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About the Authors:
John Mehrmann
is founder of
Executive Blueprints, Inc., an organization dedicated to improving
business practices and unlocking human potential. A respected speaker,
author, and advisor, John draws from years of practical experience as
Vice President of Business Development for ZSL Inc, Director of Sales at
Data Exchange Corporation, and Director of Service Operations for
Toshiba.
John designed
effective e-commerce solutions and strategic collaborative sales
campaigns for the Toshiba Imaging Systems Division. As a trainer and
consultant, John established a dynamic range of experience from training
retail sales staff, call center agents, and highly specialized sales
professionals in complex solution sales for global Fortune 100
companies.
John has received
numerous accolades for his contributions to business, including Industry
Achievement Award from the National Electronic Service Dealers
Association, and the USA Certificate of Appreciation, Institute of
Service Management. John spends much of his personal time developing
educational materials, and served as volunteer board member for the
Bureau of Electronics and Appliance Repairs (California Department of
Consumer Affairs). John’s is a member of the Greater Los Angeles Writers
Society, and his articles frequently appear in trade magazines, local
newspapers, and web sites.
Visit John Mehrmann online at
www.JohnMehrmann.com
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Mitchell Simon
brings 15 years of entrepreneurial and Fortune 500 executive experience
to the field of leadership and team development. Mitchell founded “The
Simon Alliance” with a commitment to support high-performing leaders and
teams to accelerate their potential and achieve unimagined personal and
professional results.
Mitchell is
passionate about providing executive coaching and facilitation that
provokes leaders, teams and organizations to build thriving companies
that courageously enjoy fierce conversations, exude confidence, and
achieve extraordinary results.
Mitchell Simon
specializes in developing excellence in executive coaching, leadership
development, team development, strategy and corporate culture. Mitch is
changing the nature of conversations, expectations and possibilities
that one can achieve through great work. Mitchell Simon received his
certification as an Integral Coach from New Ventures West, and his
JD.MBA from UCLA.
Visit Mitchell Simon
online at
www.SimonAlliance.com
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The Trusted Advocate:
Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity is
available online:
Amazon
Hardcover
- or-
Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Borders
Target
iUniverse
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The Trusted Advocate Workbook
Free
Download
The
Trusted Advocate Workbook
A companion guide to The Trusted
Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity
The workbook contains activities and
exercises inspired by the award winning book.
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John Mehrmann on QVC
demonstrating the PDR-M61
Toshiba Digital Camera
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If you like
The Trusted Advocate
you may also like
these books. . . . |
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101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life: Volume 3
Featuring
John Mehrmann
Ken Blanchard
Byron Katie
Les Brown
Marc Victor Hansen
"Just imagine
getting five minutes of personal insight and advice from any one
of the world's leading experts. Then imagine having it handed to
you from 101 of them. It is a treasure trove of knowledge
compiled in this book."
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The Speed of Trust
by Stephen M. R. Covey |
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Now, Discover Your Strengths
by Marcus Buckingham |
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Servant Leadership
by Robert K Greenleaf |
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What the Customer Wants
You to Know
by Ram Charan |
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The Secret
by Rhonda Byrne |
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Never Eat Alone
by Keith Ferrazzi |
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The Power of Now
by Exchart Tolle |
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Good to Great
by Jim Collins |
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The 360 Degree Leader
by John C Maxwell |
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The Effective Executive
by Peter F Drucker |
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True North
by Bill George |
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Integrity
by Henry Cloud |
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Raving Fans/
by Ken Blanchard |
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Little Red Book of Selling
by Jeffrey Gitomer |
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Trust Based Selling
by Charles H Green |
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Differential-Algebraic Equations
by Volker Mehrmann |
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The Mehrmann Name in History
by Ancestry.com |
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Just for the fun of it:
Is this a bad picture of Albert
Einstein? |
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Look from your seat, then take eight steps
away from your monitor and look again. What happened? |
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- Marilyn Monroe |
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The Trusted
Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity |
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The
sales environment has been forever altered by e-commerce and
price-centered commodities. Competition has become stiffer, and
quotas have become higher. The demand for performance has
created brutal pressure in a lonely profession, and increasing
the number of cold calls is not enough to survive. Success
requires closing a higher percentage of opportunities and
growing existing business. But how can you achieve such lofty
goals?
