Steve Marx, on October 18, 2011
In the wake of the untimely passing of Steve Jobs, plenty of people have written about their own experiences dealing with the legendary bigger-than-life persona that was Jobs. Could one of those articles actually offer sales advice? You bet. I found this in the New York Times.
John Henley, on October 17, 2011
There is a natural tension between goals to be achieved in a sales organization and the values to be followed. This tension is good. There is an interesting truth about values. In a tough economy your natural instinct might be to double down on your focus on goal attainment and not worry so much about the values of the organization (sounds like something we can focus on once the economy comes back). That would be a big mistake. The values the organization chooses to be guided by are more important in a tough economy—similar to how the importance of a lighthouse increases in a bad storm.
Demrie Henry, on October 7, 2011
Justin Bieber is the youngest person to ever sell out Madison Square Garden, and it only took him 22 minutes! While I know the likelihood of anyone reading this story to have been diagnosed with Bieber Fever is slim to none, if we’re all really being honest with ourselves, there is a part of each and every one of us who secretly admires him, respects his success or even REALLY likes him. I would even bet that if we stepped out of our comfort zone and removed our adult supersonic teen heartthrob repellant to take a closer look, we just might find the magic formula responsible for his unimaginable rise to global superstardom.
The quest for knowledge begins here, if you can step out of your comfort zone for a few minutes. Go ahead and remove your adult supersonic teen heartthrob repellant. You will become noticeably more curious and you might feel like eating a snack, that’s normal. Just keep reading, in a few seconds you’ll forget you care if anyone knows that Justin Bieber piques your curiosity.
Demrie Henry, on September 19, 2011
Just like every other five year old tomboy, I loved frogs… especially the baby ones. And in my town, after it rained, momma frogs and baby frogs were everywhere. As soon as the downpour was tamed into a light sprinkle… my brother, sister and I couldn’t get outside fast enough to search for baby frogs. The big frogs were ok, but it was the teeny tiny baby frogs that we were after.
Emily Estey, on September 13, 2011
Why, oh why, as salespeople, do we put ourselves in a position without access to the person who actually makes decisions on where dollars will be spent? Maybe it's important to look at why we aren't invited to the big kids’ table. It's because there are lots of people around us who have bad manners. They don't set agendas for meetings. They don't contract for next steps. They have nothing relevant to talk about, so they are perceived as time wasters (and they probably chew with their mouths open).
Demrie Henry, on September 7, 2011
The first time I heard this phrase was in 2000, I was watching the movie Boiler Room in Denver, Colorado. Ben Affleck’s character was trying to “motivate”—or better said— “scare the dickens” out of his rookie recruits. I vividly remember him leaning over the conference room table, squarely looking each and every recruit in the eye telling them with force… “sell or be sold… someone is always selling… either you are selling them on why they should buy OR they are selling you on why they won’t/can’t buy... ”
Mike Anderson, on August 31, 2011
Last week, I had the chance to speak at a leadership conference for roughly 150 executives from the home furnishings industry, including manufacturers, designers, import/export specialists, and retailers. We talked about the state of the economy, the mood of consumers, and the challenges that lie ahead.
Elisa Hillman, on August 22, 2011
I am a runner. Sometimes, when I am out on the road, I experience what many people call a “runner’s high.” During those brief moments, when it all comes together, I feel as if I was made to run. Every thought becomes clear, every step is synchronized, and every breath is easy. In those moments, everything feels right, and I want to spend more time running.
Matt Sunshine, on August 16, 2011
I bet you're thinking what does the phrase "don't give up" have to do with Elvis and what could this possibly be doing on a blog about Sales Strategy!!! Great questions, and in a second, I think it will all become very clear. Turns out, that Jerry Weintraub (Legendary Hollywood producer and promoter) practiced a principle that we talk about a lot at The Center: Don’t Give Up!
