When Clients Demand Price Cuts
I first published this post on RainToday a little while back. But this is an evergreen topic - one that keeps coming back up into conversation. Especially when people ask…
Stop Worrying About Closing the Sale
You've heard the admonition "Always Be Closing." Should you worry about it? For some of you, the answer may be 'yes.' But for many more – fuggedaboutit. Here's the truth:…
My Client Is a Jerk
Ever had a difficult client? I don't mean the client from hell, I just mean garden-variety difficult. Difficult clients come in lots of different flavors. There's the client who will…
Buddhist Capitalism vs Competitive Selling: the Power of Trust and Collaboration
When you think of capitalism, you probably think of competition as a central, driving force. We have enshrined the value of competition in our antitrust laws. We view competition between providers…
Do Clients Buy the Consulting Firm or the Consultant?
This post is a distinctive take on an article originally published on RainToday. ----------------------------------------------------- When it comes to decoding the thought process behind certain complex business questions, it’s often prudent to…
Perfect Pitch in Sales: 9 Rules
The dog and pony show, the beauty contest, the shoot-out. You may just call it "the pitch." The term is especially common in some industries—advertising, executive recruiting, some law firms—but…
Pain, Brain, or Reframe? How do Buyers Really Buy?
If you're interested in selling, you might plausibly start with trying to understand how buyers buy. It's a simple enough question. But then why are there so many answers? Three…
Lowering Your Price: When to Drop It, and How
Few things in business so dramatically affect customer perception as how you handle pricing – particularly when and how you offer discounts. People may evaluate your products or your service by…
The #1 Top Single Best Way to Get a Meeting
A free bit of advice to anyone seeking to improve their networking skills, or looking for a true best practice in getting a meeting with someone. And here it is: Comment…
Caution: Sales Experts May be Hazardous to Your Sales
Neil Rackham’s classic SPIN Selling book is famous for many reasons – the depth of research, his clarity of thinking, the deeply commonsensical conclusions he draws. It's a great book,…