Benefits of Enterprise MENTOR

The benefits of using Enterprise MENTOR to develop the marketing and business development capabilities of your 'non-sales and operational staff' are extensive.

Here are just a few ways you can expect to profit from the programme:

1. Acquire New Customers

One of the greatest forms of marketing for your business is your employees. These are the very people who embody the spirit of your company and ideally should be able to articulate exactly why prospective customers should choose you over your competitors.

However, in many companies, employees don't understand what makes their own company different, or where it adds value for customers. This makes it very difficult for them to passionately represent the company to prospective customers, or influence prospective customers to want to become paying customers.

With Enterprise MENTOR, every employee in your company will develop the skills, capabilities and inner confidence to passionately present your company to prospective clients. This might be at networking events, industry events, social engagements, when meeting friends, family and associates of your existing customers or meeting 'cold new' new prospects.

With the help of Enterprise MENTOR, your employees will develop the ability to spot and act on opportunity and actively seek out potential new customers.

When prospects come to your company from your paid lead generation activities (i.e. website, brochures, social media, private and public events, networking) the 'human marketing' of your employees will reinforce your written marketing message giving prospective customers -- and referral clients -- greater confidence to choose your company over your competitors.

2. Retain Existing Customers

It's often said that growing a business is about protecting 'the base', whilst generating new business.

Protecting the base, or retaining existing customers is the easiest and cheapest way to guarantee the stability of year-on-year revenues - giving you base revenues from which to grow. In many companies, repeat customers account for the majority of revenues.

However, it is a fact that customers do switch to competitors and it is widely accepted that the number one reason customers switch is because they feel dissatisfied with the level of service they receive from the company they leave.

Often the senior management team believe, because their customers say that they are 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the level of service they receive, that they will not switch. However research suggests that between 60% and 80% of defecting customers describe themselves as 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' just before they leave and switch to a competitor (Business Week October 2006).

In many companies (especially serviced based companies) where customers and clients are worth thousands of pounds (possibly more) to you each year, customer retention has to be your primary marketing goal.

With Enterprise MENTOR, your employees will develop the tools and capabilities to develop deeper, longer-lasting relationships with your customers, and create 'unbreakable ties' and a level of loyalty which lock your customers in, making it hard for them to switch to a competitor.

3. Up-Sell / Cross-Sell Existing Customers

The easiest and cheapest way to grow your company is to sell more products or services to your existing customers

Often these up-sell and cross-sell opportunities get missed because employees are so focused on 'their day-to-day job', that they fail to get close to customers and truly understand their needs and wants.

Sometimes customers need additional services or want additional products and look for a new service supplier, simply because they are unaware of the services or products you offer. This in itself weakens your current relationship with your client, and jeopardises your long-term repeat revenues with them.

In the Enterprise MENTOR, your employees will start to see up-sell and cross-sell opportunities which they have never seen before. They will develop the ability to understand your clients' needs at a more commercial level and understand where your firm can offer additional services.

4. Attract Better Quality Customers and Charge Higher Prices

Often, price has much less influence on whether or not a customer chooses you over a competitor than you first think. What matters much more are the people in your business, and your client's confidence that you will deliver on the promise you make to them.

When every employee your client interacts with (from the receptionist to the CEO) can demonstrate they understand your client's needs and wants, and instill confidence in your customers than you will deliver on your marketing promise, your clients will see you as more than a supplier, but as somebody the can trust and continue to do business with.

Enterprise MENTOR will help you demonstrate the extra value you offer to clients, making it easier to attract and retain better quality and higher paying customers.

5. Develop Managers and Executives of the Future

With Enterprise MENTOR, all your employees will develop a new way of commercial thinking which is focused on growing your business. Because Enterprise MENTOR was developed from interviews and research into highly successful entrepreneurs, your employees will learn how these successful business owners think, act and make decisions -- giving them the confidence and tools to help grow your business.

6. Instill a Marketing and Commercial Mindset in Every Employee in Your Company

With Enterprise MENTOR, your employees will have the opportunity to balance their technical skills they need to do their 'day-to-day job', with the complex, emotional subject which is sales and marketing. By giving your team the tools to think like marketers, you'll add another dimension to your business, and have a workforce which will also be your salesforce.

7. Become a 'Stand-Out' Company in Your Marketplace

The world of business is competitive, with new competitor companies being started up each month.

The competition to attract new customers and retain existing ones is fierce, but for customers to choose your company over your competitors, or to decide to repeat buy from you year on year, requires them to have a strong compelling reason.

In a competitive market place, where one firm of company looks similar to another, it's important to stand out and create a point of difference which clients can understand and value.

One of these points of difference must be your people. With the help of Enterprise MENTOR, you'll quickly become a 'stand-out' company, where your employees' ability to understand and relate to the commercial challenges your clients are facing -- will set you apart from your competition.