Nature versus Nurture? The debate on whether excellent sales pros are born or made is a classic nature versus nurture argument. After extensive experi...

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” Michael Jordan1 Teamwork offers significant advantages over individual work...

Understanding Economic Cycles Economic cycles, comprising phases of growth or expansion and contraction or recession, are a fundamental aspect of the ...

Have you ever walked into a meeting where one person dominates, trying to prove they know more than everyone else? And that you don’t know anything?...

Lessons in Leadership: Observations from My Career I have encountered numerous managers who exhibited substandard leadership qualities throughout my c...

I recently received a call from a sales professional seeking assistance with her strategy to beat her primary competitor, referred to here as ACME, on...

Some people struggle to get started in the morning.  I never have had that problem.  I’ve always approached mornings with a clear sense of pur...

You are the CEO of your personal brand. What does this mean, and why does it matter? In today’s world, whether you’re building a career in a corpo...

My background has primarily been selling enterprise-wide financial, human resource, medical, anti-money laundering, and manufacturing solutions.  In ...

This past week, I had a case of influenza. It reminded me of an incident many years ago when I began my career as an accountant. I joined the cost acc...

“Catch-22” was a popular fictional book and later a movie published by Joseph Heller in 1961. In Heller’s book, an Air Force lieutenant desired ...

Some sales pros work for companies that furnish adequate suspects and unqualified leads to keep them busy achieving their sales goals. I was not as fo...

I am often asked this question: If a buyer gives you the choice to be the first, middle, or last seller to present your proposed solution to the evalu...

I was grocery shopping with my wife a while ago when we perused the jellies and jams aisle. My wife selected a well-known jelly brand that was on sale...

Many assume that sales is a serious profession—and it certainly is. There are times when it can be very entertaining. Indeed, interacting with poten...

  Salespeople often ask me to explain the best method of identifying the highest-potential prospects to target.  “How can I find these prime p...

Your sales manager is anxious and wants you to close additional sales this month.  Perhaps she is worried about meeting her quarterly or annual new b...

I have seen examples of people who achieved highly successful careers but were still unsatisfied with their situation. Something compels them to make ...

Sometimes, well-meaning people plan or take actions that they intend to create a social good or results for the betterment of all, but their actions r...

What is the “best” sales presentation? How can it be defined or characterized? Is it a flawless presentation, perhaps utilizing the most up-to-dat...

I have read that we must keep lowering standards, such as the educational requirements for elementary and high school kids, where graduation rates and...

I am often asked this question, and the answer isn’t straightforward. Even the most skilled sales managers can attest to the challenge of findin...

Recently, my electric garage door opener malfunctioned. I called Bob, a repairman I had used before, who diagnosed the problem over the telephone as a...

Recently, an interviewer asked me what the best advice I had ever received was and, on the contrary, what the worst was.  These were very challenging...

Executives at many companies often become what I call “prisoners of the past.” There has been a decision made in the past, by them or somebody els...

STEVE’S QUICK GUIDE TO OVERCOME OBJECTIONS

This reference guide helps you understand how to think about managing objections and gives you strategies to respond to common client concerns.