The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with
Authenticity and Integrity
is a revelation of fundamental principles that empower maximum
success through authenticity and integrity. John Mehrmann and
Mitchell Simon combine their experience in management and
leadership development to provide you with proven, cutting-edge
management techniques and leadership skills to unlock individual
potential and empower personal success. You'll learn how to:
~ Increase sales and retain
loyal customers
~ Train the sales force, or train yourself
~ Identify and unleash your talents
~ Turn knowledge into power
~ Build your pipeline
~ Create a revolutionary process
~ Earn a reputation for being trustworthy
Designed to revitalize sales
professionals,
The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with
Authenticity and Integrity
is perfect for managers, coaches, consultants, and trainers to
help rapidly accelerate individual or group performance. Use
your strengths as a competitive edge, enjoy your profession, and
advance your career!
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The Authors are
committed to Your Success |
|
To be successful, to attain
what you want, you must first put aside your material goals -
those goals will only get in your way. You must be absolutely
committed to who you can be. When you maintain a resilient focus
on who you want to be, what you ultimately have will be a
by-product of your level of commitment.
Does this seem contrary to what
we are taught to believe?
Being trustworthy is not about
trying to convince others that you can be trusted while
intending to take advantage of them. Being trustworthy means
absolute dedication to personal character. It is about who you
want to be.
The authors are committed to
your success, We are devoted to helping you obtain a level of
satisfaction you may not have believed existed. We are committed
to your goals. This will be reflected in what you do and in the
relationships you share with your customers. Certainly, the
development of these relationships may result in amassing
personal wealth and possessions, but that is a pleasant
by-product of the process.
Be-Do-Have
-
Be: What you are and who
you aspire to be.
-
Do: The person you are
dictates what you do and the actions that you take.
-
Have: By acting in the
manner of the person you aspire to be, you will achieve more
than you thought possible
Questions for
the reader:
-
How would you act if you
had everything that you want and need?
-
Would it influence your
actions and decisions if you could worry less, and be more
confident of your own success?
-
Isn't it about time that
you made an investment into your success and happiness?
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Kirkus Reviews |
THE TRUSTED
ADVOCATE
: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and
Integrity
Author: Mehrmann, John and Mitchell Simon
Review Date: JUNE 10, 2008
Publisher:iUniverse (272 pp.)
Price (paperback): $22.95
Publication Date: March 2008
ISBN (paperback): 978-0-595-47467-7
Category: AUTHORS
Classification: NONFICTION
Mehrmann and Simon have packaged years
of experience into a single volume that provides
fundamental advice for sales professionals.
The authors emphasize the importance of developing
trusted relationships while pursuing a career in sales.
They discuss topics such as preparation, networking,
cold calling, designing strategies and effective
communication, among others. Mehrmann and Simon address
each subject with an eye toward developing integrity and
reliability to lay the groundwork for a thriving
business. Chapters are organized into sections which
begin with real-life examples, followed by detailed
discussion or reflection. Sections conclude with
activities designed to guide readers toward a deeper
understanding of where they stand in relation to the
topic, and how they can develop further. While some of
the ideas and advice seem obvious, (“It takes much more
effort, and expense to win a new customer than it takes
to keep an existing one”) readers will take notice
because the authors have clearly relied upon their years
of experience in developing these lessons. Mehrmann and
Simon place the customer—and his or her needs, wants and
experiences—at the center of the sales equation, and
demonstrate the necessity of taking a genuine interest
in the client at every level of sales. Rather than
presenting a collection of famous inspirational quotes,
the authors sprinkle the text with their own sayings.
The straightforward writing style is also accented with
illustrative vignettes which exemplify the crucial
aspects of successful sales. While the book is aimed at
salespeople, professionals from many different
industries will find the ideas and suggestions helpful
and transformative.
Useful advice for professionals looking to move to the
next level of success.
- Kirkus Reviews, Nielson Business Media Inc
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003814278 |
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Testimonials |
"Throw
away or put down all those self-help, 10-minutes to success books that attempt
to tell you how to increase your leads, grow your sales & pipeline or motivate
your sales team and make one single investment in this powerhouse - The Trusted
Advocate.
The book provides real life examples that make sense, speaks to integrity and
can be applied immediately. It outlines a selling strategy that focuses on the
relationship between customer and salesperson to achieve continued and
sustainable growth.
A quick read, you will walk away with page after page of highlights and folded
corners of information you can't wait to share with others. A goldmine of wealth
you can't afford to miss out on. Worth the time and investment."
