled by how people with the common theme which links both modules to the
• The two main areas to use these tactics are within your actually trying to achieve and when to ask for the sale. view you, and hence the importance of your personal and rest of the course is YOU. Always make sure you look after
marketing promotion and also in sales, particularly in your professional brand will improve what people think about you. yourself as you go through your journey and know help is
sales approaches. Use them. • Get the client to 10/10 certainty then ask for the sale. available if you need it.
• Use the personal characteristics from Module 2,
Module 9 – Sales approaches • If you don’t ask for the sale, you’re doing all of the hard work demonstrate being skilled at communication, making Financial intelligence is extremely valuable and we
then not scoring the goal. Always ask for the sale! decisions, showing commitment, having flexibility, embracing recommend further reading on this topic. Excellent books
Module 10 – Sales presentation and business meetings responsibility, loyalty, good time management, leadership, include:
Module 12 – The social side of business creativity and problem solving.
• Within Modules 9 and 10 we shared important sales • Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs: What You Really
techniques which can be used throughout your career, in • The aim of this module was to build better relationships and • Recap the human interaction techniques such as active Need to Know About the Numbers (Harvard Financial
particular the need to fully understand your sales process, ensure the person behind your personal and professional listening, building rapport and mirroring from sales Intelligence) by Karen Berman and Joe Knight
the importance of qualifying, and also the need to be an brand comes through. Use the techniques from sales presentation to build better personal relationships.
active listener. presentation on rapport and mirroring to build stronger • Understanding Business Accounting For Dummies by Colin
connections to people and make a better first impression. • From Module 1 we profiled the person who we see as being Barrow and John A. Tracy
• We demonstrated how promoting a well articulated top of their game within your industry. We then created
personal and professional brand will open more doors, get • Remind yourself again on the A.B.C.D model from your Lead Actions to match their behaviour. Be this person and • Accounting Made Simple: Accounting Explained in 100
you more meetings and help you close more sales. personal and professional brand to make a great first replicate their behaviours. Pages or Less (Financial Topics in 100 Pages or Less) by Mike
impression. Piper
• We demonstrated the benefit of getting the customer • We used the Tony Robbins technique of Moving Towards and
as close to 10/10 as you can even before you ever meet or • Adding value outside your interest is a key part of your Moving Away values to better understand your motivations SUMMARY
pick up the phone. We do this through answering all of their personal and professional brand as it cements the visions and build a high performance team.
questions before they every get in touch through having a and values you promote are true and you genuinely want The more you discover about yourself and the more
great website, the content you provide and also through to help other people. This will add to your reputation, which • We used the questions from Module 1 on understanding techniques you have available to you, it becomes clear that
demonstrating a clear understanding of their needs. opens more doors, gets the client closer to 10/10 on liking your teams career goals and ambitions to help build career these are all interconnected. The more you know, the more
Remember the need to have a single WOW factor location. and trusting you, which will lead to more sales and business plans. you will discover.
or career growth.
• We also demonstrated how the six universal principles of • We also linked the importance of showing strong credible The Roadmap MBA was created to give solid grounding
social influence can be used to great affect, particularly in the • Add face to face meetings as a Lead Action within your plan. leadership with humility and empathy. Fight in the trenches across a range of business topics built on the belief that
there is a way to combine the world’s best concepts on
“Key concepts to improve your sales success” section. with your team and provide clear rules and structure to help
sales, strategy, marketing and management to create
them flourish.
dramatic business or career growth.
• The tips on body language will also help build greater
interpersonal relationships and help you to be more
Before finishing the course we provide a range of
confident when you present.
one page work sheets to help you grow your business
(or career) quickly, including valuable information on
achieving a successful investor pitch or maximising your
value on an exit.
230 231

One page Taking control. The one day

business turnaround.
worksheets When asked to do a quick turnaround on a business If you are the business owner ask yourself these questions

created to
these are the consulting questions I use. Ask the following one at a time but if you get stuck use the Q&A feature at
questions and then piece together the biggest challenges www.RoadmapMBA.com. Consulting is a skill to solve
and pain points of the client and find the synergies and this business puzzle as quickly as possible. Get in touch if
areas for greatest impact. you would like some help.

help you grow Questions

• Talk me through the business and everything it does?
• Are any of the businesses or revenue streams seasonal?
Growth Actions:

