Selling should be like solving a puzzle, not playing a game. Ian Altman is being helpful again. In fact, he can’t help but be helpful. It’s in his DNA and his business philosophy and it’s probably one of the reasons we’ve hit it off so well since meeting a year ago. Altman is truly one …
Category: customer reference marketing
Tame your inbox – The Sunday Snippet [2.2.14]
Make peace with your inbox using the “Yesterbox” technique. Email can be exhausting. It piles up, it never stops. Sometimes it makes you feel like Lucy and Ethel in the chocolate factory. Tony Hsieh, the wildly successful founder and CEO of online clothing seller Zappos use to feel the same way: “In 2012, I felt …
It’s about time – The Sunday Snippet – [1.26.14]
Three time-saving ideas — that don’t take much time. Time and money. They get talked about a lot and are often the big payoffs in product and service pitches – “save time and money!” We see that line every day. And they are often portrayed as having equal value, however that’s not true. While money …
The presentation formula – The Sunday Snippet – [1.19.14]
Presentations often miss the mark. Here’s a formula for creating one that truly informs and persuades. Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking they need more information presented TO them. With the exception of a root canal, there may not be a more painful experience than having bullet points read to you during a PowerPoint …
Stories stick – how to win hearts, minds and business with stories
Make a lasting impression — and new sales — with customer stories. Chip and Dan Heath are famous for their smart and compelling books. The book that first made them popular, “Made To Stick,” is a classic. It lays out in simple terms how to get people to remember and understand your message as well …
Great expectations – The Sunday Snippet – [1.6.14]
Confidence keeps motivations high. Here’s how to gain it and keep it. The sales meter for most of us was reset to zero five days ago. The highs and lows, wins and losses of 2013 are now being memorialized in tax forms and it’s time to build another good year – one day and one …
It’s a date – The Sunday Snippet – [12.29.13]
Quality time with the family trumps more time at the office. Here are a few ideas for making it happen. We talk a lot about business in this weekly note, but business is a distant second (or should be) to family. We all know the old saw: at the end of life no one ever …
The business of mankind – The Sunday Snippet – [12.22.13]
“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” Though the holiday season has been celebrated in song and story for centuries, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more touching or eloquent account than “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of …
Improve your powers of persuasion – The Sunday Snippet – [12.15.13]
Want to be more persuasive? Present a balanced argument. There are two sides to every argument and we all know it. Ever been steamrolled in a meeting or discussion? Ever tried to steamroll someone else? It’s not much fun and it doesn’t feel good. But what about the other side? We know it’s there and …
Tell me more – The Sunday Snippet – [12.8.13]
How to have better conversations — with anyone — using three magic words. Being a good conversationalist is a valuable skill for any setting – your office party, a client meeting, or even an annual review. Beyond weather conditions, recent meals, and minor maladies, it’s important to connect with people through meaningful verbal exchanges. Good, flowing …