Tina Tuccillo
VP Strategic Marketing & Product Planning
Noritsu America Corporation |
| "This rare book offers
the finest advice on building lasting sales relationships. It focuses on the
most important and most basic fundamentals of relationship building which is
exactly what sales is all about. This book is not about gimmicks. It is all
about doing the right things for the right reasons. A fascinating tool. It
should be read and re-read often so that its concepts can always remain at the
forefront of our minds." Randy Whitehead
President
National Service Alliance |
"Vance Baldwin is in a
highly competitive market, with increasing demands, and decreasing margins. Our
organization has successfully achieved significant growth, year-over-year, by
consistently delivering value added integration and cutting edge ease of use for
our clients. Powered by technology, and an unquenchable passion for precision
performance, the value that we provide is based on listening to our customers
and developing the tools that enable them to meet their business objectives. Our
clients also exist in highly competitive environments - we know it, we listen to
them, and we respond. Being a trusted advocate is more than just a good idea, it
is a business strategy that creates priceless differentiation, fervently loyal
customers, and bottom line results.
The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity,
is a must read for any business executive. This book belongs on the shelf next
to Collins and Covey, and the practical principles should be applied across the
organization. Put a copy in the hands of your employees to protect your
customers and your profits." Robert
Coolidge
President
Vance Baldwin Electronics
An Encompass Group Affiliates, Inc. Company |
|
"The only gripe I have with the authors of The
Trusted Advocate is that they (or anyone else) didn't write and publish
this book many years ago. Its fresh and almost revolutionary approach to its
topic is decades overdue.
Some of us may start reading this volume somewhat
skeptical about the authors' opening thesis that the way we are habituated
to define "success" is entirely illusory. But any doubts will be quickly
dispelled as their highly readable analysis of the inseparable relationship
between real success and the twin concepts of authenticity and integrity
unfolds. And more than that - they make it easy for us to internalize what
we have read as we are gently provoked to practically apply the knowledge to
our own individual situations.
Moreover, it will be a great pity if this book will be
read only be sales professionals in the narrow sense. In effect, we are all
salespeople - whether our need is to "sell" the ideas we believe in, to
secure the best terms for the services we need, or just to convince our boss
to give us a raise. Simply put, applying the concepts presented in this book
will help to make the world a better place. Period."
Azriel Winnet
Author Hodu.com (Israel)
Your Gateway to Better Communication Skills
http://hodu.com |
"As a successful
business professional for over 25 years and having worked for large corporations
to start-up operations, the one common thread I've found for success is to
understand your values and always do the right thing for your clients and
colleagues.
John's book, The Trusted Advocate does an outstanding job of articulating
what most successful sales and business professionals inherently understand -
that people want to do business with those they can trust and are looking out
for their best interest.
People know when they are being "sold" vs. working with someone who takes the
time to understand their needs and is looking to develop a long term
relationship.
Most sales training books emphasize technique and process. The Trusted
Advocate takes it to the next level, starting with understanding yourself
and your values and guiding you to become exceptional by doing the right things.
I recommend this book to anyone that has the desire to excel and improve their
professional relationships. It might even help your personal relationships..., "
Eric Nelson
President
Secure Privacy Solutions |
"I
have had the pleasure and privilege of working with John over the past few years
and he is indeed the embodiment of his latest book, The Trusted Advocate:
Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity … I highly recommend this
work from John who has indeed walked the walk. My only regret is that I did not
have this remarkable work to guide my early career.
In fact Mark Twain could have been referring to John; had he known him, in the
following quote:
'...Experience is an author's most valuable asset; experience is the thing that
puts the muscle and the breath and the warm blood into the book he writes.'" -
Mark Twain / Is Shakespeare Dead
Steve Wallace
Vice President of Sales
Data Exchange Corporation |
|
"John's book: The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and
Integrity. Is not just a blueprint for sales success, it's a blueprint for
success in general. These concepts can be applied across any industry. A must
read for anyone looking to take themselves to the next level!"
Frank Niglia
Logistics and Supply Chain Expert |
|
I have known John for many years. Our business connection began in 2003 as I
approached Toshiba Corporation to engage with our company, Service Net. In 2006,
we launched a successful business partnership that led to many different paths
and a valued personal relationship. That relationship continues to thrive and
grow today. Since Toshiba, John has been a vendor partner and introduced us to
several new clients and other business opportunities.
I have been the Executive Vice President at Service Net for 13 years and a sales
professional for nearly 30. One thing I have learned about selling is that
“it’s all about relationships”. As I had the opportunity to learn more about
John’s new venture, Executive Blueprints, I began to anticipate his weekly
newsletter which is always timely and informative. His messages resonated with
me and I have come to appreciate the ideas and strategies he delivers. With
John, it is all about the relationship!
