Small Business Owner

The Hardest Advice to Follow

Is usually your own. Last week I wrote about how to multiply the value of your content, because this is a problem I face along with many of you. I knew I needed to do a better job with this. … Read More

Technical pain, business pain, life pain

12 Secrets of Successful Sales Conversations

You’ve finally got a meeting scheduled with your prospect. (If you missed them, you might want to read about how to get more people to convert on your site, and when to call them to get an initial conversation.) I … Read More

making it hard to talk to prospects-- how to avoid sales conversations

Off to See the Wizard: Do you hate talking to prospects?

When prospects visit your site and ask you to engage with them, do you make it hard? Do you act like you hate talking to prospects? (If you haven’t seen it, yet, you may want to check the last post … Read More

Modern Services Website Makes it Hard to Buy

Does Your Website Keep Buyers Away?

Although we all want to sell more easily, sometimes our website keeps buyers away, acting more like a fortress than a marketplace. Are you making it hard for your customers to buy by keeping prospects away? No, you might insist, … Read More

Bob's Discount Heart Surgery Price Competition

Price Competition How to Avoid It and How to Win It

Price competition can seem scary, but many of the wounds are self-inflicted. While that sounds discouraging, it’s actually good, because it means you can take control of them, avoid them, and win deals at better price points. Pricing is the … Read More

Landing Page Grader: Free Consulting Page Review

I’ve talked before about why most consulting websites are terrible. (Sad, true, and I’ve been guilty of it all– that’s how I know.) So I wanted to offer people a simple, easy, free landing page grader to help fix some … Read More

What I learned selling services

Like a lot of people who accidentally became consultants, I got started because I was really good at helping companies solve certain kinds of problems that they had trouble solving themselves. Like a lot of people who start consulting companies, I … Read More

Don’t Pitch Your Solution Too Early

You’ve finally scored the big meeting with the dream prospect. They have expressed strong interest in your company and seem like a great fit for your services. As the Very Important Top Officer (wow, she’s actually in the meeting!) kicks … Read More

What to Eat for Better Productivity

How our minds and bodies feel is an important factor in how productive we can be at work (and in life). If you put the wrong fuel in your car, it will have less power, less acceleration, and you’ll damage … Read More

Don’t Sell, Help

I always hated “sales”. The stereotypical sliminess. The used car salesman trying to push junk on someone at an information disadvantage. When I joined the software world, I found plenty of these people. But I also found that the most … Read More