Weekly Wrap-Up + Posts from Around the Web: April Fool's Edition

Today, we're still laughing about all the pranks that we fell for this week (even though we told ourselves we wouldn't believe anything we were told, we fell for all the same silly lines just the same). We also can hardly believe that we're past the first quarter of 2014! Time flies when you're having fun, right?

The Center for Sales Strategy Weekly Wrap-Up

• Matt Sunshine got a terrible email, which prompted him to write How Not to Send a Follow-Up Email, and in it he noted, "Never forget that your potential customer owes you nothing."

• Mike Anderson, when he told us about the five things our sales collateral should include to ensure it doesn't get tossed wrote, "At the very least, your sales collateral should not send a message that’s in conflict with the tone and texture of the conversation you have begun."

• Beth Sunshine told us that the golden rule is great in theory, but it doesn't always work. She introduced us to the new plaitnum rule, which states, "instead of treating people the way you want to be treated, you must understand what makes them tick and treat them the way they want to be treated."

• We had a little fun on April Fool's Day remembering our best pranks, and offering up some suggestions for people to keep from being the fool. You'll have to read about the mustard donut!

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This Week's Top Reads from Around the Web

We love to read and watch great content at least as much as we like generating it, so here are the posts that caught our eye this week:

• Have you ever wondered if it's worthwhile to use HubSpot when there are free tools to replicate some of the things they do? Why should you pay for something when you can get it for free? Well, OverGrow Studio had the same question, and they studied clients who used HubSpot vs. clients that didn't use HubSpot. Find out what they realized. It may surprise you.

• Delta is introducing Innovation class, where C-level executives share a flight with someone who needs a mentor. Would you do it? Why or why not?

• Inc. tells us to forget work-life balance and opt for something else.

• KISSMetrics discusses what happens when Facebook advertising fails, and the direction Facebook is headed. Hint: it's not good for marketers.

What have you read recently that resonated with you? What have you written recently that resonated with your audience? Let us know, we'd love to share it!

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