Recently, I was anticipating our first half sales meeting and looking for ideas
to capture, teach and motivate our internal sales team and our outside
independent sales representatives. Our goal was to review the sales to date and
focus on executing our sales strategy for the back half of the year. I
approached John about doing a 90 minute session about his new book The
Trusted Advocate. As a knowledgeable partner, friend and trusted
business advisor, it was natural to turn to him for our meeting requirements
given his background and experience. I have to say that I was quite delighted by
the outcome. I knew John would be meticulously prepared and I was comfortable
with the message he was to deliver. I was struck by the ease with which he
delivered the key messages from the book then related those messages to the
exact market conditions we were facing. John and I did have several background
conversations prior to the event, but I was surprised by the time and detail he
invested in delivering real actionable ideas and I think we all gained from the
presentation.
I would highly recommend John for any keynote, sales training, or sales strategy
meeting where building relationships is a primary objective. John’s experience
and expertise are translated into real word business philosophies and concepts
that have you leaving the room full of new ideas and enthusiasm.
We will certainly use John again for future events and I look forward to sharing
our results as we move into the back half of the year. Feel free to contact me
with any questions or to provide a reference of our experience with John
Mehrmann. I also recommend his book The Trusted Advocate. I have
since purchased the book for all of our executive staff, marketing team and
sales associates.
Sincerely,
Greg Gadbois
Executive Vice President, Sales
Service Net
Letter of Recommendation
|
| "John earned Service
Net's business by patiently educating Service Net about the logistics as an
industry consultant, not as a representative of his company or interests. He's
an asset as an industry expert, regardless of the company he represents. He's a
"go to" person which I interpret as a "trusted advocate", not a sales person."
Dan Tafel
General Manager, National Sales
Service Net |
| "John is the most
qualified person to write about authenticity and integrity. I have learned the
importance of being a trusted advocate for my co-workers and clients from John
on a personal level and from his excellent new book. I would recommend this book
to any business person, whether or not they are a sales executive, because it
will teach and reinforce how important it is to act with integrity in the
business world. Acting with integrity and authenticity will give you a
competitive advantage and allow your clients to look to you as a trusted
advocate."
Mike Easterbrook
Director of Environmental Compliance
ARC International Corporation |
| "I
don't have enough words in my vocabulary to express how John was an influential
force in my professional and family life. He is a good listener and adviser. He
takes his time to listen. He has shown me how to win the trust of our customers
time and time again. I always admire the way he views his clients as close
family members. I keep saying to myself, "TYPICAL JOHNNY", while reading his
wonderful book."
Samson Eshetu
Director of Operations
Data Exchange Corporation |
| "John is one of those
rare individuals who actually practices what they espouse. There have been more
than a few individuals, whether they be authors, managers, or even parents whose
behavior is not consistent with what they preach. John is a person of integrity
and wisdom; someone not always found in the business world. He sees the larger
picture. He understands the personal worth of each individual, no matter their
station in life. John is the Trusted Advocate. Oh, he's a pretty nice guy too."
Mark Balinski
Senior Manager
ZSL Inc |
| "Hello and thank you for
this wonderful book! I am over half way through and can't put it down! Almost
ever page is marked with notes I can't wait to share with others. You and Simon
have hit the mark. It's so good to part of the solution and a force to drive
change within organizations."
Tina Tuccillo
Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Product Planning
Noritsu America
Corporation |
"John
I read it and I could not put it down. As I read about each and everyone you
wrote about, I was amazed how real and how vivid they are to me. Each story took
me there in time and I felt part of it. Thank you! It has made me think of how I
see myself as an individual and has made me change in some many great ways. I
want to become that person...
All the stories will have such a great impact on all those who are fortunate to
get their hands on this book. My favorite was the chapter about relationships.
The story about you and your grandfather, I could see his belly giggling with
laughter and I would see the smile in his face. You have such a precious gift.
You are passionate about people and their feelings and it shows in your writing.
You are a trusted advocate in my eyes. Thank you for sharing your gift with me!"
Dalia Behne
Accounts Payable Manager
Data Exchange Corporation |
| "I have known John for
the past 8 years. I have the highest regard for his business practices and
consulting services. His optimism and follow-through are inspirational and
places him in a unique class of entrepreneurs. He and his wife Tiffany are
dedicated business leaders who offer valuable resources to all aspects of the
business community."
Tony Scudder
Owner
CCD Resources Inc |
| "John
was the most positive, encouraging, personable manager I have ever reported to.
