18 Jan

  SHOULD I TRY TO HAVE A CAREER IN SALES Occasionally, someone approaches me and asks, "People tell me that I am a natural-born salesman, that I have the ‘gift of gab,’ should I go into sales?” The answer is maybe. First, you should not choose a career because someone else thinks you would be good at it, although that’s excellent input.  If someone thinks I might be an excellent paleontologist, I will thank them but let them know that although I enjoy seeing dinosaur fossils at museums, I cannot see myself as an expert in this field. I will typically respond: “Is this something...

16 Jan

Negativity is a slow-acting poison. When you allow negativity into your mind, your body is infected as if you have an insidious disease. It is toxic and needs to be addressed and removed. If not, it can destroy you, your marriage, your friendships, and your career. It’s a burden, like carrying a heavy anchor while trying to swim. It also adds stress to your life. I believe in positive thinking and the energy it brings to your life. Nobody Likes a “Firkrimptor” Sometimes, the perfect word for something doesn’t exist in English. Firkrimptor is one such example. It is a Yiddish word that best...

12 Jan

You are calling a prospect for the first time, and instead of the person answering her telephone, you reach her voicemail.  “This is Anne xxx, I am not available now.  Please leave a message.” What should you do?  Should you leave a voice message? What should you say in the message? Should you give a shortened version of your 30-second “elevator pitch?” Or a different speech? What should the different message emphasize? What if you have already spoken with the prospect, and this is a follow-up call? Does that make a difference? Should you leave a voice message or not? It is...

12 Jan

In years past, there was a mythical sales test where an older, experienced sales professional would test a new, inexperienced pen by handing him his pen and then directing the novice to attempt to sell him his pen.  It was expected that the novice would try to explain the pen's features and how the “buyer” could not live without it.  He would show how easy it was to click the top of the pen, how nice the ink appeared on paper, how it could be used in many writing positions, and how inexpensive it was.  Then the novice was expected...

27 Dec

There are many experts that can coach salespeople on the mechanics of how to speak better at presentations.  This is concerned with making your content more memorable to the audience. According to presentation coach Jack Malcom “Researchers once ran a test to measure how much of a presenter’s message sticks in the minds of their audience. They found that immediately after a 10-minute presentation, listeners only remembered 50% of what was said. By the next day that had dropped to 25%, and a week later it was 10%.” (Source: http://jackmalcolm.com/2012/08/how-much-of-your-presentation-will-they-remember/) TWELVE TIPS: Keep it “short and sweet” vs “long and boring.” People...

21 Dec

I have often been asked to explain the best professional e-mail format to send to a prospect who doesn’t know me, sometimes called a cold-call e-mail. I don’t think there is one format that always works.  However, certain guidelines will make your email more attractive to a reader.  They are: Address the person properly.  Unless you have previously met the person, I would not use their first name, such as “Dear Bob” or “Dear Mary.”  I would also not use “To whom it may concern” or the formal Dear Mr. Jones.  Instead, I would advise something like “Dear Nancy Jones” or...

18 Dec

I recently watched a movie, “It Ain’t Over,” about the famous major league baseball player Lawrence Berra, known as “Yogi” to everybody who knew of him.  His granddaughter, Lindsay Berra, wondered why Yogi was excluded from a collection of baseball’s four greatest living players at the 2015 Major League Baseball Allstate game.  They recognized Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, and Johnny Bench, all great stars, but not Yogi.  Lindsay wondered why. And that was the movie's genesis, in which many speak of Yogi’s greatness as a baseball player. Yogi Berra was an incredible catcher who excelled both offensively and defensively. ...