Sales

The expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” is a metaphorical phrase which means, “You shouldn’t prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone.” When such advice is ignored―and let’s be honest, we have ALL been guilty of ignoring it―there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on new relationships, fruitful…

The fall semester of my junior year in college, I landed what felt like a cushy job: TAing for a history professor teaching a freshman-level introductory Western Civ course. I would sit in on class each Tuesday and Thursday morning (it was an 8 am class, so, yeah, nothing’s perfect), take attendance, hand out any…

While email, texting, and instant messaging have improved our ability to communicate quickly, our overreliance on them may be undermining our ability to communicate successfully. Countless research studies have shown that we communicate most effectively in real-life, real-time conversations. Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, has conducted numerous experiments dealing with the communication…

During a recent meeting with a salesperson, I was reminded of one of the most powerful realities in business: appearance matters. As the salesman and I began to talk, I couldn’t help but admire his well-kept, professional appearance. His attire was just right—professional, trendy, but not over-the-top. As I shut the door to my office,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…