John's confidence personality, business ethic's, business sense and leadership
are what others should take notes on to become successful. His book made many
points that I had the pleasure to experience first hand. "
Seth Pollman
Project Manager and Service Specialist
TOSHIBA |
|
"I
highly recommend John Mehrmann as a leader, mentor, colleague and friend. John
is an amazing person who possesses so many qualities that most people of today
do not have, or understand. John dedicates his life to his work and it shows,
just spend 5 minutes talking to him and you will see how genuine and honorable
he is. John has taught me many things about business and has had a major impact
in my personal life. With John, there is always something a person can learn,
because he is always so knowledgeable, and shows you how much he cares about
you, or the work you do, by showing his appreciation."
Larry Tabizon
Project Manager and Service Specialist
Data Exchange Corporation |
| "John
has been a tremendous resource for our company in helping us put together a
solid strategic plan to enhance our selling efforts. His knowledge of the
customer, their process, and our contact strategy has provided advice that has
catapulted our chance of closing this sale. His follow up has been world class
and he has the utmost integrity that the end client and partner are both going
to benefit from the relationship."
Curt M. Bimschleger
Executive Vice President, Business Development
Accent Marketing |
| "John
has a great vision for strategies and down to earth sort of tactical ways of
running his business. I had lots of fun collaborating with John and his team. I
would welcome the opportunity to work with him again at anytime. Best of luck,
John!"
Jimmy Truong (Cuong Truong)
Group Manager, CTO
Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc |
|
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| “John
Mehrmann has the unique ability to blend solid processes with excellent field
presence. John was able to greatly impact not only my sales team’s confidence in
our service offerings at Toshiba BUT was able to create an environment of trust
with our large enterprise accounts. John exhibits leadership and team skills, is
both trustworthy and a pleasure to work with.”
Barry George
Director of Sales
TOSHIBA |
|
"John Mehrmann is a true leader, establishing direction and expectations for
people as well as demonstrating thought leadership to maximize company and
personal performance. His principles and values drive his actions and the
outcome is an extremely high level of trust and the knowledge that he is going
to do the right thing for both clients and business associates."
Eric Nelson
President
Strategic Technology Solutions, LLC |
| “John
Mehrmann’s integrity and honesty creates win-win relationships with a rare level
of openness, making difficult transformations achievable. His unusual
combination of strategic vision for innovation and a real talent for tactical
delivery execution has resulted in new ways of doing business across business
partners and has challenged those around him to follow, raising the bar for
industry excellence.”
Mel Beale
Client Executive & General Manager
EDS |
|
"John Mehrmann is one of the
finest business professionals that I have had the pleasure to work with and he
has my highest recommendation. He is very knowledgeable in his field, a great
communicator, committed, dedicated, and a true leader who also leads by
example."
John Midavaine
President
Global Solutions Unlimited |
| "John
Mehrmann is a smart guy and generous with his knowledge. I asked him to take a
call from another client to advance his understanding of an obscure logistics
application. John couldn't have been more helpful and forthcoming."
Jack Finnell
Senior Account Executive
Gartner |
|
"I can highly recommend
John based on direct experience working with him in a top level sales and
product environment. His great attitude, his high level of ethical behavior and
his wide ranging expertise were of great benefit to the organization and in
aiding me in the performance of my duties as well. John is a tenacious, focused
professional that can accomplish seemingly impossible tasks under difficult
conditions with good humor and great results."
Rob Kaplan
Executive Vice President
Centric Media |
|
"John Mehrmann is the
consummate sales professional. I have had the privilege on working alongside
John on several customer engagements. His listening skills and presentation
skills, coupled with the ability to design customized solutions that show
tangible results, are remarkable. He truly cares deeply about people. I
recommend John as a highly respected and highly trusted business professional.
It is an honor to know this man."
Rick Driscoll
National Sales Director, HP Programs
Data Exchange
Corporation |
| "John
Mehrmann is an outstanding person, businessman, and professional. During one of
the first conversations I had with him, I mentioned a research project that I
was pursuing. Immediately afterward, John sent me a list of contacts, whom he
thought might be useful to me with my research. John has vast experience in a
variety of areas and is willing to give of his time, talents, and expertise."
Whitney Ransom
Public Relations Director
Executive Excellence |
| “John
Mehrmann brings a positive and cheerful outlook into his professional
engagements. I appreciate his ability to view business from a strategic angle.”
