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Selling Pro Soccer: An Interview With MLS’s Bryant Pfeiffer

I recently had the opportunity to tour the Major League Soccer National Sales Center in Blaine, Minn.  This innovative approach to recruiting and onboarding sales...
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First In. Last Out.

"Get familiar with the light switch." At one time, this was part of my personal leadership philosophy.  I shared it with others as part of...
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Absolutely!

I was on the West Coast for an engagement with San Diego SHRM last week.  My hosts were kind enough to treat me to lunch...
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Why Everyone Ignores Your Email Sales Pitch

While cold calling might be dead, cold e-mailing isn't.  In fact, judging from my inbox it's sharply on the rise.  I know sales professionals that...
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Lawrence F. Flick IV, on the Entrepreneurial Journey

I recently had the opportunity to spend the day with a very successful and inspiring entrepreneur, Lawrence F. Flick IV.  The chairman and CEO of...
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4 Years and Forward Momentum

It's my four year anniversary into entrepreneurship, and I can't help but feel a bit reflective.  It has been the most challenging and rewarding endeavor...
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Are Your Customers in the Loyalty Loop?

The value proposition is a whole lot more powerful when customers start evangelizing it. Today, on average, 57% of a purchase decision is complete before...
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5 Keys to Counter a Slow Start

Professional sales people understand the importance of getting off to a fast start to the fiscal year.  Momentum matters. This is the last day of...
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Learning to Compete Through Sibling Rivalry

It was still dark outside as we walked over the hill toward the football field.  Just after 6:00 am last Friday on a brisk Texas...
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The Art of Anticipation

Anticipation is the key ingredient to creating a remarkable customer experience.  When a customer is met with the surprise and delight of having their unexpressed...
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Live The Legacy

Today as we recognize and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy, these 10 lessons serve as an inspirational reminder of the opportunity...
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Sharing Is Caring

Big news out of Facebook this week with the introduction of Graph Search, a new search tool for finding people, photos, places and interests in a way...
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Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Good ideas can come from anywhere.  The challenge is creating an environment that invites people to contribute their very best thinking in a way that...
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43 Reasons to Buy What You’re Selling

I've talked about the sales and marketing of professional sports on this blog before. It's a very competitive environment, where people have to blend sharp...
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The Gift of Leadership

Have you ever worked for an extraordinary leader? I have.  It can be a life-enhancing experience. Leadership is an awesome responsibility.  The best leaders are...
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Making New Year’s Resolutions for Impact in 2013

I received an e-mail this morning inviting me to join the Resolution Revolution.  I'm all in.  I have been writing about resolutions for a few...
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Top 10 Posts of the Year

Thank you for your readership in 2012! During my year-end review I spent a little time reviewing the most popular posts published on the blog...
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Turning Off the TV

We recently had some serious water damage in the loft, and the repair process has required dismantling the electronics feeding the entertainment system. I was...
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The Gift of Happiness

I'll be traveling back to Ohio on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with family. It was on this very same trip two years ago...
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5 Time Management Tips for Better Networking in 2013

"Coffee Shopping" is how I describe loosely defined, networking meetings and business introductions -- which mostly seem to take place in the neighborhood coffee shop. ...
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Are You a Chief Experience Officer?

Today's post is by Lynn Mandinec, the business manager at Ryan Estis & Associates. She's worked with Ryan for more than 20 years and helps...
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Understanding the How Advantage

Did I help somebody today without expecting anything in return? How will I be remembered by the people I worked with today? In the video...
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How The Sales Pro Uses December to Jump Start 2013

Tis the season!  December represents a natural slowdown in the pace of business as people begin to embrace the holiday spirit. Top producers know this...
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How Do I Get Started?

