Alan Brighton

1.  What are your top 3 Lead generation strategies?  

As anyone who knows me will realise, my lead generation activities in the last few years have been sporadic to say the least. I’ve worked really hard on client retention to offset that and I was the last person to win the EMEA client retention award before Peter Boolkah made it his permanently (well it seems like that!). My most successful strategy was always phone lumpy mail phone, using external telemarketers and doing it myself. I’m a great fan of direct mail and done well I think it’s hard to beat. I made it highly systematic and highly systemised, 50 letters a week, sent first class, followed up religiously two days later and then four of five times more. More recently I got more clients from referrals, noticeably from clients who are good networkers. I was pretty successful at getting people into Brad’s last but one UK tour and that worked well for me.

2.  What would you do differently if you had your time again?

When I started, I went for world domination from the word go. I had an office and a part-time PA when I started and had a revolving door for marketers in the first year. I was still making the transition from the corporate world back into the SME mindset and it took me a while to work out I was getting that wrong. I blew my brains out financially through taking massive action. Done again – I’d slow down to speed up, master one thing at a time (quickly).

3.  What do you consider to be your biggest mistake and what did you learn from it?

An interesting question. I started working (and still do work) with several trades businesses early on having got a lot of success with them (some of them have grown massively). I love the people – down to earth, straightforward and it’s simple to get them early success. However, in my view because they come from a background with little or no management training generally it’s hard to get them to scale quickly and make the profits to go with it (although some of my clients have grown massively). With hindsight I would have recruited more clients with a different business type who could achieve very fast growth just because I think they’re good fun to coach.

4.  What is your top tip for success in ActionCOACH?

Look at the success you get for your clients and appreciate it (don’t take it for granted or revel in it). We achieve some amazing personal change and business success for a lot of people, not just clients (their teams and families too). Being a coach has been tough for me at times but it’s well worth it when I look back at client results.

If you’re looking for a more fulfilling career, a better work-life balance and you’re the kind of person who:

1.  Loves learning and developing yourself;
2.  Has enjoyed success in your career or sport; and
3.  Is willing to invest if they see substantial returns can be made…

Then find out more by watching the 6-minute overview video at actioncoach.co.uk/overview