Raja Narayan,
Vice President, Mobility Solutions
TOSHIBA |
|
"Demanding, challenging, and supportive are the words that come to mind when
reflecting on my experience with John Mehrmann during a competitive and
complicated RFP process and roll-out at Toshiba. He is a focused and patient
leader who sets the bar high. His vision and guidance was ultimately the key to
the success of the project."
Greg Gadbois
Executive Vice President of Sales
Service Net |
| “During
the course of a long, critical and complicated business transformation
initiative, John Mehrmann showed himself to be a true leader in difficult
situations, as well as someone fun and creative to work with. He works across
boundaries and through organizations to create a truly united team.”
Jude Aranha
Vice President Technology and Business Solutions
Service Net |
| “I worked
with John Mehrmann to strengthen the partnership of our collective companies
(Toshiba and Siemens). While our time working together was fairly brief, I
quickly realized that John is a very astute Executive, with the ability to
effectively assess the needs of the business, and translate those needs into
effective business solutions.”
Dennis Barlow
Client Executive
Siemens Business Solutions, Inc
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"John Mehrmann is an extremely
talented and dedicated professional. He has demonstrated incredible business
acumen in his approach to the challenges he has faced. His decisions were always
well thought out and based on sound judgment. John's insight has enabled him to
be an effective mentor and coach to many employees. His talent and experience
will be a valuable asset to any organization."
Maggie Merante
Director Corporate Relations and System Engineering
TOSHIBA |
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"My experience reporting
directly to John Mehrmann was nothing less then excellent and positive! John
Mehrmann directed the national services business for a fortune 50 high tech
manufacturer while managing field market engineers responsible for several
billion dollars in hardware and services sales. His integrity and honesty
unfailing, he positively challenged his employees to perform at optimum
abilities while creating trust and camaraderie amongst an eclectic group of
“type A” technical sales engineers (not an easy task). John Mehrmann held all
team members to the high standards of workmanship and company ethics in
supporting standards customers and acquisition business, increasing sales in
several market segments as he understands the role of the services component to
support the life line sales of the business! Several times I observed John
Mehrmann rethink and change managerial directives based on employee feed back as
he listens to his employees on the ground and unselfishly agrees when his
employees have better ideas for direction or mandates. I would report to John
Mehrmann again without hesitation!!"
Michael Bone
Sales / Marketing Engineer
TOSHIBA
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| "All of
John Mehrmann's outstanding traits have been highlighted by the people who have
worked with him and for him. I could count on John to be successful at any
assigned task. John is a forward thinking individual with excellent knowledge of
the service Industry. Anyone that partners with John's company will reap the
rewards of success."
John Keyser
Channel Sales Manager
TOSHIBA |
| “John
Mehrmann is a wonderful manager. He is forward thinking, highly organized and is
a genuine, caring person. I have learned so much from John. I can't thank him
enough for all the coaching and mentoring that he has given me. I am a better
manager and person having worked with him.”
Jami Fronk
Operations Support Manager
TOSHIBA |
| “I was
fortunate to work for John Mehrmann when he held the position of National
Service Manager at Toshiba Imaging Systems Division. By his examples, I learned
the value of hard work, integrity and honesty. His management style has left a
lasting impression on me that I value in my work today. I am proud to a part of
his associate network.”
Ralph Abramo
Service Operations Manager
TOSHIBA |
|
"John is an exceptional
supervisor, mentor, and team leader whose creative, enthusiastic, tireless
energy with clear direction helped us to excel our given responsibilities. He
knows how to bring out individual team member's best and utilize them, and wins
their trust. He supports and encourages his team members to be equipped with
advanced knowledge. I am proud of my experience under his leadership and
treasure them."
Im Lee
Planning Analyst
TOSHIBA |
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"John Mehrmann was one of the best managers that I had the pleasure to work for.
He was the main reason I left the training department and applied for my current
position. He is a great mentor and a strong leader. Our loss will be Executive
Blueprints gain.”
Seth Pollman
Service Specialist
TOSHIBA |
| “John
Mehrmann is one of the most effective managers I have ever known in 30+ years in
business. He is productive, creative, efficient, focused with flexibility, and
enthusiastic. He has the power to help employees embrace company goals. He
candidly is just exceptional at anything he does. I am proud to know him, proud
to have worked with him, and I would be proud to work for him!”
Bill Billups
Regional Sales Manager
Mustek |
|
“I highly recommend John Mehrmann. He brings a very strong
business minded approach to Supply Chain problem resolution.”
Ron Kula
Vice President of Supply Chain Solutions
Data Exchange Corporation |
| “I was
very fortunate enough to have the chance to work with John Mehrmann on
implementing a new project. John’s knowledge, leadership and expertise have been
invaluable.”
