“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Charles R. Swindoll Opportunity is everywhere, but we have been trained since childhood to say “no” or to look the other way. All our lives we have been taught to fear the unknown, to avoid strangers, and to play it…
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have replaced the water cooler as the customer hangout. Business owners need to understand that social networks have quickly become the preferred way to communicate for many people. This means that many of the conventional ways to promote and sell products and serices don’t work so well anymore.
Have you ever had the feeling that you have experienced a sales and marketing challenge before, but were uncertain about what to do next? Have the conventional tools become less effective for you? You tried direct mail, networking, print advertising, and cold calling. Nothing seems to work anymore. Welcome to the “new normal”. New and…
Given the many options for new products and new ventures, why not create an offering that solves a problem or relieves a pain for your customer—a problem that the customer wants to fix right away. When people have headaches they reach for aspirin or other pain relievers. The need is clear and immediate. The value…
Marketing campaigns, sales quotas, and sales awards are soon forgotten. Yet, your reputation seems everlasting; it is the essence of what others remember about you. How will you be remembered? Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth you won’t have to remember anything”. This adage makes sense to me. I don’t want to have…
James Thurber, author and cartoonist, said that many years ago and it is true today. Selling is not about what you say to the customer, but rather it is about the questions you ask. Many salespeople are in love with their own words and ideas. They are often described as having the “gift of gab”…
“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” James Thurber (1894 – 1961) Author and Cartoonist A friend of mine reminded me that selling is not about what you say to the customer, but rather it is about the questions you ask. Many salespeople are in love with their…
A recent study by a psychologist at the University of Arizona found that people who spend more of their day having deep, heart felt discussions and who spend less time engaging in small talk seem to be happier. Or, simply put, the folks who choose idle banter over in-depth conversations are found to be less…
Body language helps us communicate whether or not we are aware of it. A recent university study on how people receive information had the following results: – 55% of what we learn from others comes from their body language (mostly from the eyes) – 38% of what we learn from others comes from their tone…
The best advice I ever received was to slow down. Like many rookie sales people, I was anxious for success—so I worked harder and faster than everyone else. While I hit my numbers easily, I also ran out of people and companies to call. Also, I was exhausted. Watching me with amusement was an older,…