My phone rang as I was watching the hockey game. Despite caller ID’s warning, I took the inbound sales call – turns out my team was not playing to their potential and I was happy to have the distraction. The person on the other end introduced himself and said that he was from XYZ Bank and said “we sent you a pamphlet about investing. Do you remember receiving it?” I said that I did not recall receiving it. He then asked “are you interested in speaking with me about our investment services?” Out of 100 calls, how many people under those circumstances say “yes?’ Did he even have to ask? Will this poor soul get ANYONE to say yes?
There is a valuable lesson from this – an all too common mistake that extends from the cold call to the board room. His biggest flaw (or the flaw of the script the company gave him) is that he did not give me any reasons why I might want to speak with him. Continue Reading »
Some friends of mine just returned from spending a month in Florida. While in Florida, they (Richard and Cindy) attended a golf clinic about chipping. He is a long-time golfer, whereas she more recently took up the game. Though they both enjoyed the clinic, they realized different results. Richard thought the clinic was interesting, and decided that he would think about it during his rounds of golf. Cindy, on the other hand, decided to spend some time each day practicing the specific drills taught during the clinic. Something interesting happened: Cindy got really good at chipping. Richard, who was always a pretty good player, did not make as much progress. By the end of the month, Cindy became a consistently good chipper. In fact, Richard confided in me that Cindy, despite being a new golfer, was chipping more consistently than he was.
Sharks have to move forward in order to survive. Otherwise, their gills don’t work. Similarly, businesses that don’t grow can stall and end up in decline.
While on vacation, my wife and I agreed to a brief timeshare presentation. In my field, think of it as getting a front-row ticket to a spectator sport.
I was with my 10 year-old son the other day. He was on his way to get himself a glass of water and I asked “Would you mind bringing me a glass, too?” He asked “What do I get if I do?” I replied “If the only reason you are getting it is to get something in return, then don’t bother – I’ll get it myself.”
Scott is an accomplished real estate professional. He has closed individual deals that have put millions of dollars into his own pocket. He brings a tremendous amount of experience, expertise, and advice to his clients. He knows more about the inner workings of a real estate transaction than just about anyone on the planet. He has been courting a large client for the past eighteen months.
I was speaking with the managing partner, Chris, of a regional accounting firm about their marketing, sales, and business development. The partners decided that they wanted to revamp their website. Specifically, they wanted to make their site catchy with new graphics, layout, and perhaps a logo. The in-house IT resource thought it should have slick animation. The business manager thought the website should list all of their service areas. It is common for firms to focus on the bells and whistles instead of the content. Unfortunately, if you focus on the sizzle instead of the steak, your prospects will visit the site and leave hungry for something with meaning.
