I’m on location in Cabo san Lucas, Mexico, searching for sales ideas.
Well, that wasn’t the purpose for coming here, but, of course I’m always on the lookout for sales situations we can learn from.
As I’ve written several times before over the years, this is a great place to observe and participate [...]

Many sales reps look at ads, direct mailing pieces, catalogs, the Internet, or anywhere there’s advertising as sources of prospects.
This is wise. But I find so many of these people ill-prepared for what they inevitably hear on calls.
Here’s an example of what I received.
Caller: “Hello, this is Bill Jones with Video Recorders. I [...]

 So who do you look for when trying to crack into new companies?
Do you start low, at the safe, comfortable, non-intimidating lower levels?
Or, do you aim high, starting at the top?
Many reps start low. And they stay there, perhaps getting lots of sales cycles started. And, as a result, getting many bogged down, stretched out, [...]

Like many others, I lost a good friend a few weeks ago. 
I never met Tim Russert, but having spent many hours watching him on Meet the Press and other news and interview shows, I certainly felt like I knew him well.
It’s amazing how Tom Brokaw maintained his composure when he announced Tim’s death, and delivered subsequent [...]

At the grocery deli counter, the guy greeted me with, “What can I help you with pal?”

After pointing out the cheese I wanted: “This one bud?”
He showed me a sample: “OK, chief?”
Then, “What else boss?”
He handed it to me: “There you go my friend.”
As I left: “Take it easy dude.”
Need I even comment on this [...]

 I had the opportunity to attend a fundraising dinner as part of a celebrity golf tournament for Arizona youth baseball. Got to meet a few Hall of Fame Major League baseball players…very cool.

Also spent a small fortune on a rare Roberto Clemente autographed baseball I won at the oral auction. Oh well, it was [...]

I found somewhat of an unconventional way to deal with a higher price in the book, “When the Other Guy’s Price is Lower,” by James Bleech and David Mutche.
When your price is higher, mention it early in a call or relationship: “Our product is one of the higher-priced in the market. Is that a [...]

I ran into a local Chinese restaurant at lunchtime to get a takeout order from the lunch menu.
I asked if soup came with the order.
The woman at the counter told me that they did not have soup to go with the lunch specials, just for dining in.
I really wanted some hot and [...]

The weather has certainly been bizarre in many parts of the US this spring, particularly in the Midwest. Tornados, floods, even earthquakes.
This past Sunday early-morning, ( I originally wrote this on June 17) at 2:30 a.m., a tornado hit southwestern maha, where I am writing this right now. I was not in town, and luckily, [...]

So who isn’t bitching about the price of gas right now?
Probably the oil company executives.
I do have to give credit to Phillips 66 though. They have taken a commodity–gas–and figured out a way to differentiate their gas from everyone else.

In radio commercials running locally in Omaha they promote Phillips 66 gas as "hard working," implying, I [...]