Welcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Today’s guest is Chris Wallace, co-founder, and President of InnerView, a marketing consulting firm that helps companies align their brand and product stories with their customer-facing teams. Chris truly believes in providing value to your clients by meeting their needs and making their lives better, and getting all of your industry partners on board with that idea, or finding partners that already are. Listen in to hear what Chris has to say about leveraging those industry partnerships to do that, so that the customer experience is a focus at every single level. Chris is the Co-Founder and President of InnerView, a marketing consulting firm that helps companies align their brand and product stories with their customer-facing teams. At InnerView, Chris draws from his nearly 20 years of sales, marketing, and corporate leadership to help companies engage their frontline teams in new ways, producing improved customer experiences and better financial results. Beyond his work with clients, Chris is able to apply his passions as a teacher and thought leader. He has taught as an adjunct MBA professor at Temple’s Fox School of Business and has been published in outlets such as Harvard Business Review and Ad Age. He was also recently named to the Forbes Agency Council. Chris received a B.A. in Public Relations from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and an MBA from Temple University. He lives outside Philadelphia with his family. Show Highlights: Chris’s passion is to get the entire value-chain, or industry, focused on the end user, which is the customer. Chris illustrates his perspective with a story around his brother and sister-in-law. There are two approaches to sales and marketing: the “old” product-focused way, and the  “21st Century Sales and Marketing” way, which goes beyond the product you offer and focuses on providing value to your clients by meeting their needs and making their lives better. Chris addresses how designers benefit from asking for this better way of marketing from their brands. Chris shares his philosophy on belief, confidence, and pride. “21st Century Sales and Marketing” is about making your client’s life be easier, it’s about helping them be more successful, and it’s about understanding their needs. Designers should communicate what their needs are by documenting what they’re wanting to deliver to the customer, and helping to educate their industry partners on how they can help with this process. Ask for the things that are going to help make you successful! Chris’s strategies on assessing the industry partners you’re doing business with. Chris shares his thoughts and tips on virtual consultations, how augmented reality can be leveraged to drive better design, and other fascinating tools of the trade. Old-school isn’t cutting it anymore because you can’t meet the modern customer’s needs. Exciting Windows is one of LuAnn’s forward-thinking vendors. Connect with Chris! Website Instagram LinkedIn Links / Resources: Hey, window treatment friends! Learn more about Exciting Windows and tell the Steves that LuAnn sent you! Process Leads to Profits - Kicking Off November 4, 2020! Learn the Four P’s of design from Sara Lynn Brennan: Processes, Partnerships, Packages, and Profits…as well as the “secret sauce” that has doubled her business in the last year! Investment: $2195 Register HERE! Design-Build For Profit Coming Back Soon! Increase Confidence, Increase Profits Coming Back in February 2021! The Profit Is In the Numbers Coming Back Soon! Eileen B. Hahn's Interior Design Firm Hiring Toolkit LuAnn Live - Coming February 2021 Join the E-Mail List to Get Updates! Is Chairman of the Board Right for YOUR Business? LuAnn Nigara COB Get the Goodies! - For checklists, resources, and extra goodies! To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999! Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here: Book 1: The Making of A Well - Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action Book 2: A Well-Designed Business - The Power Talk Friday Experts LuAnn’s Website LuAnn’s Blog Power Talk Friday Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast A Big THANK YOU to These Podcast Sponsors: Kravet’s popular visualization tool is now available on Lee Jofa Workroom furniture! Get started on building your custom pieces at kravet Leejofa. Kirsch’s motorized Briza collection is the perfect answer to high end drapery treatments. Connect with Your Local Kirsch Distributor Now! Kirsch Episodes mentioned: John Dupra #329