Patti Leoni
Regional Sales Manager
Data Exchange Corporation |
| “John is
an incredible sales and marketing professional. I value my association with him
both personally and professionally. John is a rare talent and an awesome person.
Truly a one in a million.”
Kevin Ross
Regional Sales Director
Data Exchange
Corporation |
| “I worked
with John Mehrmann to introduce and develop the market for the digital
photography category. No one knew more keenly than John that this was truly a
lifestyle changing technology. John as well possessed a sense of the market's
ability of acceptance. Having as clear a vision of the big picture assisted
greatly in attaining the goals of the day.”
John Nystrom
Owner
Dean Cooper Company |
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Fun Facts and
Interesting Statistics |
Customer Relationships are the top strategic
focus
-
Despite the media hype about
innovation, a recent study by Forrester Consulting has shown
that business managers hold other areas more strategically
important to their organization:
-
55% rated Customer
Relationships as the organization’s #1 top strategic
focus
-
21% rated Customer
Relationships as the organization’s #2 top strategic
focus
-
21% rated operational
excellence as the organization’s #1 top strategic focus
-
31% rated operational
excellence as the organization’s #2 top strategic focus
-
18% rated innovation
capability as the organization’s #1 top strategic focus
-
23% rated innovation
capability as the organization’s #2 top strategic focus
-
6% rated partnerships as the
organization’s #1 top strategic focus
-
25% rated partnerships as
the organization’s #2 top strategic focus
The Skills Gap
-
The Computer Technology Industry
Association ("CompTIA") recently conducted a survey of 273
CompTIA members to determine the biggest challenges for the
next 12 months. Filling vitally important functional
positions in sales and technical customer service ranked as
the most critical obstacles in the coming year.
-
53% of respondents expect it
to be extremely difficult to adequately fill sales
positions in the next 12 months.
-
What are the skills gaps?
-
55% need to improve the
ability to spot new business opportunities
-
43% need to improve the
ability to generate incremental revenue from existing
clients
-
41% need help to better
anticipate customer’s future needs
-
37% need to build better
relationships with existing customers
-
34% need to be able to close
new business
Job Satisfaction and personal fulfillment
-
75% of executives say that
employee retention is a critical priority, but only 15% of
executives have a plan – Leigh Branham, The 7 Hidden
Reasons Employees Leave.
-
89% of managers surveyed believe
that employees left for “more money”, but 88% of the
employees surveyed left for reasons “other than money” –
Leigh Branham, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave.
-
Job not as expected
-
Job does not fit talents
-
No feedback or coaching
-
No Career Growth
-
Devalued or unrecognized
-
Overworked and stressed
-
No confidence in leaders
2008 Year of the Customer
-
2008 has been cited as the year
of the customer according to the third annual New York Stock
Exchange CEO Report. With this in mind, it appears
essential for companies to take focusing on and utilizing
customer-related metrics seriously. The following
statistics illustrate the current state of attention. -VisionEdge
Marketing / CustomerTHINK
o
2/3 of the 140
business executives and marketing professionals surveyed,
include metrics in marketing plans
o
only 8% track or
measure share-of-wallet
o
less than 10% measure
customer lifetime value, customer advocacy or customer tenure
o
78% track leads to
conversion, but only 25% track the rate of customer acquisition
o
Only 25% measure
marketing's impact on business goals.
The importance of Ethics, Integrity, and
Authenticity in Business
-
According to Industry Week
Magazine Survey Results:
-
24% of Americans have been
asked or ordered to do something on the job that they
consider to be unethical
-
Of those, 41% said they did
the unethical act anyway
-
According to the 2005
National Business Ethics Survey of over 3,000 employees:
-
69% of employees said that
their organization has Ethics Training
-
52% surveyed had observed
discrimination, stealing, or harassment
-
21% observed abusive or
intimidating behavior
-
19% witnessed lying to
customers, vendors, employees, or the public
Trust Gap between Management and Employees
-
A survey of more than 7,000
executives, managers, and employees found a distinct trust
gap in many companies, between the employee and the
organization – Leadership IQ
-
Only 20% strongly trust the
top management of their organization
-
36% moderately trust the top
management of their organization
-
44% don’t trust or strongly
distrust the top management
The payback for engaging and training employees
-
A three year study by Towers
Perrin-ISR found that companies that consistently engage
employees are more profitable
-
During the study there was a
3.74% increase in operating profit for companies that
engaged their workers
-
During the same period there
was a 2% decline in operating profit for companies with
poorly engaged employees
The Retail Sales Experience
·
A recent study by Accenture reveals that there is room for
improvement at the retail level. Not a big surprise!
