Doing Sales VS Doing Business

• Xprenia and t.Hub launched the first webinar of their weekly series
• Paddy Tan, Managing Partner of BlackStorm Consulting, was invited to share his insights
• The topic of the week was “Doing Sales VS Doing Business”
• Paddy covered 6 key points that both salespersons and business owners should know

20 May 2021: Paddy Tan, Managing Partner and founder of BlackStorm Consulting, was cordially invited to share his insights on the topic of the evening — Doing Sales VS Doing Business. Organised by Xprenia, a Singapore-based e-learning platform that features industrial insights, and t.Hub, a start-up accelerator based in Taiwan, the weekly webinar features a different topic every week, discussing what entrepreneurs and business owners have on their minds. BlackStorm Consulting is a Singapore-based business scaler that specialises in corporate strategy, profit management and market entry in Southeast Asia.

Speaking on “Doing Sales VS Doing Business”, Paddy tapped on his experience as a business and technical strategist, which has helped business propel greater heights for the past 15 years. As both a serial entrepreneur and investor, he also advises business leaders on strategic planning and positioning, helping them to increase profitability and pivot their business to gain a competitive advantage in their respective industries. Content covered by Paddy in this week’s webinar included:

1. Definition and Misconception
2. Strategy
3. Thought Process
4. Psychology
5. Doing Business Virtually vs. Physically
6. Checklist

Definition

To kickstart the webinar, Paddy first reminded business owners on what it means to do sales compared to developing one’s business, with attention accorded to the short-term nature of sales as an avenue to generate cash. On the other hand, he argues that business development is meant to help the business grow long-term. He also pointed out some misconceptions that people tend to have regarding doing sales, such as the ability to do sales being an innate ability when in fact, it is a skill that can be learnt. He further repudiated the notion that doing sales has nothing to do with business and opined that both share the concept of selling something of value, be it the sale of products or a business offering.

Strategy

Regarding strategy, Paddy raised the importance of an overlooked aspect of selling — understanding the customer journey. He highlighted the need to put oneself in the shoes of prospective users and put one’s imagination to the test to identify pain points. He further stressed the need to visualise how the offering or product would solve this particular pain point.

Thought Process & Psychology

Thought process and consumer psychology go hand-in-hand; Paddy shared that instead of overtly focusing on key performance indicators, the business could align organisational goals with the personal development goals of employees. The creation of such a culture, in turn, would help employees establish loyalty towards their employers and organisation. Businesses could take it to the next level by matching employees to a job promotion or role up-taking to align with their values and capabilities.

Doing Business Virtually vs. Physically

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have been greatly impacted. Paddy identified that many of his client businesses could not keep up with the fast-moving and unknown variables of the outbreak. He recognises that it is crucial for businesses today to develop strategies and scenario plans to help them during the crisis and post-crisis. Business owners are restricted from travelling abroad to provide the personal touch often necessary to seal business deals, so he reiterates the importance of connecting with existing contacts to reaffirm business connections through virtual contact.

Checklist

“Keeping a checklist on a personal and organisational level is a good practice that business owners and salesperson should try to maintain,” Paddy shared.

Having worked on the ground and seen how circumstances have evolved, salespersons know best how consumer values have changed. Tapping onto their experience can prove to be invaluable if businesses can translate the checklist into insights.

To end off the webinar, Paddy urges both salespersons and business owners to introspect to discover what truly drive them in the path they have chosen. Reconnecting with it could be the key to understanding what one values, thereby improving his or her ability to empathise and identify what fellow human beings look for in their next purchase.

Watch the full video of the event.

To contact Paddy for his advisory, reach out to him on LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram/Clubhouse.

About Xprenia

Xprenia (https://www.xprenia.com) is a one-stop e-learning platform that presents practical experience and materials from various industry experts with the aim to provide real-life case studies, insights, and know-how for easy application to all entrepreneurs. Our vision is to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that promotes professional learning and be your one-stop business solution partner in Asia-Pacific.

About t.Hub

t.Hub (https://www.t-hubtaipei.com) is located in Taipei City and sets the thriving Neihu Technology Park (NTP) as its starting point. t.Hub harnesses key partnerships with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and NTP’s advanced technology clusters to create a vibrant innovative start-up community. t.Hub’s transformative energy will lead the city to create smart cities through global cooperation.

t.Hub aims to combine the technological prowess of Neihu with the guidance and research resources of ITRI to assist start-ups. Entrepreneurs can thus find a friendly and conducive environment in the famed Taipei Technology Corridor. They could work with citizens to identify needs, share conveniences, and connect with the world through this innovative park.

About BlackStorm Consulting

BlackStorm Consulting (http://blackstormco.asia) is a Singapore-based boutique growth consultancy firm that specialises in corporate strategy, profit management and investment management. We scale businesses in Southeast Asia.

Our clients and connections are internationally present and range from small and medium sized businesses, MNCs, to government agencies.