• Capture their aims and goals and review their current

systems and structures to see if they will get you there. If

your business
• What are your ambitions? What is your confidence that not produce a plan
they’ll happen? • Review organisation chart, rate everyone from 1-10
• Is there anything else I’ve missed? What are the reasons based on ability, and if they can perform at a higher level
the above might not happen? in the organisation. Do you have a potential successor? Is
• Are there any market trends you have seen which might there anyone you need to get rid of?
affect the business? • Produce a high level business strategy to mitigate your
• What are your key bottlenecks or problems? biggest pain points and also champion your areas of
• Why do you feel you have not achieved your goals to greatest opportunity.
date? • Produce a series of Lead Actions to help you tackle each
• What does this mean for the business? What has not issue or opportunity.
achieving these meant for you personally? • Produce a plan to maximise your maximum addressable
• What is the worst case if it all goes wrong? Do you have market and to out think the competition by gaining a
personal guarantees or liabilities? competitive advantage.
• Can you share the high level financials of the business so • Put in place Lead Actions to increase sales activities and
we can identify where you’re at? implement monitoring and reporting structures.
• Can you share your organisation chart? Who are your • Review and manage weekly.
With any business course people want the benefit as quickly as possible. Understanding stars? Rate them from 1-10 on ability, capacity, can any of
this, the one page worksheets are sections of the most valuable content in one place. Don’t them step up? From this we produce a plan and identify
any needed exits or future leaders.
forget to use the Live Q&A to ask questions or visit www.RoadmapMBA.com for more
information.
• Who are your customers? What do they do? What are
their pain points? What do you solve?
Seven steps to help grow a
• What are your customers aims and goals? What are
their challenges? How can we help them more?
business
Turning around or growing a business can be split into
The aim of these questions is that within just 10-13 7 steps. Get these right and manage them properly and
questions this should flag up the major issues in any you’ll make a real impact.
business for you to tackle using the techniques from this
course. The next page includes all seven step by step actions to
follow.

Continued on the next page

Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask questions and help you work
through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
232 233

Seven steps to help grow a business

How you could implement these
in your business?
1) Bring people together 4) Ensure a regular and continuous flow of information

Get your team aligned. Some companies have daily briefings of 10-15 minutes to set the priorities for the day. Others simply use instant
messaging apps like Slack or WhatsApp to keep the information moving. For communication you need to think
• Make a list of all of your team members. regular, fast and often.
• Make clear, person by person, their role and what the business expects from them. Ensure this is aligned with their
job description. Make sure the weekly meetings happen to review progress. If you let these slip you will never hit target. Poor
• Share this knowledge with the team. diligence and poor management will lead to poor results.

Set up a regular meeting schedule to review progress against progress. Weekly reviews are best. Get your biggest meetings out of the way first thing in the morning. This prevents a wasted day of people preparing.
Also don’t bother asking people to write long reports on their actions unless it genuinely adds value. Conversation
Create a structure where positive debate and constructive challenge is seen as a positive. Make sure everyone is fine to make you more efficient.
feels safe to suggest their opinion. Don’t let people dominate, even the CEO.
Within board meetings review progress. Reward good performers. Highlight areas of weakness or short fall. Tackle
Provide training and mentoring to help people improve their skills over time. them. Repeat. The growth needs to come from the top down. The board also need KPIs.

2) Get everyone aligned behind a single major objective 5) Remove headaches

Have an overall business goal but split these down into targets to achieve each month. Ask your team what tasks they are currently asked to do which do not actively help you achieve your goal.
These can be joint or individual targets. Keep them small and manageable. If a task is superfluous, ditch it.

For each goal – identify the items which must be completed to make it happen. Within the weekly meeting focus on
these.

Reward people who achieve the goals or milestones you set.

6) Gain and share customer feedback
Openly share progress against the objective in the month. Review feedback. Evolve and improve.
Have regular conversations with your customers.
Share this goal across the whole business (not just the senior team) to ensure alignment and cohesion.
Ask about the challenges they face and how your business is performing in supporting them? What could you do
better? Is there anything else you can help with?

Share this feedback with the relevant teams on a regular basis. This information needs to come from the front line all
3) Publish your targets somewhere visible the way up and down the business quickly and often.