Common retail annoyances felt by customers:
o
7.1% "quite frequently" felt they received too little attention
o
17.3% "frequently" felt they received too little attention
o
4.4% "quite frequently" felt they received too much attention
o
10.7% "frequently" felt they received too much attention
o
3.4% "quite frequently" felt cross-sell pressure
o
8.3% "frequently" felt cross-sell pressure
o
2.3% "quite frequently" felt rudely treated
o
7.5% "frequently" felt rudely treated
o
Even worse the study indicated that within their last four
shopping experiences 89% to 95% (categorized by income)
consumers were irritated by a retailer's actions
Social Media and Internet impact on Sales
Decisions and Relationship
-
Human connection and expression
are in high demand
-
Consumers want more than
marketing spin. They have access to facts at their
fingertips. What they really want is authenticity,
commitment, and relationship.
-
77% of online shoppers indicated
that they rely on consumer-initiated reviews and ratings –
Juniper Research
-
59% of users consider customer
reviews to be more valuable than those from experts,
according to a recent survey – Bizrate
·
According to Media Usage Survey / Ketchum and USC Annenberg
Strategic Public Relations:
o
55.6% of adults turn to family and friends as a source of
information
o
34.6% seek advice from co-workers
o
20.7% use Blogs as a source of reliable information
o
18.6% use social networking web sites
-
According to Bridge Ratings and
the University of Massachusetts:
-
Consumers give advertising a
2.2 trust rating on the same scale
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Table of
Contents - A look inside The Trusted Advocate |
Section 1: The
Obligation to Be Trustworthy
Share Your Strength,
Celebrate Your Weakness, Be Real
- Find Your
Secret Sauce
- Let Go of Me
- Knowledge Is Power
- Preparation
Section 2: The
Obligation to Promise
Priority Targets
- Obligation
Is a Relationship
- Defining the Trusted Advocate
- Client Aspirations
- Pipeline
Provoke Excellence
- The
Influence of Obligation
- Define Your Customer
- Customer Conversations
- The Widget Trap
- Commitment
If You Are Looking for
Pain, You Are a Pain
- No Pain,
No Gain?
- Relationships
- Listen for Aspirations
Create a Revolutionary
Process
- Become an
Advocate
- Tools of Confidence
- The Everlasting Honeymoon
Don’t Tell Them, Don’t
Sell Them, Show Them!
- Be
Trustworthy
- Cold-Calling
- Practical Applications
Get Behind the Dotted
Line
- The
Promise of Commitment
- Negotiations
- Turn a Loss into a Win
Section 3: The
Obligation to Deliver on Promises
Take Risks
- Expose
Your Risk
- Expose Your Customer’s Risk
- Exchange Risks
Advocate at All Levels
- The
Players
- Voice Mail, E-mail, Cards, Gatekeepers,
Influencers, and Allies
- When Enemies Are Allies
Demonstrate Progress or
Get Out of the Way
-
Communication Plan
- Develop Your Strategy
- Culture and Community
|
|
Audience and Uses |
|
The Trusted Advocate
is a revolutionary realization that salespeople have the right
and responsibility to act as leaders for customer, company and
community. Although this book contains steps, processes and
techniques, it is designed to unleash individual human potential
for charisma, character and commitment without compromise. This
is not merely an instructional “how to do it” manual. It is
elevated to “how to live it” and achieve new unexpected
success.
The primary
beneficiaries of The Trusted Advocate are salespeople.
The motivation for becoming a trusted advocate may be a desire
to achieve greater revenue success, to enhance individual
skills, or to discover a new level of personal satisfaction. The
sequence of the book is designed to take the reader on a journey
of developing disciplines and awareness to unleash the
individual value added selling proposition of unique personal
strengths in an orderly strategic process. The activities that
accompany each chapter empower the reader to apply the lessons
as a personalized success guide. The techniques can be applied
to virtually any sales environment, from solution sales, real
estate, consulting, automotive sales, retail, and product
representation to Insurance.
-
Coaches, Trainers, Consultant and
Educators
The format of each
chapter is designed to be an independent lesson. This makes it
possible to be effectively used as a training tool for coaches,
trainers, consultants and advisors. It is easy to extract a
single chapter topic as a focused training session, an
educational presentation, or public speaking.
There is very a high
turn-over ra | | | |
