In an interview by Paul Watts for his show Sales Reinvented Podcast he asked me “What’s one thing you wish you knew earlier in your sales career?” My answer: “I wish I would have known to be more hardcore at pre-qualifying.” Yup. Pre-qualifying prospects is critical and when I think of all the thousands of...Read More

“They haven’t called me back.” It’s the most common response to “Where are we with prospect ABC?” This response, “They haven’t called me back,” lands with a thud at my feet like a bag of rocks when I hear it from a seller or business owner. I can feel the disappointment when they say it...Read More

It’s a brand spanky New Year. As most people are, you’re probably pumped to put the last year behind you. The New Year always feels like a clean slate – full of promise and possibilities. Many of you may have plotted out budgets, planned expenses, or set goals and perhaps cemented your strategies with a...Read More

NOTE: This is an update to the WHACK-A-MOLE Business Strategy post from several years back. I work with both business owners and their sales teams and individual sellers and I see more WHACK-A-MOLE than ever! Does this title feel ALL too familiar to you? I write this blog as I had an encounter with a...Read More

Why do we love toddlers and small humans in weddings? It’s not because ring bearers and flower girls perfectly execute their duties with the style and panache of professionals. It’s because, in spite of rehearsals, practices and coaching, we know that they are a wild card and are capable of melting down, going off course...Read More

Recently, I handed over my email address to a sales technology company and much to my annoyance, my phone number, name of my company, title, and headcount – to download an e-book of “sumthin’ or other” (it was so memorable, I couldn’t tell you the details of what or why I opted in). The promise...Read More

I realized we’ve struck a nerve with this series, “Selling for Non-Sales People” when I mention we’ve rolled out this intensive and coaching program, the response is to grab my arm and say “YES! I NEED THIS” with giant eyes and emphatic jerking on my arm. The response in the first weeks has blown me...Read More

Earlier this year, my friend and super sales trainer, Alice Kemper asked me my thoughts about the term “Sales Playbook”. I had shared with Alice that we build these often and help our clients execute these plans and she’s heard the term frequently lately and wanted to know if it was a “buzz word” or...Read More

You can say it in many ways. You can define it in many terms – from the technical to blunt: CASH FLOW is KING for small business. The ability to survive and the opportunity to thrive for a small business both hinge on access to available cash. Surviving means you have the necessary cash to...Read More

Why are you in business? The answers for each person might vary from deeply personal motivation such as “To create jobs for veterans“, “To be my own boss” or in my case, “It’s my calling, this is bigger than me, I HAD to build this business.” Most people start or build businesses because of a...Read More