Share the company’s vision, mission and values. We need everyone on the same page and able to articulate them
if asked.
7) Keep momentum, keep going.
Add in demonstration of the company values into your annual appraisals. This encourages the right behaviours you
want to support. You can also add these into your recruitment process too – ensuring you bring the right people
The content taught on this course will help you achieve high performance. Success won’t come over night, but it will
into the business.
come. Keep momentum, keep going.
Share individual performance against targets publicly. You will see a huge bump in performance as people seek to
Send your questions to [email protected]. Join up to four live classroom sessions every week to ask
be the company’s top performers and those lagging behind do not want to be last.
questions and help you work through the course. Full details and times are available at www.RoadmapMBA.com
234 235

New CEO checklist Speak to as many members of staff as you can. Review everything about your new organisation. Make a list of all of
the things you like and don’t like. Get to know the personalities.

If brought in as a new MD or CEO this can be a lonely You will also want to put your own stamp on the business
and difficult challenge. Often you are going to be asked to fairly quickly. The 21 items below can be used as a guide
solve a problem someone else (perhaps multiple people for things to consider within your first 12-18 months to
before you) had failed at. You want to be prepared and help you build a thriving organisation. What areas do you want to improve most?
give yourself a framework to work to or you could get
lost.

Target goals and ideas for the first 12-18 months

Who are the key people within the business who you need to make friends with?

• Do you need to redefine the company’s vision and • Can you create or empower the Management Team?
values? Does it match where you want to take the
business? • Can you provide clearer direction to job roles and
accountabilities within the business? See page 194.
• Do you need to create a new brand image and Who in the organisation might fight against you or the changes you seek to make?
communication message which supports your values. • Could you need to implement a Quality, Health,
Safety and Environmental improvement plan to reach
• Does the current team provide the required level of international standards, or consider employee support
strategic direction and leadership to take you where you for Mental Health?
want to go?
• Could you implement a staff reward and recognition Who are your key allies within the business? Who are your key allies on the board?
• Does the company have a clearly defined business programme to drive key behaviours or Lead Actions?
strategy across all company divisions or profit centres?
When was the last time it was reviewed? • How can you identify cost efficiencies and implement
change, running a lean and efficient team?
• Do you keep operating all of the company’s current
divisions / products / service lines? Is one of them a drain • Can you implement measures to increase productivity, Who are independent people who you trust who you can ask for advice?
on resources or stuck in the past? (or empower those who can)?

• What is going on in your wider business environment? • Do you need to develop better relationships with key
What are the cultural or technological shifts occurring? clients and stakeholders. This is an often missed driver
See PESTLE analysis - page 129 for success, considering stakeholders outside the
business as well as those within it. Ask yourself if you have clearly articulated the plan. Have you made it simple? Do people understand it?
• Where do your products or services sit against the
competition? See positioning analysis - page 110 • Can you create an exciting and engaging place to work?

• Understand what decisions you can make which give • Listen to the staff, listen to the board, ask the difficult
you a competitive advantage? - page 65 questions, give the difficult responses, but aim to build
trust through leading from the front. Put a note in your diary to review your business plan every month or every quarter to track progress. Learn and
• How can you win in the customers world? - page 67 adapt as you go.
Growth Action: Every business is different. The above
• How can you continually improve? points are simply designed to spark your thinking. As
a new MD or CEO you will have a lot on your plate. It is
• Do you need to reorganise or align the company hoped these help give you some ideas.
organisational / reporting structure?

• Can you improve communication at all levels of the

business?
236 237

Engaging your team Notes:

When growing a business without engaging the team and As part of your role ask the following questions during
bringing them with you, your plan is useless. your staff one-to-ones from the people actually doing
the work. Listen to them, engage with them, and then
support them to drive lasting change.

