Profile

Professional summary

Dan is a Founding Partner of Samurai Business Group; a Chicago-based business development training and consulting firm that incorporates human behavior, technology, audits, assessments, and business networking into a proprietary framework that drives excellence in professional selling at both the producer and executive levels.

This unique approach empowers companies to create a sustainable competitive advantage through effective sales execution and by helping sales organizations come to the realization that the only true value of their products and services reside in the buyers' perceptions...not the sellers' (value) propositions.

Prior to founding SBG, Dan had a stellar 30 year track record selling and marketing high-tech products to

Engagement overview

Duration and cost of an engagement depends on the scope of work, identified during the initial consultation.

Clients

Clients include:

• Gallagher Insurance
• Merrill Lynch
• Kitigawa
• Navistar
• IMI; as well as hundreds of mid-sized and entrepreneurial companies.

Testimonials

I am writing to thank you for introducing me to Black Belt Selling. Since starting my sales training with Samurai Business Group nearly a year ago, my sales have more than doubled. You have helped me gain a much better understanding of the sales process, and helped boost my confidence as well as sales. Specifically, Black Belt Selling has helped me make customers of 2 of my Top 10 prospects, and to make a solid connection with my #1 prospect. In addition, I have added 6 new customers to my client list, and improved my closing rate by 40% in a difficult economy for selling art. This winter, my line of note cards will be added to a stationery catalog with a circulation of over 5 million. As a result of the things I have learned from Black Belt Selling, I have extended my product line to include personalized Christmas cards for business and consumers. Sales from this line extension should increase my 4th quarter sales by 25%.I want to thank you personally for the coaching you have provided, and for being reachable when I had questions or issues. Your guidance has been most helpful. I look forward to continued participation in your program, and would recommend Black Belt Selling to anyone who wants to grow their business.

Phillip Stone, President Black Swan Art

I have worked with Dan Kreutzer and the Samurai Business Group for almost a year now. It has made a tremendous impact on my business. My sales increased almost 50% my first 6 months in the program and this year I have had over 60% year over year growth. Prior to my business, I had a career in corporate sales and have been through almost every sales program you can imagine. Dan's coaching has surpassed all of the other programs. The program not only helps drive sales, but to truly help customers solve problems giving you the ability to develop long-term business relationships. As a business owner, I have a lot of pressure on my time so this was a serious commitment for me. Dan's program is organized, well prepared, informative, and you are learning from your experiences. I always leave the training feeling that I learned something and got value for the time spent. Unlike other programs where you are given a lot of information and told good luck, now go do it, Dan works with you on a weekly basis where you can apply what you have learned and continue to refine your skills. Selling is no different from any other discipline in life - you need the ability to practice and must refine your skills. No reasonable person would expect an athlete to meet with a coach for a day and have mastered his or her sport, yet that is what is expected of many professional sales people. Dan's program is the "coach" that you can keep coming back to until you have reached the level that you are satisfied with. I highly recommend Dan and the Samurai Business Group to anyone looking to take their business to the next level.

Patrick Moriarty, President Frannet - The Franchise Connection of Northern Illinois

When I signed up for the Samurai program, little did I realize the change it would bring to my 12-year-old consulting business. In the first month we signed a large retainer client. Two months later, we closed an even larger client. Three months after starting, a previously stalled prospect from before the Samurai came to life and was another success. In just four months, my consulting income was over 6 times my previous volume! The benefits were more than dollars; the quality was up as well. We progressed on a number of key objectives, such as moving to upfront retainer assignments, getting value-based rather than hourly work, dealing with the CEO level and landing projects where we have others do the work. Had I known then what I know now, I would not have taken so long to sign up. The Samurai program is not the lowest price in town and being in finance, I was choking on the investment in the proposal, so I checked out other programs. What swung me in besides the strengths of Dan and Bob was their guarantee of results. They committed to getting me to 3 times my volume back then, or 50% above my previous highs. The coaching sessions were terrific in getting me off to a fast start. The weekly training sessions are a great blend of real world challenges fellow classmates face combined with teaching and exercises on one of the 20 modules. I learn so much from their approach on how to deal with tough situations we all face such as stalled leads. You just don't pick up that stuff in books or quickie weekend sales training makeover seminars. However, if all I did was talk about the business benefits, I would be greatly understating the complete value. Among the many great lessons I have learned in the program are listening rather than telling, asking great questions and timing your approach. Those lessons have carried over into my personal and family life. People, including my wife and close friends, have commented on the difference they see. I highly recommend anyone looking at the Samurai program consider the full scope of what it can do.

Jon Paul, President Value Added Finance Resources

This letter presents my experience with Dan Kreutzer and the Samurai Business Group. I own a sign and graphics business in the Chicago area. Before working with Dan and the Samurai Business Group, my monthly sales ranged between $4000 and $8000 per month, and my largest sale was $2000. When I enrolled in the Samurai Business Group, Dan and I worked on a plan to achieve my monthly sales targets. We identified the key market segments and the sales activities needed to be successful in those market places. We also developed a tracking system to track my behavior against the various activities. In Dan's weekly sales class we worked on improving my sales system and selling techniques. Even though my background was in sales, I learned a lot from these weekly sessions. After approximately 8 months with the Samurai Business Group, my monthly sales now range between $23,000 and $31,000; I have successfully opened up two new market segments; and my largest sale is now $11,000. I've also changed my marketing approach to pursue the markets and customers that will give me the biggest return for my efforts. Dan Kreutzer and the Samurai Business Group have helped me focus on the right activities to expand my business. Good luck with your own business.

John Marcquenski, President Mission Signs

Working with the Samurai Business Group and learning the Black Belt Sales System has literally changed my life. Company sales were in decline, sales staff turnover was high, and the company was in the beginning what is euphemistically called the "Business Death Spiral."I had prior experience working with sales consultants and trainers, which turned out to be very expensive endeavors that had led to very few tangible results. Naturally, I was skeptical of engaging with Dan and Bob. However, under constant pressure from Bob Geras, one of our key investors and the Chairman of the Board, I reluctantly agreed to contract with Samurai. Frankly, I saw it strictly as a CYA move. What happened next was astounding. Within six months of working with Dan and Bob, our sales performance increased by 65%, the cost of sales was down 27%, the average sales cycle decreased by approximately 30 days, and our sales forecast accuracy improved to the point that we could confidently project quarterly cash flows. Black Belt Selling has put us on the path to growth, and has provided a framework to accelerate our market penetration. The coaching of Dan and Bob has been invaluable. They are truly concerned with their client's success, and their passion for excellence, which was first instilled in the sales staff, has begun to spread throughout our organization. I highly recommend the Samurai Business Group to anyone - with the exception of my competitors - who are seeking to dramatically improve their overall sales performance.

Anthony Rudolf, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager RMI International