Carry On
There is a point in every big deal when it looks like it will all fall apart. There is a point in any creative project where you become convinced that the work is crap, and it should be thrown away. There is a point in any writing project where the bank page just won’t stop […]
Find The Causes and Conditions
People don’t just wake up one day with a need, with a desire to buy something. Something must happen. A “cause” must be added to our current “condition” to get our attention. It needs to have enough jolt to cause a reaction. The reaction must be big enough to generate a desire to do something […]
The Right to Say “No”
This may seem counterintuitive. Often, the best way to get to “yes” is to start with “no.” Here’s what I mean. Conventional sales wisdom says you want the other person to say “yes” a lot. It’s almost Pavlovian. Get them to say yes to lots of little things, and pretty soon, the only thing left […]
Eight Great Sales Tips
I love lists as much as the next person. A while ago, I decided to list what I thought a great salesperson did. The things that separate a true pro from the rest. Not a list of attributes or personal characteristics. Instead, I was interested in activities or steps. I tried to keep it as […]
Sharp Tools
Over the years, I have made many things out of wood: buildings, furniture, cabinets, Art Boxes, doorstops, spoons, and the list goes on and on. To do that, I’ve used saws, drills, chisels, planes (manual and power), scorps, hook knives, carving knives to cut wood; rulers, squares, tapes, dividers, calipers, story sticks, and more to […]
Stay Connected in Conversation
One of the many small rules of selling is, “Don’t lose connection with the buyer when it is your turn to talk.” The best way is to talk about things that interest the buyer. You should know what those are if you’ve asked great questions. Remember, our favorite stories are “stories about me.” It’s also […]
Learning From People Like and Not Like Us
I have a friend named Peter. His sport of choice is Jujitsu. Peter is a big man training in a gym led by a small man. He’s not small in accomplishment, character, or expertise—he’s just eight inches shorter and 90 lbs. lighter than Peter. At some point, he probably needs to go train with someone […]
New! Improved! Going Fast!
Great headlines sell. They do the hard work of getting you to stop, pay attention, and change your focus from over there to RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! This is true for direct mail. It’s true for newspapers and magazines. It’s true for television (those scrolling chyrons on the bottom of your screen are headlines. It’s […]
Uniforms Are Great Until They Aren’t
Uniforms have been cultural signifiers in Western culture at least since the 17th century when armies began to suit up. Royals and spiritual leaders have been sporting regalia throughout recorded history. Not much has changed. Whatever you do, there’s probably a “uniform,” a look, a standard way of showing up. An obvious example is the “Tech […]
Show Your Expertise in The Questions You Ask
A motivated fifth grader can memorize specifications and recite them on command. With a bit of practice, they can also translate those features into benefits (what’s in it for the buyer). Five minutes with your favorite search engine, and you won’t even need the fifth grader. I’m not trying to insult fifth graders. I’m just […]