What is the single biggest key to business success? Some may say it’s having a product or service that solves a problem. That would be a good answer, but I think there’s a better one. Others would argue that it’s all about customer acquisition. Again, great answer, but still not the right one. Here’s where…

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Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar. You’ve just been asked to speak in front of an audience about a particular subject. You’ve agreed, and the date has been set. But as you begin to prepare for the big day, self-doubt begins to set in. Suddenly, you can’t get out of your own head. My…

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Consultative sales: we often talk about it, but what exactly does it mean? And more importantly, how does one go about doing it? A simple way to describe this sales method is this: It’s the process in which a salesperson discovers a customer’s needs first, then presents them with relevant solutions. Now, while that might…

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In his book The Greatest Generation, journalist Tom Brokaw profiled the men and women who grew up in the United States during the Great Depression and then went on to fight and win World War II. Brokaw declared that those who suffered, sacrificed, and persevered during that stretch of time are unquestionably America’s Greatest Generation.…

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There I was, nervously waiting to deliver a presentation to a group of more than 20 influential CEOs. It was a presentation I had invested more than 80 hours in developing, revising, and rehearsing over the previous month. It was a Big Deal, and I wanted to nail it. As I was being introduced to…

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The phrase “smile and dial” has existed in the sales and customer service profession since the advent of the telephone. Yet despite this longevity, what ought to be common practice isn’t! Surprisingly, there are many sales and customer service professionals who either haven’t heard of this foundational approach to telephone etiquette or, worse, there are…

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Every November, our employees are summoned to the training facility for the annual health care insurance meeting. In advance of open enrollment, a representative from the firm that we work with delights us with his presentation on the status of health care. What’s in with the new plan? What’s out? How much will it all…

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Before we dive into our topic this week, I would like to ask you a few simple questions: Do you have a hard time offering an apology when you know you were wrong? Is it hard for you to celebrate other peoples’ success? Do you continue arguing a point even after you realize that your…

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“Improving your confidence is easy. All you have to do is decide to be confident! Supress those negative thoughts! Cast away those negative influences in your life and recite daily self-affirmations—and voila! You’ll instantly be supremely confident and self-assured in everything you do!” As grandma was fond of saying, “Son, that’s hogwash.” If you’re serious…

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We all experience conflict throughout our lives. Conflict with colleagues. Conflict with friends. Conflict with family. And that conflict really affects us, it gets inside our heads and gnaws away at us when we would rather be focused on other things. Simply put, when conflict isn’t properly addressed, we aren’t able to give the best…

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