14 one-to-one staff questions 11. Have our customers ever asked for anything we don’t
provide?
1. How are things going?
12. If you could launch one new product or service, what
2. Tell me everything you like and don’t like about the
would it be?
business? Be honest.
13. Is there anything else I’ve missed?
3. If you had complete reign over everything in the
business, what would you change?
14. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?
4. What are your ambitions? Do you have any long term
Once you build trust within the team and have a wider
plans? How can the business help achieve them? How
picture of the business, you can bring the two together. A
can I help you achieve them?
strong leader has a picture top to bottom of the changes
they wish to make, but also sense checks this from the
5. Are you excited for the future? Do you like where the
ground up. Achieving both is the best way to have real
business is going?
lasting impact.
6. Are there any market trends you have seen which
might affect the business?
Growth Action: Always respect people’s confidence and
balance opinions with fact to decide the best course of
action.
7. Are there any key bottlenecks or problems in what you
do or within your department?
Growth Action: Ask yourself, from earlier in your career,
8. Have you seen any key bottlenecks or problems what questions do you wish people asked you?
anywhere else?
Growth Action: In your career, where did you feel you
9. Who are our customers? What do they do? could have made a wider impact in your business or
organisation if allowed? I bet you can think of lots of
10. What are our customers aims and goals? What are occasions. This is the chance to be the leader you never
their challenges? What are your ideas on how can we help had and make life better for everyone you’re involved
them more? with.

Send your questions to [email protected]

238 239

Optional
Use everything you have learned during this course and start to implement it into your business or career. Make
notes on this page of things which resonated with you most.

What are the main areas you want to improve? Review your skill answers from page 6.

The What are your motivations to do so?

Roadmap
MBA Project
What are the top five techniques from this course which will help you?

What are the Lead Actions for each item or technique?

Make real change to your business or career

The optional MBA project is the culmination of your Roadmap MBA course. This provides What is the time scale for when you wish to achieve this by?
an opportunity to apply the knowledge that you have acquired to a real business problem,
your own career, or to investigate a business area that interests you. This is also to help you
put your new skills into practise.

To receive your CPD certificate:

1) Download the CPD assessment form found at www.RoadmapMBA.com. Use the Live Q&A sessions to help. There are also resources on www.RoadmapMBA.com. Ask questions if you get
stuck.
2) Fill out the 5 questions (also shown on the next page).

This is to help you understand your current environment and to help you write down
what you would like to achieve from the course. This is also to help you understand your
aims and goals. Pick a minimum of five areas which are most relevant to you.

3) Submit your assessment form to [email protected] (If you have no interest in doing this project or applying for the CPD points, that is fine too. You don’t have to do
anything. This course is about providing real world skills and helping you grow your business or career).
The deadline for submission is within 12 months from your date of purchase.

As well as feedback you will receive an online certificate as demonstration of your

professional development.

Use the Live Q&A and classroom sessions to help, or if you have any questions email
[email protected].
240 241

Creating an The presentation of your life in 15 slides

investor slide
1 2 3

The problem you tackle.

deck.
Title slide + aim of Your company mission The solution you offer.
your presentation. or purpose. The insight that makes you
special.

4 5 6

Demonstrate the scale Demonstrate your product Why solve this now?
For a lot of start-ups a pitch deck is essential if you’re looking You need to convince the investor of the value of your
of the problem. or service (including visual (What has changed)
to bring in external investment into your business. Think of a business, demonstrate a clear Roadmap to growth, how mock-up)
pitch deck as a short visual business plan. their money will help, and simultaneously alleviate their fears
or objections - just as we did in Module 11.
Whether you’re looking for £10k, £100k, £10m or £100m it is
important to be able to share your ideas clearly. Everything Never forget that for the investor the point of the investment 7 8 9
you have done so far within the Roadmap will help you build is not to fund your idea. For the investor, the point of the
a successful business plan, however extra preparation will investment is to gain a return, likely a 10x return within Total market size. What sets you apart? The economics of your
increase your chance of success when it comes to a good 3-5 years, so you need to demonstrate a large scale of Serviceable market. What is your traction so far? business model. (Typical
investor pitch. opportunity. You also need to acknowledge that this is their
1, 2, 3 Year predictions. You v.s. Your Competition transaction walk through)
hard-earned money and you will treat it with respect.
One of the most important aspects is doing your homework.
Growth Action: Top tips when creating your pitch deck:
Who are you pitching to? What type of investment does this
person normally make? What topics are they passionate • The average time for investors to review a pitch deck is 10 11 12
about? What other companies have they previously between 3 and 4 minutes. Keep it clear and simple.
invested in? What makes this person tick? • Aim for one message per slide.
Financial projections. How much are you seeking
• Use good visuals or graphs. Your leadership team
• Use simple language. No jargon. Revenue, spend and net to raise? What else you
When answering the above, think back to Module 7 and (including relevant info)
create a customer profile on the investors. This can guide • Make it credible. profit, for first 36 months. require from investors
everything from the visuals you choose to the information • Remember the emotional case to buy. Make them want to (e.g. mentoring)?
you include. invest because of the cause or mission, not just the financial
return.
Although style is important, choose substance over style. • Demonstrate your expertise.
13 14 15
You need to know your numbers. You need references for
the source of your numbers. You need to have a credible Growth Action: Top tips when presenting:
business case with a good margin. You also need a sensible • Keep to time. What will you spend the Closing comments Call to action
• Do your homework in advance.
company valuation. money on? (Key takeaways) + contact details
• Invest in your appearance.
• Know your numbers.
• Practise!
242 243

