Porcupine X

Took a combined shopping and photo trip to Malmø in Sweden. Only used 500 Swedish Kroner (app. 65USD) and didn’t really catch any good pictures but besides that it was a pretty good trip

Here is a couple of shoots to get you in the the Malmø mood!?

In Q1 2008 I started a free professional network in Denmark for people with interest in the SCRUM process framework in Denmark. Today the network hit 600 people! and the discussions treads seems to sparkle more and more… (600 may not seem as a lot but for a local network for people located in Denmark with a interest in Scrum I think it is pretty good). I can’t think how it would be possible to connect 600 people in 8-9 months if it hadn’t been for the help of LinkedIn - great platform! Lets hit 1000 members in 2009…

Located in Denmark + Scrum = Join Scrum Denmark at http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/61277 ;-)

Check it out at http://porcupine-photo.com

George F. Colony (founder and CEO of Forrester Research) blogs about how he thinks the recession will affect the IT/Tech industry.

His five bullets:

1. Tech will be down, but not out.
2. Transformation and innovation will lead recovery.
3. Tech is everywhere.
4. Customers live on tech.
5. Tech issues are burning.

His conclusion:

Tech suffers when GDP growth stalls — that is always the case. But the tech environment has transitioned since the 2001-2002 hurricane — meaning that this time around will not be as severe.

Read the interesting article at http://blogs.forrester.com/colony/2008/10/my-take-on-the.html

In the book ‘The contrarian effect’ Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall writes about why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite.

The typical old sales tactics we’re all familiar with no longer work. Cold calling gets you nowhere, door-to-door selling is a nonstarter, and today’s consumers are too savvy for most traditional scripts and closing techniques. With those tactics, it takes more time and effort to reach fewer and fewer clients. If you’re still doing it the old-fashioned way, you’re probably barely keeping your career afloat.

High technology and instant communication have put customers firmly in control of the sales process. They don’t answer calls from unknown numbers; they demand honesty and transparency in the sales process; they are well informed about your product before they deal with you; and they have no patience for pressure tactics like closing questions. No wonder traditional sales methods no longer work.

The book ends with a contrarian primer with 9 ‘rules’ here are 4 of them:

1. Build relationships and make connections.

   Each potential customer is a human just like you. He is not a ‘prospect’, a ‘commodity, a ‘potential sale’, etc. Seek to understand their needs and make a sincere effort to connect with the person.

2. Respect your customers and honor their wishes.

3. Make relevant and timely offers.

   When you listen to your target audience and understand their needs - you know what they want to buy and know what you sell - make the ends meet.

4. Practice radical transparency.

   Be honest!


Book idea! It could be fun to mix the contrarian approach with the ‘old school’ sales books like ‘Advanced Selling Strategies’ (Brian Tracy):

• Wear dark cloth (dark blue/black) vs. funky green t-shirt with the slogan ‘Anti Mistadobalina Mr. Bob Dobalina’
• No facial hair (hints that you want to hide something) vs. grow a beard like Santa Clause everyone need to believe in him with the bad stock market.
• …

"The man who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before."

Albert Einstein