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always-be-closing beliefs are the biggest sales obstacle

Our own beliefs are the biggest sales obstacle

Sales is hard for anyone, but especially when you start your own professional services business, your own beliefs are often the biggest obstacle to sales. I started with some strange, self-limited beliefs about sales. Over time, I realized that I … Read More

Call Scripts for People Who Hate “Selling”

Call scripts get a bad rap, because they can be terrible, especially if you use them wrong. But call scripts can be really useful to: Give you a game plan for a call, instead of struggling over what to say. … Read More

Simple Video Call Tips

Now that we’re all stuck inside thanks to the coronavirus, video calls are the next best option, but most of us hate how we look on video (or so I’m told) and don’t know how to make the most of … Read More

How to Keep Your Professional Services Practice Going (without going “viral”): tips for coronavirus

With SXSW down for the coronavirus count, along with the NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLB, and innumerable smaller events, how do you handle lead generation for your professional services firm? How do you replace the networking opportunities? The in-person meetings that … Read More

LinkedIn Automation request

LinkedIn Automation Gone Wrong Stories?

LinkedIn is a great place to curate a your professional network, keep track of people changing jobs, launching new venture, and sharing interesting content, but LinkedIn automation has filled our inboxes with spam. Some recent connection requests in my “inbox” … Read More

professional services sales trap

The professional services sales trap

Professional services people can be great at sales (and marketing), but we often struggle. Why is that? I think it has to do with the “professional services sales trap”, which actually sets your own expertise against you. In the last … Read More

Shhh… here’s a secret

Every great company is built on a secret. At least that’s what Peter Thiel writes in his book Zero to One: Notes on Startups or How to Build the Future. So here’s the secret at the heart of what I do … Read More

frustrated lebron upset about losing to the competition

Who is the competition and what are the rules of the game?

How often have you been in the end stages of a sales cycle, you think you’ve laid out a great case against the competition, only to find the prospect goes dark? The first step to beating the competition is to … Read More

Things I’ve Learned This Decade

Being angry or mean (to others of yourself) rarely makes things better. But anger and other emotions are telling us something– listen and then decide what to do. When other people are angry or mean to you, it often has … Read More

Pipeline Planning

Marketing Planning for 2020 (and the 2020s)

All set with your marketing planning for next year? (And since we’re rolling into a new decade, for the 20s, as well?) No? Here are some links to get you started: Understand that you run a media company, whether you … Read More