Before we finish the course, the most important part for many
business owners is achieving a successful exit.

Planning for Take advice early

Transaction
complete Freedom?

an exit
Transaction
starts

Engage professional advisors

Transaction
Planning process Earn Out
First thinking
about selling?

The sale of a business is complex and stressful. It also takes 3. Consider the pros and cons of different buyers. Time line
a long time. Although no exit process is the same there are Different buyers bring different dynamics. Considering this
general rules you can follow. early can help define the strategy on how we market your
Months 6 12 18 24 36 -48
business in preparation for sale.
1. Plan ahead. Many business owners put off thinking about
an exit until too late in the life cycle of their business. Thinking Management Buy Out / Management Buy In
about an exit early can result in a number of benefits. Aim Pros: Limited due diligence. Limited warranties. A quicker
Implementation of growth strategy
to start the process at least 24 months before you want to process. Higher success rate. Cons: Potential for a lower
complete. Keep in mind potential earn out periods which valuation. Buyers often have less capital to spend.
Improve company marketing
could add an extra 18-24 months to this. Improve sales
Trade Sale Increase cash. Reduce working capital tied up.
Earn out periods give confidence to investors and maximise Pros: Higher potential valuation as buyers can achieve Reduce risk
your return but do tie you in for longer. synergies with other entities. Potential for competition from Supporting the management team
bidders. Cons: Increased earn out period. Increased due Ramp up PR as you near the sale
Growth Action: Take advice from your accountant or tax diligence. Tougher negotiation vs. other options.
professional early. Look to build your team who will support
your business sale. As covered on the next page there are Family
things we can do to dramatically increase its value.
Tax, legal and financial housekeeping
Pros: Minimal disruption. Limited due diligence. Legacy.
Cons: Potential for tension. Potential for lower valuation. Reduce dividend extraction
2. Define what you want from the process. Defining What happens if it goes wrong? How hard are you really Extract non business assets
your personal goals early will help shape the type of exit, going to push them to get what you want? Prepare due diligence
and will help ensure continuity from planning the process Prepare financial and legal records
to execution. It will also guide how to grow the business and Especially for a trade sale, build the strategy and marketing Review employment contracts, especially senior management team
prepare for the sale. to make the business as attractive as possible, whilst
simultaneously improving processes such as sales.
Growth Action: Ask yourself the following questions: Do
you still want to be involved in the running of the business Page 244 goes into the steps on how we can maximise your
after the sale? Are you interested in setting up another valuation. Page 243 gives an example time line on planning Continued on the next page
business? Are you retiring for good? Giving consideration to your business exit.
these types of questions safeguards against feeling lost once
the deal has gone through.
244 245

We influence this by following the

techniques on this course.

Maximise the Enterprise Value =

value of your Historic Earnings x Multiple
business
We influence this by building a great strategy and
implementing good sales processes.

