How can you tell if you have a weak value proposition? One telltale sign is that virtually no one responds to your emails or gets back to you on the phone.

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I was eating lunch with the new president of a large manufacturing company. She was well aware of the work I’d done with their sales organization. So when I asked about her biggest challenge, I assumed we’d be talking sales. Instead, she answered, “Waste.”

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Recently I interviewed Luke Goetting, Director of Puffingston Presentations for an Engaging Presentations video series I did with Prezi. His expertise is in "transforming stale business presentations into visually engaging stories." That's why I asked him to share his thinking with you.... here's what said.

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I never wanted to be in sales. I only entered the profession because I had an idea for a business. When I shared it with a consultant , he said it was a good plan and timely.

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Last Friday I was interviewed for an upcoming Salesforce documentary on The Story of Sales. Velanie, a make-up artist, had been hired to work her wonders on me before filming began. I felt like a movie star.

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To stay on top of your game, you need “deep reading”—the kind that engages your brain. Books are the key.

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I'm frequently asked about which CRM system is best. The truth is, it depends what you're looking for. That's why I thought you'd be interested in this independent assessment from GetApp. Hopefully, it'll help.

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What would it take for you to double or even triple your win rates? According to LinkedIn research, you have a significantly better chance of closing sales when you have multiple connections within a single account.

Can it really be that simple?

Not exactly ... Winning isn't simply a function of having lots of LinkedIn connections. It requires a well-thought-out strategy. If you're only well connected to one or two people at a company, you're vulnerable if something happens to them.

Also, since most decisions today involve 4+ people, it's essential to establish relationships with all of them. That way you have a greater likelihood of getting buy-in, working through obstacles and keeping the decision process moving forward.

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I have a confession to make. I haven't updated my LinkedIn profile* for 18 months. I know. Shame on me. I'm supposed be a leader on things like that, but I'm human too.

If you looked at my profile, you'd probably think it's fine. It doesn't read like a boring resume or make me look like a hungry, job-hunting sales vulture. It doesn't sound like a self-serving company brochure.

It's customer focused, showcases my expertise and establishes my credibility. It's my professional presence online. Even LinkedIn says it's well done.

But here's the truth. My LinkedIn profile doesn't reflect changes I've made in the past year and a half. Worse yet, it's no longer meeting my objectives.

(FYI: It still says that I have a new book coming out in May, 2014 when it's already a bestseller. I didn't change anything because I want you to see what's wrong with it.)

Time to get some help! So I called in Wayne Breitbarth, author of The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success to scour through it with a fine-tooth comb. He recommended the following 5 actions to help me leverage LinkedIn more effectively. Some really surprised me!

Before we dig in, here's a quick look at the top section of my profile:

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Every time I do a sales acceleration workshop with a new client, I go to LinkedIn to check out the profiles of people who will be attending. Invariably, I see Summary sections that read like this:

  • Big Deal's innovative solutions are blah, blah, blah. Our extensive client list includes these well-known organizations. We specialize in all this stuff.
  • Quota-busting sales professional with 15 years experience in technology sales. Doggedly persistent, tough negotiator and fearless competitor.

Yes, that's a bit of hyperbole. But I think you get what I mean. And, my guess is that 85% of you who are reading this have a way-too-similar profile.

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