On this episode Gavin is joined by Michael Haynes is an SME business growth specialist who works with CEOs of service-based businesses with between 10 and 150 employees to achieve growth through innovation and sales. He is the author of ‘Listen, Innovate, Grow: A Guidebook for Startups and Small Businesses Looking to Acquire and Grow Business Customers'KEY TAKEAWAYSOver the past year I've found our CEOs have been inundated with content left, right and centre, what they want is sense-making and road-mappingA lot of SME CEOs are moving away from LinkedIn because they're getting a lot of sales pitches being disguised in various ways and content apparently from thought leaders and experts, but it's confusing them and it's not giving them a clear view on how to move forward.The bar has been raised for business buyers in the new norm, even before Covid the dynamics and behaviours of buyers and decision makers has changed fundamentally. They do a lot of their own research in terms of formulating potential solutions, identifying product and service providers before they talk to anyone. What they're looking for in these uncertain times is someone to help them make sense of all the information so they can identify ways to grow and expand.There are a number of ways to innovate in business including in technology, products and services, process innovations, organisational innovations, marketing innovationsAdvocay marketing is about leveraging your existing colleagues and clients and using them to drive growth. It's really effective in B2B, one of the key things is setting up a referral programme because one of the things buyers will do is talk to their colleagues to see who they know that can do a certain job. BEST MOMENTS‘I'm really big on listening, you've really got to get an understanding of the market of your buyers'‘It's about innovating and introducing multiple approaches based on understanding the goals you have and the needs of your markets and your customers'‘Make sure the kinds of content you're delivering is really adding value, is educational and answering the key questions your customers are looking for'‘Are there certain events, publications, blogs etc that your potential clients operate in? Be active in these. But also make direct contact where you can'‘Business innovation is new introductions and or improvements you are making in your business are based on market, customer, and buyer needs'VALUABLE RESOURCESThe Business Mastermind PodcastTo get 20% off at Knowable, go to www.knowable.fyi and enter the code GAVINGet your copy of Survive And Thrive NOW at https://www.surviveandthrive.cc Keep Your Boat Afloat – https://survivetothrive.biz/keep-afloatgavin@gavinpreston.comGUEST RESOURCESMichael's website: https://listeninnovategrow.com/ABOUT THE HOSTGavin PrestonGavin is an inspirational Speaker, Business Strategist, Business Growth Mentor, Trainer and high-performance Coach.  He works with Business Owners and Entrepreneurs and has a strong track record in creating the creative strategies to accelerate growth of their business. He has helped hundreds of SME business owners and leaders improve their performance and that of their business and a comparable number of executives and employees in blue chip corporates over the last 20 years.Gavin's energetic, insightful and yet down to earth and practical talks, workshops and coaching is in demand with high growth business between £250,000 and £30 million revenue and with multi-national organisations at all levels from Board to frontline Managers. He is an expert in Business Growth Strategies, Peak Performance Mindset, Persuasion & Engagement, Marketing, Productivity, Leadership Development, Team Development & Motivation, Leading Change, Stakeholder Management, Personal Effectiveness and Behavioural Change.CONTACT METHODSWebsite: www.gavinpreston.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinpreston/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gavinpreston1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GavinPrestonGrowthStrategies/Twitter: @gavinpreston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.