If you plan to exit your business you should start a long time in People buy businesses which they believe they can add Calculating your value How to Maximise your Multiple:
advance to plan to answer the main points buyers or investors more value than has currently been achieved.
will look for in any acquisition. Doing this will maximises the When businesses are bought and sold this is often a • Increase E.B.I.T.D.A (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes,
valuation you can achieve, whilst also help you run a better It might be that the buyer will take your products or services calculation involving the historic maintainable earnings of Depreciation and Amortisation).
and more efficient business in the meantime. The techniques and sell them into new areas, or your company may give the a business multiplied by something called a multiple which • Demonstrate continued organic growth.
shared within the Roadmap MBA will help you do that. buyer access into new clients, a new target market, or even a dictates the overall enterprise value which someone is willing • Demonstrate the potential from inorganic growth (i.e.
new sector that they can sell into. to pay. being able to invest in new areas, or through synergies from
The eight points to maximise your valuation: joining a larger entity).
Growth Action: You need to understand the potential Enterprise Value = Historic Earnings x Multiple • Demonstrate secure recurring revenues.
1) Demonstrate a clearly defined strategy with an end vision. companies or investors who could buy you. Understand their • Increase your scale in terms of geographies, markets, and
2) Demonstrate how you clearly solve a customer problem. pain points and motivations. You can use this to identify the Calculating the multiple can be difficult so look for comparable products.
3) Have a clear value proposition. true opportunity and value you bring. companies which have been sold in the past. The multiple is • Increase cash. Reduce working capital tied up.
4) Have achievable, measurable objectives – both short and often influenced by: • Demonstrate your high calibre Senior Management Team.
long term. Growth Action: You can also start this process right from • Demonstrate how you have reduced risk across the
5) A good split between amazing products that sell the start of your journey as you build your business. You 1) Where in the life cycle is the business? What is its potential? business. This includes a reliance on a small number of
themselves and an amazing team selling them (who will stay don’t need to wait until you are ready to sell. Start as early 2) How predictable are the revenues? What is the associated clients or suppliers.
with the business after sale). as possible. risk? • Demonstrate a strong brand and strong position in the
6) Solid governance and reporting structures. 3) How confident is the company in its forecasts? Are they market.
7) A strong culture built on a shared vision. Growth Action: If you are not sure where to start when contracted revenues?
8) Have the potential that with cash injection or new reviewing potential investors or companies who could buy 4) What is the strategic value of this business to the Growth Action: Every item above can be improved by the
leadership there is room for it to grow further. The bigger you, check out their Annual Report if they have one. This buyer? Does this give them access to something they can’t techniques shared on this course. Although you may not be
the potential the better. should tell you everything you need to know about markets otherwise get. looking to sell yet, or have even started your business yet,
or sectors they are looking to grow into. putting in place these actions will make you more money
When looking to raise finance or sell your business you want If you want to maximise the value of your business, build your both now and in the future.
to clearly articulate the eight points above and evidence strategy to achieve these early on.
them where you can. The more clearly you can demonstrate Send questions to [email protected]
these the more powerful your offer will be and the higher
your valuation.
246 247

Best of luck on
your journey.

Thank you Protecting the environment About the author

A genuine thank you to anyone who has taken the time to We care about the environment and we know you do too. Steve Pugh is a Management Consultant and former
follow this course. This project has been years in the making, Managing Director experienced in successful company
learning and practising these techniques every day. With this latest version of the Roadmap MBA we have turnarounds and implementation of growth strategies.
reduced the amount of packaging we send and removed any
My aim was to share practical information that will help you unnecessary use of plastics. Business education should not Steve is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (CEng) with two
land your dream job, grow your business or achieve your have an adverse impact on the planet and we will continue to Masters degrees with values based on empowering people
personal goals. My hope is I’ve done that. do our bit to protect the environment. and creating positive and creative cultures. He is passionate
about equality and helping people achieve their potential.
I will continue to evolve and improve this course. Feedback This textbook is printed on stock from FSC or PEFC
can be given at [email protected]. You can accredited managed sustainable woodland. I believe in social justice.
also review us on Trust Pilot, search Roadmap MBA. I believe in equality.
I believe in helping to create a better world.
I promise I will respond to everyone personally and thank you
for your time. Follow me or connect on social media:

Photograph: Christopher Owens

Twitter: @GRoadmap
Instagram: @GrowthStrategyRoadmap
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevendanielpugh/

Find our more at www.RoadmapMBA.com/steve

248

ONE PAGE RECAP

What is your mission? What is your career goal?

Have you identified the skills or behaviours needed to get you there?

WHY do you do what you do? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

What is your goal for the next 12 months?

Ready to
What are your Lead Actions to achieve this?

take on the
world.
How often will you review progress?

Have you designated somewhere visible to track your progress? Where will you keep your business plan?

What does success look like? What is your dream?

How will you give back to the community?

LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD!

Get stuck? Visit www.RoadmapMBA.com or email [email protected]. www.RoadmapMBA.com
250

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Second Edition
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