Change is hard, scary and uncomfortable. New ideas take time to develop, test and implement. We feel overwhelmed and strapped for time. It’s easier to...
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Finding Meaningful Work

I had a spectacular holiday that included love, gratitude, plenty of red wine and way too much good food. Coming home is always a wonderful...
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Weekend Reading

I wanted to share some of my favorite links I came across this week, including some advice on social media, productivity and career development. What...
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Conversations That Matter

The high-impact conversation is a critical leadership tool today.  We are solving more complex problems, and everyone is feeling strapped for time and distracted. We're...
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My Favorite Teacher

Do you have a favorite teacher?  Do you recall what made your favorite teacher special? The best teachers help us become the people we are...
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Weekend Reading

I wanted to share some of my favorite leadership development links I came across this week, including some advice on change innovation, productivity and sales...
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How Ritz-Carlton Delivers Amazing Customer Service

I had just arrived a couple days early for an event in St. Thomas, squeezing in a little R&R with my girlfriend. During a day...
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Weekend Reading

I wanted to share some of my favorite leadership development links I came across this week, including some advice on change management, productivity and entrepreneurship....
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The Future Of Work

Last week I had the good fortune of delivering a new strategic workshop in collaboration with Don MacPherson of Modern Survey.  Don and I examined...
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Weekend Reading

I wanted to share some of my favorite leadership development links I came across this week, including some advice on innovation, motivation and how to...
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Real Life Superheros

I woke up Sunday morning on the fence.  I was scheduled to speak Monday and Tuesday in New Hampshire with Sandy approaching.  The CNN storm...
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Call Me Maybe Recruiting Video

I met Jennifer Darby Metzger last week while attending the ERA Presidents Circle event.   Jen is a Top Producer. That means she takes her...
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What Happens Next

I couldn't write fast enough.  I was on the edge of my seat and wanted to capture every ounce of content.  I had never experienced...
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My Week & His Streak

I was stationary on the East Coast last week working with ERA Real Estate and AT&T. Team ERA kicked off their annual President's Circle event...
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Make This Your Best Year Ever

I had the good fortune of supporting a client organization that pulled together their top sales producers for a final Q4 push toward the finish...
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A Winning Value Proposition

What do you do? The most frequently asked cocktail party question of all time. The answer is especially important if you are in sales because...
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Coronado Island Reflections

The weather is San Diego perfect this morning.   I have spent the last couple days on Coronado Island designing a new course we'll be offering...
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The Standing O

A round of applause acknowledges a job well done. It's a sign of appreciation for the preparation and effort.  Sometimes it's earned. Often it's protocol....
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Brand Experience Lessons From The Big D

I was staying across the street from AT&T HQ in downtown Dallas last week.  I was awake early Friday, enjoying my first cup of coffee...
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You Consider That A Sales Call?

I attend a lot of industry trade events.  Two things around them that I have come to expect: My mailbox gets filled with postcard invitations...
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A Healthy Addiction To Change

Discussing scope of work details over dinner is never a bad thing, particularly when the setting is Newport Beach.  In doing so last week I...
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Inventing The Future

What inspires you to unleash creativity?  The big ideas and breakthrough thinking that will move you and your organization closer to the future you want?...
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The Generations At Work: What’s The Problem?

2 Boomers, 2 Xers and 2 Millenials walked into a bar... Elsie's bar to be exact. What followed was a couple hours of open, interesting,...
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Getting Paid To Speak Part 2: Wealthy Speaker 2.0

In my blog post Getting Paid to Speak I responded to a number of recent inquires I have received about building a professional speaking and...
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Good Taste

Play big. Great advice. I wanted to play big from the start. I felt small. I don't know. Maybe they were right? "This is the...
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Being A Great Place To Work

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has named its 2012 Best Places to Work honorees.  An exceptional group of companies in the hometown delivering progressive work...
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Join Our #Nextchat Talking About The Generations At Work

I arrived at the coffee shop in my neighborhood five minutes early.  The meeting was facilitated by a mutual friend who indicated it would be...
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Sustainable Growth Starts Here.

Let's do this.