When I tell sales folks their sales cycle is double what it should be, they assume I’m lying. But I’m not. I’m just using a different model than sales to being my client contact: Given that the typical sales  model builds in time delays and leaves the seller out of the behind-the-scenes discussions going on, there [...]

I once was told that there are three things a sales person needs to know: when will a prospect buy, who are the decision makers, and how much money will they give me.
I wonder how true this is now. Or if these are the most appropriate benchmark needs of a seller. Let’s go through each [...]

Sitting and listening to NPR Saturday afternoon, I heard someone say, “You need to ask OPEN/FACILITATIVE QUESTIONS.” For the 20,000 people who have studied with me and spent weeks learning how to formulate Facilitative Questions, and for the thousands who have purchased my latest book Dirty Little Secrets that has part of a chapter on [...]

Sales has a goal: find a prospect with a need and sell a solution. You can call it anything you want, use all of the fancy terms about serving your client, be a Trusted Advisor or a Relationship Manager, do whatever you can to understand need and make nice. But at the end of the day, your [...]

I know of a few local groups raising money for the Haitian earthquake victims. While I’m pleased they are doing this much-needed service, I wish I could help them influence folks to give more, differentiate themselves from other equally worthy fund raisers, and figure out how to help people who don’t often donate funds decide to [...]